The more I look into getting a commuter the more realize how much there is to know.
All the drive train components, the brake system, axles, the rims and on and on and on.

How does one determine the point of diminsioning returns for the money spent? I thought for $1000 I could get a bike that do the trick but now it seems that's the very bottom and $1500 is probably closer to get what will give me the best bang for the buck. Or, am I over thinking it and just get a bike and tune it, fixed it and adjust it throughout the year.
I plan on putting close to 4000 miles per year.

Basically, take your budget, double it, and lust.

Every part of a bike will eventually wear out, given enough use. Even the frame. But it'll take a long time, so much that it doesn't make sense to worry about.

At 4,000 miles per year, your foremost expense will be tires. How much you'll spend and how often you replace them will depend on which ones you use.

New brake pads are less than $10, and it's easy to put them on yourself. The wheels should last you years, if you ride don't them down stairs and over potholes and whatever else. That covers the rim (which wears down slowly as you use the brakes, and also can get bent in a serious impact like hitting a big pothole at high speed), axles, and the whole nine yards.

You'll need a new chain somewhere in the ballpark of every 1,500 to 3,500 miles. It'll cost between $20 and $75 depending on which one and where you buy it. You'll need to replace your cassette (gears in the back) every 4 or 5 chains. You'll need to replace your chain rings (gears in the front) after maybe 35,000 miles. But this stuff lasts longer if you don't ride in the rain, and if you lubricate the chain when you should, and all that great stuff.

Except for the consumables that Seattle lists, most components will last nearly forever.
The question is what do you need the bike to do that's driving the price?

Hard to quantify. Unless you are presently walking to work, which is probably the least expensive form of commuting, you'll be saving money in the long run over any other form of commuting, and getting all the other benefits that come with exercise.

If you want the longest service life with the least maintenance, here's my opinion (up for disagreement / contention by others):

Points to ponder:

- nearly any bike will give you a good service life at 4,000 miles per year, if properly maintained
- Quality does make a difference. $1500 is a reasonable price point to get something that will offer many years of reliable service.
- Disc brakes eliminate rim wear due to conventional brake pads, and tend to be easier to maintain than rim brakes. They also offer better braking performance in wet conditions. Cable actuated disc brakes are the simplest format, and are easy to set up and maintain. Hydraulic systems tend to offer better performance/modulation, but are not as simple mechanically. In theory, hydraulic brake systems are neary maintenance free but are more involved to work on should something other than new pads be required.
- Internally geared hubs (IGH) can provide many years of trouble-free service with a very modest service interval. IGH's replace the conventional drive train (derailleurs, cassettes, multiple chain rings, narrow chains) and are far easier to keep running smoothly over time. There's a slight but inconsequential learning curve with rear wheel removal when compared to conventional systems.
- For conventional drive trains, Campagnolo components are fully rebuildable while Shimano components generally are not. I don't know about SRAM. Most bikes have derailleurs, and with proper care can run smoothly and reliably for many years. For decent quality systems, maintenance tends to be higher in time and cost than wih IGH systems.
- bearing races will wear over time, but if properly maintained will give many thousands of miles of service.
- Tires will wear out with use. Good quality tires cost $30-70 per tire and tend to offer superior ride quality and/or puncture protection over less expensive models.

A single speed bicycle is the simplest, most reliable, easiest to maintain type of bike that you will find. If you live in a hilly area or will be riding with large loads (or are not in good physical condition), a single speed may not be the best choice.

My own personal choice for utility, reliability, service life, ease of maintenance and pleasure/simplicity of would be:
- Internally geared hub
- Disc brakes.
- dynamo driven (no battery) lighting system
- any frame material (though I prefer chromoly)
- good quality components
- good tires

Are you commuting now on something else? If not, are you sure you know what you want? If not, I would think of buying the cheaper bike only for that reason (assuming the two are similar, but one just has better components than another). If it really ends up not being the right bike for you, you might regret having spent the extra $500. (Of course, then there is a calculation of whether or not resale value is better on the more expensive bike).

I think the components on $1,000 bikes are pretty good and will last a long time, with the caveat that the "consumable" items on any bike will need to be replaced at some frequency.

Maintenance is the key. Keep components aligned, cleaned, and lubed and you will get long life from them.
Replace the consumables (brake pads, idler sprockets, etc.) when needed and don't try to make 'em do beyond their serviceable wear points. Oh, clean and lube that chain!!!

I think between $1000 and $1500 is the sweet spot for commuter bikes. Below that, and you end up getting inferior, heavier components that won't last as long. Above that, you get lighter, higher-end components that won't last as long (designed more for racing than commuting).

As for the drivetrain, assuming regular cleaning and lubrication, I get the following:

Chains: 10-speed, about 4000 miles. 9-speed, 6000 miles. 8-speed, 8000 miles.
Cassette: About 8000 miles (Shimano 105 or HG70 quality). Higher-end cassettes get fewer miles. Lower end cassettes last longer, but don't always let you shift as well and they're heavier.
Derailleur pulleys: Last about as long as the cassette.
Chainset: After 30,000 miles, I change the middle chainring (all my chainsets are triples).
Bottom bracket: I don't know, I've never worn one out.
Shift cables: more a function of time than miles. I replace mine every 4 years or so.
Tires: Depends on the tread. I get about 3000-5000 miles on lightweight tires. 10,000 miles (or more) on good touring tires.
Normal wheels with rim brakes: About 30,000 miles before the sidewall is too worn out from braking.
Disc wheels: I don't know. Only my mountain bike has discs, and I haven't worn out the rotors yet.
Brake pads: Depends. Riding in snow will grind them down like sandpaper. Riding in rain will grind them down too, but at a much slower rate than snow. Riding in dry weather, they seem to last a long time (forever?). I replace them whenever I get past the wear indicator.

I was just looking at the cost per mile for various components I use. I track a lot of stuff (using MapMyRide makes it pretty easy). As SF said, tires are probably the most expensive consumable, followed by the chain. To put this in perspective, I'm currently using Continental Grand Prix 4 Seasons tires that I bought at my LBS for a hefty retail price of $140 (you can get them a lot cheaper from the UK if you want to go that route). Right now, I've got about 1600 miles on those tires, which puts them below 9 cents a mile. This is my first pair of these tires, so it's hard to gauge, but the rear tire looks like it probably has another 1500 miles in it and the front tire looks like new. Of course, you can't predict when a rougue screw on the road is going to tear a chunk out of your sidewall and ruin a good tire.

A decent chain will cost about $25 and last about 2000 miles, or around 1 cent per mile. Brake pads will be between 0.5 and 2 cents per mile, depending on whether you use rim brakes or disc and what your riding conditions are like. I've read a lot of stories about people having the LBS tell them to replace their cassettes when they replace their chain, but I think that's wasteful. The only cassette that I've replaced because of wear was a cheapo 7-speed freewheel that came on a $300 bike. I think a $40 cassette should probably be good for 10000 miles or more, depending on your tolerance for degraded shifting performance. I ride in the rain a lot, so I replace my cables about once every 2000 miles (~2 cents per mile).

So the primary consumables will generally cost you less than 14 cents per mile, and I think that's conservative. A maintenance budget of $500 per year will keep you in good parts if you learn to do the work yourself (which I highly recommend). I tend to think of those costs as being like the cost of gas for a bike. My wife spends $50 on gas a lot more often than I spend $50 on bike parts, so it makes my expenses easy to explain.

As for the cost for a "trick" bike to start commuting on, four years ago I spent $900 on a brand new Kona Jake with 9-speed Tiagra components. I like to tinker, upgrade and build new bikes so it's hard to say exactly how many miles any given part of that bike has on it today (except the frame which is just shy of 8000 miles) but I can tell you that every part of the bike except the chain, tires, tubes, bottom bracket cups, headset bearings and hub bearings are still in good working condition. I'm particularly hard on bearings because I ride in the rain a lot and do cyclocross racing. A 2012 Jake costs $1100 and has 10-speed Tiagra components with a 105 derailleur. I highly recommend it.

Of course, you'll have no problem finding people on this forum who have gotten tens of thousands of miles and years of use out of sub-$200 used bikes.

I'll need it to take me about 25 miles round trip mostly on pavement. I'll assume some pot holes, that'll I try to avoid. One nice steep hill about a mile long
in each direction. No rain, just the usual common dirt and grit one would find on a paved road. And that's it.

Check out the Norco Ceres:

https://www.joe-bike.com/commuter-bikes/norco/

IGH, carbon belt drive (no greasy chain), basically no drivetrain maintenance whatsoever. A friend has one and loves it. He and his wife take turns commuting on it.

No one mentioned it, but if you have drop-bars; bar tape also gets nasty and will need to be replaced. Also cheap, probably once every year or every other year depending on your tolerance for dirt and your desire to change the look of the bike.

Don't confuse price with quality - a lot of the costlier bicycle components are expensive because they were designed for racing - you are paying for light weight, not endurance.

I am not a big believer in disc brakes, but it is more of a philosophical thing - if you do go with rim brakes, make sure that you have a beefy rim, and select pads that are appropriate - I like the Kool-stop dual compound (salmon and black) pads, which give good braking, reasonable life etc.


Another advantage of an IGH is that they tend to use beefier chains, so your chains last longer than with a comparable traditional system


Don't forget traditional drivetrains - my commuter has a 1x8 drivetrain, with a bar-end, friction shifter to control the rear derailleur. This setup uses an 8 speed chain/cassette which last longer than the more fancy systems, and I have yet to see a bar-end or downtube shifter wear out - so rebuildability is not an issue.

I commute on Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires, they cost me ~$60 each, but are virtually flat free, and last 10,000 miles (between front and rear) each, so they are a bargain.


My personal commuter is:
- 8 speed derailleur rear wheel - I selected this over an IGH because I have other bikes with compatible rear wheels, I can easily swap out a wheel if I need to get to work.

- Traditional rim brakes

- Dynamo front hub with dynamo driven lighting, supplemented with battery powered flashy lights (Dinotte tail light, Cateye loop)

- Good quality, but NOT racing components

- Bar end shifter

- Tubus rear rack

- Fenders

Rain means that dirt and grit splash around, get onto your rims (and into your drive train), and act like sand paper. If you're not going to ride in the rain, it will greatly extend the life of your rims, chain, cassette, and chain rings. Maybe the bearings, too, depending how well they're sealed. Right off the bat, I wouldn't worry much about it; choose the bike/components for other reasons than longevity.

Are you going for a road bike, hybrid, or what?

Go with excellent Fenders and the drivetrain gets saved. I personally like the longboard fenders.

I don't think you can go by what other people are saying about compnent life. For example I ride in all sorts of nasty condidtions and have a lot of steep twisty hills. I used to consume break pads and wear out rims every couple years before I went to dics on my commuter bike. Also no matter how much or little I ride I usually end up replacing my chain every spring. I climb standing a lot and wear out certain gear combinations so I'm lucky to use maybe two chains before I need a new cassette. I also seem to need a new bottom bracket every couple years but have never had a headset problems. Tire life can vary greatly with different types, brands, and models. And so on and so on. .... The point is that you will get different answers for how fast stuff wears out depending on who you ask.

In my opinion $1000 is more than enough for a decent commuter bike. In terms of what is cost effective I'd probably look at Bikes Direct bikes, or maybe even stuff that Nashbar or other discount sites are offering good deals on. The same goes for parts. I often look for decent stuff at overstock/older model prices. Then again I like bikes and I understand that money can buy quality and craftsmanship. Sometimes I just want what I want and am willing to pay for it.

But of course this is just me. You will get as many opinions on these things as people you ask. Keep learning and listening but do what most makes sense to you.

clean and lubricate things as often as possible.. that extends the wear life.

OK. For a 12 mile road ride with few hills and no rain (I guess you'll drive those days?) you could probably get away with a $600 bike. So it's still not clear what you are trying to get for the extra money? If it's reliability, I'm not sure that's a linear relationship. If you are looking for "bang for your buck" I'd focus on the frame, which is the most expensive thing to upgrade, then wheels, and only then worry about components. Even the cheapest thing shimano makes will last you at least until you get bored and what to change stuff anyway!

If your $1500 bike buys you an awesome frame, even with cheaper components, than your $1000 bike, it might still be a good deal. If the extra $ gets you nicer jewellery on the same frame as the cheaper model (I'm lookin' at you Trek, Giant, Specialized!) with maybe just a nicer fork, then it may not be a good way to spend your money.

Unless you commute regularly now and have a pretty good idea of what you want I wouldn't spend even $1000 on a bike.

I'd shoot for something fairly basic, commute for a year and then spend the big bucks on your 2nd bike. Or not. You may find the accessories like a good saddle, quality lights, clothing, etc. are what is worth spending the money on.

Often what the extra money buys you is lighter components with additional features, - not necessarily better durability. Then when it is time to replace something, you pay more again for the replacement.

The only reason I'd be tempted to spend a bit more is the distance. 12 miles each way isn't terribly long but it's not short either. It's far enough that you might want to consider a commute worthy road bike and that will push the cost up a bit.

^^^ Everything he said is good.

IMO, the ideal situation would be to get a great value on a used bike with components that still have plenty of life left in them (my '91 Bianchi was this way, apart from the tires). Then, you could replace/upgrade only those parts that need it, as they need it. Of course, that depends on some research and luck to get the best results.

- Scott

My main 'loaded commuter/utility bike' is this one: https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/..._cross_cx2.htm

Purchased it in May of 2008. Still functionig on the original drivetrain except for the bb. Just swapped it out for a 'sealed rebuildable'. This is the only component that I've had to replace. The brake pads, cables, shifters, deraileurs, etc. are still all operating as designed.

Changed the stock tires for 28mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus. I've got over 20,000 commuter/utility miles on this bike. Replaced the rear tire once, but still have the same front tire. The front one is just now beginning to show signs of wear. 2 flats and one slow leak in 3.5 years...that's why they're worth the big bucks. It's all a matter of maintenance, I think. After a rain commute I wipe my bike down completely, including the chain and lube it and all the pivot points on the brake calipers, ders, shfters, etc. I keep all the necessary equipment at my work place in case of a rain soaked morning ride.

Another 2-300USD in accessories like a rack, bags, lights, frame pump, emergency tools, wb cage, fenders!! and you're in for well under 1000USD.

Bikes Direct gets alot of negative 'press' sometimes deserved sometimes not. My experience, obviously has been excellent. Ordered the bike on a Wednesday and received it on Saturday. If you lack mechanical accumen have someone who's a bike-geek help you assemble it or take it to a lbs and pay them.

You can honestly use anything to commute. I'm using a Specialized Hardrock Sport 29-er Disc that I snagged for $600. Threw on some bar ends for extra hand positions, a Topeak rear rack, and just got in some Avenir Metro panniers (when I need to carry more than my Topeak trunk bag can hold). Also for some increased speed, I tossed on some 700x35c Bontrager tires. It works very well.

I bought a 150 dollar bike some 12 years ago. Every now and then I need a new 12 dollar chain. Last year I replaced the wheels for the first time. 2 years ago I had to change the shifter. I need brake pads and cables about once a year. All this stuff is cheap considering I still have lots of money left before I get to $1500.
I ride between 2500 and 3000 miles a year.

x2. There is no way to generically say "x" component will last "y" miles. Riding style, terrain, weight, conditions, maintenance all play a role in component life.

I also believe many people greatly underestimate lower end components, I have seen plenty of acera level bikes with over 10k miles and nothing more than replacing consumables.

If your hills are not too terrible or you are ok with pushing a little harder SS is the simplest and cheapest to maintain of all the options but other stuff works just fine. The biggest thing with geared bikes is if something feels "off" check it out, or if you are uncomfortable with doing mechanical work take it to a good shop and they will be happy to walk you through the basics assuming they are not slammed at that time.

I am also a fan of disc brakes for the simple fact that they do not wear out your rims and when set up properly need very little attention and the pads last considerably longer than rim brakes. I love building wheels but do not love the expense of buying a new rim and sometimes spokes.