treebound 

Not sure if anyone in this thread has mentioned this, but it is often suggested to test ride the commute route on a weekend or other non-working day regardless of what bike you end up getting. This way there is no pressure to be at the destination by a certain time, no issue with worrying about sweaty clothes, no major issue with bike parking/locking apart from rest stops along the way.

Another often mentioned option is to drive in one day with the bike in the car, then ride home that night, then the next day ride in and drive home. This way you're not doing two reasonably long rides in the same day, at least until any conditioning issues get worked out.

Ride what you're comfortable with and what you enjoy. Over time most rider's likes and fit adjusts and changes, and many of us end up with more than one bike to suit different purposes and needs. Do what works for you and enjoy the ride.

Ferrous Bueller

The other day the GF and I were grinding up a steep hill. She on her 3sp Dutch bike, and me on my 27sp hybrid.
"What a terribly impractical bike she's on!" I was thinking as I waited for her.

Hours later I had a heavy load of groceries hanging off my handlebar. I was wishing they were in the panniers on my Dutchie.
"What a terribly impractical bike I'm on!"

Leisesturm

Do I need to say this: you, at least, can put panniers on your hybrid... how practical would it be to try and upgrade the gearing on that 3 speed? Mmm?

tarwheel 

Good points. I was going to suggest the weekend test ride and got sidetracked by the discussion over types of bikes.

Before I started bike commuting, I rode my mountain bike to work and back one Sunday morning. My commute distance at that time was about 22 miles round trip. That one test ride convinced me to use one of my road bikes rather than my mountain bike, because it was so slow and the trip took so long. I ended up commuting the first couple of years on an Italian racing bike -- proof that you can commute on just about anything. I later switched to a touring bike and then a sport touring bike.

Ferrous Bueller

No.
My anecdote was meant to illustrate the compromises when we try to do disparate things with the same bike.
Yes, hybrids can take racks, but they won't carry the load as effortlessly as a Dutch bike with its integrated one.
Yes, you can modify the gearing on a Nexus for hills, but you'll never be as fast on a Dutchie as on a sportier bike.

Cfiber

I got your point the first time. It was appropriate and very well stated!

spivonious

Just to add my perspective, I do a 7 mile each way commute in about 25-40 minutes, depending on wind and traffic. This is on an upright utility bike, the Trek Allant. My route has some bigger hills, and I'm lugging 10 pounds of stuff back and forth.

Drop bars would give you much better speed on windy days, but don't put too much towards the weight difference. 5-10 pounds is a small fraction of an adult's weight, so it shouldn't affect your average speed much.


Definitely see if you can rent a hybrid style from the local shop and definitely start out with the 6.5 mile ride.

Darth Lefty 

"Lovely Bicycle" blog had a post once about how she felt a huge difference between the Pashley on the one hand and the Gazelle and old Raleigh on the other. The former seemed twee, soft and slow, and the latter two very businesslike bikes that actually turned out faster for her despite their size.

I can't find it now but she's worth reading anyhow https://lovelybike.blogspot.com/

ksisler

OP;

Here are two that might be right on target for your needs. Both have sloped top tube "mens" version as well as a "Mixte step through" style. First one is a bit lower cost.

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...se1_hybrid.htm
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...afe_sprint.htm

But my best recommendations would be an "Internally Geared Hub" one which really fixes a lot of issues regular bikes present to folks who just want to ride vice constantly twiddling with the shiny bits;

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/gt/gt_traffic_2.htm

Give them a look and post your reaction...

/K

PS; I have no financial interest at all with any source cited

Truly

I thought of this yesterday and left work a little early to drive the route and scope out places to park my car that are along the route. I discovered that by driving Route 1 instead of using I-95 (they run parallel) the commute is actually shorter by 3+ miles (would not have guessed that as they sure seem totally parallel but tenths of a mile difference must add up! So, my actual commute straight up Rt. 1 is 13.2 miles -- very do-able. To get started, I found several options:

1) 1 mile from work is a parking lot ($4/ day) that I can use for days when my son has an orthodontist appt and I have to dash out of work to pick him up and take him. Drive. Park. Bike the last mile.
2) 3 miles from work there is a plethora of free, un-timed, street parking where I can park my 2001 beater Nissan that no one will steal . Drive. Park. Bike the rest of the way.
3) 5 miles from work is a grocery store with a large, well-lit parking lot.
4) 6.5 miles from work is another grocery store. From this spot almost all the way to work, the route is 3-lanes each direction with generous shoulders. NICE!
5) I can leave my car at work overnight so I can adapt the method above for the first month.

I'm going bike shopping this weekend and hope to start ASAP! I'll post back and give an update.

Truly

"But my best recommendations would be an "Internally Geared Hub" one which really fixes a lot of issues regular bikes present to folks who just want to ride vice constantly twiddling with the shiny bits;

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/gt/gt_traffic_2.htm"

I like the third one you posted -- definitely want an internally geared hub because I'll add a full chain guard, fenders, and wheel dress guard so I can ride in regular/ street clothes too. Thanks for the links!

Leisesturm

Actually, now that you have decided to combine the car and bike to build up your endurance gradually, the bike you really should be considering is a folder. Even though you have found a way to bring the one way commute down to 13 mi. that is still a significant one way distance. IGH hubs are heavy, they are inefficient and they are expensive. If a $500 bike has an 8-sp IGH I have to wonder as to the quality of the rest of the bike to make that price point. Add fenders, rack, pants guard etc. to that and you have a bike that will not be a very practical commuter weightwise. Anyone telling you otherwise isn't doing you any favors. There is a good reason people pay $5K to have 9lb. bicycles. Full chain guard... wheel dress guard? Do you even know if those items are available for the bike you have in mind? There are folding bikes that come equipped with most of these things because of the nature of folding bikes. You will not be able to get a full sized bike so equipped to fit into a car trunk. You will have to ride the full commute or nothing if you opt to outfit the full size bike like a Dutch City Bike. No one in Holland is using city bikes for 13mi. one way's I assure you. Horses for courses. I suppose that is what an earlier poster was saying but he didn't use the best examples IMO. The rest of us have tried to be more direct.

Rob_E

Or get a bike rack. Although some vehicles can fit a full sized bike without too much trouble, so even that might not always be necessary. I love folding bikes. Mainly because I can pick them up used and hide them in the spare room so my wife doesn't know that I bought yet another bike. Also, yes, a folding bike packs into a trunk better and sometimes can go on public transit with you. If that's what you need, it's worth considering. But I think it's misleading to say that if your commute is multi-modal, you really need to consider a folding bike. My commute is multi-modal, and I do have a folding bike, but I also have full-sized touring bike. Both work equally well because both fit easily on the front rack on the bus. Actually, the front rack seems designed for tires larger than 20 inches, so a little extra care is required to get the folding bike secured. It could fold up and go on the bus with me, but often the bus is crowded, and even folded, it's not that small. Nor is it that light. It's lighter than my full-sized bike, but that is largely because my full-size bike is set up to carry way more than the folding bike.

Also a bike that folds is often an added expense. If the OP needs the portability that a folding bike offers, it is certainly worth it. If not, for a first bike, I don't know if I'd dive right into the folding bike options. I know there are many kinds of folding bikes out there now, but every folder I have ridden seems better suited to short jaunts than to 20+ mile round-trip commutes. There are exceptions, and there are certainly people who tour on folding bikes, logging far more than that 20+ miles/day. But going with a folder is an added complication for someone who hasn't yet nailed down their riding style. If the OP does not expect to face the problems that a folding bike solves, then it may not be worth bothering with.

Personally, I think the OP should find a bike they like and ride it. I think they have expressed some goals and riding preferences that are at odds with each other, and only by getting out there and riding will they be able to determine whether the goals need to bend or the riding preferences need to change. Or maybe nothing will need to change. We are all different. I went through some trial and error when finding the bike that suited the riding I wanted to do. But when I started riding distances further than around the block, I did it by pulling my mother's rusty Schwinn out of the back yard and adding a little oil, and heading out. There was no internet to tell me that the bike didn't fit me, was not suited to the kind of riding I wanted to do, and couldn't take me where I wanted to go. As a result I happily rode that bike to hell and back. So you never know.

Cfiber

Before getting involved with a distant internet bicycle vendor like Bikesdirect, I'd much prefer to deal with a local bicycle shop that can immediately address my bicycle needs and be completely accessible. That's especially so, if I'm fairly new to commuting, or the sport of cycling.The LBS will make certain that you are properly fitted and they will also be available for free mechanical service for some specified time period. I would also prefer a steel fork, as opposed to an aluminum fork on any bicycle. That remains true, even if I must pay a small premium for the privilege. IMO, the Giant Via 2 W is a much better Dutch styled 8 speed candidate, than the aluminum forked GT Traffic 2.0 bike, found on the Bikesdirect website.

www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/via.2.w/11532/55932/

Staggerwing

In general, I like IGHs, but depending upon what hub, and what gear you are in, they can be noticeably less efficient than a derailleur setup.

FWIW, I'm a reasonably fit Clyde, don't have any issues with riding centuries and the like, but the bike computer says my day-in, day-out average on my hilly urban commute is only 13.5-14mph; if for no other reason that I spend about a third of my time immobile at traffic lights and stop signs. If your commute is mainly open road, then with some practice and fitness, a 17mph average is completely obtainable.

I do think a drop-bar, road cycle, with eyelets for rack and fenders, would be the most efficient setup, over the long run. Depending upon your core strength, it may be a little uncomfortable at first. Time in the saddle, possibly supplemented with yoga, will get you there.

Set yourself up for success in this endeavor by proceeding in steps. Multimodal makes sense, but especially at first, plan for the occasional bike commute 'holiday'.

Don't forget to budget for some riding clothes, as well as, proper lighting. Yeah, I wear the stretchy stuff and change at work. Couldn't imaging commuting in my work clothes. Couldn't imagine riding that far without my clipless shoes either.

Is there, by chance, a local bike advocacy group to help. We are just starting "Bike Month" and now is when all the local activists are most visible. For the most part, they can be helpful.

You can do this.

capejohn

17 miles is a long commute. I lived 40 miles from my office and drove 30 miles to a mall then biked the last 10 to work. In the winter I often drove to a spot 5 miles from my office and rode to work. You will find the best things to do by trying different distances. Give it a go because it's much easier than your probably thinking.

spare_wheel

since you mentioned lovely bike i should point out that filigree/velouria/constance/most-famous-dl1-rider-in-world has started using road bikes for long distance commutes. i also would recommend you at least try a performance hybrid. they have a more upright position, are rack and fender ready, and can be almost as light as a drop-bar road bike. the main drawbacks are potential discomfort from lack of hand positions and more susceptibility to wind drag. since not all cyclists experience hand discomfort on flat bars this style of bike might work well for you. and as others have stated, cyclocross-style bike or relaxed road bikes would also be a good fit.

mrleft2000

17 miles in 1 hour wall time would be challenging. On my best bike (which is a 2010 Schwinn Le Tour Super) I can do 15 mph wall time on northern virginia hills. I average about 1 traffic light per mile. I can do about 13 mph on the hybrid. I would say most of the speed difference is from the weight during the climbs and the fact that the road bike compels me to ride more on the road.

Even though you found the route 1 path to only be 13 miles, I suggest when starting out that setting more reasonable goals like 75 or 90 minutes would more likely keep you motivated. You'll be surprised at how much time traffic lights add to your commute.

Sirrus Rider

The best I've done on a similar commute is 1hr 20 min with heavy loads or really cold temps then add another 10 to 20 minutes. Also, Houston is pretty flat what little changes in grade we have might not amount to a speed bump in your neck of the woods.

Truly

Update: I went to Conte's Bikes (LBS) and tried a number of bikes across a wide range of styles. For now, I've resolved to stay within my non-comfort, comfort zone (all of this is new to me) and drive to within a few miles of work, park, and bike the rest of the way. This way, I can customize how far I bike to my fatigue/ fitness level and to the weather. I have a bike rack for my car so I don't need a folding bike. I need something that I can do up to 5 to 7 miles on that feels good, safe, and is fun.

I ordered an Electra Townie. Of everything I rode, it was the one bike that I didn't want to stop riding. I had a huge grin on my face the whole time and almost bought one of the Townie's they had in the store just because I didn't want to leave without it (then I saw the coral colored one in the catalog!). It is reasonably priced ($530) and I am able to get all the gear I need to make it safe and manageable even in rainy weather. It may be that after a while, I'll change up to a something else but for right now I have to start with something that makes me want to keep going.

The Townie is it. She arrives on Wednesday.

fietsbob

Should be at its practical limit multi-mode ing to the Bus at both ends of the day..

As the nature of the crank forward posture is suited to a casual pace..

Agree'd .. you can always add to the fleet later ..

Darth Lefty 

Nice bike! Let us know how it goes.

deeth82

Looks nice (and visible!) with a good, easy gearing. I think you're right in taking this slow...if you wanted to be there in at or under one hour when starting from home, that will probably turn you off to bike commuting entirely. Definitely ease into it, and eventually you can add another bike to the stable later on down the road (IMO, it never hurts to have more than one...I have about 7 functional bikes around the house/shed, so YMMV). Definitely ride a bike that makes you smile! To me, the whole point is to enjoy the ride...my 7.5 mile commute takes me at most about 40 minutes riding a single-speed bike, but I try to leave early enough that I can take in the sights/sounds/smells and have enough time to deal with technical difficulties/get dressed and ready at work.

I salute your choice; keep us updated as you ease into bike commuting, and enjoy the ride!

Ferrous Bueller

Excellent choice!
The bike must match the person. Too many try to work it the other way around.

Cfiber

Nice bike!

Just make absolutely certain that you wear a reflective vest whenever riding in the street, so that drivers will see your low seated profile on that 26er.

Keep thinking about the higher seated Giant Via 2 W...
www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/via.2.w/11532/55932/