It's a fair question, but it's also very broad. I think if we steered you towards specific models, we might give you information that's too narrow for the time being.

There are so many different classes of bikes now. I got into cycling heavily in 1975, and there were not as many classes of bikes then. I think a lot of the distinctions are unimportant, but so many people are led to believe that they are important. Clearly, I disagree. You can look at mountain bikes, so-called hybrid bikes, road bikes, etc, and some will claim that one of these classes is ideal for commuting. The truth is that pretty much any bike will do very well.

Generally, wider tires are more comfortable than narrower tires, and they protect the rims from damage, especially if you're not meticulous about maintaining your tire pressure. If you're not riding off road, you don't need heavy tread on your tire. Heavy tread, such as with knobs, slows you down unnecessarily. When I ride with my wife, who is not nearly as fast a rider as I am, we ride mountain bikes, but both of our bikes have narrow, slick tires, for riding on the road. A mountain bike equipped with these tires is a wonderful general purpose bike.

For commuting in heavy traffic and for short trips and stops and starts, I much prefer upright handlebars to drop (racing) bars. Upright bars make it easy to look behind you, and they generally give you quicker access to your brakes. Handlebars can be changed on any model bike, though this is a much more expensive modification than a change of tires, so your are probably best off buying a bike with the type of handlebar you like.

You can buy new or used. Old bikes work just as well as new bikes. I'm very active in the "Classic & Vintage" section of this board, as I'm a collector and amateur mechanic. Most of my bikes are 20 to 35 years old. Bikes don't go obsolete as quickly as cars do.

If you buy new, I suggest you budget at least $370 for a bike. This way, you can get a decent bike at a bike shop. I used to say bikes at department stores are complete junk. That's not always true any more, but bikes are still assembled incompetently there, so you still don't make out so well, in my view. Someone like me, with lots of experience working on bikes can do well there, because I could buy a bike and take it apart and put it back together right.

craigslist is a good source of used bikes, though you have to know what you're looking at. Most used bikes need work after you buy them, but if you're patient, it's well worthwhile. Some bikes on craigslist are terribly overpriced. Some of them are devilishly underpriced, only because the seller is unaware of what he has. Some of us here on bikeforums have hobbies of "flipping" bikes which involves buying underpriced bikes, fixing them up, and selling them. I've gotten into it lately. It's fun and rewarding, though there isn't much money in it, to be truthful.

I think there is a lot of advice on accessories you will want to have, here in this thread. Take a look backwards. Some pop to mind:

- fenders (aka mudguards)
- rack
- lock
- tools
- toe clips or other form of foot retention
- bell
- pump
- water bottle
- clothing for cycling

I highly advise you not to cycle far with your luggage on your back. Attach it to your bike. A backpack is uncomfortable while cycling, and it limits your maneuverability, too.

Thanks a lot! Theres a lot of good info there. I'll do some studying for sure.

I do have a question about fit/sizing however. How does one know if a bike fits well? Do bikes come in sizes? If so, what are they? I'm 5'6 with a skinny build, what size range should I be looking at?

Sorry for the barrage of questions, I'm sure someone here has a link to explain it all, thanks again!

Sizing is a complicated issue, and some of it depends on the type of bike, and some of it is based on opinion. Furthermore, conventional wisdom has changed recently, now with the advent of the "compact frame" design that has a top tube that slopes down from front to back.

A wonderful fellow named Sheldon Brown wrote more stuff about bikes than perhaps anyone else, and he wrote it in a very accessible and useful way. Sadly, he died a year and a half ago, well before his time, but the writings he left behind are a huge wealth. I suggest you take advantage of it. It's at http://www.sheldonbrown.com

His article on sizing -- as you knew there would be -- is http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-sizing.html

Hello! Here is my bike. I have some questions :D

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...1&d=1251905052

I need to do some work on it. I don't have the right allen wrench to adjust the handlebars. I want to put them lower and rotate them up a bit (basically, I want them to be parallel with back, if that makes sense). I also need to tilt the seat back some. If I adjust the handlebars like that, does that mean I have to have the cables retightened or whatever? Im a mechanical noob, so I might be way off..

Does anyone have suggestions for a good rack + fenders? For the rack, I would wanna put a basket on it so I could maybe stop by the farmer's market on saturday or something. Or even just carry my backpack in the basket.

nice idea
 

stopping for a cup of coffee on the way in would be pleasant

A lot of you seem to carry a lot of stuff with you, which is great!

However, I seem to carry very little with me. The only bike related things I carry with me is a portable pump and a patch kit. I've obviously got a light, helmet, and I have a fender which I haven't got around to installing yet, and I'll probably end up waiting until it rains next. I just don't think bringing a crapload of things is necessary, it adds too much weight and the chances of getting a flat are too rare for me. But again, it totally depends on where you're biking.

I've got an 8mile (12.5km) commute one way and if I happen to get a flat, I bike really close to a bus route and take the bus, usually ending up at school around the same time. It's a pain in the ass to have to wait til I get home to fix it but like I said, I don't get a flat often enough to take a lot of things with me.

Base what you need to bring on your length of commute and the location!

I had a question that seemed too quick, simple, and small for its own thread. I've taken a brief look at patch kits and am seriously considering the Park Tool VP-1 Vulcanizing Patch Kit. Do you guys support this choice or have other recommendations?

It looks good. The old favorite is the Rema patch kit, which you can also get on Amazon.

Thanks, noglider. The Rema one received a few good reviews, but I wanted to check here too. ;)

Yeah, I've been using them for at least 30 years. Before I became aware of them, patches didn't have feathered edges, i.e. they were the same as car tube patches.

i would consider only carring spare tubes; faster punture fix

Hmm. There's something else to think about. The patching may need some time to do its work well, right? Thanks for bringing that up. I'm probably only going to be taking short trips that will be around five miles or less.

in dealing with the patches where you apply glue to the tire. If you let the glue dry completely, the patch will be ready to go immediately... I carry 2 tubes and a patch kit for a backup if the ride is really bad for some reason...

By the way, how long does it usually take to patch up a tube? How much time does the patching chemical usually require before the tube is completely ready for use?

Let the glue dry for about five minutes before applying the patch. Then do not test the tube! If you do, the patch will come off. Put it in the tire and inflate it. Inflating it inside the tire will not stretch the tube, but inflating it outside the tire will.

Thanks for that advice. :)

raleigh
 

Matt -- Nice bike. Get yourself a good multi-tool, like the Crank Brothers or Park. You can get nice ones for about $20, and they will have just about everything you need to make basic adjustments on your bike. Most of the components on bikes are adjusted with Allen wrenches, so make sure you tool has a good assortment of sizes. Be careful not to over-torque the bolts when you tighten them.

There are lots of good rear racks available. Does your frame have mounts for attaching a rack? That makes a big difference on what brand/model of rack you buy.

There's always the p-clamp option if mattp doesn't have the braze ons. Although unless my eyes are deceiving me, it looks like I see at least one on the seat stay.

Hi. The part that takes the longest for me is locating the hole. My commute home is at night and one time it was raining. It was very hard to find the hole and I didn't have a spare tube, ended up taking my bike in a cab home. My last flat I tried to fix it without removing my rear wheel from the bike. Located the glass puncture on the tire and had an idea where the hole was, problem was my tire was very hard to remove from the rim(25mm). So I took off the wheel and
sanded then applied the glue on the tube. Usually I just wait about 2 minutes, put on the patch. In my experience here in New York city getting flats once/twice a month, 2 minutes is fine. Put the wheel back together then pump, maybe took 15 minutes. The patch manufactuter I'm using recommends to roll right away with your bike as soon as you can.

Hi. Go to Sears and get an allen wrench set(L shaped would be the cheapest), lifetime warranty; say 2mm to 10mm. Looks like you have an adjustable stem, I think you need a 5mm/6mm wrench to loosen it, set your angle then tighten it. This sets up the height on your handlebars. To rotate the bars, loosen the 4 bolts in the middle of the bars . Probably 4mm or 5mm, set your bar angle the tighten. After your adjustments turn the bars left and right to check the cables for kinks and that everything works. There are plenty of help on Youtube.

For the rack and fenders I use and recommend Planet Bike stuff. They perform well, are equal if not better than their competition. Lifetime warranty on most products and 25% of their profits are donated to cycling causes.

Hope this helps you out.

Oh and as far as getting flats, I suggest getting kevlar treads... they were recommended to me by the guy at my bike shop and I was wary of gettin' them at first because I didn't want to spend mroe money, but 60 bucks for the lot was well worth it! I haven't got a flat since and I've put on over 1000km. The only problem is that it's a lower psi (85 i believe), but you also get more grip

I had a small question about bicycle storage. I've seen many different racks, stands, pulleys, etc. for storing bicycles and probably will get one someday. However, for the time being and this early in my cycling life, I'm just leaving the bike in the garage with its kickstand. Is this bad for the bike in any way? Is there something more to the other ways of hanging bikes off the ground than convenience in having it out of the way?

No, that's all there is to it. Some people have invented superstitions, such as the idea that resting on the tires will wear the tires unevenly or that hanging by the rim will distort the rim. None of these is true. Just do whatever is convenient.

None of my bikes has a kickstand, so I just lean them against a wall or each other.

Thanks, man. :)

hey guys I am new to commuting, I will be doing a 20 mile commute each day to school and total would be 40 miles.

My question is what are the most absolute must have things in my pack besides my school stuff lol?

Oh, wow. You're "new to commuting" and doing a 20-mile commute? :eek: As for supplies, though I'm a novice at this too, I'd recommend a portable pump, patch kit or spare inner tube, multi-tool, water, maybe a change of clothes, locks, emergency cash, cellphone, and other stuff that doesn't come to mind right now. I recommend that you read through at least some of this whole thread starting from the beginning. There are lots of equipment mentioned by commuters at the first pages of this thread.

Hi All

I'd love some advice. Looking to buy a new flat bar road bike to commute to work.

Door to door is roughly 19kms (11 miles) and 85% ride is on bike track, 10% road, 5% footpath..

Thinking of getting a Bianchi Sport Camaleonte 1 (others out of my price range)... is this a good choice if it fits me right?
http://www.bianchi.com/common/produc...onte/Y0B53.jpg
http://www.bianchi.com/en/products20...nte_Y0B53.aspx

I don't have much time to sift through all pages, so here's a question that may have been answered:

How can I beat my bike-theft paranoia?

As I upgrade parts on my bike and make it nicer gradually, the frequency with which I commute to work decreases, out of increasing fear for it being stolen. Today, as in any other time I ride to work, I locked the top tube of my bike to the nearest signpost with my Fahgettaboudit (or however you say it) Kryptonite lock. I also have a kryptonite cable running under the rails of my saddle and through my back wheel and attached to this lock. Finally for good measure, a smaller kryptonite lock attaching the front wheel to the frame.

Sounds like it should be enough, and so far so good, yet I'm totally freaking out every time. I work on the 5th floor of this building and have no way of looking out any window to check that the bike, or any of its parts are still there. I get off in 4 hours and time is going by very slowly...

Am I being overly paranoid? I'm stressed out to the point where I'm seriously considering NOT commuting ever again.

I'm assuming the answer is no, but are there any spots inside the building where you can store your bike? Your work space, a maintenance room or even a parking garage?

From the sound of it, you have the thing locked down pretty tight. That Fahgettaboudit lock has to be pretty damn hard to break. I would say you're being paranoid.

If you can't shake the fear, try finding a beater bike to ride to work. One that's inexpensive enough and beat up but very functional, and keep the nice ride for the weekends.

I actually have a similar problem

I commute to a college campus, and I have been riding a beater bike that I have tuned up. Unfortunately it is a drag to ride, (wrong gearing, pain between the legs, super slow compared to my road bike). As a result I haven't been commuting very often.

My road bike on the other hand doesn't look too special, but it does have nicer (if old or odd) components, like dura-ace downtube shifters, campie crank, XTR derailleur. I have heard horror stories about thieves taking components off locked bikes.

I really want to commute with my road bike, and I have a kryptonite u-lock but I don't want it, or its parts to get stolen. I cannot take my bike into my office, and the bike rack I would use is behind the police station.

Is my paranoia justified?

I have heard about super gluing ball bearings into bolts to prevent part thieves, but I am not convinced it is a good idea.

Molly : )