Be prepared
 

I started a new job and on Monday (tomorrow) I will be riding about six miles each way. I used to ride about three miles each way before and I know that it isn't a lot, neither is six. It is still important though to map out the way in advance and take the routes that are more bike suitable. Luckily, the one road that I'll be on, Milwaukee Ave in Chicago, has a bike lane the whole way. I'll be sure to dress accordingly as I always check the weather before I go and since I don't have the best rain gear, I'll make sure that I have a couple bucks loaded on my CTA card so I can hop on the bus to save me from getting soaked. I also have a blinkie and a mounted front light. Since it is my first day reporting to work, I'll give myself a little extra time just in case there are any delays. Other than that, I am looking forward to the warm-up we are experiencing as a good way to break in the longer commute. Kudos to those who ride long distances, you are inspiring and a motivator. Happy commuting to all!

Hello,

I'm a new commuter making the switch from subway/bus to cycle. I have two questions.

This is the cycle I'm going to get:

http://www.target.com/Men%E2%80%99s-...e=1&rh=&page=1

What are your questions?

Hi, I have a GT Aggressor HT mountain bike, and want to commute to work on it, now I know this isn't an ideal bike but I love off roading on my days off etc and dont fancy buying another bike, anyway I like the GT.
I was wondering is their anything I could do (change tyres etc) to make it more of a commute worthy rig ?
The commute would be mainly on roads and is around 7 miles each way.
Thanks !

I always take the construction lanes. Usually the traffice is going a little slower than usual, and I can pedal hard and keep up a pretty good pace, sometimes around 25mph. Then when the lane widens, I quickly move over to the take the right lane (all of the right lane!).

Congratulations with your new commuting style, and welcome to the forums.:thumb:

You will be fine on your bike, many of us here commute daily on MTB's.
I am in the same boat as you, I only have one bike (fully rigid MTB) and use it for daily commuting and some off-roading (and single tracks etc.). Here are some suggestions based on my experience:

I would recommend buying slicks to commute on. How wide tyres depends on the streets you will be riding and how harsh ride you are willing to take. I ride a rigid MTB with 1.95" slicks (during summer time i.e.).
Buy some fenders! Consider installing full fenders for commuting. This does depend on location a little bit (yearly downpour) but I think Yorkshire is a relatively wet place. Full fenders will not only keep you dry (or somewhat drier) but will also keep your drive-train cleaner and thus lower your need for maintenance.
You do have a suspension fork. It is not ideal for commuting but it will work fine and you will probably not be bothered by it at all, but a rigid fork would be a better choice for commuting. I did notice your post on the mechanics forum (about your fork being seized). If it turns out that it can not be saved you should consider replacing it with a rigid fork or with a suspension fork with a lock-out feature (of course since your current fork is seized you could just redefine it as a rigid fork ;))

I change my tires and remove my full fenders when I go mountain biking. It takes me about 30 minutes. This can be a pain in the rear, but I rather want my bike to be fit for commuting and invest these 30 minutes in the change than commute on knobby tires or without full fenders.

p.s. Welcome to the forums :)

Take a look at the other threads in the commuting section. We have threads on what gear you like or need to have. We also have threads on how to handle traffic.

I also recommend a book called Effective Cycling by John Forester. And I might get flamed for suggesting it, because it's a bit controversial. But I like it.

Thanks for the replies, I will have a good read through the forums, i'm glad I found this place... Very informative!

This is really helpful info for beginners. Thanks!

If this has already been asked before please post the link and sorry for being a nusance.

Ive been frantically reading these forums and am now considering a different bike (only considering, mind) I fancy a traditional commuter but want one thats good all round, as I do a little off roading, nothing major but a few cycle paths and a little woodland. But since I will also use it for road commuting I want to know what my options would be.
I potentially have £350 to £500 thats roughly max $700 (I'm in the UK)

Since I'm a n00b please don't be offended by my complete lack of knowledge, but since I was a kid I've always fancied a drop handlebar road bike, my parents never got me one and I still fancy one, however I need something that will allow for the off road side of things. Any ideas ?

Thanks everyone...

Various bike types are optimized for various activities, but you can use any bike for anything. So if you really want/need a road bike, yes, you will be able to go off road on it. I go off road on my road bikes. I ride very narrow tires at high pressure. It's fine.

How old are you? The older you get, the less you'll like drop handlebars. I'm 48 years old and am about to give up on them. It's been a fun 34 years of riding them.

Thanks noglider, I'm only 25 so should be ok, any particular bikes to look out for that are especially good all round ?

I haven't bought a new road bike in 30 years. I buy used frames and build them into bikes. And I buy used bikes. I was in the business from 1978 through 1984, and I'm out of touch with the latest merchandise. Also, since you're far away, you have different bikes available than we have here in the US. Visit a couple of local bike shops (which in the online cycling community we call LBS) and see what they offer. You'll get an idea. Also, a cycling magazine may have a buyer's guide, though take their advice with a grain of salt.

Commuter bike
 

Hello everybody!!

I am a brand new rider who, after having a bad experience with a second-hand bike, has decided to give it another try and get a new bike.

My budget is the following: £ 250/300

Use: I basically need the bike to commute, so I'll be using it on roads. However, there are quite a few hills in and around Brighton, for this reason I ended up by considering an Hybrid bike.

Basically I am pondering pros and cons of the following bikes:

- Specialized Sirrus 09
- Specialized Centrum Elite 08

Any piece of advice is more than welcome!!
So, please feel free to let me know which one you would get and why or suggest other options, if you have any.

Thanks a lot! Cheers!

Riccardo

I am just like you in that we want the same thing from one bike. I built up a Surley LHT to do it all, camping, shopping, commuting and I love small trails/paths in the woods! I use wide drop bars, as wide as my shoulders for controle and leverage on dirt trails. I have sti sifters so I added top levers for braking from the top of the bars. I use Panaracer Pasela 700c by 32 Tourgard tires. They are a road, touring tire that like the dirt and only cost $20.00 or so. A darn good tire that will last and last for cheep! I can get out of the woods and keep up with traffic in town on the same bike. O-yea, I also orderd my frame with a we bit smaller stand over.

After visiting the LBS today I've put a deposit on the trek 7.1 fx 09, I know it's not top of the range but I liked the feel as I tested it. Please tell me, is it a good choice, do you think it will serve me well?

Hey Paul, congratulations on the new bike :thumb:
I bet you can't wait to get it.
I think it is a fine choice if it is the correct size and you like the feel. But it doesn't have the drops you have been dreaming of ;)
Will you keep the GT also?

Paul, top of the range is not usually the best value. I like middle of the range bikes best, most of the time. I think you got a very good value. Enjoy it, and let us know how it works out. Let us know your plans, too, and feel free to pose more questions.

What kind of tires does the bike have?

Be sure to keep the tires hard at all times for maximum safety and fun.

Hi and thanks for the replies, I will keep the GT and do that up as a project now, might take me a couple of years but i'll get there in the end.
It's a pity about the drops but I couldn't find any hybrids with drops that were within my budget, can drops be fitted to my new bike or would it not work/ too much hassle ?
Tires are 'Bontrager Select Invert' they appeared half slick. Fraid I don't know too much about tires.

Anyone have any advice for getting re-motivated to ride? I haven't ridden in somewhere around a month and it has been very hard to even get to the point of wanting to ride...it sucks because somewhere inside I have a little voice saying that it wants to go, but the other part of me says that I'd rather walk...what to do, what to do?

How far have you ridden?

Walking is fun.

4400 miles for me.
Going again in the morning.

Paul, yes you can put drop bars on it.

I am cycling to work tomorrow for the first time.

I am terrified :-(

What's the scary part? The unknown? Have you taken a ride this long before?

Let us know how it goes. A lot easier than you expect, I'll bet.