Magnum Man

For what its worth:

I cannot commute to work each day, I'm a field engineer and I must travel in multiple states within a days time. However, I travel to the grocery store and purchase my groceries via a bicycle. Its amazing how that will limit you buying junk food! LOL

helmet: Don't leave home without it.
front lights: 1 on helmet and 1 on handle bars.
rear blinkies: Mars 3.0 on bike and a small blinkie on helmet too!
fenders: you will appreciate them greatly.
Rear rack: with basket and 2 panniers (one on each side). I've also just ordered a backpack.
I have two bikes - one mountain and one hybrid. both have disc brakes! Going is optional, stopping is not! I think I prefer the hybrid. Because I like the workout it gives me and its comfertable.

That is really about all my list I can give. However if you notice I've stressed safety in my ride. I don't have any highways to travel on, it's mainly back streets and trails. Hope that helps.


I have yet to purchase any tools because I only travel about 2.5 miles to/from the grocery store. However I take a cell phone with me incase of mechanical breakdown. If its 90 degree out and I have milk I don't want to change a tire, I'll just call the wife and tell her to bring the truck.

Ka_Jun

https://www.active.com/cycling/Articl...ement=2&Dy=Thu

mangosalsa

I don't know if this has been said enough, but here goes. Make all the right measurements and make sure the bike fits you. I thought I had a fitting system down until recently. Oh what a difference a couple of centimeters will make! Generally I make it a point not to point to just one source of information, but after using all of the fitting tips from the Rivendell site I can tell you that both of my bikes now fit like they were made for me.

scoatw

Go to the Hardware store and buy some paint. I painted my front and rear rack and they came out looking real nice. Go to the Framebuilders forum and find out how to paint with a cheap spray can.

scoatw

I'm sure it's been mentioned before, I don't know. I have'nt read all of theses posts. Nor do I want to. But if you're new at this thing and it's something you think you might continue to do. Then get good Rain gear.
...Oh Yeah ! Read this also. https://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm

bicyclerampage

dont get hit by a car.

Cyclist0107

Starting my daily commute to work this week.

First: Need some pointers on making my ride a little more comfy. I take a computer bag with my morning snack and lunch every day. I'd like to get a rack, just not sure if it should be a front rack or rear rack? Will any rack fit my bike? I've been looking at the Nashbar Rack Trunks, I like that style over a pannier bag. A Backpack is out of the question because my back would just sweat to death.

Second: Fenders, I think full fenders would be best. Would any brand fit?

Bike can be seen here.

Open to any and all recomendations.
ThanX

yendrek3

I personally think that good bike for commuting is the one the is safe. Good brakes, good light and comfortable. I'm not the fan of rear racks but I also think it should have it. it's just so comfy when you get to your destination without the wet t-shirt at the back

noglider 

Any rack would probably fit, as would any fenders, as long as the fenders are for your size wheels. Are they 700c wheels?

Front or rear rack, take your pick.

A rack trunk looks like a good thing, but I don't like the prices. I use a tool bag which I got for $7. It has a stiff bottom and a zippered top. It's very easy to attach and detach with bungie cords.

Cyclist0107

ThanX noglider.
Yea, 700 x 28C, I have noticed the size references for fenders. I know what you mean about trunk prices.
I might do thes same, find a rack, then find something I can incoperate to use on it.

BikeSaginaw

Get on the bike, pedal, enjoy. When something bothersome happens, learn from it. Don't feel bad when it happens, but just learn from it. Odds are, most of us have been there before. When you're tired and think about giving up, get on the bike, pedal, and enjoy. I tend to find that the first two are required for the third, and the third inevitably comes when I do the first two.

Big Ron

It doesn't look like you have rack mounts for the front. A rear rack is the better choice anyhow, as a front rack will greatly affect your bike's steering. The trunk rack is probably a better option for that bike because of the short wheelbase - if you got panniers you would probably find that you hit them with your heels as you pedal (aka Heel Strike)

As for the fenders - Probably a question best answered at your LBS.

olan

there's a lot of equipment and style of bikes that can make you comfortable when biking. just try to look for a set up that is affordable.

cyberphat

Can you please post a picture of your tool bag setup? I am strapping my backpack on the rear pannier right now. it works but I am not satisfied.

Thanks,

Jude

Hey guys, couple of noob luggage questions. I am actually not currently in need of this stuff for commuting, but I may be some day, and I'd also like to be able to do some longer rides involving overnight stays where I want to be able to transport some clothes and other necessities.

So I was down at my LBS looking at prices on panniers and rack bags and was appalled, so I went on ebay. I found a couple things that seem along the lines of what I'm looking for. I wanted to see if anybody could eyeball them and tell me if the prices, which seem absurdly cheap compared to what was in my LBS, are a really good deal or are indicative of poor quality. Or tell me about experiences buying bike stuff on ebay in general.

https://cgi.ebay.com/BIKE-REAR-RACK-B...3%3A3|294%3A50

https://cgi.ebay.com/BICYCLE-REAR-RAC...3%3A4|294%3A50

https://cgi.ebay.com/TRIPLE-BICYCLE-P...3%3A5|294%3A50

I'm riding a mid/late 80s Raleigh Technium, already got a rack on it, it's quite a solid bike in my experience. Right now the trip I'm looking ahead to is an 80 mile journey from northern VA back to home in Harrisonburg VA, not the longest trip but I would need something to store a change of clothes in and I want whatever I get to still be useful later on. And I'm poor.

Thanks for your help!

an808caucASIAN

Hi folks. Here's my quick story:

Got a road bike in Tucson for commuting to the U of A. I just fell in love with road bikes due to my old 70's Peugeot I picked up off craigslist. I just graduated and returned home to the islands. Happy Graduation to myself: I bought a brand new 2008 fuji roubaix. Man, what a nice bike.

But now I'm looking at commuting again, and not just training. So I'm looking to get a commuter bike, which browsing through this forum, makes me real excited. Here's the big question: how much would it cost to convert a fixie into a 10 speed? Would it be worth it to learn the ins and outs of all the parts? Or should I really just get a bike with gears and such already? I'm looking to commute, learn about the bike, and tinker with it to my hearts desire...

noglider 

It will cost whatever you want it to cost, if you're patient enough to scrounge up the parts. In other words, you can trade time for money. What's your budget?

If you really want to tinker, you can do it. You just need time and patience, and I highly recommend that you do it. You have lots of us mechanics here to help you whenever you get into trouble.

If you just want it to work, buy a replacement bike. The nice thing is that you already have more than one bike, so when you render a bike unridable for a while, you can still ride.

Enjoi.

Well, I also recently started commuting via my two-wheeler.
After taking it a few times to work, I think my mountain bike would be best.
I mean, I still want a road bike, but
1) They look expensive
2) I wouldn't know which one to get
3) I know close to nothing about bikes
My bike ride to work is mostly with traffic, which isn't all that great. Halfway to work, construction forces me to ride through gravel and such. Now, riding in Los Angeles, a bunch of the streets have cracks and holes and the like. Combined with 10 minutes of dirt/gravel commuting, I think a road bike couldn't handle it.
What do you guys think?
As far as my equipment goes, I have two blinkies - one front, one rear. A rear view mirror, my cheap bike lock (temporary until I get a U-Lock), a bottle of water and my laptop bag. I only carry my work shirt and lunch in there. Is this enough stuff? I know I should invest in tools, but I have no money right now.
Currently, my work schedule is from 6p - 11p, so most of my riding is from evening to night time.

noglider 

No money pretty much seals the deal, doesn't it?

You can ride a road bike off road. The question is, how much fun is it? That's up to you.

A mountain bike with slick, narrow tires is a very versatile thing.

daredevil

Absolutely. My two commuters are old hard tails with the fork replaced with rigid. You can run any size tires (I go from Nokian studs in the winter to 1.5's the rest of the year on one of the bikes), add fenders or racks if you want, and you got plenty of bail out gears if you need em. Plus you don't worry about em getting to dirty.

As for my advice, make yourself visible. I can't believe how many cyclists I see out there playing in traffic that aren't visible. I don't care if you have a shoulder or not, get visible. My feeling is that if you are in any significant, fast traffic, the only option is hi-vis neon green jersey with some daytime visible tail lights if you can afford it.

DAkilles

You don't need a special bike for commuting. I use a Raleigh Rush Hour set to Singlespeed. One gear is all I need for my 25 mile round trip through industrial zones, over train tracks, through the parks, up the hills and yes, even in the rain at times.

For crying out loud, its a bike. You need to cover a distance. Decide how best to do that. Sure, it would be great to have a bike for every single occasion, but there is no 'need' to be special because you've decided to ride to work.

The next industry marketing campaign: You need this bike for the All Star Game! You just won't experience it fully without it!

Geez.

noglider 

DAkillles, all this market fracturing is to sell more bikes.

With that said, I have five bikes I call my own, because, well, I can. I ride them all.

brianinc-ville

FWIW, here's my setup for a fairly short (2-mile) commute:

1984 Peugeot P8 road bike with Nitto moustache handlebars and Suntour bar-end shifters. Drop bars don't really make sense in urban traffic; I find MTB-style bars really uncomfortable. Moustache bars give you a choice of several hand positions.

I know a lot of people swear by the Brooks saddle, but I'd rather have a plastic one (I've got at Terry Cité Y) that won't get soaked in the rain.

I've got Wald folding baskets on the rear rack. Yes, they're heavy, but I find it easiest just to throw my regular briefcase into them, rather than trying to squeeze it into a pannier. They also make it easy to do my shopping -- I've just got a bunch of canvas shopping bags. When it rains, I just shove my stuff into a trash bag.

Right now I've got Zéfal half fenders, but I'd like to get full fenders. I use the Performance store-brand Kevlar tires. Kool-Stop salmon brake pads make a big difference.

Definitely, definitely wear a high-visibility reflective vest at night. Even in the daytime. The cheap ones you can buy at Walmart (or similar) in the work-safety department are actually a little more convenient than the ones designed for biking, 'cause they're made of very thin material and can be folded up really small to fit in your pocket or bag. I also use rechargeable batteries for the lights.

I don't take tools or supplies with me -- just a cell phone. In the event of a breakdown on the road, I'd usually rather just call a cab (or a friend) to get me and the bike home (or lock up the bike and come back for it with my car). Or just walk, if I've got time. Much easier to work on the bike in my basement than out on the street.

knownastron

Hello there! I'm new here and I'm in need of a lot of advice.

I own a Haro BMX for the last 2 years or so and I love it. However, this year I'll be going to university and will be in need of a more commute-friendly bike. And this is why I'm here.

I have no idea where to start, is there somewhere you can link me to that will give me the basics to road bikes? Like what kind of tires to look at, what kind of handle bars, prices, stuff like that.

That'd be very helpful thank you! and one more question, for a beginner commuter bike, how much am I looking at for my first bike?

noglider 

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.