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?

https://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 : )

I think you need another bike. There is a middle ground where the bike rides and works well and isn't worth a lot of money. I call it a "sleeper" bike, because most thieves don't recognize how nice it is.

You may be able to turn your beater bike into a nice bike, or maybe you should pick up another bike from craigslist. In the Classic & Vintage and the Bicycle Mechanics forums, we can walk you through the upgrade and repair process. And we can save you a ton of money.

This is a fine choice for commuting, but then again any bicycle can be used for commuting.
Mountainbike, roadbike, tandembike, etc. It's really up to the rider, to accessorize their bike
to match their needs(fenders, lites, etc).

A quality folding bike with 20" wheels might be a better option, if its possible to bring it inside the establishment folded and inside a bag.

If you're in New York, I think they recently passed some laws relating to bike storage in buildings. Not sure if it applies to your building, but it's worth investigating.

Not sure if this is the right link, but it's something:
https://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/bic...ng/index.shtml

The sleeper bike idea sounds like a good one too.

ive been riding an old raliegh m-80 for the last three years or so ive found it to be ideal because its not worth a lot of money and has a steel frame and stands up to the beating it get with curbs bike racks other bikes and such its also survived being hit by a car three times, but i definately suggest steel frame which ever type of frame is choosen yes it may weigh a little more but it will be around a little longer

I might ride a mile on a folding bike (there is one in my garage) But I don't think I could do a 7 mile ride with one. I feel like I should have clown gear on when I ride it : )

My building manager is very fierce on following the rules. She took my BF's carbon bike and held it in her office while we went out to lunch. She was serious about turning it into the police if no one came by. Yes, I could probably get away with hiding the folding bike, but I do work in an office with 9 other people and we don't lock the door during the day.

Molly : )

Tom, I might wander over and see if you guys can help make my Vitus look less flashy. My other bike is not the right size and I don't think I can play musical parts enough to make the comfort/mountain bike good enough for my ride.

I am sketchy about finding a bike small enough for me on craigslist, I'm 5'4" and the smallest I have seen in my area have been 54cm (which stretches me out too much)

thanks for the advice

Molly : )

One thing that bike messengers do in cities is to wrap their frames with inner tubes, to make the bike ugly. I am not convinced that this fools the trained eye. It certainly doesn't fool me, but luckily for bike owners, I don't steal or cannibalize bikes.

You might be able to ride a 54cm frame if you outfitted the bike with upright, swept back handlebars like I have on my commuter bike. This is a 54cm frame which is about 2cm too small for me. It put me in a position that was too stooped over for a city bike, so I put these bars on. Now it has my hands too far back, so I'm going to try straight bars next.

In the C&V section, there is a sticky topic called "Are you looking for one of these?" We post bikes that we consider to be good values. Some of them are high-end, which you don't want, but sometimes, we post "pedestrian" type bikes that represent a solid value for things like commuting or whatever.

It will take patience, but you WILL find a bike that suits you and is the right size. Half of my home was furnished the patient way, using garage sales, rummage sales, craigslist, estate sales, freecycle, etc. It's all very tasteful and functional. No compromises, really, except that it took longer than it would have if we had bought everything retail. It's a time/money tradeoff, and you can do it with bikes, too.

Hi everyone!

Next year I will be attending college, and I will be commuting around campus, and to local stores. I may do other commuting around Hamilton as well.

Any advice? What are the essentials?

Try reading through the earlier pages of this thread. Here are some quick recommendations that pop into my head: water bottle cage, helmet, locking system, fenders (preferably full coverage with mudflaps), front and rear lights, a rear carrying rack, and something to hold your stuff on that rack like a pannier, trunk bag, or folding basket.

Wow, that's a tough one. Maybe someone has a bottle of instant commuter you could use.

Many of us have spent years perusing this forum to get those answers and that's half the fun. Start digging and get a freaking mirror and a Dinotte tail light if you are going to be in any significant traffic.

Awesome, awesome, awesome thread!!!! I just read all 26+ pages. I am using websites like bonktown, realcyclist, pricepoint, etc to slowly stockpile necessary equipment so I can begin to commute. I recently purchased a roadbike (a Rocky Mountain Prestige 30CR through realcyclist) and have had a Trek 7.2fx for about 2.5 years. I am trying to gauge what exactly I need for my commute as well as what bike would be better to take. It's a 6.9 mile back-road jaunt with only one real "hill" but I work as a teacher with a dress code requiring a shirt and tie 4 days a week (gosh I love casual fridays). Right now I have one under-seat bag that I pull off when I finish my ride. I have a roll-up tool kit that I have a folding allen multi-tool, two tire levers, a mini patch-kit, and wrenches sized 13-16 as well as a swiss army knife and flint. This stays in my under-seat bag and this bag goes on whatever bike I decide to pull out.

I just picked up Zinn's Road Bike book not even realizing that this was the one highly recommended by you all and I have to say I went from knowing the minimum on bikes only a couple weeks ago to giving my trek a full cleaning (including a full drivetrain cleaning) as well as putting on a new set of pedals on each bike all by myself. I know its not a lot but for me it was very rewarding. I have only read up through Chapter 3 too!

One question I have is what should I wear for the commute? Should I go in my standard bike jersey/bike jacket with padded shorts/bibshorts? I was thinking of picking up some of the mountain biking shorts or pants (theyre really shpants) with the padded chamois but I won't feel so awkward walking into the school looking like I'm smuggling plums. I'm thinking of riding 4 days a week and then on Fridays I drive in and take the dirty clothes home...this will limit the need for panniers (at least for the time being).

I still need to buy:

LEDs/flashers
Extra tubes/tires
Frame pump (had one but I think the seal went...now its just great at deflating my tires!)
XC mtb gloves? (This one was because I went for a road-bike ride this weekend and my fingerless gloves nearly led to frostbite and it was a balmy 37!)

My plan is to start commuting regularly once the snow finally stops until the end of the school year (those June rides are going to be fantastic!) Then, hopefully over the spring/summer/fall I will be able to get the cold weather gear I need (like a set of studded or kevlar-belted tires and panniers) to go commuting year-round. I just got a great deal on a Cutter Cyclical eVent jacket for 60 bucks (retail is 300) for those yucky new england mornings and I use an On-Guard U-Lock with a heavy duty cable. I live in a blue-collar suburb and work in a town that's much more affluent, but I love my bikes and dont trust anyone. I figure I have almost everything I need but only a few more things...what do you think?

Thanks you guys and gals; you all are an inspiration! I'm trying to get the biking club students to sponsor a day in the spring where we can get as many students/faculty/staff as possible to ride to work too!

One of the most important pieces of advice I can give a newbie is to NEVER look at a driver to predict how the car will behave. Look at the front end / front wheels. It's not uncommon for a driver to look directly through you and not register you.

I wonder how you would measure the right size of bike you would need. I am in the process of purchasing a bike (for commuting), and I wonder what size is most appropriate for me. I went down to my local bike store and they told me anything from 17" to 19" would be fine. Still I wonder if there is any accurate way to measure the right size of a bike I need. I am 5' 9".

Also, if there's any recommendation on what type of bike I should purchase I would appreciate it. I need a bike for commuting between home and school (a total of 5 miles both ways). This is urban commuting although the pavement is broken in certain parts of the city and there are hills that I have to climb. I am debating myself whether I should purchase a hybrid or a road bike. I am also leaning toward buying something that is not all that expensive, i.e., around $200, hopefully. Do you recommend that I should buy online (Craig's List, ebay, amazon, etc.), in local department stores, or at my local bike store?

Thanks much.

Since you need help getting the right size, I suggest you start by test riding bicycles at your LBS, so they can help with fit. You need someone who knows what they are doing, and I doubt you'll get that at the other alternatives you list.

If instead you go cheap and get something that doesn't fit you, where will you be?

if you're looking to buy security for your bike, go to Home Depot and buy some loose chain (painted). typically it's painted orange but may vary. also a Masterlock with key. Not unless someone is walking down the street with a 3.5 foot bolt cutter will they get through it. simple as that

I commute about 8 miles to and them from work each day. I rarely use my truck, unless it is really bad weather. I am a firm believer in active protection. A helmet and a quality rear light are two areas where no one should skimp. Helmets are helmets...get one that is comfortable to you....AND WEAR IT! All helmets must meet a certain quality standard, so most helmets offer the same protection, the difference is in the look and feel of each unit.
Second, is a quality rear light. I used to use a PlanetBike Super Flash, but the clip on those lights sucks. It much have fallen off a dozen times, before it finally fell off my backpack and I decided not to pick it up, but instead replace it. I am currently using a FlashBak. it has 4 clips that attach the light to you, your pack, or a saddlebag. One very cool feature, is the remote power switch. It hangs over my shoulder, so with a glance, I actually KNOW if my rear light is on or not. No more asking, "Hey! Is my back light on?" or looking for the reflection of the lights on my back in car windows as I am riding past. The FlashBak is amber in color and is actually brighter than my old Super Flash.

That's just my 2 cents worth. Get a comfortable helmet and a quality rear bike light. The rest is up to you.

I have been commuting in Manhattan for 5 years on a Schwinn World Avenue 1 (ordered from performance). LOVE THIS BIKE! It seams they don't make the exact model anymore, which is a shame. It has all of the standard features of a decent commuter bike- kickstand, fenders, rear rack, etc. What I really appreciate, however, is that is has a very serious chain guard. Not the kind that's just a disc covering the chainring, the ugly kind that covers the ring and chain. It is so hard to find a bike that includes these and they are really hard to get aftermarket. If you are planning to wear nice shoes and pants during your commute, this part is vital.

It's hard to put a real chainguard on a derailleur bike, and most bikes in the US have derailleurs.

I just discovered the beauty of a chainguard. I recently acquired a couple of English 3-speeds from the 1960's and 1970's. One is a Sports, the other is a folding bike. Just jump on the bike and go, without folding up my trouser legs.

I just started to ride my bike to work. I am beginning my 3ed week. There were a couple of days I could not ride because of Rain. Is there something that I can do to not get splattered by road grime? I would like to not let a little rain stop me from riding, and not get dirty before work.
Tnank You

If your bike doesn't have fenders, get some. You will be amazed at the difference they make. You need FULL fenders. And you need them on both wheels. That will eliminate at least two thirds of the splash.

I recommend wool or synthetic socks. Then your feet won't get cold when they get wet. I wear wool socks every day of the year, unless I'm wearing no socks at all.