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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Starting from scratch

Old 03-06-08, 06:34 AM
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Starting from scratch

Hey guys! I will be commuting to work roughly 12 miles a day and plan on cycling/joining cycle club for the weekends. I really dont know a thing though and have just recently been plowing through information this last week. Here is my list of things to purchase(keeping it around $1000 US).

Road Bikes - Motobecane Vent Noir from BD
pedals
shoes
bib
shirt
jacket
winter clothing(coming when more funds available)
fit test at LBS
helmet
pump
waterbottle

thoughts? I know I am missing a few things but not sure what. Also if there are some great links that might answer some of this in detail i am more than willing to check them out.

thanks guys
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Old 03-06-08, 07:00 AM
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2 spare tubes and the knowledge to fix a flat on the road. Search the threads about what else to carry with you (some carry: a few $$, ID, phone...) As a newbie, don't get to hung up on brands or models. Your tastes will change anyway. As long as the shoes, clothes and bike fits and is not a piece of junk you'll be fine.
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Old 03-06-08, 07:40 AM
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thanks homebrew. Seems like getting caught up in brands is easy to do. Maybe I will just go ahead with this and not worry about it. I will look into spare tubes and check the commuter forums for what else to carry
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Old 03-06-08, 07:59 AM
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You may want to check out you-tube videos on changing a flat, as they helped me out visually. I just started biking last year, and after watching various ways to change a flat, I took bits of info from each method and applied it to my bike. Sure, there's a general way to do it, but for someone new to biking, you want to be confident in changing a tube. Helped out another seasoned cyclist change their tube once, and it was surprising to see how much trouble he had!
You may also want to look into an LED rear flashing light as well.
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Old 03-06-08, 09:46 AM
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Originally Posted by thechemist
Hey guys! I will be commuting to work roughly 12 miles a day and plan on cycling/joining cycle club for the weekends. I really dont know a thing though and have just recently been plowing through information this last week. Here is my list of things to purchase(keeping it around $1000 US).

Response

Road Bikes - Motobecane Vent Noir from BD Know any thing about bikes like how to adjust the derailers, stress and true the wheels, install the stem (and possibly fork)? Know when and how to adjust the drivetrain controls when the cables stretch? If not, go to a bike shop and purchase there. Jamis makes some good entry level bikes that may not have the same stuff on them as the BD bike but they have a bike shop to help with the fiddly parts.

pedals Although Bicycling Magazine is mostly useless, they did have a good series of shadow boxes in the latest issue. It tell you what to spend you money on and what to save on. Save on pedals, spend on shoes. I.e. cheap pedals work fine and expensive pedals are only marginally better for much more money.

shoes

bib Spend on shorts and bibs, save on jerseys (not a shirt, please)

shirt

jacket
winter clothing(coming when more funds available) Spring is always a good time to save on winter clothing. So what if you are wearing last years stuff. Some of my winter gear goes back 20 years...they just doesn't wear out.

fit test at LBS Another reason to go with a bike shop. I'm not convinced that a 'professional fit' is worth the money. A good shop can get you pretty close to what a computer will do.

helmet Again, save on the helmet. All helmets sold in the US must meet ANSI standards. A $30 helmet offers the same protection as a $200 helmet. A mid-priced helmet ($50-$60) often has the same fit geegaws as the higher priced ones.

pump Topeak Road Morph. Say no more.

waterbottle Get two and the cages to carry them.

thoughts? I know I am missing a few things but not sure what. Also if there are some great links that might answer some of this in detail i am more than willing to check them out.

thanks guys
Additional items: Multitool and the knowledge to use it. Patch kit, spare tube, chain lube, padded gloves and a seat pack to carry the first 3 items.
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Old 03-06-08, 11:08 AM
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Wow! Some great info guys and just what i needed! Thanks again and one more question. Would building my own bike be an answer to knowing the ins and outs of the bike? Or is that really not a good idea for a first time buyer?
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Old 03-06-08, 11:56 AM
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Originally Posted by thechemist
Wow! Some great info guys and just what i needed! Thanks again and one more question. Would building my own bike be an answer to knowing the ins and outs of the bike? Or is that really not a good idea for a first time buyer?
You could do it...bicycles are pretty simple...but there are some things that can come up that could be frustrating to fix unless you've run across them before. Mostly it's little details that will be the problem. Park tools has about the best on-line mechanical help you can find.

And there are some specialized tools that you can't really work around. That adds to the cost of doing it. It's usually a one time investment but it can add up pretty quickly.
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Old 03-06-08, 12:21 PM
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I think you're missing a few things. You need a way to carry whatever you need at work. Some people use a rack and trunk bag or pannier, some folks bring clothes in once a week and ride the rest, either way you need a solution for cleaning up and changing.

You definitely need a seat bag, a small one that will hold a tube, multitool, a couple levers, your cel phone and wallet is fine. The fashion is to go small, you don't want some big clunker back there or the girls will point at you.

Good luck!
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Old 03-06-08, 12:34 PM
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Seat bags are a matter of taste. I personally have a huge seat bag I use for commuting. This sucker holds my spare tube, levers, patch kit, multi-tool, wallet, cell phone and keys. Sometimes I even put my sandwich in there. I like to have my back free and clear is all.

You will also need to look into getting lights for both the front and rear for your commute.
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Old 03-06-08, 12:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Spreggy
I think you're missing a few things. You need a way to carry whatever you need at work. Some people use a rack and trunk bag or pannier, some folks bring clothes in once a week and ride the rest, either way you need a solution for cleaning up and changing.

You definitely need a seat bag, a small one that will hold a tube, multitool, a couple levers, your cel phone and wallet is fine. The fashion is to go small, you don't want some big clunker back there or the girls will point at you.

Good luck!
+1 I carry a backpack and ride a road bike, but I am not an all weather commuter. Rain puts me in the car. I often have some clothes at work, but usually just carry my clothes with me, though I do keep a few pairs of shoes in the office. If you don't have access to a shower, you may want to search for some of the "quick bath" options. Baby wipes work wonders.

Shoes are something else to think about. I wear straight road shoes, but then I don't have to do much walking. If you have a lot of stop lights and may need the ability to walk around for a time in your shoes, you should probably go with mountain bike shoes and a more walkable cleat (like Shimano SPD). Many shoe companies have a MTB shoe that is basically exactly like their road shoes, but with tread on the bottom.

Good luck!
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Old 03-06-08, 12:47 PM
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An all-weather commuter bike is often a different animal to a weekend race bike.
You may want to fit fenders and a rear lugagge rack (or not) but having the option to fit these greatly expands the usefulness of a bike.
Look for a bike with reasonable tyre clearance (28mm for a road bike) and threaded eyelets for full length fenders. You can get accessories that strap or clip to the bike but these are 2nd best.
There are sporty road bikes with sufficient clearance and eyelets if you look hard. Note that some rack eyelets are located close to the brakes and may interfere.
I ride 12miles/day to work and dont use cycling shorts. I only wear them when I will be on the bike for more than 1 hr.
I always wear gloves for warmth, shock absorption but mostly as crash protection.
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Old 03-06-08, 01:40 PM
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Originally Posted by thechemist
Hey guys! I will be commuting to work roughly 12 miles a day and plan on cycling/joining cycle club for the weekends. I really dont know a thing though and have just recently been plowing through information this last week. Here is my list of things to purchase(keeping it around $1000 US).

Road Bikes - Motobecane Vent Noir from BD
pedals
shoes
bib
shirt
jacket
winter clothing(coming when more funds available)
fit test at LBS
helmet
pump
waterbottle

thoughts? I know I am missing a few things but not sure what. Also if there are some great links that might answer some of this in detail i am more than willing to check them out.

thanks guys
take a look at this thread i made:
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/359753-my-actual-cost-cycling-dollars-cents.html

i started it in the hopes that it might help out some people who were just getting into cycling and wanted to stay on a budget. have a look and see if there are some things on there that you may not have thought of.

i would say that a good multi tool, a spare tube or two, a patch repair kit, and maybe a small saddle bag to carry it all would be good things to get in addition to what you already have listed.

oh, and gloves, too. i never ride without wearing some sort of hand protection.

happy riding.
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Old 03-06-08, 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted by cyccommute
You could do it...bicycles are pretty simple...but there are some things that can come up that could be frustrating to fix unless you've run across them before. Mostly it's little details that will be the problem. Park tools has about the best on-line mechanical help you can find.

And there are some specialized tools that you can't really work around. That adds to the cost of doing it. It's usually a one time investment but it can add up pretty quickly.
+1
having just built up my first road bike, i have to agree wholeheartedly with you on those points.
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Old 03-06-08, 03:52 PM
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Good advice above.

I'll add that a lot of "top line" helmets get relegated to second line status after the first year or two. There are some very, very nice helmets in the $60 range.

cdr
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Old 03-06-08, 04:03 PM
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OP - don't want to complicate this - you have received great advice so far - but for commuting, you may want mountain bike pedals/shoes instead of road bike pedals/shoes. Mountain bike shoes are quite 'walkable' with recessed cleats and soles w/treads. That would be a great benefit if/when you're off your bike to cross traffic, stop at store, hike home w/two flats, whatever.
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Old 03-06-08, 04:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Adgooroo
OP - don't want to complicate this - you have received great advice so far - but for commuting, you may want mountain bike pedals/shoes instead of road bike pedals/shoes. Mountain bike shoes are quite 'walkable' with recessed cleats and soles w/treads. That would be a great benefit if/when you're off your bike to cross traffic, stop at store, hike home w/two flats, whatever.
Good point. Mtb shoes with spd cleats are worth it even if all the walking you do is through the foyer to the elevator.

Also, if you're going to start soon, do yourself a favor and pick up some armwarmers and kneewarmers. They're exactly what you need for spring mornings.
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Old 03-06-08, 05:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Spreggy
The fashion is to go small, you don't want some big clunker back there or the girls will point at you.
OMG!

I know what you mean though. I put a 110 cu in saddle bag on my "nice" road bike, and a 125 cu in expanding bag on my old road bike. And I was thinking "oh yeah, the roadies will be looking down their noses ..."
But I love having the space to jam in a pair of arm warmers or whatever.

Absolutely get a rack and a pannier of some type, if you're commuting. I never did understand why people would carry something on the backs (it gets hot and sweaty!) if the bike could carry it for you.
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Old 03-07-08, 07:45 AM
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Thanks again guys. Looks like I need to look into mtb shoes. I actually have a pretty nice setup in regards to work. I have a shower at work I can use and I can take a bus when the weather is bad if needed. Hince optimizing for road "cycling" as opposed to commuting. One of my LBS is having 70% off winter gear so I will have to go check it out.
thanks again guys and I will let you know how it turn sout
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Old 03-07-08, 08:22 AM
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Originally Posted by sunburst
OMG!
Absolutely get a rack and a pannier of some type, if you're commuting. I never did understand why people would carry something on the backs (it gets hot and sweaty!) if the bike could carry it for you.
I've used both panniers and a backpack for commuting and I've settled on the backpack. In both cases, I was able to shower at work, so the sweating wasn't a problem. I like being able to hop off the bike and head inside without messing around getting the panniers off the rack and it also feels a lot more stable having the weight over the seat rather than over the back wheel. It's a personal preference, I guess. It helps that I've got a great pack from Pedro's that's shaped to distribute the weight properly and has two seperate compartments, so you can keep your sweaty stuff seperate. I don't think they make the pack anymore, which is a shame.
+1 on the mountain bike pedals/shoes. Stairs in road shoes can be treacherous. And +1 on the arm/leg warmers. If you commute in the morning, the temperature can rise quickly.
Did you mention sunglasses? A good pair is well worth the money. Riding blind in rush hour traffic is scary.
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Old 03-07-08, 08:30 AM
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Originally Posted by MichaelW
An all-weather commuter bike is often a different animal to a weekend race bike.
You may want to fit fenders and a rear lugagge rack (or not) but having the option to fit these greatly expands the usefulness of a bike.
True. Often, but not always:



I like a small backpack. CamelBak HOG, if they still make it is about the right size for me. I leave changes of clothes at work, plus some warm stuff in case a front comes through while I am working.

If you can only swing one bike and you really want to race, you pretty much need a fast bike. If racing weekends was not an issue, my advice would be different. All said, I have five bikes - my road bike is still my favorite commuter.
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Old 03-07-08, 10:56 PM
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Originally Posted by thechemist
Thanks again guys. Looks like I need to look into mtb shoes. I actually have a pretty nice setup in regards to work. I have a shower at work I can use and I can take a bus when the weather is bad if needed. Hince optimizing for road "cycling" as opposed to commuting. One of my LBS is having 70% off winter gear so I will have to go check it out.
thanks again guys and I will let you know how it turn sout
My suggestions were aimed more at the club riding then the commuting. The forums has a commuting section, if you haven't noticed, with lots of good suggestions about how to do it. Assuming that you work a normal 8 to 5, I'd suggest that you wait for about 4 to 6 weeks to start commuting. Starting tomorrow morning, you'll need lights for your commute in the morning until about the middle of April. Very good lights can be made pretty cheaply or pretty good lights can be purchased for a bucket load of money. But it's probably not the best investment right now for what you want to do and it's not a good idea to start commuting in the dark. Get some idea of your route during the summer and the traffic patterns before you try the advanced stuff Riding at night is a kick in the pants but it's also the kind of riding that gets more cyclists squished then any other kind.
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