What bike+equipment for a long daily urban commute?

Question

In the (distant) past I commuted 6 km (more than half an hour) each way, on a cheap bike with big knobbly tyres.

Soon I'll have a new commute: 18 km each way, daily. That's much further than I've done in the past, and I don't want it to take 2 hours each way; but this reading suggests that it's feasible:

Most people who reside 10 to 20 kilometres away will also find it quite easy to cycle to work, although the distance in the high end of this range will become a little more demanding.

If I can do it in 80 minutes or even less each way, that would be ideal. I'm 49 years old, 6 foot tall, and weigh 170lb, and I want to commute by bike because otherwise I'd be getting no exercise in my week at all.

I've never bought or ridden anything but a cheap bike.

What equipment should I buy then, to commute 11 miles each way through a city (Toronto) on flat, paved roads, shared with cars:

• Wheels?
• Tyres?
• Clipless pedals and shoes?
• Gears?
• Handlebars (e.g. flat or dropped)?
• Frame (size, shape, material)?
• Mud-guard/fender?

Answer 1

Here I'll summarize everyone else's answers (because of all the Q+A scattered through in the comments), with some additional information that I got elsewhere from reading inspired by people's answers.

• Wheels+tires: 700 x (28 - 38, maybe ~30), tires; slicks or light treads, not knobbly. The larger wheel makes it faster (because of 'gearing') and the ride a little smoother (because of the 'angle of incidence' when rolling over an obstacle). Possibly puncture-resistant tires, especially if you experience many puntures. Reinflate them weekly. With the narrower tires, beware storm drains, streetcar tracks, dirt roads, and cornering especially fast and on wet roads.

• Clipless pedals and shoes: up to 35%-50% more efficient than without, but practice with them for 1/2 day to 2 weeks away from traffic first, because you must expect to fall off (everyone does). The normal type of clipless, for commuting, would be SPD: SPD are not impossible to walk in (unlike some other types). The stiffer the sole of the shoe, the better it distributes force over the whole sole of your foot. {Prefer a system which lets you clip onto either side of each pedal?}

• Gears: multi-speed (e.g. 7, 8, or even 14-speed) internal-hub gears cost $300+ (which is more than derailleurs), and tend to exist only on more expensive (above $1000) bikes; internal-hub gears means lower maintenance, chain is less likely to fall off, easier to have a chain guard even, and you can change gears while stopped, maybe 2% less efficient that derailleurs, and takes a different kind of chain. Derailleurs are more common. A 2-position rather than 3-position derailleur on the front would be adequate if there are no hills.

• Handlebars: as you wish (however, many/most people recommend flat instead of dropped); at commuting speeds it's more a matter of comfort than aerodynamics (and a more upright position is deemed more comfortable). Dropped affords more wrist positions; you can ask for interrupter levers on dropped handlebars, to access the brakes from more than one hand position/location.

• Brakes: disc brakes work better or more reliably than rim brakes, especially when the road is wet (or the wheel isn't true); and if you go downhill at 70 kph you might want hydraulic disc and not just mechanical disk brakes (hydraulics are more expensive, are difficult or impossible to self-maintain, require less or no maintenance or routine cable adjustments, and require less finger-force to actuate).

• Frame: not too important i.e. no-one offered advice on that; as long as (for speed) it's not a mountain bike, especially not a bike with suspension (suspension is inefficient). Aluminium isn't lighter than steel, because it's not as strong (and therefore there needs to be more of it). Aluminium is stiffer than equivalent steel, so (for comfort) higher-end bikes add (more expensive) carbon forks and/or seat posts to aluminium. Aluminium won't rust.

• Other equipment: lights; fenders/mudguards; rack and/or saddlebag and/or panniers; bike lock[s] (maybe one chain and one U-lock: not a cable, which is easy to snip); maybe mirrors (you can/should shoulder-check as well, but many/most urban bike accidents happen while the rider isn't looking ahead); maybe a trip computer; a tire pump, able to inflate to about 110 psi (so not just a little hand-pump); bus fare (in case of a flat or irreparable tire, or horrific weather).

• Store: find a "good" Local Bike Store (LBS), where you can meet the mechanics (a "good LBS for commuting" isn't necessarily the same as "good for road-racing" or "good for MTB"). Pretty much any decent LBS will allow ~30 minute ride: take a few for a test-ride, before you buy, to see which one feels right. Furthermore, expect to pay at least $600/year in maintenance costs (as much or more than the cost of buying the bike), visiting the shop at least 3 times/year: which is another reason why it's important to find a "good" LBS.

• Speed: expect to average 20 kph at most, in the city, when there are stops and lights etc.

• Cost: a decent $700 (including brakes and gears but perhaps excluding 'extras' like lights) bike from a good store should be "great" (but it won't have internal-hub gears, nor hydraulic disk brakes, nor any carbon components)

Additional comments or advice will be welcome.

Answer 2

Go to your local bike shop or MEC and talk to them.

You want a commuter - also called urban bikes.
Thin(ish) tires so you aren't doing too much work, straight bars, hydraulic disk brakes would be good. Hub gears mean everything is internal so out of the weather - but if anything goes wrong you're stuck, dérailleur gears are fine if you clean the chain regularly.

Get fenders, some good lights and some sort of bright waterproof.
Cycle shorts look silly but are comfortable - this time of year in Toronto you will want something long and warm on top of them !

I would leave clipless pedals until you have a bit more confidence, riding in traffic is bad enough without also worrying about unclipping at each traffic light. When you do get clipless look for SPD (ie. mountain bike pedals) you can walk in the shoes more easily than the ones used for road bikes.

You should be able to do 25km/h on a commuter sort of bike without too much effort so that's a 45min trip. Check out the route on Google maps or a local bike group site - finding side streets with no traffic and avoiding unnecessary hills makes a lot of difference.

ps. One other tip - carry a bus ticket. Don't know about Toronto but most Canadian buses have bike racks. If you have a mechanical problem or the weather is just too bad you can always get a ride home. It makes commuting much more doable if you have a backup!

Answer 3

Ten years ago, you could either get a mountain bike or a road bike and then modify. Nowadays, there are some really nice hybrids on the market designed for the commuter. Trek, Specialized, and others...

• Tires - You'll want slicks or light treads. Knobby tires will just slow you down on roads.
• Clipless - Yes. If you're not familiar with clipless you'll have to learn to use them before getting on the road. It doesn't take long.
• Handlebars - Flat or dropped will depend on what you prefer and find comfortable.
• Mud guards/Fenders - Definitely! These are a "must" if you ride in wet weather.
• Frame - Probably don't need a carbon frame. Aluminum or steel should work just fine.
• Wheels - I'd go with a wheel that takes 700 x (28 - 38) tires. I would not go with mtn bike sizing in the situation you describe.

I'll add a rear rack and panniers. And a lighting system.

Answer 4

I have wrestled with this issue for a long time. After commuting on a Trek FX Hybrid and moving to a Masi Speciale CX Cyclocross bike I am convinced now that Cyclocross bikes make the best commuters.

1. They are built for speed - Let's face it bikes are slower than cars. So when you are out there you want to save as much time as you can. Speed helps.

2. They have the right tires - After commuting through the winter on my Trek I am glad now to be on my Masi. Cyclocross tires are built for rough terrain without sacrificing that much when it comes to speed. I can still keep up with my rodie friends and i can ride across gravel without too much effort. Riding in the rain suddenly becomes a lot easier.

3. It's all about posture - Hybrids generally are more upright and therefore lack the longevity of the bent position. I could only go about 20 mi on my hybrid before my hands and but began to ache, but on my cyclocross bike I can go 60 mi without adverse effects because of the multiple hand positions and the fact that my weight is shifted off my butt and on my feet where it needs to be.

4. Size matters - My cyclocross bike is also a lot smaller then my hybrid. The crank arms are also closer to the frame giving me a smaller profile to fit through tighter spaces and take up less road space. This has the added bonus of the cars not being as close to me if I was on my Trek.

Remember not all bikes are built the same. The Surly Cross Check and the Masi Speciale CX have the added advantage of the rack and fender mounts. That is why I would call them the ultimate commuter bikes.

Answer 5

I'm driving a 1980ies racing bike in the allmost flat city Berlin, and I'm rarely (once per month) overtaken by other cyclists. I'm cycling distances of 5 to 10 km per direction, 2 or 3 times the week, and my experience is, that I don't get above 20 km/h (average for the whole way), because of traffic lights, give way signs and so on.

On the way to work, I wouldn't like to get to much exhausted, or may you take a shower at work? While on the way back you may, of course, give all you have. :)