Riding to and from work. Other cycling primarily for transportation. Carrying stuff. Picking a bike. Related issues.
3
votes
5answers
415 views
A bike for city commute - disc brakes, bar-end shifters, tires
I'm planning on buying a bike for city commute.
My commute to work is approximately 12km (7.5 miles) one way. I live in Vancouver which means:
I'll be riding in rainy weather frequently.
I'll be ...
47
votes
16answers
4k views
How to clean up at work after a commute?
I would like to bicycle commute to work, but we don't have showers or any place I can change. How can I clean up and carry clothing? My office is business casual, but I need to look neat and ...
0
votes
2answers
161 views
Bike recommendation for daily commute
I am a 6ft, 172 pound being. Just moved to boston and now that the weather is better, I am looking for a bike which I can use for my daily office commute (around 3ish mile one way). I am willing to ...
2
votes
2answers
149 views
How to avoid riding on a gravel on the road sides? + Riding through traffic lights
I'm commuting to work almost every day. The roads on my way are quite thin so I have ride on the edge of it. But there is usually some gravel and it's quite hard to ride on that especially when riding ...
3
votes
3answers
116 views
BMX gearing - for road / commuting
I have a 2010 Haro Pro Race, which I bought for commuting and general tomfoolery.
I commute on it 2 miles a day, and I want to be able to go faster by changing the current single-speed gearing ...
2
votes
3answers
358 views
How to ride to work without sweating?
I'm looking to commute to work in hot Montreal (but anyone who bikes to work in a city with temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) at some point of the year will be in a similar ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views
Is my dream of finding a light/commuter/hauling bike a pipe dream?
For a while now I have been trying to find the perfect bike. One that is fast and allows me to ride 20 mph for 50 mi. One that I can load stuff on and has braze-ons for racks, fenders, etc. A bike ...
-1
votes
0answers
52 views
What are some ways of coping with asthma while biking? [closed]
I have suddenly had more trouble with it this year after years of no trouble. I use a balaclava in even slightly chilly weather. I also take it easy when I am feeling congested. I always carry ...
4
votes
3answers
187 views
What can I do to help me sustain frequent long-ish rides?
After nearly a year of commuting by bicycle to and from work 2-3 days per week, I have recently started cycling to work every day, 5 days a week, rain or shine. My commute is about 11-15 miles each ...
4
votes
4answers
610 views
What weather conditions are slicks suitable for?
I currently use 700x25 slicks on my commuting bike, to get the easiest ride possible.
I also own:
700x28 with some tread
700x35 metal studded snow tires (Purchased last year for UK snow)
...
2
votes
1answer
344 views
What do you do when the bus bike rack is full?
Sometimes I take commute via bike, other times on the bus, but I rarely plan on doing both because I worry about the possibility of waiting for a bus only to find that its bike rack is full and having ...
0
votes
5answers
2k views
Fast touring bike / Roadbike with touring capabilities
I am looking for a bike as primary transportation in the South Bay area.
My commute is 5 mi, I like to do overnight trips on weekends and use
the bike for shopping, which will involve occasional trips ...
-1
votes
2answers
189 views
Looking for the right bike
I have been needing a new bike and I need some help with what kind of bike I should purchase. I plan on riding on mainly paved side walks but when traffic is bad I need it to endure riding over curbs ...
6
votes
2answers
288 views
How hard is a category 2 climb?
I am moving to Ojen Spain for work for 3 months and will be biking to marbella and back.
I have put the ride into mapmyride.com and it says that the ride is a cat 2.
Climb Start End Length ...
0
votes
1answer
194 views
Is a bike faster than a car for the first ten metres? [closed]
The city I live in has just installed cycle boxes in front of traffic at light controlled intersections. This has spark a lot of debate online.
My experience is that I will generally, through timing ...
41
votes
8answers
14k views
Why do cyclists prefer messenger bags over backpacks?
Ok, I know form sometimes follows function - and things can be even more funnily irrational when fashion and trends come into play - but what's the lure of the cyclist's messenger bag? I see them ...
1
vote
4answers
420 views
What is different about cycling in London?
Prolog
I cycle in Toronto, Canada: which has wide straight roads, bike lanes, bike paths, no traffic on residential roads etc.
My brother lives near Brixton: he doesn't cycle himself, and says that ...
8
votes
2answers
163 views
What natural features and governmental conditions contribute to a bicycle friendly town/city?
I enjoy bicycling the most in cities that provide separate lanes for bicyclists - Portland and Boulder come to mind. In addition to bicycle lanes, what other governmental/civic actions ensure a safe ...
2
votes
1answer
73 views
How can one estimate the length of a commute? [duplicate]
How can a cyclist, new to commuting by bike and not all that experienced in riding, estimate how long a commute will take?
Answers will of course vary, and actually riding the commute will tell the ...
5
votes
7answers
569 views
Fixie Vs Urban bike for small-distance commuting
My daily commute is a 1.7km long, almost straight line with minimal slope. Since I have no other method of private transportation, I am thinking of getting a bike and have come up with two interesting ...
0
votes
0answers
164 views
Backpack for carrying a 15 inch Macbook Pro [closed]
Has anyone ideas for a great cycling backpack that would allow me to carry a 15" Macbook Pro?
I'd use it for 2 daily commutes of around 45 minutes each.
Here's what I'm precisely looking for:
Good ...
8
votes
6answers
472 views
Prescription eye glasses and shoulder checks
I've never had prescription glasses but might like some.
My left eye doesn't focus easily (I ride on the right side of the road, in Canada). If I look over my left shoulder, I can see behind me only ...
4
votes
2answers
218 views
Brakes for a mountain bike frame (26'r) with 27" road wheels
I have converted a mountain bike to a commuter. the frame accommodated 27 " wheels, so I installed for a better ride. I have a road carbon kinesis fork up front with a v-brake, but need a rear ...
15
votes
4answers
867 views
Equipping a commuter bike
My commute is a bit over 5 miles each way through the city. It's not that long a commute; in traffic, it takes about 35 minutes door to door, and I'm never far from public transit that I could use in ...
25
votes
8answers
801 views
About 20-30 people bike to where I work. What equipment/supplies should we have on hand?
I work in San Francisco, and I'd estimate about 20-30 people bike to where I work. We mostly have a mix of road bikes and hybrids with a couple commuter bikes and mountain bikes too. Currently, the ...
8
votes
5answers
304 views
need cycling eyewear, but fogging is a big problem
I'm commuting in temperatures ranging from -10 to -25C without windchill factored in. I have a typical pair of interchangeable lens wrap around cycling glasses. I find that they, without fail, ...
10
votes
3answers
951 views
What should I consider when looking at a recumbent trike for commuting and winter riding?
AS part of my investigation on my bike replacement, I'm starting to look at a trike. I like the idea of a trike as it looks to be much more comfortable, much faster, but also much more expensive (in ...
7
votes
6answers
325 views
How can I avoid crashes on my urban commute? Tramlines and CBD sections especially
I live in Melbourne, Australia, a city famous for its compact, grid-like CBD (downtown area) and trams. Trams mean tram tracks and hook turns. And compulsory helmets. My daily ride is only 10 km but ...
13
votes
9answers
4k views
Which puncture-resistant tires?
I commute on city streets and have had two punctures in 5 months: first a roofing nail, second a small shard of glass.
Punctures are a nuisance.
I've read some people recommend Schwalbe "Marathon" ...
26
votes
8answers
639 views
How can I be visible in the dark when I'm signalling a turn?
My bike and I are fairly visible at night--white light in front, red light in the back, bright yellow fenders, reflective tabs and a light on my helmet. I use hand signals to alert motorists when I'm ...
5
votes
2answers
180 views
How often should I change my bikeshoe cleats?
I bought a pair of Shimano PDA600 SPD pedals along with a pair of cheap-ish Garneau Terra MTB shoes in early 2012.
I wear them for my daily commute (approx. 18 Km) and semi-regular long distance ...
4
votes
7answers
354 views
Bicycle for 2 x 30mins commute
I plan to use my bicycle 5 days a week to get to work and back, approximately 30 minutes(~6 miles /10 km) one way, mostly good/ok roads but with some bumps here and there.
Should I care about cx ...
2
votes
6answers
1k views
Ideal pants for bicycle commuting the rain
I commute about 10 miles a day in Portland, OR. Needless to say rain is a big part of many of my rides. My current rain pants leave me almost as sweaty as if I had just ridden without the rain gear. ...
-3
votes
2answers
181 views
Helmet Camera pros and Cons [closed]
I'm considering buying a helmet camera for my commue - what are the pros and cons of a helmet camera that I should know about?
8
votes
6answers
500 views
What are the minimum requirements to commute comfortably through the winter?
What needs to change on my bike? I have an 80's Schwinn Traveler single speed conversion.
What needs to change with my clothing? I just wear regular street clothes now.
I'm looking for the minimum ...
6
votes
2answers
235 views
Commuting between car lanes
In my commutes I often see cyclists ride quite fast between car lanes (for example when stopped at traffic lights, they get to the front to the lights before it gets green so they don't have to wait ...
2
votes
2answers
298 views
How to tell if a bike is good before purchasing?
Say there's no sales person in a bike shop and you are just looking for bikes.
The criteria would be a good bike to ride to work on side-walks(paved or smooth) and the occasional off-road on the ...
3
votes
4answers
299 views
En masse bicycle commuting
The area I live (NE United States) doesn't have a very large infrastructure for biking. There are scattered bike paths and they've finally completed a bridge that allows me to commute to work, but ...
3
votes
26answers
896 views
Which bus networks allow you to transport a bike?
In the UK I have never seen a public bus system that allows you to take a (non-folding) bike on the bus. (There are long distance coaches that do allow bikes, however I am asking about local busses.)
...
2
votes
1answer
250 views
I want an cool urban/track bike with 3speeds. Could you recommend me one?
Good afternoon,
I would like to buy a cool urban bike based on track design: sort like a tuned fuji feather and so forth. I would like it to be light and instead of a single speed, have 3 speeds. I ...
11
votes
4answers
2k views
Is it possible to fit a chain guard to a bike with derailleur gears?
I've been slowly going through the process of converting my old hardtail mountain bike into a commuting bike. One of the things that I'd like to do is to fit a chain guard so that I can ride the bike ...
1
vote
2answers
349 views
Am I better off buying a new bike, or upgrading my old bike?
Half a year ago I started to use again my old Schwinn Woodlands MTB for commuting. I didn't want to spend a fortune on a new bike, I wasn't certain that I would like to bike commute daily.
Bike has ...
11
votes
6answers
414 views
How do you decide your route to commute to work?
I'm seriously considering bicycling to work, and I'd like some advice on the way to choose a route. Specifically, I have these two options:
Go on a path with only 2 cross streets, but a road that is ...
7
votes
5answers
801 views
What's a good all purpose city commuting winter tire?
What's a good all purpose city commuting winter tire? Does the rim matter?
I'd like to not have to worry too much about looking out for and avoiding black ice, mainly because I'm not sure you can ...
3
votes
7answers
1k views
How much of a difference will I notice going from a Mountain bike to a road bike?
I have a Mountain bike with 1.95 tyres on it. Most of the cycle path I take into work is fairly well paved/asphalted, I'm not going over any dirt tracks or anything like that although there is the odd ...
1
vote
8answers
1k views
Good backpack for carrying groceries
So, I need to be able to carry 3-4 days worth of groceries for one person, about a mile from the store to home.
I'm not too keen on the idea of panniers or anything else that mounts to the frame. I ...
3
votes
6answers
357 views
How would the “pros” bike this commute?
I've been putting up some pounds and have a bike gathering dust at home =D
I normally commute by bus or carpool, but would like an opinion from some more seasoned bikers on how you'd tackle this ...
10
votes
8answers
7k views
How do I clean chain grease off my clothes?
I commute to work, and often wear my khakis on the ride in. As such, my clothes often get chain grease on them. What products or cleaning strategies do you know that work to remove chain grease from ...
0
votes
2answers
129 views
Reference Request: Best practices for urban commuting [closed]
I'm thinking about commuting by bicycle for the first time. What are some resources (e.g. books, websites) I should take a look at for tips and best practices to follow.
I'm looking for further ...
2
votes
4answers
221 views
Why do i have a cramp?
I think Ive been getting a cramp in my right quad. I assume its a cramp, but ive never had one before.
I bike 10 miles per day 5 days per week. I always ride the same way (to and from work). On one ...
