Bikes that are built or modified for commuting
21
votes
10answers
3k views
For a long (25mile each way) commute, what kind of bike should I look at?
I'd really like to be able to commute to work. It's a long way though - 25 miles away. Too far for every day, but maybe I can cycle it once or twice a week.
I tried it on my old mountain bike a ...
20
votes
5answers
2k views
What bike+equipment for a long daily urban commute?
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 ...
15
votes
4answers
896 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 ...
15
votes
1answer
657 views
Relative efficiency of different commute bike setups
My interest is in long distance commuting (e.g. more than 50 km a day) and the relative efficiencies of different commute bike setups (e.g. drop bars vs flat bars, fenders vs no fenders, panniers vs ...
12
votes
6answers
1k views
How can I get started building a bicycle?
Now that I've been riding a while, I'm interested in building my own bike. In this case, it will be a bike for commuting and getting around town. It will probably be a flipflop fixie/single gear, ...
11
votes
9answers
4k views
What is the narrowest tire you would use for commuting?
Speed isn't so much of a factor, obviously, but the lower the rolling resistance the less sweaty I am when I get there. Then there's flats to consider. Basically the tire has to never get them because ...
11
votes
7answers
3k views
Commuting: How to carry office clothing so it doesn't get crushed?
I have the bike, I have the best route; but now I want to know, how do I transport my clothing in each day? I typically wear suit pants and a business shirt, but not a suit jacket.
Am I better off ...
9
votes
5answers
790 views
Is it a bad idea to take a commuter bike for a 50 - 100km ride?
I'm a reasonably new rider so excuse my ignorance, but I'm thinking of taking my commuter bike for a 70km ride some time in the near future.
I have recently been on several 30km rides without issue ...
8
votes
4answers
256 views
Ice tires for winter commuting on non-icy roads?
Can a tire like the Schwalbe Marathon Winter be used for winter-long commuting (40 km/day) on roads which are mostly or usually not icy?
I might want the studs occasionally (and lower the air ...
7
votes
10answers
483 views
Demographics of cycle commuters
I haven't been able to find any usable statistics but from my observation of cycle commuters men appear to out-number women by around 10:1
This is in a relatively bike friendly city, at least by ...
6
votes
4answers
2k views
Drop handlebars with drops that don't fit. Replace or adjust?
I bought a Surly Long Haul Trucker a couple years ago, and it has the stock handlebars. My hands don't really fit in the drops, and I sometimes would like a lower handlebar position where I can still ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
Proper Posture on a flat bar road bike
I've been commuting on a flat bar road bike for a couple of years now. The ride feels comfortable but whenever I see myself riding I always think my posture is wonky.
Is there a guide somewhere or ...
5
votes
3answers
654 views
Recommended handlebar style for short daily commute?
I am looking to buy a bicycle for a San Francisco city commute totalling 4.1 miles (about 6.6km) in each direction.
My question is, what handlebar position (and riding position) would be recommended ...
5
votes
5answers
6k views
What is the downside to me purchasing a road bike instead of a hybrid?
I'm about to move to a place closer to my work where I'll be able to ride to and from the office (9km ride each way).
I'm not super fit but I occasionally ride to work from where I'm living now ...
4
votes
7answers
2k views
Do mudguards/fenders help? If so, what are the best for a fixie commuter?
I ride an SE Lager fixed. I'm riding on sealed paths and roads pretty much all of my commute.
On wet days my bike picks up a lot of water and also a lot of sandy/silty residue. It coats the frame and ...
4
votes
3answers
7k views
Heavier Thicker Chains and Gears for Winter due to Salt?
I have two bikes: one having gear-things outside and one with inner-hub. The gear-outside-bike has suffered a lot due to the salt during this winter, the other hilariously looks like a new one. I ...
3
votes
6answers
218 views
Redmond bikers: Can you ride all year long?
I'll move to Redmond, WA in a couple months and since I was about to buy a bike, I have a few questions to see if I still should.
Is it possible to ride all year long for both commute/recreation (I ...
3
votes
5answers
352 views
Small non-folding bike
Are there any small non-folding bikes, of relatively good quality?
From what I see around, Brompton/Dahon produce only folding ones.
Ideally, should be under 10 kg, and have a few gears (but single ...
2
votes
4answers
466 views
Can you recommend a fixed LED headlight for a bike with a hub dynamo?
I have a Batavus Dutch bike for local commuting with a Shimano DH-2R30E 6 volt, 2.4 watt hub dynamo driving a halogen bulb headlight. The light provided is not very bright and I would like to know if ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
practical pro and contra for Nuvinci CVT especially for hilly terrain
I'm thinking of buying new bike next year, most probably combo for exercise & commuting in summer. Since terrain is relatively hilly here and both fixed city-bike and casual combo with 3x7 gears ...
2
votes
2answers
331 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 ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Picking a bike for a cyclist new to riding on the road?
I've gone a few years without riding at all, and I'm getting back into cycling to improve my fitness. I've typically ridden light mountain bike trails in the past. I want buy a new/second-hand road ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
Cantilever Brakes - Cyclocross
I've recently purchased a Cyclocross bike that's been great so far. I use it to commute and race. However, I don't find the cantilever brakes that came with it satisfactory. I'd like to switch them ...
0
votes
2answers
262 views
Would you do a 15mile + commute on an electric bicycle? Which one? [closed]
I've done tons of research into buying an electric bicycle (pedal assist). From a spec point of view, this detail is easy to find but from a day-to-day user account, this is much harder to find. I'd ...
0
votes
2answers
176 views
Suggestions for buying a bike for commuting
I've decided what kind of bike I want (light hybrid with straight handlebars),
but have no idea how to chose a brand/model.
What questions do I ask at the shop?
Which brands are good?
Am I paying too ...
0
votes
1answer
84 views
Help to choose the right bike multipurpose bike
I spend about 45 mins everyday commuting (less than 2 miles) to work on a formal dress, shoes, carrying a backpack that consists of a laptop, charger and little more stationery (about 10-12 pounds, I ...
0
votes
2answers
804 views
Recommendations on best-value stock fixed gear model?
I am looking for a decent fixed gear model. My whole cycling background is on Mountain Biking, so I don't want to build a fixie with spare parts or convert.
I am looking at some out of the box whole ...
0
votes
2answers
805 views
What Cannondale bikes compare to a Specialized Crosstail or Hardrock?
I don't know much about bike parts, so I don't really know which make is better, So I hope you can help out here.
As I said I don't really know how they are, but I've always had a thing for how ...
