# What Type of Frame- Commuter Bike?



## MTT (Oct 14, 2005)

I am just curious which type of frame do you commute on? I am just curious about the frame itself; I realize that almost all forks and seat posts are carbon these days. I am thinking about trading in the Alum bike for a Carbon, but it will be another year or so before I spend that much money.............Thanks MTT :thumbsup:


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

Gunnar Crosshairs with a steel fork. I like steel for durability, ride, and cost. I have racks and panniers/bag so weight doesn't really matter.


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## threesportsinone (Mar 27, 2007)

You can do what you want, but I probably won't be building another carbon commuter. Don't get me wrong, I loved and looked forward to my 10miles of commuting everyday, but I got in one little crash with a car, took almost all the impact on my body, but the dropout bent just a little bit (my wheels were barely out of true after the impact). The dropout was aluminium and couldn't be bent back, and even Calfee doesn't want to mess with dropouts.

I'm back on steel and feel much better hopping curbs and locking it up.


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## MTT (Oct 14, 2005)

I have heard good things about steel, but I worry about the rain. Did you guys treat the inside of the frame, or did it come that way? Why don't you worry about rust?


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## threesportsinone (Mar 27, 2007)

MTT said:


> I have heard good things about steel, but I worry about the rain. Did you guys treat the inside of the frame, or did it come that way? Why don't you worry about rust?


Unless you leave a wet sponge in one of the tubes you really shouldn't worry about internal rust. If your frame isn't raw unfinished steel you shouldn't worry about external rust.

I had a pair of Phil hubs that oxidized before the steel frame.


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## blakcloud (Apr 13, 2006)

I have two commuter bikes. One is a Kona Paddy Wagon which is a steel single speed and the other is a Cannondale Badboy converted to single speed, which is aluminum. The Badboy is now the rain and snow bike, because it is older, not because of the frame material. 

A carbon bike for commuting as you suggest would work but this suggests a bike that costs a lot more money and I would be more afraid of someone stealing it then anything else. Unless of course you have a safe parking spot.


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## abiciriderback (Jun 8, 2005)

*Steel and Aluminium*

Have 2 a Surly Cross Check and a Kona Jake the Snake. I actually like my Kona a little better than the surly.

Ray Still


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## hankbrandenburg (Aug 3, 2007)

I'm riding a Specialized Sirrus Pro and am a clyde (245 lbs). The carbon frame has held up just fine but I have killed two back wheels in 3,000 miles. I just put a couple of deep V wheels on the bike.


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## MTT (Oct 14, 2005)

A friend of mine commutes on a Moots cross bike. Now that is going 1st class! If money were not an issue that is the way I would go....................MTT


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

MTT said:



> I have heard good things about steel, but I worry about the rain. Did you guys treat the inside of the frame, or did it come that way? Why don't you worry about rust?


I commute year round in the Northwest. Never used anything but steel, never worried about rust. I just treat the inside of my frames with Boeshield.


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## Rubber Lizard (May 10, 2007)

Henry Chinaski said:


> I commute year round in the Northwest. Never used anything but steel, never worried about rust. I just treat the inside of my frames with Boeshield.


Buy some JP Wiegels frame saver. Treat your frame once every three years and never worry. Its a much heavier waxy goo than the boeshield and will adhere to the inside of your frame far longer.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

MTT said:


> I am just curious which type of frame do you commute on? I am just curious about the frame itself; I realize that almost all forks and seat posts are carbon these days. I am thinking about trading in the Alum bike for a Carbon, but it will be another year or so before I spend that much money.............Thanks MTT :thumbsup:


I commute on 2 steel bikes.

1- Rivendell Romulus- steel frame, steel fork, aluminum seatpost. This is my main commuter when there's no ice to deal with. It gets ridden rain or shine. Has yet to rust even a little. The paint still looks new, even after several thousand miles. 

2- Generic trek MTB frame (got for free on the side of the road on trash day), steel fork, Aluminum seatpost. This is my winter bike. It got ridden through heavy snow, ice, axel-deep slush, salt and crud. Frame has not rusted even a little, despite rarely being cleaned all winter. Powdercoat is thoroughly trashed. (it was already in bad shape when I found it). 

My advice if yer really looking for a commuter is keep it simple- If yer gonna spend carbon money, skip the carbon and go with custom steel- it's easier to lock up a skinny tubed steel bike, a skinny tubed steel bike will attract less attention at the bike rack, and it's easier to tell if a steel bike has been damaged. Plus, it's hard to find a carbon frame that has rack mounts or fender mounts. 

Rust really isn't an issue.


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## KeeponTrekkin (Aug 29, 2002)

*I've used 3 different bikes for commuting...*

because they all have eyelets for racks. It happened they are all steel (one has a carbon fork).

Once in a while, I ride my carbon bike; it's a treat, but requires advance preparation to bring in clothes, etc. and means I must make plans for lunch other than bringing it in that morning. Come to think of it, it's time to do that again.


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

I commute on a single speed, steel frame w/ steel fork. Mostly because it was cheap. I like it a lot. But to be honest, I think frame material doesn't matter at all for a commuter. I also wondered about the rust issue, and asked here. I ended up not doing any sort of internal frame treatment. I was surprised that MB1 has never treated any of his (or Miss M's) steel bikes, and they ride in the rain all the time.


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## MTT (Oct 14, 2005)

It really sucks that some of you all have to worry about your bikes getting taken. I work for a large company, so we have a secured spot, which means on the sunny days in the summer I ride my Litespeed. Man I love that bike, but I would never disrespect her by riding in the rain  :cornut: MTT


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*"disrespect"*



MTT said:


> It really sucks that some of you all have to worry about your bikes getting taken. I work for a large company, so we have a secured spot, which means on the sunny days in the summer I ride my Litespeed. Man I love that bike, but I would never disrespect her by riding in the rain  :cornut: MTT


There's no disrespect in using a tool the way it was designed to be used. As a bonus, ti don't rust, nor corrode much at all.

Embrace the rain! (I say this with my fingers crossed, as the afternoon forecast is for chance of severe thunderstorms


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

MTT said:


> It really sucks that some of you all have to worry about your bikes getting taken. I work for a large company, so we have a secured spot, which means on the sunny days in the summer I ride my Litespeed. Man I love that bike, but I would never disrespect her by riding in the rain  :cornut: MTT


I hope you weren't referring to me. I bought a bike specifically for commuting, and wanted to keep it under $500. I spent $325 out the door. I also work for a mega company, with a bike rack in a private parking garage. In one of my prior buildings, we had bike lockers. I just didn't want to spend $2k on a commuter. I used to commute on my good roadie but wanted something lower maintenance. Hence the single speed.

That said, there are a lot of people (most?) that do have to worry about theft.


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

Rubber Lizard said:


> Buy some JP Wiegels frame saver. Treat your frame once every three years and never worry. Its a much heavier waxy goo than the boeshield and will adhere to the inside of your frame far longer.


I've never had any trouble with Boeshield in the ten or so years I've been using it, and I think the guys at Boeing know what they are doing. One large can has coated multiple frames. Before that I just used oil and spread it around with the help of a air compressor.


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## MIN in PDX (Nov 29, 2007)

i commute on steel too, and I'm not old and jaded like most of these guys either.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

MTT said:


> It really sucks that some of you all have to worry about your bikes getting taken. I work for a large company, so we have a secured spot, which means on the sunny days in the summer I ride my Litespeed. Man I love that bike, but I would never disrespect her by riding in the rain  :cornut: MTT


Yeah, I take my bike inside at the office, too. But you can't exactly do that at the grocery store, the drug store, the library, the farmer's market, the hardware store, the park or any of the other places I ride instead of driving. 

A titanium bike yer afraid to ride in anything but perfect weather is useless.:mad2:


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## ispoke (Feb 28, 2005)

Steel touring frame for commuting, racked up with panniers. Previously steel mountain frame for commuting, also racked up with baggage. Next bike will be steel, but probably not for commuting. One of my panniers always has a u-lock and combo cable lock so I don't mind locking the nice touring bike in the parking garage (somewhat secure underground). Dunno about rust since I live in a desert...


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## MTT (Oct 14, 2005)

JCavilia said:


> There's no disrespect in using a tool the way it was designed to be used. As a bonus, ti don't rust, nor corrode much at all.
> 
> Embrace the rain! (I say this with my fingers crossed, as the afternoon forecast is for chance of severe thunderstorms


Oh yea I know it is irrational, but I like having a good weather fast bike. I have five bikes now, so it is nice to ride different machines. My commuter is good training, because when I get on my road bike, it feels like it has an engine on it..................MTT


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## My Own Private Idaho (Aug 14, 2007)

I say, as long as it fits, go for it. I am having a custom steel bike made though, and it will be a commuter.


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## Gregory Taylor (Mar 29, 2002)

*Three main commuters for me....*



MTT said:


> I am just curious which type of frame do you commute on? I am just curious about the frame itself; I realize that almost all forks and seat posts are carbon these days. I am thinking about trading in the Alum bike for a Carbon, but it will be another year or so before I spend that much money.............Thanks MTT :thumbsup:


Fort Uno Fixie - Sanko steel tubeset. I love this bike....

Bianchi Volpe - basically built out of gas pipe. Fenders and old RSX 100 components. This is a rain bike.

Trek 820 "MONGO" - a mountain bike frame picked from the trash. This one is sized too big for me to use as a mountain bike, but with drop bars it makes a dandy extreme weather road/cross bike. Single speed, fat slicks in the summer, studded snows in the winter. Painted Rustoleum "Redwood". 

All of my commuters see rain. I sloshed around boiled linseed oil in the frames for rust protection. Cheap, non-carcinogenic, and very effective.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

A thoroughly updated 1972 Raleigh Supercourse. Reynolds 531 main tubes, the rest British shopping cart steel. Sealed bearing bb and hubs. Done up as a fixed/SS with fenders. Pretty much touring geometry, 700x28 tires. About 23 pounds all up.

Living in the SoCal desert, rain isn't much of an issue, but with a Brooks saddle and leather bar tape, I don't rain ride.

I occasionally ride my Fuso fixie for fun.


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## triat (May 30, 2008)

For several years I've been using a Trek 2300. No eyelets for the rack, so I made extensions to mount via the skewer. 
I'm looking at Portland now. I need a 58cm, and this size is sold out. So will have to wait for '09 model. I will put some real fenders on it!


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## superjohnny (May 16, 2006)

Richard said:


> ...rain isn't much of an issue, but with a Brooks saddle and leather bar tape, I don't rain ride.


I love that people think Brooks saddles aren't meant for the rain. Like it doesn't rain in England. 

I also use framesaver on both my Surly and Salsa bikes and haven't had any issue with rust. I also live in the northwest and commute year round.


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## SuperDave (May 29, 2008)

I've been commuting for the last 4 years on a Jamis Coda. Steel, and I live near the Atlantic Ocean and work right at the shore. Not a spot of corrosion has appeared on the frame in that time, although certain screws will have to be replaced soon for cosmetic reasons.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

superjohnny said:


> I love that people think Brooks saddles aren't meant for the rain. Like it doesn't rain in England.
> 
> I also use framesaver on both my Surly and Salsa bikes and haven't had any issue with rust. I also live in the northwest and commute year round.


A lot of Brits use a saddle cover. Of course you can ride a Brooks in the wet. It just takes a long time to dry one out if it gets soaked.

Because it rains infrequently, the roads here in SoCal are quite sketchy when it does. It brings the accumulated oils/grease up to the surface, and without enough rainfall to really flush it off, it can be a skating rink.

The last time I went down on a bike was a bog slow corner in a light rain after a prolonged period of no rain.

So I basically "choose" not to ride when it rains. I put the fenders on the Raleigh because my commute takes me through a residential subdivision where people's sprinkler systems put as much water on the road as on their lawns. I just make sure to go "straight" through the puddles.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*steel*



MTT said:


> I am just curious which type of frame do you commute on? I am just curious about the frame itself; I realize that almost all forks and seat posts are carbon these days. I am thinking about trading in the Alum bike for a Carbon, but it will be another year or so before I spend that much money.............Thanks MTT :thumbsup:


Soma ES. Criteria were cheap, tough, eyelets. 

I have steel bikes made in 1980 and 1985. Been ridden through all kinds of weather in the midwest and California. I have found that the issue with rust is not the untreated insides of the tubes, but when you get little chips or cracks in the paint, especially at cable guides. Will get little bubbles in the paint near a cable guide from just a tiny bit of rust. Don't think it's structural, but a bit of an aesthetic issue. Just keep it touched up.

I suppose the ideal commuter would be a heavy duty titanium frame. No paint to worry about. Throw that 10 pound chain lock around the top tube and let it fall up against light posts. What the heck?


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## MTT (Oct 14, 2005)

Yea by the time I get my Moots Ti Cross bike with disc brakes, I will be too old to commute! No, just kidding, maybe in a few years. Maybe next year's bonus (if there is one)...............MTT:thumbsup:


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