# What makes a good commuter bike?



## Cyclist69

I commute on a road bike, it’s lightweight and fast but, more importantly…it’s the only bike I own. What is the DNA of a good commuter bike? Would it be the use of a steel frame or the frame and forks ability to use wider tires? It seems the spoke counts are higher on a commuter…for durability I’m sure. However, the cranks seem to be about the same as a road bike. Do you put less money in your commuter bike then any other bike you own?

What do you guy's do? Buy a dedicated commuter or just keep your one and only bike as a do all?


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## MB1

Any bike that gets you there and back.


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## dir-t

My commuter is my first my first high end mountian bike. A rigid 1994 Cannondale. I never wanted to get rid of it because I have so many great memories from riding it but now I ride a full suspension bike on the trails. So it just evolved into my commuter.

It works well for me because I can ride it on pavement, trails, and dirt roads - all of which can easily be worked into my commute. I also prefer a more upright riding position when I'm around a lot of rush hour traffic or while riding on ice/snow during winter.

I also have flat pedals on it so I don't need to carry extra shoes and can easily walk into stores etc. My other bikes all have clipless pedals.

If my commute was longer than it is (only 5 miles each way) I'd probably find myself commuting on my road bike more often during the warmer months.


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## Scott B

I can't tell you what makes an ideal commuter bike, I can tell you what makes a good commuter bike for me.

My bikes:

Kona Sutra: Touring/commuter, touring bike with full racks and fenders, dyno hub and light, 3x9 drive train. Can take ~40mm tires. Good all around commuter rig. 

Gunnar Sport: Roadie/club racer/commuter, 3x10 Campy, fenders, no rack, lights, 700x28 tires. My go fast commuter bike, only road bike I own. 

Trek MTB from 80's: 3x1 drive train, studded tires in winter, balloon tires in summer, fenders, rear rack. platform pedals. Crash about, winter, cruiser bike. Good for shorter trips.

For me all good commuter bikes have fenders. At least one bike with a rack is nice. Something with big rubber is good for bad streets. If I could only have one bike it would probably be a touring rig that fit big enough tires for winter riding. For just summer commuting (or no snow commuting) any touring rig would probably be my choice. The Gunnar is fun and fast, but it doesn't do the range of tasks as well.

The only bike I own and never commute on is my DeSalvo cross bike. It get's babied and doesn't get locked up. It also has no fenders, rack, lights, etc. It's for cross only.

Ultimately, the best commuter is the one you will ride and ride regularly. It has to be comfortable. Having a dedicated commuter is nice if you want to have a "real" road bike. I don't own a race type road bike anymore, the Sport is plenty roadie for me.


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## brucew

As MB1 said, any bike that gets you there and back.

On "that other forum", they get all hung up on what constitutes a "proper" commuter. (None of mine rate as "proper" commuters.) I think it all comes down to personal preference and the conditions on your commute.

I have a strong personal preference for road bikes. I have four of them, and I commute on them all. On two of them, the only concessions to commuting are lights. My 12-year-old Reynolds 853 crit bike is just a hoot to ride in the daily slice-and-dice of downtown traffic. My brushed Ti Litespeed is the stealth bike. It never gets noticed. I've never had a comment about it from drivers or peds.

The other two both have racks and full fenders. Of those, one has disc brakes, a dynamo hub in front to power the lights, and room in the frame and fork for studded snow tires.

I choose which of the four bikes based on weather and what, if anything, I have to carry. Any one of them would be fine in all but the most extreme winter conditions. But it's nice to have a choice, and have some of those choices be "commuterized".

For the record, my primary commuter gets more miles than the other three combined, mainly due to winter commuting. In the three seasons (well, drier seasons than this one) I like to mix it up and am disappointed if I didn't get to ride each bike to work once in the week.

Until I bought my Litespeed, my primary commuter was the most expensive bike I own. My rationale is simple. By any measure--miles, saddle time, number of rides--commuting is the thing I do most. It just makes sense to me to have my primary use covered with my best bike.

I think you'll find all the road sub-groups do the same. Club riders' best bikes are their club bikes. Touring cyclists put the most into their touring rigs. Racers do the same. I just follow suit with my primary commuter.


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## winstonw

Depends on trip distance, road quality, traffic, day/night riding, shower facilities at work, security of bike at work:

Some criteria:
- cheap so doesn't matter if stolen or crashed. 
- preferred steel frame because can get back on immediately after lighter falls, not having to worry about frame cracks, unlike carbon and often aluminium. 
- fore and aft racks and fenders.
- heavier spoked 26 inch wheels, because shorter spokes are stronger, the discomfort of smaller diameter on rough roads is compensated somewhat by lower tyre pressure and wider tyres. puncture rate is lower. smaller wheels give overall lower gearing, which helps when carrying a load. 
- tubeless with slime or goo so punctures don't make you late for work or require repairs in the dark. 
- flat pedal with straps for work or walking shoes. 
- high powered rechargeable lights.
- front rear helmet camera for catching car plates and providing evidence of dangerous driving to police. (and associated computer software for editing)
- mirror. either helmet or drop bar attachable. essential imho. 

Of course, this isn't a light racing steed. But commuting shouldn't be about racing.


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## JCavilia

What MB1 said. Whatever you ride on your commute is your commuter bike. It should suit the terrain, traffic, and pavement conditions. It helps if it's easy to maintain. If you need to carry stuff, it should be equipped for that, If you ride in the rain, ditto (fenders). lights. 

that might mean your regular road bike, with stuff in a backpack. For me, because my commute is pretty flat, it means two different fixed-gear bikes. One basic one for nice days when I don't have much to carry, and one with fenders and rack for other days.

But there's no formula.


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## Opus51569

I'm a fair-weather commuter. Determining the qualities of a good bike will have a lot to do with how (and how often) you commute and under what conditions. For me, a good commuter bike would include:

Durable frame material (as a Clyde, for me that's steel or aluminum, YMMV)
32 spoke wheels
Clearance for fenders and at least 28c tires
Eyelets for fenders and a rack

Everything else (disc brakes, dynamo hubs, etc.) is icing on the cake. JHMO


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## bigbill

My commuter is the bike I bought while stationed in Hawaii, a Gunnar Crosshairs. It would take fenders, a rack, tough paint, and clearance for some generous 25mm tires. I could have gone with 28's, but I didn't need them for my route so I didn't see the point of spinning up extra weight. My commuter is a trickle down bike, it has gone from Chorus 9 to some Record 9 stuff I got from ATP Junkie. Since I don't need mud clearance I use mini-V brakes instead of cantilevers so I can quickly and quietly stop when I want to. I use an old shimaNo DuraAce 7410 crankset with 38/48 rings and a 13-26 cassette. I'm not riding time trials, I just want the lower gears to accelerate from traffic lights and for me, the 48/16 is a nice spinning gear on flat roads.


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## rcnute

I like a commuter that's comfy with fenders and a rack of some sort.


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## pmf

Like MB1 says, whatever you want to throw your leg over. For me, commuting isn't any different than any other kind of bike riding I do. In fact, its about all the bike riding I do.


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## pedalruns

I also agree with what MB1 said.... to each their own. 

I use my regular road bike and haven't purchased anything special for commuting... I ride on my Seven and also I use my old steel Masi... both are 'racing' type road bikes with no eyelets for racks or fendors. I have a 16 mile one way commute I do 3 times a week and wouldn't want to use one of the heavy types of bikes I see that are actually marketed for commuting.. BUT, what I do want now is a rack, the backpack is getting hot on the back... so I'll have to add something. 

If I were to 'buy' one now, I'd look for an inexpensive or used old steel road bike that had eyelets for racks.


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## Fixed

*utility*

Number one priority must be reliability. It must get you to work and home every time without fail. So, typically you'd want a more or less standard bike without fragile lightweight or cheap parts. Need good tires, too, like Gatorskins or equivalent. Flats are a pain on a commute.

Frame material is irrelevant, but steel likely is the most durable and worry free.

Fenders are nice if it rains. You'll get much less wet and messy, and the bike itself may stay cleaner. You'll likely need a non-racing frame to fit fenders.

Either use a rack or backpack. In the winter, I use a rack and trunk bag, as I keep rain gear with me, and often it's warmer going home than riding to work. 

I have a bunch of bikes, including 2 dedicated commuters and several other bikes I commute on in the summer. In winter, our wet season, I have a 2x10 speed bike with fenders and rack, and fixed gear with fenders and rack. In the summer, all I carry are my wallet and phone, so I ride just about bike, but mostly a nice fixed gear I have.

If you like to race or do hard group rides on the weekends, I'd try to get another commuter bike that you can keep a rack, fenders, pump, two sided pedals, heavier duty tires, reflective tape, and lights on. To me, lighting is far more important than the bike itself. My lights alone cost far more than the two dedicated commuters I ride, but they play a huge role in keeping me alive.

Bottom line, though, is just do it. Use whatever to get started, then modify or get something else as you learn what works best or you have money available from all you'll save from riding your bike to work.










Cyclist69 said:


> I commute on a road bike, it’s lightweight and fast but, more importantly…it’s the only bike I own. What is the DNA of a good commuter bike? Would it be the use of a steel frame or the frame and forks ability to use wider tires? It seems the spoke counts are higher on a commuter…for durability I’m sure. However, the cranks seem to be about the same as a road bike. Do you put less money in your commuter bike then any other bike you own?
> 
> What do you guy's do? Buy a dedicated commuter or just keep your one and only bike as a do all?


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## tarwheel2

I have commuted on a racing, touring, sport touring and mountain bikes. For my purposes, a sport touring bike is ideal. By that, I mean a bike with a more relaxed geometry than a racing bike and mounts for fenders and racks, but lighter and more responsive than a touring bike. Examples would be a Salsa Casseroll, Soma ES, Gunnar Sport. Since my commute is on a decent roads with no trails or bad pavement, a mountain bike is just a lot of extra weight to lug around. However, a racing bike is too limiting due to lack of accommodations for fenders and racks. I mainly commute now on a Salsa Casseroll, but ride a Bob Jackson World Tour on days when I need to carry more gear, and a De Bernardi racing bike on fair-weather days when I know it won't rain and I don't need much gear.


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## Cyclist69

I love my road bike but i just sold it to my friend and i'll most likely buy a cross bike as i feel it would make a better commuter for my needs.


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## sooner4x4

For me the criteria was; inexpensive, utility, comfort, safety. I am a fair weather commuter with a 17 mile commute on rough roads in a city unfamiliar with cyclists with unpredictable weather (Oklahoma).

So I found a nice 20 year old Paramount mtn bike ($5 at garage sale), steel frame, front suspension. I added taller set of handlebars, 26x1.5 road tires, a rear rack with a large bag, plenty of lights and some strategic placement of reflective material (highway sign sheeting material - super reflective). 

Started commuting last year about this time. My debut ride was during the local bike to work day.


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## Chris Gonzalez

A quality old rigid mountain bike works well. They usually have rack mounts. Add some slicks and you are ready to commute.


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## donttazmebro

the bike you are most comfortable commuting on is a good commuter bike.

for me:
Cross frame with cross gearing
disc brakes
Fenders
28c width tires
provisions for racks
steel frame
prof fitting


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## brewster

I use my versatile Surly Long Haul Trucker. It does double duty as a loaded tourer. It's pretty hulking for just light commuting, but the 26in tires are great to put knobbies on for the snow commute. It is able to handle the varied surfaces and occasional curb hop that makes commuting more efficient rather than being confined to pavement with skinny road tires. Fenders and rack mounts are great commuting features. There are many days when the pavement is still wet from a rain but it's not raining that without fenders I may have just taken the car. I much prefer a small front pannier used on back for hauling a change of clothes and shoes. Being able to detach my stuff and carry in with me very convenient. 

The other commuting feature I think is important not mentioned is color. My Surly is the drabby blue and black. It does not attract attention. It doesn't look fancy and fast to the untrained eye. The average thief doesn't recognize a $1500 bike from a $50 one. If you're leaving your ride unattended, I don't think you want a Ferrari red and yellow expensive-looking bike, even if it is a junker. It will invite trouble.


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## pennstater

My commute is 24 miles each way. I don't do it everyday. For me it's a road bike. 

My general observation of other commuters (people I routinely see): The further the commute the more likely they are to be on some sort of a road bike. Closer in to the city I see more fat tire bikes. But for each individual there are so many other factors as have already been mentioned above. 

As far as a high end carbon road bike with light weight components not being durable enough. Well less durable than a tank, but I haven't found reliability to be an issue and I don't enjoy riding a tank. I've been doing this for many years. From northern NJ across the George Washington Bridge, down Manhattan through the Village on some cobblestone streets over to Brooklyn. As long as you don't store it where the frame may be damaged by impact or abuse the wheels by hopping curbs or hitting pot holes not a problem. Let me add I am no lightweight - 250 lbs. I have changed tire size from 23s to 25s and have a second set of wheels for wet or low light conditions with 700x28 flat resistant tires (not every road bike will clear 28s). I also have more than one road bike, more than two .... but let's not go there.

As for security, I wouldn't lock up ANY bike outside in NYC and expect it to be there when I got back. Make your own call.

Life's short. Ride whatever puts a smile on your face - as long as you can afford it.


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## BryanSayer

One with a NuVinci 360 N continuously variable hub. That's what I'm putting on my next one.


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## Cyclist69

BryanSayer said:


> One with a NuVinci 360 N continuously variable hub. That's what I'm putting on my next one.


I never ridden a bike with an internal geared hub. I was looking at one with a nexus 8 speed however, I wasn’t sure about the up keep and if it was a pain in the ass if you had a flat tire. Other wise, I thought the bike would be a good fit as a commuter. The bike was a Motobecane cafe express8.


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## Cyclist69

brewster said:


> The other commuting feature I think is important not mentioned is color. My Surly is the drabby blue and black. It does not attract attention. It doesn't look fancy and fast to the untrained eye. The average thief doesn't recognize a $1500 bike from a $50 one. If you're leaving your ride unattended, I don't think you want a Ferrari red and yellow expensive-looking bike, even if it is a junker. It will invite trouble.


I understand what you're saying about about color choice and thieves. However, isn't good to have a bright color for safety reasons?


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## Fixed

*nexus*



Cyclist69 said:


> I never ridden a bike with an internal geared hub. I was looking at one with a nexus 8 speed however, I wasn’t sure about the up keep and if it was a pain in the ass if you had a flat tire. Other wise, I thought the bike would be a good fit as a commuter. The bike was a Motobecane calf express8.


I just happened to have ridden my Bianchi Milano with 7 speed Nexus to work. The hub works great, except there is a huge gap between 4th and 5th gear, so it seemed like I was either spun out or mashing. The bike is slooooooow compared to a road bike or fixed with 23 mm 120 psi tires -- it was hard work to make 16 mph. But the hub works fine. 

Also, re another thread, see kickstand. I think it's appropriate for a bike like this, and if you find an aluminum one, they are pretty light. Kind of rattles, though.

As to flat tires, I carry a tube and also a patch kit. If the rear flats, I'll just pull out the tube with the wheel on the bike and patch it. Might try Slime or Stans, too. Pulling the wheel off is a royal pain.


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## fast ferd

My commute is on the long side of things at 24 miles. For me, I want pretty much the fastest ride possible. (Less time on the road = more sleep & less time battling with cars.) Therefore, my commuter is not too far off the best stuff available today: sub 19lb Kestrel CF with Dura Ace 9 sp. Now that I think of it, add another couple pounds for lights and junk. :-(


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## jfmcgowan

My commuter is a recycled 1990 Trek Single Track mountain bike. I got it for free as it was leaned up against a dumpster at a house that was being cleaned out. The big cardboard "FREE" sign on it sealed the deal.

Mechanically it was in pretty good shape. A thorough cleaning, new chain and tune-up brought it back to good working order. Classic Suntour X-1 drivetrain.

I added a suspension fork, a fresh coat of black paint, some Performance "Campus" pedals (clipless on one side, normal pedal on the other), computer, fenders, lights, rack and rear panniers. I also upgraded the old cantilever brakes to modern V-brakes, and run Specialized Crossroads tires. About 5-miles of my trip is on a dirt road through a park.

It works great for my 38-mile round trip, though admittedly it is heavy and slow.

View attachment 230185


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## Cyclist69

Wow!

I can see both side of the points made…

It seems some people prefer commuting on a Junker because no worries on thievery or the bike getting trashed from weather. Then on the other side, you have the individuals who prefer having the best bike possible because if you’re going to be riding this bike the most and normally it’s to work, and how important is that? 

That seems logical…


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## Cyclist69

jfmcgowan said:


> My commuter is a recycled 1990 Trek Single Track mountain bike. I got it for free as it was leaned up against a dumpster at a house that was being cleaned out. The big cardboard "FREE" sign on it sealed the deal.
> 
> Mechanically it was in pretty good shape. A thorough cleaning, new chain and tune-up brought it back to good working order. Classic Suntour X-1 drivetrain.
> 
> I added a suspension fork, a fresh coat of black paint, some Performance "Campus" pedals (clipless on one side, normal pedal on the other), computer, fenders, lights, rack and rear panniers. I also upgraded the old cantilever brakes to modern V-brakes, and run Specialized Crossroads tires. About 5-miles of my trip is on a dirt road through a park.
> 
> It works great for my 38-mile round trip, though admittedly it is heavy and slow.
> 
> View attachment 230185


Free is always good!


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## seeborough

Cyclist69 said:


> Wow!
> 
> I can see both side of the points made…
> 
> It seems some people prefer commuting on a Junker because no worries on thievery or the bike getting trashed from weather. Then on the other side, you have the individuals who prefer having the best bike possible because if you’re going to be riding this bike the most and normally it’s to work, and how important is that?
> 
> That seems logical…


To me, a great commuter is a bike that you would want to ride daily and that is equipped to allow you to do just that: Ready for heavy loads, ready for a quick spin to the pub. Ready for rain, ready to take the long way home. Ready for some unplanned dirt road and ready for joyously smooth pavement. Geared for hills and geared for a hefty tailwind. 

I use an older VooDoo Wazoo steel 'cross bike with a removable kid's seat in the rear, a porteur front rack, fenders and an Ultegra/105 drivetrain mix with barend shifters.


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## cry lion

what makes a great commuter?

to me it depends on the locale, big city is not the same as out in nowhere, our in nowhereland prefer a 26er, front suspension (nice to have when tired), and absolutely no complicated parts like air fork, hydro discs, front derailleur, actually suspension forks break way to easily in reality. tires - fiftys or so.

in the city you can have a more effective bike, i prefer a rigid mtb, preferbly steel, mtb fenders, riser bar for control, 1x9 or 8 or 7 or 6, the bike must be built tough, no lightweight parts, tires 40-50mm the bigge the better, a highend rear hub with lots of engagement is preferble, discs is a must, preferably as idiot proof as possible. a good homemade rack is also nice, you need to customize an off the shelf rack for getting a good mount for whatever lock you choose or build the thing from scratch, the lock can then be an integral part. a good commuter is also non blingy because you want to keep it, never clean it. no spd. must be able to fit good studded tires in the winter so 700c is disqualified. need 300 studs or so for safety.

the golden rules:
durable
tough
simple
no complicated parts
no light parts
steel
rigid
26 (imo for proper winter use)
also just because you only commute on it you dont get away with crap parts, au contraire, you need good parts that lasts 10 years daily use or so, so you never have to think about it again. usually heavy=good

and i personally always go for the "most common system" like cassettes 9 speed is the most common one, tires 26 and so on, this keeps cost down and you don't have to order stuff on the internet when it breaks.


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## cry lion

one more thing, to keep simplicity down and functionality up if you need a certain feature only 10% of the time then you don't need it, like you think you need 2 or 3 x 9 or 10 or 11 but could get away with only one ring most of the time, then the other 2 have to go, you don't really need them, and the one you have should be made of steel. same goes for lights and fenders.


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## Cyclist69

Cry Lion, the bike you describe sounds awesome for cycling in Afghanistan. 

J/K thanks for your input! :thumbsup:


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## cry lion

you know, between the unrepaired roads, glass, stairs and heroin needles laying around everywhere this is what it takes, sometimes  i rather not be late.


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## MattSoutherden

For me - I like riding a road bike that I can get a similar fit to my race bike as I do a lot of my training on my commute. The only minor fit change I have is slightly higher bars.

Key things I've migrated to over the years are:

1) Lightweight rack with an expandable trunk bag. Riding in a road position with a backpack is a pain.
2) Full guards.
3) Bigger tyres. I run 30mm. (When it was snowing I had 35mm 'cross tyres on)

Matt.


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## SlurpeeKing

Cyclist69 said:


> Wow!
> 
> I can see both side of the points made…
> 
> It seems some people prefer commuting on a Junker because no worries on thievery or the bike getting trashed from weather. Then on the other side, you have the individuals who prefer having the best bike possible because if you’re going to be riding this bike the most and normally it’s to work, and how important is that?
> 
> That seems logical…


I don't commute but if I did it wouldnt be on a junker. I don't commute to work everyday in a 1980's chevette because i don't want my newer car getting trashed. Doesn't make sense to me.


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## kjdhawkhill

"Riding in a road position with a backpack is a pain."

That's what I thought when I had regular back packs sized for day hiking or school books. But I find it's not entirely true for all, a small camelback sized bag works really well. Keep it tightly hooked on and loaded with heavier items down low, and only accessories (no shoes, pants or mid-weight jackets). 

I have full fenders, but I'm not entirely sold on them yet. I've only had them for a few weeks.

I fully agree on "Bigger tyres." Absolutely no reason to run 23s on a daily ride with extra weight of commuting gear and the concerns of reliability minimizing flats. I run the 32s that came on my cross bike (and have some of the specialized borough cross tires, also in 32, on order). 

If I ever need a new frame I'll switch to one with disc brakes for wet weather predictability but the traffic where I ride isn't bad and my 21.4 miles are mostly between towns on open country roads so the canti's and some basic awareness are fine for my current situation.

I don't ride in the snow though. Just not worth the risk in my point of view.

KJDHAWKHILL


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## voodooguy

I just started a commute of 25 one way on a road bike. I can't wait wait for my Casseroll to be ready! Until then, I've been carrying a backpack. I've found it better for me to carry the pack lower on my back. This seems so much more manageable for me and doesn't feel restrictive as it does when it sits higher. Clearly, no back pack is the better way to go! 
Riding the road bike is not a bad way to go; however, it does not lend itself very well to things like construction surprises and detours into rougher roads. My Casseroll will have a 25mm tire. I can see me going bigger, probably 28, after a while. Being in the Phoenix area, I really don't have to get concerned about snow, LOL, not so much about rain either, come to think of it.


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## nachomc

MB1 said:


> Any bike that gets you there and back.


^^ What he said.

I go 23 miles each way mostly on a nicely paved MUT so I use a road bike. I did it previously on my Tarmac, but riding that far with a backpack that had a laptop and clothes in it hurt my back like crazy. Now I ride a steel-framed Allez with panniers. MUCH more comfortable.


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## seth586

A good commuter bike should be 'convienient' to use. The hardest part of commuting is getting up earlier in the morning to ride your bike to work.

Example: My morning commute is quite early (4AM or so), so I installed a hub dynamo lighting system. I don't have to haggle with chargers, battery packs, and so on.


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## mrwirey

My commute is relatively short (16 miles round trip with 800 feet of climbing) and since I live in AZ the weather is mostly favorable. I ride my Salsa Campeon with Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase tires (flats on a commute suck), SPD road pedals (clickity clacking down the hallway at work is annoying), a flashing taillight, and a mini-newt headlight (to be seen). I am fortunate that I can store my bike in my office and I work next door to a gym facility with showers. I use my commute for training so I ride in at an easy to moderate pace in the morning and hammer on the way home in the evening. I drive in once a week on Thursdays so I can run errands and preposition clothes at work. I walk to the dry cleaners to drop off and pick up clothes as needed during the week. The dry cleaners is a 1/4 mile from my office so it is quite convenient. I carry in essentials (underwear, socks, t-shirts, snacks, phone, etc.) daily in my backpack. If I need to carry a laptop I hook up my BOB trailer and throw everything in there. I pretty much have the ideal bike commute situation. 
Very respectfully, Tim


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## bob.satan

I have a nice 10km commute, which is done on a 1997 GT LTS (which I got for free)

I have had to replace the rear derailler (went from XT to deore) and new front fork (marz 33). I also put new wheels on it, as I have found over the years, I will break a lot of spokes, rims and rear hubs on a ride home, so it was better starting with a new set rather than a 15 year old set.

Paint wise, it is still 15 years old, so it doesn't look new and the frame never gets cleaned. It rains a lot here (singapore), so it can get pretty beat up.

I have ridden the road bike once and ended up with a flat on the way home


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## Alan K

Here is a question that may fall under the original broader topic:

In the past I have used "Road Bikes" as well as "Touring Bikes" for commuting, decision was largely based on what I owned (initially, I only had an old Bianchi, Italian version) and then when I had multiple bikes, it was almost the whim. As someone mentioned, anything will do that got me back and forth safely. Seasons alone, more or less, determined what I used. Now I find that as I am getting older, the hunched over posture is not very comfortable. I have completely changed one of my bike to as much of an upright position as possible but it is still somewhat less than ideal.
Last week I visited a local bike shop and asked them to sell me a bike but I had very specific needs that they could not fulfill. The weight had to be about as much as the one I was riding at the time (an old Waterford with Dura Ace: total weight is around 20lb) but it must be perfectly upright with shifters at the handle bar for easy reach. At least the person I spoke with claimed that no companies are making such things. He can custom make one but the prices he started seemed rather absurd.
I feel that it should be a project that can be done within a reasonable limits of expenses (shall we say about or ideally under $1000). Any suggestions?
By the way, the reason for weight limit (at about 22lbs or under) has to do with loss of strength in my dominant arm due to an injury that is unlikely to see a real recovery, despite of all of my wishful thinking. It has nothing to do with a desire for fancy or the newest offerings from the material science crowd (as tempting as it may seem).


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## SBH1973

*A Basket*

I don't know if this has been said before, but I think all good commuter bikes need a basket. I put my backpack in my basket and my back stays dry. It's much more convenient, for me at least, than transferring stuff from saddle bags. And I can also stick a bag of groceries in it, a few books, whatever. Just super practical, even if it makes me look a little dorky (but if the shoe fits....)


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## Alan K

_"(but if the shoe fits....)"_

Would that be with or without cleats? 

Baskets are beginning to look better all the time lately. 

Somedays my computer bag weighs almost 20 pounds or at least so it feels. But currently, I am using an old Motobecane Grand Touring (or something along those lines). It is not exactly the weight I would prefer but I am experimenting with it to reduce the weight. Wheels are now 700c with 28 tires to soften the bumps a little. A much lighter set of alloy wheels (nothing too fancy but compared to the old steel ones, difference is obvious) has helped. I have left the rear carrier for bags and a couple of bugie cord tie the compter bag well enough to keep in place... as long as I remember to continually brake on a long stretch of downhill that has to be one of the worst kept road in town. The nice thing about a basket will be that one can keep an eye on things and may be, just may be, stop them before they fall. From the rear rack, the only indication comes from the thud/crash but by then it's too late.


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## nepbug

I'm in the 26 inch rigid MTB crowd.

Unlike some others I don't look to lighten anything at all, I look to add functional weight all the time. This is my secret training weapon, it forces me to not take it easy as the beast weighs 37 pounds before I even load anything onto it.

Like some others I liked the 26 inch wheel because:
Great selection of studded snow tires (on a second wheel set)
Frames can usually accommodate wider tires (running 1.75s right now)
Frames/Wheels can be found pretty cheaply
With high spoke counts they build into very strong wheels with less flex than comparable 700C's

I threw a road triple on mine as I had the clearance to fit it and that eliminated the only drawback of the rigid MTB for me, the gearing range is too low.

One other thing I have found makes a good commuter for me is a steel frame. Not because of the feel, economy, fatigue resistance, etc; because of the weldability. This year I had my frame crack on the way to work and had the welders at work repair it for me for the ride home. Carbon would've been impossible to do that, aluminum would've been tougher to swing as well.


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## cat5cyclist

For me I want no flat tires and a rack to put a pannier on.


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## Alan K

"nepbug" makes a good argument for steel frames. 

In my case, my recently changed requirements for a lighter commuting bike are not due to what some might consider bragging rights, it is more of a necessity. There are days when I cannot ride all the way from home to work. On such occasions, I put my bike on a rack on the back of my car and do a halfway trip. Lifting a heavy commuter bike is not a realistic possibility any longer. In fact, one of the bikes that is labeled as "comfort" bike according to the currently fashionable jargon, has already been promised to be given away to someone who can use it.

I am seriously thinking to cannibalize my older Trek OCLV with fairly decent components for its time (all Dura Ace) to turn it into my version of comfort bike. The current thought is to get a longer quill or a long adapter to accept old-fashioned handle bars that come towards me (rather than going away), move the shifter from down tubes to the end of the handlebar, add a set of simple brake levers to go under the handlebar and I think that it will make a world of difference.

I have looked into various handlebars (even ordered two of the already) and found out that the Shimano bar end shifter I ordered will not fit into either of the ends. One is too small and the other is too big in diameter. In my meanderings of the cyberspace, I've found that I should have just bought 3x more expensive handlebar from Nitto and bar end shifter would have fit perfectly.

I am thinking about a mustache bar. Does anyone know any other supplier that makes a similar handlebar out of Al alloy and doesn't charge as much as the Nitto?


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## frankxcameron

I like the my Trek 520 for everything. Good Luck!


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## F45

JCavilia said:


> But there's no formula.


I have somewhat of a formula:

Is a road bike with road geometry.
Looks cheap/old but is not low quality. Mine is a steel Trek.
Has a rack.
Has size 25 or 28 tires for successful off-roading. 
Quick release front wheel skewer to make threading the lock easier through frame and both wheels.


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## Alan K

I should have started a new thread to solicit ideas to go about a relatively light bike I need for commuting. With this post, I am simply bumping my post count up so I can post a new thread.


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## jeff6605

nachomc said:


> I go 23 miles each way mostly on a nicely paved MUT so I use a road bike. QUOTE]
> 
> I am thinking about starting a commute on my bike. How long does 23 miles take you? I will be facing a 17 mile each way - paved road, more traffic in some sections than others. Thanks.


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## Cyclist69

nepbug said:


> I'm in the 26 inch rigid MTB crowd.
> 
> Unlike some others I don't look to lighten anything at all, I look to add functional weight all the time. This is my secret training weapon, it forces me to not take it easy as the beast weighs 37 pounds before I even load anything onto it.
> 
> Like some others I liked the 26 inch wheel because:
> Great selection of studded snow tires (on a second wheel set)
> Frames can usually accommodate wider tires (running 1.75s right now)
> Frames/Wheels can be found pretty cheaply
> With high spoke counts they build into very strong wheels with less flex than comparable 700C's
> 
> I threw a road triple on mine as I had the clearance to fit it and that eliminated the only drawback of the rigid MTB for me, the gearing range is too low.
> 
> One other thing I have found makes a good commuter for me is a steel frame. Not because of the feel, economy, fatigue resistance, etc; because of the weldability. This year I had my frame crack on the way to work and had the welders at work repair it for me for the ride home. Carbon would've been impossible to do that, aluminum would've been tougher to swing as well.


You make some good points as do others. I remember reading that riding a 26in MTB, is the way to go if you're touring outside of the US. But, for myself, I like having a cross bike. If fills most of what you're saying. Sure, It will never be as strong as an MTB however, i don't think it needs it to be. 

I have no idea on studded tires tho...i'm sure they will cost you a pretty penny.


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## Gunnar75

Every commute is a time trial on my Cannondale Six 13.Also found an awesome backpack that uses a mesh piece and plastic to keep the load off my back. Called an Airmax or something like that. Made for commuting, fits laptop. 

I prefer to commute fast. 17 miles each way, light traffic. I say ride what you enjoy, life is stressful enough!


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## MattSoutherden

Gunnar75 said:


> Every commute is a time trial on my Cannondale Six 13.Also found an awesome backpack that uses a mesh piece and plastic to keep the load off my back. Called an Airmax or something like that. Made for commuting, fits laptop.
> 
> I prefer to commute fast. 17 miles each way, light traffic. I say ride what you enjoy, life is stressful enough!


Rather you than me. I used to commute 15 miles each way for a couple of years with a laptop in my backpack. Even with a suspended mesh-back pack like you mention, it's a real strain on the lower back when on an agressive race bike.

Now my commuter bike has a rack, so even though I don't take my laptop to the office every day, I have a waterproof laptop pannier to keep the weight off my back if I do need to take it. I almost never commute with a pack any more. I find it much better when I'm training to be able to move around on the bike without a bag shifting side to side on my back. Even multi-compartment compressible packs still move about.


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## Alan K

I only have ~7miles commute one way and carrying a laptop in a backpack (or for that matter carrying a backpack at all) even a day a week is too much, as far as I am concerned, especially when there is more convenient as well as a safer way to do it using laptop pannier... safer for the computer and a great deal deal easier on my back.


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## the_don

I only have a 2km commute. It's not worth even getting the bike out of the rack for...

Sigh... Life is so depressing. 


Marvin the paranoid android.


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## MattSoutherden

the_don said:


> I only have a 2km commute...
> 
> Sigh... Life is so depressing.


I could do my commute in 10k. Very rare than I do anything under 15. Mostly over 20.

Life is what you make of it.


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## Alan K

_"Sigh... Life is so depressing."_

Think of what you are also missing: all the aggravation and stress related to long commutes that many people face every day. I know many people living in S Cal and greater Chicago area (as they like to call it) who often spend close to 2 hrs one way on many days... mostly waiting, cursing and abusing fellow commuters. Who wants that in one's life!

If I could, I would much rather walk to work, as I plan my day.


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## the_don

Alan K said:


> _"Sigh... Life is so depressing."_
> 
> Think of what you are also missing: all the aggravation and stress related to long commutes that many people face every day. I know many people living in S Cal and greater Chicago area (as they like to call it) who often spend close to 2 hrs one way on many days... mostly waiting, cursing and abusing fellow commuters. Who wants that in one's life!
> 
> If I could, I would much rather walk to work, as I plan my day.


I guess sarcasm isn't prevalent on the commuter section!

I was hoping the "Marvin the Paranoid Android" would help clue people in that I am indeed very happy to just be able to stroll into the office! I have done various 1 hour plus commutes on sardine packed commuter trains into central tokyo and also used to daily commute 50km when the weather was good on my track bike. 

I miss the challenge of the ride, but I don't miss the pollution and traffic as well as riding the trains for so long. 

Added benefits of living in central tokyo are; close to clubs, bars, restaurants, parks, shops, all the fun places events and festivals as well as living a 2 minute walk from the local public gym and out door swimming pool which is ¥200 a visit!

Also, I work in Shibuya, which is hot girl and party central!

☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆


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## tarwheel2

Gunnar75 said:


> Every commute is a time trial on my Cannondale Six 13.Also found an awesome backpack that uses a mesh piece and plastic to keep the load off my back. Called an Airmax or something like that. Made for commuting, fits laptop.
> 
> I prefer to commute fast. 17 miles each way, light traffic. I say ride what you enjoy, life is stressful enough!


Your backpack sounds intriguing. Post a link to it if you can find. I enjoy the occasional fast commute on my bikes with no fenders, racks. My commute distance is increasing from about 22 to 30 miles round trip in the fall, and I might need to pick up the pace some days.


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## wiggy1

Another one that agrees with the "any bike that gets you there and back." My formula includes making the bike fun for me. However, I switch between my road and mountain depending on how I feel. I have a couple different wheelsets for the activity, but I can only justify enough space for the two bikes so I set them both up for commutting and weekend riding. Both bikes are titanium for lightness and flexibility with the mountain bike being a softtail. I was able to rig up a rack on the mountain bike to carry paniers when I have a lot to carry. I like light Rolf wheels on both my bikes for most of my riding, but have some heavier duty wheels when I need to pull a trailer or carry more stuff. That is just how I do it. If you are in a downtown area though and need to lock up your bike, you will want to make it less noticible. I am fortunate enough that I can keep my bike in the office with me.

Best of luck to the OP as you search.


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## iyclist

I've been bike commuting for a few years now. When I first started I was on a steel frame single speed road bike (52x18). For the past year I've been commuting on a Specialized Hardrock 29er, and I recently got a single speed cyclocross bike (46t, but got a new crankset that's 40t).


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## NJgreyhead

Commuting only about 4 miles each way, I too like a 26"-wheeled mountain bike. 
The older ones (cro-mo or alum, rigid or suspension forks) are readily available for not much money (and are easily dressed down for the anti-theft factor), their smaller wheels are quicker off the jump at intersections shared with cars, the wider tires are good for curb-jumping and/or lousy roads (especially in winter with potholes and debris more common), and the bikes typically have eyelets for racks and fenders. I like straight-bar bikes (again, I don't have a long commute) with trigger-shifters.


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## jim brewer

"Life's short. Ride whatever puts a smile on your face - as long as you can afford it."

Short distance, fair-weather commuter here. I tried a mountain bike and also a road bike, a "Verita" REI's kinda in-between a road bike and a touring bike. I like the Verita better. I like the sensation of speed on my commute. I don't agree with the idea that you should have some piece of garbage bike for your commute. If security is really that much of an issue, make other plans.


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## Spudzie

I commute on a foldable bike that has a rack an panniers. It may not be the best with 20" wheels but with a 18 mile one way ride on mainly country road or 2 line highway it does the job.
An once i'm at work I can just stow the bike in my area with out having to worry about it being stolen.


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## SubRider

A 1993 Merlin.


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## Bill2

tarwheel2 said:


> Your backpack sounds intriguing. Post a link to it if you can find. I enjoy the occasional fast commute on my bikes with no fenders, racks. My commute distance is increasing from about 22 to 30 miles round trip in the fall, and I might need to pick up the pace some days.


Here's mine (sounds similar)
Bike -Backpacks & Bags - Deuter Sport GmbH


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## Bill2

Duplicate


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## junior1210

For cargo on my commute, I use a Carradice Bagman 2 rack, with a Zimbales 18qt saddle bag. The rack works perfect for saddles without the bag eyelets that Brooks (type) saddles have. The Zimbales bag is considered a Carradice 'knockoff', but the quality is top notch and has a couple of design features that IMO are superior to Carradice bags like the Nelson, or Camper.


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## crossracer

A bike that feels good not only for a short commute (12 miles for me) but as the season goes on still feels great as we are getting up near 80 mile rides on the sucker on mixed terrain. 

Bill


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## bradkay

"I remember reading that riding a 26in MTB, is the way to go if you're touring outside of the US."

I think that would depend upon where you are going. For western Europe the roads are in better shape than the US, so a 700c wheel is just fine. I have ridden 10 miles up a gravel forest service road (with a full load) on 25mm tires, so it doesn't have to be 26" or bust. It just depends upon what you like. When I bought a new touring bike five years ago I chose the Trek 520 over the Long Haul Trucker because in my size the LHT was only available in 26". I don't tour on 26"... My 520 doubles extremely well as my commuting bike (22mile round trip).


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## headloss

bradkay said:


> "I remember reading that riding a 26in MTB, is the way to go if you're touring outside of the US."
> 
> I think that would depend upon where you are going. For western Europe the roads are in better shape than the US, so a 700c wheel is just fine. I have ridden 10 miles up a gravel forest service road (with a full load) on 25mm tires, so it doesn't have to be 26" or bust. It just depends upon what you like. When I bought a new touring bike five years ago I chose the Trek 520 over the Long Haul Trucker because in my size the LHT was only available in 26". I don't tour on 26"... My 520 doubles extremely well as my commuting bike (22mile round trip).


That advice is just an availability issue, assuming the potential failure of a wheel. Apparently a 700c wheel is hard to find in South America and Asia. 

Likewise, the 26" LHT led me to get a 520 instead (54cm and below is 26" due to geometry and toe clearance)... although, I could have probably made the 56 w/ 700c work. The 520 is my daily ride.


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## ruckus

The only things that matter to me for commuter is.

- You enjoy riding the bike
- It's reliable
- It's not going to be stolen, or make sure you have measures to keep it safe.
- It's not a major brand that thieves like (For example, Cannondales are stolen all the time around here. Expensive Specialized carbons are often listed on CL, as stolen and owner looking for info).
- Though I really don't know what thieves look for. They are just scum. 

That's about it.


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## Zeet

I think touring bikes and performance hybrids make the best commuters. Of course, that all depends upon the distance of your commute. The longer the distance, the more I'd prefer a touring bike. Whatever the case, I'd get interrupter brakes for convenience, if cycling on either a tourer or a cyclocross bike.


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## ruckus

jeff6605 said:


> nachomc said:
> 
> 
> 
> I go 23 miles each way mostly on a nicely paved MUT so I use a road bike. QUOTE]
> 
> I am thinking about starting a commute on my bike. How long does 23 miles take you? I will be facing a 17 mile each way - paved road, more traffic in some sections than others. Thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> Its simple math. A good biker can at least do 15 mph. That means should be able to ride about 1.5 hours without breaks.
Click to expand...


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