# How much $/TLC in your commuter bike?



## RoadLoad (Jan 18, 2005)

I recently bought a nice new set of fenders for my commuter bike. I was admirining how well they fit, and it got me thinking about how I leave my bike locked at the local train station and whether I'm asking for trouble by having decent components on a bike I leave out in public the way I do?

My steed is an old Trek 520 I picked out of a dumpster, it is nothing to look at, but if you really were looking for a classic commuter bike mine is it - its great, I love it. I haven't invested a whole lot of $ in it, but the individual parts add up and the TLC I've put into dialing in the fit would leave me totally bummed if it ever were stolen or someone pinched components off it. 

What are other peoples' mental calculus for determining how nice a bike you use for commuting or how much $ and TLC you put into your commuter bike?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Since we commute by bike every day of the year and don't have auto payments we feel free to spend as much as we want on our bikes (I wouldn't say we have "Commuter" bikes as such, we just have "Bikes").

We want a lot.

FWIW I usually commute on one of my Waterfords or the Rivendell, I'll only commute on the MTB if there is ice on the ground or the forecast. Ditto for the wife.


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

I'd probably be riding something cheaper than my Surly if I had to lock it up--but I'd still have nice pedals (Frogs), a nice seat (Concor) and cranks with a low q if possible. Ideally, and if I could justify it, I'd probably use the same parts mix I have now but with a nicer frame like a Gunner Crosshairs. But I also kind of like not caring about my Surly at all--it's totally replaceable. My commute saves me about $650 a year in bus fare so the Surly has pretty much paid for itself already.


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## Scot_Gore (Jan 25, 2002)

I'm with Henry. I you have a secure place to keep your bike when you commute, you don't really think about people harvesting your ride for bike components. I just bought a new bike specifically for commuting. I'm over a $1000 into it in less than a month. I also ride the roadie sometimes, a full Ultegra bike, dura ace hubs, Speedplays, decent saddle. If I didn't have a place to keep it, I would be reluctant to lock it up regularly and long term on the street.

Scot


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

That's why I posted this thread. I've adopted a policy of let them steal it once, replace it, and protect it from then on. I'll be seriously bummed if someone takes my saddle or handlebar/stem, but at the end of the day there's only so much I'm willing to worry about.


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## Andy M-S (Feb 3, 2004)

*Life's too short.*



RoadLoad said:


> What are other peoples' mental calculus for determining how nice a bike you use for commuting or how much $ and TLC you put into your commuter bike?


I bike commute almost exclusively (we recently became a one-car family). There are a couple of months in the year when the ice is bad, and since I didn't have studded tires until just recently (thank you, Nashbar!), I got rides.

Life's too short to ride a bad bike. That being said, most people won't mistake my steel, befendered, generator-lighted, tripled, cheap-Michelin-tired, racked, non-featherweight Kogswell for a nice bike. 

Heh heh heh--their mistake. Nicest bike I've ever owned.


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## undies (Oct 13, 2005)

Henry Chinaski said:


> I'd probably be riding something cheaper than my Surly if I had to lock it up--


I'm surprised the Nashbar touring frame isn't more popular among commuters. If you want single-speed it's no good, but if you're building a geared commuter and you must buy a new frame it's ideal. It's cheap (I paid ~$160 for mine) and with no decals it is decidedly incognito.


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## Scot_Gore (Jan 25, 2002)

You're taking quite a chance there in that mecca of urban blight, rampant street crime, and gang activity that is *LaCrosse Wisconsin*. I'd like to see a case of Miller High Life make it through the day chained to a pole.


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## Chase15.5 (Feb 17, 2005)

I don't worry about my bike at work. Extremely secure. I've even left it unlocked sometimes - knowing it will not be messed with.


edit: of course I have just jinxed myself.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

My original plan when I built up first commuter was to go cheap. My commuter in Virginia was an old cannondale 2.8 with some banged up 8 speed dura ace. What quickly realized when I moved to Hawaii was that the majority of my miles each week would be achieved on the commuter. First there was the soma followed by the Gunnar. Each bike had alloy chorus components, SSM Regal saddle, and nice wheelsets. My choices might have been different if I had to lock it up outside instead of keeping it in my office.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*very secure*

A Soma $300 frame with a $500 HID light. Most parts I already had in my bone yard (older campy stuff), but the replacement cost would be too much for me to risk leaving it anywhere in public. It goes from my garage to my office at work. I would not want to have to carry the size lock it would take to risk leaving it unattended somewhere, and even then I'd have to spend 10 minutes removing all the goodies, like the lights, so the thieves would not get them. It would be just too tempting. I have plenty of other bikes for backup, so I'd be able to commute even if the primary one were stolen, but I like this one because I've designed it very specifically for my particular commute, and it works perfectly for me.


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## ARP (Mar 7, 2002)

*Hmmmm... let's see*



RoadLoad said:


> I recently bought a nice new set of fenders for my commuter bike. I was admirining how well they fit, and it got me thinking about how I leave my bike locked at the local train station and whether I'm asking for trouble by having decent components on a bike I leave out in public the way I do?
> 
> My steed is an old Trek 520 I picked out of a dumpster, it is nothing to look at, but if you really were looking for a classic commuter bike mine is it - its great, I love it. I haven't invested a whole lot of $ in it, but the individual parts add up and the TLC I've put into dialing in the fit would leave me totally bummed if it ever were stolen or someone pinched components off it.
> 
> What are other peoples' mental calculus for determining how nice a bike you use for commuting or how much $ and TLC you put into your commuter bike?


Old Schwinn full chrome frame bike found on the sidewalk sale at the LBS $65
One Pletcher alu rack $15
Brooks saddle $80
General component upgrades $150?
Honjo hammertone fenders $115?
Light $100

Obviously I have alot more money invested in the bike above the original price I paid.


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## MaestroXC (Sep 15, 2005)

My commuter bike has paid for itself in just a few months, and it gets me to work faster than the bus anyway. One of these days I'll get some fenders for it, but the weather is getting really nice now and I love the look of the bike without that stuff.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

Fixed said:


> A Soma $300 frame with a $500 HID light. Most parts I already had in my bone yard (older campy stuff), but the replacement cost would be too much for me to risk leaving it anywhere in public. It goes from my garage to my office at work. I would not want to have to carry the size lock it would take to risk leaving it unattended somewhere, and even then I'd have to spend 10 minutes removing all the goodies, like the lights, so the thieves would not get them. It would be just too tempting. I have plenty of other bikes for backup, so I'd be able to commute even if the primary one were stolen, but I like this one because I've designed it very specifically for my particular commute, and it works perfectly for me.


Exactly. My commuter (currently in a crate on it's way to Sardinia) had campy but it was trickle-down components from race bike upgrades. My commuter was set up for my commute as well. With a 39/48 and 12-23, it didn't have high or low gears. I don't think I ever used the 23 on a commute, even cross chained. The bike excelled at going between Ewa Beach and Pearl Harbor. My next commute in Washington State will involve climbing and long descents. I have a 36/50 FSA that I will probably use there along with a 12-26 or 13-26 if I go ten speed. The next commute has "indoor" secure storage as well.


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## Kolossal (Feb 12, 2007)

Like MB1 said, I don't have a commuter bike, I have a bike. Actually bikes (winter, spring/fall and summer). I lock it at work, very secure with cameras and stuff. Plus, I got my only bike that is worth some money insured. It costs me 20$ a year; I get a new bike if mine get stolen, damaged by a moron or in an accident.


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## Andy M-S (Feb 3, 2004)

*Oh, it's worse than it looks...but not much.*



Scot_Gore said:


> You're taking quite a chance there in that mecca of urban blight, rampant street crime, and gang activity that is *LaCrosse Wisconsin*. I'd like to see a case of Miller High Life make it through the day chained to a pole.


There are great advantages to living in a small town, but bikes *do* get stolen around here. On the other hand, I lived in Chicago for 8 years and lost only a front wheel (because I was stupid) in all that time (different bike, though, obviously!) and I did have two bikes stolen simultaneously from an unlocked garage in a residential section of the burgeoning metropolis of Schenectady.

I would've tried to track down the criminal in question but one of the bikes was a Varsity, and I didn't want to get sued when s/he strained his/her back.

Who knows?


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## StageHand (Dec 27, 2002)

Ride the bike you want to ride and take it from there. I commute on my fixed Gunnar because that is what I have. I have also commuted on a fixed IRO (never liked the ride as much as the Gunnar, even with big honkin' tires), Bob Jackson road frame (getting rid of it to buy a Soma 2x which is just slightly more utilitarian and I need the cash) and a non-fixed then fixed Peugeot gas-pipe frame. I have never felt like any of those were inappropriate choices, but with some of them, I took a few more liberties than with others.


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## kaotikgrl (Dec 14, 2006)

.....


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

kaotikgrl said:


> For me it’s very little $ and lots of TLC........


Everytime I see your photos I want to see more! :thumbsup:


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## kaotikgrl (Dec 14, 2006)

.....


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*I'll see your spring blossoms......*



kaotikgrl said:


> As I do with yours!!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:.....


....and raise a couple inches of snowfall!


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## kaotikgrl (Dec 14, 2006)

.....


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## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

I have at least a grand in my commuter. The frame is a Soma and it rides like a cadillac with the long chain stays and the 32mm tires at 85psi. I have campy shifters, ultegra cranks, fenders, rack, panniers, deore rear der, and an 11/34 rear cog with a 39/53 front crank. 

I was willing to skimp on some of the parts but I have a 500 light on it. HID was more than worth it for me. I blast some hills in the morning at 35 to 40 and want to make sure I don't outrun my lights. Cars seem to really respect the HID light, they think it is a motorcycle or car with a headlight out.


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## whataklug (Mar 6, 2007)

I pretty much ride the cross bike as my year round commuter. It's a few year old Redline conquest frame built up with retired race day parts and a rippin truvativ Roleur carbon crankset, Rolf Wheels, Winwood fork, and Ultegra kit. The glaring irony is that I put ten times as much mileage on the retired commuter stuff than I do on my Aegis's pretty new stuff....Oh well, I don't pay car insurance. Oh; and yes, it lives inside at work.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I've got about $1,000 invested in my commuter bike, with a sweet DeBernardi steel lugged frame and Ultegra equipment. It's a nice bike that I wouldn't mind riding on group rides, although the downtube shifters make that a little more trouble. The main thing is that I've installed a rear rack, trunk pack, a big tail light and other gear that I don't want or need for recreational rides. My commuter is too nice for me to leave it locked outside, so I just wheel it into my office in the morning. Fortunately I can keep it indoors where I work. If I had to leave it outside, I probably would just commute on my mountain bike because I don't care as much about it.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

I can't put a price tag on the current commute bike; it's an '00 Bianchi Axis (#2) that I bought new as a frameset and then built up as a light touring rig using stuff from the parts stash. Frameset was about $500, I think I bought a low-end Cane Creek headset for about $25, and everything else was "free". I eventually gravitated to a different bike (Axis #6) for the light touring, and redid the drivetrain on #2, going from an 8sp triple to 9sp double that's pretty close to stock. Again, everything I needed came out of the parts stash. Added lights and blinkies, and almost added fenders. Already had the rack, so it was good to go.


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