# Suggestions from commuters on a bike



## Lara9261 (Nov 11, 2014)

Hello

I am going to start commuting to work soon and have been looking for possibilities on a bike. The commute is 8 miles one way one week and the other week is just 3 miles one way. Mainly flat, east and west 8 mile and north south 3 miles. I already have a road bike but to expensive and fragile for commutes. I also have a MTB but to slow and knarley for the every day commute. 

I have been looking at single speeds and rear mech only cross and hybrid versions. All are over 20 lbs or just under. Must I have to build my own, or is there anything out there for under 1.5k? 

I am leaning toward a Schindelhauer Siegfried or Ludwig 8 speed. Can you guys give some suggestions?

Angel


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## marc7654 (Jun 24, 2014)

Very nice looking bikes and I hear the internal hub gears are very mechanically sound these days and require little maintenance. 

Panniers? Those bikes appear to have a specific rack if you want panniers and fairly short chain stays. You want to be sure your heal doesn't run into the bag/basket hanging on your rack. If you need panniers you should test ride the bike with the panniers on. I've found that a chain stay of about 42cm is the absolute minimum for the bag I'm using and my feet.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

Road bike too fragile? I guess I understand too expensive if you don't have a secure place to store it, but too fragile? I just ride whatever bike I'm in the mood to ride (I have 3). They're all high end road bikes. Why pay extra money and punish yourself riding some bike you'd never ride on a Saturday afternoon? 

Are you putting a rack on it? I have a dedicated seat post/saddle that I have a seat post rack mounted on. If I want to use the rack, I just pull the post/saddle off the bike and stick the saddle/post/rack on. I use the rack in the fall/winter when I wear different jackets because its colder in the AM than in the PM. Most people I see commuting wear back packs. I never use a backpack and just keep clothes in my office. 

If I were you, I'd just experiment around with what you've got. Why buy some lumbering 8-speed bike? If you really worry about the road bike, put some slick tires on the mountain bike -- or buy a separate set of wheels with slicks. 8 miles one way is a pretty short commute. 3 miles is practically walking distance. Plus, what if you decide you hate it? You'd be stuck with some "commuter" bike you never ride and has no resale value.


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## Deering (Apr 10, 2007)

Well everybody has their own comfort level as to ride or not ride an expensive road bike as a commuter. But if I had a safe place to leave it, that bike would be an option. As far as the mtn bike is concerned. Do you use it on the trails much? If it is not used, you can change the gearing and put some slicks on it. That is what I have done, and it makes for an okay commuter bike.
But I do have to ask, what are your needs in a commuter bike? Do you need a rack or fenders? High crime area with horrible roads filled with potholes? If you are leaning towards the Schindelhauer Siegfried or Ludwig 8 speed, then go for one of those. Pick one that fits and that you can afford. Then start commuting.


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## Lara9261 (Nov 11, 2014)

I never thought about an additional wheels with slicks for the MTB. I will explore that option. I have a 26 inch and clearance for 27.5.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

I had a cross bike that I used to ride to work. Bought it because I thought it would be a great commuter. First thing I did was replace the knobbies with regular road bike tires. Made a big difference. Then I replaced the canti brakes with v-brakes and a travel agent -- they worked better. I was never crazy about the bike and one day realized that I'd be happier if I got rid of it and rode one of my nice road bikes that were only getting ridden on the weekends -- what a waste. So that's what I did. Life's too short to ride a crappy bike.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Lara9261 said:


> I never thought about an additional wheels with slicks for the MTB. I will explore that option. I have a 26 inch and clearance for 27.5.


? Unless you have disc brakes you can't change wheel sizes. But there are lots of good 26" slicks available. And unless you find changing tires too big a hassle, or you ride the mtb on trails frequently, there's no reason you have to get another set of wheels. You can just swap tires.


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## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

Fuji Touring Road Bike - 2015

Just buy a cheap touring bike like this. It will last, be comfortable, has a rack. The one thing you learn after your commute a while is, how fast you are going isn't very important. You will get the same workout on this bike and the only difference is about the amount of time it takes to make your first cup of coffee.


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## marc7654 (Jun 24, 2014)

We put smaller 26" slicks (1.75 or something like that) and a rack on a yard sale MTB for my wife to have an around town bike. That Fuji bigrider noted would be a real decent commuter. I just got a Defy 5 as a commuter, it's the same geometry as my Defy Advanced Pro which fits me perfectly. 

The commuter bike really only needs to be functional. Those Schindelhauer bikes look real nice and I can see the attraction. It may be more practical to get a cheep or used bike for a commuter but it's a lot more fun to get a nice one.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

marc7654 said:


> The commuter bike really only needs to be functional. Those Schindelhauer bikes look real nice and I can see the attraction. It may be more practical to get a cheep or used bike for a commuter but it's a lot more fun to get a nice one.


Unless you get your fun out of fixing up and repurposing old things that you got for cheap. I do most of my commuting on a fixed-gear bike that I built up from a mix of mostly old and a few new parts. I built the wheels with new rims, but the hubs are some old lower-end Campy city-bike parts that I salvaged from a bike someone was throwing out. The bike rides great, feels fast and nimble. I've probably ridden well over 10,000 miles on it since I put it together. The frame was probably 30 years old when I found it at a garage sale (over 40 now). The frame cost me 5$.


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## marc7654 (Jun 24, 2014)

JCavilia said:


> Unless you get your fun out of fixing up and repurposing old things that you got for cheap. ... The frame cost me 5$.


 and that too!


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## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

JCavilia said:


> Unless you get your fun out of fixing up and repurposing old things that you got for cheap. I do most of my commuting on a fixed-gear bike that I built up from a mix of mostly old and a few new parts. I built the wheels with new rims, but the hubs are some old lower-end Campy city-bike parts that I salvaged from a bike someone was throwing out. The bike rides great, feels fast and nimble. I've probably ridden well over 10,000 miles on it since I put it together. The frame was probably 30 years old when I found it at a garage sale (over 40 now). The frame cost me 5$.



This is a great solution too. Use your old stuff for the commuting rig. 

I built my first commuting rig this way.

I have a custom steel touring rig now. My buddy has a cheap Performance Schwinn touring bike he got for around 500. When we go on week long trips, we always leave from the same spot and end up at the same spot together. Strange. lol


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## Lara9261 (Nov 11, 2014)

Great advice from all! I have been looking for a decent frame to build my own single speed with all the parts I replaced on my road bike. It really does not matter the type of frame as long as the geometry is reasonable. I would much rather ride 700c than 26 slicks. I have wheels, stem, drop bars, cranks, post and saddle already.


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