# Shoutout



## kokaku (Jul 14, 2002)

This forum is pretty dead - how about a shoutout? 
Where are you commuting, how long is your commute, and what're you commuting on?

NYC (Brooklyn to Manhattan)
10mi round-trip (give or take my mood and which bridge I want to ride)
Bianchi San Remo (tourer with rack and either a trunk bag or msgr bag)


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## pdg60 (Jan 24, 2003)

*Alright...*



kokaku said:


> This forum is pretty dead - how about a shoutout?
> Where are you commuting, how long is your commute, and what're you commuting on?
> 
> NYC (Brooklyn to Manhattan)
> ...



Commuting in Brew Town (Milwaukee)
12 mile round trip
Surly Karate Monkey singlespeed (36x18, always with my Timbuk2 bag carrying lunch & change o' clothes)


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## moschika (Feb 1, 2004)

kokaku said:


> This forum is pretty dead - how about a shoutout?
> Where are you commuting, how long is your commute, and what're you commuting on?
> 
> NYC (Brooklyn to Manhattan)
> ...


Santa Rosa, across town, 8-10 mile round trip, see post below for what i ride.


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## biknben (Jan 28, 2004)

*Don't shout at me...*

Commuting around the Trenton, NJ suburbs. 27 mile round trip about 4 times per week.

The commuter is a Surly Cross-Check pictured in other thread. I mish-mosh of parts with a 42x16 FG or occasional 18t SS. 

I sometimes use my good bike and extend the ride on the way home.


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## mackeral (Jul 31, 2003)

*My Commute*

I commute 30 miles round trip on a Seven Tsunami (Ti cross bike) with a 1200' climb on the way home. All but 4 miles are on bike paths, bike lanes or when I have time, I take the single track for about 5 miles. I travel a lot for my job so my goal is to commute 100 days this year. I'm at about 30 so far so I'm off to a great start.

No cup of Starbucks or Krispy Kreme donut came come close to the euphoric feeling of commuting!


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## kokaku (Jul 14, 2002)

mackeral said:


> I commute 30 miles round trip on a Seven Tsunami (Ti cross bike) with a 1200' climb on the way home. All but 4 miles are on bike paths, bike lanes or when I have time, I take the single track for about 5 miles. I travel a lot for my job so my goal is to commute 100 days this year. I'm at about 30 so far so I'm off to a great start.
> 
> No cup of Starbucks or Krispy Kreme donut came come close to the euphoric feeling of commuting!


Ain't that the truth. Where are you that has bike paths and a big climb like that?


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## mackeral (Jul 31, 2003)

kokaku said:


> Ain't that the truth. Where are you that has bike paths and a big climb like that?


I live in Albuquerque near the Sandia moutains so I get a screamer ride downhill (40+ mph) to work and a great climb back home. I used to live in Chicago and commute along the lakefront to my office in the loop. (It used to get a little silly when I put chains on my commuter bike for the ice storms!) 

Albuquerque is a commuter's dream as it has bike paths galore and weather that let you ride 360 days a year. Although I've never tried them, all our city buses have bike racks on the front for bike commuters who want to ride to and from the bus stops.


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## TypeOne (Dec 28, 2001)

*Waterfront*

I am commuting from the top of Magnolia hill in Seattle to downtown, so I get a nice ride along the waterfront. I vary my routes and go out of my way sometimes to add hills, but it averages only 18 miles roundtrip. I'm riding an alum Specialized Allez with big fat Armadillo tires to absorb the bumps and avoid the flats.
I get to know the spots where puddles build up and I know how to avoid them - so I am rarely riding in a straight line when I go puddlejumping to work.


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## Steve-O (Jan 28, 2004)

*Chicago Commuter...*

I'm commuting from Chicago (Lakeview/Ravenswood area) to Niles. The current trip is about 22 miles. I'm riding a Guru Veloci'ti and carrying everything in a yellow Patagonia messenger bag... 

Steve-O (really gotta' get a beater for the winter slop)


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## arctic hawk (May 17, 2003)

*16mi round trip / Montreal, Canada*



kokaku said:


> This forum is pretty dead - how about a shoutout?
> Where are you commuting, how long is your commute, and what're you commuting on?
> 
> NYC (Brooklyn to Manhattan)
> ...


I commute within the suburbs of Montreal, Canada. Today was the inaugural ride to work & it was super! Fought a real solid head wind though & I hope it remains like that for the rest of the day so I can get a real good tail wind on the ride home this afternoon. For the next little while, I will be confined to raods/sidewalks until the snow melts from my little trail, only then can I toss in about 1 mile of trail into my commute either way.
I use my CX rig (Trek XO1) for everything now. A nice backpack with lunch & a change of clothes for work & we are set to go.


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## mdehner (Sep 1, 2002)

*Portland, OR, 35 miles round trip...*

I ride 2 or 3 times per week, Portland to Gresham, about 12 of my 17.5 miles are on an outstanding rails-to-trails MUT, complete with deer, bunnies, waterfowl, etc. I start my day with a screaming descent, and end it with a nice but brutal climb.

My winter ride is a steel SS Browning decked-out for funky weather, it weighs a ton.


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## treebound (Oct 16, 2003)

*Haven't started yet, but*

The plan is to ride in 1-5 days a week once I get things into gear and once the weather clears. I'm about 25 miles north of Milwaukee and work in the northwest corner of Milwaukee making my commute about 22-25 miles each way. Route will be part bike trail, part city streets, part county/rural roads, and part medium-bad neighborhood that I may avoid if possible. Haven't decided what bike I'll ride yet but will probably start out on the old ProFlex MTB with smooth center tires on it, then will migrate to a lighter roadbike once the season progresses and parking issues ger resolved. Bike parking at work will be the major issue as there have been several vehical breakins out in the parking lot and I don't have approval yet to store the bike in my cubicle during the day. If parking or the route become too much of an issue then I'll just ride at other times this year.


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## gtscottie (Oct 17, 2002)

I work in the country so my commute is 1 mile of town and then 30 mile round trip in the country.
I ride a Devinci podium in good weather and a Miyata 914 in poor weather. Don't like to get yuck on the devinci however i do get caught on occasion.


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## paramountz (Mar 10, 2004)

Phoenix, AZ on an IBIS Ripley 32 miles round trip even in 115 degree weather.


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## jtferraro (Jun 28, 2002)

kokaku said:


> This forum is pretty dead - how about a shoutout?
> Where are you commuting, how long is your commute, and what're you commuting on?
> 
> NYC (Brooklyn to Manhattan)
> ...


I commute about 8-9 miles roundtrip (depends on which roads I take) to Hartford, CT. This short commute only takes me about 15 minutes or less.
I commute on a Fuji Track fixed gear bike which presently has 25mm tires Conti 4-season tires and SKS race fenders. I now use a Chrome messenger bag (previously used the Patagonia Critical mass bag).


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## pawistik (Feb 16, 2003)

I ride a round trip of 10 km (6 miles), year round, 5 days a week. I ride mostly residential streets, nice wide ones allowing lots of room for both bikes, busses & cars. The last km or so is across campus dodging masses of students. I can take an alternate route that takes me along the river valley for ~2.5 km that offers me the option of dropping down onto the singletrack trails. I don't have the nasty big hills some of the others have mentioned, but I've got a nasty big winter & winds to deal with.

My winter bike: Beater Giant Sedona ATX, studded tires
My good bike: '02 Cannondale Cyclocross

I'll post pics one of these days on the other thread.

Bryan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada


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## virtualcampbell (Mar 22, 2004)

*Another Chicagoan*



Steve-O said:


> I'm commuting from Chicago (Lakeview/Ravenswood area) to Niles. The current trip is about 22 miles. I'm riding a Guru Veloci'ti and carrying everything in a yellow Patagonia messenger bag...


I am commuting in Chicago, too. I commute from Edgewater along the lakefront path down to Fullerton, then cut over and go through the Lincoln Park Zoo until I get to the bike lanes at Lincoln and Wells. 

I'm not as hardcore as many of the folks on here with super fancy bikes, but I commute about 20 miles round trip on my 2003 Gary Fisher Zebrano. Everything is stock except the front wheel, which was stolen last year.  It's a good commuting rig, though.


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## cmgauch (Oct 11, 2002)

*NJ to NYC*

I've been bike commuting for years now in all conditions, but only a 1.2 mile RT to the bus stop on my $10, garage sale, full fendered 3 speed.

Today, for the 2nd time this year I'm doing the whole 50 mile RT by bike. For this task I use my Fuji Track 48/16 or 18 (fixed/fixed) My goal for this year is to bike commute 1/week (weather permitting).

- Chris


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## TrevorInSoCal (Mar 31, 2003)

*The Handle gives it away...*



kokaku said:


> This forum is pretty dead - how about a shoutout?
> Where are you commuting, how long is your commute, and what're you commuting on?
> 
> NYC (Brooklyn to Manhattan)
> ...


My commute is in the hottest, smoggiest part of SoCal (Redlands to San Bernardino). Not lookin' forward to summer. It's about 28 mi. r/t and there are no big hills so I've been doing it on my new fixie. 










Today was one of those mornings where I nearly couldn't drag myself outta bed and almost talked myself into sleeping another half hour and just diriving in. Once I got on the bike and got rolling I was feeling great and so glad to be out riding on a nice cool morning (not too many of those left before the summer heat kicks in) instead of sleepily droning to work on the freeway. No better way to start the day...

I've had a rash of flats the last couple days though . Two on Tuesday (Front was flat when I went to leave in the morning. Changed it in the garage before I left. Flatted again on the front on the way home.) and another on the way home today, but it was a slow leak so I topped it off w/ a CO2 cartridge 'cause I didn't wanna deal with changing a rear flat on the side of the road. Made it until about a quarter of a mile from home before it was too soft to ride on anymore and pushed it the rest of the way...

What's a good, long-wearing commuter tire that's flat resistant? Those specialized flak-jacket ones any good?

I just replaced the rear tire (since I was changing a flat anyway) 'cause it had bare spots from skidding. Probably no tire is gonna stand up to much of that kind of abuse, but what's gonna wear the best?

-Trevor


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## cmgauch (Oct 11, 2002)

TrevorInSoCal said:


> ...What's a good, long-wearing commuter tire that's flat resistant? Those specialized flak-jacket ones any good?
> 
> I just replaced the rear tire (since I was changing a flat anyway) 'cause it had bare spots from skidding. Probably no tire is gonna stand up to much of that kind of abuse, but what's gonna wear the best?
> 
> -Trevor


I know a few guys that swear by Specialized armadillos, but I have no personal experience w/them. They claim to have never flatted on them but say they dread the day because they were very tough to mount.

I put some closeout Conti City Grips on my crosser and they've worn like iron/w no flats yet (~500 mi) but prolly not the right look for the fixie.

I put Conti Gran prix on my fixie & you can call me cheap but nothing makes me want to skid less than putting a $45 tire on the bike. Before that it was a skid & hop-fest. One day I'll buy a case of $10 tires and just have at it.

- Chris


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## pawistik (Feb 16, 2003)

Just when I thought spring was here, winter returned yesterday. On wednesday it was a beautiful +10C, yesterday it was a nasty -15C with blowing snow.

Here's 2 pictures of me coming home yesterday (actually it was not too bad anymore then as the wind had died). I had wanted some pictures of me cycling in winter so once I got home last night I got my wife to stand in the driveway and staged my returning home to get a photo.

While cycling home last night I saw the coolest thing - A fellow was commuting in the snow on a UNICYCLE! Absolutely cool. I wish I had the camera with me then.


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## TrevorInSoCal (Mar 31, 2003)

*$10 tires is where it's at...*



cmgauch said:


> I put Conti Gran prix on my fixie & you can call me cheap but nothing makes me want to skid less than putting a $45 tire on the bike. Before that it was a skid & hop-fest. One day I'll buy a case of $10 tires and just have at it.
> 
> - Chris


Heh. Fortunately those tires you see on there (and the one I just replaced) were $10 tires, so I wasn't *too* upset about them getting shredded so fast (probably less than 1000 miles on that rear tire). Some sorta wire-bead, cheapo, Vittorias. I got 'em on closeout for the beater which was orange. Bought 'em mostly for the color and cause they were cheap ($9.99/ea.). I still have one left in addition to the fresh set that's on there now, so I'll wring as much life out of the remaining three as possible and look into something else after that...

I finally built a matching front-wheel though, so I can rotate the shagged rear to the front before it gets threadbare this time....didn't do that last time around 'cause I was using the front wheel off my geared road-bike...

-Trevor


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## Chef Tony (Mar 2, 2004)

*I like my commute*



kokaku said:


> This forum is pretty dead - how about a shoutout?
> Where are you commuting, how long is your commute, and what're you commuting on?


*
Berkeley Hills <--> Downtown Oakland*
8 miles each way, 1000 ft. swoop down in the morning to wake me up, then through the flats. Crawl back up the hill in the PM.

I ride an older Bianch Volpe, stock: 7 speed 12-28 rear, Sakai 52-42-28 triple, Suntour XCE derailleurs w/ bar-end shifters. My gear goes in an old Cannondale pannier on the rear rack.

The nicest part: cycling in to work takes only 5 min. longer than when I drove or took BART.


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## Guest (May 29, 2004)

pawistik said:


> Just when I thought spring was here, winter returned yesterday. On wednesday it was a beautiful +10C, yesterday it was a nasty -15C with blowing snow.
> 
> Here's 2 pictures of me coming home yesterday (actually it was not too bad anymore then as the wind had died). I had wanted some pictures of me cycling in winter so once I got home last night I got my wife to stand in the driveway and staged my returning home to get a photo.
> 
> While cycling home last night I saw the coolest thing - A fellow was commuting in the snow on a UNICYCLE! Absolutely cool. I wish I had the camera with me then.


That picture looks like it was taken either around the MarketMall area or out in Avalon??


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## Sircrankalot (May 20, 2004)

*Seattle Short Run*



kokaku said:


> This forum is pretty dead - how about a shoutout?
> Where are you commuting, how long is your commute, and what're you commuting on?
> 
> NYC (Brooklyn to Manhattan)
> ...


Seattle, WA (Beacon Hill to Downtown)
7mi round trip, 300ft coast & climb - 5 days/week
Giant NRS3 MTB with Hugo Boss shoulder sling backpack currently. Near future : Marin Mill Valley ALP 
Busy paved arterial streets, quiet neighborhood streets and downtown hustle/bustle streets.
Takes about 20 minutes goin down and 25- 30 coming back up depending on route chosen.
Will be interesting to see time difference when I get my new hybrid bike as opposed to my mountain bike.


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## phlebas (May 21, 2004)

*West Vancouver to Downtown*

26k round trip from West Vancouver to downtown, big hill at the start and end of my day (between Marine Drive and just below the Upper Levels). I ride early (about 5:10 am) on the way in and cruise down Marine Drive, onto the Lions Gate Bridge, through Stanley Park on the causeway (sometimes through the park in the summer when it's light out), along the seawall to the foot of Burrard Street. It's a great, beautiful ride, especially in the summer, just a little sweat getting up to the middle of the bridge. Coming home, I leave at about 5:15 pm and its a bit tougher, lots of tourists wandering onto the bike path on the downtown waterfront, a bit of a climb up through the causeway and no really good way to loop around to go west on Bellevue (avoid that Marine Drive evening traffic), I cut through the dog walk behind Park Royal Mall, also very exciting, what's with those long leashes? The hill at the end of the day is a lot less of a challenge now than it was when I started.

I've ridden almost every day for a year, slowly accumulating fenders, lights and a lot of gore-tex through the wet, dark winter. I went to clip in pedals at Christmas, just as we had a big frost, pretty exciting to get clipped in and then scream down an ice-rink. The experience left me a little more cautious, so my only weather related reason not to ride is ice. I occasionally also bail when I know that I'm going to have to work late (past 9 pm) or when I have to do a kid pick-up early.

I ride a 1986 Kona Fire Mountain with city slicks and a v-brake on the front. I'm upgrading to a Devinci Amsterdam (hybrid) in a week or so, very excited, carbon fork, shaped seat stays, Deore LX front and back (I may upgrade to XTR later, when I can afford it). I'm a little worried about an aluminum frame, but I'm hoping that the carbon fork (and maybe a carbon seat post) will smooth it out. I'm also hoping that the reduced weight will make the hill at the end of the day a little easier.


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## Guest (May 31, 2004)

I now live in Kelowna so my ride in is about 14 KM, takes about 23 minutes ( 20 in the car!)

Out through the orchards, down past Harvest Golf Club and yhne along by the lake!

Pretty easy to take, I do it on my Rocky Mountain Rail CX bike with Vredestein Campo Cross tires. I have a quick release rear rack that I can put a trunk bag on and other that that a monster Messenger bag that was $60 at Mountain Equipment Co-op.


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## Frith (Oct 3, 2002)

*Haven't started commuting full time yet.*

My trip is a very flat 20km round trip. I'm live in the beaches in Toronto and commute across town to liberty village. It's mostly bike paths the whole way along Lake Ontario.
When I get my jamis built up, my goal is to commute 4 days a week. If I can keep that up through the wretched winter, all the better.


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

kokaku said:


> This forum is pretty dead - how about a shoutout?
> Where are you commuting, how long is your commute, and what're you commuting on?
> 
> SW Wisconsin (Onalaska-La Crosse)
> ...


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## xdisc (Jun 2, 2004)

*Hi all*

I just stumbled upon this group. I have been lurking in the General, Retro and Cross groups for years but haven’t posted since the registration thing started years ago.
I commute usually 3 days a week M, W, F 25 to 40 mi. round trip. 
On Mondays and Fridays I ride an old Di Bernardi cromor c.1990 w/ a campy mix. All original (still friction shifting).
On Wednesdays I ride my hardtail ( Voodoo DaJab, Sid, mix of xtr and race face) I try to get in some fireroads and singletrack on the way home.
Today I road tested an old Crescent that I intend to use as a foul weather bike. This is my attempt at a cross bike since I can’t afford one right now.


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## creepyoner (Jun 2, 2004)

*What's up & Hello*

I started commuting again about 3 weeks ago. Feels good to be riding like that again.

Where: Columbus, Ohio 
Distance: Approx. 22 miles round trip (still adjusting)
Ride: Specialized Langster


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## cbass94 (May 19, 2004)

*Orem to Salt Lake City, Utah; 100 miles round trip*

Where: I commute most days from Orem (where I live and work) to Salt Lake City (where I go to school). It works out to about 100 miles/day round trip, but I take the bus/train half way and ride the other half so about 50 bike miles/day. I commute 3 days a week and generally I extend the 50 mile ride to one of the nearby canyons for a little action, hehe. (as if the iron jungle isn't enough for me!)

Ride: Cannondale R1000
Bag: Timbuk2 of course with all the books and a change o clothes!

-Brad


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## diatribe (Jun 7, 2004)

Hello all.

I just started communting by bike and its a 20 mile roundtrip.

I started in a suburb of Philly and hit the bike lanes through the city to Bala Cynwyd. Nice rides, nothing real hilly but I do have one climb that I have a love/hate relationship with. Love it in the morning and hate it on the way home, that is.


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

Damn! That white bike is hot! No decals on a commuter is the way to go. I still need to find an old fixie to repaint and build up. Yeah! How about Brookly to Central Park? Now, that's dodging some serious traffic!


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## lanpope (Nov 16, 2002)

26-28 miles round trip from Germantown TN to University of Memphis

Ride a Surly CC with fenders, moustache bars, and a Rivendell Hoss saddlebag.

I carry a laptop and about 15 pounds of law books and various other stuff so the saddlebag is real nice - all that stuff gets heavy in a messenger bag.

Not riding in right now, but during the school year I try to do it 2-3 times a week.

That weight has made my legs strong for mtb season - I'm happy.

Lance


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## gpsser (Oct 25, 2003)

kokaku said:


> This forum is pretty dead - how about a shoutout?
> Where are you commuting, how long is your commute, and what're you commuting on?


24 miles roundtrip from the Pasadena/Glendale area through downtown Los Angeles to USC. Riding a fixed gear blood-red Surly CrossCheck geared at 42x16. Courier bag and showers at school. About 45 minutes each way, relativly flat.


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