Commuter bike - convert or new bike?

[jmoore]

I am starting a new job in a week or so. It's an easy commute, 10-ish miles.

My question is about what bike I should use.


Notes: I have a full 9sp Ultegra group that I can put on any frame.

The Strada OS is fully built and ready to ride but not really a commuter rig, e.g. no rack or lights or anything like that. Strictly a road setup.

[markie]

Will you be leaving the bike outside at your destination? (or will you be able to take it inside and keep it safe)

Are you going to ride in the rain?

Are you going to have to carry stuff to work with you? (laptop clothes etc)

How smooth are your roads? (Can you take any off-road shortcuts?)

If the first three are no and you are sticking to regular smooth roads, what is wrong with your road bike?

[jmoore]

Will you be leaving the bike outside at your destination? (or will you be able to take it inside and keep it safe)

Are you going to ride in the rain?

Are you going to have to carry stuff to work with you? (laptop clothes etc)

How smooth are your roads? (Can you take any off-road shortcuts?)

If the first three are no and you are sticking to regular smooth roads, what is wrong with your road bike?

Inside (I think)

Doubtful

Yes, a small amount of clothes, wallet, etc.

All city roads in various stages of repair. No off road.

Nothing wrong with a road bike.

[jr59]

Cardice and a bagman rack would work out very well. I think

[ceolwulf]

I would consider getting a messenger bag and just riding the road bike and see how you get on with that before taking any further steps. Alternatively you could get a big saddlebag (Velo Orange has nice ones) and a Carradice adaptor (assuming you're not running a Brooks or some other saddle with bag loops) if your frame isn't too small. No sweaty back that way. That's what I used last summer and it worked well, likely do the same again this year.

[markie]

If that is the case I would just start commuting and see how it goes.

Personally I get bored of riding the same bike everyday and can lock my bike inside. This means I will normally ride my commuter, but switch things up by riding the other bikes, too.

Edit I type slowly, three of us said the same thing at the same time...

[oliver1850]

I know I would be stopping to pick things up on the way home, which would mean a rack and locking it up in less than ideal places. I'd buy an old Trek, Miyata, Nishiki, or something similar that I could put a rack on and not worry too much about.

[JAGI410]

Any bike can be a commuter bike. Having options lets you choose the best one for that particular day. You'll need a sunny day bike, a rainy day bike, a sunny day-need to carry stuff bike, and a rainy day-need to carry stuff bike. So it looks like N+1 time!

I built my super commuter over a year ago, and love it dearly, but it rarely goes to work more than 5 days in a row!

[mtechnica]

Any road bike + backpack or mess bag

[oldpotatoe]

Any road bike + backpack or mess bag

What he said, 10 miles. I commuted on my Merckx or my Moots. Took a messenger bag if I had to carry something. Clip on fenders if it was wet. Lights, clip on.....for this one, nothing has to be permanent. Don't need a 650b, fat tire, front rack, generator front hub, permanent lights, for a 10 mile to work, commute.

[donevwil]

I'm at both extremes. I converted a '72 Mondia to racked, fendered and fixed gear for my 4 mi commute. Battery headlite when needed. Had an uber-commuter built for my wife for her 20 mile commute. Alfine 11, belt, fenders, racks, lock, integrated dyno lights and reflective powder coat. For me tire size is important, 700 x 35 on mine and 650b x 41 on wife's.

Do you have a shower at work ? Road conditions ? Need lights ? Where can you park ?

[blessthismess]

Better to buy a beater than to end up wishing you did later on down the line. Its always good to have a bike that you dont need to worry about everytime you lock it up.

[eBAUMANN]

Better to buy a beater than to end up wishing you did later on down the line. Its always good to have a bike that you dont need to worry about everytime you lock it up.

as awesome as those other options sound...a beater is the way to go.

is your commute hilly or could you get away with a SS drivetrain? (my setup of choice for commuting in boston)

[jmoore]

I have an old Takara in the attic that I used to use as a single speed kid trailer puller. It needs a new fork, front wheel and bars because my wife ran over the front end pulling into the garage one day. It has a cheap rear rack on it. I could pull that down and get it rolling again fairly easily.

[palincss]

What he said, 10 miles. I commuted on my Merckx or my Moots. Took a messenger bag if I had to carry something. Clip on fenders if it was wet. Lights, clip on.....for this one, nothing has to be permanent. Don't need a 650b, fat tire, front rack, generator front hub, permanent lights, for a 10 mile to work, commute.

No, but if you're going to ride year round and your schedule is such that you're going to be riding at night, you are going to need lights. Permanent lights driven off a generator hub are far more convenient and give you far fewer headaches and far less to remember than any other type of light. Also, clipping on fenders when you think it might be wet is nothing but a giant pain in the neck, and probably not something you want to do after checking the weather forecast in the morning. Permanently mounted fenders are always there when you need them, eliminating headaches and hassles.

If there's one consistent theme that I think should be at the very top of the list, it's that hassles and headaches are bad. You shouldn't have to go through any more fuss and complication getting started in the morning than you would do if you were going to drive in your car.

[oldpotatoe]

No, but if you're going to ride year round and your schedule is such that you're going to be riding at night, you are going to need lights. Permanent lights driven off a generator hub are far more convenient and give you far fewer headaches and far less to remember than any other type of light. Also, clipping on fenders when you think it might be wet is nothing but a giant pain in the neck, and probably not something you want to do after checking the weather forecast in the morning. Permanently mounted fenders are always there when you need them, eliminating headaches and hassles.

If there's one consistent theme that I think should be at the very top of the list, it's that hassles and headaches are bad. You shouldn't have to go through any more fuss and complication getting started in the morning than you would do if you were going to drive in your car.

10 mile commute. Mine was less, about 4 miles, but clip on fenders, clip on lights, bag, was perfect. I agree with you, for a year round, much longer legged, gotta ride the bike regardless....but like 30-45 minutes. If I just rode to/fro, 10 miles, I'd get a fixie...but I rode 60-90 minutes THEN went to work, then 4 miles home at night.

[druptight]

Whether or not you can shower typically has a big impact on this decision, IMO. I commute 10 miles in Boston and I get pretty sweaty in 10 miles in pretty much any weather. If you don't have a shower when you get there, a bag on your back will certainly make you sweat more.

I converted to a bike with a pannier this year, and it's fantastic for commuting. I only ride with a bag when I want to change it up and ride a different bike or have some other specific reason not to bring the commuter bike.

[Kirk007]

10 mile commute. Mine was less, about 4 miles, but clip on fenders, clip on lights, bag, was perfect. I agree with you, for a year round, much longer legged, gotta ride the bike regardless....but like 30-45 minutes. If I just rode to/fro, 10 miles, I'd get a fixie...but I rode 60-90 minutes THEN went to work, then 4 miles home at night.

But will all respect, you were commuting to a bike shop, in Boulder, no?

I'm about to head out for home, 10-15 miles depending on route, in Seattle, and always through the Port Industrial zone. Tonight it is 49 degrees, drizzle, getting dark, dreary, some fog. Yes I have done and sometimes do the clip on fenders (which are easier now with raceblade longs) and the Dinotte strap on light, but ... on my drop bar 29er with dynamo hub and dedicated fenders, with reflective tape, and big durable Schwabe Marathons and rack and bar bag so I don't have to deal with everything on my back, my commute is better. Easier, safer, no fuss makes it much more likely that I'm on the bike not on the bus (or in a car).

My advice to OP: Get the right tool for the job if you are serious about commuting full time. You have to decide though what the tool is, and it might be a road bike or it might be a dedicated commuter or .... On most days outside of July through September my roadbikes are adequate but not ideal.

[Ken Robb]

This thread amuses me because my Rivendell Allrounder was ordered/built by a lawyer in Portland as his ultimate dream commuter. Then he was afraid to ride it because he wasn't too sure of his parking security so he sold it to me. :)

[oldpotatoe]

But will all respect, you were commuting to a bike shop, in Boulder, no?

I'm about to head out for home, 10-15 miles depending on route, in Seattle, and always through the Port Industrial zone. Tonight it is 49 degrees, drizzle, getting dark, dreary, some fog. Yes I have done and sometimes do the clip on fenders (which are easier now with raceblade longs) and the Dinotte strap on light, but ... on my drop bar 29er with dynamo hub and dedicated fenders, with reflective tape, and big durable Schwabe Marathons and rack and bar bag so I don't have to deal with everything on my back, my commute is better. Easier, safer, no fuss makes it much more likely that I'm on the bike not on the bus (or in a car).

My advice to OP: Get the right tool for the job if you are serious about commuting full time. You have to decide though what the tool is, and it might be a road bike or it might be a dedicated commuter or .... On most days outside of July through September my roadbikes are adequate but not ideal.

Yep, in Boulder, to my job, at bike shop...and......

IN Texas, hardly ever in the wet, light load, decent roads, no dirt....is what the OP talked about when he asked for advice.

[markie]

Yeah, I am near Boston and I have a Rivendell quickbeam. It always has fenders and this time if year it also has studded tyres. I don't think the OP is going to need that.

[Duende]

I converted my 80's paramount into a single speed. And commute everyday on it and couldn't be happier.

Here's some steps I took in the conversion that you may find helpful.

Redished my wheel, converted my nuovo record rear hub to SS with a white industries freewheel. Laced the wheels with mavic open pro clinchers for bomb prof street riding.

Replaced the 80 campy brake levers with Paul cross brake levers and mounted them on my road bars.

Removed my 52 chain ring with shorter chainring bolts (left the 42)

Swapped pedals for platform (easier wear on my work shoes)

Other than that it's still my beloved 80's road bike that it is once again serving me well.

[Ken C]

It depends. Some people are much more happy riding a light weight road bike with a backpack, some like SS or fixed and some are more happy with the swiss army style full on fenders, lights, etc. What ever you enjoy most should be what you do (maybe a combo). I would build up and ride something you already have to see what you like and what you don't have you want.

Since you can take your bike inside, if money is not an object I would vote for having the custom Winter commuter once you decide how to configure.

I started commuting on a surly pacer I had lying around. I put a rack on it to carry my laptop, clothes, lunch, and shower items. I then switched to a Pake C'Mute so I could fit studded tires and fenders for the winter since I am in Rapid City, SD. I can't take my bike inside, so no custom for me right now. I do like having the ability to pick up a six pack of beer on the way home. When I was in CO I could take my bike inside and I did enjoy taking my road bike with a backpack some days to keep it fresh.

[redir]

My commute is almost ten miles as well. It's nice to have a dedicated bike. I spend enough time trying to find my shoes and my keys in the morning to not want to deal with then looking for my lights or clipping fenders on. It's all just there and ready to go. I also ride tubulars on my race bikes but use clinchers so I only have to pump them up every other week or so.

[Fixed]

Lots of commuters here they ride all types of bike mostly road bikes . Many nice road bikes
.backpacks are better than a messenger bag for commuters unless you are a messenger and need to access your bag often .
Messenger for twenty years I used a messenger bag everyday
Cheers

[AJosiahK]

Better to buy a beater than to end up wishing you did later on down the line. Its always good to have a bike that you don't need to worry about every time you lock it up.

agreed, I have the tendency to build up a commuter, then end up decking it out with nice components, full fenders, generator, etc. Making me hesitate to lock it up. I live outside of Boston and commute 12 miles each way most of the year. Revelate Designs Viscacha seat bag works great for me. Big enough for a change of cloths and even a pair of shoes. Pretty durable and doesn't seem of affect the way the bike rides when fully loaded. Ive done everything from front minimalist rack and rear panniers on my salsa fargo, to a road bike with one of those large sized Ergon backpacks.

Cheers

[Vinci]

You can do fine with whatever you have and a backpack, but a purpose-built commuter bike will be nicer for the task.

Fenders, rack, lights, and wider tires were all welcome improvements when I finally built up a frameset specifically for commuting. The fact that it is also significantly heavier than my other bikes was kind of a bonus as well, since it got me a bit more exercise between group rides on my lightweight bikes.

If you don't decide to build something specific, I still HIGHLY recommend using a rack/trunk bag. It's nice not to have that weight on your back.

[bfd]

Picked up a used 90s Litespeed Classic and got a new 1" Columbus Minimal fork, some nice 700x25 tires, threw on some Crud fenders and use a laptop back pack and now I have a nice commuter! The parts are an eclectic mix of Campy 9 drivetrain (ergo lever and rear der) and other shimano parts (crank, ft der, brakes, wheels, cassette, seatpost). I use Speedplay frog pedals too. My commute is only 10 miles RT, but ride home is all uphill!

Of course, I live in SF and with California being in a major drought, I could probably take off the fenders at some point and not miss them....:eek::(:butt::help: WE NEED RAIN!!!!

[Nooch]

i just stumbled upon the fact that trek still makes a fairly reasonably priced touring bike (http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/touring/520/)... now that's got me thinking about all the fun commuting, grocery getting miles I could get in...

not so much actual touring, of course... but i could carry stuff!

[dawgie]

I commuted for a while on Merckx Corsa and De Bernardi racing bikes, using a Carradice bag w/ Bagman rack to carry my gear. However, I eventually switched to more commuter-friendly bikes with room for larger tires and mounts for fenders. If you plan to commute regularly, fenders are almost a must unless you live in an area that gets little rain. Even if you don't plan to ride in the rain, you will eventually get caught in it if the weather forecasts are as bad where you live as they are here. My main commuters now include a Waterford RST-22 sport tourer, a Bob Jackson World Tour and a Ritchey Breakaway Cross, which I alternate riding depending on the weather and my mood.

[Bradford]

... now that's got me thinking about all the fun commuting, grocery getting miles I could get in...

You are spot on. I use my touring bike all the time and I still don't understand why everybody with more than one bike doesn't have one. The are great for pulling the kids around in the trailer, trips to the store, and rides over passes that aren't paved. It takes fenders, racks, tires at least up to 700 x 37, and is strong enough for anything you through at it. I also use it as my commuter and it is currently rigged out with racks, fenders, and lights. Touring bikes are hands down the best choice for commuting.

When I only had one bike, I kept the touring bike, not the race bike. I love my Legend, but I love my Independence also. It isn't as fast but is just as much fun, just in a different way.

You should pick up the Trek, it is a great bike. In addition, a lot of folks do one big tour and then sell their bikes, and Trek has been making the 520 for a long time, so you can often pick one up used. If you don't want a Trek, there are plenty of other good touring bikes out there.

Oh yeah, once you get it, try a tour or two, even if it is just 3 or 4 days. There is nothing better than being out on the road away from home.