Commuter Bike(s)

[jwess1234]

Maybe the answer is N+2, but I'm curious to hear people's thoughts on what they are doing for commuter bikes. Do people generally keep two separate bikes, a nicer one that can be kept in a relatively safe place at the office and then something else that you can lock up at the grocery store or a restaurant?

Eventually when I make the plunge into a light steel allroad/cross bike, I would want to use that for work commutes, kept under the building locked up in a rack, but I don't think I would be comfortable locking it up for groceries, etc. Guess its a balance of risk tolerance against the desire to ride something nice. CAADX 105 might be able to do both, but be on the expensive side of lockup outside and not enough to satisfy my steel allroad desire...

Curious to hear what people are doing, what your dollar value of a bike cutoff is to lock it up, what are you riding etc.

Any thoughts (and pictures) are welcome.

[stien]

I literally just bought a trek emonda alr to commute on, with a bontrager rack that goes on the QR and has a tab that is under the rear brake. Doesn't touch the frame at all.

I commuted on a cross bike previously but hated it. Ymmv but life is too short to not have fun riding!

Of course I stash it in my cubicle at work, no locking up this thing!

[rkhatibi]

I keep building commuter/cross bikes that are too nice to leave on the street more than a few hours. My latest is a steel Traitor Crusade I'm into for $1500.

I hope someone answers your question proper because I definitely haven't figure it out. :)

[vav]

Get a late 80's early 90's steel bike. Nice smooth ride with room for fat tires and easy/cheap enough to replace. :)

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/683/20862205806_d427df1e9e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xMwfXy)Trek400 (https://flic.kr/p/xMwfXy) by VIAR VAPA (https://www.flickr.com/photos/63560619@N06/), on Flickr

[blessthismess]

Gotta have a commuter/beater/grocery getter/ lock up etc bike. Nice to be out for a ride and able to go about your day without living in fear of having your rig stolen.

[JAGI410]

I built up another Surly Cross Check. Hard to beat as a fun commuter that can get scratched without worry, but still be fun to ride.

[PFSLABD]

I'm retired now, but I always thought of how I would commute. I lived 38 miles from my workplace, and if I commuted via bike, it would have been a 45 mile trip, one way, not something I wanted to try. Yeah, I was fit enough, but at night, and I would have had to leave by 3 AM to make it to work by at least 6 was not something I would want to do every day. You have to think about the fact that if you're riding down a pitch black rural road that you can't go your usual 20 mph pace. Commuting is only for city riders, who can rely on street lighting to light their way along with their minimum lights. I didn't do it because I would have had to ride down a major highway with tractor trailers whizzing by. Not!

[icepick_trotsky]

Handsome Devil cross/light touring frame with 1x8 friction drivetrain (44t/11-32t), fenders, racks, mustache bars, bar ends, 32c tires, and co-pilot.

https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfl1/v/t1.0-9/11952009_10100515898866692_537168451280048558_n.jp g?oh=9e5275053f207a1d6e7d4fa21fce70ac&oe=566F41D7

[yummygooey]

i usually ride the nice bikes around town and to work, since that's what they're for.

but... in certain "high risk" situations, like locking the bike up during class, i'll ride my bridgestone mb-3 basket bike i paid $120 for. even still i'm doing double u-lock plus a cable these days.

[Geeheeb]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Le5zcbLywyY/VNKEg06azyI/AAAAAAAAA6I/7NRyRw4PCjg/s800-Ic42/IMG_20150204_151044405_HDR.jpg

Last winter it was this 76 raleigh grand prix as a fixed gear

[Vinci]

I couldn't lock a bike up outside if I cared much about it. It would have to be a cheapie BikesDirect bike that could get beat up without concern. I had one of their singlespeeds for a couple years and beat the crap out of it. It always got me home and I never gave a damn about it.

Once I've spent much time finding a cool old steel frame and building it up, I'd be too invested to beat it up, even if it was really cheap. I ran into this when I found an awesome Diamondback Prevail on Craigslist for $180. Great shape, full Shimano 600 (even hubs and headset), and cool-looking to boot. I ended up overhauling everything and loved it so much I couldn't bring myself to lock it up anywhere.

[p nut]

I'm fortunate that if/when I commute to work, I can put it right in my office. The grocery stores near me are pretty safe, so I don't worry about anybody messing with it, even my more expensive bikes. That said, for strictly errand/grocery runs, I typically ride my '89 Rockhopper. Cheap, unattractive, workhorse. Paid all of $80 for it in pristine condition. Wald basket front and/or the back, and you've got a hauling machine.

For a major shopping trip, though, I take the Big Dummy. Also, if the kids are with me, I like giving all the prius owners at the parking lot the I'm more of a green snob look.

[Geeheeb]

I like giving all the prius owners at the parking lot the I'm more of a green snob look.

As a prius owner, I support this 100%.

[brockd15]

I had room for multiple bikes when I was in Texas, but when I moved to California I had to limit it to one do-all bike and get rid of the rest. We only kept one car and my wife uses it for work, so I use a bike for everything. I kept a Civia Bryant, not because it was my favorite bike, it wasn't, but because of the versatility. I like that I can use 700c or 650b wheels, it has all the braze-ons if I want racks, fenders, etc. but still road geometry, can be belt drive or derailleur, etc., etc. I can change wheels for different purposes instead of bikes. It's a nice enough bike but not NICE, so locking it up is avoided when possible (I keep it next to my desk at work) but not that big a deal when I have to do it.

[jwess1234]

Thanks everyone! Looks like I might go the nice steel commuter and under $300 beater/lockup route.

[Kirk007]

My commute is 12.5 miles each way and I do it 4-5 times a week consistently. Life's too short to spend the majority of your weekday riding time on a beater. And one of the perks of running a nonprofit is that I set the bike storage policy ... And no, this doesn't get locked up outside of anything - riding to grocery store, bars, restaurants just isn't part of my routine.

[jr59]

My commute is 12.5 miles each way and I do it 4-5 times a week consistently. Life's too short to spend the majority of your weekday riding time on a beater. And one of the perks of running a nonprofit is that I set the bike storage policy ... And no, this doesn't get locked up outside of anything - riding to grocery store, bars, restaurants just isn't part of my routine.

LOL.... I take it that you are enjoying it?

[tiretrax]

If you're locking it up in Boston, I'd get a police auction bike and spray paint it with ugly colors in a calico pattern. Limit your loss to $50 or less.

I commuted earlier this year and plan to again once my daughter has her license. I have a 1980's Peugeot Triathalon for sunny days (it's fun to ride with suicide shifters, quill pedals, and 12 high gears).

My building doesn't allow bikes to be brought inside any longer, so I don't worry about it on the rack outside.

[Kirk007]

LOL.... I take it that you are enjoying it?

Yeah the only problem is its making a few of my other bikes a bit nervous - they are feeling like they are on the bubble ; )

[benito]

my commuter is ugly but effective, but i keep looking for that diamond in the rough.

what i have: generic steel tourer/suntour xc pro/700c/clearance for 45's.

what i want: one bike to rule them all. preferably the color of dirt.

[unterhausen]

I just gave my beater commuter to my son. It was a pretty decent bike, and now I'm riding his bike. It used to be my commuter, but it is far to big for me so I'm looking for another beater. Looking for an older 26" mountain bike that is of decent quality. We can't legally keep our bikes inside at work, so that's a problem. However, I have ridden my road bike to work and kept it inside many times. My fat bike in the winter goes inside, I have 3 pans to catch the ice

[JAllen]

My building doesn't allow bikes to be brought inside any longer, so I don't worry about it on the rack outside.

Is there a horror story that lead to that ruling?

My thing is if you lock the crap out of it and lock it smart (not overnight, well lit areas, etc.) There shouldn't be an issue.

... But then again, all of my bikes are cheapo beater specials.

[Geeheeb]

Commuting is what got me into cycling. Started with an ugly track frame and a 2-speed kickback. Now riding a bikes direct fixie (so called "mercier" kilo-wt) with 32s. In the winter I use a cheap cheap frame with a studded tire in the front, and a front brake.

[jmagruder10]

I have an older specialized tricross sport cyclocross bike. It is nothing fancy, I picked it up on craigslist for $250. It is basic , sora groupset and had a bent rear wheel. I tuned it up fixed the wheel and added some fenders and love it and only have $300 in the bike.

[mschol17]

If you don't like riding your commuter then you won't, which kind of defeats the purpose. I am all for nice bikes for commuting.

[Russian bear]

I bought a Nashbar single speed cross bike for commuting and around town/lock up outside. Commute is pretty short, 2 miles.