Share your commuter bike

[scopes]

Originally Posted by chrismoustache

I had a red XO-3 set up for touring/commuting with some XTR and Suntour XC Pro bits. Definitely a bike I should have never parted with...

yeah, will have no reason to part with this.. unless I can find an XO-1

[mktng]

my main set it and forget it commuter.

[Tickdoc]

Just finished!

from this:

to this:

Repurposed Old Ultegra and bits from my first back to road biking Motobecane.
Added PL found Dynamo hum 700 wheels.
Added Sinewave light with Supernova tail.
and a set of 650b wheels to swap when necessary.

Need to move spurcyle bell over.

Looking for a handelbar bag and contemplating a rear rack.

[Epicus07]

This old Davidson I rebuilt has been amazing with 32mm compass tires. Love the sport touring geometry and has just enough braze ons. Now has a tubus rack and soon to be fenders.

[marsh]

Daily operation:


Bad weather 650b conversion:


Found a pic of my daily driver circa 2003

[dem]

Not so much my commuter any more, mostly my rain bike.

[kevinvc]

I just accepted a new job that I'll be starting in a few weeks. The commute will be about 7.5 miles each way along fairly busy roads with decent / rough bike lanes that tend to get a fair amount of gravel and woody debris over the winter.

I've been using my Salsa Fargo for my shorter commute the last couple of years. It's comfortable but weighs a ton, especially with fenders and a rear rack. I'm thinking I might spend a bit to celebrate the new job and am mulling a few different options. At a minimum, I want to get a dynamo wheelset.:

• Big splurge. Buy a Lynskey Backroad to replace the Fargo for commuting, bikepacking and gravel riding. Advantage: Cool bike! Downside: Expensive, have to worry about theft parking it anywhere other than home or office. Wet weather maintenance.
• Practical / moderate splurge. Buy a used mid to lower end belt drive commuter, e.g. REI Gotham. Advantage: Close to zero maintenance, not super expensive. Downside: Only suitable for commuting / in-town riding. Not particularly fun to ride.
• Smaller splurge: Just get a dynamo wheelset for the Fargo. Advantage: Cheapest, easiest option. Downside: Wet weather maintenance. No thrill of a new bike.

Any input from the gallery?

[tctyres]

Originally Posted by kevinvc

Any input from the gallery?

Dynamo wheelset until you know what you're really in for throughout the seasons. I'm guessing that belt drive is going to be more impractical than you are anticipating.

Reevaluate in 9 months or so to see where you are in terms of numbers of days per week and what you think you need. It will surely change.

[zlin]

Originally Posted by kevinvc

Any input from the gallery?

Rule 1: never spend next year's salary on this year's stuff.

I'd pick up a nice front and rear light, charge it at your desk during the day (what I do for mine) and get through this winter to see what you may really want in a new bike.

+ congratulations!!

[kevinvc]

Jeeze, thanks for being all realistic and practical.

I'm confident that the dynamo makes sense. I use both "to see" and "to be seen" lights front and back and I'm tired of having a nest of cables and charging multiple devices throughout the day. I also plan on getting The Plug so I can charge stuff on bikepacking trips.

I guess I'm looking for excuses to get a new rig to put the wheels on. The Fargo is a really great bike and I don't need to replace it, but it's a tank. Building the Lynskey and having it for touring next year just sounds like a lot of fun. Separately, I think about a belt drive every winter when I'm neglecting to wipe down my chain every day and it starts shifting like crap because of all the grit and loss of lube.

I'll probably just get the wheelset and be perfectly comfortable riding what I already have.

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by kevinvc

I just accepted a new job that I'll be starting in a few weeks. The commute will be about 7.5 miles each way along fairly busy roads with decent / rough bike lanes that tend to get a fair amount of gravel and woody debris over the winter.

I've been using my Salsa Fargo for my shorter commute the last couple of years. It's comfortable but weighs a ton, especially with fenders and a rear rack. I'm thinking I might spend a bit to celebrate the new job and am mulling a few different options. At a minimum, I want to get a dynamo wheelset.:

• Big splurge. Buy a Lynskey Backroad to replace the Fargo for commuting, bikepacking and gravel riding. Advantage: Cool bike! Downside: Expensive, have to worry about theft parking it anywhere other than home or office. Wet weather maintenance.
• Practical / moderate splurge. Buy a used mid to lower end belt drive commuter, e.g. REI Gotham. Advantage: Close to zero maintenance, not super expensive. Downside: Only suitable for commuting / in-town riding. Not particularly fun to ride.
• Smaller splurge: Just get a dynamo wheelset for the Fargo. Advantage: Cheapest, easiest option. Downside: Wet weather maintenance. No thrill of a new bike.

Any input from the gallery?

When building a commuter for my wife dyno lighting was a no brainer, but she also runs an L&M 360 Vis + on her helmet. The ability to have a light that follows your head is critical (IMO) for commuting on busy streets with cross traffic, parking lots, driveways, etc.

We also configured the bike to be super reliable and easy for her mechanic (me) to maintain, so we opted for discs and belt drive IGH. After wearing out multiple chains, cassettes and rims on her old commuter (on me, I know, but it simply took more frequent upkeep and cleaning than I could accommodate) the belt and IGH have proven to be a godsend.

The bike is a commuter only, she loves it for that purpose (and only that purpose), but opts for something else for any other cycling activity.

20190726_184155-2.jpg

[Ruimteaapje]

My daily commuter: bought the frameset new back in 1996. Otherwise a parts bin bike. Dugast Paris-Roubaix tubulars super comfy in city traffic but stuffed to the max with Vittoria pitstop

[doomridesout]

I like your Dugast commuter style, Ruim.

Going to have a new commuter to post here shortly-- Black Mountain MCD with Jones bars, dynohub, and a basket. Very excited.

[GOTHBROOKS]

that presto is cool. i thought they only made njs track frames, ive never seen one with a der hanger before.

[Ruimteaapje]

Originally Posted by GOTHBROOKS

that presto is cool. i thought they only made njs track frames, ive never seen one with a der hanger before.

probably because it is an entirely different brand.

Presto is an Amsterdam based shop established in 1941 which sold high-end frames built by Dutch framebuilders.