Truly

My proposed commute is 17 miles, one way to my office job. I also want to run errands in my suburb (short rides to groceries, etc). Based on my reading, I'm beginning to think that I need two different bikes for these two distinct tasks, yes? No?

I LOVE the Pashley and Bella Ciao Citte bikes and definitely want a step-through loop frame. Maybe a Linus. I want a Lovely Bicycle (hat tip to the blog). But 17 miles (34 roundtrip) with mild to medium rolling hills (Central Va Piedmont) seems rather ambitious on these. Plus, it is a long enough commute that I'd like to be able to do it (someday) in under an hour.

An alternative is to ride 6.5 miles from home to the nearest transit stop and take the bus the rest of the way.

I'm totally new at this -- working hard to shake my car-dependent lifestyle and drink the biking KoolAid -- so I want to be successful. Plus, I want to shake my: gym membership ($88/ mo); parking space ($130/ mo); petrol ($100/ mo); and tolls ($12/ mo). Wow, that's a small fortune.

Your input is welcome and thanks.

ShartRate

Don't see why a good touring bike could do everything you want. But, if you want two bikes, don't let me stop you!

ThermionicScott 

Welcome to BF, Truly! Your idea would be ambitious even with a more efficient bike, but lots of people here make it work.

hubcap

There's no reason a bike suitable for a 34 mile r/t commute couldn't be used just fine for a grocery getter. But 34 miles/day is a long ride everyday on an upright city bike. I might suggest something built around a quality mixte frame such as Soma's Buena Vista if you want a balance of aesthetics, speed and utility.

https://www.somafab.com/archives/product/buena-vista

jyossarian

Nothing wrong w/ 2 bikes. For 34 mi RT, I'd suggest a road bike. Battling headwinds and riding up and down hills calls for something light and easy to pedal. Keep clothes at work to keep the load you have to carry down. For errands, anything's fine as long as it can accommodate a rear rack and some panniers and maybe a front rack or basket.

Boudicca

The more bikes the better.

But the two bikes you name are heavy, and will be tiring for 34 miles, and probably even for 13 miles. If you don't want the dropped handlebars of a road bike, maybe try a hybrid, preferably without (heavy) suspension, and make sure you buy one where you can fit a rear rack for both clothes and groceries. It will be fine for a commute, and it will be fine for shopping. Skinnier tires will mean less resistance on the road, so it will be an easier ride. And learn how to fix a flat tire. It's a never a question of whether you get one, but when you do.

Where are you, and how many hills on the commute?

cwar

First let me start by saying you are smart to ask these questions. Everyone's situation is different, but I'll share my experience. Last September my wife and I decided to purchase bikes. Primarily because our children were reaching an age where they were starting to bike and we didn’t have bikes. We both purchase hybrid bikes. Shortly after purchasing the bikes I realized I could start to commute to work by bike. Since then I have gradually ramped up to commuting by bike 4-5 days/week. Suddenly I was using my bike 95% for commuting and 5% for family rides. I also realized, fairly quickly, that the hybrid wasn’t the ideal tool for the job. I ended up with two bikes, both road bikes with drop bars. One is a higher end road bike and the other is a cyclocross/touring style bike with fenders and rack. If it’s raining, as it does occasionally here in Seattle, I ride my road bike with fenders and rack. I also use this bike for hauling goods from the grocery store/farmers market.


Anyhow, I just wanted to share my experience. I don’t it doesn’t directly apply to your circumstance, but in retrospect what I wish I would have done was borrow someone’s bike and commute for a couple weeks to see what I really wanted. It only took me a couple weeks to realize the hybrid wasn’t what I wanted for commuting.

tarwheel 

I would start out looking at sport-touring frames for a commute that distance. A step-through frame would really hinder your ability to ride that far in an hour or so. My commute is about 30 miles round trip and it takes me about an hour each way. That is actually riding time, not including stops at traffic lights. Including traffic lights, my commute time is closer to 1:10-1:15 each way.

I tried commuting on a touring bike for a while, but the extra weight really slowed me down on the hills. For the loads that I typically carry commuting, a sport touring bike works fine and doesn't sacrifice speed due to excess weight and aerodynamics. My current main commuters are a Gunnar Sport and a Waterford RST-22, both of which I bought used. I also rode a Salsa Casseroll that the Gunnar replaced. All three are sport touring frames with mounts for fenders and racks and clearance for larger tires, yet I have no trouble riding fast on them in group rides, centuries, supported tours.

dramiscram

I have a 30 miles r/t commute and I use a cheap triathlon bike that I modified to fit bags a rear rack and a kickstand. I wanted a lighter and quicker roadbike so I wouldn't spend all day long on the bike.

Truly

I'm in Richmond, VA and would commute from the Downtown area to Chester, straight down historic (and, uh, eccentric) Rt. 1. I'm not sure how many hills there are but there are no monsters -- we're at the low end of the Virginia piedmont here and the hills are long and middling-to-low in height.

I definitely don't want a road bike as I feel very insecure on them and they have a jarring ride -- or at least that's been my experience. As I gain experience that may change but for now I feel more at home on a bike that lets me sit mostly upright (not the best for hills, I know).

Thanks for the Soma link. I looked that over and it's intriguing but I must admit it is a little overwhelming to think about buying just a frame and figuring out all the other pieces parts. A surmountable issue, I'm sure, but daunting to one so clueless.

AusTexMurf

I would throw the Soma Buena Vista mixte in the ring. Build it up as a light tourer/commuter bike. Could go with a 1X9 w/ chainguard or consider an InternalGearHub to avoid driveline entanglements.
Very versatile commuter setup w/ this frame.

Truly

Thanks. I see you're in Raleigh which is similar terrain. Reading and thinking............ It looks like I will have to seriously challenge my comfort zone in order to bike this commute. I likely need a roadbike, maybe even with dropped handlebars. [Eek] I'm 44 years old and I can't remember the last time I rode a bike but I have been thinking about this for two years. Time to do it.

Truly

Thanks. LOVE the idea of borrowing a bike. There is a LBS here that does that, I think.

fietsbob

By their nature Bike Fridays are a fine touring bike and they have a low step thru frame.

Their advantage for touring comes from their ability to pack into a normal sized Suitcase ,
to not incur the large fees charged by Air Carriers as Special handling fees for Bikes .

some of the people already touring on them https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/c...octype=journal

also useful in Multi Modal commutes .. rather than add 2 hours plus to the work day Id go to meet the bus, on the Bike.

I'd at least take the Bus In so you are On Time , then Ride back home where time is less crucial.

Test ride the route on the weekend, see how long it takes , then add time for breakdowns,
an multiply that by 10 as that is how many times a week you will do it.


BTW ready for a 90' to a 2 hour trip each way?

Boudicca

You should talk to Tulip, who is from that part of the world and is very active in the bike world. I don't think she hangs out much in Commuting. I'll drop her a line to tell her to look up this thread.

Boudicca

Also, if you're new to biking, don't try to build up a bike until you know more about Stuff. I now know exactly what I would build for commuting, for touring and for anything else, but back when I was a newbie I would not have had a clue. Work out your budget, buy something off the shelf (provided it fits properly), and the next bike can always be the build-up one.

rickk

17 miles is a pretty long commute - doing it in under an hour is unimaginable to me.
I just started commuting this year (13 miles each way) and had purchased an eBike over the winter (actually retrofitted my hybrid Trek with a motor and battery). I have been working up to pedaling the whole way and I don't see how I would ever sustain this commute without the electric assist (I do a lot more cheating on the way in - on the way home I work more and take more time).
So if you can do it - then great! good for you - my opinion would be to look into an eBike to make that commute more manageable.

Cfiber

If you want a step thru loop frame, you don't want to commute for 17 miles without a break from that sitting position (it's too upright). I think a step thru would be less comfortable than standard hybrid geometry. For most commuters on hybrids, 17 miles would be over an hour of cycling. I think you would like a Performance hybrid much better. Otherwise, cycling 6.5 miles to the nearest transit stop would be a more likely option for a step-thru.

Truly

Brilliant. And it gives me the flexibility to tailor how much I bike to my fitness level.

MichaelW

If you go multi-modal and need a folder, be aware that commuter folders have to be quick to get into action. Touring folders are often takedown bikes that need a bit of assembly.
If you don't like road-race bikes, then a toned down version may suit. The sport/light-touring style is a really good all-rounder. They have frames which are almost race light but have more useful features such as threaded eyelets for accessories like fenders and luggage rack and more generous tyre clearance. Most come with road style drop bars but you are not limitted to this style; you can fit flat bars and a really useful bar is the trekking/butterfy style, enabling flat bar controls with loads of comfortable and aerodynamic hand-holds.
Perhaps the most common style for commuter riding without drop bars is something like the TREK FX.
I used a sport road bike exclusively for all my riding (road, commuting, shopping, trails) for many years.

Just in case you need other options (!!), if you want to ride through wet, mucky winters, the modern way is to use disc brakes which are more consistent in the wet.

My advice is to get a used bike to see if you like the journey, then you will be in a better position to decide what style of bike best suits you.

timvan_78

like cwar and fietsbob and others have suggested...start with a multimodal commute, and gradually work up to biking both ways.

Don't buy 2 bikes..quite yet--until you know what's important to you. (**how am I telling someone not to buy a bike!?? What a hypocrite!!** LOL)

Cfiber

I think it would be worth your while to first buy the Giant Via 2 W (about $525). Then try your commute over the weekend. If you make it alright, then just continue your commute. If not, switch to the multi-modal plan of riding to the transit stop. After a month or so, you just might be strong enough to ride all the way!

www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/via.2.w/11532/55932/#specifications

sci_femme

Dear Truly - it is all doable with the right tools. Bunch of very well thought after questions. Impressive.

Disclaimer: I am comfortably middle-aged Athena (i.e. chick over 150 lb) and my commute is 30 mi round trip in Central Florida. Noble steed is 2008 Specialized Tricross Comp. We lack hills, but riding into strong headwind in 104F heat with 100% humidity is no laughing matter either.

For speed, distance and utility best choices are touring and cyclocross bikes. They combine aerodynamic posture of road bikes with wider tires, easier gearing and more stable ride due to longer wheelbase. Lots of mounting points for water bottles, luggage racks, etc. Wider tires alleviate jarring ride. Many models come with so-called cross brakes - additional set of brake levers on the flat part of handlebars, super handy in traffic. Some come in steel frame for dealing with road noise.

There is always Craig's List for older steel framed road bikes, which used to be more relaxed with wider forks and tons of mounting points, but this could be hit or miss, mechanically and fit-wise.

Bottom line - overbuy you current ability, things will get easier in no time.

Main problem I see is the fit. On 17 mile stretch with hills poor fit will make itself known, quite painfully. This is where professionals come in. Feel free to drive your LBSs (local bike shops) nuts, nothing wrong with this. Since you have enough reserves to consider a Pashley, for this kind of coin they better figure out what size and geometry bike you need. May be even negotiate some exchange policy. In the end go with best service LBS, not necessarily with best inventory LBS. On your end you need to be absolutely brutally honest with yourself as far as what your weak points are. Is it flexibility? Is it core strength? Is it joints? and communicate it to the LBS staff.

Attire. There are some die-hards here that will claim 100s of miles in jeans and t-shirts, but most long-distance commuters do it in Lycra. Yep, I inflict my posterior on unsuspecting co-workers and if they want to claw their eyes out - not my problem. Attire can get real costly.

Saddle. Soft saddle is not necessarily the best one. Specialized and Trek have tools for measuring sit bones and can pick a saddle according to those measurements. See if LBS has a trial policy as long as the saddle brought back in sellable shape.

Good luck and have fun.

And most of all - WELCOME TO THE FORUM!

ka0use

if you buy 3 or more at the same time, you might get a fleet rate!
ride on, sista!

blakcloud

If your comfort level says step through frame, then stick to it. You don't need a touring bike or drop bars because of head winds. You are riding about an hour or a little more, not across the country. I am always baffled at suggestions for bikes on these forums. The Linus bike is a very nice choice, but I would suggest making sure you get the 8 speed. The Pashely, though a beautiful city bike maybe a little on the heavy side for the type of riding you are going to do. Another bike similar to the Soma is the Kona Roundabout. At least that bike is full bike, so no guessing there.

If I had more money I would buy a Rivendell Betty Foy. Another really nice bike I saw today in Momentum magazine is the Shinola step through frame. Very expensive but American made. It would be the only bike you would ever need.

The last advice I would like to add: to get an alternate view on bicycles other than this forum, read Just Ride by Grant Peterson. It is a controversial book but it is worth a read, even if you disagree with his views.

And no you don't need two bikes. You may want two bikes but you don't need them.