djgonzo007

I really appreciate all the great info in this thread. I plan to start commuting as soon as I sell my car. I'll be using my '04 Klein Aura V road bike.

I do have one question in regards to tire choice. What type of tire is best for commuting? I've heard puncture resistant tires are a must but what type of tread pattern/thickness and size should I look for?

I live in a suburb and will have an 8-10 mile commute one way. I'll be using roads only. There's a lot of new home construction in my area so the roads have a bit of debris and some can be a little bumpy. I've noticed the Bontrager Select road tires that came with my bike let me feel everything and aren't particularly "bullet proof" to say the least.

TIA!

sweetharriet

i've been working on a '76 "kia star" bike, a brown korean 10-speed inherited from my mother. hopefully the thing is lame enough that DC folks won't look twice when they come along with bolt cutters.

new tires, fenders, rack, basket, i need some lights, but i know what a good commuter bike needs are some solid brakes. this one has caliper brakes, with a cute pulley under the saddle to wind the cable down to the rear one. i don't believe the cables are siezed in any way, but is there a rule on this? everything on the bike was original until a few weeks ago. I'm thinking better brake pads and a cable adjustment might be in order...any suggestions on whether to replace some components?

MikeM21

djgonzo,

since you have a road bike (I love Kleins) and ride on all roads, I'd stick with a 23mm road tire. I use Michelin Carbons on my commuter (Specialized Robaix) with great success. They're holding up very well after only about 500 miles or so.

MM

djgonzo007

Thanks, for the advice.

Do a lot of you commute on a road bike?

rideTHISbike

I live in New Orleans so my advice will apply to other commuters in warm, humid places where a rain shower can pop up unexpectedly and the roads are of poor quality.

Cycling Attire
I ride with what I consider standard cycling attire:
Padded lycra cycling tights, bright colored highly breathable nylon shirt, helmet w/reflective tape & clip on mirror, padded gloves, sunglasses, reflective anklebands & packpack w/reflective tape.

Lighting
My bike has a dual bulb halogen lighting system powered by a 6 volt battery that hangs in a bag I velcro to the handlebars.

Equipment I Carry
Just a bright yellow cycling poncho. I got tired of flats & purchased airless tires. No more repair kits, pumps or tools to carry.

My Bike
I ride a Giatex retracting or folding bike (I've seen them sell on eBay for like $200). It's a 6 speed and has fenders and a bike bell. I love this bike; it folds up into a small space so I can actually hide it under my desk. In fact, I keep the bike in my car when I drive to work just in case I get the urge to ride immediately after work...

Washing Up @ Work
I keep baby wipes at work. Similarly, I also keep a set of clothes at work that I can change into; I bring the clothes on days when I drive to work.

Other Notes
Auto drivers in New Orleans can be dangerously unpredictive. My bike mirror has saved me numerous times. So far, the airless tires have worked well too.

Jessica

How is the ride on the airless tires? I have been looking at them, and considering if it would make the ride rougher...

vrkelley

If you commute in rain be very careful with the airless. They tend to loose traction esp. on turns and ascents, decents....and when you fall, it's sudden without warning.

Youch...I know!

vrkelley

I never knew that! Wow...I'm finding that the Under Armour shirts beat out all other shirts for heat and sweat - even CoolMax. Can ride in 90F without overheating whereas last year with a regular jerseys, I was overheating at 75F.

They are tight looking but they don't feel tight. You can layer over or under them and they dry quickly.
My red and blue ones do not appear see-thru. But the white one is SEE TRU so I layer a very thin tank over it.

**Warning** The white ones are see thru so you'll need to layer over or under with these.

djgonzo007

I haven't read this post in a while so I don't know if I'm repeating something already mentioned but...

A great way to keep your clothes from wrinkling too bad is to roll them in plastic wrap. The plastic forms a layer between the fabric when folded or rolled and has been great in preventing wrinkles. I work in an office where we dress business casual (slacks or kahkis and collard shirts).

twotiedye

hello
I would like to weigh in on the nessasary lighting for a commute. To save on the cost of lighting I went with a white blinky on the front of my bike. (My 6 mile commute is along lit streets). I also have two red ones for the rear, one on my knapsack, one on the bike. I have pieces of reflective tape on my knapsack, leg, glove, and bike.
I am facing a new delema this winter. My old mountain bike died. I would like to ride my road bike this winter. Both of them are the old 27" type. But where to get studded tires? I love these bikes. And can not afford a new road bike.
Steve

ellenDSD

This is a great thread for those of us who are kinda new to bike commuting. I used to ride quite a bit, stopped for years, and am really excited about getting back into it at a higher level than before (for me, that means always using the bike unless I have to use my car). So, I have a few questions...

What about those pump + sealant combos for fixing flats on the go? Is there any reason not to use them? Just seems to me that it would be easier to use them and then fix the flat in the comfort of my garage.

How about locking up? My destinations will include trips to the grocery store, the library, stuff like that so my bike won't be unattended for long periods of time. However, my new 7200 has a suspension seat post with quick release. So how do I protect it and what sort of lock (for the whole bike) do ya'll recommend? Oh, and I'm not sure if this is important but I live in a medium size town in South Carolina; Not a huge crime rate but we get our share of thieves, etc. Oh, and I'd prefer not to have to remove the seat/post and carry it around with me.

This question is about hygiene and more for my husband than me as I work from home; a quick shower is no problem for me but it is for him. He would like to get into commuting to work on his bike too but he has a unique problem... He sweats quite a bit and it takes a long time for his body to stop sweating once he is done exercising. Also, he can't use antiperspirant because it makes him break out - only deodorant. So, do ya'll have any suggestions that I can pass on to him?

Lots of questions, I know. I hope ya'll know how much I appreciate your help and thanks for all the great advice I've already found on this thread!

Be safe all

Daily Commute

Thanks.


I've never used them, so take this with a big grain of salt. Some say the sealant is just messy goo. It's probably easier long-term to carry an extra tube, a pump, and a patch kit.


Don't keep detatchable stuff on when you know you will have to lock your bike outside. When I know I'll be running errands, I leave my computer and (if possible) headlight at home, and I put the seatbag in my panniers. A cable lock should secure your seat for long enough to go shopping in a "normal" neighborhood. But if you want to be safe, take it with you.


Baby wipes. If practical, get a fan for his office. It will help him cool down more quickly. A wicking shirt will help keep him dry. At a minimum, he should wear one shirt on the commute, and change when he gets to the office. Also, don't push too hard (this works when it's 70F, but not 90F).

Enjoy!

GP

Have him try holding the inside of his wrist under cold running water. It cools me off in no time.

Jessica

I use a long cable and attach to any tree, signpost taller than I am or metal attached to the building that I can...

And in reply to the other issue.. Maybe scheduling enough time for cool down into the commute is possible.. If you have 20 minutes for coffee or whatever, then wipe up and change clothes... since I decided to not be in a hurry whenever possible, I ride farther and more often. Go figure!

ellenDSD

Thanks for the suggestions, ya'll! I will pass them on to him too

I'm happy to report that he is on day two of his bike commute and he seems to be enjoying it. Since he leaves early in the morning, he has been pleasantly surprised to find that he's not nearly as 'gross' as he was worried about being. To further inspire him, I got him a some of those 'coolmax' shirts and a sexy new helmet.

My son and I have been biking to school since last Thursday and still going strong - Yee Haa!

But here's something sad... his is the ONLY bike in the rack.

dna02

im new to biking and im curious what does a tire lever do exactly?

vrkelley

The levers help you get the tire off the rim when you get a flat. It takes a little practice. The first couple of times, it took me a whole hour to patch and re-inflate the tire. I actually would bring the tire in and set it on a towel to work on it while watching TV.

Short levers (3)
1. Slide the flat part between the tire and rim
2. put the notched end on a spoke
3. Slide another in the same way and attach it to the next spoke
4. Slide the 3rd next to the 2nd spoke and push - the tire should lift off the rim


Long Lever (1)
1. Slide the flat part between the tire and rim
2. Put the notched end on the axle
3.With the heel of your hand push the lever along the wheel (slowly) until it lifts off.

dna02

thanks for the response!

bobvis

I've been commuting for all of three weeks on my ancient Schwinn Varsity. My Schwinn seems trusty, but it seems to think 12 miles per hour is a pretty good clip (or I pedal too slowly.) Also, the roads here are murderous, and it transmits every bump. Also, the frame is too big for me. As a male, I could see this causing problems some day if I am not careful.

I am wondering if I should get a new bike before investing money and time in a bike rack, panniers, lights, etc. Am I being too picky? After all, my commute is only five miles. Also, I work at a college campus, so I need to consider the fact that an expensive replacement might get stolen.

So, what do you think? Should I embrace my Schwinn Varsity and outfit it with all the commuting necessities? Or should I buy something new even though my commute is very short?

If I do buy new, should it be a cheap mountain bike? (If so, what would you recommend as having easy attachments for fenders or panniers?)

Should I get a touring bike? Or will that get stolen?

Oh, or I could get a folding bike!

ellenDSD

Wow Bob! Lots of questions

I was riding an old mountain bike that just didn't fit me at all and it made my cycling uncomfortable. Sounds like you might be in the same boat. I bought a Trek 7200 hybrid/comfort type bike that is a dream to ride and inspires me to ride more often. I chose a hybrid because, in my humble opinion, it's the best of both worlds.

So I guess you need to do ask yourself some questions... Can you afford a new bike? How much biking experience have you had? Is the Schwinn your only exposure to bikes? What kind of terrain will you be riding on the most? Do you see yourself becoming even more interested in cycling, to the point that you ride more miles?

Once you've done some thinking, go to your LBS and try out their different models (mountain, hybrid, road). Which one feels right to you? Which one do you feel confident and secure on?

As for worrying about your bike getting stolen, the type of bike or how much it costs doesn't matter in the least. I've seen crap bikes get ripped off just as much as $1000+ rides. Get yourself the best lock that you can afford. The u-lock + cable combination seems to be a popular option for high crime areas. Just make sure you lock it up right and hope for the best. That's about all you can do.

I hope I've helped - Good luck to you and safe commuting

Daily Commute

An "ancient Schwinn Varsity," cool.

I wouldn't spend a ton of money until you are sure the bike commuting thing sticks. I commuted for years on a hardtail MTB with a backpack and no fenders before I "invested" in my Surly CrossCheck with full commuting gear.

You might want to think about a MTB for two reasons. First, so you don't beat up a classic (IMHO) bike. Second, almost all college students ride MTBs, so it will blend in, making it less attractive to thieves. A road bike would stick out on any college bikerack.

Instead of buying a cheap new MTB, think about a decent used one. As to racks and panniers, I love mine. It's just a question of priorities. Don't drop a ton of cash until you are sure you've found a bike you're comfortable on. I don't know if that will be a MTB, road bike, cyclocross bike or touring bike.

If you're riding on the streets a lot at night, don't skimp on lighting. Buy the brightest, longest-lasting lights you can afford.

And there are a lot of commuters who go 12 mph. Don't sweat that.

And stay on the lookout for places inside to store your bike. Be very nice to the building staff. They may eventually let you use a closet or a corner of the basement.

tokolosh

this may be true of the person stealing the bike, but it may not be at all true of the person who paid for it. personally i found that, level of theft being equal, the type of bike and how much it cost mattered to ME a great deal. this spring it got to where i didn't want to consider anything that cost more than a certain amount - not because i thought it would be safer, but just because i didn't want to care too much if someone took it.

ps - sorry, tact-challenged. i wish i'd seen the rest of what you just said a while ago!

ellenDSD

LOL - that's ok! But I hope you do understand now that I meant that the type of bike doesn't matter to the thieves but matters a great deal to the owner

tokolosh

heh. i got that. actually, i think that was what got me so wrapped around the axle the second time it happened. when someone stole my old norco i think i felt i could sort of understand it; name brand, etc, all that, and besides i'm not 1000% sure the u-lock was closed that morning. but then when i came home a few weeks later and found my totally generic, securely locked, by-god-i-don't-care-just-gimme-a-bike replacement from the nearest sports store gone too, i was outraged. now that i'm actually biking more regularly i'm sort of leaning back in the other direction, so the input on this thread has been very helpful.

erik forsgren

I have commuted on a bike for 20 years now and I can assure you that the most important issue is not the equipment of the bike or your clothing. The most important thing to survive in the jungle of traffic is to act in the traffic as though you were invisible to cardrivers pedestrians and so forth. You should not expect others to always respect the traffic rules, because they don't. There isn't any variety of faulty behaviour that I haven't encountered during these 20 years and I have been prepared for them. This attitude has kept me alive, not some sophisticated equipment or clothes.