clarion
Guru
- Location
- Exiled from Hyperborea
My commute is 19km of urban riding each way (23 miles/day). It happens to be pretty much flat, with only a small hill at the home end. I tend to ride fixed, with a three speed hub. But that's a bit specialised, and based on a lot of commuting to work out what's best for me.
A lot of people commute on road bikes, but they can be really harsh on a ruogh surface, and also not very resilient when they get serious weather thrown at them. Parts can be very expensive. Also, if you're on a budget, you don't get much of a road bike for your money.
A lot of other folk use hybrids. That's not a bad place to start. Select a lighter weight one if you're going down that route. I can't, because my wrist can't take flat bars. Remember that if your commute is long, you will want more than one hand position. Bar ends are OK, but on my route I like to have my hands covering the brakes all the way, so I use drops.
Things you ought to have on your bike:
Rack (don't follow fashion and ride with a backpack. It's smelly, less stable, and inhibits your breathing. Also, unless you have a very upright position, the bag can come forward, which is really uncomfortable.)
Mudguards (Or at least raceblades or Cruds or the like. Rain happens in summer, too, and it's just antisocial to spray everyone. There are a lot of commuters in most cities now. Play nice)
Pump & Tools (take a spare tube and levers at the very least. I carry a lot more)
For varied terrain, and for wider application, I have found the best bike to be a lightweight steel tourer. Mine is an Orbit Silver medal - long out of production (mine's 1996), but there are equivalents around. Decent range of gears and comfortable ride, yet swift when it needs to be.
For your gears, don't restrict yourself at either end. As you get fitter, you'll be riding faster, and wanting higher gears. In rain, headwind, or snow, you'll probably be grateful for a couple of gears lower than you normally use. A touring set up should give you the margin either end.
A lot of people commute on road bikes, but they can be really harsh on a ruogh surface, and also not very resilient when they get serious weather thrown at them. Parts can be very expensive. Also, if you're on a budget, you don't get much of a road bike for your money.
A lot of other folk use hybrids. That's not a bad place to start. Select a lighter weight one if you're going down that route. I can't, because my wrist can't take flat bars. Remember that if your commute is long, you will want more than one hand position. Bar ends are OK, but on my route I like to have my hands covering the brakes all the way, so I use drops.
Things you ought to have on your bike:
Rack (don't follow fashion and ride with a backpack. It's smelly, less stable, and inhibits your breathing. Also, unless you have a very upright position, the bag can come forward, which is really uncomfortable.)
Mudguards (Or at least raceblades or Cruds or the like. Rain happens in summer, too, and it's just antisocial to spray everyone. There are a lot of commuters in most cities now. Play nice)
Pump & Tools (take a spare tube and levers at the very least. I carry a lot more)
For varied terrain, and for wider application, I have found the best bike to be a lightweight steel tourer. Mine is an Orbit Silver medal - long out of production (mine's 1996), but there are equivalents around. Decent range of gears and comfortable ride, yet swift when it needs to be.
For your gears, don't restrict yourself at either end. As you get fitter, you'll be riding faster, and wanting higher gears. In rain, headwind, or snow, you'll probably be grateful for a couple of gears lower than you normally use. A touring set up should give you the margin either end.
