commuter bike – road vs. hybrid vs. mountain

[consularrider]

@rose_surfer 102632 wrote:

Great advice everyone! Thanks in particular to ebubar for the head start on the gravel grinder research. This forum is a great resource.

I think I’ll take the advice repeated a couple of times here to get started with what I have. I still need to figure out whether I’ll be carrying my clothes in and showering/changing at the gym, which will probably depend a lot on the distance, and that will drive the need 100% for fenders if I’m ever going to be commuting in my work clothes, along with the pannier/rack as well (I get sweaty with a pack on FAST).

Then it sounds like the rest of my decisions can wait. I’ve got 25mm bontrager hardwalls on there right now, and in about 1000 mi of riding I’ve only ever had one flat, and I’m pretty sure it was from my garage. So I may not even need to change out the tires & wheelset for now.

I bought a steel Kona Rove in August as my do everything bike and have equipped it with fenders and a a rear rack. It has been everything I had hoped for and now Kona has come out with an aluminium version with a MSRP of $900 (half the price of the cromoly). However, one of the cost saving on the AL version is that it comes with an 8 spd Shimano Claris drive train instead of the SRAM Apex 10 spd.

[baiskeli]

P.S. I don’t dislike disk brakes – they are pretty awesome.

[jwetzel]

I’ve been super happy with my Specialized Sirrus, aluminum bike with flat bars. I have a rack, panniers, and and Air Zound. There was one time in the rain that my rim brakes didn’t work as well as they normally did. The next bike I get WILL have disk.

Don’t forget lights.

[Harry Meatmotor]

@chris_s 102605 wrote:

Start commuting on your current bike. Everything you’re talking about buying is probably transferable to another bike. Riding your current bike for several months will give you the best possible information on how you would like your next bike to be different: personal experience.

You may think now that you want your commuter to be faster and then discover after riding for several months that you prefer a leisurely pace. You may think now that you want a more up-right riding position in order to have a better view of traffic, but discover after riding for several months that you actually spend the majority of your time in the drops. Wait and see.

I’d second this notion. Ride your current bike into the ground – most of the commuter-bike bits will be transferable to a new bike, especially if that new bike is going to be a commuter bike. By taking some time with this decision, you’ll realize what works and what doesn’t for your personal commuting wants. There’s a lot of different opinions on what gear to use (backpack or pannys? heavy gloves or bar mitts? disk brakes or cantis? drop bar or flat bar? 700×25? 28? 32? front rack or rear rack?), and determining what’s going to make sense based on your actual commuting preferences takes time – be patient. In the mean time, learn a little (or a lot!) about bike repair and maintenance – that’s knowledge you can transfer to any bike.

[KLizotte]

Great advice Meatmotor!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rose_surfer]

Yes, definitely. I’ve only ridden two days from my temp place in capitol hill and already my frame has more scrapes and dings than from the previous two years of road biking in fl. This dc commuting and getting in and out of a little apartment is rough on it for sure

[Terpfan]

@Harry Meatmotor 103038 wrote:

I’d second this notion. Ride your current bike into the ground – most of the commuter-bike bits will be transferable to a new bike, especially if that new bike is going to be a commuter bike. By taking some time with this decision, you’ll realize what works and what doesn’t for your personal commuting wants. There’s a lot of different opinions on what gear to use (backpack or pannys? heavy gloves or bar mitts? disk brakes or cantis? drop bar or flat bar? 700×25? 28? 32? front rack or rear rack?), and determining what’s going to make sense based on your actual commuting preferences takes time – be patient. In the mean time, learn a little (or a lot!) about bike repair and maintenance – that’s knowledge you can transfer to any bike.

No, there is no debate on heavy gloves versus bar mitts–bar mitts win every time. Everything else, great points.

Frankly, the best advice is to figure out what you like by riding. Figure out comfort, etc. I mean, I take a road bike now, but sometimes I miss my hybrid–and those times are almost always on my steep ascents home (same elevation change to work, but the ascents are a little more broken up); in essence I’m admitting to missing the granny gear. Anything sub-6% is fine, but the 7-10% gradients are just grueling. Flip side, I figure every adventure up those without standing is a little muscle buildup to make it easier the next time.

[sethpo]

@Harry Meatmotor 103038 wrote:

I’d second this notion. Ride your current bike into the ground – most of the commuter-bike bits will be transferable to a new bike, especially if that new bike is going to be a commuter bike. By taking some time with this decision, you’ll realize what works and what doesn’t for your personal commuting wants. There’s a lot of different opinions on what gear to use (backpack or pannys? heavy gloves or bar mitts? disk brakes or cantis? drop bar or flat bar? 700×25? 28? 32? front rack or rear rack?), and determining what’s going to make sense based on your actual commuting preferences takes time – be patient. In the mean time, learn a little (or a lot!) about bike repair and maintenance – that’s knowledge you can transfer to any bike.

100% agree. Just start riding and figure it out as you go. I started in 2012 on an old MTB going 1.5 miles to the metro. I upgraded to a hybrid for that metro trip and then started riding the entire way in. Then I got a “true” road bike and started riding on weekends and commuting on that. Then I sold the hybrid and got a steel frame CX that I commute on. All along the way I’ve tried lots of backpack vs panier combos and all kinds of winter gear and I leaned on this forum and YouTube and other places to learn bike fixing skills.

Now, this week, I am building up from the frame my dream commuter which is a steel touring bike with disc brakes, fenders and rack. I plan on doing everything from pressing the crown race onto the fork to installing the bottom bracket and transferring the drivetrain from my current bike. There’s lots of friendly people out here to help with your questions, lend a tool and maybe even trade some of their tinkering time for beer.

[ebubar]

@sethpo 103594 wrote:

100% agree. Just start riding and figure it out as you go. I started in 2012 on an old MTB going 1.5 miles to the metro. I upgraded to a hybrid for that metro trip and then started riding the entire way in. Then I got a “true” road bike and started riding on weekends and commuting on that. Then I sold the hybrid and got a steel frame CX that I commute on. All along the way I’ve tried lots of backpack vs panier combos and all kinds of winter gear and I leaned on this forum and YouTube and other places to learn bike fixing skills.

Now, this week, I am building up from the frame my dream commuter which is a steel touring bike with disc brakes, fenders and rack. I plan on doing everything from pressing the crown race onto the fork to installing the bottom bracket and transferring the drivetrain from my current bike. There’s lots of friendly people out here to help with your questions, lend a tool and maybe even trade some of their tinkering time for beer.

This is eerily similar to my own experience. Though I’m not into the building my dream commuter (yet). I’m liking the sound of the disc brake, fender, rack commuter though. Can’t wait to see/hear how it goes!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Harry Meatmotor]

terpfan;103588 wrote:

-bar mitts win every time.

lol!

[rose_surfer]

bar mitts – i’d never even seen those before. Those are funny looking. I suppose the advantage is warmth but also dextrous manipulation of brakes and gears, etc… Do they work in the drops though?

[dasgeh]

@rose_surfer 103897 wrote:

bar mitts – i’d never even seen those before. Those are funny looking. I suppose the advantage is warmth but also dextrous manipulation of brakes and gears, etc… Do they work in the drops though?

There are different moose mitts for different kinds of bars. The ones made for drops work in the drops.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@dasgeh 103900 wrote:

There are different bar mitts for different kinds of bars. The ones made for drops work in the drops.

They don’t. You have to take your hands out of the mitts to grab the drops. They’re great if you like to ride the hoods though.

[jabberwocky]

I have the drop bar moose mitts and they do indeed work in the drops as well.

[Arlingtonrider]

Note that Shawn is talking about Bar Mitts and Jabberwocky is talking about Moose Mitts. Moose Mitts have a different design and are made from stiff fabric. Bar Mitts are neoprene. Both do a great job of keeping hands warm.

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