choice of bikes for commuting

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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CyberKnight
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Location: Derbyshire

choice of bikes for commuting

Post by CyberKnight »

I have a choice of 2 road bikes i want to use for commuting in the summer months.
Both are home build bikes , the 1st one is a 2011 boardman road comp alloy frame i had resprayed last year and rebuilt from the ground up and has internally routed rear brake cable.It has no upper rack points but i do have a seatpost clamp for it.
The second bike is a ribble winter/audax frame i picked up on ebay already sprayed black and has full external routing and upper rack points but the lower rack hole on one side is stripped so i had to use a nut and bolt through it to secure the rack .
The bike not designated as commuter would be earmarked as winter club ride bike . i work shifts so im either riding in at 4.30 am or on lates im riding home at midnight so is colour a factor ? the baordman is bright yellow whereas the ribble is black , since the photo i have attached crud mk 3 gaurds to the ribble
finished1.jpg
IMG_20210416_111227_471.jpg
John Wayne: "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on... I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
Jdsk
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Re: choice of bikes for commuting

Post by Jdsk »

I wouldn't rely on colour of the frame for visibility.

If you don't have secure storage at work... which is less valuable?

Jonathan
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CyberKnight
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Re: choice of bikes for commuting

Post by CyberKnight »

both about the same TBH
had the boardman from new in 2011 (?) it was £800 then and has done many thousands of miles in fact the frame and handlebar are the only original parts , the ribble frame cost me £50 to buy and kitted out mainly from parts bin so cost to build around £100 in total
John Wayne: "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on... I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
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CyberKnight
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Location: Derbyshire

Re: choice of bikes for commuting

Post by CyberKnight »

storage at work is in a locked bike shed and i have a motor bike chain and lock and a d lock which i leave there permanently the bike shed is in the car park accessed by barriers which are shut during shift time and is monitored by cctv and security , also out of town site which has its own postcode :)
John Wayne: "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on... I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
mattsccm
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Re: choice of bikes for commuting

Post by mattsccm »

The commuter , in my opinion, is the one with mudgaurd eyes. Next I would be wanting room for biggish tyres.
Ah, hang on, isn't that the winter club bike as well? :roll: :lol:
Next would be the smallest amount of gears possible as, for example, 7 speed kit lasts longer than 10 and is cheaper to replace as well. After that, hmm. Tattiest maybe as commuter.
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CyberKnight
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Re: choice of bikes for commuting

Post by CyberKnight »

I have an claris equipped bike with discs for main commuter running 28 tyres but need to decide what to run as back up:) main commuter is in the LBS as i used my goverment repair voucher but it needs parts ordering in
carrera vanquish.jpg
John Wayne: "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on... I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
ClappedOut
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Re: choice of bikes for commuting

Post by ClappedOut »

Commuter :D
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tykeboy2003
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Re: choice of bikes for commuting

Post by tykeboy2003 »

I would use decent lighting rather than frame colour for night time visibilty..... :D :D :D
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CyberKnight
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Re: choice of bikes for commuting

Post by CyberKnight »

The term
" you can land a plane with those lights " is what i have had said to me , currently running 2 400 lumen front and 3 lights on the rear as well as copious reflectives on top of a day glo orange gilet

For full on country lanes at night i would also run a cree solarstorm x2 although i dont like riding along single track lanes gone midnight its a bit spooky
John Wayne: "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on... I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
rareposter
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Re: choice of bikes for commuting

Post by rareposter »

Colour of bike is about the last thing on the list I'd consider for commuting - unless it was something that made it stand out very obviously in a rack of bikes to shout "steal me!"

Whichever takes good full-length mudguards, has space for putting lights and that you don't necessarily mind getting the odd knock or scratch on it. If you can knock it down to a single chainring and run rear gears only, that'll help with simplicity too (although you don't say where you're commuting - if it's London it'll be fine, if it's Bath or somewhere with similar steep hills, disregard my suggestion!)
markjohnobrien
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Re: choice of bikes for commuting

Post by markjohnobrien »

Which bike can fit mudguards, I.e, with mudguard eye- that is the best commuter.
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SimonCelsa
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Re: choice of bikes for commuting

Post by SimonCelsa »

I'd use the Ribble for commuting and buy one of these 50T chainrings https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/chainrings/ ... black-50t/ which fit nicely on those FSA cranksets and are dirt cheap from SJS. That'll save a bit on transmission costs over the next couple of years!!
mattsccm
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Re: choice of bikes for commuting

Post by mattsccm »

Maybe the bike you like least. Then when you get fed up of seeing it every day it isn't your favourite bike you now hate.
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