choice of bikes for commuting
- CyberKnight
- Posts: 920
- Joined: 18 Dec 2009, 4:44pm
- Location: Derbyshire
choice of bikes for commuting
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
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
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."
Re: choice of bikes for commuting
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
If you don't have secure storage at work... which is less valuable?
Jonathan
- CyberKnight
- Posts: 920
- Joined: 18 Dec 2009, 4:44pm
- Location: Derbyshire
Re: choice of bikes for commuting
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
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."
- CyberKnight
- Posts: 920
- Joined: 18 Dec 2009, 4:44pm
- Location: Derbyshire
Re: choice of bikes for commuting
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."
Re: choice of bikes for commuting
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?
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.
Ah, hang on, isn't that the winter club bike as well?
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.
- CyberKnight
- Posts: 920
- Joined: 18 Dec 2009, 4:44pm
- Location: Derbyshire
Re: choice of bikes for commuting
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
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."
- tykeboy2003
- Posts: 1277
- Joined: 19 Jul 2010, 2:51pm
- Location: Swadlincote, South Derbyshire
Re: choice of bikes for commuting
I would use decent lighting rather than frame colour for night time visibilty.....
- CyberKnight
- Posts: 920
- Joined: 18 Dec 2009, 4:44pm
- Location: Derbyshire
Re: choice of bikes for commuting
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
" 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."
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- Posts: 2051
- Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm
Re: choice of bikes for commuting
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!)
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!)
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- Posts: 1037
- Joined: 4 Oct 2007, 8:15pm
Re: choice of bikes for commuting
Which bike can fit mudguards, I.e, with mudguard eye- that is the best commuter.
Raleigh Randonneur 708 (Magura hydraulic brakes); Blue Raleigh Randonneur 708 dynamo; Pearson Compass 631 tourer; Dawes One Down 631 dynamo winter bike;Raleigh Travelogue 708 tourer dynamo; Kona Sutra; Trek 920 disc Sram Force.
- SimonCelsa
- Posts: 1234
- Joined: 6 Apr 2011, 10:19pm
Re: choice of bikes for commuting
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!!
Re: choice of bikes for commuting
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.