Commuting questions

I'll be commuting more to work in the fall winter.  I just use my normal road bike, and use gatorskin like tires.  Lights are a must for me.

I don't commute everyday, so I drive over my clean and dirty clothes.  The only thing I have to carry with me when I ride is my wallet, phone, and work ID.

I commuted for years on my mountain bike. It was what I did. There was no reason to put money into a road bike that would go faster. I commuted to stay in shape for mountain biking. So to me it was just a harder workout.

Now I did put on some 1.25 street tires that would do 85psi. They rolled great. Plenty of meat to keep the glass out. A carcass will not do much to prevent flats... thicker rubber prevents flats from all the crap you pick up one city roads. Once the tires started to wear, lots of flats. I did move to tuff strips and those were probably the most successful at keeping out trash.

Point being is I used trails and short cuts and had no problem bunny hopping curbs or what ever I wanted to do. A road bike is just that, and nothing more. Even a cross bike... yes I know what they are for... are still not very comfortable. A mountain bike is at least comfortable... and no you do not need full suspension.

If you do go with cross/road... then yes, put the biggest tire you can get on it. Run it at 80 psi and at least get some volume and a little comfort out of it. Get some cheap durable wheels that you do not care about. No it isn't fast, that is not the point... it is more work. My commute is 10 miles and it is only 25 minute there and 45 home...it's too short. I try to use them as TTs. Now that my season is over I am going back to my mountain bike and having some fun.

I just did some bike touring in France. I rode about 1700km on my 32mm Schwabe Marathon tires and no flats, so I highly recommend these.

I used Ortleib panniers too. I think mine were the Back roller classic panniers. They worked really well too, but might be overkill for commuting. However, I have found them great for shopping too.

Hey guys, an update and thanks for the tips.

I did my first round-trip yesterday.  17.5 miles each way, definitely more downhill going to work than going home.  On the way home, the hills are a lot steeper as well. 

However, it was a great ride both ways and I'm really enjoying the commuting thing.  I made the mistake yesterday of wearing a backpack and carrying my laptop on my back (haven't bought the paniner bags yet).  My back was so sore at about mile 12.  I wouldn't have done that, but I had to take it to my apartment to get my internet set-up there. 

I'm thinking about getting some 28mm tires at Mellow Johnny's on the way home. A little bigger than the ones I have, but not a MTB tire.

I'm planning to ride home tonight and in tomorrow morning.  Curious how often you guys ride-in.  Because I'm without my wife and kids for a few months, I can't borrow her car or get a ride in with her for the next 9 months so I'm thinking commute Tuesday, Weds, Thurs, Group Ride Saturday.

Any thoughts?

Hey that sounds good. Downhill to work is definitely better. That way you don't get too sweaty. That's what I think anyway.

Whenever I carry a laptop in my backpack, not only does it kill my back, but I seem to find that it is harder on my girly parts too, so do get the panniers.

Right now my commute to work is about 3km, so I ride everyday. Mostly I wear my every day clothing, but sometimes I want to ride after work, so I wear my kit. I have some clothing at work, so I wear that when I ride in with my kit. When I don't ride in, I just walk. 

2 Things.  I still sweat like a horse, but with the cooler morning temps, I shower at the work gym and I'm good. 

The other is that I didn't notice it hurting my "girly parts" but I don't really have those... But I definitely think I need to invest in some cycling shorts (vice tri shorts) and jerseys (I have three).  But then again, if I have paniners, I guess I don't really have to wear jerseys as much as I won't need to hold stuff in shirt pockets.  

If I can re-learn how to attach things, I'll post the Strava profile of my ride-in and ride home on here. 

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Fellow commuters, hello! Quick thought about backpacks for carrying laptops. I sometimes use a pannier but mainly use a backpack as it is more secure? If my pannier bag fell off (silly rough roads by mine and problems with attachments before) your laptop would be knackered. Not so if it is in your rucksack! On a practical level, maybe loosen the straps somewhat as having the weight lower down tends to hurt less I have found.

Can I also ask you guys/gals what light sets you are running? I currently have a cateye hl-el135 On the front handlebars on blinking, a cateye sl-ld110 loop safety front light On my jacket zip blinking and am about to buy a kong frog strobe led for my helmet. Would you recommend I put my handlebar one on constant? Or another? And do think that is enough? And do you agree that helmet lights can blind/annoy drivers?

On the rear I have the red cateye loop on my helmet (blinking) and a crappy but kindly free (my rear light fell out of its bracket on said crap bumpy road and my lbs gave me a freebie) blinking Smart 3 led rear which I keep in my hump bag cover pocket. With my birthday money I am thinking of treating myself to the cateye 10 (ten) led Rear which with extra zip tags I'll remount on my pannier rack. It even has side facing LEDs...how excited am I?!?!

I always wear my reflective yellow jacket and use my hump bag cover. Overshoes and tights also have reflective bits on. Oh and I have cateye Wheel lights.

Paranoid...moi? On an honest note I got knocked off about a year ago by some idiot in broad daylight who didn't see me so I am ultra wary and my commute is on a busy double laned commuter route. I don't trust them!!!!! Any comments?

I have a MiNewt though I think the names have changed, because I think it is this one. http://www.niterider.com/lumina-350/ It's pretty bright. I don't have a great light on the rear, just a cheaper flashing light, but it works.

My commute to and from work is about 3km each way mostly on bike paths and downtown so it's pretty well lit. 

When I do commute further at night, to and from the velodrome for example, I often commute with a group of people, so I think that makes riding at night a little safer.

Woke up this morning hearing rain trickling down the drain outside.  "Oh Crap."

All I have is my Tri Bike and my truck is at the office.  This is gonna suck. 

17.5 miles of water and road grime spraying in my face, the lines were especially slippery. 

Then I'm going down a hill, riding my brakes the whole time and a cab that does not have his turn-signal on is going lower than the 25 mph speed limit.  I pass him in my bike lane going 25-26.7 depending on which second I was looking at my garmin. 

He honks at me, gets behind me and rides right on my tail around a turn (again, back-wheel slipping), then he passes me and rolls down the window to say something to which I give my usual retort to stuff like that "Yeah, F you too."

Then he waits for me at the next stop sign where I slow until I hear my garmin beep that my speed is below 3mph.  I start pedaling again and catch up with him at a light and his window is open (again raining, so he's clearly trying to be an ). 

I say "Do you have a problem with me?"  I should've just ridden on.  But had to debate the toothless cabbie about whether I have the right to pass him in a bike lane or not... What did I hope to gain from that?  He went one way at the next turn, I went another.

Ridiculous.  Learning lesson for me.  When a car beeps and then rolls down the window, just wave and keep pedaling.

I agree with the comments about being obnoxiously seen. The drivers here in Wichita are downright mean and stupid regarding bikes. Puts lights on the front and back of the frame as well as your helmet. Take the middle of the lane unless you want to invite that mini-van or delivery truck to try to pass you in the same lane. Make all your movements obvious. I don't have a mirror but after reading this thread I'm getting one.

Don't bother with interacting with vehicles that want to yell at you. They have the advantage and could "accidently" hit your with little recourse on their end and huge consequences on yours.

I love to commute but don't like it in the rain. 

A shout out to all the bike commuters, and a quick question... how do you factor your commutes into your training? I commute about 11 kms each way, 2 x 3 times a week (whenever I don't have to take my son to preschool). I ride my mountain bike because the roads are a disaster as far as mud and potholes, so I need something a bit more rugged. I'm following the BT 20 week beginner HIM plan, and substituting my commutes for most of the easy shorter rides, but I worry about the loss of specific training, since it's a different bike, lots of traffic stops, and an 8 hour break between rides. Any thoughts? (and apologies for hijacking the OP

I am a year-round bike commuter.  18 miles round-trip.  Slightly downhill on the way in and slightly uphill on the way back.  More often than not a headwind on the way home too.  Roads and paved bike trails.

I ride a 1994 Trek 1200 road-bike.  Just regular road tires.  Only two flats in 4 years.  Knock on wood.  Last year got in about 2,750 miles bike commuting.

I made my panniers out of plastic buckets that held sunflower seeds for birds.  I love them.  They are sturdy.  Hold lots of stuff.  Were cheap to make ($14 for the two of them).  Are waterproof.  

I do count all my commute towards training.  Sometimes I bike hard.  Sometimes not.  Any ride home with the slight uphill and headwinds is definitely a hard ride.

During winter months, I use a good lighting system and wear reflective vest.

Good luck!