[Closed] Commuting

After 5 or 6 years on a fixed, I just got a Pompetamine. Best £600 I ever spent, with racks and mudguards it's perfect for my commute.

Looks like an old man's bike though...

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My bike's got rack mounts and I still went for Carradice SQR. Cheap, effective, less on the bike when you're not commuting. If 16L and 10kg is enough, it's the best option, I reckon.SJS are the cheapest at the mo.

crosslight Pro 6 would do ya!

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I'd go for a frame with mounts personally. Mudguards make a huge difference when you're commuting and I prefer a pannier.

Thanks for the replies. Forgot to mention it also has to double as my commuter and road bike. Crosslight looks nice but ideally would like to spend as little as possible.

SKS raceblade long guards and a decent backpack, I use a camelback hawg without the bladder. (Also on a trek road bike)

stoner loves his SQR.

Mudguards make a huge difference in the wet but you might be happy with raceblades rather than full length.

I wouldn't worry about it mate, you'll never have to do it anyway as the weather will never improve... (continually soaked and frozen person for the last 6 months)

If it's just for carrying lunch in,you could use a seat post rack and beef it up with some supports ,P clipped to the seat stays.
Then drive or get a lift with the heavy stuff ,on your change over day.
You can also bolt on a spray catcher underneath to keep the worst off.

Carradice SQR FTW!!! Had mine for 3 and half years now. Absolute brilliant bit of kit.

I have just started commuting myself and manage to get my lunch and lock and waterproof in my Evoc bag, fortunately I can keep shoes and clothes at the office. However I did look at the Timbuk2 classic messenger bag as my friend commutes with one and swears by it. Loads of space, waterproof liner and comfy, whats not to like other than maybe the price but it will be cheaper than racks and panniers. He commutes on and off road by the way, dependent on the weather, and it stays put.

keep the weight off your back

courier bag looks cool for a short commute - NOWAY id want to do 10 miles with one - i occasionally use mine(timbuk2 medium messenger) for my laptop as im not allowed to keep it in my pannier since a car clipped my pannier and smashed the laptops casing last year.

I actively try and leave it at work as much as possible as the bag actually causes enormous backpain within my 15 miles home - and its not even a heavy laptop.....

caradice longflap camper here for most days.

[i]Crosslight looks nice but ideally would like to spend as little as possible. [/i]

True, but you'll probably spend more time/miles on this bike than any other.

How secure is your bike parking? Might be worth getting a cheap 2nd hand old MTB instead - something with rigid forks, v-brakes and mudguards would be a lot less appealing to a thief.

At least that's the theory I used when getting my commuter bike, it's a crappy old Decathlon model that weighs a ton... the rack on the back cost more than the bike itself 🙂

Lots of talk of racks, but I commute a similar distance and am amazed how much I can fit and carry comfortably in my humble vaude backpack- last week I managed a 15"laptop and all the leads, a change of cloths for work, my gym kit and towel, bike tools and spare tube and a can of soup for lunch.

Yes you can fit a lot in a rucksack.

I don't have a sweaty back when i get to work though which is priceless.

Then again i carried laptop, trousers, shirts and shoes in this morning.

I've got one of these (last years) for commuting duties...

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£600 get your interest free credit at evans so i got the bike (£450) + Rack + Panniers + commuting clothes to take me just over the threshold.

Calculate how much your normal non bike commute costs you a day then use that as motivation for riding/paying for your bike.

Nice distance 10miles each way. Enough to get your heart working but not so far as to make it too much of an adventure! Enjoy

Thanks for suggestions.

Don't really want to use a backpack if I can. Thats why I was looking at carradice.

Bike will be fine at work. I work in a garage so it'll be put inside somewhere.

Set a date and decide to ride in from that day. If you have a rucksack use that. If you have any form of mudguards, e.g, crud, use it. Repeat for a month. Then decide what you need.

There are no right answers (except mudguards). I commute 10 miles each way and vary between rucksack and a pannier. I like the bike without a rack, but i like my pannier-briefcase.

The sqr system is very good, but you will need some mudguards. If it's your only bike for road riding, then i'd probably forgo the rack, as mounting and demounting can be a pfaff. Try the commute, then invest.

why do you need to take the rack off.....

Rucksack FTW.

I use one of these: http://www.jack-wolfskin.com/equipment/rucksacks/bike-rucksacks/2000352-moab-jam-28.aspx

Keeps the weight off the bike, makes the bike easier to handle and means the rear wheel suffers much less from potholes. Watching/hearing pannier-laden bikes crash over rough surfaces is horrible.

Fits clothing, lunchbox plus the pocket at the bottom stores tools/pump/tube etc. Don't get a sweaty back cos it's got good airflow over it. It's also much more secure - no need to be detaching panniers every time you want to leave the bike somewhere.

Depends on how much you want to spend I guess.

I use an Evoc bag to carry my lunch and stuff 15 miles each way, but only 2-3x a week.

I like the warmth during the colder 6 months of the year, and the other 6 I'm not fussed - but I do have full shower/towel facilities at work.

So it's certainly possible to do a longer commute than yours with no mudguards and a backpack - all a matter of cost.

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anything is possible i mean its also possible to stab your self in the eye with a fork but its much comfier in the wet to use mudguards. Most of the times when i got wet it was from road spray rather than actual rain.

Heh - easy tiger 😉

I did forget to say that I'm kitted up so that I stay warm - I sweat like a peado in a barney suit so I've given up on staying dry whilst cycling and just wear easy wicking stuff that keeps the wind off me.

I'm not that keen on mudguards as they always need buggering about with as they get knocked in my crampes shed.

Benefits of having a fully stocked locker and showers at both end of the commute.

I agree with trail rat on rain, I find I get wetter from the spray than the actual rain.

I'll probably hold off commuting until march, so I have plenty of time to prepare.