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Recently went back to full time work in an office, which means back to commuting by bike, and idly pondering changing my commuting/pub bike (currently a heavy steel rigid MTB with a rear rack) maybe for something a bit "faster" and nicer to ride - maybe even give SS a go. Also been catching up with the Ogmios School of Zen Motoring.
These two streams of thought merged the other day, when I caught myself getting frustrated at (admittedly useless) drivers and pedestrians, and thought... maybe I need slower and more... fun. A beach cruiser or something like that.
Inspire me with your fun commuters. Or tell me this is a ridiculous idea?
i ran a 24" cruiser bmx for a 3 mile each way commute, for about 5 years. My rational was with a low gear I'd be unable to ride hard enough to get sweaty when I got to work. Mostly did the trick
I have a 1998 gt sts-1 for my commute.
Haven't put slicks on it yet as it looks wrong
I've got my OFO for my 2.5 mile commute.
I've also got a Charge Plug singlespeed (SSCX/gravel version, not the steel one) with full guards, rear pannier rack and front porteur rack, setup as a fixed gear.
They probably get used 50/50.
Unexpectedly the fixie is actually the less sweaty option, because you go faster for the same effort.
I used to have a really nice fixie - road bike, so drop bars, guards and a rack for panniers. It wasn't cheap, handbuilt wheels, Ritchey WCS bars etc. Great bike for the commute. I got rid after I got knocked off and my spine broken. I'm now back to commuting but off road, so it's an old 90's rigid MTB running Schwalbe landcruisers, guards and a rack. LX and XT groupset.
Would like to move to a gravel bike, but short on space now with all the other bikes. Might give it a respray after success respraying an old Ribble 653 road bike with rattle cans - took some work, but it looks ace.
Currently running this - fun down the cobbles on the canal locks - can just smash them. Also has studded tyres for the winter.
Precursa track bike - looking a bit ragged here but have since given it some tlc
Just perfect for a flat five into work, nice easy gear - prob my fav bike and I own a few. Longer or hillier commute not sure it would work as well.
Was actually stolen from the back of my house and I got it back a year later from a bloke buying a coffee at a local place.
London commuter for two years. Was brilliant fun riding it down every set of steps I could find. Also made an excellent 'whum whum WHUM' noise when chasing down other commuters.
I think my lower back would collapse just getting on it nowadays, but it was a fab bike until it got nicked at Marylebone station 🙁
Most of the above look like bikes that would be ideal for commuting. Liking the idea of a BMX or beach cruiser style bike for a short commute. Hmmm
Best commuter I've ever had was a fixie Genesis Day-One cross bike. I had it for years and never skipped a beat but was great fun off-road.
My pal had one of those Dolan bikes and he loved it. It ended up snapping, probably picked up a bit of damage from a small drop that developed into a catastrophic failure. He did love to but now much prefers hi Croix De Fer.
How far is the commute? I had an absolutely ancient post office bike for commuting a good number of years. Rod brakes too. All worn out pivots, totally bloody ineffective especially in the wet.
I would post a pic of the, IHG equipped, DH bike I commuted on (once) but it really wasn’t fun.
I’ve ridden all my bikes to work at some point.
Also ran a DK General Lee 24" cruiser 2 miles each way when I was at college in Glasgow, was an awesome bike. Would do it again.
A wooden bike I made out of plywood. Ran that as a commuter when at uni for a bit
One:
The Other:
If you're anywhere near Nottingham OP we've a Kirk Revolution for sale in the shop.
APF
Follow these if you’re on Instagram for a bit of inspiration.
https://instagram.com/bike.rebuilds?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Here’s mine. It’s not a quick bike, much slower than the gravel bike but I really enjoy commuting on it. It’s not a race after all.
Been commuting for years on a single speed steel, rim braked, road bike. Cheap, low maintenance and relatively unattractive to thieves. Recommended if you can find something suitable. Alas on one seemed to have stopped making these sorts of F&F…
The new office is less than a mile from home, I've ridden in on this a few times (it seems they even designed the bike rack to accommodate it)
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@fossy I like that!
@fasthaggis That's exactly the sort of thing I'm taking about! Doubt it would look that shiny after a week of winter commuting though.
Should have mentioned, commute is about 3.5 miles each way, so any speed gains are marginal.
Does need to be practical though - i.e some sort of rack. Thought about a cargo bike of since kind for extra utility... maybe a long tail. But also needs to be cheap, mainly to make it unattractive to thieves. I could bring it into my building, but my current commuter is shitty enough I feel safe leaving it outside.
Take your pub bike put some high sweep high rise bars on to make it sit up and beg. Make sure you remove the outer chain ring, swap for a trousers huard. Consider removing some of the smaller cogs on the cassette and well so it's low geared. Force yourself slow.
Does need to be practical though – i.e some sort of rack. Thought about a cargo bike of since kind for extra utility… maybe a long tail. But also needs to be cheap, mainly to make it unattractive to thieves.
Cheap BMX, pizza rack, long post, sorted.
Also worth noting that old 7 speed freehubs can run a 9 speed cassette with a sprocket missing. I ditched the 12 and ran a spare road outer 12 to make a working 8 speed setup on my silent clutch hub.
I used to commute on this, sort of made sense as it wasn't far and there was a lot of small steps and things to hop over on the way.
I suspect @toofarwest wins.
Me and Harold ride in on the fatbike maybe just under 3 miles on days I don't need my van .
It puts a smile on your face both ways as its completely the wrong tool for the job.
Completely capable though and parks and stair-sets are a hoot. I take the sensible bike with guards when it's raining heavily.
Did a period of using my bikepacking bike with luggage attached at the tail end of summer.
I would hate to be stuck with a bike that's ideal for commuting.
This got built for a work (s)crap bike challenge ride, so it did manage the occasional commute.
On the way into work I cheerily overtook a triathlete in full kit and tt bike who was making hard work of a small hill. Minutes later he came steaming past and COMPLETELY blanked me - didn't appreciate the scalp by 35lbs of fixie radiator 🙂
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Wow - radiator bike is absolutely bonkers. Well done.
'fun' in as much as it is a silly colour and can also be raced on the CX course.
However not one for bumbling in slowly and unsweatily, even when disguised as a commuter with mudguards on.
toofarwest for the win so far! 😎
'fun' in as much as it is a silly colour and can also be raced on the CX course.
However not one for bumbling in slowly and unsweatily, even when disguised as a commuter with mudguards on.
toofarwest for the win so far! 😎
Bought from Keswick MTB in about 1998, snapped last year and next door neighbour welded it back together!
It's very inappropriate because I used one of those repair your bike voucher thingies to fix it back up during COVID and a number of people on here thought this a disgrace...oh well.
toofarwest for the win so far!
Agreed and I want one!
Also I believe everyone should have a Harold. He’s a beauty.
@mick_r can you fill the radiator with water for the ultimate no bottle, no backpack riding experience? I bet that thing makes the trails come alive!
My full suspension ebike beauty, perfect for the Cotswolds:
Vertically stiff and laterally..... stiff.
Rusty radiator and ancient pre-fluxed brazing rods = many pin holes so definitely not watertight. I did consider using a cleaned out Fernox bottle in place of a normal drink bottle but decided I'd just end up poisoned.
I am loving the bike shaped bike shed.
Normal bike, tarty, heavy tires. Impractical, but they set you up with a different set of expectations about what you want from a bike ride. GP4000s they ain't.
Bit slow updating this, but here's what I ended up with:
Full build thread here https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=23325
I did take this just for the STW lols 🙂
Very nice, but misses the inappropriate brief. Looks like an absolutely ideal commuter.
Multicolour isn’t to my taste but otherwise it’s beautiful. Been staring at all the details for about 5 minutes now.
Can’t be arsed pedalling any more. Also my current commute is unpleasant on a bicycle due to narrow NSL roads and low average cycling speeds
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Starting a new job in July though back in brum, further but a more pleasant commute, might do the odd day back on the bike depending on what I need to carry IT wise.
Very nice, but misses the inappropriate brief. Looks like an absolutely ideal commuter.
Cheers! Yeah, I agree, obviously, but most people in this country seem to think that a full carbon road bike a rucksack is the ideal commuter... go figure 🤷♂️