Forums >Cross Training>City Commuter Bike
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I'm picturing the classic old clunker that you see in every picture of Amsterdam...like this:
Perfect. Kick-stands are underrated.
Ed - mount a boat air horn on the handle bars - then get right up to someone blocking your path and let 'er rip. I'd be pissed if it happened to me but the image of slow slogging pedestrians diving into shrubbery makes me belly laugh.
San Francisco - 7/29/12
Warrior Dash Ohio II - 8/26/12
Chicago - 10/7/12
i sacrificed the gift
Perfect. Kick-stands are underrated. Ed - mount a boat air horn on the handle bars - then get right up to someone blocking your path and let 'er rip. I'd be pissed if it happened to me but the image of slow slogging pedestrians diving into shrubbery makes me belly laugh.
This is a great idea. I'm not a cyclist (not that there's anything wrong with that), but I am going to run with a boat air horn at my next running race.
I am going to run with a boat air horn at my next running race.
Inventive. I like it!
I still think that bike looks too fancy for that guy. I'm picturing the classic old clunker that you see in every picture of Amsterdam...like this:
Those chains are sick. I see dudes in Manhattan riding around with even bigger, thicker chains draped across their bodies. I almost wonder if the chain is not to secure the bike, but to send the message "Do you want to steal a bike from a guy who rides around with this chain?"
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
Go on Craigslist and look for a cheap commuter bike. Personally, I too would not spend much money on a commuter for a three mile ride to work. Do you have a secure place to park it when you get to work? I bring mine into the office and leave it in my cube.
I sometimes commute to work from a friends house and travel 7.9 miles one way on a dedicated walking/bike trail. I ride a performance bike because I like to ride fast. I can average 19 mph on most days to and from, and thats only because I have to slow down and cross six raods. We have a shower at work so I put my office clothes in a backpack and head off to work. I don't ride if the weather is bad, just because I don't want to spend the time cleaning my gears and chain after a ride in the rain.
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
2014 Goals:
Stay healthy
Enjoy life
Queen of 3rd Place
The Nexus hub on that thing is sweet! I put a front rack my commuter, and got a bag that fits into it. Very easy to toss stuff in the bag. Plus you can mount all your lights on the front rack. I found I needed a couple of lights, but I'm commuting through dark semi-rural areas.
A bell is a must. Check out the classy brass bells (and other commuter friendly goodies) at Velo orange
Ex runner
Menace to Sobriety
You'll be the talk of the town on this:
Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go f*** himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.
That. is. awesome.
And I'm hoping I like the suspension seatpost, because the pavement here is absolutely terrible.
If you're not going the clunker route, consider getting carbon seatpost. You can also get a gel seatcover. All this might be overkill, but these are some alternatives.
Barefoot and happy
I wish I had a picture of the plexiglass bike I see around here sometimes. The whole frame is several layers of plexiglass bolted together, and cut into the shape of a woman. Then you have the custom bikes made out of several normal size bikes welded together, with the rider 15 feet up. And the homemade electric skateboards.
If you want to be an oddball in this town, you have to try harder. On my ride in this morning I passed a guy cross country skiing down the street (with wheels, obviously).
Well, I bet you're known as the barefoot running guy.