I want to start pedaling to work

Advice for a newish rider and 5mi commute:

Look around your area for a Bike Co-op (In Seattle for example, Bike Works does a lot of flat bar conversions of road bikes for commuting and sell for good prices)

Comfortable bike is primary.  Used Hardtail MB is probably the best value.  Road bike is fine as long as the fit is good for you.

Consider $100 in budget for tires. By far the best performance and comfort item. Googelize "fast bike tires" and research what's out there. Narrow is not necessarily the way. 

Use a large flat grippy MB pedal and wear your comfortable shoes. Skip the toeclips and clip in pedals.

Get a comfortable backpack or messenger bag. Cheaper than a good bike pannier and rack, and easier to take with you when locking up.

If the bike has to be locked up outside and exposed, make it ugly with black tape and spray paint on top of the tape (reversible). All locks can be cut in a few seconds.

A thin merino wool undershirt is the only way. Warm or cold weather. Will not stink , unlike synthetics (worst) or cotton (moderately bad and uncomfortable) .   When riding in the cold weather, I usually just add more layers of wool, allowing a small amount of airflow but maintain warmth. Try not to encase yourself in a plastic non breathing shell.  Goretex does not breathe enough.

AngryCorvair said:

Appleseed said:

You are invisible. Not a driver on the road will see you. Dress as brightly as you can and ride accordingly. 

Of the ones who *do* see you, 1 out of 10 wil be outwardly hostile to you.  They yell at you, lay on the horn for far too long to be a cautionary beep, sometimes swerve at you or at least in your direction after they have passed.

So:  Be visible.  Obey traffic signals.  Avoid riding on sidewalks.

it really depends on where you live. Here in South Jersey, half of them will be hostile, the rest won't care. Go 100 miles inland to Annapolis MD, people will fall all over themselves to be nice to a rider.You can ride three feet in on the shoulder and a car will hang back until it can swerve out of it's lane into oncoming traffic to pass you. In my couple of days riding there, not a single bad incident

Well, I got a bike. This one was in my price range, very close to home, and works flawlessly. Maybe paid a bit much at 300, at least according to internet value charts, but I thought it was fair so I rode it home. Thanks to John Welsh for initially pointing it out. In the 3 or so miles I rode home I think I might want a slightly softer seat... and I'll lower the handlebars slightly. Monday is my birthday and my wife says I can't touch it again until then, so hopefully I start riding to work next week. Thanks for all the input everyone. I'll post a picture once I remember to charge the battery for the camera.

In reply to barefootskater :

Here's a question for your wife

You live in St. George? Probably a great place to start riding. Eventually you'll need to move up to a sweet MTB from Guerrilla Gravity. 

The pleasure is in...

the denial

the anticipation

the surrender

Day 1 in the bag. I was off on my mileage estimate. according to the infallible google, it is only 3.7 miles. Took me 15 minutes. Usually takes me 10 to drive and park so that's not too bad. Hopefully I can keep it up every day.

I am kinda digging freight bikes.  In much the same way that hard saddlebags make a motorcycle infinitely more practical, this seems like the way to make bike commuting feasible.  I always have to take stuff to work, or home from work, or stop for some groceries, or return something to the store.  With this, I could do 90% of what I need a car for.  

This is even more my speed, with a low gear for the hills around here, I could rock this thing daily until it snows.  

In reply to pinchvalve :

Too wide

barefootskater said:

I hadn't thought of putting street tires on a mountain bike. That really opens up some possibilities. And a rack or saddlebag things are a great idea.

As to sweating and stinking, I do have a shower at work, but I don't see it as being too big a problem since I come in well before it gets hot, and boy does it get hot here. But when I did this before on my junk bike I would just change socks and shirt/undershirt and reapply the good old spice and party on. And since I work in slacks and a polo (kill me) I fully plan to change when I get to work anyway.

A commuter or hybrid bike will be much lighter than a mountain bike and way better for your intended purpose.

barefootskater said:

Day 1 in the bag. I was off on my mileage estimate. according to the infallible google, it is only 3.7 miles. Took me 15 minutes. Usually takes me 10 to drive and park so that's not too bad. Hopefully I can keep it up every day.

You will be able to, once your in a rhythm it's easy.

Having to commute by bike can suck though. Like when it's 30 degrees outside, and freezing rain, with a howling wind, and still dark. Ugh.

Dude! You just got two fifteen minutes workouts done in only 5 minutes each!!! 

Not only are you healthier I'm pretty sure you are a time traveler...

Also, I love my toe clips. I pretty much can't ride without them. They keep your feet perfectly on the pedals and give you lots more control of the bike. 

I'd recommend trying out a set if you don't have them. And you can use them with any shoes.

I think that if you want to start pedaling to work, you should buy a Chevy.

barefootskater said:

Day 1 in the bag. I was off on my mileage estimate. according to the infallible google, it is only 3.7 miles. Took me 15 minutes. Usually takes me 10 to drive and park so that's not too bad. Hopefully I can keep it up every day.

Props on day 1!  I’m moving soon to a new job/city and am hoping to bike to work as well. 3 miles through the woods on a trail (I don’t have a mountain bike yet) or 6 miles via roads. 

pinchvalve said:

 

I am kinda digging freight bikes.  In much the same way that hard saddlebags make a motorcycle infinitely more practical, this seems like the way to make bike commuting feasible.  I always have to take stuff to work, or home from work, or stop for some groceries, or return something to the store.  With this, I could do 90% of what I need a car for.  

Hey I got me one o those for commuting. I have about a 5 mile ride along a trail to the daycare, and then work is another mile or so. It's freaking fantastic if a little (a lot) slow. I added a mid-drive e assist to help with the hills around here. It's not slow anymore. The kids love it. 

I try to ride to work 2-3 times a week. It’s 20miles each way, so hard if I don’t do it consistently, but manageable if I stick to it.  I have 1500 very ft of climbing on the way home, but the way in is easier. :)  Make sure your bike is geared appropriately for your ride and fitness - at first, my road bike gearing was too tall for my steepest climbs and beginning fitness level. 

I started with a slick tired Mtb, but after experiencing a road bike i didn’t look back. Having a variety of hand locations on drop bars helped a lot, and in a strong head wind (typical here in summer on my ride in) the road bike was a lot more efficient.

as for smell: leaving  for work clean and wiping up with damp cloths helps me. A shower is better. I obviously change at work, and second the merino suggestion: it’s magic!

BE VISIBLE, but pretend you aren’t.. I spent two nights in a hospital last year trying to remember what happened after being hit by a car one morning. I was lit up and had a reflective gillet on. 

The mental and physical health benefits are enormous (particularly if your job, like mine, is mostly sedentary).

Day 2. Legs still sore from day 1. It was chilly out and my gym shorts are less than flattering...

In reply to Dr. Hess :

The Chevy has always gotten me anywhere I need to go, it's the Mazda that has been on stands more than not. 

Day 3. I really need to buy a helmet. Something that breathes. Walmart had nothing that fit my yuge head. Suggestions?

What is the diameter of your head?

I am an XL and have a Bern. So far mountain biking it breathes pretty well and it doesn't look super dorky. It was under $50 on Amazon.

Check out Performance Bike and Nashbar for online sales on helmets. You can pick up a good one for about $25. They all look stupid, so find one that has lots of openings and doesn't make you sick to look at.  Lighter weight is better for comfort, light color is good for visibility. Once it gets cold or rainy you can buy a cheap rain cover that will help keep you dry/warm.

Seriously consider buying some riding shorts. Spandex really is more comfortable if you have the bravery to rock it, but I usually wear mountain bike or commuting style baggy shorts with the padded liner. Non-cycling shorts often have a seam in the middle that will wear a hole in your crotch.

In reply to ultraclyde :

Only one comment: Thanks for the Nashbar reference! They have great stuff!!!

Nathan JansenvanDoorn said:

 

BE VISIBLE, but pretend you aren’t.. I spent two nights in a hospital last year trying to remember what happened after being hit by a car one morning. I was lit up and had a reflective gillet on. 

 

And this is why I won't even consider biking to work.  All the danger of a motorcycle without the ability to keep up with traffic.

In reply to tuna55 :

you're welcome. Yes they do. They're actually part of the same company as Performance Bike, so there's a lot of crossover, but Nashbar is more commuter/rando/normal stuff focussed and less racer focussed.