in Beginners, Newbies, Noobz, etc (Moderators: imwjl, TheMayor1)

I was wondering how many from here commute on there bike to and from work daily?
If you do commute do you ride a MTB or do you use something more road bike like?

I commute daily from Monona to Fitchburg, average 40 per day/ 20 on Fridays.  I ride a fixed gear Eddie Merckx.  Im part of the National Commute Challenge through Endomondo, very fun - ends this week actually. 

I have a paltry 2 mile commute but I do it every day year round.  I change up bikes from time to time, but mostly I do it on a light touring bike in good weather or an old single speed mountain bike when conditions are sub optimal.

The commute I am contemplating making is 22 miles round trip and I would like to do it every day I work and also when the weather gets nastier.  I have a hard tail Trek that I am currently riding.  I am thinking that a rigid would be better due to my distance and it is all paved roads or paths.

comfort is key when riding daily.  my bro rides a Giant hardtail everyday and finds it works well.  His commute is 16ish round trip.  Good pack, rear fender for rain and pack the night before - always.

Fenders...full coverage if you can get them on the bike.  They make all the difference in the world when commuting.

When I lived in Madison, I commuted to work in all kinds of weather...it was 6-8 miles each way.  I showered and changed once I got to work.  I have the luxury of a locker room and showers on the same floor in the building as my lab is though.

Once in a while, about 2-3X per year, I still do the commute in from Mount Horeb.  That's about 50 miles round trip for me.

I wouldn't recommend using your regular mountain bike as a commuter.  On the commuter you'll probably want a rack and fenders and various other accessories that will make the bike less mountain bikey plus the knobby tires will roll slow and wear down quickly. A mountain bike works fine (especially with smooth tires) but trying to use one bike two very different jobs will leave you with a machine that's not very good at either task.

I wouldn't recommend using your regular mountain bike as a commuter.  On the commuter you'll probably want a rack and fenders and various other accessories that will make the bike less mountain bikey plus the knobby tires will roll slow and wear down quickly. A mountain bike works fine (especially with smooth tires) but trying to use one bike two very different jobs will leave you with a machine that's not very good at either task.

Ok so maybe something more road bike style would be better?  Now to find the money for that?

I wouldn't recommend using your regular mountain bike as a commuter.  On the commuter you'll probably want a rack and fenders and various other accessories that will make the bike less mountain bikey plus the knobby tires will roll slow and wear down quickly. A mountain bike works fine (especially with smooth tires) but trying to use one bike two very different jobs will leave you with a machine that's not very good at either task.

Ok so maybe something more road bike style would be better?  Now to find the money for that?

Hi,

The used bike shops and Craigslist will have choices good for bike commuting and at modest prices.

Good luck.

My commute is 27 miles round trip from Fitchburg to the far SE side of Madison.  I do it about once per week during Spring, Summer, and Winter, and about twice per week during Fall.

If the weather is nice, I ride my Trek Soho S (which Trek has since renamed District S), that I usually have set in fixed-gear mode.  This bike has been modified with drop bars and a rear rack.

In bad weather, I ride an early '90s inexpensive Trek mtn bike.  It's old enough to be from the time before suspension.  This bike has rear rack and full fenders.  The usual tires are 26X1.75 semi-slicks, but in winter I install a pair of Hakkapeliitta W106 studded tires.

I'm always amazed how I can get to work a lot faster on the Soho fixed-gear than I can on the old 21 speed mtn. bike.  It's about 47 minutes vs. 55.  The lighter weight and drop bars are part of it, but I'm sure most of the difference is simply 120 psi 700X28 tires vs. 65 psi 26X1.75.

I would agree on having a second bike (or third, or...). 

On cost, my wife and I have both bought bikes (and parts) from Dream Bikes.  They seem to have decent prices, though it is somewhat hit-and-miss with their selection vs your size and requirements.  Plus, they are a non-profit that provides employment for kids in the neighborhood.

21 miles is very doable 3 seasons if you have enough time.  Winter can be substantially harder depending on your route.  Some of the paths aren't kept clear, and I personally try to stay on paths as much as possible when the roads are slick (I fall on the path, no biggie, but if a car looses control...).  Good luck!

I ride most days of the week... unless I drive like I did today so I can head out to Blue Mound SP after work and hit some trails.

Most of the time I ride my Masi touring setup. Full fenders, rack, lights, etc. Commute is about 12 miles round trip from the Southwest side up to Middleton. Got a new 29er so it's been fun to mix things up a bit. Sometimes I ride the fixed gear. I've debated selling the Masi and the fixed and getting something like the Trek Soho Deluxe with internal hub, fenders, etc...

I did find my old rigid Univega 3.3 rover MTB in the shed at the folks house yesterday, so I think that might be a good thing to modify for commuting. I would like to change the bars to drops but it looks like it is a quill stem with cantilever brakes and the cable is through the current stem.  I know I can change out the parts but not sure if the cost to make this thing comfortable and road worthy is going to cost more than a new bike?

I ride three to five times a week 27 miles round trip on a Trek Madone.  If it is raining or wet pavement, I ride a Trek Portland with fenders.  I sometimes shower when I get to work; my employer has locker rooms with towels and soap provided.  When I lived closer, I commuted by bike every day and had studded tires on one of my bikes.  And I, too, was part of the bike challenge and am glad it is over.  :-). Commuting by bike is not a had habit to keep up once you get started, and it helps if you find someone to share the ride with.  It doesn't happen often for me, though, but I like it when it does.

D