Why skimp on the price of your commuting bike?

[Calvin27]

My 2c on this thread.

1. Car and bike are complementary imo unless you live near transport, unfortunately for a lot of us we still have to depend on cars.
2. Everyone has forgotten about n+1. Who the hell buys a bike and then doesn't proceed to buy nice kit, experiment with saddles and tyres and then outright try buying different new bikes all the time lol?
3. I started riding my good roadie to work in light of this thread. My commuter is now full time gravel grinder again but I think I will go back to it once it gets hot enough to not want to wear a backpack.

[Bendo]

I lost my license so needed a way to get to work. Public Transport is too slow so went for the Ebike option. For $3500 it is the best commute option there is. I'm not normally a regular cyclist but I'm about as quick as the bus on my 20km trip. One month in I'm killing it and won't go back even after I get my license back.
Electric assist allows sturdier components that can handle the abuse of regular commuting but still requires a workout. I normally ride a motorbike so used to the two wheel dynamics, but pedal power with the electric boost to keep up with traffic hits a sweet spot for me.
I have the benefit of showers at work and I park my bike at my desk which helps with clean up and security. It makes commuting by bike the best possible option regardless of cost (or until electric motorbikes are more widely available.

This is so awesome! b

[ColinOldnCranky]

I rode for almomst three decades on bike paths and on highways and only as a commute. The bike was a decent quality double butted CroMo racing frame, best lights I could buy at the time (shite), lightweight panniers, Shimana ex600 parts, three quality chains rotated, regular but not anal self servicing etc etc etc. A good bike but probably not a touch on a $3K bike of today. It was FINE!

Following on from Calvin27, the $10,000 bikes value is likely to be the pleasure from looking it standing out side the coffee shop, comparing notes with other riders (dick pointing contest) and other indulgences, but little to do with extra utility, especially if then having to go to extra lengths to protect it from normal damage and falls and from theft.

I am having to store my daughters bike shortly when she heads overseas for a year. She is fine with me locking her dirt bike in the underground apartment car park. But she is insisting her highly priced plastic fantastic goes into my meagre 3 square metre lock-up storage.

On comparison with a car, what has the price of running a car got to do with it. Kerry packer probably jumps in a helicopter for the occasional short hop, is there an equivalent bike to that? If the government suddenly put a 100% tax on cars and related expenses would that reduce the utility and effectiveness of everyone's bike and a need to trade up to double-the-price bikes?

Bendo, do you have a car? I would hazard a guess that almost everyone on these pages does, where many of he costs do not reduce just by riding the bike.

Clothing for the seasons, visibility and lights and the right tools are worth thinking about. A bike that is expensive and just gives a buzz for it being so should not be justified in any way other than it feels good and you have the wherewithal and an understanding partner. And no need to feel guilty about it.

[g-boaf]

Following on from Calvin27, the $10,000 bikes value is likely to be the pleasure from looking it standing out side the coffee shop, comparing notes with other riders (dick pointing contest) and other indulgences, but little to do with extra utility, especially if then having to go to extra lengths to protect it from normal damage and falls and from theft.

Maybe some people have those bikes for pose value, but not everyone. I have a quite expensive bike I commute on, but it doesn't stand much outside coffee shops, I don't frequent coffee shops much anyway. And it must now be approaching 45,000km. It is used a lot!

It is used for commuting to work, on my way home I make my little 11km commute into a 70km commute sometimes because I feel like it. It does commute rides, weekend rides, and it has taken me up and down massive mountains in Europe with no drama. Utility? That bike does everything that is asked of it. I cannot think of a better bike, and certainly not some enormous massive stepover thing.

[ColinOldnCranky]

That's why I said "likley" G-Boaf. I'm sure that, in the thousands of riders on this forum there would be a number who just like to do serious distances or times or other challenges of reasons.

My comment (and others) is a generalization, though I suspect a quite valid one. Probably would have been better to have stated this in my post.

[ironhanglider]

I have a seperate bike for weekend rides/racing etc.

My commuter bike is a dedicated tool for one task, getting me and my stuff to work in a reliable and comfortable fashion. Part of it's 'comfort' is the fact that it doesn't cost an arm and a leg and if it gets stolen or damaged I can more or less just shrug it off and get another. Sure it is not the 'perfect' commuter but it is close enough to be very good.

My bike is an Aldi road bike, which I got primarily because I reckoned that I'd be able to make it fit me, and that it had fittings for guards and racks. Yes I doubled its price by adding the guards, racks, dynohub, lights, stem and a saddle but I never planned on the bike to be perfect out of the box.

Sure I've worn out a fair amount of stuff in 20,000km, but once the running gear has been replaced once it is not very different to starting with a more expensive bike.

Mind you those Tasmanian Vivente's that popped up not long ago would be a great start point.

Cheers,

Cameron

[Bendo]

Yes I do own a car as it happens. Or rather my wife and I both own one car. We don't own two cars though, so she uses the car to get to work and I use the bike. So the money I've saved is on not owning the second car. Sadly, we are one of the few one-car families I know.

The $10,000 bike being a carbon fibre road bike is only one paradigm. What about one of this guy's bikes? Or this guy's? Or these? Or these? They'll take a big chunk out of 10 grand but take you anywhere quickly and comfortably, and @Calvin27 you could do away with the backpack altogether! The fact that most of the GP don't know what they are yet might even protect them from theft (although I would never leave one parked in the street all day every day)! b

[Thoglette]

The $10,000 bike being a carbon fibre road bike is only one paradigm. What about one of ..

J.P. Weigle's works of art? Jan Heine's bike for example, 9.1kg including fenders and hub dynamo lights. And a rumoured $9,500USD.

[piledhigher]

Thought of this thread today, back on the regular commuter today after a week on the cross bike (busted shifter cable on the commuter).

After a week on the cross bike the average commute is +3minutes each way, so the real question is why skimp on the aero and speed of your commuter? If I rode the cross bike all year I would lose 20+ hrs on a slower commute.

[Bendo]

The $10,000 bike being a carbon fibre road bike is only one paradigm. What about one of ..

J.P. Weigle's works of art? Jan Heine's bike for example, 9.1kg including fenders and hub dynamo lights. And a rumoured $9,500USD.

Haha! Indeed. The only reason I didn't include Peter Weigle in that selection is he doesn't have an online order page. B

[Bendo]

Thought of this thread today, back on the regular commuter today after a week on the cross bike (busted shifter cable on the commuter).

After a week on the cross bike the average commute is +3minutes each way, so the real question is why skimp on the aero and speed of your commuter? If I rode the cross bike all year I would lose 20+ hrs on a slower commute.

I can't picture your bikes at all. When you say "commuter" I picture a flat bar or hybrid from Reid with heavy tyres and a cheap derailleur. That's obviously not what yours is! B

[Bendo]

Thought of this thread today, back on the regular commuter today after a week on the cross bike (busted shifter cable on the commuter).

After a week on the cross bike the average commute is +3minutes each way, so the real question is why skimp on the aero and speed of your commuter? If I rode the cross bike all year I would lose 20+ hrs on a slower commute.

I can't picture your bikes at all. When you say "commuter" I picture a flat bar or hybrid from Reid with heavy tyres and a cheap derailleur. That's obviously not what yours is! B

Who knew the BNA forum has a deal to automatically hyperlink to Reid's home page? Let's try a few more: Trek Specialised Giant Colnago Cervelo Pegoretti Herse Paconi. Ah, it's only Reid. Must be part of their advertising deal. Pity if your name is Reid...

[piledhigher]

Thought of this thread today, back on the regular commuter today after a week on the cross bike (busted shifter cable on the commuter).

After a week on the cross bike the average commute is +3minutes each way, so the real question is why skimp on the aero and speed of your commuter? If I rode the cross bike all year I would lose 20+ hrs on a slower commute.

I can't picture your bikes at all. When you say "commuter" I picture a flat bar or hybrid from Reid with heavy tyres and a cheap derailleur. That's obviously not what yours is! B

No commuting regular is my road bike from 2004. aluminium/carbon.

WP_20170711_18_22_16_Pro_LI by PiledHigher, on Flickr

[Thoglette]

After a week on the cross bike the average commute is +3minutes each way

Say What is wrong with your cross bike? And I'm impressed that you've got enough data to show, (statistically), a 3 minute change.

I've got so many delays outside my control that I've got about 5 minutes of "noise" in my commute - traffic lights; congestion; wind etc. And that's before you consider my degree of laziness.

[RobertL]

After a week on the cross bike the average commute is +3minutes each way

Say What is wrong with your cross bike? And I'm impressed that you've got enough data to show, (statistically), a 3 minute change.

I've got so many delays outside my control that I've got about 5 minutes of "noise" in my commute - traffic lights; congestion; wind etc. And that's before you consider my degree of laziness.

My commute is about 9.5km. I have two bikes that I regularly use - a flatbar commuter with rack and panniers, and my road bike which I usually ride only with a little messenger bag or no bag at all.

I have similar "noise" to deal with that affects my commute time - traffic, lights, wind. Cutting through that noise, my road bike is consistently about 2 minutes faster than my flatbar, due to the lower weight and greater aerodynamics.

My ride to work is also consistently about 2 minutes faster than my ride home. This is mostly because I live on top of a decent hill.

Interestingly, my fastest ever commute was on my faster bike (the roadie) but my slower direction (going home). My wife had taken herself to hospital with an eye problem, and I was hustling home to go and collect her. Amazing what motivation can do.

[piledhigher]

After a week on the cross bike the average commute is +3minutes each way

Say What is wrong with your cross bike? And I'm impressed that you've got enough data to show, (statistically), a 3 minute change.

I've got so many delays outside my control that I've got about 5 minutes of "noise" in my commute - traffic lights; congestion; wind etc. And that's before you consider my degree of laziness.

Not statistically but anecdotally, there is little noise in my commute as only 3 traffic lights in 17.5 kms. On Friday morning I did it non stop. ON the roady it's is in the the 39-42 minute window inbound everyday unless disruptions are in place.

[boyracer]

After a week on the cross bike the average commute is +3minutes each way

Say What is wrong with your cross bike? And I'm impressed that you've got enough data to show, (statistically), a 3 minute change.

I've got so many delays outside my control that I've got about 5 minutes of "noise" in my commute - traffic lights; congestion; wind etc. And that's before you consider my degree of laziness.

Not statistically but anecdotally, there is little noise in my commute as only 3 traffic lights in 17.5 kms. On Friday morning I did it non stop. ON the roady it's is in the the 39-42 minute window inbound everyday unless disruptions are in place.

The new Hammerhead Karoo computer has data fields for time 'stopped' as well as elapsed time. You can program in speed at which to call up this function. I'm sure other cycle computers do this too. I then set 'laps' for the particular sections i want to push on...i.e. all the sweet dirt sections.
I got my 43 km commute down to 1 hr 16 minutes on my 38 mm tyred CX bike (9.7 kg - cost about an tenth of the above J.P. Wiegle) including dirt sections and 1 hr 20 on the 27 mm tyred roadie. Usually faster on way home for me.