The Quest For the Perfect Commuter Bike

I am currently on my 8th commuter bike, since starting my daily commute back in May of 2007. That doesn't count the 3 dedicated "snow bikes" that I've used over the past two winters.



"Why so many bikes in such a short time?", you might ask. Basically, I have been trying to find that one bike which works for my commute, with the least amount of repair and maintenence. To that end, I have experimented with different styles of bikes (all set up with a fixed gear drivetrain, with the exception of the snow bikes).



The first bike was the pink Gary Fisher(May, 07 to August, 07), set up with a White Industries ENO hub and On-One Mary Bars. I started out with a fat-tired bike because the relatively large air volume protects the rims, gives a smoother ride, and requires airing up fewer times per month. I really don't want to have to mess around with the bike constantly, since I ride it constantly.



All of these bikes were outfitted with a rack, panniers and (for most) fenders.



Unfortunately, the ENO hub did not want to stay adjusted in the dropouts on the Fisher. Eventually, this resulted in the chain dropping into the spokes, on the way to work, taking out 8 spokes. I had to go home, switch to my orange Peugeot, and ride to work.



I replaced the Fisher with a GT Peace 9er singlespeed(August, 07 to September, 07). I replaced the stock wheels with a set of flip-flop wheels, with the rear hub spaced out to fit the 135mm rear dropouts. I couldn't come up with fenders, and just never really got comfortable on that frame. Plus, I suffered numerous flats on it, which sort of gave me a bitter taste in my mouth. Eventually, I just decided to sell it, since I couldn't get it to suit me.



I had built up the Miami Vice bike(September, 07 to December, 07), in the meantime, and moved the rack and bags over to it. A set of fenders went on, and I really liked it. I did notice, though, that I seemed to be working harder to maintain the same speed as what I had come to think of as "normal" on the 9er.



In December of 07 the snow began to fly in earnest. I built up the Fisher, again, this time with SnowCat rims (double width), six speed drivetrain and studded snow tires. There was no way to get fenders on the bike, with the studded tires, so I had to put up with a lot of road spray on thaw days. Nonetheless, I used that bike as the snow rig all of that winter, and through November of the next year.



In February of o8, I acquired a 1989 Rockhopper frame, and built it up as the red "magic bike" (February, 08 to April, 08). A "magic bike" is how I refer to these old mountain bikes built up with 700c flip/flop wheels and flipped 3-speed handlebars. For some reason, these bikes seem to go faster with less effort than any other bike I ever build up. Plus, they are extremely stable, especially with the bags loaded down.



I retired it and built up the 1988 yellow RockHopper (April, 08 to May, 09) because I wanted to use the red frame to build up a bike for Brad. The red one had cantilever mounts front and rear, while the yellow frame had a below-the-chainstay U-Brake mount, and Brad wanted cantis on his bike.



This yellow bike is the bike I eventually spray-painted and named the "Ghetto" bike.



In the meantime, as I was using the RockHopper on the dry days, I built up a DiamondBack Voyager as the snow bike (November, 08 to February, 09). I built it with a 24 speed drivetrain, On-One Midge bars and bar-end shifters (along with the SnowCat wheels). I could never get comfortable on this bike, in the snow. For some reason, no matter if it was snowy or dry, using the snow wheels or the standard wheels, I was s-l-o-w on it, taking 5 to 10 extra minutes to get to work.


So, in February, I built up the chrome Schwinn, using the 26" flip/flop wheels from the Miami Vice bike, the studded tires and the Mary bars which had originally been on the Fisher. This bike worked fine, and I used it on snow days for the rest of the season (including during the blizzard we had in April).



During the year that I used the RockHopper, I broke a spoke here and there on the rear wheel. I suspect that the 35c tire just couldn't absorb enough of the shock as I dropped off of or jumped up onto the curb at the point where I cross the Interstate on-ramp every day. Finally, one day in May, I broke 4 spokes at once on the way home!


I limped it home, drug out the "Motobecane" (Kinesis-built) 29er frame I had been playing around with and built it up as a fixed-gear 29er with a rack and fenders, and mustache bars. I rode it a couple of days and, happy with the the performance of the bigger wheels and the protection that the big tires were giving me, decided to buy a steel 29er frame to use on a "permanent" basis.


Why did this bike suit me when the GT did not? I don't know, really. It might just fit better. It might just be the tires. It really didn't matter to me, I just liked it.



I went looking for a Raleigh XXIX frame, but couldn't find one. I ended up with a SOMA 415, and modified it to take the 29 inch wheels and tires. Then, almost immediately, found the Raleigh frame I wanted. All told, I used the SOMA for 2 weeks.

Now, I have this Raleigh XXIX:


Why do I feel that this bike is closer to the ideal commuter than the first (or second, or third...) bike that I built up? Well, the big wheels and tires roll almost as well as the 700x35c tires on the "magic bikes", but the 29er tires have the air volume to allow me to run a bit lower pressure and protect the rims/spokes. Plus, the disc brakes allow me to run the 26" snow wheels, now equipped with matching 130mm rotors, rather than having a separate dedicated snow bike.

When it snows, I simply have to swap wheels, rather than go out to the shop and drag out a whole other bike, transfer my stuff to its bags and then ride.


Above is the Raleigh with the 26" snow wheels on it. (The chain is not on the cog, because I didn't have another 18-tooth cog to match up the gearing, and I didn't want to adjust the eccentric bottom bracket just to take a picture).

I don't think I'll have any clearance problems with the fenders, when it snows!

So, as of now, this is the best version of a commuter that I can come up with.

What's not perfect? Well, the frame doesn't have any eyelets to mount racks and fenders, so I had to use P-clamps to mount everything. So far, that's all I can point out that doesn't suit me.

I've been riding it for a couple of months, now, with no problems to speak of. So, I'm hoping I may have finally gotten it right.

Why all of these words about my stupid bikes? Mainly, I wanted to go through my thought processes on this in order to help answer the question, "What kind of bike makes a good commuter?" For me, this is it.

For you, some variable might make this bike less than perfect. If you have a hilly commute, you might want multiple gears. If you really want to go fast, and pack lightly/ride smooth roads, skinnier tires might be more appropriate.

It has taken me two years of trial and error to arrive at this bike. It might take you a while to figure out your needs, as well. And, if I didn't have the luxury of being able to build up my own bikes, I'd have made the pink Fisher work out, one way or the other. But, building bikes up is my main hobby, so I was able to experiment.

Now, I just need to sell off some of my experiments to people who see them as close to right for their own commutes.

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Cooking In The Dark

I haven't done any night rides on the the mountain bike, lately, but that doesn't mean I haven't had use for the equipment.

Grilling after sundown, on the 4th of July.

I'm obviously no vegetarian. Elk, buffalo, beef and turkey (sausage) on the grill...

Those coals are just right!

Hope you all had a happy and safe 4th!

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Saturday Ride

Be sure to click for BIG! On Saturday, Mark, Carol, Dan (above) and I all met at my house and took a little 1-hour ride. Mark was test-riding my 53cm LeMond frame to see if he would want to purchase it to build a nice road bike out of it.

Unfortunately, the 53cm version of the frame doesn't fit to suit him (he had a 55, before, and we were hoping a stem swap would make up the difference). But, fortunately, the weather was great and the company was good and we all had a good ride.

Afterward, when we got back to the house, the front yard was a cave of tree-shade, so we brought the dogs out front and sat around in the lawn chairs with some frosty beverages.

Eventually, talk came around to the high-wheeler, and I went and got it out. After I demo'd it, for a couple of minutes, Dan jumped up and rode a couple of laps. Next time: Dismounting!

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Beyond the Valley of Return From Vacation

The ride back to Denver was remarkable only because it was so unremarkable. There was no drama to speak of; no flat tires, mechanical problems, weirdness from other drivers or, even, bad weather. I saw a lot of storms on the horizon, but only got rained on for about 5 minutes. I stopped, put on my rain suit, rode about 5 minutes, then stopped and took the rainsuit off.

I spent the night in Topeka, then cruised on in to Denver on Sunday. During that part of the trip, though, there was one remarkable thing: my wrists and shoulders were killing me.

The Trident is set up for canyon carving (at least, as much as a big heavy bike like the Trident can be set up for that), with racing catridge emulators in the forks and the preload/compression damping on high at the back. Expansion joints, cracks and other pavement irregularities come right up through the handlebars and to your arms as you ride. Seven years ago, when I built this bike up into its current configuration, that didn't really affect me. Now, however, it does.

Combine that with my concerns about the age of the bike, and you'll understand that I solidified my decision to buy a bike more suited to travel. While I had originally thought I might get a Triumph Tiger, I decided to go with a Japanese brand so that I can find a dealer almost anywhere, if I need one while on a trip. Triumph dealers are relatively rare (especially down South), and Suzuki dealers are not.

So, I decided to look for a V-Strom (DL 1000). There were 4 or 5 interesting examples on Craigslist, so I shot off some emails. The one I ended up buying was actually in my neighborhood, about a half-mile away.


It is almost totally stock, mechanically, but has a number of accessories that I wanted: hard bags, top trunk, center stand, engine guards and folding highway pegs.

The fellow I bought it from was the original owner. He told me that 13,000 of the 14,000+ miles on the bike were from 3 long trips. This appealed to me, since that means it hasn't been creeping along in stop-and-go traffic on a regular basis.

The rear bags are waterproof, with an o-ring seal around the perimeter of the lid.

Aaaah! A bug-eyed alien! Japanese styling can be pretty interesting, at times. I think it looks pretty good, but definitely different from the Trident.

The view from the cockpit.

I may drop the shield down to the lower position and see how that affects the air flow. Right now, the windshield is in the upper position, and I get a bit of helmet buffeting at highway speeds. Lowering it might make it better, might make it worse. We'll see...

Popping the highway pegs down gives me a few alternate leg positions (both feet down, both feet up, left up/right down, right up/left down).

The Givi top box is pretty roomy. My size XL full-face helmet fits with room to spare.

Two or three minutes work, with no tools required, and the bags are off.

That slims the look down, quite a bit.

And, the bags become luggage, once off the bike. Only the Givi lacks a carry handle, but that isn't too big of a deal. (EDIT: Actually, the Givi bag has a built-in grip, just not a strap handle.)

Even with the bags off, the big Suzi makes the Trident look...well...diminutive. That's a good trick, as the Trident is not a small bike by any means.

But the BoneShaker looms over them both, like the Eiffel tower over barges along the Seine.

Now, I need to make a couple of long trips and make sure the bike is how I want it. It has the original seat on it, and I may want to get a Corbin like I have on the Trident. Anyway, the reason I went ahead and got the bike, now, is that I want it sorted and I want to be comfortable with it before I ride two days to Tennessee on it, next summer.

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The 1970s Are Dying...

David Carradine, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson...It's been a bad month for 1970s pop icons.

I'm feeling kinda old.

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Mountain Biking Maury County, Tennessee (Vacation, Part 2)

While we were visiting the parental units, my sister (along with her two boys) and I decided to go over to Maury County and visit my cousin Carol and her kids. My cousin Jeff caught wind of it, and called me up to see if I wanted to sample some of the local singletrack. I'm always up for a mountain bike ride, so we made plans to hit the trail after Jeff got off work on Wednesday.

Jeff is one of those guys who can really get to you if you are the least bit competitive. (Luckily, I'm not...) He's always the quickest to pick up any new activity, can ride a wheelie for miles (on either a pedal bike or a motorbike), races (and wins, unlike me) and just generally shows me up...I mean shows up the competitive guys who happen to be around.

So, I went into the ride with the full knowledge that I was about to get my butt kicked.

Disrobing in public! Tsk, tsk...

Jeff is a bit taller than I am, so his bikes are just a tad big for me, but rideable. He graciously let me have the new Jamis, with hydraulic disc brakes and XTR components. Keep in mind, though, that I was riding in street clothes, on platform pedals using shifters I've never ridden offroad with and Jeff, in full moto/Eurotrash mode, has his brake levers set up opposite what I'm used to. The front brake is on the left, and the rear derailleur is a Rapid Rise, so the shifter works in reverse.

It was a recipe for hilarity.


Jeff called some buddies, to see if they wanted to meet us. Apparently, the dark clouds and near-constant thunder and lightning scared them off. Sissies!

The two of us took off for the first 8.5 mile lap, and I was instantly soaking wet. No, not from the rain (it was a gentle shower, just enough to turn the trail into snail-slime); I was soaking from the 180% humidity that is the norm in Tennessee. We rode along, with Jeff in the lead, warning me of upcoming turns and obstacles and occasionally asking (facetiously, I suspect) if the pace was too slow. Every time he asked, I'd suck my lungs back into my chest and say, "Nah, it's fine." Then, I'd go back to slowly dying and shifting in the wrong direction.

At one point, the trail tops a small bump, drops precipitously to the creek bank, then curves back to the right, away from the creek. I got a bit sketchy, so I grabbed a big handful of rear brake to correct my line. Of course, I actually grabbed a big honking handful of front Magura disc brake, and launched myself down the trail, sans bike. Oddly, I landed on my feet, avoiding a faceful of mud, and then almost fell down laughing.

Jeff, meantime, was soft-pedalling along waiting for me to catch up so that he could drop the hammer, once again.

I got back on, shifted to the wrong gear, and struggled on, slipping and sliding on the greasy trail. Minutes later, we were back at the truck.

"Want to do another lap?" Jeff asked. "We don't have to. I'll just be doing it for fitness, at this point..."

"Hell yeah, let's go," I replied. "Just keep in mind I'll be even slower than I was on this lap."

And, I was. In spades. But, I had a blast. It was nice to not only ride a mountain bike while I was there, but it was the first time that Jeff and I have been able to do something together in more years than I can remember.


If you embiggen this picture, you may think that someone hosed me down. Nope, that's auto-hosing (sweat to you Yankees).

Let me advise you, though, that even if you subscribe to the idea of Bicycle Chic and don't want to wear special clothes to ride a bike, it's not a good idea to mix cotton Fruit of the Loom underwear, high humidity, 17 miles of technical singletrack and this "saddle". I walked funny for two days. (Actually, I've walked funny for about 45 years...)

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Home

Actually, I'm at work. I got home on Sunday and got the bike unloaded.

Then, I mowed the front yard, since my house looked like abandoned property. The back yard was high, but of uniform length. The front, though, looked positively unkempt. So, I took care of it before I even sat down after getting off the motorbike.

Yesterday, I caught up on all of the other "been out of town stuff", including pedalling down to Kaladi for coffee. I looked at the computer a couple of times, but decided to wait until I was a bit more caught up and rested to make a big picture-heavy post.

So, this post is just to let you know I haven't dropped off the face of the earth.

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Vacation: Part 1

Brad met me at my house on Friday morning, and we rode over to Kaladi Brothers for a little pre-trip coffee. We sat for a bit, and had some Joe, then took off. The plan was for Brad to ride to Kiowa with me, where we would have breakfast and then he would turn back asI travelled on.

We got to Kiowa early enough that Brad figured he had plenty of time to continue on to Limon for the Truck Stop Breakfast. We blasted on down Highway 86 to I-70, then to the big truckstop. Greasy eggs, bacon and toast went down well (as always), and then we filled up with gas. Brad headed west to Denver, planning on following the Interstate back to town, as I headed east toward Tennessee.

It was nice to have a bit of a ride-out. It's been a long time since we have been able to get out on the motorbikes, together. As we rode, I started thinking that I might like to get another Bonneville and set it up for touring. The Trident has 53,000 miles on it and, while the motor is good and strong, I am beginning to get a bit nervous about the ancillary systems on a 13 year-old bike. I don't really relish the thought of some cable/hose/wire/fitting failing from age and leaving me stranded in Kansas at 10:00 PM.

Oh, well, I'll worry about that later.


I don't listen to an iPod, or a radio or anything as I ride. I listen to the sound of the motor, and the wheels on the pavement, and I think. I believe this is as much of the reason I enjoy touring by motorbike as anything else. It's rare that you spend 8 or 10 hours in a row, nowadays, without a lot of distracting input. On the bike, I pay attention to what I'm doing, and I provide my own entertainment.

One of the things I was thinking about as I rode was how pretty the plains of Eastern Colorado and Western Kansas are, right now. We have had a wet spring, and the grass on the rolling terrain is lush and beautiful. The trees along the drainages and around the widely spaced farmhouses are leafed out in brilliant green.

I always think that this part of the trip is tedious and ugly in a car, but I find myself amazed at the beauty of the area from the seat of a motorbike.

The first day's riding was relatively uneventful. I blew into Kansas City a bit after dark, made my way through to the eastern suburbs and pulled off at Blue Springs, Mo. for the night. Thirty minutes after I got my stuff unloaded from the bike, a huge thunderstorm broke loose
with high winds, drenching rains and that kind of fast-strobe lightning that looks like a fluorescent light with a bad ballast.

I had, with my amazing ability to find the worst lodging possible, checked into an old motel which, while clean, was obviously past it glory days. The vending machine area was an empty room, and there was no ice machine. I did find a pop machine by the pool (90 cents for a 12-oz. Diet Coke) and a chip machine in the lobby. So, after a sumptious feast of Fritos and Diet Coke, I turned off the light and went to sleep. Outside, the storm raged, but I was warm and dry and tired enough after 11 hours in the saddle to sleep through anything.

Saturday dawned bright and cool. The rain was long gone, but a bit of fog remained. I wore my rain jacket over my ventilated riding jacket for about the first 5 hours that I rode. The temperature never climbed above 80 degrees until late in the day.

At one point, after I had passed Saint Louis and was headed south on I-55, I was startled by a crotch-rocket style bike blowing by me at about 110 mph (I was cruising along at 80, myself). Within the next minute, or so, another dozen similar bikes came screaming by. Many of them had been lowered, and a couple had extended drag-style swingarms. Obviously, a club out for a ride (and about a third of them were women, which I thought was pretty cool, considering what a boy's club motorcycling is).

Funny thing was, they all slowed down about a quarter-mile in front of me, and did the same speed I was doing for the five miles I was behind them. Eventually, they all peeled off at an exit and gathered in a filling-station parking lot. I tootled on by at 80, gave them a wave, and continued on my way.
Eventually, I got to I-155, and crossed the Mississippi River into Tennessee. To give you an idea how tiring two long days, in a row, on a motorbike can be; I actually thought I was smiling when I took this picture!

I eventually got home, after passing the same Model A Ford three times in 100 miles (I guess they continued on past as I would fill up with gas, eat an ice cream bar, etc.) in time for my mother's 78th birthday dinner (corned beef and cabbage).

The next day, I actually went to church and listened to my daddy give the sermon (as guest speaker). As I walked in, the Holy Water boiled out of the font and the crucifix caught on fire, but other than that it was pleasant.

My sister and her boys showed up, that afternoon, and the real visiting began. Kyle had ordered a Diabolo, and we broke it out and started learning to use it. I'll leave you with some video of that action...



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