To me, a commuter bike has to be reliable. I’m not too picky about how light it is nor about how good it looks. If a bike can get me to/from work without mechanical problems, I’m a happy rider.
So what matters to you? Say it on our new poll!!
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I bought a 2004 Specialized Globe with very little research. I bought panniers, a patch kit, and tire levers at the same time. I’ve had to have a couple spokes fixed and a 1 new tire in 2 years of on/off commuting in Florida. It’s not light, it’s not stylish, but it is reliable, came with all the accesories, and as a plus, the Nexus power hub gives me extra geek cred.
The more I hang out with Moe the more I’ve become a weight weeinie…I want my commuter to be relatively light…not 40lbs like my mountain bike!
My commuter is a tank – a 2006 Kona Smoke. Full Fenders, SRAM grip shifts (for the three man-made hills along my commute) and a Jandd grocery bag pannier. I went with the basket-type pannier because it’s easy as pie to slip my backpack in it and be gone. Plus it looks cool (at least according to me, if not my wife).
I also own a Kona Smoke! Right now it’s in pieces, but it’s ready to come back to work as a singlespeed!
My “main” commuter bike is a tank, too…one of those sturdy (but heavy as a pig) Nashbar CroMo MTB frames with an eclectic mix of parts (Suntour XC Pro derailleur running over a 9 speed Shimano cassette, operated by friction Suntour barend shifter). I have it set up as a 1×9, and with my work load (library books, dress shoes) and gear (fenders, panniers and rack, bunch of blinkies and lights), it weighs something like 70 lbs….ugh!!!
Reliability is of utmost importance for a commuter bike…ugly so no one is tempted to steal it, versatile so it can fill many roles, but bulletproof so’s I get to work on time!!!
By the way, Ryan…even if you didn’t do much research, you still wound up with a great bike! Those Globes were way ahead of the curve when Specialized rolled them out in the late 90s. Good choice!!!
Simplicity, comfort and reliability. Nothing else matters. Fat tires, skinny tires, shocks, rigid, whatever.
I currently ride a fat tired 1987 Rock Hopper that I converted to fixed gear. I run cross tires on it and two racks (front/back) and a flipped nashbar trekking bar with a brooks saddle. The thing is functional. I love it.
Something else I look for is the ability to carry stuff. I always seem to be carrying something to work or to home, and I need a place to hang panniers or stow items.
I selected comfort, but only because you made me choose. I would hate to begin and end my day uncomfortably. But why can’t we have it all? I have come to expect reliability from my bicycles… I must be spoiled or blessed. On these steamy 80 degree days, I would definitely prefer a lighter bicycle with components to match. It doesn’t necessarily have to come with all of the accessories, but it absolutely must have rack, fender and water bottle mounts. The only thing listed in the poll which I could care less about is style, but if it looks cool that is a bonus!
What about safety? The first thing I do to any commuter bike that I will be riding after dark or before sunrise is add reflective tape and striping. I don’t see many bikes coming stock with more than the minimum reflectors required in most states. For me, factory equipped lighting and reflective striping would be a big selling point on the right bicycle.
Light, fast, simple, and reliable. My commute is only five miles each way, and I’m too fast to concern myself with comfort, hehehe.
I have a Gary Fisher Tiburon. I too bought the bike before ever considering commuting. I bought it for exercise – and I have never been able to get an accurate measure of its weight. But seeing as I have at least 30 I should shed, I am not going to worry about 5 or 6 pounds on a bike. My main concern is it is sturdy and reliable…
Tanks?!? You think you ride tanks? My favorite bike, the one that gets me everywhere, even on Sundays when my commute is 20 miles one way, is the Dreadnought. It’s a severely customized XtraCycle/Cycle Truck conversion, with pretty much every accessory imaginable built in, and many pieces of standard equipment that I somehow can’t seem to stand to leave behind (tool kit, first aid kit, rain gear, extra cargo tie downs, etc.). I frequently load it up with groceries, furniture, boxes of books, or other transportables, but without any extraneous cargo load, carrying only the paraphernalia that I always bring, it tips the scales at (ready?) 98lbs. The secret is in the gearing and the Big Apple Tires. It rolls nice; not all that fast, but nice and steady, if a bit sluggish up the hills around Seattle. It seems to be good excercise, too. Ride on!
Hey Val, can you submit a picture of your 98lb monster??? I would love to see what it looks like.
For a commuter who needs to dress professionally for work: a step-through frame, fenders, chain-guard.
For reliability: puncture resistant city tires and an internally geared hub.
For safety: reflective side-walls, headlight and rear light (dynohub), bell.
For transporting stuff: rear rack and basket.
For easy parking: kickstand and built-in lock
And it has to be light enough to load on the front rack of the city bus! My ride is a Breezer Uptown 8. It has all of the above options. I added the basket, but it came with everything else, and weighs in at about 33lbs. I love this bike so much- it does it all!
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