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Bike for commuters
#1
My commute to work is 15 miles
How much time do you have to commute to work?
What type of bicycle should I be looking for ?
  Reply
#2
(06-20-2022, 11:35 AM)marie Wrote:  My commute to work is 15 miles
How much time do you have to commute to work?
What type of bicycle should I be looking for ?

Hey Marie,

My commute is just under 40 miles and takes (at present health condition) about 2.75 hours averaging 15 mph including stops. I am biking about 7 miles on urban streets and the rest is, for the most part, well maintained rural roads and highway.
Since I am going a fair distance on the road it makes no real sense for me to use anything but a road bike or a near variant (e.g. hybrid). I have other bikes for other terrains and purposes; some of them are used for multiple applications in a manner well beyond the expected use of the bike's design and initial intended use. The road bike I use is something I have geared for fairly flat roads since my commuting and local topography don't require touring/hill climbing gears (I have separate bikes for those needs). I use either a small back pack or a rear rack with panniers if I really need to carry a lot of stuff, but I normally can commute with just the rear rack and a small bag on top which allows necessities plus a little, but keeps me from taking more than would be required for a simple one day commute or tour (excepting water requirements).

It depends on your terrain (road, off-road, flat, hilly, mixed, etc.), riding style regarding intensity, and how you need to feel and appear once you get to your destination whether it's work or somewhere else. I have shower and locker facilities at my work, and I am changing into OR scrubs so I don't need to have spare clothing, and I can always change into a clean set of scrubs and leave in my work "clothes" if required.
Another consideration is what are you doing with the bike if not using it for commuting. Will it be a commuting bike only, or will it also be used for recreational or other purposes? Do you already have a bike, but feel it is not appropriate for commuting that distance or terrain?

15 miles is a nice commute for keeping in shape; 30 miles a day even at a leisurely pace will definitely improve your conditioning and may make you want to change bike styles and /or bike set-up to something allowing for more speed (lighter weight, different gearing and components, etc.).

Also, take into consideration what you expect you'll need to transport during rides; don't forget about weather (wet, hot, cold) and night riding concerns regarding choosing the bike's design and accessories, and the clothing needed for those conditions.
Take care,
Jesper

"I am become Death, the destroyer of bicycles." NJS
  Reply
#3
(06-20-2022, 11:35 AM)marie Wrote:  My commute to work is 15 miles
How much time do you have to commute to work?
What type of bicycle should I be looking for ?

One serious consideration is whether you plan to commute by bike every day -- summer and winter -- rain or shine -- 5 days per week -- or if commuting will be just for nice weather with a good forecast for the return trip? Even if you choose to be a nice weather commuter, keep in mind that the forecast for your return trip isn't guaranteed to be accurate. How good those forecasts are will depend a lot on where you live. Here in the Ohio Valley we generally figure that the TV weather people have about a 50/50 chance of getting it right when they tell us what the weather WAS that day. We take storm forecasts seriously, but never trust a "Fair and sunny" forecast. There are many places where weather can be largely unpredictable... [Image: ocyqg23gvba81.jpg]
  Reply


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