Considering a Road bike for commuting... good idea?

Paul Bielec wrote:

I own a small size SUV and a MTB. The SUV allows me to transport up to 3
bikes inside without the need of rack. I never felt comfortable on a
road bike. Even when I ride on a bike path, I prefer a MTB because I
prefer its riding position. Since keeping in good shape is one of the
reasons I bike, I get more exercise with the same distance on a MTB too.
It's nice too not to get a flat tire every week.

It's been over 3000 miles since my last flat tire on my road bike.

--
Benjamin Lewis

A small, but vocal, contingent even argues that tin is superior, but they
are held by most to be the lunatic fringe of Foil Deflector Beanie science.

"jacques" wrote in message
news
I tend to agree with Buck. To ride in town I prefer a hybrid or whatever
it is called with 700x35 tires and a straight bar. When I go downtown with
my
road bike I don't feel too comfortable in the traffic. If you have to ride
any distance on unpaved roads don't get a road bike. I also favor my
hybrid because it has lights (half of the year I commute by night),
fenders (it may rain), and rack (I do sweat much more if I carry my bag on
my back). Overall it certainly costs weight, but I feel it is worth it.
And you will still have a better efficiency than with a mountain bike.

I take the opposing position. When I started my degree in Sydney, I bought
myself a "sensible" hybrid bike, a GT Tachyon, to which I fitted mudguards
and a rear rack. I rode it for perhaps a fortnight, and hated every minute,
so on my next trip home brought my roadie back with me. Ever since then
I've commuted every day on my roadie; 700x23c tyres, 12-23 sprocket and all.

The reason I don't ride the hybrid is simply that it's no fun to ride. It's
dead boring and slow. When I ride I like to ride at a good pace, and I like
to be able to sprint when I like. Sure, I end up with a sweaty back from
carrying my clothes in my backpack, and with a muddy line up my bum when it
rains, but this is small penance to pay for an enjoyable, exhilirating ride
to and from work.

Since then I've changed bikes, as I've become involved in local club racing,
so now I commute on a gorgeous Colnago race bike, which I race most
weekends. My workmates think I'm nuts, and some of my clubmates as well,
but I'm in hog heaven. Who else gets to ride the bicycle equivalent of a
Ferrari to work each day?

Regards,

Suzy

(Tom Keats) wrote in message ...

Many drivers have a very poor idea of the dimensions of their own car.

I've witnessed much evidence of that lately. Y'know how sometimes
trends among drivers become apparent? For example, one might notice
an increase in drivers parking/pulling out of the wrong side of the
street for awhile. The trend I've noticed lately is folks trying
to parallel park and getting their cars stuck sideways in the street
so they can't advance or reverse. And then getting flustered as
traffic builds up on either side of them. Maybe it has to do with
kids learning to drive while they're on summer vacation.

I'll fess up right now, actually: I only got my driver's licence last
year (I was 21 at the time) and I very rarely drive *anywhere*, and
where I do it's a borrowed car. So I am a bit overcautious when it
comes to nudging things with the car...

[BTW, passengers have commented on how my cycling has influenced my
driving--my mother and dad are amazed with just how often I
shoulder-check. I think all kids should be required to do two years'
real vehicular cycling--no sidewalks!--before being issued a motor
vehicle licence. things like blind spots are more than academic to
cyclists, after all...]


To a large extent, motorists around here
seem to be quite trepadatious. I often have to encourage them to
pass me. I do get buzzed by yahoos every now & then, but I doubt
handlebars have anything to do with that.

You must be in the suburbs. Here in London, nobody needs any
encouragement to pass me.

They do, however, need space. And that, as a cyclist, is the one
thing I have plenty of that they can never have.

-uigi



cheers,
Tom

wrote:

In rec.bicycles.misc Tom Sherman wrote:

Most road bikes are geared too high for their riders. If the
professional racers who can have an average power output of 400 watts
use nothing higher than a 53/11 top gear, then riders of lesser ability
will have no practical use for such high gears. Many would benefit from
lower climbing gears, but that would not be macho - they could no longer
say, "I climbed such and such with a 39/22 gear".

I can't really agree with this. My top gear is a 52/12 and I use it every
day when I ride to and fro work. Every day. I don't quite hit my bottom
gear every day (but close) with a 30/24. If I remember correctly Tom, you
live in a fairly flat section of the country, so I could see you not
needing/wanting as much of a top gear.

However in riding around Bellevue/Seattle I break 40 mph every day on my
way to and from work. Sure, I could coast down those hills a little slower
instead of pumping, but why?

I have the equivalent of a 50T large chainring on a road bike on my bike
[1] and I can pedal up to over 50 mph. I am also more aerodynamic than a
road bike (I easily out coast upright tandems).

As for where I live, the streets going up and down the bluffs to the
Mississippi and Rock River alluvial plains can have grades of up to 20%
or so.

[1] 44T large ring, 13T/20T step-up, 19.5 in. diameter drivewheel on my
bike, assuming the road bike has 23-622 tires.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

Fabrizio Mazzoleni wrote:

Tom Sherman wrote in message ...

they could no longer say, "I climbed such and
such with a 39/22 gear".

Tom, you only need 39x21 on a road bike,
there are only eight climbs in North America
that require a 23 cog.

Show up for a group ride with a 23 cog and
guys like me will notice!

Anyway, no one ever climbs with a even number
cog. You must use a 19 or 21.

I have a 22T granny ring and 24, 28 and 34T [1] cogs on my bike.

[1] Among others: cluster is an 11/12/14/16/18/21/24/28/34 XT.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

Tom Keats wrote:
...
I've witnessed much evidence of that lately. Y'know how sometimes
trends among drivers become apparent? For example, one might notice
an increase in drivers parking/pulling out of the wrong side of the
street for awhile. The trend I've noticed lately is folks trying
to parallel park and getting their cars stuck sideways in the street
so they can't advance or reverse. And then getting flustered as
traffic builds up on either side of them. Maybe it has to do with
kids learning to drive while they're on summer vacation....

If they can't get into a spot 12 inches (30.5 cm) longer than the
vehicle they are driving, they should not have a driver's license.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

Tom Keats wrote:
...
That has been my experience, too. If mere width was much of
a concern, all kinds of trikes, pedicabs, bike trailers,
cargo-carrying "work bikes" and other stuff would be getting
clipped all over the map....

Motor vehicle operators give me a much wider berth when I am riding my
tadpole trike than a single-track bicycle. Many of them probably think I
am handicapped.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

6 Aug 2003 16:19:03 -0700,
,
(Luigi de Guzman) wrote:

I think all kids should be required to do two years'
real vehicular cycling--no sidewalks!--before being issued a motor
vehicle licence. things like blind spots are more than academic to
cyclists, after all...]

That's a great idea though too sensible to ever become law. I'm afraid
it would discriminate against those who are physically incapable of
riding.

There was a time London taxi drivers spent a year learning the city on
a bicycle. Now, I hear, they get to do it on motor scooters.
--
zk

In article ,
Tom Sherman writes:

If they can't get into a spot 12 inches (30.5 cm) longer than the
vehicle they are driving, they should not have a driver's license.

I wouldn't be surprised if a good number of them didn't ;-)


cheers,
Tom

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"Mike Latondresse" wrote in message
...
"Fabrizio Mazzoleni" wrote in
. ca:

Tom, you only need 39x21 on a road bike,
there are only eight climbs in North America
that require a 23 cog.


Name them.

and video, please.

Pete