Tech/Mechs: two commuter bikes

by R Mc on Sep 30, 2011 9:24 PM EDT

Maybe you've seen Gav and Fred Marx's photos of many of the nifty townie and commuter bikes on display at Interbike. My first response was to hate them all. For me, commuter bikes should be re-purposed frames (or rescued from dumpsters). So, I was slow to warm to the idea of spending real money on a commuter bike.

I came around, but still, I'm vain and want to show off the bikes I've probably spent most of my time on the last several years.

How did I get two commuter bikes? It's my teen-age son's fault. After building up a nice frame for him, we decided he shouldn't ride it to school. Thus, HE needed a commuter bike. That bike was to be my trusty 1990 Trek 990--kitted out with road bars and a rack, (and newish wheels since I wore through both front and rear rims. And I mean wore to the point the rims cracked along the brake-tracks). Set up as a single-speed (using a campy super-record rear derailleur for chain tension), I love this bike. The 17 year-old tolerated it, but then a variety of after-school responsibilities requiring cello transport developed. Oh well.

Pedals, crank, bottom bracket, and seat-post are original (and beat to hell and back).

Mid-80s aluminum frames are supposed to be harsh, unforgiving monstrosities. Don't tell my wife's old Klein Quantum. Since hoisting it down from its attic exile and lovingly retro-fitting it with its own Super-Record crank-set (plus a C-record rear derailleur for a chain tensioner, C-record brake levers--cabled to tektro dual-pivot brakes because even though I do have a pair of period campy brakes somewhere, I like stopping more than I like retro, and best of all, a great pair of tubular wheels), I've grown to love how this bike rides. Commuting is super fun. The main downside: what was I thinking when I glued on an almost dead pair of Vittoria EVO-CX's? Latex tubes and commuter-bikes is a bad combination folks.

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Sweet. Love the old Klein

but I’m a nut for alu bikes anyway.

"In road cycling tires 25mm is the new 22mm"
-Chris Fontecchio, PdC April 2011-

by Mr Van P on Oct 1, 2011 8:44 AM EDT reply actions

Nice rides!

I’m with you on the beat to hell part. My commuter is an early ’90s Scott Pro Racing mtb frame. Prestige steel, awesome ’90s lime green, nicked and a bit rusted but strong enough to survive a cliff dive (and also just as heavy) Drop bars, bar ends (15mile commute too long and hilly for single) and random Japanese crank. Avid Shorty 4 cantis for stopping and a 30-38-50×11-34 for going. It rides as smooth as you please and my lime green rack matches my bike almost perfectly:-) I love this bike.

I put the triple on it as I have as yet to be fulfilled desires to do a bit of touring with it. Someday…

OK, here's the plan: We start off slow and then ease off from there.

by tshawytcha on Oct 1, 2011 10:16 AM EDT reply actions

Old bikes...Yes.

“…but then a variety of after-school responsibilities requiring cello transport developed. Oh well.”

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/09/gallery/why-copenhagen-is-the-international-cycling-city-a-casey-b-gibson-gallery_193208/attachment/copenhagen-international-bike-city-7

don’t forget the scarf for the neck of the cello case.

My multi-speed is a mid-80s C-dale touring bike. Long wheelbase, steel fork, half-step plus granny, bar-cons and a real sweet ride. Nothing wrong with aluminum there either. 1990 MB with pepperoni fork is another story entirely, you can’t ride the tires soft enough to smooth that thing out.
What you did to those C-Record D/Rs, horrific. Those are the finest friction-shifting D/Rs ever made. Like the uni-bomber using an antique Rolex to trigger a parcel bomb.

"I love the guys that everyone else in the peloton hate to see hit the front." sminer

by fancan on Oct 1, 2011 12:13 PM EDT reply actions

Suntour superb pro

Best shifting friction der ever.

C-record’s ok.

by R Mc on Oct 1, 2011 1:09 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Suntour superb pro micro ratchet shifters best ever. No argument.

I think they made the superbe pro d/r’s reputation. Using them with Campy d/r on my wifes Rivendell Road and it doesn’t get better.

"I love the guys that everyone else in the peloton hate to see hit the front." sminer

by fancan on Oct 1, 2011 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions

And, about the cello

Kid has to be 4 miles in 15-20 minutes. Not happening lugging a cello on his back. And then there’s the small matter of the healing puncture wound on the bottom of his foot. He’s just now able to walk again.

by R Mc on Oct 1, 2011 10:01 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

If you're a real bicycle commuter

then you go no matter what the weather. And if it’s rain/snow going means no stopping with rim brakes. That’s why I built a disc fork for my bad weather commuter, put an Avid BB-7 on it, and laced a rim to a disc hub. All you need is to get hit by a car once and you’ll consider the same process.

by chuck martel on Oct 1, 2011 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

Dude. Enuf with the preaching, ok?

I’ve driven to work less than 10 times in the last 11 years. Rain, snow, sleet, 110f temps, whatever, I’ve ridden in it.

by R Mc on Oct 1, 2011 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Sorry,

to be a real bicycle commuter you’re only allowed 1 car ride every 2 years. And don’t forget to check the manual on the specifications for what constitutes as a cummuter bike. You obviously missed the part about the disc fork. You don’t have to build your own, unless you want bragging rights.

"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton

by sminer on Oct 1, 2011 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

well . . . there is a special circumstance that Martel likely does not ken:

Abilene, TX (although not afflicted with snow or sleet often—and this year not prone to rain either) possesses a robust network of alleys. On super-rainy or snowy days I use the alleys as a de facto bike-path, thus avoiding most interactions with cars . . .

by R Mc on Oct 1, 2011 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow, smooth.

I especially like the assumption that he’s not a “real bicycle commuter”. But hey, you won the WVDS game, so I can’t talk smack to you.

"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton

by sminer on Oct 1, 2011 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Damn, I'm impressed.

Or not.

OK, here's the plan: We start off slow and then ease off from there.

by tshawytcha on Oct 1, 2011 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions

remind me again why a fixie would need either? (Studded tires for the ice, maybe.)

Depends where and how you’re riding. Cars/no cars, ice/no ice, snow/no snow, ride-like-an-idiot / allow for longer braking distance. And (wait for this) walking a bike for a few blocks is hardly an existential no-no that magically removes someone’s bike commuter bona fides, anymore than staying near a storm cellar during a tornado warning makes an outdoorsman into a couch potato.

"It is unfortunate that the Wall is not plugged in correctly."

by JFS_PGH on Oct 15, 2011 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, and you do know that disk is not legal for cross?

So anything that you see those cross guys doing, in mud and snow and sleet, on hills and stairs? That’s rim breaks. Or stopping / swerving / remaining in masterful control via some of the other laws of physics.

So let’s rewrite your statement into an “I” statement: “if it’s rain/snow going means I can’t stop the way I want to with rim breaks.” See how that works? You make a statement that’s true about you and your cycling prowess and your bike and your locale and your preferences, instead of putting all kinds of assumptions onto other people.

"It is unfortunate that the Wall is not plugged in correctly."

by JFS_PGH on Oct 15, 2011 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Disc brakes only illegal for UCI 'cross races

I think.

"Beer helps." -- Ant1.

by tedvdw on Oct 16, 2011 6:05 AM EDT up reply actions

i like your philosophy

and the bikes. giving old bikes new life is a wonderful thing.

"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."

by ant1 on Oct 1, 2011 3:25 PM EDT reply actions

+1

very bike resourceful (I’m going to get to that one day)

"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton

by sminer on Oct 1, 2011 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions

+many

I was given the Scott I mentioned upthread years ago by a good friend who still lives on the West Coast. Frame and fork are all that remain of the original bike he gave me but It reminds me of him every time I ride.

OK, here's the plan: We start off slow and then ease off from there.

by tshawytcha on Oct 1, 2011 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh yeah, the seat post too:-)

OK, here's the plan: We start off slow and then ease off from there.

by tshawytcha on Oct 1, 2011 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I love our commuters

Megabeth’s is a late 90s Raleigh alu-thing that we rescued from the curb on trash day, threw some fenders on, and won’t shed too many tears over if it gets stolen.

My daily beater, which I get on . . .wait for it . . . daily, is a 96 GT Rebound. First MTB I ever bought, and this damn thing has outlasted every other bike I’ve ever owned. I’ve also probably given it 1/20th the attention I’ve given my other bikes (hmmm . . . ). It’s worked as a short touring bike, and even got another PdCer down some technical trails without toooo much damage. Love it.

by Sui Juris on Oct 1, 2011 6:52 PM EDT reply actions