Commuter Confusion

S

Stoneyy

Squid
Hi All,

Recently started commuting once a week to work, really enjoying it and would like to do it more often.

I am currently riding my 29er dually, it goes OK however I am thinking that maybe I should get something different as if I can make it easier I will ride more often.

The distance is 34km each way with a mixture of cycle path, foot path & road.

Thinking that maybe a 29er hard tail with road tires or a cyclocross bike could be the go.

Is there anyone doing the same thing or can recommend the best way to go????
 
mtboer

mtboer

Likes Dirt
Why not just buy some 29er spare wheels with road tyres and change for weekday/weekend. Much cheaper than 2 bikes.
 
geoff_tewierik

geoff_tewierik

Likes Dirt
I did the dually 29er for a little while and then dropped some cash on a GT Peace 29er hardtail SS from here, switched in some Schwalbe Marathon Duremes and ran it into the ground breaking the frame, picked up another Voodoo Dambala frame off mtbdirt and swapped all the parts over and its going strong.
 
JTmofo

JTmofo

XC Enthusiast
I'm in the process of building a 29er hardtail commuter/Xc rig. Going to run some Maxxis Ikon tyres so hopefully will roll acceptably well on the commute to work. Granted, it's about 1/3 the distance you have to ride.
 
mtb101

mtb101

Likes Bikes and Dirt
can't beat the cyclocross as a commuter, fast on road, paths, dirt, its only limitation would be rocky single track. I commute about 20k each way and bike is great, only weighs 10kg as well. the mtb dually ... well why wear it out commuting using only 10% of what its capable of.?

I have a hard tail mtb as well which I use when I want to do some extended single track but really for the commute the cx is king.

only thing is make sure you get hydro brakes on cx - the mechanicals are average performance.
 
mitchy_

mitchy_

Llama calmer
mtb101 said:
can't beat the cyclocross as a commuter, fast on road, paths, dirt, its only limitation would be rocky single track. I commute about 20k each way and bike is great, only weighs 10kg as well. the mtb dually ... well why wear it out commuting using only 10% of what its capable of.?

I have a hard tail mtb as well which I use when I want to do some extended single track but really for the commute the cx is king.

only thing is make sure you get hydro brakes on cx - the mechanicals are average performance.
Click to expand...
Hydro brakes on a CX won't be cheap, it's only the higher end bikes that come with them.
That said, both my CX bikes have cable brakes (Hayes CX-Expert and TRP Spyre) and they are more than adequate.
 
akashra

akashra

Eats Squid
Over long distances like that, commuting is a bit of a mix. My commute from Ferntree Gully was 39km, from Craigieburn it's 37km. If you have the option to take long straight sections then yes, the MTB will be slower - but from FTG it was quite twisty from the second half of the ride, so was a better commuter for that section. I'm not the type to ride fast on shared commuter paths, so a road bike loses its benefit.

The last few years I've largely commuted on a CX bike, and though for a while I was using slicks, I've gone back to knobbys. It certainly seems to give a good in between and doesn't force you to make big compromises. Having said that though, riding the Merida Reacto is certainly my favorite bike to ride, and is genuinely the most fun and fastest in a straight line (and some corners) - but I don't feel the need to put $4k+ of bike at risk to commute on. Good Apex or 105 specced CX bikes will cost you less than half that and do a great job.
 
S

Stoneyy

Squid
JTmofo said:
I'm in the process of building a 29er hardtail commuter/Xc rig. Going to run some Maxxis Ikon tyres so hopefully will roll acceptably well on the commute to work. Granted, it's about 1/3 the distance you have to ride.
Click to expand...
JTmofo, I think you and I are commuting to the same place, does this sound familiar "BIP or ICI"
 
S

Stoneyy

Squid
Sounds like Cyclocross is getting the vote from most at the moment there are some good bikes around for under $1,500.

On my commute I have a steep 100 meter climb each way, how will the Cyclocross gearing be against an MTB?
 
mitchy_

mitchy_

Llama calmer
Stoneyy said:
Sounds like Cyclocross is getting the vote from most at the moment there are some good bikes around for under $1,500.

On my commute I have a steep 100 meter climb each way, how will the Cyclocross gearing be against an MTB?
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most CX's will have 46/36 up front, and ~11-28 in the rear. you should be able to climb anything and everything with those gears.
 
T

takai

Eats Squid
Kind of on this topic, most disc CX frames seem to be alu, and very few in carbon or steel. Plus those that are there tend to be a crazy amount more expensive than their non-disc counterparts. Any suggestions on steel or carbon disc frames? (other than the Chinese ones)
 
marc.r

marc.r

Likes Dirt
akashra said:
but I don't feel the need to put $4k+ of bike at risk to commute on. Good Apex or 105 specced CX bikes will cost you less than half that and do a great job.
Click to expand...
this

get bottom end norco threshold, merida cyclocross, avanti circa etc for about 1300 bucks and remember if its a real commuter sometimes your going have to lock it up in the street.

something like this is awsome. road / commuter tyres. discs. double chainset. internal cable routing, bright colours so you dont get knocked down by cars when they dont see your matt black demon. only thing it doesnt have is a carbon fork but you will spend a couple hundry extra for that and a step up in groupset.

https://www.norco.com/bikes/road/cyclocross/threshold-alu/threshold-a3/

road bikes with discs are in their infancy. at least if you buy a disc equipped frame when someone actually has a breakthrough in the tech at a reasonable price you will be able to fit them. in the mean time thank god for moutnain bike brakes and remember how lucky we are everytime you use your road bike mechanical discs.

if you want an road training bike that has discs thats a whole different level/story.
 
mitchy_

mitchy_

Llama calmer
takai said:
Kind of on this topic, most disc CX frames seem to be alu, and very few in carbon or steel. Plus those that are there tend to be a crazy amount more expensive than their non-disc counterparts. Any suggestions on steel or carbon disc frames? (other than the Chinese ones)
Click to expand...
there is plenty of disc CX's in carbon, steel and titanium!

Giant TCX Advanced is a fantastic starting point... although i may be biased. :eyebrows:



also, the new 2015 Norco Threshold's in carbon are supposed to be good. my alloy Threshold is great, i somewhat wish i got the carbon version.
 
floody

floody

Wheel size expert
Ghetto option, for about $100 buy a reasonable early 90s roadbike with downtube shifters, fit the fattest rubber that will squeeze in, an old pair of 25.4 clamp flat bars and a pair of mountain bike brake levers. Be into maybe $150-200 if you dive some shop garage sales, and should be near unbreakable and pretty much invisible to thieves.
 
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