I’ll start off by telling it like it is: there is no “ideal” commuter bike. Just think of the times someone asked you what the “ideal” bicycle saddle was, or for that matter what the “ideal” partner is. There isn’t a pat answer for the query because naturally it’s a matter of personal preference.
Look at renowned super-bike-commuter Kent Peterson for instance. Kent rides his fixed-gear bike round-trip from Issaquah to Seattle everyday. Can you imagine commuting 40-miles a day on a single-speed bike? I can’t, but he certainly does it. (And so do many other of you nutty iconoclasts.) It’s squarely upon you to figure out what works in your glorious two-wheeled world.
With that said, let me tell you what I typically recommend to new commuters or those asking for general bike recommendations.
Bike Fit
If you spend $100 (yes, you can easily spend this little for a good bike) or $10,000 (yes, you can easily spend this much for a good bike), make sure you get a bike frame that fits you properly. Whether your purchase is off the pages of Craig’s List or under the careful eye of custom frame builder Bill Davidson, you want to make sure you’re comfortable in the saddle from home to desk and back.
Without a good fit you’ll soon tire of riding and put the bike away forever. If you’re having any fit questions, go to a reputable bike shop or fit specialist for proper rider-to-bike sizing and positioning.
Bike Type
In reality, most bikes are fine. This morning I was passed by a commuter tooling along on her 40-year old French “mixte” (umm, and a guy on his 20-inch wheeled Bike Friday, and this horribly rude kid on his squishy-tired department store mountain bike, and…).
Basically, if you have two wheels under you, all is good for the “ideal commute.”
It is my experience, however, that steers me toward the bike I started out on back in the early 70s: the classic 700C (this is the wheel size) touring/cyclo-cross style bike. This bike type allows me to position my hands in many comfortable positions including the bar’s drops so I become more aerodynamic against miles of insidious head winds.
The frame size of a touring/cyclo-cross bike is a little longer than a mountain bike which gives plenty of distance between my heels and the leading edge of my panniers, thus avoiding the dreaded “heel knock.”
The frame-to-tire clearance usually is very generous allowing a wide, commuting-friendly tire size like a plush 700 X 35mm. This additional frame clearance also makes it easy to fit full-fenders on the bike with room to spare.
Typically, the modern touring and cross frames have rack and fender mounting points allowing easy and secure accessory attachments. Road frames also tend to come in more sizes than “mountain” or “comfort” bikes, allowing the rider to get a better fit than the limited Small, Medium and Large will accommodate.
The last common denominator of this bike/frame design is the inclusion of cantilever-style brakes. The liberating aspect of these brakes’ design easily allows the versatility of many tire widths for you to dial in the perfect ride. Perhaps you want a skinny tire (25mm) to cruise down summer bike paths or a brutish tread (38mm) to navigate the evil detritus of winter roads. The other attractive aspect of cantilever brakes is their ease of adjustment and powerful stopping.
But that’s just me. The best advice I can give you is to try out as many bicycle types as possible to find the friend that will be your commuting buddy for many years to come.
Good luck and thanks for helping the planet and yourself.
Chris Cameron can be reached at chris.cameron@CascadeBicycleClub.org
|
