Commuter Bike

[Relentless]

This may or may not be the best place to ask, but I'm looking for a bicycle.

I live 1.5 miles from my place of employment. I work in an office and wear business casual. Driving seems ridiculous to me, and walking would take longer than biking and then changing at work if I had to. I live in a typical NJ city. You have LOTS of car commuters and a few walkers striding through the sidewalk-less dirt at the side of the road.

Would anyone happen have experience with a manufacturer of fine commuter bikes?

I live in a small apartment and would entertain collapsible models.

 

[fast14riot]

Dahon folding bikes are pretty decent. But really for a 1.5 mile trip your only talking about just a few minutes so any type of bike will be fine. A road bike will make it just a 7 minute trip (continuous riding) and really doesn't take much space. Just get some ankle bands to keep your trousers out of the chain. I, too, live just less than a mile from work and either walk or ride unless its raining. Pretty soon you'll not want to drive at all anymore!


-Xander

 

[AllenG]

For a commuter bike, Breezer bikes are hard to beat.

 

[Mick]

I've had a Dahon Curve since they came out.

Ride it to work, fold it up and stick it in a corner until you get off.

Small but very well built

 

[Relentless]

I'm 6'4" @ about 230 lbs. I like the idea of a smallish folding bicycle (a Dahon) but feel that they may be "clown car-ish" with my build.

 

[Mick]

I'm 6'4" @ about 230 lbs. I like the idea of a smallish folding bicycle (a Dahon) but feel that they may be "clown car-ish" with my build.

I'm not 6'4 but not a dwarf by any stretch of the imagination and I have no issues with the smallest Dahon. They do make larger ones if you want something that "looks" bigger. They even have folding full size bikes but then you would need to find a place to store it. For me the smallest I could get was what I was after as I needed it to "disappear" when not being ridden.

http://www.dahon.com/folding-bicycles

Not sure what part of NJ you are in but here is a dealer in northern NJ that carries Dahon. Stop in and look/ride one first hand

http://westwoodcycle.com/about/dahon-bicycles-2010-pg128.htm

 

[Relentless]

Westwood is about an hour away, so standard commuting distance. I would absolutely try one of these before a purchase.

 

[Fkread]

This may or may not be the best place to ask, but I'm looking for a bicycle.

I live 1.5 miles from my place of employment. I work in an office and wear business casual. Driving seems ridiculous to me, and walking would take longer than biking and then changing at work if I had to. I live in a typical NJ city. You have LOTS of car commuters and a few walkers striding through the sidewalk-less dirt at the side of the road.

Would anyone happen have experience with a manufacturer of fine commuter bikes?

I live in a small apartment and would entertain collapsible models.

Are you going to use the bike other than commuting to work (recreation)? --- Look into Cannondales. I have been contemplating one in the Quick or Bad Boy line, but the Hooligan is similar to the Dahon. The Bad Boy 9 is under $800.

Kelly

 

[brucered]

you are only going 1.5m each way, no need to spend a fortune on a commuter bike, unless you plan to ride it elsewhere.

check your local used sites and pick up a used $100 bike. it will do fine for that distance.

for my commute, i'm just getting warmed up at that distance.

 

[morganjg]

you are only going 1.5m each way, no need to spend a fortune on a commuter bike, unless you plan to ride it elsewhere.

check your local used sites and pick up a used $100 bike. it will do fine for that distance.

for my commute, i'm just getting warmed up at that distance.

You should be able to find something used for your commute. Always check Craigslist for the occasional retro commuter. You really want fenders for the rain and snow and something easy to carry up and down stairs. Save cash by buying something previously loved and spend your money on essentials like a helmet, a good lock, a good bag to carry your essentials, and lights. Little things add up! You will soon find yourself cruising to the market, a few errands, and the local pub, so having some extras is always a good plan.

I ride a cyclocross rig set up with fenders and a rear rack with bags. 1.5 miles is also just a warm up for me, but I also run all of my errands on it.

Check out the GT Traffic line. Great riding frame, lots of mounts for fenders and racks, reflective decals. I built up a single speed commuter with a Traffic 3.0 frame and it is shockingly great considering the other bikes in my stable. Price wise they are very affordable as well, and light.

 

[parsifal54]

I picked up an old Trek 730 Chrome-alloy frame hybrid for $45.00...new tires, brake pads, greased appropriately, and chain adjusted and lubed...I have logged well over 1,500 miles and I do not see this bike giving up any time soon....Guess I am saying that you do not need a large capital outlay to get the job done...

 

[Trenton]

Fat tire bikes are great for commuting in the winter, they are getting very popular locally.
I no longer ride in the winter and tend to walk. I do have a small collection of vintage bikes and live where it is relatively flat, so my choice is a vintage bike with fenders and and an internal hub.
Dahon makes a nice folder with an internal hub a bit pricy but nice.

 

[Legion]

WTH?? That is a bicycle equivalent of a monster truck!

(Bare in mind, I have never had to ride, or even walk, in snow. What do I know? But I'd be catching the bus.)

 

[Trenton]

WTH?? That is a bicycle equivalent of a monster truck!

(Bare in mind, I have never had to ride, or even walk, in snow. What do I know? But I'd be catching the bus.)

They are the hot new bike, and the people I have met with them love them for winter conditions. We don't see pavement for months on end so the fat tires give traction. That said there must be a lot of rolling resistance, I can't help but think that they must be hard to ride.

 

[cb91710]

you are only going 1.5m each way, no need to spend a fortune on a commuter bike, unless you plan to ride it elsewhere.

check your local used sites and pick up a used $100 bike. it will do fine for that distance.

Ditto this.
Used, or a cheapie Mongoose from Walmart/Target/K-Mart/Sears.
No huge loss if it is stolen, and it'll get the job done.

Take the money you saved and invest in a set of inexpensive leathers to keep the weather and road grime off of your slacks.
No need for full-on $500 "biker" gear... you aren't looking to protect against a slide at 60mph. A $75 "biker jacket" from the mall will keep you warm and dry, likewise $50 will get you into a pair of chaps or a bit more for full pants.

 

[Groat]

They are the hot new bike, and the people I have met with them love them for winter conditions. We don't see pavement for months on end so the fat tires give traction. That said there must be a lot of rolling resistance, I can't help but think that they must be hard to ride.

You can run them with very little air pressure in the tires, 10 PSI if you're going in a very snowy area, and they float over the snowy/sandy/swampy stuff in a way that skinnier tires simply can't. I'm sure they're considerably slower than your average bike on dry pavement, but that's not what these bikes were designed for.

 

[Relentless]

I may look at used, the new inexpensive options appear lackluster. I'd much rather pick up something lovingly used with a bit more quality, and perhaps fenders.

I was pondering alternate methods of protecting my office attire. Thanks for the ideas Rich.

Those fat tire bikes are wild looking! I could have used something like that when I lived in western NY.

 

[KMan]

Dahon or Brompton folding bikes are the way forward for commuting. PERIOD

alternatively look for an old folding bike at a junk shop a do it up, thats what i did and it only cost 15 pound