Started commuting in January and was not sure I would like it. I started by 'converting' my MTB. Too slow, too heavy- FS bike. Tried the road bike- tires too skinny, bike to expensive to use as a 'beater'. Finally, I happened into a Fuji Newest 3 on clearance at Performance. My luck, an extra small and in my price range, with a CF fork. Well, after two weeks commuting on it, the limitations I found were in the gearing. 52/42/30 up front, 12/24 in back- no wonder I was in the middle chainring all the time. I wanted to change to flat-bar anyway and had most the parts, so swapped out the front standard triple for a Race-Face mtn crankset, with '90s vintage XTR pedals, and saved a pound of weight too. Put an LX mtb derailleur in back, with a 12/27 (but could go lower using that long cage derailleur), 9spd chain, LX shifters, an old Race-Face riser bar and stem and LX front derailleur. Just had to order the Shimano Flat-Bar road brake levers, they arrived earlier this week. Used the seatpost/seat I had bought to use on the road bike with my clamp-on rear rack and Bontrager pack. Then the lights and reflective tape. Ta-da, another commuter beater bike is born!
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/1829/fuji1.th.jpg
The stem is too short at 75mm, I think I need a 90 or 100mm to slow the steering down a touch and give me a little more room in the cockpit...I'm sure I've got one in the garage someplace. The bike was geared for a big guy for sure, but now with the drivetrain swap it's just about perfect.
Oh, best part? The sunrise on the way to work. Yea, I love commuting!
