Commuting Bikes

[surgtech1956]

Question for the commuters, do you have a bike you just use for commuting? I want to start commuting to work in the spring and don't know if I want to ride a brand new bike to work and leave it locked to a bike rack.

[Tri Girl]

I use my road bike. It's not anything fancy (a 2005 Giant OCR1). I'm lucky that I can take it in my classroom and not have to leave it locked outside all alone. I'd be nervous taking a brand new bike and leaving it locked outside all day. Maybe you could snag an old steel frame or older aluminum bike on craigslist or eBay and use that as your commuter.
BUT... this advice is coming from someone who doesn't trust people to not mess with my things. I'm protective of my toys.

[Brandy]

I commute on a fixed gear bike that I also use for training. Thankfully I am able to bring it into the office.

[Dianyla]

Yes. I bought an old used bike and kitted it out fully with lights, fenders, and racks for panniers. Makes the whole thing a bit heavy, but I worry a lot less about theft and general wear & tear (especially in cruddy weather).

My fun racy bike is so amazingly light and fast when I take her out for a Sunday ride.

[7rider]

Question for the commuters, do you have a bike you just use for commuting? I want to start commuting to work in the spring and don't know if I want to ride a brand new bike to work and leave it locked to a bike rack.

I do have a bike that I bought new for commuting. It's a 2005 flat bar road bike, a Felt SR-81, outfitted with a rack, panniers, and lights (in season). I wanted something upright, comfortable, dependable, and speedy. I leave it locked to a rack in a (somewhat) guarded parking garage, so it's pretty safe, although I take computers, lights and stuff off the bike in the a.m. I didn't buy top-of-the-line for my commuter, but I bought mid-grade. I guess it really depends on how safe your parking area is and what your situation is for riding.

[KnottedYet]

I use my Surly Cross Check, and keep it in the staff room at work.

This bike gets used for everything, but it's main purpose is commuting. (Mustache bars, BMX pedals, rack, panniers, lights, fenders, etc)

[Jenerator]

I use one bike, fixed Surly Steamroller, for commuting and everything else. Cross tires in the winter and skinny tires in the summer. I'm lucky enough to park it in my cube, but wouldn't worry too much if I had to lock it up outside.
I used to commute on my old mtn bike. No qualms about leaving it outside.

[bikerHen]

My commuter is my Surly LHT that I bought last summer. It's perfect for commuting and just about everything else. I've got it weighed down with the usual lights, fenders and bags and studded tires as well. It seems like it weighs a ton. I haul it up a flight of stairs everyday to keep it safe and sound with me. It's also my errand bike that I do lock up outside and unattended from time to time. It replaces my fast, fancy and expensive road bike which I rarely let out of sight when I'm riding it. I have even been known to take it into the bathroom with me! bikerHen

Of course commuting is only a distant memory. The snow is starting to be measured in feet, not inches, for the first time in at least three years. Even if I could find a bike lane, no way I'm going out there with the slipping and sliding cars!

[tulip]

I bought my Jamis Coda for commuting several years ago, but I was only commuting at the time. I bought a road bike later for longer rides, but I rarely used it for commuting. My tri-state commute took me through Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia, 14 miles each way, with a mix of horrible pot-holed urban gritty streets and smooth MUPs. My Jamis took it all with grace, style, and elegance, although I was much less so in my hi-viz yellow and orange triangles!

EDIT: My office has an indoor bike rack in the lobby, which was fantastic. I work from home now, so I no longer commute, but I do use the Jamis for errands and exploring-the-city rides

[Trek420]

I have commuted with my road bike but now mostly use a GT Outpost trail.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=8295

The GT has more lights, handlebar bag with convenient BART ticket pocket, fatter tires. Sure it's heavier but very fun and since it's heavy that's good for my training.

Either way I'd never leave my bike outside. There are bike racks outside the office but my bike stays next to my desk in a little slot safely away from office foot traffic. So it does not get in anyones way.

[RoadRaven]

I commute on my road race bikes (a choice of two).

I would like to get a "commute" bike and pop pannier bags on it so it can carry my diary, wallet etc - I really dislike biking with a back pack on.

[DirtDiva]

You could get a seatpost-mounted rack. Or you could pick something up off Trade Me and fix it up a bit.

[Geonz]

I have two bikes for commuting; a Dutch Gazelle and the ultimate Sport Utility Bicycle:
(yes, that's me ) .

I would not want to ride somethign nice and new and leave it out, even here where I've accidentally forgotten to lock my bike a time or two, much less most places where it's just too easy to vandalize or make off wtih it (at the University here bike vandalism is rampant )

[Jenerator]

I have all sorts of good intentions to convert the old mtn bike/commuter into the ultimate SUB, but I'd probably only commute on it when I had some other hauling errand to accomplish. I'd have to lock it up outside too, as my cube is too small for the extended wheelbase....

[farrellcollie]

I use my raleigh hybrid to commute - it has lights, rack fenders and is the bike I like to use on city streets with a lot of debris and potholes. I keep it in my office. I sometimes ride my roadbike to work but only if I have nothing to carry and am not biking after dark.