Converting Mountain to Commuter

[TexanCzexican]

I will be moving in less than a month and will only be 3.2 miles from work. I would like to be able to commute a few days a week or more using my current mountain bike. I bought it last year, but just don't find it as much fun as road cycling.

What do I need to do to go about converting it to a commuter bike?

[mimitabby]

Welcome to TE!

tell us what kind of bike it is, make, model, even show us a picture.
probably all you need to do is get rid of the knobby tires.

[TexanCzexican]

Heh, sorry, that would probably help, huh?

It's a stock woman's specific Boulder SE



I do have clipless pedals and a Serfas RX seat.

I'm planning on going to the local cycling shop in town, but want to make sure I don't get suckered into adding extra stuff.

I bought it when they first came out, but found that I feel oddly claustrophobic on the local mountain biking trails--trees feel awfully close to the trails.

Thanks again!

[mimitabby]

looking at that bike, just change the tires, you ought to be just fine! it looks like a nice comfy bike, should be perfect for that commute

[SadieKate]

Like mimi said. Just put on narrow slicks and go!

Will you be commuting in low light conditions or after dark? If so, you may want to consider something like the Michelin TransWorld City or the Continental City Contact as both have a reflective stripe.

[Cyclo Kitty]

Welcome to bike commuting! It's the best part of my day, and I hope it'll be the same for you. You don't need the following things to start, but I have found them handy over the past 10 months, adding in gradual stages as the weather changed.

If you are going to commute in the rain, I strongly recommend fenders--they really do cut down on the amount of water you get. You can wait and see how you feel about riding in the rain. I rode in everything this past winter and found that made riding in mild rain a lot harder to face, through precipitation fatigue.

A rear rack is handy, and can act as an intermediate fender if you don't want to go "all the way" right now. The wet & muddy stripe up your backside isn't too pleasant...

Riding at night? Lights. Lotsa lights. headlight, rear blinky, blinky for your bag, I even clip one to my jacket. Reflective tires are wicked cool and really are SEEN. I love them, but I don't have them.

I like the Jannd reflective trouser straps; they are very handy tying stuff down when I don't need trouser straps. But I got tired of catching the pants in the bike parts and these do help. I don't think they are great all day wear, from what my co-workers tell me

Lastly, panniers. Moving weight off my back was a big help. When they have reflective strips, all the better! there are lots out there to choose from at all price ranges. If you leave the bike out in the rain, make sure that the zipper flap is covered!

[carback]

Living on the coast of British Columbia, we get an awful lot of rain between November and February.

And with temperatures hovering near +2 celsius (near freezing) many mornings, and it pouring rain, I had many mornings (and evenings) of cold, wet hands until I discovered...

rubber gloves.

Seriously. Just your basic garden variety dishwashing gloves.

I bought a size large enough to accommodate my fleece gloves underneath & my hands remained bone dry & warm even during the worst downpours. You definitely want a synthetic glove (ie fleece or polypro) to absorb any moisture (sweat) your hands may generate but quite frankly, I never had an issue with it.

And they pull up nice and high, creating a look of elegance yet never forgetting their main raison d'etre: function. Can't beat that.