More bike commuting thoughts
The least appropriate bike for city road commuting, is, ironically, the road bike. I decided to change it up a bit and take my 80′s Nishiki to work today, and it was overall a bad experience. The posture is too low, the ride too rough without front shocks, the brakes are too far to reach and hard to operate due to the road handlebars. The wheels are too thin – you end up worrying about the smallest of road hazards. My hands were numb by the time I arrived, even thought this is exactly the condition people use the road handlebars to alleviate.
Having commuted by bike for about 6 months, below is my list of bike requirements for short-range (under 10km) all-weather four-season commuting.
- Hybrid or mountain bike with smooth tires. My personal preference is 29er cross-country mountain bike. You want thicker tires to jump the occasional curb and smooth out the bumps in the road.
- Upright handle bars (flat, mustache etc.) Accessible brake levers.
- Disk brakes (especially in the winter)
- Large pedals with a good grip (clips optional)
- Front suspension (save your elbows and wrists)
- Fenders.
- USB-rechargeable lights.
- Rear or front basket in order to use a normal bag. I am not a huge fan of panniers for commuting.
I will write up my list of cycling clothing at a later time.
