Commuting - Please advise:)

zoil

Hi Guys, I'm thinking about switching from public service into bike, but I have concerns about the distance: Ashtown->Sandyford Industrial Estate, and the fact that last time I have used bike I was 15

If this idea is not too crazy, please advise me should I look for a hybrid or road bike? (I have to travel with my laptop)

Appreciate your feedback!

07Lapierre

Go for It!

Road Bike, not a hybrid.

lukester

+1.

Do it. On a road bike. Much more pleasant than a hybrid.

Kissy Lips

road bike all the way & if you are doing the bike to work scheme, wax the lot on the trek 1.5

Lemag

Kissy Lips wrote: »

road bike all the way & if you are doing the bike to work scheme, wax the lot on the trek 1.5

If they are to use the full €1000 there are better bikes out there.

Jawgap

+1 on the road bike - if you get a hybrid you'll only end up wishing you got a road bike.

Backpack for the laptop - or do you really need the laptop? Could you just use a USB key to transport / transfer files or use the cloud, man!

G rock

do it! won't regret it. even easier now that mornings are getting brighter.

Beasty

No No No!!!

Don't do it

All that will happen is you will get fitter and faster. You'll want to do it more and more.

It really is the start of a very slippery slope

Before you know it, you'll be .....



.....racing in the club League:eek:

G rock

^^

and trying to justify increasing expenditure on stuff that's just vital for the commute

zoil

Thanks for all feedback!
Beasty -
I have to admit that getting fitter would be great, I have quite a lot to drop.
I'll have to carry laptop most of the time, I use it at home and cloud/usb is not the option I'm afraid.

So road bike, you say.. great, I'll check the prices, hopefully will get the b2w scheme.

One more thing, would you recommend spd and changing shoes at work?

shrewd

go for it. it might take longer to get work
Also, get ready for your endurance to be tested.

but practice makes perfect and before you know it...,you will be

zoil

G rock - I'm afraid you are right..

zoil

@shrewd - I know I'll have a hard time, I have a lot to drop, but I'm not woried about that really. No pain, no gain;)
The thing I'm afraid of is the road, cars - traffic in general - will have to learn quickly how to survive.

Jawgap

zoil wrote: »

.....

One more thing, would you recommend spd and changing shoes at work?

Yes. I keep a pair of work shoes in work and once a week I drive and replenish my supply of shirts, jocks etc. You could carry a change each day by the less you have in the backpack the better.

If you are going to use the C2W scheme my advice would be to blow as much as you can afford on the bike. Others may have a different view, but I wouldn't be mad about some of the "packages" offered.

Remember, despite what others might say......it is most definitely about the bike:)

Good luck!

Undercover Elephant

I think you'd find a backpack with a laptop pretty annoying over that distance.

You can get pannier bags specially for a laptop from MacDonald Cycles on Wexford Street and probably loads of other places. Then you can get your clothes in unscathed without having to drive once a week. See if the shop have anything suitable that they will throw in.

If you don't want to fit a rack permanently (some people are funny about doing this to a road bike - I don't know why), or the bike you choose doesn't have eyelets, you can get ones which clip onto the seatpost from CRC, or Tesco have them in at the moment.

rp

zoil wrote: »

I'll have to carry laptop most of the time, I use it at home and cloud/usb is not the option I'm afraid.

Get a bike that has braze-ons for a decent rear rack, it's much better to carry the laptop in a pannier. I use a pair of Ortlieb rear rollers (totally waterproof), with an ortlieb laptop insert, and use one pannier for the laptop and one for the crap I always carry (tools, spare tubes, spare tyre, pump, spare lights...), keeps things balanced.

One more thing, would you recommend spd and changing shoes at work?

Spuds and change, if you are used to spds. For a 16km commute, I'd recommend riding in cycle specific clothes and changing from the skin out when you get to work.
Good luck, and if you need more advice, I'll be queuing at Farmer Jack's stand at the Carmanhall rd market tomorrow

zoil

I was going to spend around 600 on a bike, because I don't know if I'll be able to use the b2w.
If b2w will be in play, something like that:
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=35&idproduct=40641
would be probably too good for me?

zoil

rp - thanks! it's close to my work, but I'm off tomorow:/

07Lapierre

Oh! and whatever you do OP, DON'T read this tread!

zoil

@07Lapierre - too late, been there, but.. this can't be worse than bus croud.
I think.

07Lapierre

zoil wrote: »

@07Lapierre - too late, been there, but.. this can't be worse than bus croud.
I think.

Agreed! .... You won't regret cycling.

murph226

Road bike all the way, I commute a similar distance although in a more rural setting and really enjoy it!

Was cycling most days before Christmas, but havent done much recently due to a foot injury, hope to get back into it at the weekend and get training for a Waterford to Cork charity spin that I'm doing through work!

funkyjebus

zoil wrote: »

I was going to spend around 600 on a bike, because I don't know if I'll be able to use the b2w.
If b2w will be in play, something like that:
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=35&idproduct=40641
would be probably too good for me?

before you do anything, find out about the btw scheme. if you do have it, id advise you use the full 1000, if not id by second hand. the cude is nice, but there is better value available, best thing to do it find out about btw and come back here with a clear budget and we'll make sure you get yourself a good bike.

Crippens1

Using a rucksack for the laptop is the neatest/lightest way to go but it will make you sweat more. Can you change at work? Think about bringing enough clothes for the week on Monday. Get a pair of shoes to keep at work/office.

zoil

I'll have to change anyway, I'm sweating a lot:/

lukester

Crippens1 wrote: »

Using a rucksack for the laptop is the neatest/lightest way to go but it will make you sweat more.

Deuter rucksacks are supposed to be good for less sweat.

07Lapierre

Cycling with a bag on your back is never comfortable.
I would suggest carrying as little as possible. If you have to carry a laptop, then a good set of padded panniers is the way to go.

petethedrummer

That Cube doesn't seem to have eyelets on the seatstay for a rack. It doesn't mean attaching a rack will be impossibe, but it will be a compromised and awkward solution.

monument

+1 to the idea of panniers -- I now don't know how I ever put up with carring bags on my back.

Joxer_S

I used this bracket while touring last Summer, my bike has mounts at the dropouts but not on the seat stays. It worked very well.

Pigeon Reaper

Get a second laptop and leave one at home. Use WTS etc to transfer data from one to the other. I use this method to avoid lugging a laptop on the bicycle. No messing about with USB sticks or cloud computing.

Lumen

Pigeon Reaper wrote: »

Get a second laptop and leave one at home. Use WTS etc to transfer data from one to the other. I use this method to avoid lugging a laptop on the bicycle. No messing about with USB sticks or cloud computing.

Two laptops to avoid carrying them? Portable computing fail!

I used to use a rear carrier but have reverted to a backpack as the laptop didn't like the jiggliness. I got used to it after a while and don't find it comfortable now.

smacl

Lumen wrote: »

Two laptops to avoid carrying them? Portable computing fail!

Not sure if I'd fancy carrying a laptop on a bike everyday. Any fall is liable to write off a non rugged device, not to mention incursion of rain etc.. if a zip wasn't properly closed. Two computers, with either something like this, or remoting software such as GotMyPC or VNC, seems like a better solution.

Lumen

smacl wrote: »

Not sure if I'd fancy carrying a laptop on a bike everyday. Any fall is liable to write off a non rugged device, not to mention incursion of rain etc..

Laptop goes in a plastic bag if it's raining. I don't crash, and if I did the state of my laptop would be the least of my concerns (flesh doesn't backup). I've been doing this for about five years and had no issues.

I've tried external HDDs and all that jazz but it's too inconvenient to keep all the apps in sync.

Besides which, the money spent on two identical laptops depreciating concurrently would be better spent on one laptop upgraded twice as often.

I have to carry a backpack to races in the summer (race bike won't take panniers) so I figured I may as well get used to it.

Pigeon Reaper

Who said anything about them being the same? An old one using WTS is as good as a new one using WTS. Laptops are heavy enough that it's worthwhile ditching them if possible. I use my work one in work and an anicent one as a dumb terminal at home to logon if needed. Any PC will work as a terminal if needed. This way I save a couple of kilo and don't need to carry panniers if I don't want to.

zoil

easy guys, everybody has his own way, his own workflow etc.
Will see when I start, how tough it is.

About the bike, I've been in 2 shops, in cyclological got a quote for a Trek 1.2, -€700
in city cycles they suggested Felt z100 for €750 and f85 for €950

Both shops will give 10% discount if b2w.
What do you think?

positron

Do check out cyclebike off capel st as well - I was there two days ago, and though I haven't bought a bike off them yet, I found them really helpful and really good to deal with in general.

funkyjebus

zoil wrote: »

easy guys, everybody has his own way, his own workflow etc.
Will see when I start, how tough it is.

About the bike, I've been in 2 shops, in cyclological got a quote for a Trek 1.2, -€700
in city cycles they suggested Felt z100 for €750 and f85 for €950

Both shops will give 10% discount if b2w.
What do you think?

I've always found City Cycles to be very friendly and helpful (they're my LBS) and cyclelogical to be a$$holes I wouldn't buy a tube from.

I have a felt myself and I prefer the geometry of the F series over the Z, which have quite a sloping top tube. Is it the 2011 f85, if it is it has microshift shifters, which I hear are crap, for that price I'd expect at least Tiagra or if lucky 105 shifters. They had some 2009 2010 bikes in there a while ago, ask if they still have them. They wont have Microshift and will be discounted.

zoil

yes, the f85 was 2011 with micro shifters.. I'll ask for sure, however I think they have nothing on stock in my size, and new stock is the 2011:/

I'm planning to use MTB SPD, just in case I'll have to walk with it a bit.. I was told this is not a problem, what do you think?

petethedrummer

zoil wrote: »

I'm planning to use MTB SPD, just in case I'll have to walk with it a bit.. I was told this is not a problem, what do you think?

MTB SPDs will work fine, I used to do this when I had along walk between bike and changing room (toilet).

Pigeon Reaper

I use mountain bike SPDs too as full road shoes can be a bit difficult even for short walks. It also means you can walk to a bike shop if anything goes wrong on the bike which you can't fix on the roadside.

zoil

ok, great to hear my idea wasn't bad.

About the bike.. do I really need to spend close to 1k, a 700€ bike with sora for example wont be enough for me?
I mean, I'd like to have a good bike, but won't this an overkill for, mostlly commuting?

Lumen

One downside to MTB pedals is that you need MTB shoes. MTB shoes don't really work with cover socks - they get chewed up by the tread. Cover socks are the greatest invention ever.

This is half the reason I now commute in road pedals. If my bike breaks down and cannot be fixed, I'll have to walk barefoot, but after reading about that guy who walked 8km up the Glandon in bare feet to get his bike after crashing in La Marmotte, I think I'd be OK.

VNP

Zoil only spend 960E on the bike spend the rest on a really good quality lock or case hardened chain, it ll save you some tears and a walk too

Gavin

Lumen wrote: »

One downside to MTB pedals is that you need MTB shoes. MTB shoes don't really work with cover socks - they get chewed up by the tread. Cover socks are the greatest invention ever.

This is half the reason I now commute in road pedals. If my bike breaks down and cannot be fixed, I'll have to walk barefoot, but after reading about that guy who walked 8km up the Glandon in bare feet to get his bike after crashing in La Marmotte, I think I'd be OK.

A fine pair of MTB booties does the job in the rain and cold.

shaungil

why not use the lap top to calibrate speed power etc then create a programme to encouage /discourage the rider as he reaches targets or not.

A mild electric shock should suffice.

Lumen

Gavin wrote: »

Πρόστιμο ζευγάρι μποτάκια ποδήλατο κάνει τη δουλειά του στη βροχή και το κρύο

It's all Greek to me, praise be the Lord.

Tonyandthewhale

Where are you parking the bike? I wouldn't be too eager to spend the full 1000e on a nice bike if you're going to lock it outside on a dodg street or the like.
A 700e bike with sora shifters will be fine for commuting. Bikes at this price point are more likely to have clearance for slightly wider tyres and mudguards as well as rack mounts, however if you start racing, riding with a club or even doing sportives you're probably going to regret the sora shifters.

zoil

Home and work parking is in underground, with so called security (cctv) , I'm planning to buy a 80-100€ Abus U-lock. Last night I went to my parking space at home to check how the spaces for bikes looks like (before didn't even noticed how it look like and found a new road bike with lights on, sitting on the bike rack, without any lock..

Thanks about the advice on the bike, I doubt racing or club riding, but I'm hoping for some weekend escapes.. I'll do a list of must-have-eq and see how much left after that.

zoil

Tonyandthewhale - or anyone, could you tell me the difference between the Sora and Tiagra in normal use.
I mean, are they easier to use, or more reliable? The difference in price between bikes with sora and tiagra are about 200€, everything else seems to be similar... is it wortk to pay?

BostonB

I don't really get why you'd need to carry a laptop home and back to work everyday. Ones called home and the other work for a good reason.