Converting bike for commuting

peterk19

Hi i was jusat wondering what recommendations you guys would have to setup my bike for commutingf into town everyday its a GT Avalanche 3.0 i was thinking putting on some proper road tyres might speed me up first of all i was just wondering is there anything else you guys woul;d recomend also is there any shops that you would recomend for getting it serviced its gonna need the brakes done and itll also need the gear cables re-tensioned
thanks
Pete

FergusF

Yes, good idea to go for some road tyres, these are known as slicks or semi-slicks. Look for ones with kevlar or some other puncture proof lining (e.g. Schwalbe Marathon Plus or Specialized Armadillo), the last thing you want on your commute is the hassle of a puncture. Keep them inflated to the recommended pressure, this will help prevent p****ures and keep you rolling faster too. Other bits to consider - mudguards - even when it's not raining you will have puddles and muck on the road, these will help keep your clothes clean. Also a rack and panniers, I use Ortlieb panniers - they clip on and off in a couple of seconds, just as fast as removing a rucksack. They are also waterproof and can take all your raingear as well as a fair bit of shopping. Most days just carry the one pannier, don't worry you will not feel unbalanced with one pannier unless you're hauling a load of bricks! I find these easier on the back than a rucksack, also a rucksack tends to give you a sweaty back unless you're only commuting a short distance. OK that's all I can think of for now.

daymobrew

I second the tyres suggestion. I have Continental Sport Contact (26x1.3) tyres on my mtn bike and try to keep them rock hard. Would need smaller tubes too, though the Sport Contacts come with tubes as part of a guarantee.
If you want more speed the Continental Grand Prix (26x1.0) might be even better.

I always carry a pump and repair kit with me. I've had to use it a few times (but a lot less since I installed the Sport Contacts).

I highly recommend the Zefal Doobak handlebar mirror. I got it for around e14 in Cycleways. It's a saviour.

As my bike can't take a carrier I have a backpack. To reduce sweating I have the Berghaus Freeflow 20 daysack which has a curved back to lift some of it off your back. Panniers would be nicer.

Don't forget helmet, lights and reflective stuff. A speedometer is nice to have - it can be quite motivating to see how far you've travelled over a few weeks.

In my rare trips to town I find the Luas tracks to be good ways to avoid traffic, Pity that they have the cobblestone like surface.

Morgan

For lights I'd recommend the Cateye LED ones - you'll get a couple of months from a set of batteries (or forever if you get rechargable batteries).

Get the heftiest lock you can afford too - ABUS and Kryptonite chains are good. Avoid ones with circular keys - they're easily opened. Any lock can be broken/picked but a better one may make a thief choose another bike to steal.

Couple of links you might find useful:
http://www.ceejbot.com/Meta/bike.commuting.php
http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/commute/index.htm

Civilian_Target

Best suggestions are LED Lights, helmet, reflective jacket are all essential bits of kit.
Don't bother with puncture repair kits, they're a pain in the ass and a new inner tube is only e4 or e5 anyway, so I just carry a pump and a spare inner tube. A cyclists wrench and alan keys are handy to have too - well worth keeping in your bag.
A locks a good move - I'm sure they're crap but I have a combination lock because it means I don't need to carry a key. - anyway, its there as a deterrent as much as a security feature...

Good call on the handlebar mirror daymo - I'll be getting me one of them! Haven't seen many about...

peterk19

Thanks for the info lads ill be going for the tyres them not going to bodder with the bags ive no real need for them and ill get the lights when it starts getting dark early
Cheers
Pete