What is the best bike for me? What makes a commuter bike exceptional? I've ridden several types of bicycles in the past 3 years, and I feel I've finally figured out what kind of bicycle works best for me. Making daily observations during my 20+ mile commute, I've come to the conclusion that the type of bike I need is a strong touring bicycle made of steel. There are several reasons for this:
1. touring frames are very strong. They can haul a lot of weight. Since I tend to carry a lot of stuff with me, I found this to be be the best kind of bike frame for me.
2. touring bikes can accommodate larger tires, which roll smoother over rough roads. I like to have 32mm or 35mm wide tires on my bike.
3. steel frames are very comfortable. Steel flexes slightly when ridden, giving a slightly softer ride than aluminum alloy. I like responsive aluminum alloy bikes too, but not for rough commuting.
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I wanted to share this short video of my commuter bike, which I built from the frameset up. This bike is a joy to ride year-round, in all weather, including the winter: it's very stable on snow and ice and super-comfortable. I am a dedicated bike commuter, riding in Chicago year-round. Lately, I've trusted this Jamis Aurora in snow and ice more than any other bike.
The frame on this bike is Jamis Aurora, made of Reynolds 520 cromoly, designed for touring or cyclocross. The rear wheel consists of super-strong Salsa Delgado Cross rim, Shimano Tiagra hub and DT Swiss double butted spokes. The bike has Schwalbe Marathon Winter studded tires, which I find to be amazingly stable on ice! I often bike to work on this machine, even when it is very cold and icy.
Check out the video of me building the rear wheel for this bike: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJtNdJce74A
Lacing a bicycle wheel timelapse
This bike would make a very nice touring bicycle for long distance trips. I would likely upgrade the racks to Tubus steel racks for a longer ride. These aluminum racks are fine for city riding, but may not be strong enough for very heavy loads over extended period of time.
Beginning bike commuters often have a lot of questions: How to choose a bike? What bike is right for me? For a beginner, any bike may be a good start. Later, with some cycling experience accrued, the best way to go may be to build a custom bike that suits your needs.
Check out my other commuter bike, Fuji Touring:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttD9ItdL9To
Ultimate commuter bicycle
For photo / video enthusiasts:
This video was filmed with Canon EOS t3i (also known as EOS 600d), with the stock 18-55mm lens.
If I lived somewhere else, I would call this bike differently: bicicleta para ir al trabajo, vélo pour les déplacements, Fahrrad für Pendler, bicicleta para ir trabalhar, bicicletta per gli spostamenti, велосипед для поездок на работу, cykel til pendling, ποδήλατο για τις μετακινήσεις, rower na dojazdy, cykel för pendling, bicikl za putovanje na posao, fiets voor woon-werkverkeer, 自行車上下班, xe đạp cho đi lại, bisikleta para sa commuting, biciclete pentru naveta, baiskeli kwa commuting, gidip gelmek için bisiklet, आने के लिए साइकिल
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Winter Solstice Commute on the Fixieby christophish78 views
Awesome bike !
xoxoxoxoLIVE 2 weeks ago
@xoxoxoxoLIVE Thanks! I've looked at some of your commuter bike videos too - very nice!
vedranre 2 weeks ago
Beautiful looking bike! Mines a Jake and I suppose very similar. I bought the same tyres I think, but never needed to install them. Has been unusually mild down here in England.
downfader2 1 month ago
@downfader2 Thanks mate! It's been a mild winter in Chicago too. There have been only 4 or 5 days so far that I really appreciated the extra grip on the winter tires.
vedranre 1 month ago