Commuting to Work: Help Needed!!

FranktheTank

Hey Guys,

First time on boards but i was browsing the net looking for information on bikes etc and came across this forum!

Basically my situation is this: I live in lucan and work in town! this means that my mornings are spent sitting in traffic watching the cyclists fly by ! lately ive been thinking about getting a bike and commuting to and from work! its a big enough distance in but i reckon it will keep me fit as well! The problem is that i dont know a lot about bikes.

So, my questions are... what type of bike would be best suited to this commute? (its all bus lanes on the way in so no off road shortcuts ) ive only really used a mountain bike before so thats what im used to, although i was on a cycle around eastern europe on a hybrid ( really old school... no gears and the brake was the back pedal )! the other things are what type of accessories would be necessary in these cold winter months! and where would be the best value to buy from?

not sure what my budget is for the actual bike... maybe 300-400, not looking for a top of the range model.. just something thats good value and will do the job!!

sorry for the length of this but wanted to give as much info as i could any help/comments would be greatly appreciated!!

cyclopath2001

FranktheTank wrote:

So, my questions are... what type of bike would be best suited to this .. and where would be the best value to buy from?

Something conventional with normal, not heavy-tread tires.
Avoid: fancy-looking MTBs with shocks.
Enough gear choice for your ability, wind and hill conditions, 10-12 gears should well cover it.
Full mudguards will keep a lot of mud off you. Highly recommended.
Lights: I recommend the more expensive Cat-Eye ones.
A good quality jacket, slim-fitting and with some reflective features, Gore-Tex or similar if you can afford it. Might cost 100+ but it's worth it if you get a good comfortable fit.
Don't wear jeans.
Shower-proof cycling gloves by BBB.
Bag for carrying a change of shirt, socks. Some have non-sweat backs.
Pump with pressure gauge to get the pressure just right.
Spare tube & tyre levers.

Try for a cycle shop near where you live as it could be handy for adjustments and after sales service. Maybe Staggs in Main Street Lucan. He's a road-racer but I'd bet he also offers normal bikes too & will have good advice.

Civilian_Target

Pick a budget. The above recommendations are good, my suggestion would be to save at least €100 of your budget, ideally closer to €150. Hybrids are a good choice, see if you can get one thats reasonably light with slick (and ideally puncture resistant) tyres. Don't get swayed by "number of gears" or shocks, I only actually use about 4 gears. Helpful features to have are good mudguards and a chainguard and ideally rear panniers with an integrated backlight, makes carrying things much easier.

Most of the gear above is overkill to start with but you will need:
Lights (don't get the uber-cheap ones but I wouldn't go mad either)
Reflective waistcoat (builder-style ones are very cheap and work OK)
Rain-proof jacket, a bag and gloves
Spare tube, tyre levers, portable pump that can pump to your tyre pressure (most cheap pumps can't go to the pressure hybrids require)
A lock - a decent U-lock can prove a good bet
A helmet is recommended

Evil Phil

Kryptonite do a u-lock cable combination for about €35 which I can recommend. They do say its for low to moderate crime areas. I've a good lookup on work for my bike (well, it's a first floor balcony) and in my apartment block (in my sitting room behind the couch ). You may want something tougher than that.

FranktheTank

cheers for the info guys! must check it out further with staggs cycles ...next time i have a day off

also would it be best to leave it till after christmas or would there be many more deals then?

miketv

Try and pay big money for a lock if you can, even if its over 100 euro you'll always have it for years, took me a few cheap locks to lean this and I learn't the hard way!

Gavin

Some more idea here.
http://wiki.redbrick.dcu.ie/mw/Cycling

Basicly stating what was said above.

Capt'n Midnight

Evil Phil wrote:

Kryptonite do a u-lock cable combination for about €35 which I can recommend. They do say its for low to moderate crime areas. I've a good lookup on work for my bike (well, it's a first floor balcony) and in my apartment block (in my sitting room behind the couch ). You may want something tougher than that.

That lock is 8 on a scale of 12. I would not consider Dublin city centre to be a low to moderate area, more like New York when it comes to a new bike. This also means you don't spend too much on the bike, if you get a lighter bike then you will have to carry a much heavier lock. Yes you could leave the lock at your destination to save weight, but then you would have to cary nail varnish remover in case the scummers super glue the key hole.

Depends on where you can lock the bike though, if you can take it inside or park in a courtyard, great. If near Temple Bar you could leave the bike parked in Squarewheels, can't remember how much it is per day. Also keeps it dry.

DirkVoodoo

Doing a bit of cycling in the gym, or even just cycling a good distance at the weekend when u have the bike, may help.

Im new to this cycling thing like you, and for the exact same reasons might i add, and i found that the first couple of weeks were pretty tiring...then came the wind. In a car you never appreciate how much wind resistance can sap your energy levels.

So, if you have the time i would recommend some extra mileage so your commute will feel almost effortless.

And a pannier is a must! lifesafers those are.

I got a carrera subway 1 up in Halfords for 250 euro, with 30 euro free accessories. Really nice bike, lightweight, just enough gears and some semi-slick kevlar reinforced tyres. Its a great beginner commuter's bike.

blorg

Will you have to leave you bike outside at either end of the commute? Because if you have an interior place to keep it at both ends you don't need to go crazy on the lock at all. It will also majorly help with maintenance as it will keep the bike dry.

As Dirk says, wind is the single biggest issue with cycling! Worse now in the winter but generally not too bad. Also I don't think Lucan-Dublin would be the worst wind-wise (coastal worse.) Also there is probably less wind (and a nicer cycle) through the strawberry beds (narrow road, lots of trees) rather than the main road.

You are fortunate enough to have quite a flat route.

As others have suggested, a hybrid is a good idea. Hybrids around the €400 mark to consider would include the Trek 7.1/7100, Giant CRS 3.0/4.0, Dawes Discovery 201/301, Lapierre Acoma.

For the distance you are doing the thinner the tyres the better, I'd say aim for 700x28 if possible. Make sure the tyres are pumped up as hard as you can, it makes a huge difference. Kevlar is a genuinely good idea that does reduce punctures.

Make sure the bike fits, it's the single most important thing.

Regarding accessories, get bar ends. For only €10-20 you get much more hand positions.

Avoid suspension of any sort, it is expensive, heavy, unnecessary for the road and saps pedalling energy. Avoid adjustable stems, you are better off just getting the stem right and leaving it. They are also a nightmare with bar ends.

FranktheTank

cheers (again) for the replies! some good information there i would never have thought of! basically realised that i have two choices on where to buy from really... halfords around the liffey valley area and staggs in lucan itself! may take a look when the next payday comes round

with regards the lock.. i might be in luck on that front as the company im working for has an underground carpark... which im sure has somewhere i can lock up a bike! as im sure thieves could find their way in easily

oh and blorg - cheers for the route advice! going in by the strawberry beds and up thorugh the pheonix park might be a good idea! and safer considering the work around the M50 now the wind conditions might not be the worst in dublin but i would have to pick the worst time of the year to try to take up cycling every day

hunnymonster

It's been a while since I was down by the strawberry beds but from what I remember the road is quite twisty and narrow around there. I wouldn't fancy cycling that way on a wet night when cars might not spot you until the last minute.

FranktheTank

i agree there.. id only be going into town by that route as its not well lit up at all! but for going into town it might be an alternative

daymobrew

hunnymonster wrote:

I wouldn't fancy cycling that way (strawberry beds) on a wet night when cars might not spot you until the last minute.

You have quite an incline at the Angler's Rest (tough in the morning, nice on the way home). Be sure to have lights and lots of reflective gear. A handlebar mirror will give you a 'heads up' on approaching traffic.

FranktheTank wrote:

this means that my mornings are spent sitting in traffic watching the cyclists fly by

Is this on the Lucan and Chapelizod by-passes? I would give cycling that route a try. You have a bus lane for much/all of it to keep the cars a comfortable distance away (sorry, you can't avoid the buses). You could drop off the Chapelizod by-pass and head into Chapelizod to avoid the incline on the by-pass. There is an off-road cycle track east of Chapelizod (though the surface is poor IIRC).

It's a pity that there isn't a pedestrian bridge over the M50. The one in Castleknock is ideal.

hunnymonster

I was cycling over the railway bridge on the way into castleknock the other morning. There are a few cones and the like there at the moment for roadworks. I knew a car was behind me but there wasn't space to move in because of the debris. When the driver eventually got past me he rolled down his window... "Foooooock you Beeeeetch"... the new Irish are learning to drive like the locals. It was quite funny really.

blorg

Sure, Strawberry Beds only a good idea in the light. I have cycled back that way in the dark all right, although 4am so traffic was light! At the end you have a choice, you can either go through the park or Chapelizod.

I would go to the bike shop and not Halfords. Besides the bike you will likely get good advice from the shop, Halfords sell you something in a box (sometimes of dubious quality) with no support.

You do have a fair incline coming up to the park by the Angler's rest but it _is_ quite short. It's far worse coming up from Chapelizod on the other side (that is avoidable entirely if you are going through the park.)

kincsem

Reflective ankle bands about two inches thick (velcro attached).

ciaranr

How about a nice old road bike, something middle of the road like Peugeot or Raleigh? I have an old Peugeot road bike, only use it for an odd spin into town myself, but it has everything going for a commuter bike... aerodynamic (wind affects you less than on a hybrid, where you sit slightly more upright), almost scoobie proof - as it's old and not a mountain bike (scoobies like mountain bikes) and not really valuable either - it's fast, lighter than a cheap mountain bike and last but not least, looks and feels cool. The bike shops near me get lots of these types of bikes in as trade-ins. I'm sure you could find one in a shop near you, get the shop to give it a good going over and leave it right for use, and still spend reasonable money, so you have plenty left over to spend on the accessories previous posters and more experienced commuters have recommended.

blorg

If you can find something in good condition and are happy with the position, ciaranr's advice is very sound, an old road bike in good condition will be certainly be faster than a new hybrid. I don't know that I'd recommend a road bike to someone just starting out commuting though, you might be more comfortable and feel happier about it with the more upright position on a hybrid. (I have drops myself now and certainly wouldn't be going back to straight bars but rode a hybrid for ten years previous.)

hunnymonster

plus there is more maintenence on a road bike. My hybrid gets the tyres pumped up once in a blue moon but otherwise not much is done to it. I use my hybrid for the 10 mile commute to work every day and take the road bike out at weekends for training.

daymobrew

FranktheTank wrote:

i agree there.. id only be going into town by that route as its not well lit up at all! but for going into town it might be an alternative

I asked a friend who cycles Lucan to town. He takes the N4 as it has bus lanes all the way to Heuston. He does not go into Chapelizod.

On the way into town, the main place to be careful is the N4/Chapelizod exit ramp, just at the end of the Palmerstown bypass. On the way home it is the N4/Liffey Valley turnoff and going past the Texaco at the Foxhunter can be tricky.
He doesn't use Strawberry Beds because the road is narrow, cars speed by and there is no lighting.

blorg

hunnymonster wrote:

plus there is more maintenence on a road bike. My hybrid gets the tyres pumped up once in a blue moon but otherwise not much is done to it. I use my hybrid for the 10 mile commute to work every day and take the road bike out at weekends for training.

I don't know that I'd agree with this, there is nothing necessarily inherent in a road bike that is going to make it higher maintenance. It certainly has been my experience that the more you _spend_ on a bike the lower maintenance it tends to be, gears stay exactly right, wheels don't buckle, bottom bracket stays firm, etc.

Of course it will depend on the exact spec, but for example: I have a rear Mavic CXP-33 road rim that has taken a hell of a lot more abuse than the standard wheels on my hybrid, which have needed frequent trueing/replacement with a fraction of the use. Similarly with the gears, Tourney on the hybrid always going wrong, 105 on the touring bike has few problems. The CXP-33s are quite a robust relatively heavy rim though; you may have more problems with lighter faster wheels (no experience yet there, although thinking of buying a light fast road bike at the moment.)

Darby OGill

I started commuting in mid-August. I was not new to cycling insofar as I cycled a lot in my twenties, but in reality it had been about 12 years since I did any serious mileage. I had never commuted the distance I do now (10 miles).

I stared on my old Raleigh Pioneer, which I purchased new in 1991. (£350 at the time!!). This was always a fairly decent mid-range bike, which I looked after (I toured Scotland for two weeks on it in ’91). I was planning on buying a new bike if and when I felt that I would stick with it and was sure of my requirements.

I wore my work clothes for the first two or three weeks, and didn’t push myself too hard, as I was really seeing how it would go. I used an old pannier for carrying lunch, raingear and bits and bobs. After a few days, I started to ease into a routine, and got to know the road well.

In mid-September, I purchased a second- (or third-) hand Raleigh Randonneur after seeing it advertised in Buy & Sell. I always wanted a decent tourer, and this was a relatively inexpensive way to see if it would suit me for commuting also. I felt drop handlebars would be better for the windy days, and the lightness of the bike is a real pleasure. I put new tyres (700 x 28) and tubes on (birthday present paid for by my wife) and my old Brooks leather saddle. I replaced the bottom bracket, and recently replaced the chain-rings too. I have to say, I love the bike and have no plans to change it any time soon.

I found wearing standard clothes a real nuisance. I soon started wearing a cycling top and jacket I purchased in Aldi- I already had rain gear. I bought a pair of trekking-style Gore-Tex waterproof shoes in the Clark’s outlet centre for €75. I wear a cheap pair of Dunne’s Stores tracksuit bottoms (very unfashionable hi-tec brand). And Aldi gloves and a hi-vis jacket now that the weather has changed.

My workplace has new purpose-built offices. I lock my bike (two locks) on the dedicated racks, which I can see from my desk and are in public view- gurriers are not really a problem in the area so far. The office has recently provided lockers, so I can store clothes etc. during the day/overnight as needs be. So far, I have not been able to use the showers, as I would have to leave too early leaving the wife to get three kids out- just not on. But the good news is that flexitime is on the way, so I will be able to use the excellent facilities soon, I hope.

I have no plans to abandon commuting over the winter. I’ve skipped a few really wet mornings- I don’t mind getting wet going home. I’m using front and rear lights at this stage, and might look at getting better ones for next year. I’m also looking at replacing the old panniers with something better, but otherwise, no spending plans. Best of all, I’ve lost 10lbs so far, and the weight is continuing to drop off- the number of people who have remarked on this is amazing.

So, get out there, be sensible, and enjoy….

ciaranr

ciaranr wrote:

How about a nice old road bike, something middle of the road like Peugeot or Raleigh? I have an old Peugeot road bike, only use it for an odd spin into town myself, but it has everything going for a commuter bike... aerodynamic (wind affects you less than on a hybrid, where you sit slightly more upright), almost scoobie proof - as it's old and not a mountain bike (scoobies like mountain bikes) and not really valuable either - it's fast, lighter than a cheap mountain bike and last but not least, looks and feels cool. The bike shops near me get lots of these types of bikes in as trade-ins. I'm sure you could find one in a shop near you, get the shop to give it a good going over and leave it right for use, and still spend reasonable money, so you have plenty left over to spend on the accessories previous posters and more experienced commuters have recommended.

you couldn't give a little info about this shop could you? i'm looking for exactly what you described since my own old road bike's back wheel died. Hub rusted to bits on account of being left in a shed by the sea with no maintenance for 18 months.

Capt'n Midnight

If you go into chapelizod the road along by the phoenix park may have less traffic. Or try the footpath on the south side of the river past the boat clubs for a change

cast_iron

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

If you go into chapelizod the road along by the phoenix park may have less traffic. Or try the footpath on the south side of the river past the boat clubs for a change

The Chapelizod bypass is your best bet as you have a dedicated bus lane all the way and NO Dublin buses use it - just coaches. So basically you have the bus lane to yourself and traffic is irrelevant.

Starting off, it's going to be tough - it's a fair treck from Lucan to town.

I hope your work place has shower facilities, cos by God you'll need one after you arrive. Then you gotta do a days work, and then do the cycle home after that.

Just remember the golden rule - EVERYBODY else on the road is an idiot.

RainyDay

Having recently switched from an elderly racer/road bike to an MTB for commuting, I would advise that you consider the importance of having your hands on the brakes at all times, as is the case with the MTB. I don't think I could ever switch back to dropped handlebars and lose immediate fingertip control of the brakes & gears.

Trojan

RainyDay wrote:

Having recently switched from an elderly racer/road bike to an MTB for commuting, I would advise that you consider the importance of having your hands on the brakes at all times, as is the case with the MTB. I don't think I could ever switch back to dropped handlebars and lose immediate fingertip control of the brakes & gears.

I'm in the opposite situation right now, switching to drops, and it is quite perturbing. Gotta stay on the hoods in traffic. But out of traffic, drop bars are lovely.

blorg

Not sure what you mean about the lack of brakes with drops. There are only really two positions that you aren't able to pull the brakes: (1) right on top of the bars (unless you have dual levers there as is common with elderly road bikes and also some modern cyclocross and touring bikes); (2) right at the end of the drop bars. Both of these would be pretty uncommon positions for me. My top three would be:

• Cruising along, lowish speed, low wind, or city cycling - on the hoods;
• High-speed/high-wind/downhill High-wind - in the drops (furthest extent forward, holding bar vertical: this is actually where they are most effective);
• Climbing - right on top of the hoods sort of like you might use MTB bar ends.

All these positions have brake access.

I used to have straight bars with bar ends and you have substantially more hand positions with brake access on drops. You have no brake access on MTB bar ends (admittedly this is not generally so much of a problem as primarily used for climbing.)

EDIT: When I swapped my bars I had to change my brakes from V-Brakes to touring cantilevers which I do find _substantially_ worse; but this is a brake effectiveness rather than a brake access problem.

hunnymonster

If you have small hands it can be difficult to pull the breaks when you're on the hoods. I've got women specific ones that make it a lot easier.

cunnins4

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

If near Temple Bar you could leave the bike parked in Squarewheels, can't remember how much it is per day. Also keeps it dry.

Sorry to hijack your thread, but where is this squarewheels place? I work and study in town and end up leaving my bike overnight regualarly, sounds like i could use this place?