My Ideal Commuter
When I was in Munich recently I noticed something out of the ordinary for the US and Malaysia: everyone rode bikes. Sure there were lots of cars, too (mostly BMWs, Audis and Mercedes) but for many people the bike seemed to be primary transport.
Munich is definitely a pedestrian and cyclist-friendly city. The sidewalks/bike paths are integrated into the entire network. A lot of planning went into making sure you could bike around the city with minimal issues dealing with pedestrians and cars. While I wasn’t able to cycle around myself, I was in awe of so many bikes, and this got me thinking about a commuter bike for myself.
Darryl’s recent post about the Helios bars didn’t help either, those things look sweet. I have a frame at home that will be turned into a commuter when I return to the states. Though my CX bike was sort of meant for commuting, I do want to race it one day. Thus, here is my list of ideal features for my future commuter bike.
- moustache or bowed bars
- fenders
- mounted headlight and tail light
- chain guard
- internal gearing
- rear rack
- front rack or basket
- mounted u-bolt lock
- mounted frame pump
- coffee cup holder
- double kickstand
- 28mm tires
Yes I have some crazy things on my list, but it’ll make this bike special and definitely ‘mine.’ What would you like to see on a commuter bike?
– Ashley
U didn’t mention tires – changing a flat is a f’in pain when trying to make it to work, i spent a little more on tires and got puncture resistant, a little more sluggish, but i don’t mind at all.
My commuter bike is an older mountain bike, light on the front and back with fenders. i don’t have a ulock, but not needed where i live. a mounted lock sounds nice! I have a rear rack with 2 waterproof bags-very important. don’t get the bags that u put a rain cover on – waste of space and time. I just ordered a coffee holder – can’t wait to put it on. Internalt gearing and chain guard would be nice. -my next bike. Not interested in the moustach bars – depending on how far u need to bike? i like a bike with a little more performance oriented??