Another commute to work thread

frankzappan said:

Ok...its time. I've decided that I cant in good conscience continue to
drive that big ol beast of a truck to work. It just costs too much for
everybody. I don't have a bike and haven't ridden in 15 years (I'm 33).
I'll be buying a used bike...looking at 2 right now on craigslist
houston, an 80s Schwinn World Sport - $50, and a 70s C.Itoh road bike -
$75. I'm into fitness, I swim 800-1500m 3-4 days a week, lift weights
4-5 days a week, but I'm still pretty heavy, 275 pounds. I'll be
carrying my gym bag so lets say approx. 300 pounds total. That brings
me to my first question. Are there any weight limitations I need to be
aware of. I'm also wondering how the swimming will translate into
biking, although I think its more a matter of conditioning myself
specifically to bike riding. My morning commute will be 7 miles one
way, all flat, in light traffic with bike lanes for at least half.
Evening traffic will be a little heavier. I know nothing about
bicycles, but I gotta start somewhere. Of the two above would either
one suit my needs. Any suggestions welcome. TIA

Run to a newsstand! The issue of Bicycling magazine that will soon go
away has a feature piece on heavier (i.e. bigger than that Lance guy)
riders. If you find only the issue with LA's face on it you're too
late; try the library.

IIRC both the bikes you're looking at are ten-speeds with skinny tires.
With your size and the fact that you're commuting (Texas doesn't have a
returnable container law; glass on street = flat tire) you'll want to
look at mountain bikes.

You might want to drop by a local bike shop (LBS in usenet parlance)
and see what they try to sell you. Take notes. Proceed to another LBS
and see what they have. Do not go to a *.Mart and check out their $100
bikes. (Those are bicycle-shaped objects that won't hold up.)

You've got a huge bike club in Houston (er, Houston Bicycle Club) with
a newsletter and daily rides for all levels. Look them up on the web;
probably someone is selling their 7th or 8th bike from the stable and
it would be perfect for you. (And if you meet Ed or Ellen, tell 'em I
said hey!)

HTH

--Karen
loving Michigan's ten-center bottle bill

Quoted message said:

Ok...its time. I've decided that I cant in good conscience continue to
drive that big ol beast of a truck to work. It just costs too much for
everybody. I don't have a bike and haven't ridden in 15 years (I'm 33).
..................
Evening traffic will be a little heavier. I know nothing about
bicycles, but I gotta start somewhere. Of the two above would either
one suit my needs. Any suggestions welcome. TIA

First of all, it's refreshing to hear that your conscience is getting
you our of the truck and on to a bike. I recently tried to talk a guy
at work out of buying a monster SUV and failed.

For a beginner commuting 7 miles on flat roads either of those bike
would be an inexpensive way to start. You will probably want some
better tires. I recommend Specialized Armadillos to eliminate most
puncture flats (Google this in rec.bicycles.* and you will get others
opinions on these tires). Whatever tires you use, inflate to > 100 PSI
and you won't have pinch flats, even at your weight. (Floor pumps are
cheap, $20 or so).

Your weight might be an issue with regards to the older rims. But they
are unlikely to collapse. You may start breaking spokes or have them
go out of true. I would recommend to just put some good tires on them
and ride. Worry about new rims when you have problems.

I would also recommend replacing the brake pads (also cheap). Pads
that old tend to be dry, hard, and not brake well.

Good luck,
Tom

Quoted message said:

Ok...its time. I've decided that I cant in good conscience continue to
drive that big ol beast of a truck to work. It just costs too much for
everybody. I don't have a bike and haven't ridden in 15 years (I'm 33).
I'll be buying a used bike...looking at 2 right now on craigslist
houston, an 80s Schwinn World Sport - $50, and a 70s C.Itoh road bike -
$75. I'm into fitness, I swim 800-1500m 3-4 days a week, lift weights
4-5 days a week, but I'm still pretty heavy, 275 pounds. I'll be
carrying my gym bag so lets say approx. 300 pounds total. That brings
me to my first question. Are there any weight limitations I need to be
aware of. I'm also wondering how the swimming will translate into
biking, although I think its more a matter of conditioning myself
specifically to bike riding. My morning commute will be 7 miles one
way, all flat, in light traffic with bike lanes for at least half.
Evening traffic will be a little heavier. I know nothing about
bicycles, but I gotta start somewhere. Of the two above would either
one suit my needs. Any suggestions welcome. TIA

I would concur with the other replyer, you don't want a road bike. You
probably wouldn't want a mountain bike either though, either a comfort
or hybrid with wider tires and a fixed front fork (no shocks). You
might also want a rack on the back (for that gym bag), run with wide but
smooth tires (slicks).

W

[email hidden] wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Ok...its time. I've decided that I cant in good conscience continue to
drive that big ol beast of a truck to work. It just costs too much for
everybody. I don't have a bike and haven't ridden in 15 years (I'm
33). I'll be buying a used bike...looking at 2 right now on craigslist
houston, an 80s Schwinn World Sport - $50, and a 70s C.Itoh road bike
- $75.

I don't know anything about your personal finances, but I would up your
budget on this, say, (to this_year_gas_price - last_year_gas_price) *
gas_used_per_day_commuting * 365. That way, you get the bike for free,
and you're not going to [censored] out on the idea when a 30 year old bike
falls apart.

Quoted message said:

I'm into fitness, I swim 800-1500m 3-4 days a week, lift weights
4-5 days a week, but I'm still pretty heavy, 275 pounds. I'll be
carrying my gym bag so lets say approx. 300 pounds total. That brings
me to my first question. Are there any weight limitations I need to be
aware of.

My commuting bike is an old, heavy Metro 3-speed, a very popular street
bike in NYC. Handles all the rough spots and I see some pretty large
people riding them. It has steel rims; if you got a bike like that and
maybe had the rear wheel respoked to 14 gauge (I did that when I was 275
pounds on a different bike) you should be fine.

Quoted message said:

I'm also wondering how the swimming will translate into
biking, although I think its more a matter of conditioning myself
specifically to bike riding.

If the experience of the people in my family is any guide, you'll have
more breathing capacity than a typical bike newbie. If you're a weight
lifter, you should have power in your legs. You just have to put it
together with posture, rythm, balance, and timing.

Quoted message said:

My morning commute will be 7 miles one
way, all flat, in light traffic with bike lanes for at least half.
Evening traffic will be a little heavier. I know nothing about
bicycles, but I gotta start somewhere. Of the two above would either
one suit my needs. Any suggestions welcome. TIA

Good Luck!

--ag

The Wogster said:

Quoted message said:

Ok...its time. I've decided that I cant in good conscience continue to
drive that big ol beast of a truck to work. It just costs too much for
everybody. I don't have a bike and haven't ridden in 15 years (I'm 33).
I'll be buying a used bike...looking at 2 right now on craigslist
houston, an 80s Schwinn World Sport - $50, and a 70s C.Itoh road bike -
$75. I'm into fitness, I swim 800-1500m 3-4 days a week, lift weights
4-5 days a week, but I'm still pretty heavy, 275 pounds. I'll be
carrying my gym bag so lets say approx. 300 pounds total. That brings
me to my first question. Are there any weight limitations I need to be
aware of. I'm also wondering how the swimming will translate into
biking, although I think its more a matter of conditioning myself
specifically to bike riding. My morning commute will be 7 miles one
way, all flat, in light traffic with bike lanes for at least half.
Evening traffic will be a little heavier. I know nothing about
bicycles, but I gotta start somewhere. Of the two above would either
one suit my needs. Any suggestions welcome. TIA

I would concur with the other replyer, you don't want a road bike. You
probably wouldn't want a mountain bike either though, either a comfort
or hybrid with wider tires and a fixed front fork (no shocks). You
might also want a rack on the back (for that gym bag), run with wide but
smooth tires (slicks).

W

I'm with the Wogster re the carrier. In fact if you're commuting get a
few bungy cords and a carrier to start with. If you like commuting
consider buying some good quality pannier(Bicyclese for saddlebags 🙂
to make carrying things and doing errands on the way to-and-from work
more convenient.

John Kane
Kingston ON

Quoted message said:

Ok...its time. I've decided that I cant in good conscience continue to
drive that big ol beast of a truck to work. It just costs too much for
everybody. I don't have a bike and haven't ridden in 15 years (I'm 33).
I'll be buying a used bike...looking at 2 right now on craigslist
houston, an 80s Schwinn World Sport - $50, and a 70s C.Itoh road bike -
$75.

Sheldonbrown.com describes C. Itohs as "crumby bikes." He's right.
Cottered cranks, crimped drop-outs...ug. Mine is a rainy day bike I use
as a single speed in crappy weather, which is bad b/c it has steel
wheels that can stop worth the price of the bike (got it for free).
You'll have trouble finding compatible replacement parts with dropping a
lot of money on the cheap bike if something goes wrong. Also, the bike
is heavy a [censored] compared to other steel bikes that were make during that
same time period.

hth
\\paul
--
Paul M. Hobson
Georgia Institute of Technology
..:change the words numbers
if you want to reply to me:.

Quoted message said:

Ok...its time. I've decided that I cant in good conscience continue to
drive that big ol beast of a truck to work. It just costs too much for
everybody. I don't have a bike and haven't ridden in 15 years (I'm 33).
I'll be buying a used bike...looking at 2 right now on craigslist
houston, an 80s Schwinn World Sport - $50, and a 70s C.Itoh road bike -
$75. I'm into fitness, I swim 800-1500m 3-4 days a week, lift weights
4-5 days a week, but I'm still pretty heavy, 275 pounds. I'll be
carrying my gym bag so lets say approx. 300 pounds total. That brings
me to my first question. Are there any weight limitations I need to be
aware of. I'm also wondering how the swimming will translate into
biking, although I think its more a matter of conditioning myself
specifically to bike riding. My morning commute will be 7 miles one
way, all flat, in light traffic with bike lanes for at least half.
Evening traffic will be a little heavier. I know nothing about
bicycles, but I gotta start somewhere. Of the two above would either
one suit my needs. Any suggestions welcome. TIA

One of the important things we don't notice when we're young and
flexible, but that takes on immense importance when we're older and out
of shape, is that our bikes don't fit.

The importance of bike fit cannot be overstated: it's the source of
most of the pain and suffering that makes people stop riding their
bikes.

If you haven't ridden since you were a teen, it's likely you've never
had reason to learn about frame sizes, saddle position, reach, and the
other factors that can make cycling joyful or agonizing.

And it's likely that any used bike you buy through a classified ad
won't fit you, since any given bike won't fit most peolple. If you're
tall -- and if you're fit at 275 lbs you're probably tall -- the odds
are even longer.

There are two things you will need above all else: (1) the right size
frame and (2) strong wheels.

It's possible you will find these qualities in a used bike. But
unlikely.

I think you should get it out of your head that a bike should cost $75
because that's what they cost at K-Mart. A reasonable budget for a good
entry-level hybrid or comfort bike is $300-500. Such a bike, sold
through a reputable bike shop that's paying attention, will come with
the professional assembly, personal fitting, and post-sale support and
service that you should have for a bike you depend on to get to work,
especially if you have no wrenching experience and lack the specialized
tools it takes to service your own bike.

I will never understand why people who will spend $30,000 on a motor
vehicle and $40 a week on gas think that $300 is too much to spend on a
bike. I congratulate you on your desire to break the cycle, and I hope
you see it through. You'll optimize your chances by starting with a
decent bike that fits you well.

RichC

<[email hidden]> wrote...

Quoted message said:

Ok...its time. I've decided that I cant in good conscience continue to
drive that big ol beast of a truck to work. It just costs too much for
everybody. I don't have a bike and haven't ridden in 15 years (I'm 33).
I'll be buying a used bike...looking at 2 right now on craigslist
houston, an 80s Schwinn World Sport - $50, and a 70s C.Itoh road bike -
$75. I'm into fitness, I swim 800-1500m 3-4 days a week, lift weights
4-5 days a week, but I'm still pretty heavy, 275 pounds. I'll be
carrying my gym bag so lets say approx. 300 pounds total. That brings
me to my first question. Are there any weight limitations I need to be
aware of. I'm also wondering how the swimming will translate into
biking, although I think its more a matter of conditioning myself
specifically to bike riding. My morning commute will be 7 miles one
way, all flat, in light traffic with bike lanes for at least half.
Evening traffic will be a little heavier. I know nothing about
bicycles, but I gotta start somewhere. Of the two above would either
one suit my needs. Any suggestions welcome. TIA

Of the two bikes, the one that fits you best and/or is in better shape would
suit your needs. A problem with bikes that old is that components have
evolved somewhat since those bikes were built, and a few of the components
(mostly freewheels and rear hubs) are going to be a little hard to find. For
$50-75, though, you could ride it until something breaks, by which time you
would hopefully have saved enough on gas to recoup what you paid for the
bike. At that point you might have a clearer idea of what you want in a
bike, and you can decide whether to fix up the old bike or get something
new/different/more expensive.

As an earlier poster said, broken spokes may become an issue for a 275 lb
rider and his gym bag. When and if the spokes start to go, consider having
the spokes and rim replaced at a good bike shop, or just get a new handbuilt
wheel at a good bike shop. A good handbuilt wheel with butted stainless
steel spokes will cost a fair bit, but it would be a stronger wheel than you
are likely to find on most new entry level road bikes.

Putting the widest tires you can fit on any bike will reduce the stress on
the spokes, make your commute more comfortable, and reduce the chance of
pinch flats (tube is pinched between the rim and a pothole/curb/whatever).
Keeping tires inflated high enough that the sidewalls don't bulge under your
weight will also reduce the likelihood of flat tires. Wider tires seem to go
longer without needing to be inflated than narrow ones.

HTH,
--
mark

Thanks for all yall's time and replies. After talking to my better half
I've decided to up the budget a bit. I'm also in touch with a local
custom builder who has already suggested upgrades to any used bike I
might buy. BTW I'm 72" tall, so at 275 pounds I'm quite overweight.
When I say "fit" I mean that I have the cardiovascular and muscular
endurance to handle vigorous exercise, not that I'm "in shape". Again,
thanks for the replies. I feel like I've got much better direction now.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ok...its time. I've decided that I cant in good conscience continue to
drive that big ol beast of a truck to work.

(SNIP)

Everybody has given you good advice. Most important is to be sure your bike
FITS. Type of bike is secondary to that. You will ride more on a hybrid that
fits well than on a road bike that doesn't, and vice versa. That being said,
if I were you I would ride wheels with 36 spokes or more. Have fun
commuting.

Quoted message said:

For a beginner commuting 7 miles on flat roads either of those bike
would be an inexpensive way to start. You will probably want some
better tires. I recommend Specialized Armadillos to eliminate most
puncture flats (Google this in rec.bicycles.* and you will get others
opinions on these tires). Whatever tires you use, inflate to > 100 PSI
and you won't have pinch flats, even at your weight. (Floor pumps are
cheap, $20 or so).

I'm not sure what the rims look like but I've found that 70's and 80's
bike rims don't have the proper 'lip' for todays tires and that trying
to put more than 95 lbs can be problematic. If the tires start to
crawl off the rim (tube goes bang!) then don't pump them up past 90 -
95 lbs.

--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry [email hidden]
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ (Text only)
http://hcs.sourceforge.net/ (HCS II)
http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog

Quoted message said:

Thanks for all yall's time and replies. After talking to my better half
I've decided to up the budget a bit. I'm also in touch with a local
custom builder who has already suggested upgrades to any used bike I
might buy. BTW I'm 72" tall, so at 275 pounds I'm quite overweight.
When I say "fit" I mean that I have the cardiovascular and muscular
endurance to handle vigorous exercise, not that I'm "in shape". Again,
thanks for the replies. I feel like I've got much better direction now.

Two things with a used bike, you either need to be friends with a good
mechanic, or know something about bike mechanics yourself. With
upgrades, it's easy to spend more money on upgrading old rusty, then
your going to spend on a new bike. There are some decent deals on new
bikes this time of year, especially if your in a northern climate. Bike
dealers don't want to be stuck with alot of '05s when the 06's come out.

There is a reason why a bike that was $500 in 1975 is now worth $50,
because it probably needs $450 worth of work done on it.

One thing you should do, is get the custom builder to do a professional
fitting for you, then in buying a new or used bike, your getting
something that fits well, an ill fitting bike can easy feel like "The Rack"

W

rdclark wrote:
<snip>

Quoted message said:

I will never understand why people who will spend $30,000 on a motor
vehicle and $40 a week on gas think that $300 is too much to spend on a
bike. I congratulate you on your desire to break the cycle, and I hope
you see it through.

you forgot insurance too! 😉

--
Paul M. Hobson
Georgia Institute of Technology
..:change the words numbers
if you want to reply to me:.

frankzappanstein said:

Thanks for all yall's time and replies. After talking to my better half
I've decided to up the budget a bit. I'm also in touch with a local
custom builder who has already suggested upgrades to any used bike I
might buy. BTW I'm 72" tall, so at 275 pounds I'm quite overweight.
When I say "fit" I mean that I have the cardiovascular and muscular
endurance to handle vigorous exercise, not that I'm "in shape". Again,
thanks for the replies. I feel like I've got much better direction now.

I think you're wise to increase the budget. Look at it this way: at 70
miles a week commuting and figuring that 20 mpg is good mileage for a
truck, the gasoline alone for the commute must run about $500 a year at
today's prices. For $500, you can buy a reliable new bike that will last a
lot longer than a year and have money to spare for a few necessities like
lights and a rack.

--
Paul Turner

Quoted message said:

Ok...its time. I've decided that I cant in good conscience continue to
drive that big ol beast of a truck to work. It just costs too much for
everybody. I don't have a bike and haven't ridden in 15 years (I'm 33).
I'll be buying a used bike...looking at 2 right now on craigslist
houston, an 80s Schwinn World Sport - $50, and a 70s C.Itoh road bike -
$75. I'm into fitness, I swim 800-1500m 3-4 days a week, lift weights
4-5 days a week, but I'm still pretty heavy, 275 pounds. I'll be
carrying my gym bag so lets say approx. 300 pounds total. That brings
me to my first question. Are there any weight limitations I need to be
aware of. I'm also wondering how the swimming will translate into
biking, although I think its more a matter of conditioning myself
specifically to bike riding. My morning commute will be 7 miles one
way, all flat, in light traffic with bike lanes for at least half.
Evening traffic will be a little heavier. I know nothing about
bicycles, but I gotta start somewhere. Of the two above would either
one suit my needs. Any suggestions welcome. TIA

Go to a bike shop. You can get a decent mountain bike for $250. Try to
get one without suspension anything (not frame, fork or saddle), you're
too heavy for the entry-level stuff & you really don't need it. You can
swap the knobby tires for slicks for more speed, but knobbies will never
flat.

Your commute isn't very long, but as the miles accumulate, reliability
will be an important consideration. I wouldn't trust old bikes, and
especially wheels for your use. Mountain bikes are designed for more
abuse, so they are a good match to heavy loads. Buying from a shop gets
you support down the road if you need it, and, being a newbie, you
probably will.

The Wogster said:

Quoted message said:

Thanks for all yall's time and replies. After talking to my better half
I've decided to up the budget a bit. I'm also in touch with a local
custom builder who has already suggested upgrades to any used bike I
might buy. BTW I'm 72" tall, so at 275 pounds I'm quite overweight.
When I say "fit" I mean that I have the cardiovascular and muscular
endurance to handle vigorous exercise, not that I'm "in shape". Again,
thanks for the replies. I feel like I've got much better direction now.

Two things with a used bike, you either need to be friends with a good
mechanic, or know something about bike mechanics yourself. With
upgrades, it's easy to spend more money on upgrading old rusty, then
your going to spend on a new bike. There are some decent deals on new
bikes this time of year, especially if your in a northern climate. Bike
dealers don't want to be stuck with alot of '05s when the 06's come out.

There is a reason why a bike that was $500 in 1975 is now worth $50,
because it probably needs $450 worth of work done on it.

One thing you should do, is get the custom builder to do a professional
fitting for you, then in buying a new or used bike, your getting
something that fits well, an ill fitting bike can easy feel like "The Rack"

W

Yes I agree with W, don't get sucked into a crappy cheap bike.

There are bikes you'll just love to ride and then there are bikes
you'll forever hate.

I commute with my wife's mountain bike and I hate it. It's too heavy
and the wheels don't roll. I did put slicks on it, I hate it less but
still hate it.

Yes my road bike is great but too expensive to leave anywhere. For
commuting I wish I had something in-between.

I'd recommend a flat-bar or cheap road bike, hybrid or comfort bike.
People seem to love those in-between sorta bikes.

Cheers.

ok...
I went into Sun&Ski and talked to the salesman about what I needed and what I was willing to spend.
He showed me several Marin models in the $350-$400 range. He answered a lot of my questions and got
me on a couple of bikes. Turns out I have a rather large torso with short legs. 72" tall and fit on
a 17.5" frame. Not real impressed with his knowledge of his wares but overall a positive experience.
Then I did loads of research and went into LBS and went through the whole drill again. I was much
more impressed. The guy asked the right questions and had the correct answers to questions I already
knew the answers to. He suggested I look at the Trek hybrids. I did and I'm looking real hard at a
Trek 7200 for $350. With all the other gear I need I can probably get out the door for right around
$500. Not too bad, and all the consumer reviews I've read on the Trek 7200 have been very favorable.
One thing though, both salesmen were pushing bikes with fork and seat suspension, even though I made
it a point to emphasize my weight. Several replies here indicate that maybe I'm too heavy for entry
level suspension. Will it hurt to have suspension on the bike despite the fact that it might not do
anything?

btw, I got a hold of that issue of bicycling that covers the heavyweights, thanks for that tip.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Thanks for all yall's time and replies. After talking to my better half
I've decided to up the budget a bit. I'm also in touch with a local
custom builder who has already suggested upgrades to any used bike I
might buy. BTW I'm 72" tall, so at 275 pounds I'm quite overweight.
When I say "fit" I mean that I have the cardiovascular and muscular
endurance to handle vigorous exercise, not that I'm "in shape". Again,
thanks for the replies. I feel like I've got much better direction now.

sorry, different email ~ original poster
"Tom" <[email hidden]..rr.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

ok...
I went into Sun&Ski and talked to the salesman about what I needed and what I was willing to

spend.

Quoted message said:

He showed me several Marin models in the $350-$400 range. He answered a lot of my questions and

got

Quoted message said:

me on a couple of bikes. Turns out I have a rather large torso with short legs. 72" tall and fit

on

Quoted message said:

a 17.5" frame. Not real impressed with his knowledge of his wares but overall a positive

experience.

Quoted message said:

Then I did loads of research and went into LBS and went through the whole drill again. I was much
more impressed. The guy asked the right questions and had the correct answers to questions I

already

Quoted message said:

knew the answers to. He suggested I look at the Trek hybrids. I did and I'm looking real hard at a
Trek 7200 for $350. With all the other gear I need I can probably get out the door for right

around

Quoted message said:

$500. Not too bad, and all the consumer reviews I've read on the Trek 7200 have been very

favorable.

Quoted message said:

One thing though, both salesmen were pushing bikes with fork and seat suspension, even though I

made

Quoted message said:

it a point to emphasize my weight. Several replies here indicate that maybe I'm too heavy for

entry

Quoted message said:

level suspension. Will it hurt to have suspension on the bike despite the fact that it might not

do

Quoted message said:

anything?

btw, I got a hold of that issue of bicycling that covers the heavyweights, thanks for that tip.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Thanks for all yall's time and replies. After talking to my better half
I've decided to up the budget a bit. I'm also in touch with a local
custom builder who has already suggested upgrades to any used bike I
might buy. BTW I'm 72" tall, so at 275 pounds I'm quite overweight.
When I say "fit" I mean that I have the cardiovascular and muscular
endurance to handle vigorous exercise, not that I'm "in shape". Again,
thanks for the replies. I feel like I've got much better direction now.