Commuting/touring bike

Chris Snyder said:

I currently have a Giant Yukon mountain bike that I've
head for around four years. It's an 8-speed with Shimano
components (though I couldn't figure out which ones).
While I realize that it's not the best bike for my
purposes, I think it can do the job. Currently, the chain
and cassette need to be replaced, but otherwise it's in
pretty good shape. I'd like to upgrade the bike with a few
items: a braking system that will be good in wet
weather/snow/ice, fenders, and racks. My main concern is
the braking system - what would be a good way for me to go
to get good wet weather braking performance? I know that
discs would work great, but my frame does not have disc
brake mounts.

What do you have at the moment? V-brakes or cantilevers
should be fine, especially if you put some Kool Stop salmon-
coloured brake pads on them. If you're using cantis you may
want to check out Sheldon Brown's article on canti
adjustment: sheldonbrown.comcantileverOpen ↗
adjustment.html

Those brake pads can make a really big difference.

Quoted message said:

Could this bike be a good commuting/occasional touring
bike? If I get into any additional touring, I'll probably
get a new bike more suitable for that purpose, while
keeping my Giant around as a commuter/beater. Would this
be a good course of action? Thanks in advance.

As long as you're comfortable on it I don't seen any
problems. If you're riding on asphalt I'd recommend putting
some slick tires on it when there's no snow on the ground,
for added traction and lower rolling resistance.

I like having drop bars for longer rides myself, but this is
mainly a comfort issue. My best 200 km brevet time so far
was done on a MTB with flat bars and slick tires, before I
bought my touring bike.

--
Benjamin Lewis

Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.
-- Walt Kelly

Chris Snyder said:

I'm just starting to get into cycling more, having
basically done no riding (other than quick rides around
school) for the past couple of years. I'm hoping to use my
bike to commute, as well as occasional touring. I'd like
to bike in all weather, including rain and possibly during
the winter (Michigan, so plenty of snow/ice).

I currently have a Giant Yukon mountain bike that I've
head for around four years. It's an 8-speed with Shimano
components (though I couldn't figure out which ones).
While I realize that it's not the best bike for my
purposes, I think it can do the job. Currently, the chain
and cassette need to be replaced, but otherwise it's in
pretty good shape. I'd like to upgrade the bike with a few
items: a braking system that will be good in wet
weather/snow/ice, fenders, and racks. My main concern is
the braking system - what would be a good way for me to go
to get good wet weather braking performance? I know that
discs would work great, but my frame does not have disc
brake mounts.

Could this bike be a good commuting/occasional touring
bike? If I get into any additional touring, I'll probably
get a new bike more suitable for that purpose, while
keeping my Giant around as a commuter/beater. Would this
be a good course of action? Thanks in advance.

First congratulations and welcome. There are really no
wrong answers to commuting equipment, both fixed gear true
racing bikes and forty year old coaster brake cruisers (
and everything in between) being commonly seen on warm
spring mornings.

Since you own this bike, I'd suggest you get a chain and
cassette, clean up your braking system and ride it.

As with so many things in life, daily commuting will lead
you to either fall in love with your bike as you find it
perfect in every way or, as you find things you dislike you
can change them as needed/desired.

For example, the stock treaded 1.9 tires are functional. But
you might be happier with some inexpensive 1.5 smooth tires.
(Or even expensive ones.) There is no reason to try to do
this all at once or even just once. We have a customer who
brings us his 2.0 smooth tires in November for installation
and he goes back to a set of 1.5 tires every April. Your
equipment doesn't have to make sense to anyone else but you.
We've taken off road bars in favor of straight or riser bars
but we also recently changed a woman's straight bar for drop
bars and aero levers.

Yes, mudguards are a good idea. Some riders prefer a minimal
seatpost mounted snap-on rear only and some riders get our
all-stainless steel full coverage set with a mudflap added
to the bottom of the front one.

And as you ride you'll probably change your mind a few times
about things like that. A rear carrier or a messenger bag? A
battery light or a dynamo? Reasonable men differ and that's
just fine.

Regarding your brakes, get a good set of pads, Kool Stops
for example, inspect the cables and replace as needed.

Sure you can get a disc-compatible frame, a disc-compatible
fork, disc-compatible wheels and spend a pile of money on
those teeny little discs if you are so inclined. But the big
discs which are holding your tires work fine too.

At any rate nothing you've mentioned should stand between
you and a daily ride. Just do it.

ps-all your Shimano equipment is clearly labeled with the
part number. Look on the back side of a crank (FC-000)or
a brake (BR-000), the underside of the derailleur (RD-
000), etc.
--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1
April, 1971

On Wed, 05 May 2004 19:22:53 -0400, Chris Snyder <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I'm just starting to get into cycling more, having
basically done no riding (other than quick rides around
school) for the past couple of years. I'm hoping to use my
bike to commute, as well as occasional touring. I'd like to
bike in all weather, including rain and possibly during the
winter (Michigan, so plenty of snow/ice).

I currently have a Giant Yukon mountain bike that I've head
for around four years. It's an 8-speed with Shimano
components (though I couldn't figure out which ones). While
I realize that it's not the best bike for my purposes, I
think it can do the job. Currently, the chain and cassette
need to be replaced, but otherwise it's in pretty good
shape. I'd like to upgrade the bike with a few items: a
braking system that will be good in wet weather/snow/ice,
fenders, and racks. My main concern is the braking system -
what would be a good way for me to go to get good wet
weather braking performance? I know that discs would work
great, but my frame does not have disc brake mounts.

Others have said it- Koolstop Salmon brake pads. Be sure
that they are the Salmon, not red. Accept no substitutes!

Quoted message said:

Could this bike be a good commuting/occasional
touring bike?

Fine bike for commuting. Some people do well with long rides
on mountain bikes with flat bars; I don't. So I wouldn't use
it for touring myself. Then again, if the choice is either
use flat bars or not take long rides, I'll take long rides.
Try it and see how it feels for a long ride.

Quoted message said:

If I get into any additional touring, I'll probably get a
new bike more suitable for that purpose, while keeping my
Giant around as a commuter/beater. Would this be a good
course of action? Thanks in advance.

Makes sense to me.

For street riding without snow, get skinnier slick tires. I
put some Geax Street Runner tires on my mtb commuter and
they have been great- $20 each. 1.25 inch size (you'll need
smaller tubes). Lots of other good slick tires out there.

Get lights. A white LED up front and a red LED in back
minimum. If you are on lit streets, that's so others can see
you, not so you can see with the lights. They are small and
don't weigh much, and make it possible to come home in the
dark with less worry.

A good place to get some ideas (although you don't need your
bike covered with every gegaw going)-

runmuki.comcommuting3.htmlOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>, Chris Snyder <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I'm just starting to get into cycling more, having
basically done no riding (other than quick rides around
school) for the past couple of years. I'm hoping to use my
bike to commute, as well as occasional touring. I'd like
to bike in all weather, including rain and possibly during
the winter (Michigan, so plenty of snow/ice).

Okay, first, you're starting in May, which means you can
probably count on several months of excellent, nearly rain-
free weather. Take advantage of that by making your changes,
especially the eventually necessary weatherproofing,
gradually.

Quoted message said:

I currently have a Giant Yukon mountain bike that I've
head for around four years.

An excellent start. The biggest speed difference between
road and mountain bikes is caused by knobby tires, so I
would consider a set of treadless road tires the most
desirable upgrade. They will make the biggest difference.
I rode for several months on a mountain bike even older
than yours with no ill effects. Don't get too pricey on
the tires; good MTB-sized (26"😉 slicks can be had for less
than $20 each.

Quoted message said:

I'd like to upgrade the bike with a few items: a braking
system that will be good in wet weather/snow/ice, fenders,
and racks. My main concern is the braking system [...]

Unless you get into truly extreme conditions of packing
snow, your current braking system is fine. Note that most
serious commuters use either road brakes or canti/V-
brakes, and with no ill effects. Properly set up, there
will be marginal performance differences over discs, even
in the rain.

If you find yourself riding in snow and ice conditions that
cause bad snow packing around the brake, you might consider
discs, I suppose, but leave that decision for the Winter.

Quoted message said:

Could this bike be a good commuting/occasional
touring bike?

Yes. Full fenders are a very worthy upgrade to a commuter,
but aren't vital during the warm months we're now
entering. Racks are nice, especially as a mounting point
for saddlebags, which are a convenient way to carry gear
on a commute.

Ride the bike you have. It will do everything a touring
bike would do with a minimal speed disadvantage. If you
really wanted to make up the speed disadvantage, you could
add aero bars 🙂.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden]
sfu.cawiredcolaOpen ↗ President, Fabrizio
Mazzoleni Fan Club

depends on the route! straightaways need top speed, lay down
and a long top tube but add afew stops twists and backyards
then its cyclocross and a few more then its? see the
specialized catalog or bike mag's annual payolla issue