Converting mountain bike into commuter bike

[Konstantin Shemyak]

Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> "Chris Nelson" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> If the OP was commuting through frozen tundra, then a suspension bike
>> with studded tires would be the right tool. However, the OP was asking
>> about converting to an "efficient commuter bike" which is something
>> quite different.
>>
> If OP was commuting through frozen tundra, I certainly WOULD NOT recommend a
> suspension fork. Ever try to ride a suspended bike in a sub zero weather

I'm commuting in sub-zero (Celcius) weather 5 months out of 12 in
the city. Out of my several bikes, the front-suspended MTB is by far
the most efficient in these conditions. I've "tried" it for many years
and conclude by the rhetoric tone of your question that you have never
tried that.

I'm not commenting on sick idea of "commuting through frozen tundra",
this should have been again a pun from a person who has no idea of
commuting through poorly cleaned city streets in the cold.

Back to the point: if the OP commutes in sub-zero temperatures, I
highly recommend (quality) front suspension.

Konstantin Shemyak.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Chris Nelson:
>I ride a FS in the woods all winter with no problem, however, I do use
>high end shocks, of the air assisted variety. A few of my friends did
>have trouble with their hydraulic brakes on the really bitter days.

Oops!... Score one more for my choice of a mech on the rear wheel.
--
PeteCresswell

 

[Chris Nelson]

Konstantin Shemyak wrote:
> Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > "Chris Nelson" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> If the OP was commuting through frozen tundra, then a suspension bike
> >> with studded tires would be the right tool. However, the OP was asking
> >> about converting to an "efficient commuter bike" which is something
> >> quite different.
> >>
> > If OP was commuting through frozen tundra, I certainly WOULD NOT recommend a
> > suspension fork. Ever try to ride a suspended bike in a sub zero weather
>
> I'm commuting in sub-zero (Celcius) weather 5 months out of 12 in
> the city. Out of my several bikes, the front-suspended MTB is by far
> the most efficient in these conditions. I've "tried" it for many years
> and conclude by the rhetoric tone of your question that you have never
> tried that.
>
> I'm not commenting on sick idea of "commuting through frozen tundra",
> this should have been again a pun from a person who has no idea of
> commuting through poorly cleaned city streets in the cold.

You think that riding through frozen tundra is a sick idea, yet you
post links to a web site showing pictures of yourself riding through
frozen tundra. Seek help.

>
> Back to the point: if the OP commutes in sub-zero temperatures, I
> highly recommend (quality) front suspension.
>
> Konstantin Shemyak.

 

[Bellsouth Ijit 2.0]

"Chris Nelson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Konstantin Shemyak wrote:
>> On 2007-01-20, Chris Nelson <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >> That depends on the terrain. I use an MTB for commuting and enjoy
>> >> being
>> >> able to boost over gutters when the road lane chokes down.
>> >
>> > YeeHaaw, I like your style. But you could still do that on a rigid with
>> > fat tires.
>>
>> Certainly one can. One can also ride a unicycle. But just as said
>> above, it depends on the terrain which fork would be safer and would
>> allow
>> to ride faster and more efficient. If your riding is 99% asphalt of
>> reasonable quality, suspension fork is definitely not needed. But going
>> over very bad pavement, or riding on uneven ice, is much faster
>> and safer with a good suspension.
>>
>
> I assume the OP is riding on asphalt, why else would he swap out the
> tires?
>
> Riding on ice would be safer with suspension? Studded tires are your
> only hope there.
>
>> > My main concern would be control. I would just feel safer dodging cars
>> > without all the diving and flexing of that cheapo squish fork that
>> > comes on a Trek 4300.
>>
>> I feel much safer when I know that I can ride straight through any
>> big pothole in case I'm pressed by cars from both sides. You can not
>> safely go straigt over 2" bumps with any practical tires. And you can
>> not rely on the hope that you'll be able to jump over them in heavy
>> traffic.
>
> Poppycock. Some MTBs come with rigids, both low and high end, where
> riders can easily navigate much larger hits. I would suggest fatter
> tires if that were the conditions the rider was facing, which I
> seriously doubt anyway.
>
>>
>> No objections, there are so bad suspension forks which are no better
>> than a rigid fork. But a reasonably good suspension is much more
>> efficient and safe in a number of conditions. Do you need suspension
>> on a commuter depends on whether you meet such conditions during your
>> commute.
>
> There are some bad suspension forks that are worse than a rigid, like
> the one that comes on a Trek 4300. A good suspension fork would cost
> more than OPs entire bicycle at which point the OP should just go buy a
> commuter bike, which probably will not have a suspension fork on it
> anyway. For as little as $30, the OP could upgrade to a steel rigid and
> have a bike that is more suitable for riding on the road.
>
>>
>> --
>> Konstantin Shemyak
>> Self-made Luxeon III bike light:
>> http://konstantin.shemyak.com/cycling/Luxeon3W
>> Tandem for riding with two kids:
>> http://konstantin.shemyak.com/cycling/Tandem
>


Agree. You don't need no stinkin' pogo stick on a commuter. You don't need
no fat tires either.

 

[Bellsouth Ijit 2.0]

"Chris Nelson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Konstantin Shemyak wrote:
>> On 2007-01-22, Chris Nelson <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> > Riding on ice would be safer with suspension? Studded tires are your
>> > only hope there.
>>
>> Of course studded tires are a must when riding on ice (I live at 60th
>> parallel FYI). And front suspension adds a great deal of safety, as
>> front wheel is in much better contact with uneven surface.
>
> If the OP was commuting through frozen tundra, then a suspension bike
> with studded tires would be the right tool. However, the OP was asking
> about converting to an "efficient commuter bike" which is something
> quite different.
>
>>
<snippo>

If OP was commuting through frozen tundra, I certainly WOULD NOT recommend a
suspension fork. Ever try to ride a suspended bike in a sub zero weather,
especially cheapo oil-and-coil types? Useless. Rigid all the way for
commuting, especially for freezing weather.

 

[Cam]

On Jan 24, 3:44 pm, "Bellsouth Ijit 2.0" <[email protected]> wrote:
> A rigid
> steel bike with canti brakes, fenders, slicks/semi-slicks and rack makes the
> best all around commuter, whether it's 90 degs or sub-zero

On salted streets I'd rather have an aluminum bike to avoid rust but
otherwise you're on target.

Cam

 

[Bellsouth Ijit 2.0]

"Konstantin Shemyak" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> "Chris Nelson" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> If the OP was commuting through frozen tundra, then a suspension bike
>>> with studded tires would be the right tool. However, the OP was asking
>>> about converting to an "efficient commuter bike" which is something
>>> quite different.
>>>
>> If OP was commuting through frozen tundra, I certainly WOULD NOT
>> recommend a
>> suspension fork. Ever try to ride a suspended bike in a sub zero weather
>
> I'm commuting in sub-zero (Celcius) weather 5 months out of 12 in
> the city. Out of my several bikes, the front-suspended MTB is by far
> the most efficient in these conditions. I've "tried" it for many years
> and conclude by the rhetoric tone of your question that you have never
> tried that.
>
> I'm not commenting on sick idea of "commuting through frozen tundra",
> this should have been again a pun from a person who has no idea of
> commuting through poorly cleaned city streets in the cold.
>
> Back to the point: if the OP commutes in sub-zero temperatures, I
> highly recommend (quality) front suspension.
>
> Konstantin Shemyak.
>

 

[Bellsouth Ijit 2.0]

"Konstantin Shemyak" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> "Chris Nelson" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> If the OP was commuting through frozen tundra, then a suspension bike
>>> with studded tires would be the right tool. However, the OP was asking
>>> about converting to an "efficient commuter bike" which is something
>>> quite different.
>>>
>> If OP was commuting through frozen tundra, I certainly WOULD NOT
>> recommend a
>> suspension fork. Ever try to ride a suspended bike in a sub zero weather
>
> I'm commuting in sub-zero (Celcius) weather 5 months out of 12 in
> the city. Out of my several bikes, the front-suspended MTB is by far
> the most efficient in these conditions. I've "tried" it for many years
> and conclude by the rhetoric tone of your question that you have never
> tried that.
>
> I'm not commenting on sick idea of "commuting through frozen tundra",
> this should have been again a pun from a person who has no idea of
> commuting through poorly cleaned city streets in the cold.
>
> Back to the point: if the OP commutes in sub-zero temperatures, I
> highly recommend (quality) front suspension.
>
> Konstantin Shemyak.
>


You are out of your mind.

Sure thing, I'll stick a $600 Fox fork on my $50 commuter beater that will
get trashed by salt, grime, and dirt just so I can jump a mound of black
snow with more confidence that I can with a rigid. A commuter bike by
definition is a bike you pare down to the very basics, so you are not
worried about maintaining expensive shocks, disc brakes, whatever. A rigid
steel bike with canti brakes, fenders, slicks/semi-slicks and rack makes the
best all around commuter, whether it's 90 degs or sub-zero.

 

[Michael Press]

In article
<[email protected]>,
"Chris Nelson" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Oil would be nice. Unfortunately, the fork on the Trek 4300 doesn't
> have any. It is springs and elastomers which means there is no damping.
> It is a pogo stick and belongs in a dumpster, not a bike carrying a
> human being on the road, in traffic. It may be fine for leisurely
> biking through the woods, which is the intention of that model, but it
> would be a poor choice for the higher speeds and emergency manuevers
> associated with commuting.

Rip it to shreds.

> Moreover, the OPs original question was how
> to make the bike more efficient. Losing the pogostick will do just
> that. Dodging death is an added bonus.

--
Michael Press

 

[Michael Press]

In article
<[email protected]>,
"[email protected]" <[email protected]> top posted:
> (PeteCresswell) wrote:
> > Per Chris Nelson:
> > >> That depends on the terrain. I use an MTB for commuting and enjoy being
> > >> able to boost over gutters when the road lane chokes down.
> >
> > Has anybody besides me gotten the occasional urge, when stuck in traffic in
> > their car, to yank back on the steering wheel, jump that curb over there, and
> > just go around it all?
> > I think once I caught myself actually pulling on the steering wheel.
>
> Ahhh. Urban off-roading. I've been waiting for the commuters in their
> sport-utes to realize their capabilities and just start driving on the
> relatively uncongested sidewalks. After all, the lines on the road are
> just paint, and the traffic control signals are just colored lights.
> The UPS trucks drive regularly on the sidewalks around here (DC), as do
> the FedEx vehicles. Traffic congested to the next alley opening? Just
> take the sidewalk. I'm suprised more don't, but I guess a thin veneer
> to civilization still remains.

Until pedestrians start carrying hand grenades.

--
Michael Press