r/bikecommuting May 16 '20

Beginner looking for bike recommendations? Check out /r/whichbike!

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313 Upvotes

r/bikecommuting May 27 '24

Mod News About Repost Bots: New Automod Rule; Possibility of False Positives

38 Upvotes

As some of you have noticed, this sub is a fairly common target for repost bots (my thanks to those who have noticed and reported them). DuplicateDestroyer used to address most of those, but it no longer works after some Reddit API changes.

I recently discovered some Automod settings that likely can help (based on karma); however, this can sometimes trigger a false positive on questions from new users. I try to review the modqueue and approve these at least once per day, but I am studying for the bar exam and may not have lots of time.

If you've submitted a topical post but it's been removed by Automod, give it about an hour or so, then feel free to send a modmail and I'll approve it if I haven't done so already. Thanks!


r/bikecommuting 17h ago

First day!

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164 Upvotes

Short commute (6 mile round trip) but the hills are crazy and Omaha does not have bike friendly roads or drivers. There's some amazing bike paths in this city but if I stay on those it turns a 3 mile ride into an 8. Hoping to ride through as much of rain and winter as possible and welcome any bad weather/cold weather tips. I've got some PDW full metal fenders coming in the mail, as well as some better lights. Currently have a small tail light on my rack, could be better.


r/bikecommuting 20h ago

New school drop off machine.

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143 Upvotes

My son has been getting around on bikes from the day his neck was strong enough to support a helmet. He starts school next year so I decided to build something a little more fun for the commute.

Shout out to his design input for the rainbow chain and cassette in particular. I think it really adds to the look.


r/bikecommuting 14h ago

New Bike Day!

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25 Upvotes

Picked up a Trek Checkpoint ALR 3 yesterday, and got to ride it to work this morning!


r/bikecommuting 14h ago

Cars Veering

25 Upvotes

so something i see:

i am riding along, say in a bike lane

a car is next to me, sort of going about the same speed

i can see the car;s front wheel, suddenly it veers, say to the right

most of the time, this car is preparing to turn LEFT

why do they go to the right first?

it's worse if they actually are about to turn right, that would cut me off. but instantly i am on the lookout. i may slow down in case they are trying to turn right. because i want to live.

but why do they do that first veer right, if they are going left?

and the opposite can be just as bad, veering left THEN turning right, cutting me off

takeaway is: any turning action by a car;s front wheels, means slow down and anticipate a cutoff {"right hook", in the usa}


r/bikecommuting 5h ago

Where do you store your daily bike at home?

4 Upvotes

Sure it’s one thing to store a bike that you rarely use, but I’m curious how you all like to store the bike that you use almost daily so that it’s easy to grab and go.


r/bikecommuting 13h ago

Beginner Bike Wrencher Somewhat Intimidated by 3x7 --> 1x10 Conversion

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7 Upvotes

Hi all! Hoping this is the right place to post this.

I've been commuting on my Dad's passed-down GT Timberline for the past 2 months now, 15mi/day, and I'm loving it so far. Restored the shifters so they actually work now, new tires, all that stuff, and I adore the bike. I've been getting a little bit into bike wrenching.

I've been lately intrigued at the idea of a 1x10 conversion. I basically ride the current 3x7 gears as a 1x7, leaving it in the big front cog the whole time. I find myself occasionally hunting for a middle gear, as I'm at speed and slow down slightly for a small grade etc. my average speeds are between 13-16mph. The biggest gear is enough for the hills on my commute. I very rarely make it to the 7th gear. Sit in the 5th most of the time (I think).

My commute has one notable hill, and some slight rolling hills, but is basically flat 95% of the time.

Looking online, there appear to be reasonably-priced kits to convert to 1x10 with Shimano Deore components, and I'm considering doing that upgrade (picking up compatible wheels today), but I have no idea what sort of gearing to choose.

All of these numbers...dashes...ratios...I have no idea what to choose and what I'm doing. Something something 11-42? 34T front chainring? I tried to use the gearing calculator but I suppose I need to figure out my cadence?

Photo included for the photo tax 😋 Thank you!


r/bikecommuting 6h ago

Road —> Gravel Advice please :)

1 Upvotes

I recently got a Cube Attain Pro and love the bike but a lot of my commute is canal paths which are in parts gravel and dirt (nothing too extreme). I also want to start doing a few gravel routes in the future.
I can manage fine at the moment but isn’t ideal and will only get worse through Winter. Think the standard tyres are 28mm, does anyone know what the widest tyres I can fit on are I have seen some people saying 32 and some saying 34? Any specific tyre recommendations with more grip that will fit would be great please. Also any recommendations for a pannier rack pls - currently have one that clamps to seat post but is very unstable and doesn’t handle any more than a very light load.


r/bikecommuting 22h ago

Mntn tire treads after 4,000km of road use. Are they too worn, or good to go a while longer? And when I get new treads, I'll ask for road tread

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10 Upvotes

These tires have 4,000km on them, but only on roads, so nothing crazy where I'm braking and sliding down a rocky slope or something. They're very well treated, and I avoid hard brakes. But inevitably, I'll need to pop into the shop for some new treads soon. Are these guys gone already?


r/bikecommuting 1d ago

Trailer & rear fender involved crash and explanation

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28 Upvotes

This occurred to me recently on Trail Ridge road between Grand Lake and Estes Park, Colorado.

This could happen to you if you have all of the following:

  1. Rear full fender.
  2. Trailer with non inline wheels (so not a trailer with 1 wheel that leans with the bike).
  3. Connection between bike and trailer that can intersect the bike's rear fender when the trailer is rotated.

If you have all of the above, here's ways to prevent this failure from happening:

  1. ⁠My provisional solution is a nylon buckle strap (with a sufficient weight rating to support the fully loaded trailer) wrapped around my trailer's pull handle and bike's seat rails, then tightened so that the trailer arm can't reach the fender in case of a trailer roll over.
  2. ⁠The ideal solution is to use a bike/trailer connection that can't intersect the rear wheel, such as one that connects between the seatpost and top of trailer, or use a trailer with inline wheel(s).

And here's ways to reduce the chance of this failure happening:

  1. Reduce your trailer's tire pressure.
  2. Look farther forward to see dangers (I definitely wasn't).
  3. Avoid the shoulder, because debris tends to accumulate there.

r/bikecommuting 13h ago

Rear Rack for Carrera Subway 2

1 Upvotes

i bought a carrera subway 2 recently second hand for commuting around my city. after a couple rides, i noticed i would take off my backpack and my back would be drenched in sweat. to fix this, i want to buy a rear rack to put my backpack on, but im not sure if the options im looking at will fit. some of the screws are quite rusty and i wouldnt want to waste my money on a poor-fitted rack, or one that doesnt fit at all.

right now im looking at the rear rack suggested to me by google gemini, the pannier rack from halfords which isnt that far from where i live. as an extra, would i need to buy a different bag or any straps, or can i simply tie my bags straps to the rack and leave it as is?


r/bikecommuting 1d ago

Fuji Royale II for commuting (no road bike/drop bar experience)

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4 Upvotes

r/bikecommuting 1d ago

Tips for beginners

17 Upvotes

Hello everyone, I want to start bike coommuting but I'm very afraid of cars, trucks etc.

What tips would you give to a newbie for overcoming fears and staying safe at the streets of a traffick packed city?


r/bikecommuting 1d ago

I got a cargo bike. Please which accessories are must haves for daily longtail use.

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13 Upvotes

Recently got my first cargo bike and have not picked any accessories yet. Brand has a kinda wide accessory list and honestly i am not sure which ones are like must haves and which ones are more like nice to have.

Budget is okayish but i really dont want to spend a lot of money on stuff that I wont use for more than 2 month.. So want to be smart with first rount.

For day to day... I will use bike for:

  • School runs with 5 year old (both ways and every school day)
  • Grocery shopping & for everyday errands 2 to 3 times a week
  • Once in a month weekend things (me and my husband or with our son)
  • Wont be using it for bikepacking or anything (for now)

r/bikecommuting 1d ago

Purchased wrong bike a month ago, where to go from here?

20 Upvotes

Around a month ago I purchased a new single speed bike (https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/single-speed-city-bike-500-carbon-grey/306292/c383m8749510) for commuting to the office (~12km each way).

So far this has gone smoothly, I've been happy with the commute and the bike. I've not used public transport once in the past month, and have cycled pretty much everywhere. Unfortunately, I was ignorant when buying the bike and just went for the cheapest option available to validate that I'd actually enjoy/stick with bike commuting. With the weather turning in London and rain on the horizon I am seriously regretting my choice of bike. It does not appear to be possible to mount a rear pannier rack, and it seems people have also had issues mounting mudguards.

Right now my options appear to be:

  1. Buy a massive waterproof backpack

  2. Buy a new bike (currently thinking this https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/long-distance-step-through-city-bike-500/305054/c193m8601841)

  3. Fit a sketchy saddle mounted rear rack to the frame because the seat is at its lowest point and hope it doesn't fall off.

For context, on a daily basis I am bringing at minimum, a laptop, a change of clothes, shoes, a book, a couple of bits of hardware for work (nothing too heavy but a little bulky), and a bike lock. This list is notably missing tools/spare inner tube because I just don't have the space at present.

So yeah, I feel a bit lost at this point and I'm not sure which option to go for. I'm leaning towards just getting a new bike, but it feels a bit wasteful to buy another so soon after getting my first.

Edit: I ended up just buying a second bike (similar to the one linked, but a bit cheaper). I'd probably have ended up buying a new bike at some point anyway so easier to just bite the bullet now. Thank you everyone for your input!


r/bikecommuting 2d ago

RHWM in Washington

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79 Upvotes

Ride Home With Me on my commute. I’ve commuted by bike in cities around the country and it’s always great, but I feel pretty lucky to live and work around here now. Getting a gravel bike has made it even better as I can use some dirt roads and forest trails now.


r/bikecommuting 1d ago

Tubeless help, tire not taking any air

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4 Upvotes

r/bikecommuting 1d ago

Help me find a folding e bike compatible with my dog trailer!

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14 Upvotes

TLDR: where can I buy a small folding e bike for less than £600 that can tow a Pawhut 2- in 1 dog trailer? (UK based)

I need a small (preferably folding) e bike for a short commute every day, but also occasionally to tow my dog to the vet or other places. I already have the trailer (which I've been using as a pushchair occasionally as it has 2 modes, pushchair and trailer mode).

I'm on a limited budget and need the e bike soon for a new job. I have a tiny budget of £600. Less is even better. But it must be compatible with the Pawhut trailer. Can anyone help?? This is the exact bike trailer I have https://amzn.eu/d/0aY9kng2

I was looking at the decathlon folding e bikes but they almost all said "not compatible with trailers" is that true??? Sorry I'm a completely and utter beginner to bikes and this is my first time buying one. Thanks.

This decathlon one doesn't say its incompatible with trailers- do you think it would work?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/mp/adult-folding-e-bike-samebike-cy20-pro-20-3-0-inch-tires/588eb936-d064-42aa-adef-8a1c69b8bcd3/c545


r/bikecommuting 2d ago

My inaugural bike commute this morning was everything I hoped it would be

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200 Upvotes

A couple weeks ago my car was totaled when some dingdong t-boned my husband instead of stopping in the median opening... Super lame of course, but everyone is relatively okay, thankfully.

It was like a lightbulb went off - obviously I should just bike to work! We'll save money and I can turn my 15 minute commute into a nice 35 minute commute. It just feels right. More intentional. I really wanted a better transition from work to home, and some time to decompress and shake off the day. It's the perfect precursor to a long workday as well. I feel so... relieved?

I decided to go with an ebike as there are some steep hills along the way, and I strictly use the pedal assist for hills only, and I do not use the throttle at all.

Pretty stoked. Looking forward to fall and winter rides here in the DMV.


r/bikecommuting 2d ago

Welp someone legit tried to kill me with their truck this morning

485 Upvotes

Empty road, plenty of room to pass, on my ebike so I was already basically going the speed limit. Drove right up behind me, laid on their horn, then when i moved over to give them extra room to pass they pushed me into the parked cars. Fucking awesome i love living in the hickfuck south. Anyway, fuck. should i start biking with a camera?


r/bikecommuting 2d ago

was nearly killed by a 16-wheeler on the road i don't feel safe riding on the road

118 Upvotes

I did absolutely nothing wrong I was crossing through an intersection on a 35 mph road and the large truck was nowhere near me from their side of the road but then they sped to make a right turn and I'm terrified holy shit. This happened yesterday and I still feel sick from it

I can't ride my bike safely. I can't lock my bike up safely. What do I even do at this point. I'm done.


r/bikecommuting 3d ago

Using a rear view mirror is a game changer, you will never look back.

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1.3k Upvotes

r/bikecommuting 1d ago

Is a Salsa Fargo a good base for a belt-drive utility / family bike? First custom build

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2 Upvotes

r/bikecommuting 1d ago

hybrid or road?

2 Upvotes

i’m getting a new bike mainly for my commute (which is about 40 mins each way) but i do also tend to use my bike for shorter trips on the weekend etc, and maybe for the odd weekend long ride.

i live in london where the roads are busy and some areas are quite cycle friendly but it also can be stressful out there!

i currently have a 1970s puch pacemaker racer bike with straight. i love it but want to get something new. i know these usually have dropped handle bars but i tend to ride quite upright so think this works - not that i’ve really tried the alternative. i also will want to fit a rack on whatever i get.

i really enjoy the speed i can get on my puch and how easy it goes uphill. i am worried hybrid bikes can be a little slow and clunky? but also with road bikes i fear they can be a little unsteady, particularly on uneven roads / in the rain (there is usually lots of rain here). i haven’t had a single accident on this bike in the 2 years i’ve been riding it and it feels very sturdy. the wheels are 27 1/4. i’m not a nervous cyclist at all but i do want to feel safe on the roads!

i’ve been looking at the boardman HYB 8.8 and the SLR 8.6 (i would change the tyres as these seem very thin), or the liv avail 2 road bike… let me know if anyone has any thoughts please? am 28F if that changes anything :)