Commuting by bike?

I just finished pimping my ride with fenders. I rode to school this morning on the wet BGT, and my butt stayed dry!! Fenders are highly recommended. All bolts are locktited and the zip ties are easy to replace. For now, they're plenty tight, and they make no noise, even on the biggest bumps. The front attaches on the brake bolt, so it's not going anywhere. <br><br>I'm starting a stash of dry clothes in the lab, so I don't have to worry about rain.<br><br>For wet weather tires I think I'll switch the 23 to the front, and get a 25 for the rear. Anybody have recommendations on bombproof tires? <br><br>And Greg, thanks so much for the light. It works great.

Yes, fenders make all the difference in the rain. I leave them on my commuter bike all the time.<br><br>No tire is "bombproof" but some are better than others. I like to balance suppleness of ride and wet-traction with longevity (and carry an extra tire and two tubes in my pack in case of severe glass cuts in the rain).<br><br>My favorites the past couple of years have been the Vredestein Fortezza and it's lighter sibling Fortezza Tri-Comp and Continental GP 3000 (now being superseded by the GP 4000 with a Vectran belt which should be even more durable). Both of these tires ride really well and are quite durable.<br><br>Supergo and nashbar.com had good prices on the Vredesteins last year at this time, but so far have not put them on sale this year.<br><br>Edited to add: Come to think of it, YMMV considerably from mine - you're a lot bigger, for one thing. 25mm or even 28mm on the rear (or both ends) is not a bad idea if you are prone to snake-bite punctures. People I know swear by the Continental Gatorskins for winter www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&descr...NTI&major=1&minor=27 for a super-durable belted tire . . . If it's durability you're after, the now archaic practice of ageing your tires might be worth looking into. Find a tire you really like and buy 4 or 5 of them (back wears out about 2.5 times faster than the front) and store them in a cool, dark, dry place for a year or two before riding them. All the serious riders did it back in the day, and most pros still do. The aged tires have better puncture resistance and wear longer than the "green" ones (even though there isn't that much real rubber in some tire compounds these days).

great thread. yeah i bike commute every day as well. Green Lake area to Downtown via Stoneway, Fremont Bridge, Dexter. Good route, lots of bikes, wide lanes. This will be my first winter on this route though. Seems to be the only excercise I get these days with a baby back home- keep it up everyone.

Good Thread.<br><br>Previously I have been a mostly seasonal commuter - short ride to Metro Bus in the morning with Everett to Redmond ride home. Average 2/3 days a week Apr-Oct.<br><br>Now I think I will be riding more often throughout the year. 14 miles along Port Phillip Bay, Black Rock to Fishermen's Bend - quite nice actually. Where, you may ask? - Melbourne, Austalia. Lots of cyclists on this route - lots of cars too.<br><br>I think this ski season will be even worse than last! But the proximity to good surf should make up for it I hope....

Good thread! <br>I commute 7 miles Ravenna to downtown 2-3 days/wk. It's the quickest way around downtown, too, and multi-tasks commuting with exercise and keeps you acclimated for weekend adventures. And starts global cooling. <br><br>I commuted year round last year, till I broke my femur skiing in Feb, and I got back to bike commutes in July. It's been easier than walking. I carried a trekkng pole on the rack at first for support when I arrived. Now I'm inline skating, too, to get back in shape for skiing.<br><br>Winter set up: <br>- old cyclocross/road bike, steel, sturdy. But any bike can work. <br>- full fenders<br>- rack with waterproof Ortlieb "office" pannier. <br>- rear Vista blinky light on seat post. Aiming to car driver height with solid mount is MUCH brighter than floppy mount on a pack or helmet. <br>- Front Cygo-light $75 NiMH rechargeable 12W 2-beam. Plenty bright for town, incl. dark sections of Burke Gilman. Again, aimed at driver's eyes. <br>- Burley jacket with good zip vents, tights, sometimes wind or rain pants. <br>- Construction safety vest, ANSI II, yellow with silver reflective tape all sides. Like the traffic cops and waste truck drivers wear. I have to wear it on construction sites when people are actually aware, so it seems odd to take it off to ride on streets full of cellphone using drivers. I want them to really have some explaining to do if they hit me and say "I didn't see him."<br>- Helmet and helmet liner or balaclava if really cold. <br>- Different gloves for dif. temps. Full ski gloves if really cold. <br><br>And year round: Assertive, defensive riding, with eye contact and showing my intentions at intersections by taking the lane in direction I am going and being predictable. No "peek-a-boo" riding between parked cars, and no stopping on the right curb when intending to go straight. That's how LOTS of cyclists get hit, and it's not just the car driver's fault. And bright clothes. I don't understand riding in gear that blends with pavement color.<br><br>Favorite moments: Seeing the crew teams at dawn on Lk Union. Coming down Dexter to Fremont and a line of blinky lights in the dark waiting for the bridge to come down. <br><br>Try Cascade.org's "Commuting" links. <br>

I've been impressed with the newer fenders that don't require the frame to have mounting points. I got some for my wife's old alum trek. $35 and they strap right onto the frame.<br><br>The coverage isn't as complete, but they are pretty light and stay in place.<br>I hadn't seen them until this year.