I nominate my TiCom 🙂

Di2 hub gears
Dynamo lighting
Belt drive
Mudguards
Disc brakes

Cheers, Rich

STATO, TiRed – appreciated. I did think I was a little overgeared. Its actually 19.8 at 90rpm (the joys of Garmin!) which I sit at for maybe 50% of my ride. The rest is either spinning my nuts off at 26mph, or blowing my knees up at 12mph!

Maybe a smaller front ring is in order (I’ve already got a 15t rear).

Post a picture up of your Paddy Wagon TiRed? I never get bored of looking at that!

Thinking about it,
My commute is fastish, dark, some lanes, mostly A and B roads, terrible surfaces.

A light, comfy Audax type bike, discs, big tyres,rack and guards, dynamo, silly reflective tape etc would be perfect.
Secure storage so sod the cost, this is perfection.
So a Rohloff too.

And one of Muddydwarf’s blue jumpers, THE most visible top I’ve ever seen.

Just got a Charge Grater 3. Alfine hub, guards, hydraulic discs. Rides very nicely and all for 800 quid (or less).

turboferret the only thing missing is the basket on the front to put the guard dog in you’re going to need to stop someone me nicking it 🙂

That really is very nice, I’d be late for work everyday if I owned that.

My hybrid is a Kone Dew from about 2007. It does usually 5 miles then a train trip then 5 London miles, then in the week it could be 5 miles each way. I clean the chain about once a year, and despite being Alivio kit it continues to work. Still original too. The maintenance benefits of single speed are overstated IMO. However you would undoubted ly get more miles out of a chain. I use gears because it came with gears and I often carry heavy load.

Post a picture up of your Paddy Wagon TiRed? I never get bored of looking at that!

I’ll post one tomorrow with the new rack and briefcase on it. No dynamo on mine as I am happy with the Exposure lights.

I found that 42×16 is too low, 42×15 just right and 42×14 is challenging. I’m stronger than I was a year ago, so have been able to ride into the headwinds on 42×14. It’s not really very pleasant though. I’d say 42×15 is a better gear for the experienced fixed wheel rider over reasonable terrain. It will be my Audax gear.

Coincidently, I’m considering a custom steel frame to replace the PW.

My ideal commuter would be something that had full mudguards, pannier rack on back, singlespeed, dynamo front hub and built-in light, built-in lock, bombproof wheels and cable disc brakes.

When bike commuting, I’ve found that i spend more time doing things like…

– Changing into suitable bike clothing
– unlocking the bike
– attaching the lights
– attaching the pannier bags
– locking the bike
– removing the lights and bags
– Changing into work clothing

…and it takes more time than it should. Effectively it was quicker to commute 8km by car through traffic than by bike. Just because of the fuss. I think that a good commuter should help cut down the time needed on that list.

Cheer TiRed, I’ll drop down a couple of teeth on the front and see how I get on.

I know what I should get is a comfy steel frame with rack and guard mounts – what I want is something fast that looks cool. Where are you looking at for the custom frame?

Turboferret – that’s lovely, one bike to rule them all. If I could face going through the grief I’d have one but man alive it looked like some effort to get it!

I think that a good commuter should help cut down the time needed on that list.

That’s why I want dynamo lights – cos they’re fixed on. Also an advantage of having a rucksack (there are disadvantages too of course) cos you can just walk into the office.

It also helps to have your lock on your bike, so you can deploy it without having to take off your rucksack and fish it out.

24 mile daily round trip… Mix of forest, B Road and canal path. 4000 miles down and she just keeps going.

Almost perfect bike for the job (genesis croix de fer 30 pretty much stock but with full guards and 40c marathon supremes which are absolutely amazing) :

When bike commuting, I’ve found that i spend more time doing things like…
– Changing into suitable bike clothing
– unlocking the bike
– attaching the lights
– attaching the pannier bags
– locking the bike
– removing the lights and bags
– Changing into work clothing
…and it takes more time than it should. Effectively it was quicker to commute 8km by car through traffic than by bike. Just because of the fuss. I think that a good commuter should help cut down the time needed on that list.

^^ This is a good point actually…

Associated faff adds significant time to my commuting… Anything that helps reduce it is a benefit, being able to quickly fit bags to racks, having stuff already on the bike if possible or by the door ready to go is a major time saving I find.

I’m not sure if the “ideal” bike exists but I am still fond of my fixie after three years, it’s a heavy, functional, workhorse and suits my relatively flat 16 mile commute…

I will admit fanciful ideas like a freewheel, discs and/or drum brakes, a couple of additional gears and maybe a weight reduction have had me idly looking at alternatives lately…

But then it still brings a smile to my face to ride, takes very little money or time to maintain and saves my other bikes the wear and tear of regular daily use, much more complexity might upset those benefits so I will probably not change much any time soon…

If you are fixed or SS though it allows you to use a full chainguard which would be a big step towards maintenance free cycling.

Rack
Mudguards
Disc brakes
Bomb-proof wheels and tyres
Dynamo hub
Non ferrous frame

Singlespeed for me most of the time… Less to go wrong. 3000 miles later it doesn’t look as shiny as this picture….

Cannondale one fg my ideal commuter. Single speed better than the fixed for London traffic as although I love my fixed its harder weaving into really tight gaps with the fixed. Disc brakes are great for winter and crappy weather. Full mudguards for same and a rack because the courier bag with lock, laptop and clothes was getting ridiculously heavy and really not good for the back. Really fat slick tires run at high pressure for speed but better pothole toughness than the road bike. I’ve ridden loads of bikes for the commute over last 25 years but this is the most practical if not the most exciting…although it does handle and track stand really nice thanks to slack head angles. Super low maintenance and nice and light.

A lot depends on distance and type of roads. I don’t like drop bars for riding in stop start traffic/lots of lights (which was my 9 mile zone 2 commute) – flat bars much better.

Light weight never bothered me. I tried single speed a few times (a few months each) but always hated it. Hub gears for the win. Dynamo on my Brompton is great – would put one on the next large wheel bike.

I really like the look of the Canyon Commuter (though the one piece stem/bar/light is a bit of a risk for fit)

I used to prefer flat bars but having drop bars with hydro brakes I’m happy with them too

I find my legs to be in a perpetual state of tiredness. I commute most days, do a quick local blast with the dog and if I manage the gym as well they’re mullered. I like having gears (I have 4 bikes, 2 are SS) for commuting, given the riding I’m doing, because I can pootle along when I fancy it, sometimes its quite nice. Much harder to pootle on a SS, I suppose that’s part of the benefit though

Dynamo lights would be handy

The extra faff in putting away your bike is definitely a hassle. I’m lucky, I don’t lock my bike at work, it’s in a secure room inside the building. Also means I don’t have to take the lights off

Rucksack is definitely less faff when you’re on and off the bike, I remember that from motorbike commuting, but the Topeak MTX tracks on a rack are almost as quick, and you don’t get a sweaty back

I’d throw this into the mix as the ideal commuter, perhaps with Son dynamo lights front and rear. I do love a good custom bikes…

Non ferrous frame

See, for a commuter I’d always go steel. Yes it can rust, but it’s tougher, and when it’s going to be dropped against bike stands 200+ days a year that’s important.

Anyone else suddenly fancy some pear drops?

“when it’s going to be dropped against bike stands 200+ days a year”

I could buy that if you were a courier…. back in the real world are you really in that much of a rush you have to drop your bike into the rack.

do you drop it from an inch , 3 inches , 6 inches , orbit ?

I have used all sorted for commuting – steel , alu , ti , carbon and have not yet dented anything.

What bike for being taken out by a bin lorry? Thanks to some retard who can’t drive properly, I may need a new bike sooner than expected. Two smashed wheels, a broken fork and a possibly muller’d frame means I’m now on the hunt. Well, once the road rash has heeled.

Commuting in London…awesome…

Defining the ideal commuter is pretty hard as even if money is no object to buy it, you limit your options for leaving it outside the pub as you spend more on it (I’ve been finding that since spending more and more on it as my commute distance has increased, I have been getting more worried at the possibility of it being stolen)

That said if it was a pure commuter I’d go for the following wish list:

-drop bars (but not as low front end as on my road bike – I need to be able to get to work even if my back’s playing up a bit)
-gears (I kept snapping things on my fixed gear commuter, so I’ve given up on that idea. I ride quite fast and weigh 13.5 stone, which I don’t imagine helps.)
-disc brakes (mostly to avoid having to replace rims overly frequently)
-mudguards
-dynamo hub
-a rack (I like panniers both for longer commutes to avoid a sore back and shorter ones to avoid clothes getting sweaty – a top box would be ideal for most days but I haven’t got around to finding a suitably sized/shaped one).
-28mm tyres (which can be got in fast rolling flavours and can be run at lowish pressures for comfort if needed.) with reasonably strong wheels.

When I had a shorter commute I had flat bars on the commuter, but now I’m used to drops I would probably stick with them regardless.

There are quite a few fairly ligthweight frames and forks that will form the heart of my ideal commuter, but by the time everything like mudguards and racks is on it’s never going to upset the UCI’s minimum weight limit.

I did prefer riding a fixed wheel, similar but slightly shorter commute than the OP, and I got used to the commute after a few months. Except when I had massive headwinds. As I said though, kept snapping things on it. It is a good alternative to disc brakes for saving your rims if you’re a bit lighter than I am.

When bike commuting, I’ve found that i spend more time doing things like…
– Changing into suitable bike clothing
– unlocking the bike
– attaching the lights
– attaching the pannier bags
– locking the bike
– removing the lights and bags
– Changing into work clothing
…and it takes more time than it should. Effectively it was quicker to commute 8km by car through traffic than by bike. Just because of the fuss. I think that a good commuter should help cut down the time needed on that list.

EDIT: These are the reasons I used to commute in my office clothes (slowly, and with waterproofs when necessary) rather than lycra when I had a commute of that distance. It did help that I had a slight descent at the end of the commute in too if I did need to cool off a little.

I could buy that if you were a courier…. back in the real world are you really in that much of a rush you have to drop your bike into the rack.

do you drop it from an inch , 3 inches , 6 inches , orbit ?

I have used all sorted for commuting – steel , alu , ti , carbon and have not yet dented anything.

I managed to dent my steel frame, it just flopped from one stand over onto the next whilst I tried to thread the lock through the wheels. OK so I dented steel, but comparing the downtubes of my steel and alu bikes over the years I’s sticking with my assertion that steel shrugs off more knocks.

“Defining the ideal commuter is pretty hard as even if money is no object to buy it, you limit your options for leaving it outside the pub as you spend more on it (I’ve been finding that since spending more and more on it as my commute distance has increased, I have been getting more worried at the possibility of it being stolen)”

Without a doubt.

even to the point of buying a cheap low end drop bar bike – by the time make it convienant to cycle 25k each way in all weathers you stick a rack on , some mudguards , a dynamo lighting system thats useful on unlit busy roads…….your looking at the thick end of 1k to replace it – and in time honoured STW fashion my car was only 1400 quid…. – Thus i have another bike for going to the pub on …. it was free from my parents garage and has a set of 6.99 aldi lights screwed to it ….

What bike for being taken out by a bin lorry?

Ouch. Could have been worse by the sounds of it, hope you heal up quickly.

Defining the ideal commuter is pretty hard as even if money is no object to buy it, you limit your options for leaving it outside the pub as you spend more on it

Its a commute bike not a pub bike 😆

Thanks – I was pretty lucky actually – I saw him at the last minute and swerved, directly into the curb. He didn’t stop either which was nice – which led to me chasing down the A2 after him skidding all over the place on my Look cleats…

95% of a time I ride like a dickhead so if taken out I’d hold my hands up and take the blame. However this morning (the 5%) I was totally in the right, which is why I was so enraged when he didn’t stop.

I have secure storage at work so the cost of the bike isn’t the issue (errant Bin lorries aside). we also have one of those flash storage racks so it doesn’t damage the bike and there’s plenty of space as hardly anyone rides in (probably Bin lorry related).

Anyone had a Genesis Flyer? This looks pretty spot on for what I need, apart from slightly undergeared

I’ve recently split one bike into two: a more road-focused machine (Kinesis 4S Disc) and a singlespeed (Cotic Escapade). I do a 15-mile commute in Bristol.

There’s definitely a thrill to riding a lightweight bike, although I find it too skittish in the rain, over cobbles etc. My 4S has discs, light wheels and 28c tyres.

The Escapade is currently wearing Hope-based 29er wheels, singlespeed, mudguards and 37c Conti TopContact tyres. Grip is amazing, but it’s somewhat less comfortable than the 4S!

I’m mulling over whether to replace the Escapade with a flat-bar frame and some gears.

If the escapade is a large frame, you should DEFINITELY get rid. Cough.

When bike commuting, I’ve found that i spend more time doing things like…

– Changing into suitable bike clothing
– unlocking the bike
– attaching the lights
– attaching the pannier bags
– locking the bike
– removing the lights and bags
– Changing into work clothing

That’s what we would probably refer to as scope creep, that wasn’t a requirement of the OP’s question 😉

But anyroad, I’m lucky enough to have secure, underground car parking, manned 24/7 plus CCTV and security pass controlled.

I locked my bike the first day I commuted in 2009 but just leave it unlocked in a rack every day since then.

Also means I can leave my lights on etc. although I do remove my Garmin.

I also hang my sweaty or wet gear over the frame during the day to allow it to air/dry out before putting it on again for the commute home.

I’m never sure what some of the other commuters carry with them. they have 2 panniers, a rucksack and other stuff. I’ve carried less with me on an unsupported ride from London to Paris.

I’m never sure what some of the other commuters carry with them.

I used to call in shops and the stuff on the way home, or carry in stuff that needs posting at lunchtime etc. Bikes aren’t just for sport, they can be utilitarian too…

This is mine. A Kinesis 4S with dynamo, rack, mudguards, decent lightish wheels and light tyres.
Rides brilliantly, and as I spend so much time commuting and training on it I wanted to actually enjoy riding it!

Only changes I’d make to turn it into an ultimate commuting bike would be to get the GF_Ti disc frame rather than the 4S and switch to Di2 hydraulic disks.

I am lucky enough to be able to lock it in the changing rooms at school after a 13 mile each way ride though!

I’m never sure what some of the other commuters carry with them.

Usually try to take all office clothes and towel in for the week in one go.
I tend to go climbing straight from work, so need harness/shoes/non-lycra clothing.
Shopping.
Sometimes take the laptop home.

Still, apart from occasional long business trips, I’ve never needed more than 2 small panniers.

I commute 15 miles each way to Brighton & the bike I use most is a Planet X XLS. It has 28mm tyres for comfort, disc brakes for decent braking in the wet & proper mudguards in the winter. In my opinion it would be the perfect commuter bike if it had proper mounts for guards & a rack. Bit of a bodge to mount the guards but they work well & now I know how to do it they are easy to take off & put back on again.

I also have a Specialized Langster that I sometimes use. Love the lack of maintenance with it but it does limit the route I can take.

Sometimes use a MTB when very cold or for a bit of a change. When the weather is good I use my nice road bike. Good to have a variety of bikes to mix things up.

Wish I still had my lightweight racy MTB with carbon forks as that was a good commuting option in the winter.

For my commute in London I originally had a cheap old mtb which I stripped to SS. I moved further from work so treated myself to a Cannondale badboy, but found I was only using 2 gears so sold it and went back to a converted MTB. 25mm tires and v brakes, Mary bars and some on one steel forks on an old Trek frame painted bright orange. It was horrible to look at but pretty nippy in traffic and comfy for 10 miles a day max.
Now my commute is only 3 miles each way so I take which ever bike I want to ride on the “long way home”. Today it was the FS, Wednesday was the CX, sometimes the SS or the HT.

I have a rural commute, so very different circumstances. Bike goes in the basement at work and is not left out.

I’m not a fan of road riding, but it certainly helps my mtb riding.

2.5 years on my planet x pro carbon with race blades and 25mm tyres. Used in all weathers it’s been good value for money in only needing chains and brake blocks.

It is white under all its grime.

MTB-Idle, here’s my offering.

http://vanmoof.com/s-series/9-s5.html

It has an inbuilt lock, inbuilt lights, cable discs, single speed or gear hub, full guards and enclosed drivetrain. But, i can’t see any pannier mounts. All these will minimise the fuss before/after a commute and the preparation before, which is the important bit for me.

A fuss free commuter. But it won’t win any races or beauty contests.

Also for the op, out of your options, I’d get a geared CX bike. When you’re aching from riding in on the fun fixie, commute on the geared.