N+1 is about to strike again – need commuter advice

Despite being content with my collection for the first time in years, my circumstances have changed meaning I am now able to commute to work by bike every day instead of occasionally.

therefore, I need a commuter bike to handle the rigours of a commute, right?

My commute is 25 mile roundtrip, with only a couple of hills of note, so am happy to go single speed.
Have toyed with a Genesis day one, but cant seem to shake the lure of a Pompino.
My mate rides a Pompetamine (alfine equipped) that I built him and despite its hefty weight its his favourite bike, so im also tempted by one of these – however the budget is tight.

On-One have no Pompino’s built for sale and havent for a while, they are also selling all frames for £99, smells like a discontinued line to me – which after a phone call has been confirmed.

Should I go alfine or single speed – and is the Pompino suitable for this distance?
Ideally I want to stick CX tyres on as my route has a 1 mile dash of gravel/muddy trail on it.

Why does it have to be alfine? 1×9/10 is surely just as usable for your routes, cheaper, cheaper to maintain, and relatively maintenance free?

I have a roadrat, long large, it’s great fun, anyhting up to 50M round trip each day and a hoot to ride.

Kev

I’d go Alfine for a commute of that distance. I’d also want drum-brakes (or disc brakes if you insist) – as V-brakes suck. You’ll also want a hub-dynamo for lights.

And then fit a Hebi chainglider. I’ve oiled my chain four-times in 10 months, and that’s me being over-enthusiastic.

http://www.hebie.de/Chainglider-350-38-42-44.hebie350chainglider.0.html

Badboy in the classifieds here!
Or SS inbred. Tis the way forward don,t ya know.

Something like a Pearson Touche[/url] sounds like it would fit the bill. If you’re fine with getting over the hills on a singlespeed, why go for the added complication, maintenance and expense of gears?

I use a pompetamine with alfine as my commuter and love it for the job (although less so as I’m hauling it up the hill on the way home). I only live about 5 miles from work but tend to do a more scenic route in one direction so maybe 15 + 5 including various gentle off road bits.

I use a pompino SS v brake for 11 mile each way 22 mile round trip commute. Two small hills to climb up and its bloody brilliant. So much fun. I’ve also got what I call idiot bars on it…aka the on one midge bars. Great stuff.

Despite being content with my collection for the first time in years

yeah, im right with you there. The only teeny tiny issue is the commuter i have, the frame is a POS always was always will be…. ive got one eye on a Pearson Hanzo frame and one eye on a Ribble Audax/winter full bike, but i cant commit to either due to hating the road and not having much disposable income………

Then some total **** comes on here spouting about pompino frames for not much money. If there is one in my size and that blue that has the right rear spacing to take my current wheelset…… Im in.

V brakes are fine on the road as long as they’re set up properly (not too fiddly).

Depending on size you may have minor clearance issues with a Pompino – mine is an XL but I still get a bit of toe overlap and also find panniers fit too close to my heels (size 12 feet admittedly), worth bearing in mind when choosing rack and luggage. Otherwise they’re great bikes for commuting – cheap, durable and pretty much zero maintenance.

phew, £99 frame, but i would need fork, headset, BB, brakes, levers(?)

i might cost that lot over the weekend. as you were

For that distance I’d use my normal road bike.

Is commuting on my 853 Inbred s/s overkill?
I guess I could stick slicks and a big ring on it?..

Nah, I WANT a Pompino.

Do it Soobalias – we can compare build pics and ting

Yesiamtom, pics please!

For that distance I’d use my normal road bike.

But that’s 125 miles per week + any weekend mileage, all on my sram RED shod pride’n’joy, plus the bike shed here isn’t the most secure set up.

You answered your original Q as soon as you posted so JUST DO IT ALREADY! 😮

Then I’d get a cheaper 105 equipped road bike!

Then I’d get a cheaper 105 equipped road bike!

purely for more gears?

Speed, value for money, less niche-whoriness, more gears, lighter than the urban warrior types. I would not use an Alfine either – heavier, more expensive, and normal road chains etc need naff all maintenance anyway so the amount of effort it saves is tiny.

I might be tempted for the urban style thing if it was all city riding, I’d go for flat bars.

Is commuting on my 853 Inbred s/s overkill?

That’s what I do. Only mine is the geared one.

Cheap £20 rigid forks. Cheap rack. Cheap guards. Deore disks. Full MTB 27sp gears. Commuter/tourer of the higest order! 🙂
Pulls a trailer well too which is a lot more than a Roadrat will do!

normal road chains etc need naff all maintenance anyway so the amount of effort it saves is tiny.

Agreed.

and normal road chains etc need naff all maintenance

Really? Do you not ride when they’re salting the slush after a snowfall?

Building a low-maintenance hack was the best thing I’ve ever done. I probably do 30 minutes of maintenance a year, if that.

commuting on the Inbred may be the sensible option, would just be sad to lose it as my back-up-off-road option.
I also have a nice 853 Kona road frame hanging around, im just too weird to use modern parts on an old frame.. I know, I know.

I use a charge plug for my commute, the only problem I’ve found is that I spin out on SS really easily, which is why I’m going to go uber-niche by fitting a sturmey archer hub that I have lying around to it.

Do you not ride when they’re salting the slush after a snowfall?

Yep, all weathers!

I jetwash my road bike every three months or so, maybe. Dunno what the difference is between running with or without a mech.