I’ve been commuting in to work since the start of the year by bike, driving to Orpington then cycling from there into the city. It’s about 16 miles with around 600ft of climbing each way, on a mixture of back streets and full on blast on the A2/A20

I’ve been using my fixed for most of it, but have also used my Grade and a carbon road bike. I carry a rucksack which i prefer to panniers because I don’t need to carry that much in and during these cold months it keeps my back warm.

You obviously see a mixture of bikes ranging from BSO’s with a bent back wheel, to carbon superbikes with deep rims and Di2. The question is, whats the ideal bike?

I’ve found I enjoy riding the fixed as its a bit of a challenge and on the flat bits is actually easier than a geared bike. Additionally I found the Grade a fair bit slower, the carbon bike a bit faster but started needing a bit of attention as it doesn’t seem to like the beating it gets. I’m happy on the Fixed (to the point where i’ve spoken to Sam @singular about a one of fixed road bike – my current one is a track bike) but by Thursday I’m hanging and tomorrow will be a bit of a mission.

So – do I go Fixed for the foreseeable, or get a spangly new road bike and run it for a year, or get some CX’er type affair that’s quicker than the Grade (I like the Grade, its just a bit of effort for that London)?

If you can do fixed I would. I found it great to just jump on and no distractions, no option to drop gears you just get on with it and its over before you know it, and enjoying the connection with the bike. Found it really easy to get used to and even with a steep hill in the middle it was no problem.

Perfect bike? a fixed with full guards and dynamo lights and a saddle bag to carry your stuff 😀 (rucksacks suck)

[url=https://flic.kr/p/DikVVu]Untitled[/url] by dickyelsdon, on Flickr

same as stato…….but with gears. 😀

I got a Genesis Croix de Fer for a slightly shorter commute (21Km) which is a mixture of road and canal tow path. It’s quite a bit heavier than my road bike – 12Kg vs 8Kg but I don’t think a carbon road bike would be too happy on the tow path day after day so that’s not really a problem. You can fit full mudguards to it which for commuting is essential. Has TRP Spyre disk brakes which are fine.

I also use it as my winter road bike and have done 100 miles on it so it’s not that much of a restriction.

I have an Ortlieb 4 litre saddle bag to carry my commuting kit: there’s a mount that attaches to the saddle rails and you just clip/unclip the bag.

For London, I much prefered flat bar, prefereably with discs (and a dynamo), with backpack unless i was carrying lots.

STATO – Member
If you can do fixed I would. I found it great to just jump on and no distractions, no option to drop gears you just get on with it and its over before you know it, and enjoying the connection with the bike. Found it really easy to get used to and even with a steep hill in the middle it was no problem.

I’ve never understood the attraction/advantage of fixed over singlespeed. I get the simplicity of singlespeed, and enjoy the “just get on with it” mentality that it drives – but fixed just seems unecessary to me.

I always rode singlespeed in London – too many traffic lights and junctions for a geared bike – constantly changing up and down gears was a right pain. Singlespeed means you can keep focussed on the road and all the various hazards too, rather than spending any mental resources thinking about best gear to be in.
Also, much less to go wrong on a singlespeed and getting home from work and having to fix gears so I can ride in again tomorrow is not ideal.
I guess if you’re riding to Orpington you’re avoiding the supersteep hills around Chislehurst if you’re riding fixed!

I first commuted in March to October in 2003 and 2004 and then more seriously all year round since 2009 to date.

I’ve done about 6,000 to 9,000 London commuting km’s a year since 2009 depending on how I’m feeling/what the general weather is like.

What’s the perfect commuter? for me it’s a bike that is reliable, fast and maintenance free.

I’ve used:

Bianchi Via Nirone – nice and fast but very stiff Alu frame makes it uncomfortable on those potholes. the Campy gruppo is pretty unreliable too. I’ve broken four right-hand shifters on the commute over the years. Rim brakes make it scary in the wet. Never fitted mudguards to it so try to avoid the rain anyway

Specialized Allez Comp alu frame – just as fast as the Bianchi but much more comfortable with the zertz inserts in the forks and seatstays. I really like this bike but it’s perhaps a bit small for me. Only broken one right hand shifter on this during that time. Rim brakes again can be troublesome when it rains. Fitted Crud roadracer 2’s to it for year round commuting.

Trek 1200 converted to singlespeed – not as fast as the two above (I can’t spin my legs fast enough on a 50:18 gearing) but the frame is comfortable enough for alu and singlespeed makes it much easier to clean and maintain. you guessed it, rim brakes again. Again, fitted Crud roadracer 2’s to it for year round commuting.

dialled bikes Prince albert – steel with 700c wheels – only used this a couple of times when the other bikes were out of order. Very comfortable i.e. steel plus 140mm revelations up front plus the disc brakes offer unrivalled stopping power in the wet but the MTB gearing and upright positioning made it painfully slow.

Raleigh steel framed road bike circa mid-1980’s – this was my first commuter bike in 2003/2004 and really got me into road riding. Steel frame and forks were comfy enough although the non-indexed gears with shifters on the down tube were painful. Gears never worked well and i ended up being either in top gear or bottom gear with no in between and I blame this for developing my low cadence.

so to summarise, dropped bars, decent gearing, comfort and room for mudguards are probably my priorities

EDIT: Oh and of course puncture proof tyres. All the above is pointless if you spend all your time at the side of the road.

Conti Gatorskins all the way for me

I’d say a rack was fairly key for a commuter. Don’t get the point in carrying a rucksack everyday

With a rack I can put another bag on to take my laptop in and out. I can open my rack packs side pockets to create panniers to do the shopping on the way home from work

Mine is an adventure bike with marathon plus tyres, full guards, hydro brakes and good lights. Dynamo would be a good upgrade but I’m fine with charging them every now and then. Mainly used on the road but it does the odd track too

I got a Genesys Equlibrium disc on the bike to work thing last May. It’s been ideal for commuting in from Hampton Court to the city. Burly wheels, fixing points for muddys and panniers, discs so no rim wear, decent tiagra 10 speed set up. I’ve been happy with it and it’s significantly more comfy that my Allez if a little heavier. I’m 17 stone and it’s been bomb proof even over London’s less than stellar roads.
Worth a look?

I commute on a fixed Look Pista / track bike and tend to average about 14 miles per day. After destroying wheels and components over the years through running them throughout winter I’m loving the low-maintenance life now. Also, fixed makes you much stronger… I’d say if you can hack it then keep on doing it. I always use a rucksack too as never have much to carry – panniers would be overkill.

Which is *precisely* what every keen cyclist used for commuting in the sixties/seventies and my Dad stuck with pretty much all the way until he retired about ten years ago !

FWIW, the “advantage” (if you want to call it one) of fixed vs. SS is that it’s good for improving your spinning technique as you can’t just freewheel down the hills. It forces you to learn to pedal fast & smooth.

I’ve done a similar commute in terms of profile into London for a few years and tried various bikes. For a couple of years it’s been on a fixed gear bike and whilst it’s great fun I fear it has messed a bit with my ability to ride my road bike. i.e. I don’t think spinning at 110 rpm on the flats and grinding up the hills at 60rpm is very good training for the road riding I’m doing so I am returning to my old road bike. I’ll keep the fixed though for when the mood takes me.

So I N R A T S summary – have a selection of bikes you can choose from, as you do now.

Mine, obviously! I’d say singlespeed or alfine 8, dynamo is great, mudguards and a rack. I use a steel mtb frame and fork (surly troll) which all works out heavy but rides fast (light rims) and it’s a practical bike, so weight is not such an issue anyway. It needs to be robust! 🙂

im going the otherway .

ive had hub gears for the last 8 years or so … going back to cheap claris drive train that is easy to replace.

thge rohloff was trouble free but both the alfines needed more attention than regular mechs.

For my circumstances, a 40 mile each way commute done 3 times per week, with showers on site and ultra secure storage at work, my perfect commuter would be a fast road bike with disk brakes and Di2. It’s have space for proper guards and I guess rack mounts even though they’d very rarely get used. It’d have fast tyres that prioritise grip over wear rate and puncture resistance, likely a Open Pave or such like.

Drop that to 10 miles though and it’d be a completely different beast, likely fixed but still drop barred and fast.

Did into london on a fixed for a few years, then moved out with work. Now commuting back in on a geared triban 3 with a carradice saddle bag and longblade guards. Toying with getting a fixed (or getting the track bike out of the loft)but probably won’t bother. Bike is ok weight wise and quite comfotable. Bottom of the range shimano gears have been fine for commuting over the last few years

but fixed just seems unecessary to me.

you’re removing the weight and complexity of the freewheel (neither of them massive but they’re still there) presumably you’ll also get less brake wear when scrubbing off a little speed (skid stops would obviously increase tyre wear)
Not for me tho, had a quick go at fixed, didn’t interest me for doing in my own time and there was no way I was going to learn to ride fixed while commuting in traffic.
Simplicity and hard wearing to cut down on the maintenance, wanna be able to do a full service maybe twice a year but have it just keep running with a little chain oil now and again. If you’re sticking to road then singlespeed something like a 48×18, full guards, drop of flat bar to suit, puncture resistant tyres, nowadays I’d probably go disc brakes too. Square taper bb for preference and some hubs with bearings that are easy to change. Cheap and ugly if you’re going to leave it locked up, go as pimp as you want if you’re keeping it secure.

My longest serving commuter was a pompino and I loved it was fine for road riding too, had it for a good few years. Tried SS CX when I switched to offroad commute and that was spot of for my chosen commute but as I found I was using it for “proper” riding aswell I went geared, (sscx is too much of a compromise imo, road or mtb ss I enjoy, cx just has too much variation) thought of going back to ss for winter but didn’t bother.
the old pompy…

what is Ideal one day isn’t necessarily Ideal the next, and what is Ideal for me isn’t necessarily Ideal for you, whihc basically means the Ideal commuter is one big pile of compromises.

Stiff enough to be efficient
Flexy enough to be comfortable
Light enough not to be a chore
Heavy enough to be robust and resilient
Simple like a SS/Fixed but with enough gears for when you’re tired or carrying a load
mudguards for bad weather, but sturdy enough not to flap or break when bashed
tyres that are, fast, light, grippy, comfortable, long lasting, puncture proof, and cheap to replace 😯
racks for when you need to carry a load
lighting that works well in the city and in the lanes

and above all you need to like it, because if you’re using it every day you’re going to spend as much, or more time on it than your ‘nice’ bike so you might as well enjoy it

Have been through commuting on MTB, Road bike, SS etc. all ended up having one compromise too many for varied daily use and so I’ve ended up
with a modern steel tourer, discs, racks at both ends, 3×9, decent tyres etc.

But I sometimes still swap to the SS or my winter road bike if I know I’m not going to need any luggage capacity.

FWIW, the “advantage” (if you want to call it one) of fixed vs. SS is that it’s good for improving your spinning technique as you can’t just freewheel down the hills. It forces you to learn to pedal fast & smooth.

Yeah that can happen, not to me tho it seems. I have a steep fast hill each way and have learnt to spin fast, but climbing the other side gave me a lot more leg strength, so my powered pedalling is probably even more peaky than it was before, application is probably smoother tho.

D0NK – Member
you’re removing the weight and complexity of the freewheel (neither of them massive but they’re still there) presumably you’ll also get less brake wear when scrunning off a little speed (skid stops would obviously increase tyre wear)
Not for me tho, had a quick go at fixed, didn’t interest me for doing in my own time and there was no way I was going to learn to ride fixed while commuting in traffic.

Firstly, kudos on the pompano, lovely bikes. I had one and that was my introduction to singlespeed road/cx, singlespeed is good but now ive gone fixed id not go back for the road (cx yes). You always seem to end up just on the border of slightly too fast to pedal comfortably but when coasting you end up slowing down, so you get that spin-coast-spin-coast which just knacks my legs and is a pretty crap experience day in day out. With fixed you just end up going at the speed that’s comfortable, so either the gradient carries you along turning your legs for no effort, or your legs slow you down a little to the point you reach a nice equilibrium where a tiny amount of effort attains a comfortable and constant spin speed.

I too was worried about traffic but have had very very few moments where I forget, even then you don’t get chucked just bumped off the saddle an inch. Even riding close formation in a club run was no problem, obviously I hung out off the back at first, then realised I was more in control then most of the guys who were always at the back anyway ;0)

I do a similar distance to the OP (20 miles each way) and similar climbing, not in London though.

This sums it up for me

dropped bars, decent gearing, comfort and room for mudguards, puncture proof tyres, Conti Gatorskins all the way for me

And if you need to carry kit every day then a rack would be a must really. If I’m doing every day I carry a rucksack in one morning then take it home midweek. I generally drive in once a week though and do clothes and towel change over then.

I wouldn’t fancy fixed as I usually ride into a headwind, sometimes brutal, and not being able to shift into an easy gear would drive me nuts.

I pretty much built my dream all weather workhorse commuter 18 months back, about 3 months before my office got moved and I had to stop riding to work 🙁

Genesis CDF Stainless 931
Compact 105 with an 11-32 rear cassette for off road/trailer pulling duties.
Avid BB7 SL disc brakes
Thomson/Salsa Finishing kit
SKS P45 Chromoplastics
32c Conti Gatorskin Hardshells
DT 350 hubs

The only thing I’ve changed is the rims which weren’t really tough enough and didn’t appreciate the pot holes, running DT RR511’s now, which have been bombproof so far.

benp1 – Member

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Mine is an adventure bike

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One of my commuting buddies has just bought one of these (commuting buddy in that I met him and only ever see him thru commuting. Know his first name – Chris – and where he joins/turns off my commute but nothing else about him)

He’s still building it up and was saying that the rack on the front was a curious arrangement in terms of how it fits onto the axle.

Any comments/tips/Heath Robinson type fixes that work that I can mention to him next time I see him?

and what is Ideal for me isn’t necessarily Ideal for you

I think this is a really good point. Also people fail to mention that where you store it at work can make a huge difference, if it is going to be outside in all weathers, then no point getting anything nice. However, if you can store it somewhere secure and dry, then using a expensive bike is perfectly doable.

Me I’d love a Trek Boone or a Ridley X-Trail.

people fail to mention that where you store it at work

This is really important. If I had to leave mine outside it’d be a rat bike and something I didn’t mind getting nicked and/or covered in rain. Thankfully, I leave mine in an empty office on the top floor of my office building so I have no such worries.

My commute is 15 miles each way, 300ft to work 1000ft home.

I would say a singlespeed is totally out for me, too much climbing to be stuck in that gear and too much downhill on the way to work.

Im currently rising a spesh allez on 25c tyres. What i’d change..

Something that can take about a 32c and guards.
Not bothered with rack mounts as i leave stuff in work and take a rucksack if i need to carry anything in.
Disc brakes 100%. Weighing 100kg and riding in rush hour on some fast sections can be frightening.
Something light and flexible but not too much to not be fragile and with a relaxed geo.
Compact with 11-32 would be perfect round here (south wales) if i want to take the long way home.

OP

It would be easy to stay with a nice fixed/SS, as you have the same predictable commute.
If you haven’t already, you could play about with gearing (Winter-Summer) to fine tune the ride. I don’t like panniers or saddle bags, so I use a rucksack most of the time as I don’t carry very much.
A set of well fitted full mudguards, with rubber mounts( I made my own) helps the silence.
Integrated lights would be nice.
Now I know this is heresy, but I have also filled the tubes on my commuter with Stans , as I find the tiny, slow punctures the most annoying at this time of the year.

Can you twist Sam’s arm and get him to do a new Kite with an EBB? You could run it fixed and then if it annoys you switch over to gears. I seem to recall a post from him somewhere saying that if he could only have one bike…..

Or a Shand Stoater?

Whichever it is assuming you have secure storage at work I’d have a Son dynamo front and rear light.

Thanks for all the replies chaps, all valid and some fair questions

We have some fancy-dan storage place at work with its own showers, accessed by security card and lots of cameras/security guards so I can go as posh as I like from that perspective. And I do enjoy riding fixed, as said above the simplicity and not having to fettle/clean gears every night is an obvious bonus. I do wonder if it’ll bugger me up for road racing as its quite a different style (I now always climb hills out the saddle) and as I said, by tonight (Thursday) I’m usually hanging and tomorrow will be no fun.

The bike I’m riding is an Alloy track frame with quite a brutal position (large saddle to bar drop) but I quite like it from a handling point of view. I don’t think I could bring myself to ride on 32’s as they’d just feel too draggy – I’m on 25mm at the moment which feels about right between comfort and speed.

Maybe the solution is as FastHaggis up there said and play with the gearing. i’m currently on 48/16 which for the hills up to Orpington can be a bit brutal. And yes, I’ve done the Chislehurst route…once!

Fettle and clean gears every night! Once or twice a year if my road/commute/do it all bike is lucky.
That sounds like an excuse to ride fixed rather than a reason.

Once or twice a year if my road/commute/do it all bike is lucky.

Mine would die over the winter if I did that.
It gets washed and checked every other Sunday night.It keeps morning faffage down to a minimum and I don’t get ambushed with any emergency repairs.

I think in part its because I can’t stand badly set up gears – hence the desire to ride fixed. I certainly wash them all on a weekly basis, just makes stuff last longer if you do.

if you have to fettle your gears every night id suggest they are not being set up correctly in the first place….

I do wonder if it’ll bugger me up for road racing as its quite a different style

snap. I’m dipping my toe in crits and commuting 100 miles a week on one gear can’t be complimentary to that.

The bike I’m riding is an Alloy track frame with quite a brutal position (large saddle to bar drop) but I quite like it from a handling point of view. I don’t think I could bring myself to ride on 32’s as they’d just feel too draggy – I’m on 25mm at the moment which feels about right between comfort and speed.

Maybe the solution is as FastHaggis up there said and play with the gearing. i’m currently on 48/16 which for the hills up to Orpington can be a bit brutal. And yes, I’ve done the Chislehurst route…once!

No wonder your standing to climb with 48/16! 48/18 (42/16) is more common for a road fixed, I went down to a 42/17 as it gives me a good easy cadence at 16mph which is my average on a casual commute. I run 28 GP4seasons, so quick and puncture proof, I tried 32 but running them the right pressure for comfort was not conducive to stood-up, leant forward fixed climbing as the move of weight to the front meant you were practically bottoming out the tyre, not to mention the horrible feel.

The old Revolution Courier Race was awesome. 8×1 with inexpensive-but-longlived stuff on it, nice drab paint to deter magpies… Perfect. My Boardman’s a great spec and really practical commuter but it’s too pretty.

The commuter I reach for most often is my fixed road bike. It’s a pimped Paddy Wagon with full carbon fork, handmade wheels, carbon seatpost and mudguards, of course. I’ve just fitted a Tubus minimal rack for my QL3 Ortlieb and this makes it a great solution for commuting, but doesn’t compromise the roadiness.

The bike weighs a nice and light sub nine kilos, handles like any other steel road bike and is generally a joy. Running deep drop Shimano R650’s on Open Pros, I can lock the wheels in the wet.

Gear selection is a long 42×14.

I’d say that a fixed wheel road bike is a perfect solution for a reasonably flat commute, where a change of clothing is necessary. For shorter distances and lesser efforts, a decent heavy Pashley or Elefant bike would be my first choice.

EDIT: Just read flange you are on 48×16, which is the same gear. that will be too big for decent hills. I know because I take mine over a few on club runs. 48×16 is geared for 20 mph at 90 rpm. If that is what you average then all good. I used to ride 42×15 which will get you over the hills more easily, but I spun out on my club rides.

Headwinds are always hard.

STATO that bike is absolutely spot on.

I’m struggling to criticise your garden too, though I’d probably have gone for white railings.

I’d say a rack was fairly key for a commuter. Don’t get the point in carrying a rucksack everyday

With a rack I can put another bag on to take my laptop in and out. I can open my rack packs side pockets to create panniers to do the shopping on the way home from work

Depends on your commute though.

Racks/panniers are great for long distances with few stops, they’re an utter PITA if you have to run errands on the way and take them off to carry each time.

Rusty Spanner – Member

STATO that bike is absolutely spot on.

I’m struggling to criticise your garden too, though I’d probably have gone for white railings.

Thanks

[doesn’t mention the garden(s) are the miners cottages down the street, pensioners get more time to garden then me]