What bike for fast commuting?

I bought some Vitoria terrenos this summer, replaced the Cx tyres, massively faster and more comfortable. That, plus a full frame bag (Apidura) instead of a rucksack has massively increase my speed.

“The main reason I want to ride is for fitness. Don’t really fancy an eBike, though I accept it’s probably the ‘correct’ tool for the job.”

I commute on an ebike – it keeps me fit because when I have the energy I pedal hard and when I’m tired I let the motor do more of the work. For most of my local MTBing I ride my singlespeed hardtail.

The ebike was out of use recently having its suspension serviced and I was commuting on either my singlespeed MTB (stupid gearing for roads) or my Brompton. The low level fatigue vs the ebike is v annoying, I swear it gets in the way of pedalling hard and working my cardio system to the max like I frequently do up the climbs on the ebike.

Also, those stormy days with stupid headwinds – OMFG e-bikes are the best things ever.

The way I read the OP is it says ‘I want a new bike’, and the answer to that is always yes

To be honest the best reason I could use with myself if I was the op and wanted a new bike justification would be that a gravel bike that you want to use as a gravel bike at a moment’s notice at the weekend is a bit restricted if you have ‘commutered’ it up with faster tyres, guards (and a rack 😉 ) . That’s my justification – my gravel bike could do commute duties but I like it unmolested and my commute/winter road bike lives fully guarded and racked up 12 months a year. It’s decedent but just about justifiable.

I rode fixed for many years, 10-20 miles each way. 23c Schwalbe Durano Plus were very durable. Changed to an old 90’s MTB running 1.7″ semi-slicks. 10 miles takes about 42 minutes. Went on the CX bike a couple of weeks ago – minimal load though, and was 5 minutes quicker each way – not much different to the fixie.

Best option might be sare wheels and road tryres for the gravel bike.

change to 30mm road tyres or buy an ebike.

First thing would be faster tyres and the most aero position OP’s back can stand, then tighter clothing.
then a proper road bike.
an Ebike is great IF your average is under the cutoff speed.
N+1 is always great and that, but I wouldn’t buy anything really fancy for commuter duties, winter will take its toll on a nice bike fairly quickly.

the most aero position OP’s back can stand

hmmmm – I’d qualify that with a…….can stand AND WILL ACTUALLY USE….

Roadie background and I do chuckle at some bike setups ‘to get aero’ (complete with obligatory aero wheels) then are ridden around sat up on the hoods like a sack of spuds for all but the odd descent. Converse to a lot of popular opinion the most aero real world setup for a lot of people is actually to raise the bars not drop them from what they currently have to give them a drops position they can use for prolonged periods (then get your yoga on and work on flexibility).

Absolutely 💯

You don’t really get fitter by just smashing commutes, that’s a way to get you wrecked and also stuck in a rut of just riding 20km at a time.

You’ll reach the end of the week knackered from 240km and not want to do anything at the weekend. Using an e-bike, at least for some of the commutes, will keep you riding more.

My personal experience was I got significantly fitter from doing 30km commutes (60km a day, although usually only 4 times a week), and still do a fast paced 120-180km club ride at the weekend, sometimes several club rides a week actually, 500-600km total per week sometimes.
However to do this it was critical follow a structure and alternate between training stress and active recovery days.
If your goal.is to get fitter I reiterate – you want a power meter.

Converse to a lot of popular opinion the most aero real world setup for a lot of people is actually to raise the bars not drop them from what they currently have to give them a drops position they can use for prolonged periods

Fully agree with this. My endurance bike is faster than my old racey one because the higher bars mean I can spend most of my time in the drops.

I have moved to commuting 8 miles each way on a Carrera Crossfuse which has a Bosch Active Line Plus motor. It is excellent and very quiet. I have fitted an Alfine rear hub for ultimate commuter convenience.

Previously I was riding a Pinnacle Arkose A8. I was finding I was increasingly knackered trying to maintain 5 days a week and rushing backwards and forwards juggling work and collecting kids etc.

The Ebike isn’t massively faster. Some slow sections can’t be sped up, slaloming through bollards, passing pedestrians and other path users. It will help on long stretches where your average speed is below 25kmph. If you are knackered you can ease off pushing at 30kmph and let the motor support at 25imph.

Mine is a part car, part bike commute, and I was getting back to the car in a state where I wasn’t in a good state to drive. Ebike is helping avoid that, making the whole approach more sustainable.

I cycle a regular 21km (each way) commute, blessedly mainly along a nicely surfaced bike path. I can add more distance if I want.

I alternate between a gravel-ish custom steel Shand (mudguards, 35mm tyres, discs) and a classic geometry steel racer (big gears, carbon aero rims, 25mm tyres). The latter is a unsurprisingly a faster bike, but the segment times are within single-digit percentage unless I go off-commute and point uphill.

I’d go for two bikes, as eventually you will get a mechanical failure that can’t be fixed overnight. Case in point, one of my bikes has a snapped a chainring bolt!

I’m also a backpacker, and find the pannier solution better for shorter commutes.

20k hilly I would go for a steel single-speed racer.  I have an old Genesis Flyer that has cast off parts from my other bikes, a nice set of hand-built wheels, and I stick on mudguards on in the winter.  I ride Gp5000’s until they puncture and put on 4seasons in the winter.  Its fast and makes me strong.

I leave everything I can at work, shoes trousers in on monday and wear for the week, take in shirts etc daily.  On and off I have done this most days to 5 days a week when in the office

I’m really enjoying my hilly (and ‘gravel’ in places) 18km commute on an ebike. It’s a Halfords/Boardman ADV 8.9e drop-bar e-gravel-bike. I feel ‘worked’ at the end of the week rather than knackered, and I can turn up the assistance as suits.

I run it 1x 42 + 11-28. It works well on the hills with the motor below limiter, and I like the close ratios when I’m above it.

Full length mudguards and a Thule pannier with a padded laptop sleeve. It’s a commuting machine 🙂

Edit/PS:

They’re currently 25% off until Monday with a trade in

I’m sure the new battery Fazua is sending me will be completely reliable.

Is everyone assuming the commute in question is urban?

@chiefgrooveguru Amen to all of that.

I christened my e-bike Whatheadwind? The South Downs are generally quite windy and I love how it laughs at ‘em.

Having not read all the responses I’m not sure if you’ve covered how often you are commuting? 5 days a week of that would break you in fairly quick order, unless you are planning to do no other riding

better tyres and wheels would be an upgrade, I think narrow bars also makes a massive difference. But for 40 k of hilly riding every single day I’d be seriously considering an e-bike, even when fit I’d find that a chore. Especially on the days you simply can’t be arsed..

If it was me, I’d use the gravel bike and panniers to lug everything in/out once/week, and get a fast road bike for the rest of the time.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

Having not read all the responses I’m not sure if you’ve covered how often you are commuting? 5 days a week of that would break you in fairly quick order, unless you are planning to do no other riding

Honestly not sure. 3-4 times a week? I did it two days on the bounce and was pretty tired at the end of day 2.

If your goal.is to get fitter I reiterate – you want a power meter.

Hmmm, seems a bit serious for commuting? How are you suggesting it would be used?

Is everyone assuming the commute in question is urban?

It’s not – at least not very. I have a couple of route options but none of the options are too urban, except for the last couple of kms 🙂

a gravel bike that you want to use as a gravel bike at a moment’s notice at the weekend is a bit restricted if you have ‘commutered’ it up with faster tyres, guards (and a rack 😉 ) .

In a way I’ve followed the opposite philosophy – my commute bike stays as a totally capable gravel bike, so that I feel I have the option to take in some off-road on my commute, even though that happens so rarely this is not a sensible ethos. If I get any time to ride at the weekends (also a rarity) I’ll be on my MTB.

The way I read the OP is it says ‘I want a new bike’, and the answer to that is always yes

This guy gets it.

Hmmm, seems a bit serious for commuting? How are you suggesting it would be used?

I tried to cover that in my first post. Basically training to power makes it much easier to do quality structured training rather than just smashing yourself every day. And you can track your progress using the data as well

E.g. tuesday 4x3min interval HIITs each way
Wednesday keep in Z1-Z2 for active recovery
Thursday 2×5 min interval HIITs each way
Friday keep in z1-z2 for active recovery

An analogy here is people in a large building complaining that the lifts are too slow.
You could spend a lot of money making the lifts 10% faster but people will keep complaining because it doesn’t change the user experience that much.
But if instead of doing that if you put mirrors on the doors, or screens showing news updates above the doors then all the complaints stop.

To directly answer the brief of spending your way faster the answer in approx order of significance is something like:
– 25c GP5000
– full frame bag (in place of rucksack)
– aero skinsuit
– aero helmet
– veet
– aero shoe/calf guards

All of that might save you a couple.of minutes a day. Basically if is physically or socially uncomfortable then you’re probably on the right track.

Silly me I forgot aerobar clipons in that list

“Honestly not sure. 3-4 times a week? I did it two days on the bounce and was pretty tired at the end of day 2.”

I would really try to borrow/hire a suitable ebike to see how it works for you. I’ve never done a long bike commute but my life is fairly busy and physically tiring and it’s so different being able to relax and let the motor do the work when you’re feeling knackered – that might be none of the ride, part of the ride or all of the ride. And then you can ride every day.

I’ve ridden eBikes (albeit not loads and never on this commute) but I just never find myself putting decent power down. It’s like my brain says if I’ve got the motor, why bother? Now, I accept that on some days that’s exactly what I need, but I like thrashing myself on the bike and I’m pretty certain that would never happen with me atop an eBike.

Basically training to power makes it much easier to do quality structured training rather than just smashing yourself every day.

Fair enough. I can see how that would work on a flat commute but I can’t really see myself doing that. I’ve tried intervals on other commutes and just ended up feeling shattered really quickly. It’s a hard enough ride (for me) without adding in intervals etc. Maybe once I get more comfortable with the distance.

You are successfully making me question my motivations though – I guess it’s not solely so I can gain fitness, there are other reasons (avoiding traffic, environmental benefits, the ability to eat cake and not get too fat etc).

Maybe the answer is actually eBike twice a week, normal bike twice a week.

I do 4-5 days per week by ebike and vary the power assistance (Fazua is nicely customisable that way) but it is very tempting to leave it in Rocket mode

Then again, even in Rocket the motor puts in less than I do to keep the speed decent on the steep bits. It’s just less of a workout and I get up the hills faster.

But I’m not interested in training. Just getting to work in an enjoyable way with some added exercise.

I was told not to do HIIT on a commute. You have to ONLY do the high intensity and recovery, otherwise it’s not good for some reason or other.

I’ve found that the time difference between going really quickly, and easing off, is like 2-3 minutes. Biggest difference for me is weather or completely changing the bike – certainly winter where I’ll switch to studded tyres (fortunately now got two sets of wheels, so means mild days will be on slick tyres/wheels), rather than spending 3 months on spiked tyres every day.  I can be 10 minutes slower on spiked tyres in the cold/wind than I usually am for 3/4 of the year.

An e-bike wouldn’t work for me as I’m quicker than 15.5 mph on most of my commute.