Bicycle Commuting

[Doug H.]

I commuted off and on for a few months on a Surly LHT but sold it and stopped commuting. I want to start commuting a few days a week again. My commute is all asphalt and is 9 miles each way...a little hilly. Is there a Riv that would be great for that or would any old Riv do?
Doug

[Steve Palincsar]

I think practically every Riv would be great for that.

On 07/21/2018 03:51 PM, Doug H. wrote:
> I commuted off and on for a few months on a Surly LHT but sold it and stopped commuting. I want to start commuting a few days a week again. My commute is all asphalt and is 9 miles each way...a little hilly. Is there a Riv that would be great for that or would any old Riv do?
> Doug
>

--
Steve Palincsar
Alexandria, Virginia
USA

[Joe Bernard]

Yes and yes. They're all great for it, it just depends on what price/weight/tire/bags capacity you want to target. On the lower-cost TIGed end you have the pullback bar Clem, which will do and carry anything; or Roadini for the lighter, zippier road bike dash to work. Or Sam, or Appaloosa, or Atlantis, or AHH, or...

[Jonathan D.]

Any Riv would work. The Sam is probably the middle bike between a lighter road bike (Roadini) option or the more loaded touring, LHT type bike (Joe and MIT Atlantis). A Clem is a good cheaper option to the LHT side. Since you want
Fenders and probably wider tires I might forgo the Roadini.

[Collin A]

Yeah, any Riv is made for a good commute! Just throw a cheapo front/rear rack and  basket on and you can carry all of your gear in a bag you probably already have lying around. 

[WETH]

Doug,
Yes, any Riv would handle the task well. Having commuted (8 hilly miles each way) on an LHT, Atlantis, Romulus, and a Cheviot, my favorite is the Cheviot with Little Big Ben tires, fenders, rear saddlesack and a front basket. A wonderful bike all around.
Good luck,
Erl

[Patrick Moore]

+1. I used to commute 15-20 miles each way, 7 miles of gradual climbing, on everything, from $150 beaters to custom Rivendells; and with Rivendells, from fully equipped 3X7s to a custom, stripped-down, lightweight custom Riv Road gofast fixie. Fun whatever I was riding.

That said, for the perfect single-purpose Rivendell cross-town commuter, I'd consider a Sam Hill or a Roadini.

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Auditis an me ludit amabilis insania?

[Doug Hansford]

That’s an impressive distance Patrick. I live in the hot and humid south and would sweat pretty good with that long of a commute. 

Doug

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[Patrick Moore]

I stopped doing the entire distance entirely by bike circa 2006; 2006 to 7/2008 (when I quit that job) I rode ~ 5 miles down a wooded bike path, caught an express bus across town on 66/Central, then rode 2-3 more miles. But I was 50 in 2005, and started feeling that pushing the anaerobic threshold for 16 to 20 miles (depending on taking a detour or not) and return in the evening made me feel tired all the time. Fixed gear, btw. I used to break 60 min clock running, morning and evening rush hours, through the middle of town (Central/Gold/Central) and the best time I recall for 16 miles was 54 minutes, clock running at all the stop lights along Central. I'd regularly beat the Route 66 bus: pass it at Gold and 2nd and keep ahead of it until just west of Central and Juan Tabo. 

But even in full summer -- ~100F high today -- the humidity drops pretty low in the afternoon; it's 7:20 pm MT and it's 96 and 14%, highish, since the monsoon clouds are trying to break in. Mid June, 100*F and 5%. Far, far different than the east coast, where I've also lived.

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[Mark in Beacon]

I can recommend a Clementine, aka Clem L. Of all my commuter bikes, that was definitely one of my all-time favorites. The long wheelbase, the Boscos, the step-through--it was all just right. Very civilized but it really cruised. My commute was 7 miles, a little hilly. I think an upright posture is good in commuter traffic. With back o bike bags in back and a basket up front, also great for stopping for groceries on the way home.

[Doug H.]

Mark, I have been considering the Clem L seriously. Do you still have your Clem L?

[Ian A]

I think it depends on where you store the bike at work. If it's kept secure and inside at your workplace, something like the Sam Hillborne would be superb. However, if you are to be locking the bicycle outside and left unattended for hours at a time, a Rivendell might attract the wrong kind of attention.

My commute is a little over six miles and in summer months I ride a lightweight touring bike which I thoroughly enjoy. It has fenders, rack and always-on dynamo lighting. I just never tire of the commute.

In winter months I ride an 80's MTB with studded tires to deal with ice and snow. Most days I love that winter commute too.

I would encourage you to start commuting by bike again as soon as possible. If you can find MUPs and quiet residential streets to use instead of main thoroughfares, the commute can be the best part of the day.

IanA/Alberta Canada

[Joe Bernard]

Honestly, you're average bike thief is going to think a green Clem L is an old Raleigh 3-speed step-thru. Not that there's anything wrong with that! ;-)

[Kevin Lindsey]

Not that this chorus needs another voice, but I currently commute about forty miles each way on one of three Rivendells - a Homer, a Bleriot, and a Hunqapillar - and all are outstanding commuters.  The latter may be a bit of overkill, but all are fun, super comfortable, able to handle whatever weather comes your way, and are really lovely, to boot.  My commute is entirely on pavement, but I have no doubt that any of the three could easily handle any amount of gravel or dirt you'd care to throw at 'em en route.  Plus, they have no problem carrying an additional bag or two for your change of clothes and other commuter necessities.

Rivs have always been built for this kind of role; consider skimming Ebay and Craiglist for one of the older models - the Bleriot is one of my favorites - which can sometimes be had for a very reasonable price.

Good luck.

Kevin Lindsey

Alexandria, VA

USA

[Mark in Beacon]

Hi Doug. No, but not for any reasons related to my experience with the bicycle. It had to do with loss of job and medical bills. Happy to say it resides with another RBW lister. I would not hesitate to get another, and likely will at some point down the road. And by the way, it's capable of much more than commuting, of course. Here's mine on the way to the top of Mt. Beacon:

Super fun, super useful bicycle. And I think very attractive. It has a real heirloom feel to it, despite being low on the Riv totem pole. Just a different level of frame quality than, say, a Public or Breezer bike. 

[Doug H.]

Thanks all for the good advice and recommendations. I do need to get back into the commute sooner rather than later. I’m thinking any Riv but the Clem would be perfect.
Doug

[Belopsky]

I want to know more! Is this a weekday commute? What's the route? How early do you head out to get in by when and vice versa on the way back? 80mile commute days, wow

[JohnS]

My Quickbeam has been my commuter for the past 6 months. My commute is about 20 miles round trip from center city Baltimore to BWI, some hills but nothing too serious. Riding fixed is a great workout! Fenders,generator, front and rear lighting and front rack. I've removed the rear rack since I've taken the picture.

JohnS

On Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 3:51:32 PM UTC-4, Doug H. wrote:

[Doug H.]

I like the bar end brake levers. I'm sure in traffic it makes applying the brakes quicker. I'm thinking front rack as well when I set up a commuter bike.

Doug

[masmojo]

I commute regularly on my Atlantis and my Clementine (among others) but my favorite commuter was my Red Roscoe Bubbe, before it was stolen. 😭
The Clem L is a great commuter if you don't have to interact with any other transports ( busses or trains), Because it rather long legged.

[Philip Williamson]

I commute on my Quickbeam, too. Fixed two speed (almost never shift), front basket, fenders, dynamo lights. There's a pack on the back of the basket with a lock and minimal tool kit. Having a basket and net is the key to a useful bike, for me.

My riding time is about half an hour. I ride the bus to San Francisco, and then wheel along the waterfront to downtown SF. 

If you could find a Quickbeam or SimpleOne, I'd recommend it very highly for commute duties. 

Philip

Santa Rosa, CA

[Mike Bacon]

I do a short commute (3 miles) in Basel Switzerland on a 1984 Trek 420 heavily Rivified (Albatross bars / Silver bar end shifters / Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard 700c x 35/ Sugino XD-2 triple). .  All city - with buses and trams.  In an ideal world, I would go with a stiffer frame, bigger tires and longer chainstays.  That means almost any Riv,  but a Clem L would be perfect (and as Joe Bernard pointed out, less likely to be stolen). 

Mike

[JohnS]

Nice QB Philip and an awesome looking commute! How do you not keep riding? Some days, not too often, when I bike commute and the weathers just right, it takes all of my energy to turn into the office parking lot and not keep going for a day ride. I'm sure it would be worse in SF.

JohnS