Carbon Commute

El Diego

I currently have a Ribble 7005 alu that I use for pretty much everything - commute, weekend rides and sportives. I am considering selling my Ribble and buying a bit of carbon bling. I only have room for one bike and thinking that carbon isn't best suited to the daily commute, but really really want one!

Does anyone else commute on a carbon framed bike? Is this a really bad idea?

asprilla

Why not keep the Ribble and buy something carbon? The rules state that you should increase the number of bikes you own at any given opportunity.

asprilla

Echo.

El Diego

I just need to convince Mrs Dean that it's ok for bikes to live in the house!

DonDaddyD

There is no functional reason why a carbon bike couldn't be used for commuting.

There are a large number of practical reasons, cost often lending itself to many of these reasons.

Kieran_Burns

El Diego wrote:

I just need to convince Mrs Dean that it's ok for bikes to live in the house!

Buy a shed.


Put the wife in the shed.

rjsterry

Depends how you treat your commuter really. This might change of course once you've gone cloth'n'glue.

biondino

I rode my Focus to work and back for the best part of a year. A racey steed isn't necessarily the most comfortable on city streets but it goes like the clappers and is great fun. I had somewhere safe to store it, too, which helps.

The only disadvantage in practical terms is adding 3,000 miles of wear to more expensive components, basically.

CiB

I do it. I don't fancy not using my best bike for what amounts to the majority of my riding. What would I be saving it for? Some other form of riding that warrants a nice(r) bike? Nah. My commute is a 20 mile TT and the carbon bike (semi carbon really, BMC Racemaster SLX01) is the best tool that I have to do it on at the moment.

When it wears out I have an excuse to buy something even more stupid to get to work on. Whichever way you tot it up it's cheaper than buying a car every two years, if cost is a factor. Personally I don't give half a hoot - it's a hobby, hobbies cost money.

Gussio

El Diego wrote:

I just need to convince Mrs Dean that it's ok for bikes to live in the house!

Spend enough on the carbon steed and the missus will agree to let you mount it on the wall as a piece of art. Problem solved.

robz400

There is no functional reason why a carbon bike couldn't be used for commuting


But what if it rains? You'd be stranded :shock:

amnezia

robz400 wrote:

There is no functional reason why a carbon bike couldn't be used for commuting


But what if it rains? You'd be stranded :shock:

True. Also, lets not forget about the melting in direct sunlight.

El Diego

Gussio wrote:

El Diego wrote:

I just need to convince Mrs Dean that it's ok for bikes to live in the house!

Spend enough on the carbon steed and the missus will agree to let you mount it on the wall as a piece of art. Problem solved.

I tried that one

NWLondoner

amnezia wrote:

robz400 wrote:

There is no functional reason why a carbon bike couldn't be used for commuting




True. Also, lets not forget about the melting in direct sunlight.

Not much chance of that. He lives in Manchester :twisted:

lost_in_thought

Paging Greg66, Greg66 to thread...

El Diego

NWLondoner wrote:

amnezia wrote:

robz400 wrote:

There is no functional reason why a carbon bike couldn't be used for commuting




True. Also, lets not forget about the melting in direct sunlight.

Not much chance of that. He lives in Manchester :twisted:

True unfortunately...I have rickets.

asprilla

El Diego wrote:

NWLondoner wrote:

amnezia wrote:

robz400 wrote:

There is no functional reason why a carbon bike couldn't be used for commuting




True. Also, lets not forget about the melting in direct sunlight.

Not much chance of that. He lives in Manchester :twisted:

True unfortunately...I have rickets.

Perhaps a longer BB axel would be abetter investment then?

blu3cat

*Chants* Carbon, Carbon, Carbon.

Use a full carbon everyday for the commute and the drop in weight does make up for my lack of ability in SCR.

Tonymufc

biondino wrote:

I rode my Focus to work and back for the best part of a year. A racey steed isn't necessarily the most comfortable on city streets but it goes like the clappers and is great fun. I had somewhere safe to store it, too, which helps.

The only disadvantage in practical terms is adding 3,000 miles of wear to more expensive components, basically.

+1. Once the weather starts to get better I grab the Spesh Tarmac and use it for everything pretty much right up until October. Agree also about the extra wear and tare on the good components. But hay ho!

Craggers

Buy a shed.


Put the wife in the shed.

mtb-idle

yeah, that made me laugh too

greg66_tri_v2.0

lost_in_thought wrote:

Paging Greg66, Greg66 to thread...

You called, my dear?

Any fuhl who rides a carbon bike to work and back is nothing more than a blinging flash-pants all the gear and no idea clown with comedy shoes and a big red nose.

Why, if ever I saw such a person, I'd take my D-lock an-

Oh, hold on a moment.

Carbon? To and from work?

Yeah. Well. I might have done that. A bit. From time to time.

It's all fine. Look at it this way. You spend a good part of your day on your bike. Maybe even the best part of your day. So why on earth would you want to spend that time on the cheapest, sh!tty frame you can lay your hands on? Give your @rse (and the rest of you) a treat. Ride carbon. It won't melt. It won't dissolve. And contrary to some myths, it won't shatter into a million pieces on impact, leaving you having to collect it with a dustpan and brush.

AND your speed WILL improve, I promise you. Nothing like having the ol' neon bullseye of a carbon frame to say "catch me if you can!"

CiB

Greg66 wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Paging Greg66, Greg66 to thread...

You called, my dear?

Any fuhl who rides a carbon bike to work and back is nothing more than a blinging flash-pants all the gear and no idea clown with comedy shoes and a big red nose.

Why, if ever I saw such a person, I'd take my D-lock an-

Oh, hold on a moment.

Carbon? To and from work?

Yeah. Well. I might have done that. A bit. From time to time.

It's all fine. Look at it this way. You spend a good part of your day on your bike. Maybe even the best part of your day. So why on earth would you want to spend that time on the cheapest, sh!tty frame you can lay your hands on? Give your @rse (and the rest of you) a treat. Ride carbon. It won't melt. It won't dissolve. And contrary to some myths, it won't shatter into a million pieces on impact, leaving you having to collect it with a dustpan and brush.

AND your speed WILL improve, I promise you. Nothing like having the ol' neon bullseye of a carbon frame to say "catch me if you can!"

I like the cut of this chap's jib. Well said Mr G.

paggnr

I don't fancy not using my best bike for what amounts to the majority of my riding.

I agree. I commute 70km 3 times a week on my Cervelo S2. Why not have the best for the most of your milage - it all comes down to good maintenance

mrc1

I have been commuting on my ciocc for the last few weeks and intend to carry on doing so over summer. 60 miles a week.

Echoing what has been said above I cant justify buying a nice bike only to use it for a saturday morning ride every other weekend etc.

If it is tipping it down with rain then i leave the carbon at home but thats more to do with wanting to look after my wheels and oily bits rather than the frame! Mine is a sensible spec though (campag veloce) so if stuff does need replacing it doesnt cost an arm and a leg and i can use it as an excuse to upgrade.

I tend to ride a bit more carefully when on the nice bike - ie i have my pothole detector on ultra sensitive mode and am very very cautious on certain high risk bits of my commute as I defintiely do not want to be hit by a car while riding it.

In summary I would say go for it! There is nothing better than flying along holloway road at 30mph in carbon cushioned comfort! I bought my bike for riding so i ride it!

bails87

It's all fine. Look at it this way. You spend a good part of your day on your bike. Maybe even the best part of your day. So why on earth would you want to spend that time on the cheapest, sh!tty frame you can lay your hands on? Give your @rse (and the rest of you) a treat. Ride carbon. It won't melt. It won't dissolve. And contrary to some myths, it won't shatter into a million pieces on impact, leaving you having to collect it with a dustpan and brush.

I'm guessing this advice still stands? So buying a Ribble Sportive for commuting 15 miles and occasionally using (on the roads obviously!) when the MTB trails have turned to a swamp isn't a silly thing to do?

Butterd2

CiB wrote:

I do it. I don't fancy not using my best bike for what amounts to the majority of my riding. What would I be saving it for? Some other form of riding that warrants a nice(r) bike? Nah. My commute is a 20 mile TT and the carbon bike (semi carbon really, BMC Racemaster SLX01) is the best tool that I have to do it on at the moment.

When it wears out I have an excuse to buy something even more stupid to get to work on. Whichever way you tot it up it's cheaper than buying a car every two years, if cost is a factor. Personally I don't give half a hoot - it's a hobby, hobbies cost money.

Spot on CiB.

I've been commuting a year now on the CR-1 and had no problems with i,t and weighting in at 105kg it doesn't get as easy life! It's seriously quick and just makes me grin when I ride it so why would I leave it in the shed?

lost_in_thought

Greg66 wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Paging Greg66, Greg66 to thread...

You called, my dear?

Any fuhl who rides a carbon bike to work and back is nothing more than a blinging flash-pants all the gear and no idea clown with comedy shoes and a big red nose.

Why, if ever I saw such a person, I'd take my D-lock an-

Oh, hold on a moment.

Carbon? To and from work?

Yeah. Well. I might have done that. A bit. From time to time.

It's all fine. Look at it this way. You spend a good part of your day on your bike. Maybe even the best part of your day. So why on earth would you want to spend that time on the cheapest, sh!tty frame you can lay your hands on? Give your @rse (and the rest of you) a treat. Ride carbon. It won't melt. It won't dissolve. And contrary to some myths, it won't shatter into a million pieces on impact, leaving you having to collect it with a dustpan and brush.

AND your speed WILL improve, I promise you. Nothing like having the ol' neon bullseye of a carbon frame to say "catch me if you can!"

You know, he's got a point.

And seeing as the 'gym' I've joined has a very obliging concierge who, I'm told, will hold clothes and day bag and do laundry for me, I may be able to ditch the panniers.......

And I can keep my bike in my office.

Interesting. Interesting. All my reasons for having a sh*tty fixie are being questioned. And I've just bought a new one.

navt

I do it. But only because my beloved Genesis got nicked .

bails87

bails87 wrote:

It's all fine. Look at it this way. You spend a good part of your day on your bike. Maybe even the best part of your day. So why on earth would you want to spend that time on the cheapest, sh!tty frame you can lay your hands on? Give your @rse (and the rest of you) a treat. Ride carbon. It won't melt. It won't dissolve. And contrary to some myths, it won't shatter into a million pieces on impact, leaving you having to collect it with a dustpan and brush.

I'm guessing this advice still stands? So buying a Ribble Sportive for commuting 15 miles and occasionally using (on the roads obviously!) when the MTB trails have turned to a swamp isn't a silly thing to do?

Well? I don't want to buy something completely unsuitable

jedster

Surely if you want a blingy commuter titanium is the answer?

Obviously carbon is plenty strong enough to deal with the commute itself. Where I would be a little more cautious is locking it up. If somebody rams your steel/al/ti bike with their gas pipe BSO then the paint gets chipped. Do the same to a carbon frame and you could chip the fibres and cause a potenial failure point.

I used to use carbon ski poles which are supposed to be unbreakably strong. They are until you chip them. I snapped two poles an inch above the baskets where they'd picked up chips from ski edges. I've gone back to al.

If you can keep your bike away from disrespectful muppets then all that is moot.

J