Is your commuter fun to ride?

jonny_trousers

Or is it more about practicality and efficiency?

I ask because I get the impression most of you here have evening/weekend bikes for pleasure and training. I don't, and I don't see me having the time to go out on rides purely for pleasure any day soon, which is why I was wondering whether I ought to choose a commuter that puts a big grin on my face every time I get on it.

lardboy

I never used to really enjoy the commute on the workhorse, but the new Croix de Fer has changed that. I changed my route last night to get some longer stretches without red lights, and absolutely loved it.

If you don't enojy riding your bike, you won't ride it as much. Get something that makes you annoyed every time you can't ride it, and you'll find more reasons to ride.

cjcp

I was thinking along the same lines as you when I was looking at a Cervelo: I spend most of my time on a time on the commuter, so why not travel in some sort of style.

As it happens, the Cervelo was a no-go.

However, I love riding my commuter. I've ridden it in the Magnificat (125m). It is a lower spec, but still enjoyable to ride. 600+ miles a month on something that you don't enjoy riding isn't worth it (IMO).

But I also have a nice bike.

Bottom line: you need to buy one of each. It's the only solution, I'm afraid.

Oddjob62

I have a hard time forcing myself to ride the "good" bike. Just love riding fixed so much.

Mr Plum

I love riding to work on my hardtail MTB, it's a great bike to ride, but it's made me appreciate 180mm hydraulic brakes so much that I can't see I'll ever risk a regular commute through town without them - they've literally stopped me from being hit so many times. They're also a great safety-net for drafting behind busses :twisted:

il_principe

Absolutely love my commuting steed. Spent a long time deciding on the frame and buying the finish kit and it was well worth it. Puts a smile on my face every time I ride it, and I'm yet to see anyone else riding the same frame.

Having said that, I love all my bikes! Would never persevere riding a bike I didn't like, where's the joy in that?

cee

my commuting bike is my hardtail mtb. great fun to ride!

notsoblue

After commuting for years on a more "practical" bike with panniers, mudguards, a bombproof frame etc... I bought a light carbon racer that tbh I love riding to work on. I have to look after it a bit more than my old "commuter" but its worth it. I extend my evening commutes home from 8 miles to 26 for fun

The old bike is reserved for shopping trips and journeys that require "normal" clothes now.

rjsterry

Well it certainly was 'fun' this morning - when a van strayed into CS7, I discovered I could pull a lovely right-then-left 10metre fish-tail slide by locking the back wheel on some wet leaves in Balham. Kept it upright as well. Quite impressed with myself, though not the van.

dhope

Not really cycled outside of the commute but enjoy both the fixed and road bike. Could do with slightly longer gearing on the fixed but I do enjoy it.

roger_merriman

no.

it's a cheap hack so fun is no where to be seen!

MrChuck

It's a shame if it's not fun. Lately I often end up doing more miles on my commuter than my 'good' bikes (especially at this time of year) so I want to get the most out of those rides as I can, rather than endure them on a crap bike.

asprilla

Doing 170 miles a week, if I didn't enjoy riding it I wouldn't be riding it. I've been riding the good bike over the summer and the miles are starting to show (although part of that is my poor maintenance).

Marcus_C

yes, it's a cheap hack so fun is about all it offers. I'll get a new one when it finally gives in and i'm sure i'll enjoy that just as much.

Kieran_Burns

Ultimately: yes.

Got a few issues with the geometry at the moment - lower back pains, but it's such a good bike, it really is hard to fault (although the huge amount of mud I went through tonight did make me wish for disc brakes for the first time)

jzed

I've started riding my Planet X lately - its rapid and fun to ride but I have more fun on my MTB. I get more SCR action when I pass people as they can't live with the stigma of being passed by a MTB - on the Planet X I have yet to have any real action.

squired

Over the course of the last year I've ridden 4 different bikes to work depending on route and conditions. All are good bikes though and all are fun to ride. My passion is cycling though, so having good equipment is always high on my priority list.

howie3472

I have only one bike which i use for my daily commute and when ever i get the chance to ride. I enjoy my commute as I can change the route a lot depends on how i feel. I normaly ride 10miles each way but can streach it on the way home, at the moment i have pushed it to 26 miles so you could say if i don't enjoy it i would not ride it.

ketsbaia

Just back on the commuter hack after an extended period commuting on the winter trainer. While it's considerably slower and I definitely feel like a sub-species on the road, the fact it's tougher to ride is bound to be doing me some good.

Plus it's great cruising past road bikes on it, even if that is fairly rare now. 's a bugger up College Road, though.

Jay dubbleU

Love the Cube - almost as light as the Croix, but flat barred so no back issues - Deore XT, Racing Ralph tyres, fun, fast and comfortable - what more do you need from a bike

freakybacon

Of course its fun! Thats the point of it! If the ol hack was not fun, then it would not get used.

Clarion

Exactly.

I've ridden about eight or nine different bikes to work in the last year, including a tandem (that was real fun!).

But most of my commuting miles are on either my tourer or my fixed - and both are lively to ride, faster than they look, and a lot of fun.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Definitely good to spend time on a nice bike.

Riding a bike you don't like is just wasted miles.

andy83

Oddjob62 wrote:

I have a hard time forcing myself to ride the "good" bike. Just love riding fixed so much.

+1

fixed is great, road bike now only goes out in nice dry weather

itboffin

Greg66 wrote:

Definitely good to spend time on a nice bike.

Riding a bike you don't like is just wasted miles.

I was looking for a reason to turn the Trek into my winter hack - thanks

The Rookie

I don't have a road bike, so no comparison I can make, but my commuter is relatively light (just over 10kg with lights, guards, rack and panniers) that it is still a joy to ride, so yes, I enjoy riding it, but rather be on a trail or 4X track on the MTB.

Simon

Alphabet

love it. it's an ace bike disguised as a crap one. lovely SL benotto frame with lots of dings and an 81" fixed gear. don't care about it getting scratched or dirty.

considering getting the frame powdwercoated, but my worry is that i'll get a bit tyo precious about it if i do.

Clever Pun

my condor pista does the most miles it's set up a treat and is great to ride

brompton is harder work but drowning in scalps is lots of fun

the squadra is fast and pretty much the same as the pista with with the 'rest' option of free wheeling and gears to really bring the pain

so yeah.. good fun

SimonAH

Yes, yes it is.

Unfortunately too much fun so I suspect that the winter hack is unlikely to see an outing this winter.

Just have to convince my wallet that now my 'best bike' is my 'daily bike' I need another best bike.......N+1?

vorsprung

The single speed junk heap (RIP) was more fun but the Alfine Roadrat is still fun-ish and much easier to ride when I'm ill / tired / fubar

Another single speed will appear at some point

In the summer if the weather is good I use an Orbea for commuting on because it is fun to go fast sometimes

I have a best bike I never use for commuting

MonkeyMonster

very much so, its a good thing I wear a mask given the grin as I take scalps might scare people