Do You Use Your Bike For Short Trips To Shops etc

small_bloke

I use my commuter bike for local shopping trips and take my panniers with me which have a shoulder strap while walking around. Still use sped pedals but have some Northwave city shoes which look like trainers but have cleats recessed underneath. Softer but firm enough for cycling.

I also wear some skinny jeans (the One Direction pop star look) with a fleece. Some cheap less padded cycling shorts underneath jeans so comfortable to walk around city centre.

Here's my commuter and local shop bike.











http://www.evanscycles.com/products/nor ... e-ec018353

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b4s74p99

goonz

Nice bike, call me an arse but I hate overloading my bike.

ademort

I have a Batavus Venturo hybrid with winter tyres and big panniers fitted with an Axa Defender lock and extra spring cable.Distance and weather no problem at all for me.
Ademort

briantrumpet

Can't stand anything other than a road bike, so I got a cheap Giant Defy 4 for the short commute and popping out to shops etc. It rarely sees lycra - it has got SPD pedals, but it takes no longer to put on a pair of cycling shoes than it does to put on normal shoes if I'm going out. Other than that, I just wear whatever.

bernithebiker

My shopping vehicle!

Dess1e

I have a Pashley Sovereign for local trips and the occasional trip into London, using the Grand Union towpath, or the train if the weather is inclement. Relaxed, too heavy to attempt serious commuter racing, low maintenance, fully enclosed chain guard for when wearing a suit etc.

simon_masterson

As Graeme Obree says, plenty of people complain about not having enough time to train, yet they spurn so many opportunities to go cycling; this is just one of them... Real cyclists ride rather than not. If you think that the distance is beneath you, you are a poser. Go and join the Velominati; you'll be in good company.

It has to be said however, that the equipment does make a difference. My main bike is rather well suited to the purpose; it has a rather tatty rack on there that will probably snap at some point, rusted into the eyes, so I can carry panniers. I also use SPDs. Carrying shoes around - even very flat ones like Converse - is a continual annoyance when cycling that I've never really found a good solution to. I daresay that a trip around the supermarket in road shoes would be manageable, but for other trips not so much. In my SPD shoes I can ride up to Scout events in the woods/muddy fields and not need to carry additional footwear, for example.

Oh, and this is in all weathers. When it first snowed heavily this year I had gone out to the shops, and by the time I was coming home loaded up with two very loaded panniers, there was a good coating of the stuff. That was fun.

markc1984

I use a cheaper winter road bike for going on short trips to the shops or to my mates house but the expensive bike remains in the house until the weather is nice, that way I don't feel on edge leaving it locked up and unattended for a while. I just dress casually for short trips, unless you're doing considerable milage then it's easily doable without feeling discomfort and it saves loads of time and hassle having to change.

My bike has look Keo pedals but I still get along fine with casual brown shoes etc, I used to take trainers in a rucksack and swap out my cycling shoes but to be honest there isn't much point for short distance, you can get away with just normal shoes. Admittedly there isn't much of a platform to grip on to but it's fine as long as you don't stand on the pedals. I would think Shimano SPD-SL pedals would be slightly better than the Keos for this as they have a bigger platform to step on, that is of course if you want to retain road style cleats. Can actually still pull off quite a nice speed too once I get going, providing there isn't a head wind.

roger_merriman

My bike normally gets used for the commute, I quite often add loops after work so it gets a fair mixture of very short rides ie 2 miles though to 15/25 mile loops from work, to 50 odd miles over the surrey hills, it's a SS so i've stuck some decent flats on, and works fine dressed in trousers or Lycra.

superfourben

I have one bike at home, it is used for all short trips to the shops, park etc (i have a good lock to secure it well), commuting the 24 mile round trip to work, training, and sportives (84 miles is the longest so far). I have one other bike for off road use, which stays a t work out in the countryside as it is nearer to the off road trails.

I am quite amazed by the amount of people who don't do short trips on their bike!

superfourben

superfourben wrote:

I have one bike at home, it is used for all short trips to the shops, park etc (i have a good lock to secure it well), commuting the 24 mile round trip to work, training, and sportives (84 miles is the longest so far). I have one other bike for off road use, which stays a t work out in the countryside as it is nearer to the off road trails.

I am quite amazed by the amount of people who don't do short trips on their road bike!