Commuting: Road or MTB or hybrid/commuter?

[Belgarath]

Hi guys

 

I'm getting into the commuting thing a little more seriously now.... it's a lot of fun, with free training and no money for fuel (the car, that is... I eat more )

 

Currently I commute on my MTB. Hard work, slow, but I can ride anywhere (sidewalks/gravel shoulder/where I please), and I worry not too much about punctures.

 

vs

 

My road bike? Trade-off is I can probably shave 10minutes both ways, and it is not as tiring. but safety and punctures...

 

I must probably add that I commute through Pretoors, then Centurion, then hit a regional road before I get to work.

 

So.. What do you use the most for commuting?

[RocknRolla]

CX bike?

 

Best of both I am told.

[Vetplant]

Hi guys

 

I'm getting into the commuting thing a little more seriously now.... it's a lot of fun, with free training and no money for fuel (the car, that is... I eat more )

 

Currently I commute on my MTB. Hard work, slow, but I can ride anywhere (sidewalks/gravel shoulder/where I please), and I worry not too much about punctures.

 

vs

 

Road bike? Trade-off is I can probably shave 10minutes both ways, and it is not as tiring. but safety and punctures...

 

I must probably add that I commute through Pretoors, then Centurion, then hit a regional road before I get to work.

 

So.. What do you use the most for commuting?

MTB for me.

 

It gives you so many options to avoid unpredictable cars, taxis, busses and pedestrians. 

 

I started commuting again today, previous job made it basically impossible to commute (PTA to Kya Sands, nough said). 

 

My commute is 7km one way, considered doing it on the Road bike but after a couple of "dry runs" over the previous weekends it just became obvious that it is too risky in certain sections. I rather get off the road completely in high risk areas, not worth it. The extra 5min added is not worth risking my life.

[J∆kk∆ls]

Prefer road bike. Punctures are not a problem, get good tyres! 

[backtobasics]

Hi guys

 

I'm getting into the commuting thing a little more seriously now.... it's a lot of fun, with free training and no money for fuel (the car, that is... I eat more )

 

Currently I commute on my MTB. Hard work, slow, but I can ride anywhere (sidewalks/gravel shoulder/where I please), and I worry not too much about punctures.

 

vs

 

Road bike? Trade-off is I can probably shave 10minutes both ways, and it is not as tiring. but safety and punctures...

 

I must probably add that I commute through Pretoors, then Centurion, then hit a regional road before I get to work.

 

So.. What do you use the most for commuting?

I also want to start comutting to work, and also looking at all the options. At the moment I do believe MTB is a lot saver as one can go on sidewalks or next to road were there is no shoulder. However I do have a softtail and heavy bike so would love to be able to do it on a road bike.

[Vetplant]

What about this beauty...

 

Benefits:

-You don't put big kilometers on your expensive racing machine (Road or MTB).

-ReLearn an old skill (last time I was on a SS was probably 24 years ago)

-Relatively cheap to buy and maintain

-You can load 100kg on your carrier

[Milosh]

That sounds  like a long commute 

 

I did mine ( 34 Km ) on a MTB Dual 

 

No ways i could have done it safely on a Road bike

 

Ideal would be a Rigid  MTB  1x10 as there are some proper hills maybe a SS but unlikely as energy levels would have to be optimal every time  

[backtobasics]

http://www.silverbacklab.com/bike/mountain/storm-1/

 

This will be my ideal commute bike if money was no problem

[I FLY]

 

This is what I did my 50km 800m ascent per day commutes on. Honeydew to Sandton. Annual distance of 8000kms

 

Cost R6000 to buy and in 1st year used 3 tyres, one chain and set of brake pads.

[Hairy]

Roadie bike converted to SS.... it just saves the legs for day in, day out commuting.

 

Punctures are punctures, but as Jakkals said, good tyres go a long way to assisting with this ... then you add some tyre liners and slime to the tubes for good measure (The last two items I need to do still!!!)

 

Running costs are also then minimal vs a geared bike.

 

 

[splat]

A fully rigid 29'er with tubeless Crossmarks (or something similar) would be my ideal commuter.

The route I do home isn't ideal for my road bike and my dual sus 29'er is overkill. So, something in between would be perfect.

[J∆kk∆ls]

Roadie bike converted to SS.... it just saves the legs for day in, day out commuting.

 

Punctures are punctures, but as Jakkals said, good tyres go a long way to assisting with this ... then you add some tyre liners and slime to the tubes for good measure (The last two items I need to do still!!!)

 

Running costs are also then minimal vs a geared bike.

That is still a lekker bike Hairy! looking at getting a SS. 

[Eldron]

Any excuse for a new bike is a good excuse!

 

I vote for commuter mtb. Here's mine:

 

Oooold 1x9 speed group, carbon fork and semi slicks. Bulletproof and comfy. I love steel :-)

 

The semi slicks make any dirt path feel like gnarly drifting single track!

 

[RocknRolla]

 

<Snip> Hard work, slow, <Snip>

 

This will change rapidly if you keep at it, not matter the bike you ride.

 

 

 

[Hairy]

Any excuse for a new bike is a good excuse!

 

I vote for commuter mtb. Here's mine:

 

Oooold 1x9 speed group, carbon fork and semi slicks. Bulletproof and comfy. I love steel :-)

 

The semi slicks make any dirt path feel like gnarly drifting single track!

that is a breeker commuter bike .... you even had the decency to line the tyre logo and valve up!

[Tubehunter]

I use my previous road bike that I have done a straight bar conversion on so that it looks like a hybrid\commuter bike now. Has all the benefits of rolling resistance similar to a road bike, but the comfort and handling options of an MTB. Hop pavements and ride in the dirt with it. Next upgrade parts are CX tyres and it will be fully sorted!