Seeking advices - ride to work (runcorn to city)

[shx]

Hi everyone

I'm a new comer here and recently thinking about the idea of getting a bike to commute between Runcorn (off compton rd) to city, ~20km each way.

Is here anyone doing the same/similar route everyday? If so and if you don't mind, would you please give me a few tips about that? I'm fairly new to cycling and haven't done that for years (but I reckon I'm generally fit as I go to gym regularly), how long does it take you for each way? Are those SE freeway biketracks in good condition? What type of bike I should get? etc.

Thank you very very much for any input!

[tomns]

There is a guy at work that heads across that way,

SE freeway tracks are pretty good, I ride them most days only one section that is a bit uneven. I ride a roadie to and from as I like to go fast

I think the guy from work goes towards Griffith Uni and then links up with the bikeway that runs along Gaza Rd and then through Tarragindi, through to Greenslopes, Stones Corner then Okeiffe St and into Southbank, Goodwill Bridge etc.

Should be a good ride - if you are starting from scratch I would try and do 1 or 2 days a week for a week or two then move to 3 days a week then up to 5 days a week assuming that is your goal.

Advice on what bike you should buy, I think it depends on what sort of riding you want to do, I am a roadie and always have been really
I find them exceptionally easy to ride provide fast acceleration. If you have never ridden one they take a bit of getting used to.

Most people start out with a mountain bike or hybrid however, if you are the type of person that likes to go fast and want to take up riding
the a roadie would be for you.

Tom

[Major Taylor]

Hi everyone

I'm a new comer here and recently thinking about the idea of getting a bike to commute between Runcorn (off compton rd) to city, ~20km each way.

I can’t help you with your route except to say-based on the rest of your message, 20 K each way will be hard to do every day initially. It will probably take you about 1 hour each way. Try a couple days a week, and use the other days to bring your clothes to change into.

What type of bike I should get?

Always buy a bike that fit you

Tire issues are the biggest impediment to timely arrival. I prefer to be able to mount at least 700*25 size tires. 700*32 is better. Generally, the bigger you are and the rougher your roads the bigger the tires.

I like used bikes for commuting. Especially ones that can have a racks mounted (or already do).

[Pax]

Welcome to the forum and welcome to commuting.

I'm a northside commuter so not much help to you re the route. Have a talk with Bicycle QLd...they have a buddy scheme for new commuters http://bq.wufoo.com/forms/yes-i-would-l ... e-to-work/

http://www.bq.org.au/

Re the bike...you will get every opinion imaginable on that question. So you really need to think about what type of riding you are interested in when you are not commuting AND what makes YOU feel comfortable or safe or fast or efficient (or a balance of all those things) on your commute.

I love road bikes and if I only had one bike it would be a roady...BUT I prefer a mountain bike with slick tyres for commuting (yep I therfore have more than one bike!).

If you decide to test ride a range of differnt bikes (a good idea IMO) to see what feels best for you; be aware that changing to skinnier, slick tyres on a MTB makes a HUGE difference to speed and efficiency and comfort. See if you can talk a bike shop into putting slicks on for you to try (good luck with that though )

Keep us informed about your progress

[RobM]

Hi mate - i do a commute from Runcorn to the Valley a few times a week (been abit slack lately tho).

Ive mapped my route over at Bikely for ya...

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Ru ... ude-Valley

Its pretty basic, avoids high traffic areas where possible and it really only has a couple of climbs. I would try it out on a weekend so you get used to the distance and also where to go. The map at Bikely will help you out (their aerial image is abit out of date but there is a bikepath where ive marked it, trust me). You can do an elevation profile on the site too.

As for a bike - id get a flat bar road bike. Allows for comfortable set up but still lets you fly along the road. Also theyre abit cheaper than the drop bar counterparts (well, the decent spec ones anyways). That being said, ive done this commute a few times on my mountain bike with knobblies....call it 'resistance training' . Besides - you can always expand the herd later on!

[dant]

Shx,

I do it from past Kuraby train station each day on my fixed gear bike and it is no hassle. almost the same route to get on the bike path as Punk rob's which is probably more relevant for you than my start. Where he turns right at the river is the big bridge overpass and you would probably go left through Southbank. There is the bridge that links across to QUT just before entering southbank.

I do it on a cro-mo frame with 23 mm tyres. My wet weather bike is the same with 32mm tyres. Normal bike takes around 50min there and anywhere from 50-55 min home depending on the wind. I try to not to push it every day as Friday arvo going back home up the hill past Griffith Uni into a strong headwind is just not fun if not enough in the tank.

I think any bike will suit as you will learn the path and which stretches are junk and what lines to take to avoid the worst parts. I've seen everything from 20 yr old kmart clunkers to carbon roadies on that path (even a petrol bike). I've been doing it for nearly a year now and am not bored of it yet. I only started doing 5 days a week this year as I now have enough shirts and a locker at work. Starting off with 5 days may be a little difficult.

[clarinetcola]

dant you have a good gear ratio suggestion for the hills? I'm thinking of trying my daily Runcorn to Southbank commute on a singlespeed.
A singlespeed/fixed gear's not a good idea for the first time though! Just try it out on your garage-dust-gathering bike first and see what type of bike you're more inclined to get. Its mostly gonna be a flat bar road bike or an entry level road bike. I live off Warrigal Road and it takes me 35 - 40mins to southbank now, after a year of the 17km route (hate the Griffith Uni hill after a long hard day!).

When I started out I rode around the neighbourhood and I could only do 6kms max the first time and I explored the bikeway up to the city during the weekends until i knew i had the legs to do it mon to fri. Hope u have fun, its gonna be a life changing experience!

[dant]

Clarinetcola,
I think I am riding 45-18 on the daily commuter with 23c tyres and 42-17 on the wet weather bike with 28c tyres. The wet weather bike is a harder ride and I found the commuter a little light on gearing on a ride to the coast on the weekend. Might be time to HTFU although by the 10th ride in the week I am happy with that 45-18 going up the hill past the uni.

Cheers.

[shx]

Thanks heaps everyone, now I'm reporting my progress back here.

I had a few rides last week with one of my friends who rides regularly from 8 mile plains to city during weekdays & weekends. I have to say it is an awesome ride! The SE biketrack is very good and the park paths between my place (just off the compton rd) and the SE highway biketrack provide the pleasant warm-up riding as well (thanks to punk_rob's route map which is aboslutely helpful!)

As I borrowed a road bike from friend, now I'm looking for my own and I'm planning to ride at least twice a week initially, considering the Trek 7.1 or Scott Sub 30 as a result of the bikeshop visits I have taken in the past few weeks. Any other recoomendation or comment on the bike choice?

Thank you all again and wish I'll be able to soon join you guys on the road and say hi.