Commuter world, post your ride here.

[MattyK]

That nashbar fork is a good price too, maybe with the tax return

I've had one for about 3 years now, it's good, the canti posts are ugly but I can live with that. No idea what Nashbar charge for shipping nowadays, when I got mine they wanted US$180 for shipping alone. I got a colleague in Chicago to buy it and picked it up when on a trip there.

[Crawf]

Yup Carver fork from Bikeman, its most likely just another China mold.
It's still pretty hard to find this fork spec: Carbon / Disc / Lightweight / Eyelets / Caliper mount hole / Lowish A-C /Cheapish.
The Carver seems the best value for money from my research (atm).

I did think about the nashbar route and grinding off the canti mounts.

Front wheel I built up - ZTR rim & SP Dynamo.

[warthog1]

Yup Carver fork from Bikeman, its most likely just another China mold.
It's still pretty hard to find this fork spec: Carbon / Disc / Lightweight / Eyelets / Caliper mount hole / Lowish A-C /Cheapish.
The Carver seems the best value for money from my research (atm).

I did think about the nashbar route and grinding off the canti mounts.

Front wheel I built up - ZTR rim & SP Dynamo.

Thanks for the info
Wheel build is well outside my limited bike build talent though I reckon there are a few places that build them for you.

[warthog1]

No idea what Nashbar charge for shipping nowadays, when I got mine they wanted US$180 for shipping alone.

[MattyK]

Yeah, I sent them a "Shirley you can't be serious?" reply when they said that. Hopefully they are better now but I cbf creating an account to find out. They are advertising themselves better for international trade/shipping rates now.

[Phil]

After a longish wait the Amazon has rocked up, a bit of overkill for Commuting, but planning on some touring down the track.

Rohloff Centertrak Belt Drive.
SON Hub Dynamo
Full Mudguards and Conti 700x37 tyres.
Tubus Ti rack
B17 Titanium

Just need to get the Air-Zound on now.
The V-Brakes are so much easier to set up than the Cantis I had on the CX bike.

[Crawf]

Nice Phil.

[eldavo]

Very nice Titanium kit there Phil.

This is the best equipped out of box commuter I've had to do least to, to be most happy with it.
My input was semi-perma-fixed panniers, stem riser, and usual strap-ons that go between bikes.
Felt MP cruiser.

[MattyK]

Latest mod, new mudguards. Bike pictured hanging on my new(ly requisitioned) work stand...



Zefal Paragon road (35mm), half price at Goldcross (=$35), couldn't resist.

They fit very neatly. I cut and smoothed the ends of the stays flush with the brackets, rather than using the ugly end caps. Looks very neat.





It took me a little messing around to get the lower end of the rear guard attached. The supplied bracket was nowhere near big enough for the bridge. Also I worked out that the bridge has a threaded nutsert, so I screwed straight in to it.

[vaeske]

Found this 2010 Gary Fisher Tiburon at the local lifeline store...it wasn't in such good condition, I suppose it must've been in a crash, hence replacement black steel fork. with A-headset. It was in pretty dirty when I got it but I saw potential.

Repacked front hub so its rolling well now, some air in the tires and a shitload of engine degreaser, tighten the cables, new handlebars and a thomson post with rolls saddle.

I'll get some spd pedals and it'll be ready for the commute or even some mountain roads! Maybe down the track i'll try to find a replacement suspension fork.

I'm extremely happy with it. I won't need another bike but i'll say its not a roadie so might get away with it!

BEFORE


AFTER

[jools]

Crawf - how did your Chinese carbon frame commuter work out? I don't think I've seen any updates since your original posts last year.. I've been commuting on steel bikes (Repco Superlite and Apollo IV), but after having a chat with another forum member who recently started commuting on a carbon Giant I'm starting to look into a carbon bike. I've got a Dawes Galaxy frame at home that is meant to be my next commuter but it still needs a few bits and pieces before I can put it together.

The conversation about the carbon Giant got me thinking though - he said it was a fast ride and very different geometry to the old steel racers and that it was noticably smoother over bumps and corrugations in the road. So I'm thinking that after I get the Dawes finished maybe the next thing would be to invest in a carbon bike.

I'm just curious how things worked out with yours - did you enjoy commuting on the carbon bike? Was the chinese frame a good option or are the brand names (Giant, Trek, Specialized etc) building a better product? Are you still riding it? Some of your recent pics look like you've transplanted the running gear across - is that a Ti frame?

[Mulger bill]

Zefal Paragon road (35mm), half price at Goldcross (=$35), couldn't resist.

Which one? I've been looking for another set as a backup for me commuter for yonks.

Nice work trimming the stays, way neater than my effort.

One word of advice tho', the rubbery bits masquerading as mudflaps will fall off, not the best attachment method by a very long way.

[MattyK]

First hit on google for zefal paragon:
http://www.goldcross.com.au/online-stor ... pid=192565

They are 50% off in store (Chadstone) as are the rest of their accessories at the moment. They had two more sets left when I got mine on Saturday.

Don't think I'll miss the mudflaps if they disappear. I do however miss the ability to stand the bike on its rear wheel to wheel it around the house...

[Mulger bill]

Thanks Matty, I'll give 'em a call tomorrow. No point heading that way if they're out.

Shaun

[Crawf]

Crawf - how did your Chinese carbon frame commuter work out? I don't think I've seen any updates since your original posts last year.. I've been commuting on steel bikes (Repco Superlite and Apollo IV), but after having a chat with another forum member who recently started commuting on a carbon Giant I'm starting to look into a carbon bike. I've got a Dawes Galaxy frame at home that is meant to be my next commuter but it still needs a few bits and pieces before I can put it together.

The conversation about the carbon Giant got me thinking though - he said it was a fast ride and very different geometry to the old steel racers and that it was noticably smoother over bumps and corrugations in the road. So I'm thinking that after I get the Dawes finished maybe the next thing would be to invest in a carbon bike.

I'm just curious how things worked out with yours - did you enjoy commuting on the carbon bike? Was the chinese frame a good option or are the brand names (Giant, Trek, Specialized etc) building a better product? Are you still riding it? Some of your recent pics look like you've transplanted the running gear across - is that a Ti frame?

Sold it on to someone who was going to use it for a CX bike (which is essentially what it was), the only reason I got rid of it was due to the lack of eyelets for mudguards, other than that is was light, stiff and very tough. It was almost perfect for a commuter.
Now on a custom China Ti jobby.

[jools]

Sold it on to someone who was going to use it for a CX bike (which is essentially what it was), the only reason I got rid of it was due to the lack of eyelets for mudguards, other than that is was light, stiff and very tough. It was almost perfect for a commuter.
Now on a custom China Ti jobby.

Sounds like you're having fun exploring the bicycling delights of the far east!

Thanks for the info on the carbon frame - the lack of mudguard eyelets will be an issue for me too as there is often water across the bike path on my commute so the mudguards are pretty much mandatory for me. As for the ride quality - the guy I was speaking to said his Giant was noticably smoother across bumps and corrugations etc compared to his steel frames - did you notice anything similar?

Thanks Crawf!

[nezumi]

My recently acquired, work-in-progress, Merida Cyclocross 4.

I had some trouble fitting the rack, I might need to hit the mounts on the rack bottom with a grinder/file. At the top it's also slightly askew, which bothers me.

Waiting on SKS Longboards and Shimano M530 pedals.

[rheicel]

^ Nice one. I am building my new commuter as the old trek was sold last week!

Here she is when she was still mine. Sold it for $450, leass than a quarter of what I spent 12 months ago, lol

[Tomca74]

I ride past the wreckers at Oxley every day and my roadie gets flats if I get within 5km of that place, so I use a cheap, old Cyclops MTB frame for my daily commute. Bit of a lazy ride, I never average over 20km/h on it.

[Calvin27]

^ Nice one. I am building my new commuter as the old trek was sold last week!

Here she is when she was still mine. Sold it for $450, leass than a quarter of what I spent 12 months ago, lol

Is that a MTB conversion? Not sure if I'm completely lost or what but isn't 4300 a 26er frame? Sweet looking ride man!

[Jonno]

My beater.

[rheicel]

Is that a MTB conversion? Not sure if I'm completely lost or what but isn't 4300 a 26er frame? Sweet looking ride man!

Yes mate, it is a 26" MTB and was fitted with 29er wheelset with slicks tyres.

[rheicel]

Here is my new one.
XACD Custom Ti Frame, XLR8 Wheels, DA DT/RD, SRAM FD/Cranks and weigh a ton (9.2 kg with no panniers)

[fraz]

Bought the bike from the tip. Found the wheels in a bin at my old apartment building. Most of the other bits were extras I had lying around or were bought from the tip for a couple of bucks. Only brand new items were the chain tensioner, chain and grips. Total cost <$100.

In spite of being made up almost entirely of rubbish, it's a dream to ride and by far my favourite of all my bikes.

[rheicel]

Bought the bike from the tip. Found the wheels in a bin at my old apartment building. Most of the other bits were extras I had lying around or were bought from the tip for a couple of bucks. Only brand new items were the chain tensioner....

How is the chain tensioner? can you please give me more details of it. Thanks