My Awesome Commuters Bike

I have decided that I never want to have my own car. For me its just not worth it and with Peak Oil around the corner (or already here) its not the sort of investment that I really want to make. So where does that leave me for getting around?

Well of course there is mass transit such as buses, trains, ect... But I still like having my own personal transportation device. So for that I have a bike. But not your traditional bike. My bike is designed to make commuting easy and comfortable.

What makes my new bike so awesome for commuting is that it has small design tweaks and extras that really help out.

1) The handlebars: At first having handlebars that turn back towards the rider seemed strange to me. But they are much more comfortable then traditional straight bars. For commuting comfort not speed is what you want so these handlebars are a huge plus.





2) Mud-flaps: Now you can put mud-flaps on almost any bike and if your going to be commuting you better get them and get nice ones that actually cover the tire. Trust me you don't want to replace a car with a bike without getting mud-flaps first.





3) Rear Rack: Another great feature on any commuter bike is a rear rack. This allows you to attach side bags so you can carry anything from your lunch to groceries or a package from the post as I just did in the picture here. The thing here is to make sure you get a rack that actually attaches to the frame. This will allow it to hold fairly heavy loads. I have had racks that just attached under the seat and they were no good.


4) Lights: Make sure you have a front and rear light for commuting. They really help drivers to see you and if you continue to commute by bike in the winter you will be out after dark.

5) Wide Seat: Again if your commuting comfort wins out over speed. If your going to commute by bike make sure to get a wide and soft bike seat. Mine also has built in shocks which help to add to a comfortable ride. I love my the seat on my bike. It's waterproof, looks cool and its the first seat that did not hurt my rear.




6) A Bell: Yes a bell. There is a good chance that you will be biking on paths shared with walkers, runners and other bikes. Having a bell on your bike is a quick and easy way to notify people ahead of you that your coming up behind them. You can see my bell in the handle bar picture.

7) Helmet: I don't have a picture of mine but please make sure you wear a helmet while biking. There is no good reason not to.

8) Chain Guard: These make it a little harder to fix your chain if it pops off during a ride but its worth it. I have torn up a pair of jeans in the past on a bike that did not have one. A good chain guard will keep your jeans safe and clean.





All these features make commuting by bike easier, more comfortable and much more practical. Most of them are also fairly cheap. I highly suggest that you get these items if your going to be commuting by bike.

I have been commuting by bike on and off again for years. Over the last year I have put in well over 1,000 miles on the bike just from commuting and I'm just getting started. Its a ton of fun and I suggest that every one try it out.