Commuting weapon of choice

[ed_o_brain]

Looks like we are finally moving... 
  ...into a quiet high peak town giving access to picturesque views and lots of good cycling countryside

Sounds like this would give the ideal commute. ~15 miles each way. Some hills. Some flat. Some lovely countryside. Some fast smooth urban asphalt with other commuters to race againsts!.

What would be your commuting weapon of choice?

[border-rider]

Good news

How hilly ? I'd say a Pomp, but if you have long fast descents aplenty then I'd say bike with an Alfine hub.

[nuttycyclist]

... ~15 miles each way. Some hills. Some flat. Some lovely countryside. Some fast smooth urban asphalt with other commuters to race againsts!.

What would be your commuting weapon of choice?

A motorbike 

[Gattopardo]

Car or tank.

[TheLurker]

Looks like we are finally moving... 
  ...into a quiet high peak town giving access to picturesque views and lots of good cycling countryside

Sounds like this would give the ideal commute. ~15 miles each way. Some hills. Some flat. Some lovely countryside. Some fast smooth urban asphalt with other commuters to race againsts!.

What would be your commuting weapon of choice?

With a route like that I think you could ride anything and still get to work with a grin on your chops.  Considered a Dribble?  Not too expensive or precious to use all year round, but I would think still lively enough if you want to race (why?) the other commuters.

[ed_o_brain]

Looks like we are finally moving... 
  ...into a quiet high peak town giving access to picturesque views and lots of good cycling countryside

Sounds like this would give the ideal commute. ~15 miles each way. Some hills. Some flat. Some lovely countryside. Some fast smooth urban asphalt with other commuters to race againsts!.

What would be your commuting weapon of choice?

With a route like that I think you could ride anything and still get to work with a grin on your chops.  Considered a Dribble?  Not too expensive or precious to use all year round, but I would think still lively enough if you want to race (why?[/i]) the other commuters.

Whilst I'm still young enough and fit enough why not? It makes a commute along what is a very boring stretch of road more interesting and like this morning, the result is usually a pleasant exchange of words and some useful/new local knowledge imparted.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Moving to Glossop, are we?

I second the Ribble. Get the Winter Compact Audax, it does fit 28mm tyres with mudguards.

The gearing is a bit high for where you are, and the wheels are crap. But it is still very very good value. Damn near a do-everything bike.

[vorsprung]

I have what I imgine to be a similar commute on the Devon Somerset border, 25k , a few metres climbing.

At the moment I do it on a single speed.  Only trouble with this is that the quieter route home would be a bit painful so I use the main road.  A single speed is a great commuting bike choice for all the reasons I'm sure you've seen before of no expensive bits to wear out and simple maintenance.
I use a 66" gear most of the year, but a 70" was fun in the summer.
Apart from the no gears, it also has marathon+ tyres, 36h chrina ridga, shimano hub generator and b&m IQ Fly light.

I am currently building up a replacement bike which will have gears.

[delthebike]

I still like the idea of a Carrera Subway 8. Mudgurards, rack, hub gears and brakes. The only thing I would change would be to get a dyno+brake hub for the front.

[border-rider]

yes - if I had a seriously hilly commute a Subway 8 with a dynohub would likely be on my shopping list.

Or I'd put hub gears on my Pomp.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Whilst I'm still young enough and fit enough why not?

Because after cycling 30miles and working all day, you still need enough energy to look after mini ed and Maffie.

Was your previous commuter destroyed in the accident?

[David Martin]

Sounds like the commute I had in Oslo (but without the beach & babes). If it is where I think it is then it will be quite a tough one to do day in, day out. I mixed mine up with occasional train commutes, you probably won't have that option.  There were very few weeks I did the full 160 miles commuting+extras but many when I did 4 days.

Weapon of choice for me? Slickified MTB. Ideal general urban tractor (so a hybrid or similar would do me just fine). I much prefer flat bars for city riding.

[ed_o_brain]

Looks like we are moving to New Mills.

Whilst I'm still young enough and fit enough why not?

Because after cycling 30miles and working all day, you still need enough energy to look after mini ed and Maffie.

Was your previous commuter destroyed in the accident?

I'm anticipating using the train one day a week to allow for some recovery. Commuter racing isn't a real priority here. It's just simply making sure I've got the right tool to do the job. The last time I used a hybrid for long distance work it wore me out - so I'm surprised to see the Carrera Subway 8 suggested.

I'm actually trying to stave off N+1. I'll most likely try tweaking the bikes I have. The commuter damaged in the accident was the Pearson Hanzo, currently geared at 80" which has been perfect for Manchester commuting. I also rode a 64" fixed (now sold) for a trip across the Peaks to Barnsley and that was great fun - but I found it far to spinny around town and I really didn't like spinning so fast - I did persevere for a few weeks in total.

I wondered whether I should getting a Sturmey Archer S3X laced into the back wheel of the Hanzo or just re gear it around 72-4"?

I'm much more concerned about the actual move than what bike I'll be using anyway.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I wasn't far out, then. 

New Mills isn't in the higher bits, so not too many hills between there and manchester.

IMO, fixed is not a good tool for longish hilly commutes. You'll find yourself ripping your feet off spinning down hills and dying when you get headwinds.  I suggest that you give the route a try out, when your wrist is better, before thinking about which bike.

I used to ride over saddleworth moor every day on a track bike with a SA AW rear wheel. It can work.

You were riding 80" in town? I think you need to learn to spin. That's too high. 72" was the standard for time trials. 64" for touring and club rides.

[clarion]

I'd go for a fast steel tourer/audax bike.  Comfortable enough to do the miles, even when the Pennines are throwing their worst at you, but fast enough that you get to where you want to be.

[Charlotte]

What would be your commuting weapon of choice?

Glock 19 loaded with hollowpoints.  Compact, simple and totally reliable.

[iakobski]

I'd echo MV's early reply that buying new, a pomp would be ideal for this.

~15 miles each way. Some hills. Some flat. Some lovely countryside. Some fast smooth urban asphalt

This sounds close to what I do, and I reckon you should gear the Hanzo to 68-72" and use that, it will be absolutely perfect. You say "some hills", so you're not worried about them. Not enough to need gears. 200-250 km a week (after a month or so you'll find you won't need a rest day in 5) in Manchester winter weather will make short work of components. Put some guards on if you haven't already and expect to get through a lot of chains and several tyres.

[Panoramix]

I'd go for a fast steel tourer/audax bike.  Comfortable enough to do the miles, even when the Pennines are throwing their worst at you, but fast enough that you get to where you want to be.

This is what I do... 

Cassettes cost but I have a 10% to climb everyday!

[vorsprung]

What would be your commuting weapon of choice?

Glock 19 loaded with hollowpoints.  Compact, simple and totally reliable.

A Desert Eagle might be slightly superior at shooting large holes in Beamer engines
Magnum Research
But on balance I think you are right the Glock would be better as it is is lighter and more reliable

[mrcharly-YHT]

Um, this is yacf. Bike Forums is thataway

You don't need large holes, anyway. You just need to crack the cylinder block.  9mm armour-piercing should do it.

[Wascally Weasel]

What would be your commuting weapon of choice?

Glock 19 loaded with hollowpoints.  Compact, simple and totally reliable.

A Desert Eagle might be slightly superior at shooting large holes in Beamer engines
Magnum Research
But on balance I think you are right the Glock would be better as it is is lighter and more reliable

"Phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range"

/Arnie

[Zoidburg]

Um, this is yacf. Bike Forums is thataway

You don't need large holes, anyway. You just need to crack the cylinder block.  9mm armour-piercing should do it.

9mm armour piercing?

I think you may have seen one to many films old chap.

[Greenbank]

The last time I used a hybrid for long distance work it wore me out - so I'm surprised to see the Carrera Subway 8 suggested.

What was it about a hybrid that "wore you out"? The lack of drops? There's nothing stopping you adapting a bike like that with drops or tri-bars.

[rogerzilla]

It's a bit of a one-shot wonder, but sometimes you NEED to stop a bus or a 44 ton lorry.

[spesh]

The last time I used a hybrid for long distance work it wore me out - so I'm surprised to see the Carrera Subway 8 suggested.

What was it about a hybrid that "wore you out"? The lack of drops? There's nothing stopping you adapting a bike like that with drops or tri-bars.

A Subway 8 owner writes:

I wouldn't call the Subway 8 a hybrid, it's more a fully rigid mountain bike optimised for the road. 

It has the advantage of being more weatherproof than a bike with a derailleur-geared drivetrain, but it's a pretty heavy beast, and the roller brake mounting militates against making a quick and easy inner tube change. Oh, and there are no mounting points on the rear stays for disc or cantilever brakes.

Just my 2 pennyworth...