What to Consider when Buying a Commuting Bicycle

Aug
2010

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Balancing the Features that Best Fit Your Needs

Bicycling to Save Money

Given the recent rise in costs for just about everything, folks are going back to the basics to save money. Among the more expensive items on the list of household expenses is automotive fuel. Because of this, we see more and more people hitting the road, this time not in a car, or even a motorcycle – but on a bicycle.

Another reason to get on a bike are the rising costs of health care and the ever ambiguous value of what one actually gets when purchasing health care. More people are choosing to skip the health care hassle altogether by keeping in shape. Health is yet another great reason to grab those metal steer horns and get riding!

Bikes are fun and easy to ride, and they offer an excuse to get out and see the world. Aside from that, a bike is your ticket to an easy commute!

Bicycle Commuting

Some months back I got a new job as a furthering to my career as a technical writer (read about this by clicking here).

By a stroke of fate, my place of work is now only a few miles from where I live. Given that I find it increasingly more difficult to find the specialized parts that will keep my older mountain bike in running order, I’ve decided to consider trading in my old steed for a horse of a different breed: a commuting bicycle.

What Is A Commuting Bike?

While pretty much any bike can be used for the job, there are some bicycles touted to fit the commuting bill exactly. Commuting bicycles tend to offer simplicity, riding comfort, and an overall ubiquitous mix of features to match an equally ubiquitous landscape over which you will ride.

While a hunched-over speed demon posture is the match for most road bikes, a similarly stretched out posture comes with a mountain bike. While this posture helps to reduce wind drag, it also forces you to keep your eyes squarely on the road – something you may be fatigued with after long stretches.