# Do you Commute on a Mtn Bike and How Far of a Commute?



## trek7100 (Jul 15, 2007)

Those of you that commute, do you commute on a mtn bike? How far of a commute do you have?


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## D.Crank (May 24, 2008)

Go for it...commuting on an mtn bike is no problem. I used to go 28 km round trip with my knobbies. I would still be doing the same if I hadn't moved.

edit: still do commute on a mtb, but it's a scant 2km round trip.


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## zarr (Feb 14, 2008)

The more gas prices go up, the further I ride. :thumbsup: ...Love your bike,man.


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## Blu Falcon (Apr 26, 2008)

trek7100 said:


> Those of you that commute, do you commute on a mtn bike? How far of a commute do you have?


Yes, but with some road friendly modifications. I put together a second wheelset (with the help from my friends here in this forum) with Continental slicks and a 12-25t road cassette, Rock Shox fork w/ Lockout, and also added LEDs to the front and rear for those times of limited visibility. I'm adding more XC friendly components as well, so with the simple switch of the wheels, she's ready to negotiate rough terrain on the weekends. So far having a dual purpose bike is working fine, but I hope to have a dedicated commuter at some point and keep the mountain bike off the road. My commute is 24 miles round trip.


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## shimano4 (May 11, 2008)

7 km from workplace to home..


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## citybiker (Mar 20, 2008)

I commute on a mtb frame with 700x28 tires/wheels. Last year, I commuted on 26 x 2 in city slicks. 25 mile round trip. At least 3 days per week (in bad weather, I ride the bus). I have commuted on knobbies with no problem, but I prefer the smooth, quiet ride city tires offer on pavement. Bottom line for me is I like the strength of the mtb frame and the front suspension (with lockout capabilities). Sure, roadies go faster, but they don't seem to have any fun doing it, and certainly don't have the versatility I have.


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## spcarter (Nov 17, 2007)

I commute 3-4 miles one way on my mtb, but I also will do 16+ mile road rides on it as well. Blows the rodies away


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## zarr (Feb 14, 2008)

citybiker said:


> I commute on a mtb frame with 700x28 tires/wheels. Last year, I commuted on 26 x 2 in city slicks. 25 mile round trip. At least 3 days per week (in bad weather, I ride the bus). I have commuted on knobbies with no problem, but I prefer the smooth, quiet ride city tires offer on pavement. Bottom line for me is I like the strength of the mtb frame and the front suspension (with lockout capabilities). Sure, roadies go faster, but they don't seem to have any fun doing it, and certainly don't have the versatility I have.


I always used 26ers to commute-until now.I'm trying to figure a way to hook up a pannier rack on my Zion 29er.(has no rack eyelets) Tires? Schwalbe big apples.Watch out for pesty cars & trucks. :madmax:


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## citybiker (Mar 20, 2008)

You can get eyelets that "clamp on" to your seat stays. I have also seen a seatpost setup that clamps to the post with posts on either side.


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## comptiger5000 (Jun 11, 2007)

I don't commute much, but when I do, it's about 3 miles each way to/from school. I do it on my 26" wheel mtb with Schwalbe Big Apples. Also will do a 15-20 mile ride on road when the trails are too wet.


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## Squash (Jul 20, 2003)

*I commute on....*

a converted hardtail frame with a ridged fork and road specific tires. 10 miles round trip almost daily. The only components that are not mountain specific on the bike are the tires and a seat post rack and trunk bag for hauling the work clothes and lunch.  I built it up out of a frame that I had "retired" from dirt duty, to keep my main dirt ride off the pavement. You can commute on knobbies no problem. But the additional wear and tear on the bike and maintaining a good set of off road tires in good condition for the dirt when they do commute duty on pavement it both difficult and expensive. What can I say, pavement is hell on off road tires, and knobbies that do well (durability wise) on pavement are usually less than stellar in the dirt.

Anyway, commuting on an MTB is slower than on a dedicated road bike, but it's also more fun. Even with road tires mounted on the bike I can still take bike paths and routes that a roadie wouldn't even try. But if you do commute with an mountian bike I would highly recommend at least a set of "road friendly" tires. While it doesn't make the bike that much faster, it does make for a much easier rolling rig. You'll be surprised how much less energy you'll expend keeping it at speed over a full knobbie tire. :thumbsup:

Good Dirt


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## sean salach (Sep 15, 2007)

16+ miles each way. i like to keep the knobbies on so that i can hit the trails up on the way home.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

sean salach said:


> 16+ miles each way. i like to keep the knobbies on so that i can hit the trails up on the way home.


That`s an awfuly long ways for a daily ride on knobbies. You`re a studmuffin!

I ride a former mtb (rigid fork and now has 26 x 1.5 slicks, basket and racks) rain, shine, freeze or blizzard but it`s a short commute- about 3.5 mi each way.


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## Wolfchild (Sep 22, 2007)

I commute everyday all year round with a mtb and wide knobbies(2.35), my distance is
21 km round trip. I also have a rear rack, wide fenders and lot's of lights.


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## FireBallKY (Apr 15, 2004)

5 years ago I started out on a mountain bike...commuting and riding trails. As time went on I got tired of wearing out my knobbies on the pavement so I bought some hybrid tires and started switching them out on the weekends. This got old so intstead of having a new road only wheelset built up I bought a new entry level mountain bike and threw on some slicks, a mirror, a rack and set of lights and off I went.

My work commute is about 10 miles round trip plus I'll do "fitness" rides after 3-4 days after work or on the weekends when the trails are too wet or time is limited.

Only this year did I convert to "roadism" by buying a Specialized Tricross. I'm in the process of putting mtb bars on it and switching out my brake levers/shifters. I just wanted an excuse to buy a new bike. shhhhh, don't tell me wife!!!

Pros - Durability as far as hitting potholes or railroad tracks; Versatility (in case you have to make a quick jump up on or off curbs.); Smoother ride from bigger tires. Better control and stability versus a road type bike.

Cons - Slower and heavier (but that just gets you into shape quicker). Having to change out tires or wheelset to comply with riding terrain.

So yes, commute with a mountain bike. :thumbsup:


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## Doggity (Mar 27, 2007)

Not only do I commute on a MTB, it's a rigid SS...in IMHO, the best tool for the job. But I've a short commute, and I ride it mostly around town, and on dirt roads, so the hybrid tires I use (Armadillo Crossroads) are not a prob. Yes, rack....and lights and fenders too, when called for (actually haven't tried fenders since I switched brakes to Avid Single Digit 7's...looks like the noodle may now interfere). The plush ride of the 2" tires, the bombproof strength of the bike overall, and the comfortable heads up riding position are plusses I'll keep in exchange for a lower top speed. MTB'ers have more fun, even in town.


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## madcow_number_6 (Nov 16, 2006)

I've been riding my hardtail back and forth for over 3 years now. I love the fact that i can ride through any section of town and not worry about flatting out some scrawny road tire while cutting through some back ally or yard or drainage canal. My commute is usually 4.5 to 7 miles to work in the morning then I can take the same route back or hit the 8 mile mtb loop that is convieniently enough just down the road from work and make it a 13 mile trip over the mountain to home. My specialized armadillo Hemisphere tires are great on the pavement and handle the dirt fairly well too.

who cares if the bike weighs 30 lbs unloaded. no one says that you have to be a spandex clad roadie locked onto the asphalt to be a commuter.


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## gte819s (Aug 13, 2006)

I ride a converted SS alum mtn frame with 1.5 semi slicks. Average commute is 15 miles round trip. I really like my wide steel surly 1x1 handle bars.


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## gnslr (Dec 24, 2004)

It is about 20 miles round trip and I ride it several times a week. I have been riding a mountain bike for the last couple of years.


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## Trial1 (Oct 3, 2007)

*To roadie or to not to roadie*

I currently riding an older hardtail mountain bike with knobby tires and my commute is about 20 miles round trip.

The mountain bike works, but I am considering switching to a more road specific configuration. I rode my road bike yesterday for the first time this season and almost started to cry at how much faster it is on the road. After lugging the mountain bike with the knobby tires to and from work the last couple of weeks, I had forgotten how much more efficient the road bike is on the road. It was like discovering biking all over again.

So now I am trying to figure out if I make the old mountain bike more road worthy and upgrade/replace its plethora of worn out parts or if I just go find a dedicated commuter bike. Decisions ...


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

One bike 2.35 inch Verticals front and back...Probably 3000 km year comutting, say about /14 of that is off pavement.

8000 km/y total, about 1/2 is off pavement.


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## jddjirikian (Aug 25, 2006)

I ride 2 miles to the train station on a Cannondale F400 (circa '98-'99). Dropped the P-Bone suspension fork for a Surly 1x1 fork. Run it singlespeed style at 44/17 with Michelin Transworld 1.85 tires. 

Love it.


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## Glow in Dark (Jan 8, 2005)

No, generally I don't commute on my mountain bike, I find that my older Specialized Allez works much better. It is faster and was up until yesterday equipped with full fenders. 

I do on occasion use my Bridgestone MB-1 7 speed/SS. BTW Portland is a great place to commute but everyone knew that. My commute is 4 miles each way.


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## Picard (Apr 5, 2005)

do you guys feel stigma commuting from coworkers? do they think you are cheapo? I am curious.


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## spcarter (Nov 17, 2007)

my coworkers just look at me funny when I bring my bike inside. Also when I first started commuting they thought my car was broke.


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## xxxMEDICxxx (May 25, 2008)

I have an F350 diesel truck. It gets about 13mpg, and at over five dollars a gallon I have decided to commute. My first day is tomorrow, my round trip should be 24 miles, but I work 24 hr shifts, so I will be doing about 12 miles per day. My bike is a full suspension Haro,I know it's not optimum, but I have more routes available with the MTB. I will be changing to slicks soon, but right now I have knobs on there. Excited about my first day decreasing my carbon footprint.


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## SS-Rider (Feb 27, 2006)

Come July I'll be getting a new bike a GF Cronus I just started a new job which is about 8 miles away. The only problem is that you go in at 8 Am & you work untill your done it might be 5 Hrs or it might be 12. I think I'll only ride on those days that you know you won't be working 10 Hrs or more on that might be a bit much, & I think I'd be dragging after a shift like that.........:yawn:


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## Trial1 (Oct 3, 2007)

Picard said:


> do you guys feel stigma commuting from coworkers? do they think you are cheapo? I am curious.


Most of my coworkers find my commuting to be pretty cool and most of them have expressed interest in finding a safe route to work. Right now, I only know of three bike commuters even though I work in a very large office park complex - it would be great to see more people getting to work via bike.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Good luck, MEDIC. If it doesn`t work out very well for you, it might be worth getting a rigid, roadie or HT. Let us know how it turns out for ya.


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## nepbug (Sep 3, 2004)

I'm on an old steel Trek mountain bike, 14.5 miles each way. Fully rigid and running semi-slicks and I have a second wheelset with studded knobbies on it for the icy days in the winter.

I'm about 10% slower on my commute than when I was on a road bike, but I have this bike setup for year round commuting much better and prefer it.


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## dancrna (Dec 30, 2004)

*it all works....*

Alot of posts on this forum re hard-tails and commuting.... and alot more in the future as gas hits the 4$ mark. Here's a summary of info in the posts throughout the years and few years experience.

Of course a hard tail mtn bike works regardless of the set-up. It is more efficient with higher pressure or smaller profile tires (less resistance). A higher quality bike even f it is old will last longer (and usually weigh less). Fenders will keep you sane in any rain or right after a rain. A dedicated commuter bike eases the pain of swapping out tires, removing fenders for other use - a commuter bike used everyday in variable climate and road condintions is going to get worked.

As for what people think - they probably wish they could do it. People just want to talk about it with you, the novelty wears off over time and you show up to work and nothing is new.

Getting respect on the road during your commute from drivers...


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## Ka_Jun (Oct 1, 2007)

Yes. 6.04 miles one way, until last week when I found another route, 3.59 miles one way.


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## lifelesspoet (Dec 16, 2007)

7 miles round trip on a full suspension pitch comp, with knobs. Pretty much a commuter that shouldn't be a commuter, at least the suspension is adJustable. Though last year it was a bmx, so things are improving, hehe. My girl is worried about bikes piling up in the house so I'm thinking of getting more road friendly hybred tires and saving the aggressive trend for trips out of town. 
Another bike would be out of the budget at the moment and not worth while with a short riding season, ie up to 7 months of snow. 
Though over the next winter I'm planning a resto/retro fit on an old schwinn cruiser to my main commuter.


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## cobill (May 15, 2008)

Just over 22 miles round trip on a Giant Rincon with 26 x 2.00 knobbies. About 8 miles on the road, the rest is bike trails.


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## aggressorau (Mar 28, 2008)

12km total on an entry-level GT. 

i'm always impressed with the distances people commute compared to me ... i always get home with legs like jelly.


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## PscyclePath (Aug 29, 2007)

trek7100 said:


> Those of you that commute, do you commute on a mtn bike? How far of a commute do you have?


Depending on the route I take, the last stretch on the "short cut" is graveled single & double track across a couple of hayfields. It shaves two miles off the route I use when I'm on my road bke and need to stick a little closer to the pavement. So, I've been using my 29er as my main commuter and putt-around-town bike this past year. Commute distance is 9 miles if I stick to trails and pavement, a hair over 7 miles if I short-cut over the singletrack.

Given the state of the pavement, my MTB is a lot more friendly around here for dealing with potholes and rippled pavement. As noted above, it gives me a lot more options for short cuts. It's gotten me around despite floods, mud, and snow without problem. The downside is that since it's a full-suspension XC machine, it's hard to find anything other than a seatpost rack so that you can carry stuff other than in a backpack, and likewise fenders are a pain to fit to it.

I finally broke down and added a city/urban commuter to the fleet, and have been commuting with it the past few days. It's been a lot nicer, and the 29er is still in reserve for when I need the knobby tires.


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## ranier (Sep 9, 2003)

I commute on a mtb with slicks. It's my dedicated commuter bike. My current commute is 4 miles one way, next week it'll be 2 mile roundtrip! Now that my commute will be shorter, I'll ride my other mt bikes in rotation so they all get some love throughout the week.


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## RidersofDslum (Jun 8, 2007)

I don't commute to work on a bike. It's unnessary because it's an extremely short walking distance. However I don't drive. I own a car but I am too cheap to fix it and live on a small budget. It's not running and I don't need it.

I ride a mountain bike and a vintage cruiser. I ride my mountain bike a lot, trails and pavement. My bike has 2 purposes, rec and errands. If the trip is long I take my mountain bike. For short trips, like to the grocery store or somewere in town, I take my cruiser. In wet conditions I perfer this bike because it has fenders which would be added weight on my mountain bike. It's heavier than all hell (lots of crome, heavy frame) and it also servers the purpose of increasing my climbing power. It also features a large basket for my groceries and cases of beer. I ride this bike in the winter and leave my mountain bike in the house.

My mountain bike is a trek 4300, with just front suspension. It has off-road tires. It's fun to have off-road tires all the time. In my community there are a lot of mini trails and dirt short cuts to take. It's fun to haul ass on the pavement and hit the mini dirt trails. I don't think mountain bikes are bad in urban areas. Because it's nice to have the suspension for curbs, potholes, walls, ledges and other concreate features.


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## krauos (Apr 25, 2008)

I ride a swobo dixon, just got it about a month ago and liking it alot so far. I was banging around on a haro BMX before. 

I have full fenders and a basket that can be put on easily if needed, but most of the time i use an animal backpack (its a bmx company, large backpack).

I ride 7 mi round trip to school and 4 mi round trip to work 5 days a week. Plus an errand here or there. So about 12 miles a day on average.

The local kroger is about 1 mi away, same with other stores since i live in the city.

But the swobo is great since its basically a full hard frame MTB with slick tires and an internally geared hub. I can bunny hop over all sorts of obstacles to keep my speed up, take shortcuts that would be hard even on a cyclocross bike, and the upright ride position is great for staying alert and avasive in the city. 

The only time a full road bike would be nice is an over 15 mi commute (on smooth country road or dedicated bike path), but then you are hard core enough that you could probably make it on a beach cruiser anyways.


BTW im 24 and in decent shape so the rides are fairly easy for me. and fast too!


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## RidersofDslum (Jun 8, 2007)

A road bike would be sweet, but I only have space for 2 bikes. I use to have another road style droped frame vintage bike, but had to sell it because it crowded my aprtment. It was heavy too. I won't sell my cruiser to make room for another bike, it's too rad.

I'd like a good road bike, but I don't even have a good mountain bike. If I am going to spend over a grand on a bike, it's going to be a full suspension XC mountain bike. Too poor to own more than one expensive bike. I don't own any expensive bikes but plan on getting a full suspension when I am finacially stable. Soon.


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## sasquatch2 (Jun 28, 2004)

5 miles each way on a trek 4300. I bought road-weenie conversion tires and my pedals hit the ground on every corner. if you do convert to slicks, I found bigger volume is better cuz the frames were designed for a certain amount of clearance. also hit up some fenders, even if you don't mind a little wetness on the waterproof cloths, the mud-grime spray always sucks!


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## comptiger5000 (Jun 11, 2007)

With my 2.0" slicks, I can pedal through most corners with plenty of ground clearance. However, if I am going really fast and leaning hard, I'm most likely coasting through the corner, so the inside pedal is up and it's a non-issue. Even a full inch of tire height (difference is probably less) shouldn't make that big a difference.


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## chris-crisis (Jul 16, 2007)

Yes 21km's each way. Giant Trance with Maxxis crossmarks, goes ok on the road and I can always take a fun dirt way home if I want a few more km's.

Only issue is the crossmarks wear out a lot quicker than the slicks I had did. I was tempted to go for a two pairs of wheels setup with slick and a smaller cluster on one set and knobblies on the other but I think it is cheaper to just wear out the crossmarks and have the advantage of being able to go off road if I feel like


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## mace2 (May 3, 2004)

I do, no more than 3 miles each way I think. However, there's a pretty drastic elevation change, so I get a lot of exercise in!
Lucky for me getting to work is downhill, so I don't sweat in the morning when I arrive.

I was considering slicks but I like the comfortable ride of mountain bike tires, as well as the flat protection (lots of glass around here). It's not the most efficient way to get around but I can do little drops and things like that if I get the urge, and ride on trails here and there.


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## comptiger5000 (Jun 11, 2007)

That's why I run my 2.0 Big Apples (would run 2.35, but will rub on the chainstays I think). Just as hard to flat as knobbies (they're kevlar belted) and they'll put up with rough riding because they're large. And they're heavy, so once you get them moving, they just keep going. They hold momentum really well. Only thing is, they're kinda expensive for a basic slick (I paid $34/tire from Jenson).


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

12 miles round trip. My life is sooo pathetic, if I didn't commute on my mountain bike, it wouldn't get ridden much. For years I commuted on my Ross from the 80's, then I switched to a Giant, now I'm changing to a FS 29er, much nicer when sidewalk/city bike paths are involved. Added carbon bars (softer ride), need to add a rack and fenders. I've always had a second set of matching wheels one set knobbies, one set slicks. I really envy you guys that don't have to drive your car to go MTB'ing.


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## Jtodd (Dec 29, 2007)

I have a specialize rock hopper that I use for my commuter. I had city slicks on it but really didn't like them. Especially when the roads were wet. I switched to Maxxis Holy rollers in 26 x 2.25 and I really like them. They are big enough that I don't have to worry about bending a rim with the lock on on. Plus just enough tread.


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## chefmiguel (Dec 22, 2007)

My trusty old Voodoo Bizango does the job fine with slicks being the only modification. It went full rigid years ago when the Mag 21 decided to puke oil. 11 miles each way.


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## eckstar (Jan 2, 2008)

I commute to work on a GT avalanche , 19km/12 mile roundtrip approx 30-35 mins eachway. Usually I do this 3-4 times per week depending on work/weather. We have a dedicated bike room in the basement of our office w/bike racks, lockers and security access. In summer there are over 30 bikes in there , dropping down to half that in winter.


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## sleestak (Feb 12, 2008)

I just did my first commute to work today...20 miles one way on my mtn bike. My butt was a lil sore, but otherwise I think I am doing ok. Out of the entire 20 mile ride, I did a scant 1.5 miles on road and the rest was on a trail. Keeping an eye on the weather and hoping the next 20 miles doesn't kill me, lol. I have been hoping that a wad of cash will fall from the sky so I can set up a dedicated set of wheels specifically for my commute. I could see that and a comfy seat being a god-send.


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## docweedon (May 14, 2008)

I commute on my DB Response Comp hard tail, it is 4 miles to work, and depending on the way I take home 4-12 miles. I also use knobbies, as the roads here are not the greatest. It also allows me to get some trails in on the way home. I try to ride the bike when I can, but obligations after work sometimes prevent me and I have to drive my truck.

I used to use my GT I-drive at times to commute, but didn't have lockouts and really was a bad commuter.


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## ochoco (May 15, 2008)

Live too far away at the moment but moving a bit closer to work in about a week. I will then be parking my Chevy Diesel ($5.10 a gallon and up for diesel sucks) and riding 15 miles each way to the train. 

I am so looking forward to this, I really enjoy morning rides and I currently get up at 4am every morning as it is to run on the treadmill, so soon I will be able to ride my bike instead! SCORE!

I will be riding my '05 HKEK. All stock except for WTB seat, Ergon Grips, and Holy Roller tires.


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## edmoloco (Feb 18, 2004)

8 miles each way on a 05 hard rock SS with a marz 5" air fork, knobbies and mx2 disks.


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## JAGI410 (Apr 19, 2008)

I just started, 34 miles round trip on a Haro V3 with 26x1.25 Forte Fast City Kevlar tires.


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## DannyB22 (May 12, 2008)

I would like to commute to work. I have a shower at work and can keep extra clothes and items in the office and keep the bike in the hangar. It's not too far, 20.5 miles round trip with about half of that being on paved paths off road and its a 4 day work week. The only reason I hesitate to commute is that I work at the airport here which can be busy with cars, buses, taxis and such. I will be there from 3pm until 9pm or so. I dont know if I want to brave riding through the airport on my bike.


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## rail the trail (Mar 10, 2007)

I got it made. I ride single track from across the street from my driveway to a paved bike path which goes strait to my job. It takes about 30 minutes in the morning ( I'm sluggish at 4:45am) and 15min. to get home. I think I might start bringing my hydration blatter and bike shorts and hit the trails before going home. :thumbsup:


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## KavuRider (Sep 22, 2004)

Just started again.

5 miles each way.

I roll my FR bike, '07 SC Bullit.


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## kuula (Jun 3, 2008)

15.5 miles both ways, no road modifications, 3-5 times per week.


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## mgood (May 27, 2008)

I ride a mountain bike. I haven't commuted much, but I'm getting into it more.
I rode to work last night.
I just got the headlight and tail lights (plural) and fender the other night and stuck them on there.
My bike is looking more and more like a commuter than a "mountain" bike. But when I bought it, I knew I could only afford one bike, so I wanted one that could do everything. I ride on the road quite a bit, but also take it off road. I think of it as a touring/commuting bike with good off-road capabilities.

My all-terrain commuter:









I live in a small town. If you live in this town and work in this town, then it's unlikely that your commute is over a mile. I'm starting a new job that is several miles outside of town. I'm planning to ride my bike at least once a week and maybe get to where I ride it most of the time. But most people think that anyone using a bicycle for transportation (or walking) either can't drive due to some disability or else can't afford a car. People see me riding my bike and offer to give me a ride. I guess they think my pickup is broke down or something.
The only people I know other than myself who ride for recreation are two doctors. One is a hard-core roadie. The other is an older guy who told me today he's commuted every day for the past five months. He says he wants to go riding with me. (Maybe he thinks he can keep up with me better than he can with the other guy.) He's the only regular bicycle commuter I've ever heard of in this town who has a car. (The doctor can afford a car.)
I went in for a physical today and he told me I'm fat.  
(He's been my family doctor for 30 years.)
I told him I'm riding my bike to try to lose that. And that's when we got into a 30 minute conversation about bikes and he showed me his. He's done some homework, or has listened to the other doctor talk bikes. He knows brands and what's for what at least as well as I do. Not that I know that much, but I mean he's not ignorant about cycling and gear.

You can't do without a car or truck here. There's no movie theater, only a couple of _ok_ resturaunts and a couple of fast food places. Very little shopping with very inflated prices. So to do anything, you have to drive 40 miles to Hobbs, NM or 70 miles to Lubbock, TX. But for just around town, I'm trying to use the bike more and my V8 Chevy Silverado less.


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## Locutus (Jan 1, 2008)

I commute 11 miles each way

Jekyll w/Hutchinson Pythons


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## ArmedMonk (Oct 20, 2007)

*10.5 miles...*

one way. Twice a day. Going to work, I leave home at noon. Coming home at midnight. In Phoenix, Arizona... where it is painfully hot sometimes. I drink lots...and lots....and lots. Oh, and I do this on a road bike, a Felt f75. When I first moved here I did the trip on a MTB. I quickly learned that it was much more practical to ride on pavement using a bicycle that was designed to be ridden on pavement.


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

Around 8 km (~5 miles) each way on a SS HT now.
It works quite OK, since I figured out a route that is mainly dirt path, avoiding lots of other traffic. On flat, straight, pavement I'd want taller gearing.


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## jjonas (Jun 8, 2006)

18-20 miles one way on the knobbies (depending on if I add more ST). 1/3 on the road, 1/3 singletrack, and 1/3 dirt and paved bike paths. I used to go all road but now I take a little longer so that I can hit the ST. Here's my view on good mornings:


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## fastmtnbiker33w (Feb 3, 2004)

I've got about 4 miles mostly downhill. It's an urban jungle so I'll use my Moto-Lite a few days a week just so I can launch one of the sweet sidewalks which will send me about 25 feet. Usually I just use a touring bike with a milk crate strapped to the rack.


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## portage29er (Mar 30, 2008)

Usually commute 7 mile round trip on a Specialized Stumpy 29'er via the hwy. 5 mile one way with a sorta steep 2 mile climb up an unmaintained rocky road.
Just picked up some 700x32 Michelin Dynamic tires and plan to do a week or two of road tires, week or two of knobby alternating.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*About 17 miles each way....*



trek7100 said:


> Those of you that commute, do you commute on a mtn bike? How far of a commute do you have?


... by bike but I cheat and use the commuter triain in there. By car it's 30 miles/half an hour each way. The train cuts out a nice 1000 foot gain single lane windy road hill climb where bonehead drivers drive 60 miles an hour in their beetchin Cameros.

By bike and train it takes me around 1.25 to an hour and a half, depending on how loaded down I am, and how much I feel like hammertiming it. I generally gentile spin it to work and go quickly home.

I generally ride it on my cyclocross bike with my clothes in a backpack. I have my old mountian bike built up as a city bike with a rigid fork and panniers. I may try that and skip the backpack, but I'm sure the little wheels won't roll as nicely. Then again, it will probably be more comfortable in the upright riding position.


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## PimpinD (May 29, 2008)

I ride to work and bike on my mountain bike, and do errands on my mtb. It def is slower, i pulled my roommates hardtail with park tires (bmx style) the other day and i feel like it cut my commute in 1/2 ha. but i love my mtb and i like riding around and being able to jump curbs n stuff heh


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## jalopy jockey (Jun 7, 2007)

I use my old rigid mountain bike for road / path riding recently started the commute / errant modifications, rack is on fenders & panniers coming. 

My commute is 16+ miles each way, all road. I could go through a park and take some path but then the roads would be worse.


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## analoguekid (Apr 19, 2008)

I ride about 10 miles to each way to work...SS with 29" monster truck tires at least 4 days per week...Roadies pass me like I'm standing still, but I can go a lot more places than they can...


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## arnijr (Jun 21, 2007)

15km (9 miles) roundtrip on an old rigid mountain bike. It's a dedicated commuter with 1.5" slicks and fenders and I use it year round. In winter it gets studded tires. It's slower than my road bike, but only by a couple of minutes over that distance. I wouldn't want to commute on my good mountain bike, wears out the tires too fast and the noise and friction annoys me. Also the winters are hell on the components. I've ridden that bike to work and it wasn't a problem, just not as nice.
My next upgrade is better wheels, with an internally geared hub and probably a dynamo hub in front.


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## bugly64 (May 6, 2008)

My Kona Blast does the job on knobs for 5 mile commute to work. I just put a new wheelset together with slicks, so now it will be easy as pie to swop them out. Also, being able to lock out the fork for the total rigid makes the commute nice too. People at work make jokes, but diesel for my Delica is expensive.


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## wiretapstudios (Jun 16, 2008)

My commute is shooooort, only about 1.5 miles to work and the same back. Super busy area intersections though. I would never use a road bike though, too much stuff along the way to pop those little tires...


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## carbuncle (Dec 9, 2005)

Rigid Kona Smoke with Ritchey 1.4 slicks, about 15 miles in, then I take the shame train back out of town and ride a mile home from the park and ride.


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## balling (Feb 17, 2008)

11km each way
way back has about 2km of good hill.


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## bigv (May 2, 2008)

ill be a junior this year and i commute only a mile and a half on my nempro(33lbs BOMBPROOF). still a pain, though, but i get to hit the dirt jumps and skatepark on the way home. ill be riding my FR-6 next year.


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## wiretapstudios (Jun 16, 2008)

Picard said:



> do you guys feel stigma commuting from coworkers? do they think you are cheapo? I am curious.


I get 'oooooh, bike guy' etc. But they all admit with gas prices, they are jealous they live much too far away to ride a bike. My brother works with me and lives in my building and drives...I get home about 3-4 minutes after him. There is one stoplight and two stop signs for him though.

My boss has an expensive full suspension Giant just sitting at home he hasn't ridden for years, now it's gotten him excited about riding again.


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## emery14 (Jun 4, 2008)

Commuting's looking more and more likely. 90 day license suspension starts july 17th. 24 mile round trip as well. Suppose I'll be in someshape after the 90 days though.


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## elvez (Jul 9, 2007)

90? yesterday I commuted in 102, heat index of 110! Takes some getting used to.
I have switched commuting bikes and am currently on a 1985 Mongoose mountain bike converted to a SS and I put some old school beach bars on it and some Kenda Flame tires.
I really like the upright position and the 52-26 gearing is a workout.
I go 6 miles each way.


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## comptiger5000 (Jun 11, 2007)

emery14 said:


> Commuting's looking more and more likely. 90 day license suspension starts july 17th. 24 mile round trip as well. Suppose I'll be in someshape after the 90 days though.


What'd you do to get a license suspension? Then again, I guess it's a good excuse to use the bike more.


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## emery14 (Jun 4, 2008)

comptiger5000 said:


> What'd you do to get a license suspension? Then again, I guess it's a good excuse to use the bike more.


Got an underage. On my birthday. Bikes gonna have a lot of miles on it after this 90 days.


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## tristan2ride (Oct 28, 2006)

My work is about 14 miles away. We have a crushed limestone path that goes from my town to near my work. Ive been thinking about commuting, but haven't done it yet. I may start next week. 

How many miles per hour do you guys ride?


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## ServeEm (Jun 15, 2005)

25mi roundtrip on an old '03 K2 converted to SS w/ 1.5 slicks. Don't know my speed but I'm at an hour one way so far.


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## D.Crank (May 24, 2008)

tristan2ride said:


> How many miles per hour do you guys ride?


I've reliably gotten averaged about 20km/h over the course of my commute on my mtb with knobbies. That's about 13 mph through a city dealing with stop signs, traffic lights, etc. I think my time gets a bit better the more I do the commute. So count on it taking an hour or so, unless you're considerably faster than me (totally possible!) and start doing it! The crushed limestone may slow things down a bit but maybe less traffic lights means it would even out?


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## tristan2ride (Oct 28, 2006)

"The crushed limestone may slow things down a bit but maybe less traffic lights means it would even out?"

Thanks D.Crank - there will be very few stop lights, not sure about the crushed limestone, it's definitely not as smooth as pavement, but I can get going on it as long as it's dry. 

Choice of tires is going to be tricky. Not sure I can go pure slick on the crushed limestone.


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## Jesse-James (Jun 14, 2008)

Just got to work after my first 9 mi. commute on my Trek 820. Wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. We'll see how the ride home in the morning goes.


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## GhostRyder (May 14, 2008)

I commute on my GF Piranha. Planning on putting some city tires on it sometime soon. My commute can be anywhere from 1 mile to 3 miles to work. However, my job also offers me some leeway on how I show up to work. I can get as hot and sweaty as I want and rarely wear shirts, which is how I roll when it is 100 degrees and humid everyday.


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## ALT1MATE (Jul 11, 2008)

10 miles each way on a hardtail--lovin' every minute of it!

Can't wait to get some slicks to make the commute faster.

The only thing that sucks about it is getting to your destination sweaty and smelling like the sun. I've been packing Old Spice wet wipes and a can of Axe to get around this.


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## JayTee705 (Jul 3, 2008)

I scooped up a vintage Bridgestone MB-3 Comp for a song to convert into my Urban Assault Vehicle. So it now rolls with 1.5 slicks, rack, removable fenders, various lights and other accessories.

The bike itself was cheap enough that I sometimes think of IT being used to keep someone from walking away with my brand new Kryptonite lock. There is comfort in having a commuter that doesn't represent a big financial commitment, especially if it rolls through shady 'hoods and gets left out in public.

That said...

1) At 15-20 miles one way, my commute could be better served by a more road-oriented setup, at least until I get out of the 'burbs into the city proper

2) I keep feeling bad about bastardizing a bike that, back in the day, appealed to racers and committed offroad riders. Any of you who are also vintage enough to have started out in the pre-suspension days may know of what I speak. I'm going to have to spoon on some knobbies and go for a real ride sometime soon.


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## sasquatch2 (Jun 28, 2004)

I need to up my anti-smelly quotient with some 'o that product, maybe even bring a comb to work! I'm 5 miles each way, I added high volume road tires (tried mini-skinnies and my pedals were hitting the ground on every turn not to mention the flats!) and fenders, and lights, and a softy saddle, and rigid fork. ergo-grips are going to be the next addition.


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## GCRad1 (Jan 8, 2008)

*MTB'muter Slicked Down*

I commute 19-Miles one way this old *1983 GT Zaskar* from Costa Mesa to Foothill Ranch, Ca. Just about daily and usually add some more miles with various additional routes in the afternoon on the way home.


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## akashra (Dec 30, 2006)

I only commute on a MTB if I have a crit in the evening. It's 30km to work, and then another 12km from work to the crit in the evening. This makes it somewhat difficult when I decide to race a singlespeed - riding 34/16 on some of those flats is annoying.


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## sic_nick (Oct 18, 2005)

Depending on where I am working it is between 3.5 to 15 mile round trip all on the road through quite bad condition asphalt so my SS (40/16 ratio) MTB is fitted with semi-slicks at about 85psi and runs fine. The only concession I have is the suspension fork on the front due to having a bad shoulder (post-op) although I am building a fully rigid SS 69er to be my rat bike of choice for the work commute.


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