# New Commuter!



## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

I just picked up a commuter bike today! I got a 2003 Specialized Allez Sport 27. Its in great shape and I got it for what I think is a great price. I know this may be more of a race bike than many here consider ideal for a commuter bike but I have 15 miles each way so I wanted something fast. It has mounts to put my rack on so I will add a rack and trunk bag to it that I already have. I live in AZ and don't plan to ever ride in the rain so I didn't need to worry about space for fenders. I will edit with some pictures when I get off work in a bit.

Does anyone else ride one of these bikes? Any idea how wide of a tire I can put on. It currently has 23s but I am hoping to fit some bigger ones if possible.

Edit - Picture as she came to me:


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Congrats Azorr!  Report back on your commute.


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

Will do. Probably next week Monday or Tuesday will be the first one, surprisingly its supposed to rain tomorrow  Plus the new bike needs a new front shift cable.



mtbxplorer said:


> Congrats Azorr!  Report back on your commute.


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## jhmeathead (Apr 15, 2013)

Welcome to the club!

No rain huh? Give it some time and youll be snow/rain riding like the rest of us yahoos lol
Feels so weird to drive to work now.


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

Haha, I live in Mesa, AZ. It doesn't snow here ever and there are only a hand full of rain days in a year. The biggest challenge for me will be heat in the summer... but that's the best time for early morning MTB rides to get my bike riding fix so we will see next summer how much I ride to work. There are no showers at work so I am not sure how it would work in the middle of summer anyway because I would be drenched in sweat and no way to clean up.



jhmeathead said:


> Welcome to the club!
> 
> No rain huh? Give it some time and youll be snow/rain riding like the rest of us yahoos lol
> Feels so weird to drive to work now.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Welcome, Azorr. Hmmm... quite a few road bikes here (and all other types of bikes), but stragely, I don`t know of another Allez. Maybe you get to be the first!


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## TenSpeed (Feb 14, 2012)

Welcome!! An ideal commuter is what you want it to be. If you want a fast race bike, then ride it. If you want a fat bike to be able to blast through the snow, ride it. Get what works for you. Anything from a beat up old mountain bike to a full carbon tri bike could be a commuter, if it works for the rider. 

Looking forward to seeing pics.


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. Bump for picture added to the first post. Ordered a new front derailleur last night, as the on it is broken (knew that when I bought it, factored it into the negotiations ) Once that gets here I will put on a new chain, SPD pedals, clean and lube the drivetrain, change the seat to a wider one (I am a big guy), add my rack and trunk bag and it should be good to go. Once I wear these tires out I am sure I can get a wider one in the back, the front is a bit tight so I will probably go 28c in the back, 25c in the front.


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## TenSpeed (Feb 14, 2012)

My advice for a saddle is to find an authorized Specialized dealer in your area, and they should have the BG fitting setup (aka the ass o meter). They will properly fit you for a saddle, at no charge. The proper size really makes the difference. I was riding on the wrong size myself, and got straightened out at a Specialized shop.


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## Texan-n-Fla (Sep 22, 2013)

I don't have showers at work, either. I'm in hot and humid coastal Florida, and sweat something terrible. The thing I've found that works well is using adult bathing wipes. I get to the office, give myself a wipe down, and I'm good to go. Keeping a sweat rag handy on the ride in helps quite a bit, too. 

I wouldn't worry much about the heat. So long as you do things right, it shouldn't pose a problem. It's hard, but that's what makes it fun.


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

Thanks for the advice, might try that when I have some extra cash. For now I am going to throw on a WTB Pure V since I have an extra and that is what I run on my MTB and I love it.



TenSpeed said:


> My advice for a saddle is to find an authorized Specialized dealer in your area, and they should have the BG fitting setup (aka the ass o meter). They will properly fit you for a saddle, at no charge. The proper size really makes the difference. I was riding on the wrong size myself, and got straightened out at a Specialized shop.


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

Pedals and rack mounted.


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## TenSpeed (Feb 14, 2012)

There should be no charge to be fitted. I would just find out what size you need, and what you have, and you might already be set.


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## JUNGLEKID5 (May 1, 2006)

+1 ten speed. but keep in mind that on your commuter you sit a lot more in one position than you do on your mtb. see what works for you.


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## TenSpeed (Feb 14, 2012)

JUNGLEKID5 said:


> +1 ten speed. but keep in mind that on your commuter you sit a lot more in one position than you do on your mtb. see what works for you.


For this exact reason, I would want to be fitted. You can have the greatest bike in the world, but if the frame is too big or small, or the saddle is too big or small, it will be uncomfortable.


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

Sounds good, I will keep it in mind. I will try what I have, if its uncomfortable I will look into getting fitted.



TenSpeed said:


> For this exact reason, I would want to be fitted. You can have the greatest bike in the world, but if the frame is too big or small, or the saddle is too big or small, it will be uncomfortable.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

azorr said:


> Sounds good, I will keep it in mind. I will try what I have, if its uncomfortable I will look into getting fitted.


Even if it doesn't feel uncomfortable, a good fitting would be worthwhile for a road bike. I keep meaning to get a fitting on my Salsa but I keep putting it off.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

Texan-n-Fla said:


> I don't have showers at work, either. I'm in hot and humid coastal Florida, and sweat something terrible. The thing I've found that works well is using adult bathing wipes. I get to the office, give myself a wipe down, and I'm good to go. Keeping a sweat rag handy on the ride in helps quite a bit, too.
> 
> I wouldn't worry much about the heat. So long as you do things right, it shouldn't pose a problem. It's hard, but that's what makes it fun.


Yeah, I'm around St. Louis and it gets awful humid in the summer up here. Pretty much 100% every day. I've found that I can usually just bring a towel and deodorant and I'm fine for work. That said, I don't work in an office, I'm a retail clerk. Still can't smell bad for work, ha.

How bad is the humidity in AZ? I would imagine not so bad. I've been in that part of the country before in the summer, and it felt refreshingly not humid.


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## Texan-n-Fla (Sep 22, 2013)

NDD said:


> Yeah, I'm around St. Louis and it gets awful humid in the summer up here. Pretty much 100% every day. I've found that I can usually just bring a towel and deodorant and I'm fine for work. That said, I don't work in an office, I'm a retail clerk. Still can't smell bad for work, ha.
> 
> How bad is the humidity in AZ? I would imagine not so bad. I've been in that part of the country before in the summer, and it felt refreshingly not humid.


I'm in pest control, so I'm doing a good bit of manual labor. Not that I run around stinking all the time, mind you.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

^^ I wonder if a big biohazard sign on your back would help with traffic!  Must another sort of 'pest' control!


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

Ha! I would imagine not. You seem to have a more sophisticated method than I do. I find that I have a really high tolerance to how bad people smell. 

Actually, I'd rather someone smelt somewhat sweaty than like perfume of overwhelmingly of some kind of deodorant. That just gives me a headache. And attractive people being sweaty or even smelling sweaty is kind of arousing. Which doesn't give me an excuse to be sweaty... 

Anyway, as a commuter, one should just embrace the idea of being sweaty/sexy. Just tell your coworkers to get over how sexy you are. That sounds much easier than showering/toweling dry.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Wow. This thread has certainly taken a turn :lol:


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

Isn't that the truth! Thanks for all the recommendations guys! I will deal with summer when it comes!

Back on topic, made my first commute last Tuesday. Overall it went well (as in I made it to work and made it home) but I did have a few problems. One of the pulley wheels on my rear der. started squealing like crazy about 5 minutes into the ride, so that was nice to listen to the whole way. Also my seat post clamp started to come loose, I broke my chain, and found out the battery for the lights that came with the bike only lasts about 20 minutes . It can only get better from here. I refurbished the rear der. over the weekend, put on a different chain, swapped out the lights for a newer LED light and loctited the seat post clamp. Planning to make my second run tomorrow, wish me luck!



rodar y rodar said:


> Wow. This thread has certainly taken a turn :lol:


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

^^Wow, I'm impressed you made it to work with all those issues! Hope things are on the improve soon.


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## Texan-n-Fla (Sep 22, 2013)

azorr said:


> Isn't that the truth! Thanks for all the recommendations guys! I will deal with summer when it comes!
> 
> Back on topic, made my first commute last Tuesday. Overall it went well (as in I made it to work and made it home) but I did have a few problems. One of the pulley wheels on my rear der. started squealing like crazy about 5 minutes into the ride, so that was nice to listen to the whole way. Also my seat post clamp started to come loose, I broke my chain, and found out the battery for the lights that came with the bike only lasts about 20 minutes . It can only get better from here. I refurbished the rear der. over the weekend, put on a different chain, swapped out the lights for a newer LED light and loctited the seat post clamp. Planning to make my second run tomorrow, wish me luck!


Ha! Sounds like my first few rides back in August. I knew squat about bikes, and bought the best looking one from a pawn shop, that wound up being absolutely horrible, but taught me a lot. I remember having to pedal home 6 miles like I was riding a BMX because my seat post clamp disappeared on the ride. Not to mention batteries dying, gears not shifting, and wheels coming out of true.

I wish you all the best, and hope your ride goes smoothly tomorrow. And don't forget the wipes


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

Epic fail today! I am sitting on the side of the road right now with a flat tire and I forgot to bring a spare tube :madman:. The rescue crew is on the way.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

Dude, I've been there. It happens all the time. It's typically nails (roofing nails over here) and glass. I've had success with the patches that require glue, but not the glueless patches. They say only to ride 50 miles on them. Pfft. That's a pretty conservative estimate of how long you can use them if you do it right. 

I don't think you need a spare tube. Just a patch kit, pump/CO2 cartridge, a tire lever, and a can of beer for while you have to wait for the glue to dry.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Yeah, I started carrying the self adhesive kind with me, but they don`t last long for me either. I think it`s more a time issue than miles, but I used three or four instead of "regular" patches and I think they all eventually gave up, though long after that day`s riding was done. I`ve only had a handful of glue on patches go bad out of maybe a hundred that I`ve applied. I don`t like the idea of carrying the little glue tube around with me though (worried about it breaking open or about depending on it and finding it dried out), so for single day rides, I keep the self adhesives for "just in case" and carry a spare tube to get me home to my full strength patch kit. Haven`t needed to resort to the S/A patches since I started carrying them, but they`re in there if I ever have the need.

EDIT: I`ve been stuck too. The reason I started carrying patches with me was a day that I had three flats and only two spare tubes (I knew that was going to be a rough route). Fortunately, about 15 minutes after I started walking my bike, another rider saved me by donating a pack of self adhesives. Lesson learned.


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## woodway (Dec 27, 2005)

Ever try to patch a tire in the dark while it's raining? Long ago the value to carrying two spare tube was made plain to me. Patching at home is so much easier


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

Haha, thanks for stories! On closer inspection at home looks like the old tires on the bike failed... it separated and the tube and cords were exposed. Have a new set of tires on the way from Nashbar. Hopefully they will be here in time to try again next Tuesday.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

azorr said:


> Epic fail today! I am sitting on the side of the road right now with a flat tire and I forgot to bring a spare tube :madman:. The rescue crew is on the way.


Need to memorize where are the stores that sell tubes are....you would be surprised...

Basically on a 50 km round trip though my city I am never further than a couple of miles from a store that sells tubes.....(sometimes not prestas though).


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## thad (Feb 25, 2004)

Look into Continental Gatorskin and Schwalbe Marathon tires. Both are very flat resistant.

I have 25c Gatorskins on my commuter.


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

I bought cheap Kevlar belted tires from Nashbar... holy cow is their shipping slow. Still waiting for them to show up.


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

OK guys wish me luck. Commuting attempt 3 tomorrow, my bike is rehabbed with a new set of treads, tubes, and I will be carrying a spare this time. Hopefully I haven't gotten too out of shape to make it home.


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## KentheKona (Jul 6, 2013)

Throw a flat kit together in a ziploc bag and find a place for it in your trunk bag/pannier, that way you never leave home without it. Not a bad idea to throw in a few ones for bus fare (if applicable to your commute). 

You'll be glad you got the hard case tires, I'm always surprised what I dig out of mine. I try to "clean" the tires every few months. Just deflate them and squeeze and you'll see all sorts of glass and metal embedded in the rubber, just you a pick or something with a point (not to sharp) and pull out the debris. I know they are hardcase, but I figure why press my luck.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Good luck on today's commute Azorr! Sounds like she's ready to roll and you're running out of parts to break


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

Thanks for the well wishes! I made it to work just fine this morning, took right at 1 hour. The bike ran smooth and quiet the whole way, I am hoping for the same on the way home. The new tires were a welcome improvement, very smooth and seemed to absorb a bit more vibration than the last ones.



mtbxplorer said:


> Good luck on today's commute Azorr! Sounds like she's ready to roll and you're running out of parts to break


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

So have you been yelled at, honked at, flipped off, and/or had things thrown at you yet? In some places it's inevitable. It doesn't matter if I'm biking or walking, people will yell things ( "f*ggot" and "p***y" are the most common, because they must let middle school kids drive here) and then jake brake you with their diesel truck.This is what people must really mean when they say mid-western hospitality, or maybe that's just a problem with the suburbs. It's like a weird mix of nihilism and entitlement. 

Granted, it doesn't happen that often (maybe about 25 times a year) but the first time it really caught me off guard and I was pretty angry. So be prepared to take a deep breath and keep riding. Flipping them off in retaliation will get you jake braked a second time, trust me.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

Sensorship is weird, I was trying to type those words to be honest, not vulgar. That's what they say, thus quotes. How can we talk about things being offensive if we can't be mature enough to reference them. The crass reality of these words is necessary for honest conversation. (Steps off soap box).


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

NDD said:


> So have you been yelled at, honked at, flipped off, and/or had things thrown at you yet? In some places it's inevitable. It doesn't matter if I'm biking or walking, people will yell things ( "f*ggot" and "p***y" are the most common, because they must let middle school kids drive here) and then jake brake you with their diesel truck.This is what people must really mean when they say mid-western hospitality, or maybe that's just a problem with the suburbs. It's like a weird mix of nihilism and entitlement.
> 
> Granted, it doesn't happen that often (maybe about 25 times a year) but the first time it really caught me off guard and I was pretty angry. So be prepared to take a deep breath and keep riding. Flipping them off in retaliation will get you jake braked a second time, trust me.


Worst for me so far was when I was sitting at a red light in a small town in TX, and some chick in a real POS car behind me wanted to turn right. First, she honked. She did that a couple of times. Just a "beep" to make me turn around, I'd see nothing, and then I'd go back to waiting for the light to change. She eventually called me a stupid cracker, and did the accelerate-brake thing, threatening to run me over. In front of the police station. I stared her down while the light was green, and jumped through it at the last second, really chapping her hide. Tons of witnesses. I was ready to dial 911 and get an officer over to give her an education, but it soon became obvious she was bluffing and not even thinking about actually taking it to the next level.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

NateHawk said:


> I was ready to dial 911 and get an officer over to give her an education, but it soon became obvious she was bluffing and not even thinking about actually taking it to the next level.


That's the issue for me is that people in cars are removed from these types of situations. They do something and speed away at the same time, so there really aren't consequences for them.

And all of this isn't to say it's going to happen to the OP. I'm not screaming "you're gawna get moiduhd!", but the thread is titled "new commuter", and every new commuter should go into with this idea that some stupid stuffs gonna go down eventually. Same when driving, really, but you're a bit more vulnerable on a bike.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

azorr said:


> Thanks for the well wishes! I made it to work just fine this morning, took right at 1 hour. The bike ran smooth and quiet the whole way, I am hoping for the same on the way home. The new tires were a welcome improvement, very smooth and seemed to absorb a bit more vibration than the last ones.


Made it home with no flats too, I hope. Hey, you`re on a roll now!
Don`t worry too much about A-hole drivers, Azorr. You might be plagued with them, might not. Personally, I`ve been pretty lucky that way- off hand, I can only think of one time that a driver has deliberately messed with me (other than the no-harm honks, screams, rev engine stuff) in thousands of miles of riding the streets and highways. What`s your route like? It seems to me that Phoenix has quite a few canal paths with no motor-vehicle access and a lot of those golf cart roads. Are you able to make use any car-free routing? How far is it? Bike holding up well enough, tires excepted?


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

NDD said:


> every new commuter should go into with this idea that some stupid stuffs gonna go down eventually


definitely. Two big keys are to know your rights and responsibilities when riding on the roads, and to keep your head on a swivel, watching out for those that are clueless (the vast majority) and the ones that are hostile (rare, but anyone who puts enough miles on a bike on the road will encounter one eventually).

The more comfortable drivers are with seeing cyclists in general (and you specifically, if you keep a regular schedule), the fewer "clueless driver" incidents you will notice. Good cycling facilities make a difference, too, because they encourage predictable cycling. If you have a lot of jerkwad cyclists in your area creating a bad image, you'll have an uphill battle.

Control what you can, though, and that's your own riding. Be visible and predictable, but never stop expecting drivers to ignore you.

While Phoenix is probably a great place to commute this time of year, I definitely wouldn't want to commute there in the middle of August.


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

Hey, checking back in here! I took a break from commuting for the holidays and had a hard time getting started back up . I took my bike in to work this morning, so far so good! So far I haven't had any problems with drivers, hopefully my luck continues. Unfortunately I do drive on normal roads the entire length of my commute. The first 10 miles are on a busy 5 lane road but it has a good bike lane as well so that is nice. The next 4 miles are on a smaller 2 lane road, also with a bike lane and the last mile is kind of winding in and out of busy roads and back roads, so total of 15 miles.

NateHawk you are right that this is the perfect time to commute here in Phoenix (Mesa actually). 50-70 degrees, so I ride with a long sleeve shirt and don't get very sweaty. I doubt I will do much commuting once summer starts for 2 reasons - first being that it will be unbearably hot. Second is that the reason I ride is to get extra exercise in to make me better on the MTB, but in the summer the early morning is the primo time to ride MTB so I will do that for my exercise instead of riding the road 



rodar y rodar said:


> Made it home with no flats too, I hope. Hey, you`re on a roll now!
> Don`t worry too much about A-hole drivers, Azorr. You might be plagued with them, might not. Personally, I`ve been pretty lucky that way- off hand, I can only think of one time that a driver has deliberately messed with me (other than the no-harm honks, screams, rev engine stuff) in thousands of miles of riding the streets and highways. What`s your route like? It seems to me that Phoenix has quite a few canal paths with no motor-vehicle access and a lot of those golf cart roads. Are you able to make use any car-free routing? How far is it? Bike holding up well enough, tires excepted?


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2014)

Tire size wise, you are probably limited by the clearance where the Chain stays meet the bottom bracket. I know 25s will fit, larger may not. I would measure the clearance and talk to your LBS about available tire choices. Make sure you give yourself a little room so you don't break a spoke and accidentally add clearance where you didn't intend. Repair-wise, I carry two tubes and duct tape (works in a pinch and if you are in a real hurry you can release the brake and tape the outside of the tire a few wraps air and go (old tubular trick). I carry CO2 and a mini pump (expediency and dependability) as well as a few Schrader adapters (gas stations, farmers and such).


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## azorr (Jul 9, 2012)

Thanks for the suggestions. I already went to 25s on the tires, much nicer than the 23s I think. My repair kit includes a spare tube and patch kit, pump, and a multi-tool. Luckily my job schedule is flexible so I can avoid the items for expediency like CO2 and pump together and Presta adapters.



Forster said:


> Tire size wise, you are probably limited by the clearance where the Chain stays meet the bottom bracket. I know 25s will fit, larger may not. I would measure the clearance and talk to your LBS about available tire choices. Make sure you give yourself a little room so you don't break a spoke and accidentally add clearance where you didn't intend. Repair-wise, I carry two tubes and duct tape (works in a pinch and if you are in a real hurry you can release the brake and tape the outside of the tire a few wraps air and go (old tubular trick). I carry CO2 and a mini pump (expediency and dependability) as well as a few Schrader adapters (gas stations, farmers and such).


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## OlMarin (Oct 22, 2016)

Don't do it for too long. You'll find yourself commuting when you never thought you would


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## Guest (Feb 12, 2017)

OlMarin said:


> Don't do it for too long. You'll find yourself commuting when you never thought you would


 and getting weird looks at work when you ride in during stormy weather when your co-workers felt lucky to get to work at all.


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## OlMarin (Oct 22, 2016)

Forster said:


> and getting weird looks at work when you ride in during stormy weather when your co-workers felt lucky to get to work at all.


It's the smile on your face they can't figure out.


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## OlMarin (Oct 22, 2016)

As far as run ins with cars, it's gonna happen. My last was a 'kid' on a country road. He thought it would be funny to honk his horn just before passing me. He didn't see my rearview mirror. I wasn't startled at all. He was also very close to the store that was my destination. Freaked him out when I pulled up right when he was getting out. He got an ear full and was obviously worried his health was going to take a turn for the worse. I wouldn't beat on anybody, but having him think may stop him from going after someone else. It may also piss him off and make him worse.


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