Why would you need a bike just to commute on? Can’t you just have one machine for everything? And isn’t a bike with only one gear a bit.. limited? We’ve tried to answer all those questions in this post about single speed and commuter bikes.
So why might you want a separate bike for commuting? Well, the rides you do to and from work tend to be among the slower miles you’ll do, but they can also be the most punishing on your machine – especially if you live in the city. The exposure to dirt and grime and rain that comes from riding every day in all weathers can really take its toll.
If you’ve invested in a nice road bike then you might want to keep it that way by not using it to commute on. If you’re more of a thrill-seeking MTBer, but fancy getting in some regular miles to boost your fitness then you could also benefit from a bike that’ll get you from A to B.
Then there’s the question of single-speeds. Are they really just a hipster gimmick? Our answer; heck no! The beauty of single-speeds is their simplicity. It’s a straightforward mechanism with very little to go wrong, so in terms of putting in regular miles – especially across town – they’re perfect for the job.
Here are a few examples from our current line of bikes that we think could be the ideal commuting machine.
Charge Plug 1
The Plug 1 has been around for years and it’s proven itself time and time again as a truly awesome street bike – perfect for commuting or casual coffee rides. The single-speed setup means minimal maintenance, while the classic black paintjob is not going to draw too much of the wrong sort of attention. It’s a fact that lairy looking bikes get nicked more often and if this is your regular runaround there’s a good chance it’ll be locked up on the street from time to time, so reserved colours are better.
Tern Node D16
If your commute to work involves multiple modes of transport – maybe you ride as far as the station then take the train into town – then the Node D16 folding bike from Tern could be perfect for you. At 12.8kg it’s light enough to carry on and off public transport, and it folds up small enough that you can stash it away out of sight when you’re not using it – be that under your desk at the office or in the corner of the café when you’re catching up with friends.
{Pashley Roadster & Princess Sovereign:6045,13993}
The Pashley name is synonymous with stylish, versatile and British-made bicycles. We picked out a couple of their bikes, the Roadster Sovereign for men and the Princess for women (please note, we didn’t name the models). What Pashley do really well is balance true classic looks with modern functionality and minimal maintenance. Their hub gears systems are reliable and rarely break down, because they’re completely sealed from the outside world – keeping them protected from all that grit and muck we mentioned earlier.
This is of course just a snapshot of the different commuting and single speed bikes available from The Bicycle Chain. You can browse our full complement of single-speeds, hybrids, flat bar road bikes and even E-bikes in the online store, or drop by one of our shops soon and we’ll talk you through the options.
