Can I turn a racing bike into a commuter?

BikingBud

Whatever happened to bikes being bikes and using and abusing them wherever.

Marketing has skewed everybody's thoughts:
 - gravel bike its a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- shopping bike, it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- race bike - it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it and how fast you can

Perhaps the only different need is for a track bike with fixed gears and no brakes but everything else is just a bike.

ThisIsWeird

On yer bike, pal.

Nebbit

My road bike used for recreational riding has the standard drop handlebars but I almost never hold the lower part of the curved handlebars, possibly only when crouching down low on a downhill. You would never want to ride in this position in traffic because it affects your visibility (both seeing and being seen). I invariably hold onto the higher part, by the brake levers.  With a previous bike I have removed drop handle bars and replaced them with straight bars. This was mainly done because the gear shifters were on the down tube and, living in a hilly area, I wanted to make them more accessible.

Nasqueron

BikingBud said:

Whatever happened to bikes being bikes and using and abusing them wherever.

Marketing has skewed everybody's thoughts:
 - gravel bike its a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- shopping bike, it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- race bike - it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it and how fast you can

Perhaps the only different need is for a track bike with fixed gears and no brakes but everything else is just a bike.

This is simply incorrect, though I do agree the bike world has tried to invent a lot of varieties that probably don't need to exist

A road bike, i.e. one with drop handlebars, is not suitable for many people who nevertheless, want to ride on the road, or equivalent - so a flat bar one like a MTB but without the weight of suspension, or a hardtail - would be fine (which I think OP is trying to achieve). However, said road bike is good for enthusiasts who want to ride on the drops - thinner tyres, lighter, more aero, at least until recently, with rim brakes etc all make the bike more suited to hobbyists. Whether there is a place for gravel (which is in essence, a CX bike) alongside road, hybrid, etc is debatable.

Shopping bike - with panniers to carry stuff or indeed, a cargo bike to carry lots of stuff, is obviously different to any other bike - both in looks, capacity etc but also purpose

Why would a fixed gear / single speed not be useful outside of a track? In a city like London with great bike lanes and where it can be done on the flat or limited hills, a fixie would be fine, no gears to maintain, easy to just get on and go etc

chris_n

Nasqueron said:

BikingBud said:

Whatever happened to bikes being bikes and using and abusing them wherever.

Marketing has skewed everybody's thoughts:
 - gravel bike its a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- shopping bike, it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- race bike - it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it and how fast you can

Perhaps the only different need is for a track bike with fixed gears and no brakes but everything else is just a bike.

This is simply incorrect, though I do agree the bike world has tried to invent a lot of varieties that probably don't need to exist

A road bike, i.e. one with drop handlebars, is not suitable for many people who nevertheless, want to ride on the road, or equivalent - so a flat bar one like a MTB but without the weight of suspension, or a hardtail - would be fine (which I think OP is trying to achieve). However, said road bike is good for enthusiasts who want to ride on the drops - thinner tyres, lighter, more aero, at least until recently, with rim brakes etc all make the bike more suited to hobbyists. Whether there is a place for gravel (which is in essence, a CX bike) alongside road, hybrid, etc is debatable.

Shopping bike - with panniers to carry stuff or indeed, a cargo bike to carry lots of stuff, is obviously different to any other bike - both in looks, capacity etc but also purpose

Why would a fixed gear / single speed not be useful outside of a track? In a city like London with great bike lanes and where it can be done on the flat or limited hills, a fixie would be fine, no gears to maintain, easy to just get on and go etc

Plenty of scope for gravel bikes, with their wider tyres they are perfect for light off road, things like old railway lines, bridleways etc. Given the state of roads in many parts of UK they are probably a better bet than many road bikes.

ThisIsWeird

chris_n said:

Nasqueron said:

BikingBud said:

Whatever happened to bikes being bikes and using and abusing them wherever.

Marketing has skewed everybody's thoughts:
 - gravel bike its a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- shopping bike, it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- race bike - it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it and how fast you can

Perhaps the only different need is for a track bike with fixed gears and no brakes but everything else is just a bike.

This is simply incorrect, though I do agree the bike world has tried to invent a lot of varieties that probably don't need to exist

A road bike, i.e. one with drop handlebars, is not suitable for many people who nevertheless, want to ride on the road, or equivalent - so a flat bar one like a MTB but without the weight of suspension, or a hardtail - would be fine (which I think OP is trying to achieve). However, said road bike is good for enthusiasts who want to ride on the drops - thinner tyres, lighter, more aero, at least until recently, with rim brakes etc all make the bike more suited to hobbyists. Whether there is a place for gravel (which is in essence, a CX bike) alongside road, hybrid, etc is debatable.

Shopping bike - with panniers to carry stuff or indeed, a cargo bike to carry lots of stuff, is obviously different to any other bike - both in looks, capacity etc but also purpose

Why would a fixed gear / single speed not be useful outside of a track? In a city like London with great bike lanes and where it can be done on the flat or limited hills, a fixie would be fine, no gears to maintain, easy to just get on and go etc

Plenty of scope for gravel bikes, with their wider tyres they are perfect for light off road, things like old railway lines, bridleways etc. Given the state of roads in many parts of UK they are probably a better bet than many road bikes.

I agree - certainly around here, there are wee bits of 'off road' between bike trails, and that's why I like wider tyres - 1.25-1.5" - on my bikes even tho' they are 90% 'road'. 

Herzlos

I've used a road bike on some fairly rough paths, but certainly find my gravel bike the best of both worlds. Almost as fast as a road bike on the smooth stuff, almost as comfortable as a mountain bike on the rougher bits. It also opens up a lot of routes that wouldn't really be viable on a pure road bike. There are dirt tracks I can do fine on my 700x45c knobby tyres that would be impossible with 700x28c slicks.

If I had to only have a single bike it'd be a gravel bike. 

That's why they've exploded in popularity.

BikingBud said:

Whatever happened to bikes being bikes and using and abusing them wherever.

Marketing has skewed everybody's thoughts:
 - gravel bike its a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- shopping bike, it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- race bike - it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it and how fast you can

Perhaps the only different need is for a track bike with fixed gears and no brakes but everything else is just a bike.

It's just specialization, like cars. You could do more or less any commute on more or less any bike, even a unicycle or penny farthing if brave and fit enough. But like a Ferarri and a Land Rover, there are situations you'd prefer one over the other.

Nasqueron

chris_n said:

Nasqueron said:

BikingBud said:

Whatever happened to bikes being bikes and using and abusing them wherever.

Marketing has skewed everybody's thoughts:
 - gravel bike its a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- shopping bike, it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- race bike - it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it and how fast you can

Perhaps the only different need is for a track bike with fixed gears and no brakes but everything else is just a bike.

This is simply incorrect, though I do agree the bike world has tried to invent a lot of varieties that probably don't need to exist

A road bike, i.e. one with drop handlebars, is not suitable for many people who nevertheless, want to ride on the road, or equivalent - so a flat bar one like a MTB but without the weight of suspension, or a hardtail - would be fine (which I think OP is trying to achieve). However, said road bike is good for enthusiasts who want to ride on the drops - thinner tyres, lighter, more aero, at least until recently, with rim brakes etc all make the bike more suited to hobbyists. Whether there is a place for gravel (which is in essence, a CX bike) alongside road, hybrid, etc is debatable.

Shopping bike - with panniers to carry stuff or indeed, a cargo bike to carry lots of stuff, is obviously different to any other bike - both in looks, capacity etc but also purpose

Why would a fixed gear / single speed not be useful outside of a track? In a city like London with great bike lanes and where it can be done on the flat or limited hills, a fixie would be fine, no gears to maintain, easy to just get on and go etc

Plenty of scope for gravel bikes, with their wider tyres they are perfect for light off road, things like old railway lines, bridleways etc. Given the state of roads in many parts of UK they are probably a better bet than many road bikes.

I think you missed the point I was making - the wider tyres are available on a CX bike as much as a gravel bike - that is what I mean. Do we need a separate "class" of bikes with drop bars, disc brakes and wider tyres given that is literally what a CX bike is? Gravel comes along as a "new" must have when it's basically a CX but with a different name to make people buy more bikes. Even new road bikes often can take 35c or even 40c while CX, while the race ones are usually aimed at not much over 33c per UCI regs, can go up to 45c if the frame will take it

Robertsnuffles55

BikingBud said:

Whatever happened to bikes being bikes and using and abusing them wherever.

Marketing has skewed everybody's thoughts:
 - gravel bike its a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- shopping bike, it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- race bike - it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it and how fast you can

Perhaps the only different need is for a track bike with fixed gears and no brakes but everything else is just a bike.

This is so true. I cycle along the canal from Manchester to Sale each morning and it is so great seeing everyone else riding along the canal no matter what their bike. Cycling community FTW. 

BikingBud

Nasqueron said:

BikingBud said:

Whatever happened to bikes being bikes and using and abusing them wherever.

Marketing has skewed everybody's thoughts:
 - gravel bike its a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- shopping bike, it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it
- race bike - it's a frame and wheels can go where you can pedal it and how fast you can

Perhaps the only different need is for a track bike with fixed gears and no brakes but everything else is just a bike.

This is simply incorrect, though I do agree the bike world has tried to invent a lot of varieties that probably don't need to exist

A road bike, i.e. one with drop handlebars, is not suitable for many people who nevertheless, want to ride on the road, or equivalent - so a flat bar one like a MTB but without the weight of suspension, or a hardtail - would be fine (which I think OP is trying to achieve). However, said road bike is good for enthusiasts who want to ride on the drops - thinner tyres, lighter, more aero, at least until recently, with rim brakes etc all make the bike more suited to hobbyists. Whether there is a place for gravel (which is in essence, a CX bike) alongside road, hybrid, etc is debatable.

Shopping bike - with panniers to carry stuff or indeed, a cargo bike to carry lots of stuff, is obviously different to any other bike - both in looks, capacity etc but also purpose

Why would a fixed gear / single speed not be useful outside of a track? In a city like London with great bike lanes and where it can be done on the flat or limited hills, a fixie would be fine, no gears to maintain, easy to just get on and go etc

What is a road bike? I used the term race bike.

Shopping bike, see Belgium Holland etc for prime example of how mass cycling without over marketing can occur, https://www.cycleking.co.uk/bikes/dutch-bikes/instock?srsltid=AfmBOorJg8YYPOHP1hKi1HaZ_7WlMJwXkk0Xbni3vhxQwb-n8aECV89U.

Thinner tyres, it seems the fashion is to be fatter, no longer 19 or 21mm.

And the brakes on a track bike? Perhaps you don't recall the sad incident where a rider who had removed the brake from his fix was charge with manslaughter. 

As mentioned in your later post, CX bikes were used long before gravel and MTB bike came along. We put cow bars on Raleigh Arenas or Carlton Criterium kept the 5 speed and went anywhere and everywhere on them.

Cycling has to keep re-inventing itself in the same way that Apple will make iphone 238. You need a 12 speed block in the same way that Spinal Tap's amp went up to 11.

It's about building in obsolescence, disposable frames because the push fit BB is crap and you can't get parts for the older bikes, It's about sustaining cash flow and it seems the n+1 mantra may be running out.

Just get a bike and ride.