Already commute by bike, usually on a polygon Collosus t8. Or a Strattos S8D if I wanna go faster. Or a Siskiu d7 when the Collosus is at the shop. Full sus or full speed.
I think something that should have been mentioned is - commute distance will likely dictate the bike you use - i have a 36km one way commute, a folding bike or knobbly tyre mtb would never be a first choice - i have a hybrid and a road bike for different routes depending on which way i wanna go and or how fast i wanna get there and back
This is spot on. That and the cycling infrastructure around where you are. Living in Germany, my commuting bike of choice is a Dutch Bike (my commute is a measly 10km but no off-road and lots of Cycleways separated from the Road. - can take a lot of wear, versatile for going to the shops or the park, and easy to maintain; trade off is low speed and doesn't climb too well. For Weekends/any touring adventures etc my ATB does the trick, and for weekends away or if there's little room to chain a bike/luggage restrictions etc my Folding Bike is the bike of choice.
I agree, I don't think the folding bike was in its element. It's for mixed public transport /underground, no? My city/county bike with suspended fork would be perfect for their commute, Could put their stuff on the back as well.
Depends on the individual tire. Schwalbe Smart Sams for example are knobby tires but they still work fine on asphalt. Enduro tires of course don't work that good on asphalt
This, terrain also plays a factor alongside distance. My work commute is only 6 miles each way but it’s mostly on gravel and through hills, so I commute each day on a cross country style mountain bike.
Touring bikes make great commuter bikes. They're generally steel framed, have larger tyre sizes, a good range of gears for hilly commutes and come with a rack and mud guards as standard. Their geometry means they're very stable and comfortable which is good for new riders. Get yourself an old Dawes Galaxy. 😗👌
I've long been a fan of them and, for the money, they are great. But I am SO glad I can afford better nowadays! (Thorn Mercury with Rohloff hub - cycling doesn't get better, no matter what carbon racers think. If you want something to take you around the world or 3 miles to work and back, having fun, for decades with no further outlay you can''t beat it! Great value for money, even if you spend £4k - £5k)
@@Neilhuny spot on, I bought a Ridgeback Expedition a few years back and it's an exceptional commuter and utility bike. I just wish I had known what I know now and invested in a touring bike initially and avoided a lot of expensive mistakes I made on the way to getting a touring bike (Pashleys are a disastrous choice of commuter bike in a hilly city).
During the petrol price lunacy last year I did 400+miles of commuting and weekly family shops etc on a 26" mountain bike I bought out someone's back garden for £20, threw a 14quid rack and 7quid mudguards on it, wd40'd the chain and it never missed a beat🎉🎉
Fun challenge. Anyone looking to actually commute, a couple of thoughts: 1. I would say typical distance you'd want to commute every day would be less than 10 miles (I've done 8 miles before, and it tends to take it out of you doing that 5 days a week, but depends on your fitness and how much other cycling you may want to do in the week). 2. Toe clips (or clipless pedals) are super annoying in traffic. Just go for flats. 3. Don't wear your business suits on your commute, if you can avoid it - one mud puddle and you'll be regretting your choices. 4. Spend more than $200 on your bike if you intend on it lasting you without any troubles. (do the best you can within your budget, but you're saving thousands of dollars on gas, parking, and car + maintenance, so $1000 on a new or reliable bike in good repair is worth not having frequent mechanical issues from buying a $200 50-year old bike off ebay) 5. The rest is up to you and your lifestyle. Where are you riding? What might you want to bring with you (kids? cupcakes? groceries? a live plant? the bare minimum?)? What type of bike are you comfortable on? Do you ride for fun on the weekends (and if so, can you use the same bike for commuting)? My current commuting setup: I have a hybrid bike with a front basket and a tow bar for towing my 3-year-old's bike. I carry my stuff in a backpack and the front basket is for my kid's daycare bag. My husband's hybrid bike also has an attachment point for the tow bar, so either of us are able to tow our kid. If one of the hybrid bikes is in the shop, I also have my road bike that I normally train on/used to commute on and which I fit with flat pedals for commuting. The commute is 2.5 miles one way, with daycare at halfway between work and home. I also do triathlon training, so those distances are just barely bearable with my usual training load. I have done many iterations of riding a road bike or a hybrid bike, modern or old, with and without paniers, with and without various trailers, seats, and tow bars to transport the kid. The setup changes as time goes by and my needs change - when I was just starting my career in 2014 I rode 5-8 miles each way a $150 1970's Schwinn LeTour that I needed to fix something on at least once or twice a season. Over time, I bought a new entry-level road bike, then a hybrid bike, then various attachments for transporting a kid on those bikes...you just find what works.
I can't begin to put into words how much I love Hank's bike. The cruiser geometry, the suspension, the AUTOMATIC FREAKING DERAILLEUR. You might not get places the absolute quickest, but you're gonna get there like a king or queen or otherwise. All it's missing is some sorta rack situation.
It's hilarious how this is what they would like look if they had a regular 9-5. Great seeing a bunch of grown men pretend to be commuting and messing about
Can we talk about Conor’s suit? 😂. Surely he doesn’t arrive to work in those high waters and that jacket is the wrong size and definitely for someone with shorter arms! Hank needs a tailor to take in those wide pant legs. Alex looks closest to a modern look. All in all entertaining, thanks GCN😂
Notice Alex is wearing a school tie (last time he wore one?) And Connor is pretending with a "cool" tie, but still wears his shirt like a school boy lol Are those his actual trousers? Hank's actually looks like a business end suit, I don't know if that's good or bad lol
Get some fast rolling XC tires on that hardtail and it's a perfect commuter to handle any type of terrain. If there are stairs in the way, no need to go around, just send it. A fully rigid MTB from the 90s would be a good choice too. Get some gravel tires on it and watch it tackle everything.
I've commuted on all three types. If you are doing a mixed commute (bike, train, bus, walking) it is hard to beat a light weight 1990s mountain bike with a rear rack. My folder is great when I need some flexibility in the plan. If I am on a longer bike only commute, I'll take the road bike with a rear rack.
Yeah sticking slicks on a hardtail/rigid mountain bike can make a really nippy bike for the city. I used to fly round Manchester that way. Always way faster than the bus! (Also often soggy 🙈)
I think touring bikes are some of the best commuters. Reliable and comfortable steel frames, mud-guards, cargo racks, relaxed geometry at the some time not too slow. Amazing gear ranges, comfortable tires, easy to fix and generally very reliable. And, well, most do have a kickstand
@@gcn I got a white Kona major Jake sitting in my bedroom, it was basically my dream bike but something happened to it, it's been 9 years or something since I rode it, I got the money for the bike bagging groceries and saved up, ordered the frame for $800 ish, and then these neuvation wheels I loved with the flat spokes, got a Thompson elite seat post, a Deva seat, Shimano Ultegra crank set, the bike shop didn't do a good job I tried twice, gave up let it sit, the frame is a little bit marred by the derailleur hanger, perhaps bent a little, I think it could be fixed, just don't have funds, that thing was amazing. Now I'm riding a trek Hilo triathlon bike that I got for free, it way to small for me so I have to be careful and adapt, it's fun, I dont use the triathlon bars mainly for strapping holding things in a sack with a bungee, back in the day it was a $2225 dollar bike retail the Hilo, but now I think it's more like $500-600, I'm kind of hard on bikes just because I don't own a vehicle and I do a lot of saddle pedaling. I love gravel bikes for a commuter
When Alex showed up on the old steely it got me all nostalgic. I had a bike custom made for me way back in 1973. Reynolds double butted tubing, down tube friction shifter, a frame pump the length of the seat tube, even the same fluted seat post of that era. I still own it after fifty years but it's been pensioned off in favor of a Spesh Roubaix and more recently a Trek Domane LT+ (yep, I'm old enough to go electric). I still love the spare skeletal design of the old steelies and it's good to see them around.
I love my single speed but the one sold at decathlon is not a good deal compared to their own lineup. The RC 100 cost the same money, is lighter, has more versatile tires and 7 speeds.
I remember during the pandemic when the world was closed down and i, as a medical worker had to get to work somehow, decided to bike commute. It was therapeutic, imagine empty roads, quiet streets. It made going to work and going home such a joy. Sadly now that everythings back to normal, my country has reverted back to its never ending traffic, road rage, no rules roads and i stopped bike commuting. Good times though
I started commuting on a big box store hybrid, it cost about that much and lasted about 2 years by now I've recouped the cost of all my bikes through commuting savings. Now I commute using my touring bike, the best all around bike for me. Thanks for doing this and showing what is possible in a fun way.
Massive sense of nostalgia for my second bike, a Dawes Celeste, brought on by this. Which I used to cycle along the tow path from Bathampton to school! Very humorous vid, loved it. My fist commuter bike, in London, was a Saracen MTB, with front suspension. Even survived being wiped out on Chiswick roundabout.
Alex, I expected you to pick a 90' mtb here! You can get an absolute bargain for 200£ and they are so fun, safe, reliable and hella stylish to boot. I love commuting on my old Marin.
Connor is too funny without trying "Are you going to launch into next week? (while talking about Hank's suspension) and "I'm just need to unfold my bike (as the scene cuts out)"
Folding bicycle is great...when you also take public transport and/or store it in your office of whatever. The classic commuter (with normal gears ;) is all you need in most cases. You don't want to go that fast, because you don't want to arrive dripping with sweat. Also, that faster you go, the more risky it gets and why would you want to take more risk on a journey you make 2x a day for years???
I appreciate you guys getting out of the lycra for a change. I'm plugging for the Dahon folder as the super commuter scooter, but I think the Auto shift might win. At about 13:45 my thought was that next week's test will be commuter bike locks.
That must be a vintage horizon. Mine (which is not young, but had since new) doesn't have downtube shifters. Have commuted on it (and it's predecessors which were similar) for 30 years (not far - 3 miles across town) and done longer rides for fun as well. Versatile enough.
I tend to agree with the final roundup. I ended up using a Giant Roam XR1 as a commuter bike. It's a kind of 'hybrid' as they called it - 6cm front suspension, pannier rack at the back for a bag with lock, 'civilian clothes', laptop etc. I do run SPD pedals and wear cycling kit (it is an hour commute). Currently I only commute once a week, work the rest from home. In 2019 I had some weeks where I commuted 250km on 5 weekdays and did like 120km in the weekend 🙂
One thing. A commuter bike MUST absolutely have mudguards and fixed lights. No question about it. Preferrably full length fixed with extra mud flaps and some dynamo lighting.
I got an OG Dahon with a Brooks saddle for $60 used. Best roi ever. First I did was swap out knobby tires to road tic tac toe tread pattern tires and replace the SA hub
My bike is a 24 speed (3x8) adventure/gravel bike with a rear rack and 2 bags. Most people around here uses mountain bikes becouse the roads are so bad and hills. I do think location affects what bike is good. With that said I do like the idea of a folding bike but a Dutch style bike is probably the best middle of the road for most places and people.
This reminds me of the good old days of Top Gear UK, doing challenges on different set of budget. Maybe it is time to have a segment specifically with these 3, doing silly challenges along the way crossing a country/continent. #challenge
Great vid! Would love to see you guys ride in Japan or some other Asian country either doing bike packing, bike touring, challenges, or comparing cycling laws and safety.
One of the best videos you guys have made. So much fun to watch and such a good topic. Love Alex going full bike mechanic geek when he sees rare bike components 😆 That auto shifting tho, leave it to hank to find such a rare thing.
I've been riding folding bikes for some time and one thing I learned is that they can be amazing, unless you buy a cheap one! My Tern P9 and my Brompton S6R are both nice bikes to ride around, even on longer journeys, like 60-100miles. But they weren't cheap! I would definitely choose an old touring or road bike if budget was short!
I can concurr with that, tried a cheap folder a while back and it sucked, now I take by brommie T line everywhere. Even with the carry block, a dynamo wheel, a bike pump, an extra tube, some patches and a hex key it's still under 9kg. You are totally right about it, my wallet took a big hit on that one.
@@gcn furthest was around 100m in Italy on my Brompton. That day I wished I had a gravel bike. Never got the hype until moved to Italy next to a lot of cycle routes where suddenly you just hit gravel in the middle of nowhere while riding a 16" bike with very narrow tyres.
@@gcn I did 70km the other day to visit my sister, honestly, my road bike with skinny tires is less comfortable for those kinds of non-sport trips because it has 0 suspension and I have to carry a backpack, whereas the brompton has wider, albeit much smaller tires, and some built in rear suspension, and the backpack goes on the bike. Not having to carry 2kg worth of locks is also a very big plus.
Commuted for years on a Dahon Eco C3, it was fantastic. Folding means that I could catch the train even during rush hours without bothering other passengers too much. Now I live much closer to work and ditched it, but it was definitely fantastic.
I commuted by bike for three decades. It was the best way to get in my weekly bike miles while also getting to work on time. In fact, getting to work was the best part of my work day!
Seeing tall ass Connor on that little folding bike was absolutely hilarious. 😂 I totally remember those autoshifter bikes. I remember seeing an infomercial on them back in the 90s. There is a reason they never took off. Great video guys! This was very humorous.
I love vintage bikes a whole lot. Every time i see GCN do a video with a vintage bike, they always have down tube shifters. can you guys do one of your vintage vs modern or whatever videos with barend friction shifters? it's still period correct and will really give those old bones a chance to shine
Commuting by bike to work for the past year now. I have an igh commuter bike with swept back bars and a hub dynamo. I thought this would be my go to commuter. It has proven to be a massive pain in the ass compared to my all city space horse. I threw on fenders, rechargeable lights, 35 tires, a porteur rack and bag and it is my go to commuter. Fast when I want it to be. Comfortable and stylish. Any sort of gravel bike would be my go to choice if I could only have one bike.
Very strong Top Gear vibes. Hank is obviously Hammond, Conor is Mr Slow, aka May, and that leaves Alex in the role of Clarkson. Also, loved the Brompton reference. Now that's a proper folder, but good luck finding that for 200 pounds.
I'm commuting 3 days per week on my gravel bike. Lovely undulating country lanes on the way to work, take a slightly longer route home to enjoy some gravel and do the hill that none of the cars use. Took me most of last Summer to figure out the best routes and routines but really benefitting from that this Summer.
A folding bike is great if you need to cover the few kilometers on each end of a train ride. The Dawes would be great set up like a touring bike. Mud guards, rear rack, flat bars, and wide tires. And all that Hank's bike needs is adjusting of the auto-shift to better suit him. My daughter commutes on a single speed, so almost anything can work.
Absolutely loved it. Alex gets an extra point for the only credible business guy outfit. There should be a „how far folding bikes have come“ with Conor‘s bike and a Brompton. Maybe with guest star Matt Stephens?
Best bike for commuting depends on the commute, I reckon. When I commuted to Salford, it was 3 miles to the train station, then 3 miles from the station to work. My Brompton was perfect for that - I could store it at my desk, and taking a full size bike on packed commuter trains is a huge pain. Aside from that, I like panniers rather than carrying things on my back, and have used a 90s RockHopper, a Tricross CX bike and a City Comp hybrid (all Specialized by coincidence). These days I'm using a 2009 RockHopper, but with a Baileyworks messenger bag. It's OK, but the wide bars make lane splitting a bit of a challenge. I prefer drop handlebars for commuting to nip through smaller gaps, but the flat bars and more upright position do offer better visibility
On my second year of commuting. Only 7 miles but it's (down and) uphill both ways so it's a respectable effort. I have a old ignored +1 Roubiax that fits the bill perfectly.
Fabulous work - bringing the sense of humour GCN is legend for. Which bike? I have a 56km involving the furthest London Underground station from central London (and the northernmost and westernmost station in the system) so it’s simple - a folding bike. Pedal to the station, hop on the train and pedal to the office. If it was closer I’d use my hybrid and my race bike is what I use going cycling properly
Good content boys. I enjoyed it. especially the old steel racer. quality bike to commute in a city where the risk of an expensive superbike getting stolen is high.
The Dawes Horizon is a perfect commuter. Cheap, cheerful and practical with the addition of a rack and mudguards. Suitable for longer weekend rides, too. If I could have only one bike, it'd be something like this.
@@gcn Probably, because I have loads of them in the bits box, from 7 to 10 speed. But I'd be happy enough with the down tube shifters too! I'm currently commuting on a 1980s Mercian tourer, which is really only a slightly posher version of the Horizon. Tourers are really versatile bikes!
Need locks to have a bike when you come out. In Montreal big milk crate boxes are popular on commuters to be able to just throw your bag, groceries in. I commute winter and summer about 13 miles. Not perfect but use Mountain bike with fenders, studded tires and a homemade fairing/windshield in winter. One bad day last winter, -46 with windchill, was rough even with snowmobile boots, long underware, electric handwarmers in MITTS...gears froze took hr. and half ugh. Have conventional bike (flat bar, upright) for summer and homebuilt electric new somewhat experimental bike too.
Cheap hybrid bikes may be the norm, but it should be something you enjoy to ride. That means the right size for you and a budget for when it gets stolen. For me either a 90s mtb with road tires or old dad bike converted to drop bars single speed.
Lived in London 3 years (2015-18) and was commuting by bike almost on a daily basis (with very rare exceptions). It's super cool :) Bikes used - I was alternating between an old Orbea MTB and a Cube SL road hybrid. Both incredibly good for the job. P.S. My route was exceptionally beautiful: Glocester Road to 100 VE (Unilever HQ).
In the past, i have 38km one way comute to work. 76km a day, 380km a week 😅 And arround 700m of elevation gain daily. I have done it on road bike or on cyclo-cross bike in the winter times. Advantage of faster bike is, that one way taked me about an hour and 10-20 minutes, depends on the way, to work it was bit more uphill. Once i was home in 58 minutes, back wind helped allot 😅 Commute this long is better on road bike or something similar, i cannot imagine doing that on for example mtb or some city bike.
We all know that the most important thing about a communting bike is, that you don't have to be afraid to park it in a public space. So, in that regard all of them seem a lot better than the extra-expensive bikes they chose last time round.
I always commute by bike. I once went by car. My 25 minute commute took 42 minutes. Never again. As to what bike is best, it would always depend on the route. Where we live, speeds is dictated by the surrounding traffic. A city bike/Dutch bike (in my case - a 19,6kg Elops 540) is ideal as it is relatively low cost and low maintenance. It can survive being left outside and is versatile enough for all weathers and for installing a child's seat. On occasion I take out my winter/gravel rig but it always feels like a waste. It's only worth it when I take the kids in the bike trailer and need to go over some hills that would be too strenuous for the Dutch bike to tow the trailer.
As for the best commuting bike, Brompton works best for me. I have about 3 km to the train station and then a choice of 4 different train stations at various distances from work, depending on the amount of riding I want to do on a particular day, from 300m to 15km - the latter option also has a bit of an offroad section. Brompton is great at this, hands down.
Ditch the front and seat post shocks and that is the best commuter bike. However, I live in Manhattan and the best commuter bike is not a bike at all, it is my skates... easily most versatile, easy to store and I don't have to fear that it will get nicked while I'm in the office since they sit right under my desk.
Well, these days I can't (my commute changed late last year and is now way too far to do by bicycle). But when I did commute by bicycle, it was always between my vintage road bike and MTB. The MTB usually got chosen not for practicality, it is because the vintage road bike has too much sentimental value and is also worth a little too much - the old road bike is easily the preferable and more practical of the two bikes for this duty.
Let’s see some videos on folding bikes. Or different/ alternative bikes. Cargo. Folding. Three wheeled. Four wheeled. Or any other type of weird bikes. How about a show on bike history. Or a show on each presenters history.
I just hired a couple of Bromptons for a few days for me and my daughter. She has disabilities so thought it’d be most suitable for her but neither of us are fans of it. I can see the folding bike being great in a flat city but anything else is out of the question. It felt too twitchy and I never felt fully stable, and I noticed where the bike folded, especially at speed, when it felt kind of rickety. There was nowhere to put a bottle of water. Even in the city, I’d much rather have my gravel bike/touring bike/MTB. I’m surprised no one bought a new bike for £200. They are available. I’m sure that would have been a great option for those on a budget, especially since it’ll come with a guarantee, which would really help someone on a low income. On another note, Alex should definitely get the auto-shifter bike!
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Are you thinking about making the switch to cycling to work? Or do you already commute by bike? 🚴 Let us know in the comments! 👇
I'll do ready bike to work as security guard about 18years.
Bike commuter for years now. Use my bikepacking rigid 29er that can mount racks and fenders.
i all ready commute to work for years now all for the base miles and for recovery and some training
Bike commuter here, I use a Tern Link C8
Already commute by bike, usually on a polygon Collosus t8.
Or a Strattos S8D if I wanna go faster.
Or a Siskiu d7 when the Collosus is at the shop.
Full sus or full speed.
that Autoshift bike deserves a GCNTech video on its own
Got to say I'd like to have a proper video on how it works.
@@zedddddful there is actually a video on it, it's basically a centrifugal system.
@@kilt6680 because it's really really bad for anyone not going super leisurely.
That thing will shift into the lowest gear if you stop pedalling.
Maybe we'll do one!
Put...put it on Ollie's Pinarello in the middle of the night (or maybe the £500 one instead)
Just the image of Connor on that folding bike was worth doing this video for. Absolutely hilarious. It will make me smile for the rest of the day
Glad we brightened your day! Does it make you want to go out and pick up an old banger? 👀
truly looked like a circus clown act on that bike, I keep looking for the slack wire challenge.
Love how Hank bags Alex for not being able to carry anything on his bike whilst Hank has a couch on his back. Great video
also I don't think Hanks bike has got a steel frame.
This reminds of the GCN I feel in love with all those years ago, watching Matt, Jon and Simon do similar foolishness.
Any chance to have fun on bikes 🙌Great to hear how long you've been with us for so long!
I re-watched that video from time to time! Makes me want a folding 24" as part of the N+1 stable
Matt Si and Dan
who me?!
I think something that should have been mentioned is - commute distance will likely dictate the bike you use - i have a 36km one way commute, a folding bike or knobbly tyre mtb would never be a first choice - i have a hybrid and a road bike for different routes depending on which way i wanna go and or how fast i wanna get there and back
This is spot on. That and the cycling infrastructure around where you are. Living in Germany, my commuting bike of choice is a Dutch Bike (my commute is a measly 10km but no off-road and lots of Cycleways separated from the Road. - can take a lot of wear, versatile for going to the shops or the park, and easy to maintain; trade off is low speed and doesn't climb too well. For Weekends/any touring adventures etc my ATB does the trick, and for weekends away or if there's little room to chain a bike/luggage restrictions
etc my Folding Bike is the bike of choice.
Good point!
I agree, I don't think the folding bike was in its element. It's for mixed public transport /underground, no? My city/county bike with suspended fork would be perfect for their commute, Could put their stuff on the back as well.
Depends on the individual tire. Schwalbe Smart Sams for example are knobby tires but they still work fine on asphalt.
Enduro tires of course don't work that good on asphalt
This, terrain also plays a factor alongside distance. My work commute is only 6 miles each way but it’s mostly on gravel and through hills, so I commute each day on a cross country style mountain bike.
Touring bikes make great commuter bikes. They're generally steel framed, have larger tyre sizes, a good range of gears for hilly commutes and come with a rack and mud guards as standard. Their geometry means they're very stable and comfortable which is good for new riders. Get yourself an old Dawes Galaxy. 😗👌
Can't beat the old reliable bikes!
I've long been a fan of them and, for the money, they are great. But I am SO glad I can afford better nowadays! (Thorn Mercury with Rohloff hub - cycling doesn't get better, no matter what carbon racers think. If you want something to take you around the world or 3 miles to work and back, having fun, for decades with no further outlay you can''t beat it! Great value for money, even if you spend £4k - £5k)
@@Neilhuny spot on, I bought a Ridgeback Expedition a few years back and it's an exceptional commuter and utility bike. I just wish I had known what I know now and invested in a touring bike initially and avoided a lot of expensive mistakes I made on the way to getting a touring bike (Pashleys are a disastrous choice of commuter bike in a hilly city).
@@Neilhunyjust get an e-bike for 2k and you’re having loads of fun
@@samuel_excels is yours an older drop-bar version or one of the newer flat bar ones?
During the petrol price lunacy last year I did 400+miles of commuting and weekly family shops etc on a 26" mountain bike I bought out someone's back garden for £20, threw a 14quid rack and 7quid mudguards on it, wd40'd the chain and it never missed a beat🎉🎉
Fun challenge. Anyone looking to actually commute, a couple of thoughts:
1. I would say typical distance you'd want to commute every day would be less than 10 miles (I've done 8 miles before, and it tends to take it out of you doing that 5 days a week, but depends on your fitness and how much other cycling you may want to do in the week).
2. Toe clips (or clipless pedals) are super annoying in traffic. Just go for flats.
3. Don't wear your business suits on your commute, if you can avoid it - one mud puddle and you'll be regretting your choices.
4. Spend more than $200 on your bike if you intend on it lasting you without any troubles. (do the best you can within your budget, but you're saving thousands of dollars on gas, parking, and car + maintenance, so $1000 on a new or reliable bike in good repair is worth not having frequent mechanical issues from buying a $200 50-year old bike off ebay)
5. The rest is up to you and your lifestyle. Where are you riding? What might you want to bring with you (kids? cupcakes? groceries? a live plant? the bare minimum?)? What type of bike are you comfortable on? Do you ride for fun on the weekends (and if so, can you use the same bike for commuting)?
My current commuting setup: I have a hybrid bike with a front basket and a tow bar for towing my 3-year-old's bike. I carry my stuff in a backpack and the front basket is for my kid's daycare bag. My husband's hybrid bike also has an attachment point for the tow bar, so either of us are able to tow our kid. If one of the hybrid bikes is in the shop, I also have my road bike that I normally train on/used to commute on and which I fit with flat pedals for commuting. The commute is 2.5 miles one way, with daycare at halfway between work and home. I also do triathlon training, so those distances are just barely bearable with my usual training load. I have done many iterations of riding a road bike or a hybrid bike, modern or old, with and without paniers, with and without various trailers, seats, and tow bars to transport the kid. The setup changes as time goes by and my needs change - when I was just starting my career in 2014 I rode 5-8 miles each way a $150 1970's Schwinn LeTour that I needed to fix something on at least once or twice a season. Over time, I bought a new entry-level road bike, then a hybrid bike, then various attachments for transporting a kid on those bikes...you just find what works.
I can't begin to put into words how much I love Hank's bike. The cruiser geometry, the suspension, the AUTOMATIC FREAKING DERAILLEUR. You might not get places the absolute quickest, but you're gonna get there like a king or queen or otherwise. All it's missing is some sorta rack situation.
The amount of top gear shout outs speaks volumes about how magnificent Clarkson, Hammond and may are
We are of the same, put my comment then read yours, love it 👌
Seeing Hank, Connor and Alex in suits might be one of the strangest things I've seen on this channel
You don't see them in the office. This is what they actually dress like every day! 😉
It's hilarious how this is what they would like look if they had a regular 9-5. Great seeing a bunch of grown men pretend to be commuting and messing about
Can we talk about Conor’s suit? 😂. Surely he doesn’t arrive to work in those high waters and that jacket is the wrong size and definitely for someone with shorter arms! Hank needs a tailor to take in those wide pant legs. Alex looks closest to a modern look. All in all entertaining, thanks GCN😂
Normally, these are the coolest guys on the planet… in mufti 🤮
Notice Alex is wearing a school tie (last time he wore one?)
And Connor is pretending with a "cool" tie, but still wears his shirt like a school boy lol Are those his actual trousers?
Hank's actually looks like a business end suit, I don't know if that's good or bad lol
I've been bike commuting to work everyday this year using either a folding bike with 20" wheels, or my 29ner hardtail mtb 😊
Nice work!
perfect choices.
Get some fast rolling XC tires on that hardtail and it's a perfect commuter to handle any type of terrain. If there are stairs in the way, no need to go around, just send it.
A fully rigid MTB from the 90s would be a good choice too. Get some gravel tires on it and watch it tackle everything.
I've commuted on all three types. If you are doing a mixed commute (bike, train, bus, walking) it is hard to beat a light weight 1990s mountain bike with a rear rack. My folder is great when I need some flexibility in the plan. If I am on a longer bike only commute, I'll take the road bike with a rear rack.
Yeah sticking slicks on a hardtail/rigid mountain bike can make a really nippy bike for the city. I used to fly round Manchester that way. Always way faster than the bus! (Also often soggy 🙈)
I love how cost conscious Alex is after the dura ace crank debacle. :)
*Alex has instant flash backs 😵💫
I think touring bikes are some of the best commuters. Reliable and comfortable steel frames, mud-guards, cargo racks, relaxed geometry at the some time not too slow. Amazing gear ranges, comfortable tires, easy to fix and generally very reliable. And, well, most do have a kickstand
Great point! how do you think a gravel bike compares? 👀
@@gcn I got a white Kona major Jake sitting in my bedroom, it was basically my dream bike but something happened to it, it's been 9 years or something since I rode it, I got the money for the bike bagging groceries and saved up, ordered the frame for $800 ish, and then these neuvation wheels I loved with the flat spokes, got a Thompson elite seat post, a Deva seat, Shimano Ultegra crank set, the bike shop didn't do a good job I tried twice, gave up let it sit, the frame is a little bit marred by the derailleur hanger, perhaps bent a little, I think it could be fixed, just don't have funds, that thing was amazing. Now I'm riding a trek Hilo triathlon bike that I got for free, it way to small for me so I have to be careful and adapt, it's fun, I dont use the triathlon bars mainly for strapping holding things in a sack with a bungee, back in the day it was a $2225 dollar bike retail the Hilo, but now I think it's more like $500-600, I'm kind of hard on bikes just because I don't own a vehicle and I do a lot of saddle pedaling. I love gravel bikes for a commuter
Connor you dont need to fold your bike to get up the hill. The great thing about bikes is they have wheels!
Connor rocking the capri pant look - it could catch on, and no need for trouser clips.
When Alex showed up on the old steely it got me all nostalgic. I had a bike custom made for me way back in 1973. Reynolds double butted tubing, down tube friction shifter, a frame pump the length of the seat tube, even the same fluted seat post of that era. I still own it after fifty years but it's been pensioned off in favor of a Spesh Roubaix and more recently a Trek Domane LT+ (yep, I'm old enough to go electric). I still love the spare skeletal design of the old steelies and it's good to see them around.
Decathlons single speed bike is £230 currently. Great option for £230. Brand new plus warranty.
Depending on your region riverside 100 could be sub $200, comes with 700C tire and 6 speed
I love my single speed but the one sold at decathlon is not a good deal compared to their own lineup. The RC 100 cost the same money, is lighter, has more versatile tires and 7 speeds.
I remember during the pandemic when the world was closed down and i, as a medical worker had to get to work somehow, decided to bike commute. It was therapeutic, imagine empty roads, quiet streets. It made going to work and going home such a joy. Sadly now that everythings back to normal, my country has reverted back to its never ending traffic, road rage, no rules roads and i stopped bike commuting. Good times though
Flat bar road bike with fenders (mud guards), rack mounts rear and possibly front would be my suggestion.
I was expecting to see an unimpressed Mannon as their “Boss” for the meeting they were late for. Lol
I started commuting on a big box store hybrid, it cost about that much and lasted about 2 years by now I've recouped the cost of all my bikes through commuting savings. Now I commute using my touring bike, the best all around bike for me. Thanks for doing this and showing what is possible in a fun way.
Grand Tour challenge on bikes - love it!
Thanks! For another challenge why not watch our 'Cheap bike challenge' film on GCN+ 👉 gcn.eu/cbc
Massive sense of nostalgia for my second bike, a Dawes Celeste, brought on by this. Which I used to cycle along the tow path from Bathampton to school! Very humorous vid, loved it. My fist commuter bike, in London, was a Saracen MTB, with front suspension. Even survived being wiped out on Chiswick roundabout.
Alex, I expected you to pick a 90' mtb here! You can get an absolute bargain for 200£ and they are so fun, safe, reliable and hella stylish to boot. I love commuting on my old Marin.
This is one of the best videos that is made by these blokes recently. Absolutely loved it
Connor is too funny without trying "Are you going to launch into next week? (while talking about Hank's suspension) and "I'm just need to unfold my bike (as the scene cuts out)"
Folding bicycle is great...when you also take public transport and/or store it in your office of whatever. The classic commuter (with normal gears ;) is all you need in most cases. You don't want to go that fast, because you don't want to arrive dripping with sweat. Also, that faster you go, the more risky it gets and why would you want to take more risk on a journey you make 2x a day for years???
I appreciate you guys getting out of the lycra for a change. I'm plugging for the Dahon folder as the super commuter scooter, but I think the Auto shift might win. At about 13:45 my thought was that next week's test will be commuter bike locks.
That must be a vintage horizon. Mine (which is not young, but had since new) doesn't have downtube shifters. Have commuted on it (and it's predecessors which were similar) for 30 years (not far - 3 miles across town) and done longer rides for fun as well. Versatile enough.
GCN: makes video about riding bikes
Connor: lets run with the bike
Practising his CX 😉
I tend to agree with the final roundup. I ended up using a Giant Roam XR1 as a commuter bike. It's a kind of 'hybrid' as they called it - 6cm front suspension, pannier rack at the back for a bag with lock, 'civilian clothes', laptop etc. I do run SPD pedals and wear cycling kit (it is an hour commute). Currently I only commute once a week, work the rest from home. In 2019 I had some weeks where I commuted 250km on 5 weekdays and did like 120km in the weekend 🙂
One thing. A commuter bike MUST absolutely have mudguards and fixed lights. No question about it. Preferrably full length fixed with extra mud flaps and some dynamo lighting.
I got an OG Dahon with a Brooks saddle for $60 used. Best roi ever.
First I did was swap out knobby tires to road tic tac toe tread pattern tires and replace the SA hub
My bike is a 24 speed (3x8) adventure/gravel bike with a rear rack and 2 bags. Most people around here uses mountain bikes becouse the roads are so bad and hills. I do think location affects what bike is good.
With that said I do like the idea of a folding bike but a Dutch style bike is probably the best middle of the road for most places and people.
This reminds me of the good old days of Top Gear UK, doing challenges on different set of budget. Maybe it is time to have a segment specifically with these 3, doing silly challenges along the way crossing a country/continent. #challenge
Great vid! Would love to see you guys ride in Japan or some other Asian country either doing bike packing, bike touring, challenges, or comparing cycling laws and safety.
One of the best videos you guys have made. So much fun to watch and such a good topic. Love Alex going full bike mechanic geek when he sees rare bike components 😆 That auto shifting tho, leave it to hank to find such a rare thing.
Thanks a lot, glad you liked it! Why not check out our 'Cheap bike challenge' film on GCN+ 👉 gcn.eu/cbc
I've been riding folding bikes for some time and one thing I learned is that they can be amazing, unless you buy a cheap one! My Tern P9 and my Brompton S6R are both nice bikes to ride around, even on longer journeys, like 60-100miles. But they weren't cheap!
I would definitely choose an old touring or road bike if budget was short!
I can concurr with that, tried a cheap folder a while back and it sucked, now I take by brommie T line everywhere. Even with the carry block, a dynamo wheel, a bike pump, an extra tube, some patches and a hex key it's still under 9kg. You are totally right about it, my wallet took a big hit on that one.
Folding bikes are great! Awesome to hear that you have pushed the miles on the small wheeled bikes, what's the furthest you've been on a folding bike?
@@gcn furthest was around 100m in Italy on my Brompton. That day I wished I had a gravel bike. Never got the hype until moved to Italy next to a lot of cycle routes where suddenly you just hit gravel in the middle of nowhere while riding a 16" bike with very narrow tyres.
@@gcn I did 70km the other day to visit my sister, honestly, my road bike with skinny tires is less comfortable for those kinds of non-sport trips because it has 0 suspension and I have to carry a backpack, whereas the brompton has wider, albeit much smaller tires, and some built in rear suspension, and the backpack goes on the bike. Not having to carry 2kg worth of locks is also a very big plus.
Never buoy bike of ebay no guarantee only thirty day return if not satified
I do like that my peddling always have load on and auto shift sounds awesome!! if you can fine tune shifting, then this bike is great for commuting.
This was great, loved the camaraderie! With this, Ollie backpacking and the live GCN show recently, you’re on a roll!
Commuted for years on a Dahon Eco C3, it was fantastic. Folding means that I could catch the train even during rush hours without bothering other passengers too much. Now I live much closer to work and ditched it, but it was definitely fantastic.
Having the option to catch the train is great! After a hard days work you might not want to over do it and need a chilled route home! 🙌
First there was Michael Knight and Knight Rider.
Now there's Hank and Land Rider! 💪😄
This episode of GCN reminded me of the classic BBC Top Gear with Jeremy and the boys ❤ (with civilised conversations offcourse)
I commuted by bike for three decades. It was the best way to get in my weekly bike miles while also getting to work on time. In fact, getting to work was the best part of my work day!
Honestly that autoshift bike was so good, and for 120£ too!
This is really giving me old school Top Gear vibes and I love it.
Seeing tall ass Connor on that little folding bike was absolutely hilarious. 😂 I totally remember those autoshifter bikes. I remember seeing an infomercial on them back in the 90s. There is a reason they never took off. Great video guys! This was very humorous.
I love vintage bikes a whole lot. Every time i see GCN do a video with a vintage bike, they always have down tube shifters. can you guys do one of your vintage vs modern or whatever videos with barend friction shifters? it's still period correct and will really give those old bones a chance to shine
Commuting by bike to work for the past year now. I have an igh commuter bike with swept back bars and a hub dynamo. I thought this would be my go to commuter. It has proven to be a massive pain in the ass compared to my all city space horse. I threw on fenders, rechargeable lights, 35 tires, a porteur rack and bag and it is my go to commuter. Fast when I want it to be. Comfortable and stylish. Any sort of gravel bike would be my go to choice if I could only have one bike.
Ha ha Connor wins as his bike was the funniest and hysterical watching him ride it 😂😂😂 love all you guys
Very strong Top Gear vibes. Hank is obviously Hammond, Conor is Mr Slow, aka May, and that leaves Alex in the role of Clarkson. Also, loved the Brompton reference. Now that's a proper folder, but good luck finding that for 200 pounds.
I'm commuting 3 days per week on my gravel bike. Lovely undulating country lanes on the way to work, take a slightly longer route home to enjoy some gravel and do the hill that none of the cars use. Took me most of last Summer to figure out the best routes and routines but really benefitting from that this Summer.
Sounds like you've got a lovely routine sorted!
I'm not commuting anymore and I miss the going home bit. Was awesome. Leaving the city on the Burgandy canal, heaven.
A folding bike is great if you need to cover the few kilometers on each end of a train ride.
The Dawes would be great set up like a touring bike. Mud guards, rear rack, flat bars, and wide tires.
And all that Hank's bike needs is adjusting of the auto-shift to better suit him.
My daughter commutes on a single speed, so almost anything can work.
I got an XC bike for my usual cycling. I also have a folding bike to use to send my kid to school (with a child seat), and as a commuter.
Probably my favourite video on GCN. Just the lads mucking around lol
Absolutely loved it. Alex gets an extra point for the only credible business guy outfit. There should be a „how far folding bikes have come“ with Conor‘s bike and a Brompton. Maybe with guest star Matt Stephens?
Absolutely top video, the Clarkson, May and Hamond of the GCN world, more of this please 🙏 😀
I ride my old specialized sectuer to work. I also use my filing cabinet as a dresser so I can change out of my cycling kit when I get there.
Great vid, classic GCN Top Gear for Bikes vibes. Love it!
Best bike for commuting depends on the commute, I reckon. When I commuted to Salford, it was 3 miles to the train station, then 3 miles from the station to work. My Brompton was perfect for that - I could store it at my desk, and taking a full size bike on packed commuter trains is a huge pain. Aside from that, I like panniers rather than carrying things on my back, and have used a 90s RockHopper, a Tricross CX bike and a City Comp hybrid (all Specialized by coincidence). These days I'm using a 2009 RockHopper, but with a Baileyworks messenger bag. It's OK, but the wide bars make lane splitting a bit of a challenge. I prefer drop handlebars for commuting to nip through smaller gaps, but the flat bars and more upright position do offer better visibility
Sounds like you've got all scenarios covered!
Loved this. ❤
Each bike needs their own video, specially the auto shift.
On my second year of commuting. Only 7 miles but it's (down and) uphill both ways so it's a respectable effort. I have a old ignored +1 Roubiax that fits the bill perfectly.
Welcome to the commuter club 🙌
Always love different bike challenges.
Fabulous work - bringing the sense of humour GCN is legend for. Which bike? I have a 56km involving the furthest London Underground station from central London (and the northernmost and westernmost station in the system) so it’s simple - a folding bike. Pedal to the station, hop on the train and pedal to the office. If it was closer I’d use my hybrid and my race bike is what I use going cycling properly
"I'll time you..." Any task ever on GCN. Love it! haha
Good content boys. I enjoyed it. especially the old steel racer. quality bike to commute in a city where the risk of an expensive superbike getting stolen is high.
Great to watch these Top Gear style videos
Love the obvious nod to top gearesque style video!Reminds me of the earlier days of GCN brilliant
Super cool to have you with us for so long 🙌 Any more challenges you think we should do again?
The Dawes Horizon is a perfect commuter. Cheap, cheerful and practical with the addition of a rack and mudguards. Suitable for longer weekend rides, too. If I could have only one bike, it'd be something like this.
Would you upgrade to STI shifters? 👀
@@gcn Probably, because I have loads of them in the bits box, from 7 to 10 speed. But I'd be happy enough with the down tube shifters too! I'm currently commuting on a 1980s Mercian tourer, which is really only a slightly posher version of the Horizon. Tourers are really versatile bikes!
Right when I really was thinking about commuting to work pandemic starts and home office ensues.. I'm not complaining..
Best GCN video ever! Well done, mates!!!
commuting with my folding bike for 22kms 5 days a week.. then MTB on weekends 🥰
Connor's oversized suit is hilarious.
daaamn I adore that autoshifter bike to the skies! I need that one!
Need locks to have a bike when you come out. In Montreal big milk crate boxes are popular on commuters to be able to just throw your bag, groceries in. I commute winter and summer about 13 miles. Not perfect but use Mountain bike with fenders, studded tires and a homemade fairing/windshield in winter. One bad day last winter, -46 with windchill, was rough even with snowmobile boots, long underware, electric handwarmers in MITTS...gears froze took hr. and half ugh. Have conventional bike (flat bar, upright) for summer and homebuilt electric new somewhat experimental bike too.
I use a 1990 mtb with road tires, put on a rear tray and mud guard, do a 32 km total conmute daily
Cheap hybrid bikes may be the norm, but it should be something you enjoy to ride. That means the right size for you and a budget for when it gets stolen. For me either a 90s mtb with road tires or old dad bike converted to drop bars single speed.
Lived in London 3 years (2015-18) and was commuting by bike almost on a daily basis (with very rare exceptions). It's super cool :) Bikes used - I was alternating between an old Orbea MTB and a Cube SL road hybrid. Both incredibly good for the job. P.S. My route was exceptionally beautiful: Glocester Road to 100 VE (Unilever HQ).
In the past, i have 38km one way comute to work.
76km a day, 380km a week 😅
And arround 700m of elevation gain daily.
I have done it on road bike or on cyclo-cross bike in the winter times. Advantage of faster bike is, that one way taked me about an hour and 10-20 minutes, depends on the way, to work it was bit more uphill.
Once i was home in 58 minutes, back wind helped allot 😅
Commute this long is better on road bike or something similar, i cannot imagine doing that on for example mtb or some city bike.
That's a lot of miles!
MTB with a tongsheng TSDZ2 for me. One day a week to the office (44 miles round trip) and a hoot at weekends 😁
We all know that the most important thing about a communting bike is, that you don't have to be afraid to park it in a public space. So, in that regard all of them seem a lot better than the extra-expensive bikes they chose last time round.
Another super fun video! Love GCN!
I always commute by bike. I once went by car. My 25 minute commute took 42 minutes. Never again.
As to what bike is best, it would always depend on the route. Where we live, speeds is dictated by the surrounding traffic. A city bike/Dutch bike (in my case - a 19,6kg Elops 540) is ideal as it is relatively low cost and low maintenance. It can survive being left outside and is versatile enough for all weathers and for installing a child's seat. On occasion I take out my winter/gravel rig but it always feels like a waste. It's only worth it when I take the kids in the bike trailer and need to go over some hills that would be too strenuous for the Dutch bike to tow the trailer.
As for the best commuting bike, Brompton works best for me. I have about 3 km to the train station and then a choice of 4 different train stations at various distances from work, depending on the amount of riding I want to do on a particular day, from 300m to 15km - the latter option also has a bit of an offroad section. Brompton is great at this, hands down.
Ditch the front and seat post shocks and that is the best commuter bike. However, I live in Manhattan and the best commuter bike is not a bike at all, it is my skates... easily most versatile, easy to store and I don't have to fear that it will get nicked while I'm in the office since they sit right under my desk.
That auto-shift is super cool! Never seen or heard of it.
Been waiting for a video like this
Great video. Very funny. I couldn’t help thinking it was like watching Top Gear for bikes. Connor is Clarkson, Alex is May and Hank is Hammond.
Great video, well done guys!
Love the cufflinks with the suit on hank
Well, these days I can't (my commute changed late last year and is now way too far to do by bicycle). But when I did commute by bicycle, it was always between my vintage road bike and MTB. The MTB usually got chosen not for practicality, it is because the vintage road bike has too much sentimental value and is also worth a little too much - the old road bike is easily the preferable and more practical of the two bikes for this duty.
Top Gear challenge for bikes! Brilliant!
Let’s see some videos on folding bikes. Or different/ alternative bikes. Cargo. Folding. Three wheeled. Four wheeled. Or any other type of weird bikes. How about a show on bike history. Or a show on each presenters history.
I just hired a couple of Bromptons for a few days for me and my daughter. She has disabilities so thought it’d be most suitable for her but neither of us are fans of it. I can see the folding bike being great in a flat city but anything else is out of the question. It felt too twitchy and I never felt fully stable, and I noticed where the bike folded, especially at speed, when it felt kind of rickety. There was nowhere to put a bottle of water. Even in the city, I’d much rather have my gravel bike/touring bike/MTB.
I’m surprised no one bought a new bike for £200. They are available. I’m sure that would have been a great option for those on a budget, especially since it’ll come with a guarantee, which would really help someone on a low income.
On another note, Alex should definitely get the auto-shifter bike!
That auto shift bike is cool I need to now more about that
Now we're cooking! More of 80's action movie style music (Hank's theme), please!
a gravel bike for commuting is one of the best choices for me, i miss my gravel bike