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#281755 - 08/19/16 10:17 PM Bicycles for transportation
TeacherRO Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 03/11/05
Posts: 2574
A bike can increase your distance, carrying capacity -- and is a good workout. What do you look for in a nice cargo bike?

TRO

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#281760 - 08/19/16 10:32 PM Re: Bicycles for transportation [Re: TeacherRO]
bacpacjac Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
I've been riding my bike almost daily since April, often towing two kids in a trailer. Gears. Are are important, especially on hills. wink

FWIW: My mountain bike has a shock/spring-thing below the seat instead of a long seat tube connecting it to the lower frame. There's a gap, and it's making it a challenge it get a rear rack and panniers. smirk

My buddy Carolina Chris did this to his bike and I think I'm going to try to emulate him. Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfBhj0Gse2s
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#281768 - 08/20/16 01:00 PM Re: Bicycles for transportation [Re: bacpacjac]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
I want a classic touring frame (Surly LHT) with fat tires (38mm). Feed the rider well and go forever.....
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#281769 - 08/20/16 02:10 PM Re: Bicycles for transportation [Re: hikermor]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
38mm tires are not fat. I don't even consider the Serfas Drifter fat at 2", for my bike 2" is just right. I have 1.5" Slickasaurus on it now and imo those are thin, not skinny, just thin. Fat is something like the Vittoria Bomboloni wink
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#281771 - 08/20/16 03:02 PM Re: Bicycles for transportation [Re: Russ]
Teslinhiker Offline
Veteran

Registered: 12/14/09
Posts: 1418
Loc: Nothern Ontario
Originally Posted By: Russ
38mm tires are not fat. I don't even consider the Serfas Drifter fat at 2", for my bike 2" is just right. I have 1.5" Slickasaurus on it now and imo those are thin, not skinny, just thin. Fat is something like the Vittoria Bomboloni wink


For a road touring bike such as a Surly road touring bike, 38mm tires are fat.

On the other hand, I find 2" tires on my mountain bike as too fat and 1.5" as too thin. For my bike, I went in the middle and run 1.75" tires both front and back. The back rim is a custom built 40 spoke rim at a local bike shop about 10 years ago after breaking a few spokes in the original Mavic rim. Since then, zero broken spokes.
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Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.

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#281772 - 08/20/16 03:19 PM Re: Bicycles for transportation [Re: TeacherRO]
Tjin Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/08/02
Posts: 1821
Originally Posted By: TeacherRO
A bike can increase your distance, carrying capacity -- and is a good workout. What do you look for in a nice cargo bike?

TRO


Depends on how you plan to use it. I have a Dutch cargo bike as a everyday bike I use to commute to work with, buy groceries with and pretty much go anywhere in my city. It's heavy, simple and is low in maintenance.

On the other hand, I got 3 more bikes I used for differrent things...
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#281774 - 08/20/16 05:25 PM Re: Bicycles for transportation [Re: Teslinhiker]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
True, my bike's fork and frame were designed for 2+" tires, it came with 2" knobbies and I rode it with 2" slicks when I had it on the bike paths, potholes and cobblestone streets of Alexandria, VA (Washington DC area). I replaced the 2" slicks with the 1.5" tires because I expected them to be faster -- not really. I'm going back to comfort on broken streets; the Serfas Drifter is high on my list.

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#281786 - 08/22/16 10:23 PM Re: Bicycles for transportation [Re: TeacherRO]
Mark_R Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 05/29/10
Posts: 863
Loc: Southern California
I'm assuming you don't mean a dedicated freight or industrial bike with it's oversized cargo platforms nearly 400 lb cargo capability
So, what I would look for in a dependable cargo/commuter bike:
Either a dedicated touring frame or mountain bike frame. Something designed to take a pounding.
Gears, a wide range of gears with the lowest in the neighborhood of 20 inches
A handlebar with multiple riding positions. Either a MTB bar with multiple position bar ends, or a conventional road/touring drop bars.
Medium wide comfortable tires. I was partial to commuter or centerrridge AT tires. I used to commute on high pressure slicks and went to slightly wider tire at a lower pressure. I did loose a fair amount of speed, but I didn't slide as bad in the rain and my <ahem> no longer felt like a maraca
Panniers and a rack in back and a basket in front for stuff you want to keep and eye on. Be careful about loading the rear rack too high or you may find yourself unable to shift off the back of the seat during a hard stop.
Fenders. The worst part about riding in the rain is the water thrown up by the tires.
Chain or chain ring guard to keep your pant cuff and shoelaces safe.
Pedals that can handle street shoes as well as cleats(if you use them)
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#281804 - 08/23/16 08:04 PM Re: Bicycles for transportation [Re: TeacherRO]
Jesselp Offline
What's Next?
Enthusiast

Registered: 07/19/07
Posts: 266
Loc: New York
I recently purchased a "fat bike." Think 4-inch tires.

It may be the most versatile bike I've ever owned. Pump up the tires hard and I happily commute to work on it. Let some air out and I ride local Singletrack dirt trails with ease. Let more air out and I can ride on the beach or snow.

Can I ride it as fast on pavement as my road bike? No.
Am I as nimble on trails as on my full-suspension mountain bike? No.
Can I ride terrain I would never attempt on any of my other bikes? You bet.

And it cost between 1/4 and 1/6 of what my high-end mountain and road bikes cost!

(I'd post a photo of the bike if I knew how. Anyone know how to get a photo off of an iPad and directly onto the forum?)


Edited by Jesselp (08/23/16 08:13 PM)

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#281805 - 08/23/16 08:46 PM Re: Bicycles for transportation [Re: Jesselp]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
I've never tried it, but taking the image through iCloud Photo Sharing may work. Dunno, I never use the cloud.

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