Advice re bikes, lights and panniers

[Netti]

Hi all,

I've learnt a lot from this forum already so thank you.

I'm a seasoned rider, used to commute 18 years ago BC, then with the kids to school and once they hit adolescence, it all stopped due to their work/sport commitments. But they're both driving now and I've been able to commute again this year.

I've been riding my hardtail mtb with a backpack for the past 6 months, I'm ready now for a commuter specific bike with panniers.

I live in Townsville, so heat rather than cold is an issue, I commute around 200kms/ week.

So I'm looking at a Bianchi Camaleonte C2 hybrid. I have a Bianchi Infinito roadie, just love them. I'm interested in panniers and racks, any tips would be greatly appreciated. Also info on rear lights, I'm continuing to use my Ayups on the front.

Thank you in advance. I love the commuter riding world!

[rooftop]

I use PDW Radbot 1000 rear lights - I like that they have built in reflectors and come with rear rack mounts. I run them off rechargeable AAA's.

My panniers are from http://industrialsewingworkshop.com/pro ... -commuter/. They can be a bit fiddly to get setup, but once done they are rock solid and easy to mount/dismount.

[P!N20]

If price is no obstacle, Ortlieb make the best panniers. They also come up second hand occasionally for a lot less than new.

Tubus make the best racks, but there are plenty of other options - Topeak and Soma come to mind.

You'll need to work out if you want front, rear or both. Front is good because it balances out your body weight on the back, but often don't have as much capacity (if that's a problem.) Rear is the opposite - large capacity but can play havoc with your handling - heavy rear, light front.

FWIW I commute with one rear pannier when it's wet and barely notice it's there...until I try to sneak through a gap and hear it rubbing along the side of the obstacle. Oops!

[Thoglette]

I'm interested in panniers and racks, any tips would be greatly appreciated.

First tick - the bike has eyelets. You'll need a rack with clearance for the disc. I'm a fanboy of the Topeak Super Tourist DX for a number of reasons: the rail system is great (I have a ghetto laptop bag set up for that) and the second set of rails make using panniers and the rail much easier.

Pannier - the question is: water resistant or water proof? I've been happily using Deuter UNI bags for many years (cheaply available second hand) as I'm only commuting and the occasional bit of water (it collects in the bottom of the rain cover) is no biggie. If I was touring, the water proof nature of "proper" brands would appeal much more.

Also info on rear lights, I'm continuing to use my Ayups on the front.

Something that throws a broad loom, both sideways and onto the road.

I've got a middling rechargable "bar" from Anaconda and (before I broke it) a PDW AA powered unit. Both worked fine.

The big thing with lights is to follow the Audax rules: have two independent sets. Batteries do go flat and lights stop working once you drop them often enough. I tend to have one bolt-on set on rechargable batteries and the other (quick release) set is USB powered.

Finally, I like proper mudguards. They keep me, my luggage and the bike much cleaner. Especially after the rain when there's puddles of crap everywhere.

[Netti]

Thank you all, that's great advice. I very much agree with the 2 independent rear lights, I live on acreage and about 6kms of my ride is narrow road and no street lighting so I really rely on lights for visibility. I'm thinking rear panniers as I'm needing to carry a bit more weight however I was concerned about how that will make the bike handle. The chain stay length on the Bianchi is 440mm and I've read that's adequate to ensure I'm not hitting my heels on the panniers. Truly loving commuting again, I get cranky if I have to drive! Thank you all, happy commuting!

[DavidS]

Another vote for Ortleib panniers here, they are great. I've had mine for a few years, just busted a buckle, but apart from that the panniers are like new.

Also another vote for full mudguards. They are essential. I also have a mudflap on the front and it also helps.

Make sure you get a rack that easily fits the pannier. I have 2 bikes with different racks and one fits the pannier mount much better than the other, try a pannier of your choice on the proposed rack.

DS

[zebee]

Consider dynamo lights. I have hub dynamos on 2 bikes and a spoke dynamo (Sunup Eco MaxiDyn) on the trike until it went electric.

You can get decent front lights for them, mostly GErman which means unlike the usual high power bike lights they play nicely in traffic instead of blinding all and sundry. What i like about dynamos is they are set and forget. No need to worry about remembering to recharge, and no need to remove them from the bike if parked.

I have a set of rear flashers on both dynamo bikes as well, and a front flasher on the Brompton as the B light is very low and a bit hidden by the front bag.

Defnitely get mudguards. Also don't skimp on tools and side-of-road fixit gear. Weight weenies may think a couple of CO2 in a pocket and a tiny multi tool are enough, but your regular commuter is going to be happy they had a tube and patches and a decent pump and nice to manage tools to get the 3rd puncture fixed and being able to tighten the rack and adjust the disk brakes because you forgot to last night...

[Wollemi]

Weight weenies may think a couple of CO2 in a pocket and a tiny multi tool are enough, but your regular commuter is going to be happy they had a tube and patches and a decent pump and nice to manage tools to get the 3rd puncture fixed and being able to tighten the rack and adjust the disk brakes because you forgot to last night...

MTB'd Penrith to Wentworth Falls on trails alone earlier this week.
The entire left gear-shifter fell off en-route in the middle of nowhere. Was confusing to see how it was held on, then fiddly and time-consuming to fit. I had a spare bolt with me... but it was a series of slow one-quarter turns or less, to fit. This was because the allen keys are all bent at 90 degrees, making them very stubby indeed at 15mm or less.
If I had a normal, longer, allen key it would have taken 10 seconds and not a difficult 10 minutes.

Unrelated; I cycled away and downhill - and found that the front brake did not work, until I had pumped the brake several times. Having worked on the bike upside-down, I guess the hydraulic fluid drained away from the rotor area back towards the handlebars.

https://www.blackburndesign.com/p/trade ... ulti-tool/

[BritniPepper]

The entire left gear-shifter fell off en-route in the middle of nowhere. Was confusing to see how it was held on, then fiddly and time-consuming to fit. I had a spare bolt with me... but it was a series of slow one-quarter turns or less, to fit. This was because the allen keys are all bent at 90 degrees, making them very stubby indeed at 15mm or less.

If I had a normal, longer, allen key it would have taken 10 seconds and not a difficult 10 minutes.

I have a bunch of allen keys that have the little quarter turn at one end but the other end is long and straight. I guess you don't have that sort otherwise you would kick yourself.

I have a Quadlock phone mount on my bars - for distracting myself during complex and dangerous riding, you know - and in an emergency, if my lights go out I can always face it forward and use the torch function to provide some illumination. Not so much for lighting up the road ahead but so that other road users can see me.

Now that winter is here in Melbourne, the day lengths are squeezing on me. I spend too long getting giggly with a girlfriend and I have to wobble home in the dark. First thing I do when I get home and I've had the lights on is to slide them off their mounts, put them into my handbag, and USB charge them. Otherwise if I think, "oh I'll do that in the morning" I won't have time in the morning and I'll head off again with lights that might not have quite as much charge as I want until I need them coming home.

Britni

[Mububban]

Thank you all, that's great advice. I very much agree with the 2 independent rear lights, I live on acreage and about 6kms of my ride is narrow road and no street lighting so I really rely on lights for visibility. I'm thinking rear panniers as I'm needing to carry a bit more weight however I was concerned about how that will make the bike handle. The chain stay length on the Bianchi is 440mm and I've read that's adequate to ensure I'm not hitting my heels on the panniers. Truly loving commuting again, I get cranky if I have to drive! Thank you all, happy commuting!

With your commute, what are you end of trip facilities like? Any chance of a locker to store clothes in?
Just wondering if you can load up a bunch of shirts, socks and jocks on Monday in the panniers, then ride largely empty and lightweight mid week, and bring stuff home on a Friday to wash on the weekend. Rather than carrying something back and forth every day?