Hi!
I'm new to biking and and I'm trying to save money by
spending it on a bike to commute
The problem is, I'm mega poor rn, I have seriously no money to spend on a new expensive commuter or road bike. I spent 40 dollars on ubers for 2 days because the metro/busses don't go to my new job (which I was doing before)
I found a good priced beach bike that I was planning on getting but after more research everything kept saying I'd have a hard time if it was "rough terrain"
Google says it'll take me 49 min to get where I'm trying to go.
I haven't ridden a bike since I was a a little younger, but when I did, I'd ride for hours. I was never allowed to go anywhere except the same street lol so idk if this counts as anything
Tldr; can I use a beach bike for this commute? This is what Google maps says the terrain is like elevation wise (idk dude..I've never been on a street) and l'm just nervous l'm wasting money
by bunnysplo0t
12 Comments
Those hills will be kinda difficult on that bike. Not impossible but not fun.
What price are you looking at for that beach cruiser? I’d suggest something more upright. You don’t necessary need one with gears but at around 9 miles you won’t love the cruiser.
Most things are doable with enough determination. Would I, personally, do that trip on a single speed beach cruiser? No. Try to find something on the second hand market that has some gears to make it easier to get up hills.
Can you do a hybrid bus/bike commute? If you could cut most of that ride out by taking a bus and then riding the final distance it’s going to be much more doable.
If all else fails, then yes – you can do a 9 mile commute on a beach bike. Unless you have physical limitations, if you’re in reasonable health this commute is possible. And on the plus side, if you buy a very inexpensive beach bike, if you decide you want a different bike in the future, you’ll probably be able to re-sell it for pretty much what you paid for it, so you’re not risking much by trying it.
Some tips:
– If you haven’t biked since a kid, expect it to be different. It’s likely to be harder than you remember, especially if you’re under time pressure and feel stressed. Give yourself some grace. That first month or so will be a big learning curve and after that, you’ll be amazed how much it gets easier.
– Along those lines, don’t leave your house exactly 49 minutes before your job starts the first day. Start practicing on your bike the day you get it and build up to longer distances if you can. Ride the route to work as a practice. When you do bike commute your first day, leave yourself plenty of extra time, like 30-40 minutes more than estimated. That will give you time to take a break or go slowly if you need it, time to figure out where to lock your bike, time to clean up a little before work starts.
– Budget for a good lock and helmet.
– That first month when you’re getting your bike legs back, take breaks. If a hill is too much, walk. You’re not getting an award for speed or anything, do what you need to be comfortable.
– Make sure the bike’s in good working order – tires not worn or rotted, tires inflated to the right pressure, breaks working.
You got this!
Coaster brakes are annoying and beach bikes are heavy and have a weird turning radius. There are usually older but very functional hybrid/road bikes out there on Craigslist or FB marketplace. I’d look for a little bit longer.
It can be done but I wouldn’t want to commute with a beach bike.You said you spent $40 on Ubers so maybe you could scrape up $80 for a better bike? I just did a quick search in my area I found this old mountain bike for $72 that would be much better. You should be able to find something similar.
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/bik/d/savage-trek/7867969957.html
Can you? Yes of course, but don’t trust time estimates from route planners like google. They use averages and you’re more than likely going to be slower possibly by a factor up to 50% until you build endurance, get used to your route, etc.
With that said I personally see 80s, 90s and early 2000s road bikes on marketplace all the time for $100 cdn or less. I would work towards getting one of these and learn to do your own maintenance over time.
In the meantime I wish you luck!
Something like [This](https://retrospec.com/collections/city-bikes/products/beaumont-7-speed-step-through-city-bike) would be far better because it has hand brakes and gears, but fits the styling you’re going for. You’ll have to really crank uphills on a single speed and I’d argue that hand brakes are a must for a commuter.
If you haven’t bought the beach bike, I’d recommend you get a hybrid commuter bike instead. You can find some cheap ones for sale on FB Marketplace. It’ll make the ride easier and more manageable. Beach bikes aren’t really good commute bicycles, they’re mostly recreational as they’re very heavy and not as nimble as a commuter or road bike. I would also invest in a rear rack and some good panniers! Also, look into a multi-modal commute, I usually bike to the bus stop/train station, and then get off to the closest stop and ride the rest of the way to work. Most buses and trains allow bikes and a commuter bike will also be easier to get on a bus bike rack or train hook than a beach bike.
can you do it? yes. will you get tired of it by the 3rd day? yes.
Beach cruiser bikes are slow and not good for hills (might take quite a bit longer and be hard). You’d be much better off with an old used hybrid or hardtail mountain bike that has some gears to make the hills easier. You can probably get yourself set up well for about $200. If the route is paved, smoother tires will make it a bit easier; but you can make it on knobby mountain bike tires.
What is your budget? Old mountain and hybrid bikes make great commuter bikes if gears are needed. I like these over old road bikes as there is more clearance for fenders if you plan on riding on the rain. I commuted for 10 years on three bikes in the city fix, single speed, and an old road bikes and average a total of 40 miles a day which is not a lot as I would travel to school, work next, gym at night after work and home. I found like many the less parts on a bike the better for many reasons. I always found myself riding the old road bike at the end of the week due to the gears making my ride more enjoyable as I was already getting wore out at the end of the work week. Single gear bikes are nice but the secret is to get the gear ratio that works best for you.