Swim Bike Run
Slowtwitch.com
  • Login >
Slowtwitch.com
Search menu
Hot Forum Topics

Poll

Best Recent Tech for Tri
What is the most beneficial recent bike tech used in tri bikes
View Results


Home > Forum > Triathlon Forum > Can I use my track bike as my commuter?

Triathlon Forum

Back To ForumPrint Thread

Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

Tri
Classifieds
Lavender
Jobs
Notices
Can I use my track bike as my commuter?
Quote | Reply
blueQuintana
Feb 12, 16 14:05
Post #1 of 14 (1448 views)
I need a new bike. Well, actually, I need two new bikes. A commuter to get to and from work (20min each way) plus a track bike (i just experienced the velodrome and fell in love with it). I'm not made of money and so i'd like to save by investing in just one bike and using it for both. Does anyone do this?

I would imagine the negatives are:

-switching pedals and wheels all of the time
-having to invest in a separate set of wheels so it's easy to switch back and forth
-having to wash the bike each time so as to not bring dirt in the velodrome
-anything else?

My budget is under $1k.

BQ
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [blueQuintana] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Chri55
Feb 12, 16 14:09
Post #2 of 14 (1441 views)
Brakes?
Kind of handy when riding in traffic.
A false humanity is used to impose its opposite, by people whose cruelty is equalled only by their arrogance
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [Chri55] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
blueQuintana
Feb 12, 16 14:47
Post #3 of 14 (1408 views)
Good point, but wouldn't that be solved by adding breaks? Obviously breaks are unnecessary on the track but aside from a bit of extra weight and loss of aerodynamics, it probably wouldn't make a difference.
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [blueQuintana] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
ironclm
Feb 12, 16 14:52
Post #4 of 14 (1403 views)
Rent at the track until you can afford a track-specific bike.
clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [blueQuintana] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
cartsman
Feb 12, 16 15:14
Post #5 of 14 (1388 views)
For a 20 minute commute just buy a cheap secondhand bike for less than $200, singlespeed would be best as not much to go wrong, but over that distance a hybrid or MTB will do the job just fine. Spend the rest on a track bike (or rent one).
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [blueQuintana] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
skot123
Feb 12, 16 15:59
Post #6 of 14 (1363 views)
If your track bike is drilled for brakes you can remove them when on the track. (I see that happen all the time)

Depending on how competitive you want to be you might also need to change your chainring (some velodromes have restrictions based on your category).

If your velodrome has steep walls, then your track bike may need to have a higher bottom bracket (to avoid pedal strike in the turns)... so make sure that your bike is appropriate.
I do the same thing as them, just slower
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [blueQuintana] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
android
Feb 12, 16 16:05
Post #7 of 14 (1357 views)
blueQuintana wrote:
Good point, but wouldn't that be solved by adding breaks? Obviously breaks are unnecessary on the track but aside from a bit of extra weight and loss of aerodynamics, it probably wouldn't make a difference.

They absolutely will not let you ride with brakes on the track, so you would be taking them on and off all the time or riding the streets without which even though portrayed in hip bike messengers movies as "really cool" is actually exceedingly stupid.
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [android] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
blueQuintana
Feb 12, 16 16:07
Post #8 of 14 (1355 views)
"which even though portrayed in hip bike messengers movies as "really cool" is actually exceedingly stupid. "

LOL, agreed!
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [blueQuintana] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Titanflexr
Feb 12, 16 22:27
Post #9 of 14 (1274 views)
You can get a solid single speed commuter with a flip flop hub for ~$300 new (check out bikesdirect.com), and for half that on Craigslist. Then get a dedicated track bike.
ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [blueQuintana] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
KEAU
Feb 13, 16 0:49
Post #10 of 14 (1244 views)
Your best bet is a Specialized Langster. Can be had for under $700 new, comes with brakes and a flip flop, decent track geometry.
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [blueQuintana] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
JeffBrown
Feb 13, 16 14:23
Post #11 of 14 (1138 views)
yah, I would try and just get a cheap bike to use as your commuter, cause you would have to do a lot of changes every day on a track bike to make it commuter safe.
Jeff Brown - Georgia
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [blueQuintana] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Alaric83
Feb 13, 16 15:40
Post #12 of 14 (1094 views)
Just get two bikes. My single speed commuter and my track bike cost less than 1k combined.

Putting brakes on and off would get old really quick.

---------------------------------------------------------
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. ~Gandalf
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [blueQuintana] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
TriguyBlue
Feb 13, 16 15:56
Post #13 of 14 (1079 views)
You can buy a bike for $20 at garage sales, perfect for commutes or going down the shops, no need to worry about it being stolen.
Quote Reply
Re: Can I use my track bike as my commuter? [blueQuintana] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
A vdLinden
Feb 13, 16 16:27
Post #14 of 14 (1053 views)
I commute on my Felt TK1, but it has become a dedicated commuter and doesn't see the track anymore. I think taking breaks and break lever off every time would be a pain. Same wheels could be used if you put a track hub onto a rim with a breaking surface. If you are going to use the same bike for both look into the Miche cog system because then you aren't going to want the same gear ratio for both. The Miche system allows you just to remove the lock ring then snap the new cog onto the holder rather then having to screw the cogs on.
Quote Reply
Back To ForumPrint Thread

Our Partners

transition-DOT-area-AT-slowtwitch-DOT-com

Advertise with us

©1999-2024 Slowtwitch, Inc., and Slowtwitch.com
Reproduction of material from any Slowtwitch.com page
without written permission is strictly prohibited.