I spent 15 years commuting by bike to jobs here in the Providence area. The longest commute that I ever had was about 16 miles round trip. I realized when that commute started that the single speed with just a backpack was not the ideal choice for the ride. I needed something with some gears and a rack. In 2011, I built the ultimate commuter for myself which doubles as my light tourer as well. Although my commute nowadays is just steps away, I use the thousands of miles I logged as a commuter when designing bikes for the same application. Daren’s commute is formidable by my standards at 34 miles round trip. He knew what he was comfortable on and I was able to use that information as well when positioning him on the bike.
Some of the typical equipment on a commuter bike is a rack, fenders, and integrated lighting. The fillet brazed rear rack is the only means of carrying luggage on this bike. The front Edelux light with the fender mounted Busch & Müller Seculite Plus in the rear is a great combination to both see and be seen. The wires are hidden in the fenders for a clean look. Daren supplied the classic Dura Ace components which make this one of the fanciest commuters I’ve ever built. The frameset features a set of recently discontinued Pacenti lugs that were heavily carved into a shape that was my take on a design originally done by Peter Weigle. The curvature and crisp lines of the lugs come through clearly with the blue metallic paint. One of the unique characteristics of this bike is the bottom bracket carving. What might look like an odd shaped blob is something that is easily recognizable to Rhode Islanders as Block Island. Daren has a special place in his heart for the island and wanted it incorporated into the bike somehow. It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been as well and as a Rhode Islander couldn’t deny him that request.
See the full slideshow of pictures.
Daren’s commuter
November 6, 2014
I spent 15 years commuting by bike to jobs here in the Providence area. The longest commute that I ever had was about 16 miles round trip. I realized when that commute started that the single speed with just a backpack was not the ideal choice for the ride. I needed something with some gears and a rack. In 2011, I built the ultimate commuter for myself which doubles as my light tourer as well. Although my commute nowadays is just steps away, I use the thousands of miles I logged as a commuter when designing bikes for the same application. Daren’s commute is formidable by my standards at 34 miles round trip. He knew what he was comfortable on and I was able to use that information as well when positioning him on the bike.
Some of the typical equipment on a commuter bike is a rack, fenders, and integrated lighting. The fillet brazed rear rack is the only means of carrying luggage on this bike. The front Edelux light with the fender mounted Busch & Müller Seculite Plus in the rear is a great combination to both see and be seen. The wires are hidden in the fenders for a clean look. Daren supplied the classic Dura Ace components which make this one of the fanciest commuters I’ve ever built. The frameset features a set of recently discontinued Pacenti lugs that were heavily carved into a shape that was my take on a design originally done by Peter Weigle. The curvature and crisp lines of the lugs come through clearly with the blue metallic paint. One of the unique characteristics of this bike is the bottom bracket carving. What might look like an odd shaped blob is something that is easily recognizable to Rhode Islanders as Block Island. Daren has a special place in his heart for the island and wanted it incorporated into the bike somehow. It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been as well and as a Rhode Islander couldn’t deny him that request.