My Commuter Bike: 2007 Raleigh One-Way

I've started commuting to work by bike. This isn't my first stint as a bicycle commuter -- I used to regularly commute 20 miles each way when I lived in Seattle -- but it is my first foray into commuting in Appleton. What' kept me from doing it so far has been weather, and lack of safe roads. Plus the length is that strange, tweener length that isn't long enough to justify special bicycle clothing, but is too long to do with platform pedals. You know what I mean? Oh, and there's no shower at work. So on days like today when it's already 85 degrees and 90 percent humidity at 8:30 a.m., such weather can be a real motivator to hop in the car. Nonetheless, I am committed to commuting now, if for no other reason than it's about the only consistent riding I'll be getting for some time now that little O & P are here.

Here's my bike:

One-Way. And I got all artsy with the photo.

It's basically a stock 2007 Raleigh One-Way, which I bought new when I lived in Bellingham, WA and was working at Fanatik Bike Co. Stock that is, except for the old-school 105 crankset, a longer (for this 52cm frame) 110mm stem, and rear rack. Living in hilly B-hams, I swapped the original cranks for a set with a 104mm bolt circle diameter so I could run a 32-tooth chain ring. Don't ask me why I didn't just put a larger freewheel on the back. I had the crankset laying around, and actually, I liked the way it looked. But somewhere along the way, I lost the original crankset. So when I wanted to go to a 42-tooth chain ring because there are no hills in Wisconsin, I dug up this old 105 set. It's cool, right?

I like this bike because put simply, or as professional football player may put it, "it is what it is." This, I believe, was the bike's first year in production, and it wasn't designed, like Raleigh's newer One-Ways, to be all retro-looking, or all made-by-a-custom-frame-builder-in-Portland-looking. It's just a simple 4130 Cro-Mo bike with simple graphics, sensible geometry, and a very useful set of fenders (yes, they came with the bike).

The pannier is a Tecco Too, by Detours, which I purchased at Chain Reaction Cyclery, here in Appleton. It's a great grocery-getter, as hidden away under that zipper are two back pack straps. It easily fits my lap-top, street shoes and a set of clothes to change into when I get to work. It's especially nice that the back pack straps are always there as part of the bag, as opposed to an add-on accessory.

The Tecco Too doesn't make the most comfy back pack, due to the hard, square edges on the bottom -- you wouldn't want to go for a hike with it -- but it definitely does the trick for quick off-the-bike jaunts from the bike rack/storage are to the store/your office/shop/what-have-you. I was a bit worried that there is no anchor point to attach the bottom of the bag to the rack, but it really doesn't make a difference. Gravity works just fine here and the bag is much more stable than I thought it would be.

Hey, this thing gets me to work and back. I dig it.

Again, all artsy and whatnot.