Thread: After some opinions on first road bike

i commuted for many years into auckland from the country. i was big into sportsbikes so i never bought my bikes for commuting i bought the bike i wanted to ride & used it as transport too. everytime i hopped on i smiled & that made the ride to work enjoyable. if you truly just want a commuter bike get a smaller jap roadbike reliable, efficient & suited to the task. the wide bars will work against you in traffic yes they may be higher than most cars but what about suvs, vans & trucks & believe me the gaps can get tight lane splitting & you wont always be upright. i agree about the higher seating position helps you see over but you may not see the drivers head inside the car, most drivers telegraph their next move with their head & their lane positioning(indicators dont exist). you dont need speed in the akld traffic. you need wet weather protection, good brakes, good all weather commuting tyres & a decent headlight. it's more about how you set yourself & the bike up to deal with the reality of commuting in akld year round than what bike you choose. forget the noisy pipes etc. it doesnt warn drivers, they're oblivious. the gear is important from the good helmet(not because it'll save your head better but because it'll have a quality visor that is clearer & wont scratch as easy because after dark in winter rain in town & on the m/way looking through the cheap helmet visor ends up like looking through a kaleidoscope and also because they have better venting because when it's muggy & wet at slow lane splitting speed your cheap visor fogs up so you end up popping it open in frustration & now you got rain going in your face just so you can see. gear wise best value weather protection is a 1 piece rainsuit like a big set of overalls, textile waterproof gloves not leather & decent waterproof boots. thats not even getting into the body protection conversation. if you want some of that go with a waterproof textile jacket/pants combo with armour/padding in the knees, elbows & hips & a back protector. make sure it has vents as it gets muggy. you can spend $1500 to get set up. trust me i've done it. i only did it because i was into bikes & they were my main mode of transport but if i wasnt into bikes i'd use public transport every time in auckland. it's cheaper & less hassle & i actually dont enjoy public transport but it's the best way round akld. save some money spend it on your mrs or building your future together. safe riding all the best whatever you choose.