Gif of the year

Assuming no hills that's a nice short distance for a commute. Very practical year round.

You could get any kind of bike -- make the trip in 10 minutes hustling on a light road bike or in 15 minutes cruising on a mountain bike with knobby tires (not to endorse either of those).

So let's focus instead on what a commuter needs.

1. Lights so you can ride at night
2. Fenders so you can ride in the rain
3. Bags that mount on the bike to carry stuff
4. Tools to carry on the bike for minor repairs (optional if you don't mind walking)

Lights
I use a hub dynamo to power a LED headlight, tail light, and provide USB charging. It's always on, I'm super visible, it fills the road with light. See photos of LED lights here: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/headlights.asp

The downside is it's expensive to build a custom wheel with a generator hub, but once it's setup riding at night is no problem.

The next best setup is powerful LED headlights with big batteries. This isn't cheap and you have to charge them. They do work though.

Finally, there are cheap LEDs that give you some visibility at night but don't really help you see. These are tiny and cheap: http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Bike-Bl...dp/B000QSXMME/ . I carry a pair even on bikes that I don't plan to ride at night, just in case. Riding without lights is just too dangerous.

Fenders
They just work. Get them.

Bags
You should get an under seat bag and put tools, spare tubes, etc in it. Here's an example: http://www.amazon.com/Avenir-Bigmout...dp/B00165P4WC/

I think a handlebar bag is a necessity. You toss your keys, phone, snack, etc. in there and go. Here's one I like: http://www.amazon.com/Topeak-Compact...dp/B001T2U1FM/

I highly recommend a rear rack so you can mount other bags; bigger panniers. The alternative is a backpack or messenger bag, which works for some people. The best panniers I know of are here: http://www.arkel-od.com/ There's plenty of reasonable cheap stuff elsewhere.

Tools
Carry on the bike in the under seat bag: multi-tool, tire irons, CO2 cartridge + nozzle, spare tube. At home you'll need a foot pump to keep the tires inflated. This is something you do regularly (daily with skinny tires, less often but still regular with fat tires). Gas stations are not an option.

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Picking a bike. Depends on your tastes, experience, fitness. Buy locally and they'll often do free tuneups. Regular maintenance > expensive to start. Air in tires, lubricated drive train, everything adjusted and it will be good.

amplify did some research recently and came up with the Giant Escape 2 which I think is a great value at $500:



I think the Trek Portland is the perfect commuter bike but they recently stopped making those.

You can find a reasonable bike at any price from $50 to infinity so you need to make some choices to narrow things down. New or used. Road, hybrid, fitness, comfort, mountain? Then name a price.

think i just had a seizure...

so ya. house of cards? pretty good

Definitely one of the best songs off In Rainbows imo. I think I have it #2 behind "Reckoner."

My favorite on In Rainbows are "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" and "All I Need."

Weird Fishes is growing on me as one of my favorite Radiohead songs not on Kid A or OKC

I love "nude".
I think 1 3 5 7 9 are siiiiiiick while the evens are weaker

I hit play on track one and then switch to a different album once it stops playing, that's my In Rainbows review

Legendary

so ****ing good

The black guy in the collar shirt owns the gif

Need a gif of the girl freaking out over the thrown poster.

MAD kid / black guy "u mad?" version best combo jiff since Geddy Lee fist pump / old Habs fan peacing out

House of Cards confirmed good. Not great, but very solid. I've watched 5 episodes so far, it gets better after the first 2 eps which is strange since those were the ones Fincher directed. Spacey is just so perfect for the lead, and Robin Wright is great too. Kate Mara, shockingly, does a very nice job as well.

Music talk. New My Bloody Valentine. Omgomgomg

Cheap beer question: how is yuengling light compared to all the major players in the same price range (miller/bud/coors)? Have seen/heard stuff that's very hot and cold on it so not sure what to think.

Edit: talking about the lager, not premium

PBR light if you like your beer tasting like water