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Is buying a bike for 30km (each way) commute to work with a backpack (laptop/books/lunch) a good idea?

More importantly, how long should it take each way even in peak traffic?

And, how is biking to office a healthy proposition? Sitting in exhaust fumes for so long will single handedly wipe out all the other pros it may have to offer?

30km on bicycle is no easy task. I suggest you check with Murali on this issue. Regarding the smoke etc - you speak with the BLR BikesZone boys on this! but its deifnitely an issue.

Personally, I've never commuted but while going from point A to B, because you never stop on the cycle, the smoke doesn't get to you as it can, while in a jam! Because you can just lift n walk!

The 5.2 is a pretty good bike, if you're looking for an MTB. Ask Sharath/Sriram to help you out with bike-fit etc when there.

My first cycle was a Hero half-cycle, and later graduate dto Atlas full cycle and then to Hero Jet, during my 10th std. I was some how, more drawn todays the big green cycles than the sleek looking new cycles, so while my brother got a Hercules top gear with 5 gears, i was happy riding my Hero Jet.

Last year, I had the itch to get on a cycle again, and settled on a Firefox Fusion. it cost me around 8K, IIRC, and it is light weight and fun to pedel.

I do come to office on cycle once in a while, but mostly, I use it in the evenings. the most I have done on a single day is about 30 km, and the max speed I have done is 55km/h.

Btwin has a wide range, starting from 10k(for basic 5.x Bikes) to about 50k ( for Btwin rockrider 8).
I have been riding a Rockrider 6.3 for the last few Months. It comes with SRAM 27 speeder, Shock absorbers in Front & Back with Twin disc brakes. Paid around 25k for the Bike.

Btwin is Brand owned By Decathelon, thereby making it easier for servicing it you live in a place like Bangalore.

Am looking for a bicycle to commute a distance of about 4-5 Km. a day and about 10-12 Km. on occasion. Trouble is, my budget is about 3-4K and I want a sturdy, good looking bike.
If possible, do specify if the bike will be available in Ahmedabad, as that is where I will be going to study, and it will make things a lot easier if I don't have to tug it along from Bombay.
Too bad Mahindra doesn't make bicycles. I'm missing my xylo already:mad:

TIA

If you up that to about 8k, the Hercules ACT Ryder 105 is decent. Else you may be able to pick up a Fomas/Lumala - may need a trifle more DIY work but decent options.

Alternatively, a Mach roadbike (also available with straight handlebars) will be around 4.5k for the geared version - should do fine for the kind of distances you mention.

30kms each way is bit much, tho some do it! A nice way to do it may be to ride one way, take the bus, take the bus again, and ride back.

How long ? Usually similar to your quicker motorbike trips, sometimes faster, if there's city traffic. By and large, should be about 30-50% quicker than in a car. Arterial roads, highways are obviously different, tho one light and you're even.

Fumes : you rarely travel with traffic - you're either ahead of, or behind them, mostly. Plus you get much fitter much more quickly, and pollution just matters lesser. In any case, the ambient air quality inside a car has been proven to be worse than in the surrounding traffic.

Riding 30 km to office may not be a great idea in the Summer. The rest of the time, this is not too great a distance, and if the traffic is similar to the bumper to bumper traffic that we have in our metros, you will save time riding your bicycle. My 12 km commute to office by car takes me 45 min to 1 hour (more on the really bad days). On a bicycle, this route takes just over 35 minutes. Though, I don't ride to office because of parking space for my bicycle. The car can be left on the street, not the bicycle.

Driving an air conditioned car does keep you protected from the raw fumes. A motorcycle is much the same as a bicycle, but then you are just sitting there, not working out as on a bicycle. While it is debatable, I believe cycling will still benefit you.

Still, I should add here that I ride a bicycle almost entirely for recreation and exercise and not to commute.

Cycling for 30km is fine but not to work since you're almost certain to be sweaty and tired when you get there. Plus, make other arrangements for rainy days too. I cycle about 20km everyday but its purely recreational and I just go in one big circle through roads that are more or less empty.

I am going to buy a bsa mach 1 with straight handle bars, anything to keep in mind while taking it from the shop?
any other alternatives in that price range?

Wow. Never knew a bicycles thread existed here. I'm planning to mod my bicycle too. It's nothing fancy, just a plain old Razorback. I'm planning on a custom paint job, adding disk brakes, and changing all the functional parts. And a few more performance mods, if that's an option. Plan to be executed by the mid of 2011. :)

Hi ,
It cost me around 20k . I shall add the pics and the review soon when i am done with exams . Its a pretty good 'everyday' bicycle . :)

Some Bikes I saw in a store here. One of them is a 7K$. The last one, the grey one, comes with a tag of 6K$ change.

Hi Friends,
I too plan to join the Bicycle gang.
Earlier had a Hero Devil in Red Lazer paint. That was about 6 years ago. It was stolen from my building and then didn't get the chance to buy one.

Now I plan to get a new one for me and need your suggestions for it.
My budget is around Rs. 8000/-
What good bikes are available in this price range.

I had a look at Hero cycles website and found the Octane Recra and Spear models very attractive. What would be their costs?
Thanks in advance.