I don’t think I have ever met anyone that said they didn’t like their bike. It is something that is personal and people tend to really like their setup and almost have a connection to the type of bike and equipment they use. If you spend enough time on your bike I think you get used to what you have and assume that it is the best set up for you. I am the same way but I am trying to be open to trying something new when it is time for me to get a new bike.
Here is what I have been riding for the past 5 years.
As you can see, it is a flat bar as compared to a drop down handlebar. This makes me set a little more upright which think helps me see what is going on a little better. When I ride traditional road bikes I tend to bend over enough that I am not really looking at traffic or the scenery. Flat bar bikes are also a lot cheaper when you want disc brakes. I think disc brakes are necessary for a Seattle commuter and I will never go back to rim brakes. This is an aluminum bike which has worked really well for me on a commuter. I am a little afraid of getting a carbon bike for the amount of abuse I put my daily driver though.
I only have 22 gears on this with 11 on the back wheel and 2 gears on the crank. I am not a racer and I don’t like hills so I don’t think I need to have the 3 sprockets that pretty common now. I do live at the top of a hill but I can get up it just fine on shallow climbs so I don’t need the super low gears for steep climbs. I avoid steep hills.
I do not have a place to park my bikes indoors so I have created this hook setup behind my townhouse to hang up 6 bikes. Right now, my kids have left the nest so I am really the only one that rides regularly so I just lean them up against each other. I have my bike on the outside, my wife’s bike, and then my backup old steel bike. I have a really heavy chain that I attach each bike to with a U-lock. I have 5 different sized u locks and have created a color system with 5 different colors of electrical tape. My regular U lock is blue so I have wrapped blue tape around the lock and all my keys.
I use a trunk almost all the time when I am riding. I hate carrying backpacks when biking because it makes my back so sweaty. My trunk slides into the rack and it is really easy to take it off when I get on light rail so I can hang up my bike or put the bike on the front of bus. Some panniers can be a little more complicated to easily take off and I have gotten use to the convenience of my slider Topeak. It does have panniers on both sides that come down when un zipped. I use these to pick up stuff at the produce stand or grocery store on my way home. I can also use them to hold more stuff if I want to take a multiday touring trip. I have attached my bike lock keys to the top of the bag with retractable badge holders. I use 2 just to be safe. The strings are long enough that I don’t have to remove them from the bike bag to lock up. In this picture you can also see my leather brooks saddle. It is a lot of money but I really love it. My wife bought it for me for xmas one year and I used it for quite a while before I really understood what a difference it made. Whenever I have to use my backup bike and a traditional seat, my butt hurts! They say the Brooks leather seat eventually conforms to your butt somehow. I am so used to it that it is one of things I never want to give up.
In my bike bag I keep a ziplock full of basic bike tools and chain oil. I also have another ziplock with sunscreen, extra daily contact lens, and a first aid kit. I also have sunglasses and an extra tube. I have stopped carrying a bike pump because I never use it. I always carry a bus pass and would prefer to bus or train home and have the bike shop change it. I do know how to change a tire but I have really difficult tires to get off my rims and I would prefer to let the pros do it. I also carry my wallet and phone in the bike bag which helps during any breakdowns.
This is my bike light. The rear looks similar to this but red. I have purchased a LOT of these on Amazon for $16 for a pair. I have tried many different lights but I like these because they are easy to take on and off, easy to charge, and fit on any bike using the rubber straps. They are also cheap so I can deal with them being stolen or lost by my adult kids or their friends. The younger generation that comes to visit me often forget their lights so I always have an extra pair around charged and won’t let them leave in the dark without them.
My bike has about 15,000 miles on it and is still going strong. It isn’t pretty. I don’t clean it but I do keep it maintained. It has so many hours on it that at some point I will need to replace it. But I will probably get something really similar. It need to keep an open mind and try out different things but I’m not sure what I really need to improve. I like my bike.