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[quote=Anonymous]DH here.  I have commuted by bike since 1995. The bike I am currently using I bought around 1998. I bought it at a bike swap meet for ~$100. My commute is 8 miles each way so 16 miles a day. According to the computer on the bike my average speed is around 19 mph.

For a commuter bike my old clunker is just fine. Its plenty fast and has been perfectly reliably. I would not spend any money on a fancy bike until after you have commuted by bike for a few years. Its not for everyone and if you decide to commute by bus rather than bike, you have an expensive paper weight.

2k is not a big budget for getting set up for biking to work. Especially if you plan on riding year round. Clothes ~$500 (more if you spend extra on a nice jacket and gloves), shoes $100 lights $200, good bike tires $100. General bike repairs and maintence if you do it yourself $200 per year, sometimes more.

Upsides of riding a clunker, its heavier than a new bike so more effort per mile so better workout, if it gets stolen knocked down or I fall not a big deal if it gets scratched / lost.

I'd put the bulk of the budget into clothes because that has the biggest bearing on comfort while riding and will ensure he doesn't give up on commuting by bike.  Then save for two years toward a nice bike.
 
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