[Closed] Long commute, any tips?

How used to riding the bike are you? You might have got it set up wrong as you shouldn't be getting numb hands. Sore arse might just be because of not being used to the distance and on road bikes you are sat down much more. Make sure your saddle is level or slightly nose down to encourage you to use your sit bones rather than the fleshy bits.

As with any large amount of exercise - build up slowly. Keep at 2 days a week until it feels easy then add a day and wait until that feels "easy" before adding the fourth.

Don't treat your commutes as races, you'll just knacker yourself. Get a HRM and work out your HR zones and then stick in Zone 1 or Active Recovery. It will feel really slow at first but it encourages your body to work more efficiently so you will get quicker. It also places very little stress on your body so you won't be waking up in the mornings thinking "Oh no, I have to bike to work". My commute is 21km (13 miles) and I was trying to get PBs all the time. I ended up either doing one day a week and then feeling wiped out or not using the bike at all. Since starting using the HRM I'm back up to 4 days a week and feeling fine.

Make sure you have plenty of food in your desk drawer. I commute between 100 and 150 miles a week. That requires fuel if you don't want to feel wiped out all the time. I'm into malt loaf and dried apricots at the moment.

I think you might be right there. I'm not sure I'm pushing myself too hard and wiping out for the rest of the week. The journey in to work seems easy but I struggle to maintain any effort on the way home. Might be due to over doing the first part or not eating enough maybe

I also commute 100 - 150 miles a week.

My best tip would be to learn to pace yourself and slowly build up your speed and amount of times a week. Have a consistent speed the whole way, don't go for sections or put any big efforts in, once you build your self up you can start doing that and then your start to find ways of extending your commute.

Pace yourself - It's not a race, though I do find it nice to throw in 1 or 2 fast ones every week.

Carry as little as possible - I have suits, shoes and washing stuff at work and then once a week take in a new supply of shoes and undies. This means I carry very little in each day.

But if you must carry stuff - Panniers are nicer than a rucksack in my eyes.

Frame pump - Punctures will happen and a frame pump or much nicer to fix them than a mini-pump or even CO2.

Pic your tyres well - Related to the above, you need to work out where your tolerance for punctures is. Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres are dead feeling, slow and heavy but almost never puncture. Veloflex Masters are rapid but fragile. Pick somewhere between them, I value speed over protection, on towpaths I may change that.

Enjoy it - This is a big one for me, as soon as I find it a slog I either stop for a bit or do it on a different bike.

Oh, and taking a guess that your route is flat, I reckon fixed is perfect for towpath work and can be a perfect low maintenance commuter bike.

How are you transporting your stuff? A backpack with clothes, laptop, etc, can put a lot more weight on your sit bones, can definitely cause a sore arse! Look at your position on the bike as well, maybe think about a better saddle and padded bar tape.

Allow an extra 10 mins for ride in.. take it pretty easy on ride in.  Invest in some good comfortable padded bib shorts if you haven't already.

In a very similar boat to you but more used to it now, doing more commuting on my arkose (mainly road) 20 miles or more each way. All valid points so far. Pace yourself the whole way, ignore strava! Be organised with gear and food, and plan routes to mix it up a little so it's not too repetitive. I try and take as little as possible and ensure most of what I need is at work already (lucky to have a locker, showers and drying room), like shirts, toiletries, shoes and food. Think about what to eat when. More protein after rides to help recover, and carbs for lunch/dinner to help build you up again for the next ride. Have a stock of cereal or energy bars at home and at work and have one in your pocket on every ride, in case you feel you need it. Nothing worse than feeling low on energy/hungry and having a fair ride ahead. Take time to stretch after rides too. Also sounds like you need to tweak your bike set-up. Make small adjustments until it's right - Bar or lever angles (slight nugdes), comfy bar tape, cleat position if you have spds. Yes to frame pump, and maybe faster tyres that still have OK protection, speed and efficiency is important. Also if you're on the towpath then a bell if you don't have one already.

Build it up slowly and you'll manage more. I regularly ride 2 days or more there and back, as well as getting train in and ride home. So have gone from not much commuting to 100 miles or so a week and feel good.

As I was riding in (about a third of my normal commute is canal tow path) I had a think about tyres. As @lunge says, the Marathons while brilliant for puncture resistance are guaranteed to deaden the feel of any bike - the Marathon Plus weigh more than my MTB tyres! You don't say which Arkose you have but I'm pretty sure they can take quite wide tyres - my wife has a recent model and it will take 45c tyres no problem. I've WTB Riddlers (37c) and they handle tow paths fine and are decent rollers on the road. There's the WTB Nano as well.

As above - leave as much stuff as you can at work. I can leave a complete set of clothes at my work so if I forget something I don't have to go commando 🙂 Normally it's just shirt and underpants that I need to take each day. Since you aren't riding every day, use one of the other days to take supplies in and retrieve the stuff that needs washing.

A bit of planning goes a long way when you are commuting by bike.

Can I just apologies for my reply above, it is the worst written post I have ever made and I write a lot of rubbish.

Can I just apologies for my reply above, it is the worst written post I have ever made and I write a lot of rubbish.

You are forgiven 🙂

Actually it was fine and made sense (well to me anyway)

Can I apologise in advance for agreeing with most of lunge's post.

I will also add, try to minimise all faff, so have your kit and food for the day sorted out the night before .I also leave a change of cycling kit at work ,as there is nothing worse than changing back in to stuff that hasn’t dried out from the soaking you got on the way in.

Oh, and go tubeless or some Slime type set up .

Good luck, I love my commute.

Love my cycle commute 2 or 3 times a week into London avg 38 mile round trip normally takes 1hr 20mins each way.

Definitely mix up route and bike - I use the Arkose with rucksack along the Thames if dryish or Tourer with pannier/s along roads and cycle paths when soggy or when loaded with a resupply of fresh suits and shirts.

I plod along, stop at lights and junctions and take it easy most days, however I do like a good blast on the clearer sections.  Never feel tired now after two years and c. 7,000 miles - occasionally having to take the train makes me appreciate the cycle even more.  Saved loads of money and lost a few kgs.

Has anyone mentioned mudguards yet?  If not, MUDGUARDS.

I do 20 miles each way into birmingham too. Such fun.

1. Mudguards

2. Arm warmers, knee warmers & Gilet

3. Take it easy on the way in (especially monday morning), give it the beans on the way home if you want.

4. I use a HRM to make sure I force myself to take it easy when I'm supposed too.

5a. Leave as much at work as possible and travel as light as possible, the fatigue builds quickly I find, and I've had to go back to an old much smaller lighter bag than I have been using for a rest.

5b. Get  the weight on the bike, backpacks are crippling by the end of a 10+hour week.

I'll probably think of more, but if you want to ask me anything send me a PM or email. Or buy me a beer at the Briar Rose and hear my old man tales of the sea, er commute.

I alternate between slow and faster days, on slow days I take as much stuff as I can fit in a rucksac, ride the gravel or mountain bike, and plod along at little more than jogging pace.

fast days I ride my fast road bike, no bag and I’m Going as fast as I can

To add...

Yes, mudguards are great and if I had 1 bike it'd have guards, but occasionally I like to bring the fast bike to work and it's bloody lovely.

Use a HRM and record every ride, help you work out when fatigue is building and when you need to take the train for the day.

Lay kit out the night before. Mine is laid in a pile in the order I put it on (note, the naked by arm and knee warmers look as you get dressed is VERY strong). My bike is also prepped with bottle on, tyres pumped up and lights charged. This, combined with the below point, also make it more difficult to change your mind, make the getting ready and getting out process fast and efficient so it's easier to ride than not to.

I personally eat when i arrive, 20 miles on an empty stomach is very doable, an espresso before I leave and water on the ride works well for me. I do have an emergency gel with me but have never used it.

Tyres, I really like Vredestein Senso Xtreme's, they're fast, grippy and reasonably puncture resistant, they last OK but no more but that's the sacrifice I live with. I also run them slightly harder than i would for a weekend ride and sacrifice some comfort for some more puncture protection.

Buy a hi-viz gillett. you can wear it all year bar the warmest summer days at which point it's light enough not be be needed (in theory...). Mine was from Decathlon and it'll be worn for 10 months worth of commutes this year.

Used to do 100 miles a week commuting to and from work, then another 100-150 miles during the evenings and weekends

Try to carry as much stuff for the working week on the Monday, things like clothes, food for the week etc...that way the rest of the week you have a nice light bag as you get more tired as the week goes on

Pace yourself especially if its a windy day, rather than fight against the wind tuck down and just take it easy, once the wind is behind you go for it to make up lost time

A good set of lights are important especially if your by the canal! they will help you see any obstacles before you hit them

Carry a couple of energy gels and a small drink for those hot days or days when your just not feeling great

Ah lights - get a dynamo hub, no worries about partially charged batteries.

I've just commented on the "Frame bag" thread. A partial frame bag holds a surprising amount of kit - I can get toolkit, spare tube, waterproof top, shirt, underpants, wallet, phone, etc in one with room to spare. If it's raining just put the clothes in a plastic bag first. You don't want too big a bag, it just encourages you to take more stuff or if you don't then it rattles around. Something in the 3-4L size range is fine.

Ditto getting everything ready for the morning, saves last minute faff and forgetting something important (like pants or lights) when you're bleary-eyed at 6am. My bike is fully checked and lubed, lights on, bottle in, garmin on and charged, helmet hanging from the bars, and I put it in the hall by the front door so i just have to wheel it out and go.

I commute but not quite that far (25 miles both ways). I was using a road bike but one too many close shaves by folks half asleep in fast moving metal boxes has put paid to that.  I've just put some Maxxis Rambler 700x40c tyres on my Hardtail and its brilliant. Not full sus comfy but with 40psi there is enough give to take the edge off. Fast off road, without trying I'm regularly pb'ing sections, and they are good on the road bits that I have to ride. Feels loads safer on mtb, not sure why, They went up tubeless straight away and will stay on it all year I think, anybody want a cannondale synapse road bike??.

My commute is 25miles each way, although I don't get to do it too often as I work away a lot.

1) Get ready the night before, don'r have your excuse that you can't find your pum therefore cant risk riding pre-prepared, pack your bags instead.

2) It's just a bike ride (and 20 miles on roads and flat paths is a fairly short one at that), don't over think it.  People will tel you that you need a dedicated bike, probably built by surly for riding to Timbuktu or touring Mongolia if you plan to ride on a towpath once or twice a week.  In reality I use my 16lb road bike 90% of the time, and occasionally a single speed fat bike, the time difference between them really isn't significant about 1h30min Vs 1h50min.

3) Take a bag with clean clothes once a week, preferably mid week on a rainy day. Monday is about getting into a routine, if you miss Monday you won't be motivated on a Tuesday!  Friday is missing traffic and having a fun bike ride. But if the suns out and you're feeling good, take a rucksack with today's clothes on that day.  Unlike internet hardmen with spines of cheese you won't need a chiropractor after commuting one day with a rucksack containing a pair of underpants and a shirt.

Not tips, but observations.

Don't think about being unfit, or building upto it, or that you'll sweat too much or any other crap.  Just do it as often as you can, you will get fiter, you will sweat less and your times will drop.

Drivers are always at their worst the first commute back after a break. I'd like to think I'm gods gift to roadcraft, scything through traffic like a finishline coated ninja.  The reality is I'm obviously a little rusty and don't anticipate others stupidity.  After a few weeks I can take far more risks yet somehow encounter far less ****tery from school run 4x4's.  Self awareness is a wonderful thing, take it easy the first few weeks.

And last but not least, I've said it before.  It's just a ride.  You wouldn't come on here to boast that you'd ridden 20miles at a weekend, it's just 20 miles. The only difference is you're doing it at 6am. Don't overthink it!

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Wrong sort of bike forum?

Tubeless, go tubeless!

I'm a massive fan of the G-one all rounds, fast rolling on the road and grippy if you take the long way home through the woods.  I've had 2 punctures in about a year, both of them were fixable with a worm and a pump, none of that innertube faff.

Have a saddle pack with bike specific stuff in it, even if it means buying a new pump. There's nothing worse than having to wait for someone to come past who's feeling charitable cos you've left your pump in your camelbak/road jersey.

+1 for mudguards, all year round.

Hi,

18 miles one way here with about 900feet of climbing.

1. Mudguards.

2. Tubeless.

3. As little crap in your backpack as possible. Leave as much at work and just carry it in and back once a week.

4. Easy on the way in, briskier on the way back.

5. Do not skip essential spares (tubes, links, pump, multitool) as walking in cycling shoes isn't particularly comfortable. And yes, shit happens even if you have very reliable, tubless converted bike.

6. Prepare night before. ALWAYS!

7. Do not forget your lightweight waterproves. Even if it is baking. Just in case...

Just ride it... If you are feeling empty pootle, if stronger can push it slightly, but take into account that it might be just at the beggining of your week.

I'm only using simple speedo, and that is mainly to control my time. I know what time I should be in the certain locations, so if I'm falling behind schedule I know it is not too good, or I just started too late and need to make up on flatter sections.

My average timing is anything between 59 minutes and 1h 15minutes. Much depends on head wind/tail wind...

Cheers!

I.

i used to 28 miles each way monday-friday, only thing i can really add, is build up slowly and at the first sign of being really fatigued back off. I didn't and after often racking up 200 miles in the week and the odd event at the weekends, for the first few months i felt super fit and lost loads of weight, but as i got about 8-9 months, i messed myself up, was getting mood swings, couldn't stay awake, as soon as i got on the bike my legs felt like two blocks of lead and had nothing.

i had to completely stop and went from feeling super fit at the start to not wanting to go near bike for months, completely over-did it, when after 5-6 months i started back on bike, i felt rubbish, but had to start with small rides 1-2 a week, and have never fully recovered a year later.

So whilst doing loads of miles can be great, just keep an eye out on fatigue, maybe every fourth week back right off, keep a note of resting heart rate and changes in mood etc as it can be easy to overdo it, especially in the sun when you're feeling good.

That and:

Mudguards

MTB SPD's not road shoes and pedals!

All good advice above. I'll just add, make a habit of it, and it will become second nature. I've commuted by bike for almost 25 years, although I have lived in several different places and worked in probably a dozen different locations in that time. I would hate it if I had to give up my cycling and use a car or public transport to get to work.

I've commuted in road shoes with road pedals for years.  It's never been an issue.  My current commute shoes are a pair of these -

However I am lucky to have very few stops and no walking on my commute.

No good if you get into a fight though, remember he's riding into Birmingham 😆

My commute is similar witht he last 10km being on a canal path. I run conti 4 seasons (28's) at 100 psi so give me a bit of comfort.

I tend to have a slightly different route for the way in vs coming home. On the way in i leave early (6am-ish) so am happy to do the main road as there is little traffic. Coming home i just on the minor roads which is longer but quieter.

Which sections of which canal are you using, out of interest ?

I run conti 4 seasons (28’s) at 100 psi so give me a bit of comfort.

100PSI for comfort? I'm running 28c Duranos Plus at 60PSI and they feel harsh in places 😀

Cheers!

I.

100psi 28s?

yeah, dont do that 😀

If you don’t already, learn how to use CO2 cartridges. Carry two tubes and two cartridges. Saves a lot of time come puncture time.

Mudguards and a rack for comfort. Getting onto the drops with a rucksack is always a challenge for me

I mix my commuting up with different bike choice. In winter it’s normally fixed wheel. Then road and cross bikes. The recumbent trike always comes out for rest days year round

Mid summer it’s normally best or race bike, TT bike and skinsuit as I race after work, or a fixed TT bike just because it is nice to ride.

Eat well and always have something about an hour before leaving for home. Caffeine takes 40 minutes to be absorbed, so if you like a double espresso, drink it 30 minutes  before leaving.

Eating suggestion might not be universally valid.

Me for example, always riding with empty stomach, at least 2 hours after meal.

Otherwise feeling too bloated even after small chomping.

All depends how your body reacts to food.

Cheers!

I.

Canal towpaths are exhausting. Nice and generally far better than any equivalent road but being so flat there's no respite and the gravel surface just adds to the energy you have to use.

I've got a 15-mile each way commute which I can do a number of different ways including a virtually 100% canal option. It's great in summer when it's dry but in winter it's mostly unusable, you just get covered in gritty liquid mud.

By day 3 though it's really starting to tell on me and I have to switch it with bits of road just to avoid the boredom and tired legs. It's not "training" unless you want to train yourself to ride at about 14mph average with lots of small accelerations away from where you've slowed down to avoid dogs or fishermen.

Tubeless tyres (I really like Schwalbe G-One), a small rucksack (because stuff mounted on the bike bounces round horribly on canals, you can feel the wheels crashing through everything) and try and do a day by train or car when you can take stuff like towel, clothing etc into/out of work. Have a look at the weather forecast for the week and try and plan your non-riding days to coincide with shit weather!

Try and mix the route up a bit, see what options are available as it really makes a commute much more interesting. I'm really lucky with mine in that it can be pretty much 100% off-road or, if I need the fastest option, bombing straight down the urban A and B roads (less pleasant but it's sometimes nice to spin the legs a bit and go faster than 15mph!)

I never eat before the morning's commute. A cup of tea is a must though.

Ooh, chapeau all the long distance bike commuters! Making the world a better place (and making me even crosser with the people that drive absolutely everywhere).

I found the Arkose I tested had a very uncomfortable wedge of a saddle - might be worth a swap if it's not just a case of the position?

I make a point of shifting hand positions on canal commutes - it's easy to cruise along in one position because it's flat and you don't have to stop for traffic (just vicious geese) and I think it can combine with drop bars and the rougher surface to give you some weird nerve stuff. Certainly shifting hand positions and angles between hands/wrist/elbow/shoulder has made a difference to me.

I suggest you get your family into the habit of buying you bib shorts and nice waterproof jackets for alternate birthdays as regular all weather riding will have you wearing things out like you wouldn't believe. Also worth keeping an eye out now for really good winter boot deals if you're going to keep it up through the winter.

My husband has been riding 5 days a week, 150 miles minimum, for 7 years now. He's got used to it now but I remember in the beginning him having an uncontrollable need to eat. His hot tip for long/regular commutes is:

Leave emergency clean pants (and socks) at work, because one day you are bound to forget to take them.

Enjoy it!

CBA.

Pair of latex gloves in case you have to fix chain.

Leave big lock at work (obvs)

backup battery for phone so you don't get stranded in case of major issue.

Leave emergency clean pants (and socks) at work, because one day you are bound to forget to take them.

Very true storry 🙂

Had it twice, one worse than another - MD annoucement and going into administartion anouncement...

... and me sitting in full lycra in the middle of room full of office-clothes clad people...

Cheers!

I.

I'll echo the comment about going through extra kit once you up the days. Things do wear out alarmingly quickly.

My Top Tip is to buy winter boots in June, summer jerseys in December and just put them away for a few months.

Totally agree with above about taking it steady. I burnt my self out trying to ride fast every day. And riding at the weekends. If its possible have spare bike. Set up ready the same. Good luck

Do the ebike thing. Sounds ideal for your milage  and will minimise injury potential (think of your knees).

Went to a talk today at local bike show, shop owner guy says they are flying out the door and manufacturers projecting massive growth next few years particularly for commuting.

E-bike... That concept also came to my mind in some particular point of winter.

However after reading several reviews from seasoned commuters decided against it.

At the moement I'm comfortably achieving over 16mph average speed on my way. With 15-16mph assist cut off it would be beneficial on ups but dragging terribly because of additional weight on flat sections.

It might be idea for the spare commuter bike, if you are feeling weak or just recovering from illnes, but in my current state of fitnes I wouldn't cosider it as a main commuting bike.

Cheers!

I.

I run conti 4 seasons (28’s) at 100 psi so give me a bit of comfort.

I run 700x28 (that measure ~31mm wide in real life on 17mm internal rim width) Conti Grand Sport Race at 65-70PSI on the front and 80-87PSI on the rear. I've been using the high end of range recently, because I'm s few Kg heavier this summer than last.

I'm currently ~78Kg, total weight of me on road bike with 2 litres of fluid; food; puncture repair gear; mobile etc. in this hot weather is ~92Kg.

Double wrap your bars with cork tape, or bar ends, or ergons.

Wider drop bars than 'ideal'.

Don't slam that stem.

Brookes saddle.

Really get your positions right.

Carbon forks, carbon seat post.

Rack, panniers, mudguards.

28's plus. Spikes for winter.

Take your time, you'll toughen up eventually.

I usedvto do 40miles a day everyday, audaxing at weekends, at it was actually nicer than my current shorter commute and took as long.

I used to do a similar distance 3 times a week. I used to look forward to the rides. You’ll ride in all weather but when you get a crisp still blue sky morning it is a great feeling.

you will also get very fit. Enjoy.

15 miles and circa 2000 feet of climbing each way.

Carry as little as possible.

Always take spare food.

Rest when you need to