[Closed] Who is still commuting by bike?

I am, but I hate riding in the rain so I might give that a swerve!

Have been all year, will continue to do so.

I am, but only because I can't find a better option. It's a joyless slog, but it beats paying £70 to stand on a train getting coughed on.

Even the wife is still commuting by bike twice a week, and she absolutely melts in bad weather.

Me, this week I've broken out the 3/4 lengths for the first time, and will be commuting all winter

When I was living in Edinburgh I commuted by bike all year. The best days were when it had snowed so much that no cars or buses were around.

I have been, I'm not water soluble so just keep mudguards on and ride all year round.

I was asked by 2 people last week when I stopped riding in for winter, which seemed quite a strange question to me really - unless my work will give me time off!

The bad weather is never as bad when you're out in it (and if it is, which I can remember once in 15 years of commuting by bike, you can always turn back and wait for the weather to pass). And you get nice days from time to time.

Yep I am. Skin is waterproof 🙂

Yep, although not today as needed some shopping done and a change of clothes in the locker. Yesterday was bloody cold! Back on the bike tomorrow. Hate driving.

Very poor commuting record this year. Lots of work travel means a combination of too much to carry and getting out of the routine. Maybe get some days in during December.

I've never seen the canal as busy as this morning. It's normally deserted on a bright august morning, let alone a grey, drizzley November.

I'll ride in all year though, can't stand the tram

Yep, though I'm down to 3 days per week as is usual for this time of year and am picking my days.

I gave up about a year ago. It makes me sad that i'm not doing it any more but it was making me too angry. Not the weather just general aresholes on the road trying to kill me.
If I had a nice route i'd start again but it's shit so i'll stick to the car. 😥

The run up to Christmas was always horrible though.

When I've commuted by bike every day I've done it all year round. Sadly it's no longer an option as the trains have become so expensive that my bike-plus-train commute would cost more than twice as much as owning my car and sitting in several miles of traffic jam for an hour every morning.

If you're riding, get out in the cold and make the most of it, sitting in a car sucks.

I've been a lazy bugger with regards to commuting this year, yesterday was the first in a while, defo for getting back into it.

A puncture on the way in, and a godawful headwind on way home were not the ideal start... 😀

it is water, not acid. MTFU 😆

rode yesterday after a pretty poor record for the last 2 weeks. Will continue to do at least a couple of days a week.

riding in bad weather beats sitting in traffic in a car anyday.

Yep, but like Lunge, I pick and choose a little more at this time of year weather wise. I'm only in the office 4 days a week, I try for 3 days on the bike whenever possible.

Yep, I've spent a lot of time and money winter-proofing myself and the commuter, so my wife wouldn't let me away with paying for the bus or stealing the car even if I wanted to!

Realising how blessed I am with the infrastructure in the north of Edinburgh, about 3km of actual road (mostly slow, quiet) then 15km of great cycle path (Sustrans on old railway lines).

The only downside is that I still can't get my layers right, tried to take it easy this wet morning but still ended up pretty sweaty, not looking forward to putting that damp merino back on this evening 😕

9km each way here. It's minus 8c, snowy and icey, dark and windy. However it's almost all on traffic free cycle paths so can't grumble.

soon the lake will be frozen and the ice road will open so i'll save a little time too

[img] [/img]

Skipped this morning due to wind but have a parcel to lug back home and some shopping to do so is a useful excuse.

Rain doesn't bother me. High winds i dislike entirely, too many narrow NSL roads with poor visibility (and poor driving) to enjoy the cycle in with gusting side winds especially.

howsyourdad1

where do you live?

I used to commute every day come rain, snow, ice etc (ice tyres are awesome). Unfortunately that ended 2 years ago when a blind motorist turned right across my path. Ended up with a badly broken spine and 4 ribs. 6 1/2 weeks in hospital and 4 months in a storm trooper spinal brace. 7 months off work.

No more cycle commutes (previously had broken ribs and smashed shoulder from more idiots).

I've given up road riding completely and only getting on the MTB once a week at best. My back has been giving me increasing pain and not done any exercise for over a month. Back at the physio weekly now.

5 bikes in the garage... hacked off is an understatement.

the frozen wastes of Sweden. Near Åre / Östersund

Picking and choosing my days at the moment. Feeling a bit jaded as I've had a pretty intense year bike wise so probably need to back off a bit. Try and do two or three days a week anyway. The alternative is a none too crowded train, the station is 5mins walk from work.

Have been all year, will continue to do so.

Same here, commute all year round in all weathers. It's getting out the door that's the hardest part. Just been to the LBS to buy some new thermal tights as my last pair cried 'enough!' as I took them off yesterday morning. Thankfully it's too warm in the afternoons still so had a pair of shorts to come back in 😆

I gave up about a year ago. It makes me sad that i'm not doing it any more but it was making me too angry.

Rain doesn't bother me. High winds i dislike entirely

Any 2 is fine, as soon as it's all 3 then I get the train.

it's the wind that really blows. LOLZ IGMC

*was kind of hoping howsyourdad would say ‘Reading’ or some such...

howsyourdad1 - Member

the frozen wastes of Sweden. Near Åre / Östersund

that is ace.
you lucky man.

No car or bus service so I have to cycle. I love it but the only thing that gives me grief is either ice on the road on two stretches or dense fog. To get round that I throw the bike over fence at the bottom of the garden and then do a cheeky pootle round the field edges for 5 miles.

I am, because riding my bike in bad weather is still quicker than walking in bad weather. Besides, I've been wet before and didn't melt so chances are it'll be fine this time too.

Every day here. 8 miles in 25 mins takes 15 in car queue.Often longer on way home. enjoying big sky sunsets.
Last night was funny all the cars took the quiet lane as main road had a beet truck turn over. Least my big light made them wait to for me to pass.

Been commuting each day throughout the year for the last Eight years, not going to stop this winter.

yep, but already got the 3/4 bibs, winter boots and gloves out

got to work to find the shower drain finally unblocked, so enjoyed a crap shower (its what happens when you fit a poxy little electric shower in an office environment)

its only a 30min route, but works well with a 30min learning spanish audio thingy im working on.

Still going strong, need some new (smaller sized) winter gear though.

We've had the first load of grit put down on Sheffield roads this week, so I'm packing the roadrat up for the winter (I know the frame is pretty cheap, but it's got loads of nice bits and alloy spoke nipples...) and digging out my old cannondale badboy - it's heavy and slow, but it puts up with wet and salt really well.

WFH today, but will ride my regular Tuesday 100km tonight. I commute in all weathers. Frozen fog is always the worst. Just wear the right clothing.

Yep. Started about 13 years ago, and it's essentially my only means of getting to work.

I'm still doing it, it's only November so it's not even winter yet. Only thing that stop me doing it is ice, I've had a couple of nasty falls and it's really not worth the risk. I've got ice spike tyres but to be honest it's not nice riding across ice in traffic even though the tyres do grip.

My wife isn't keen on my going out in gales so I tend to give that a miss too.

Other than that I keep going all year.

Where I live, they are building so many new houses, that soon I'll be the only one actually moving on a lot of the roads. It's incredible how the number of cars has increased over the past 4-5 years. So glad I can ride to work.

Usually commute all year round on the bike but not today/tomorrow as I've a job on the side to do tonight so borrowed a car

Howsyourdad1 wins thread, that looks an amazing place, wee bit jealous mate

Cycle commute all year. The only days i use the car is when its raining heavy or very windy. I don't mind heavy rain on the way home but arriving at work sodden is a PITA.

That's a real shame,no alternative routes then?
I never,ever take it for granted how lucky I am with my commute options.
Regardless of the weather,it never feels like a chore.I would be a very different monkey if I had to chuck it.

There are several routes, some better than others. But in the end it's me that's the problem, I've tried not to be aggressive, but the last time i cycled to work a bus went round me while a car was coming the other way, I was banging on the side of the bus and only just managed to stay on the road while he was cutting across me. It ruined my day as I just can't let things go. I decided to pack it in for a while after that, and haven't started again.

But I've now started running and am training for a cycling event next year so i'm trying to get out regularly for rides with mates and am actually feeling fitter now than i have for a good few years.

I might start commuting again at some point but it can wait until Christmas is out of the way now...

Commute every day, but I'm lucky that 95% of it is off-road. I might not be so enthusiastic if I had to contend with more crazy driving.

A bit of a lightweight here - try to do one commute a week (27km each way) but have had a few weeks off while I tried to sort out my tubeless and airless setup.
Back on it this week hopefully.

Commute every day, but I'm lucky that 95% of it is off-road. I might not be so enthusiastic if I had to contend with more crazy driving.

I used to commute round the edge of London from Surrey to Slough a few times a week. I now WFH. Despite the fitness bonus I have no wish to go back to it. The Runnymede section from the old Siemens Staines building to Old Windsor is horrible in broad daylight; add in low sun, fog and darkness and it becomes positively sphincter twitching. Made the climb past Royal Holloway on a SS a viable alternative.

As an aside, I never did work out which island on the Thames Natalie Imbruglia lives on.

Year round here, I quite like riding in the dark with good lights!

I have a jacket that I reproofed a while ago but haven't been able to test it's waterproofness (apart from less than 20 minutes stints in the rain). Will hopefully give it a test tonight!

Vast majority of my cycling is extended commutes through the fireroads of Cannock Chase. Joined a road very briefly yesterday and immediately had a very close HGV pass, ironically having two very bright Aldi rear lights on and the wagon was from Aldi.
Don't like the unavoidable busy road stretches, the rest is fine.
Drop bar #Gravel is great bike. I worked out the other day how much money I save not driving my short commute and it was about a grand, which I spend on waterproof jackets.

Every day, but it is only about a mile and a half. My commuting kit is a pair of trouser clips...

still on it here, 10 miles each way although mostly cycle paths. I even saw a kingfisher this morning.

No longer commuting, will start again when its light in spring. I will ride in any weather but its the light that gets me, I simply don't like riding the road section of my comute in the dark. Also when there is more light I tend to work in a training session (hill climb intervals etc) into the commute, this time of year there isnt enough time to do that so I'd rather drive and do a decent turbo session instead.

Occasionally, I need to drive to work, and it never fails to remind me why I cycle in the cold, wet and dark.

I'm still going though I must admit I have the fear cycling down Union St in Glasgow at 5pm in the dark - will need to find an alternative route I think. Only tend to ride in when I don't need the car for meetings or if the weather isn't too bad (office doesn't have a shower unfortunately).

All year round for me. Over the few years I've been doing it I've acquired suitable kit and it's relatively short (5 miles). It takes almost as long to walk from the bus stop on the other side of the city centre to work as it does to ride the whole trip.

I adjust my route - some roads are a bit more sheltered if it's windy and others are more likely to be properly gritted if it's cold, and I sometimes use the cross bike rather than the roadie. I also sometimes run/walk it if I really don't think the bike is safe.

This thread just makes me feel bad. I could cycle to my work, and a large portion would be off-road. In the summer it's nice and I tried to do it twice a week. But going up and over the South downs in the wind and rain just doesn't appeal at all... haven't ridden in a good 6 weeks it's only 12 (steep*) miles or so each way.
*for someone of my fitness

How do you people do it? Work offer a small disabled wet room as a shower. Just find it difficult to lug everything I need - full office outfit including shoes, towel, lunch etc etc.

My commute is fairly flat apart from the couple of Km up to the house. It's about 1/3 rural or semi-rural roads, 1/3 urban, 1/3 canal tow path. The worst bit is actually convincing myself to head out of the door, once I've been riding five minutes it's fine. If things haven't been too wet then I can do a slightly longer route and pick up the canal much earlier so might use either hardtail or fat bike.

I avoid icy mornings though, I don't bounce well at my age, and if it's chucking it down in the morning then I don't bother as having the wet kit lying around to have to put back on in the evening isn't pleasant.

I've a few options for route choice, especially on the way home when there isn't quite the time pressure of the mornings.

I'll still commute 3 or 4 times a week. Broke out the Aldi winter gloves yesterday and boiled on the way home!!. As they arounds these parts 'sonely watter thall not melt'. My motorhome is parked at work so I have the electric plugged in and have somewhere nice and warm to get changed and dry my kit ( although having 7 metre process ovens running at 200degrees helps with that)

How do you people do it? Work offer a small disabled wet room as a shower. Just find it difficult to lug everything I need - full office outfit including shoes, towel, lunch etc etc.

Could you drive twice per week and take in/ take home all of your spare clothes? Then cycle the middle three days of the week with much less stuff to carry.

Having said that, spare clothes etc only takes up a couple of small panniers.

I'm quite lucky with my commute route and where I work.

If I go direct, and mostly on the road it's about 4.5 miles, but I if I go an extended 8.5 mile route then the majority of the ride is on the Bristol - Bath cycle track. Although I'm seeing more accidents on there as Lycra clad nutters take unnecessary overtaking risks in heavily populated areas.

Work have 6 individual shower rooms in the basement of the building - and I've got a locker there. Means I take in trousers at the start of each week and keep them in the locker with shoes / wash kit / towel and only have to carry a shirt / socks / boxers in my bag each day (as well as lunch and my laptop - grrr).

I must admit I have the fear cycling down Union St in Glasgow at 5pm in the dark

mmm union street is a bit mental, I used to ride it daily about 25 years ago, wouldn't do it now. Surely Buchanan street would be a better option?

I get what you mean about the fear though, on the first dark commute home last Monday I hated going through shawlands, you soon get used to it again though.

35 year cycle commuter here. commutingtrackworld would suit me better.

Everyday all year rain or shine..... It’s the wind that grinds yer down.

Commuted all year normally the Birmingham mainline canal is busy last few days not a single bike on it ,as for the rain you never see a rusty man 😆

Still going, and plan to all through the winter. Living in Oslo so getting pretty cold mornings now, studded tyres and pogies went on this week and will come off again in the spring...

I take some clean trousers and a couple of t-shirts at the start of the week, then clean undies/socks every day. Only half a dozen or so people in our office at any one time, so I just sit there stinking most of the time and don't care. My sweat is earned 😉

I use a med bridgestreet saddle bag and that fits everything I need in it, including the clothes when I take them in.

All year round for me too. Mainly offroad, varying length ride. From SW sheffield out towards or just into the Peak then back into another part of SW sheffield.

Can be houndkirk/burbage/lady cannings/blacka/stanage/wyming brook most days on the way in/out or both if I'm on it.

Secure lockable indoor bike storage, a proper power shower, a wardrobe in my office for spare clothes and flexi-time means I will not be voluntarily looking for another job any time soon.

full office outfit including shoes, towel, lunch etc etc

My shoes live in the office so that solves the first and largest part of the problem.
A tiny t-towel sized towel is enough to get dried on (the second reason going bald is good, first was being ginger)
Leaves a pair of trousers, a shirt, socks & pants to fit in.
Lunch is a tin of soup, an apple and an orange.

All goes into a normal sized rucksack easily for me with a spare tube, tiny pump and tool kit.

I just started commuting by bike for the first time in 6 months. All my colleagues think I'm stupid. But it only took me 5 mins longer than driving in and I'm very out of shape at the moment. Hoping after a month or so I'll be able to match the time in the car or better it. 😀

Still going, its only 5 miles each way into west London. Just had a new seat post sleeve and rear pivot bushing on my Brompton so its not quite as waggy, and definitely not as noisy.
Going to be wet tonight though...
With the change in clocks though with it now being definitely dark at 6:30 the standard of driving is more worrying. And its clear that a greater proportion of drivers just don;t give a toss about cyclists - its as if the Olympics never happened.

Me. Pretty much everyday unless i'm on site visits, the days I have to drive I remind myself why I cycle. The weather doesn't bother me too much as the shortest route is only 25 minutes. Plenty of good lights and reflectives with warm, winter clothes, lovely!

I take the view that if I can cycle once, there's no reason not to cycle most days. So I do, unless heavy rain in winter. 24km each way.

2-3 times a week here, year-round, into Dundee from the north. Access to work showers and lockers helps considerably, especially in the depths of winter. The biggest problem for me in the autumn is the herd of beef who are moved up onto the higher ground in September. My choice of hill route is over the Sidlaws, where the cattle beasts normally churn up the trail and colour it a deep shade of sloppy green. So I'm currently on back roads and cycle paths until the cattle head indoors for the middle of winter, when the trail rapidly improves again.

Once or twice a year I'll get really lucky and be up on the hill at maybe 6 or 7 on a moonlit, snowy or properly frosty night. Ground's frozen and moonlight over a dusting of snow means I can switch the lights off and ride the trail without. Stunning...

Nice one highlandman.
What way do you go over the Sids?
[i]I am a lowlander coastie commuter[/i] 😉

My commute is only about 20 mins so I ride almost every day, should really get some mudguards though, it's only when it's totally torrential it's a pain.

Really not feeling so safe these days though, been riding in Edinburgh for 20 odd years and the standard of driving feels so bad now, especially when it's dark. Everyone seems to be speeding in powerful cars these days or texting or just driving like an idiot. Having been in a bad accident with a car I'm very wary of going through all that again.

How do you people do it? Work offer a small disabled wet room as a shower. Just find it difficult to lug everything I need - full office outfit including shoes, towel, lunch etc etc.

Same here, just a toilet and sink.

Shoes, jacket and trousers along with shower gel, deodorant and toothpaste stay at work. Just leaves underwear, shirt, flannel and a towel to bring in.

Wash at the sink with the flannel, dry off with a small towel (a tiny hand towel is fine), take the towel and flannel home with dirty clothes each day (you never quite get clean so they stink after a few days).

Fit's in a 5l drybag bungeed under my bars with room to spare for lunch.

I try to keep going all year round. I'm never a 5 days a week commuter though as some days I just can't be bothered and don't see any fun in riding in wet and windy conditions.

Unfortunately my 6mile commute is all on busy Aberdeen city streets (apart from the 1 mile stretch along the beachfront most evenings) so sometimes the traffic fumes make me think it's doing me more harm than good. The standard of driving is generally appalling and I find it extremely hard not to get angry with close passes every ride. I wish I could chill out but I find myself swearing under my breath at every second car! I envy anyone with an off-road commute.

that is ace.
you lucky man.

cheers yeah its nice. No pubs or Greggs though, cant have it all

I commute by bike every day I can, in all weathers.

I tend to work 2-4 days per week in an office (14-mile round commute), with 1 day at home and 1-2 days travelling. Living in central Bristol, the car is a total waste of time for any journey apart from occasional longer trips to places not well-served by rail (when I use my Brompton).

I keep suits, shoes etc at work - and just bring undies, ties and shorts on a daily basis.

Thankfully, traffic is either at a standstill or I'm riding along quiet or traffic-free sections.

It's worth remembering that all types of deaths on the road are nearly half what they were 15 years ago and that cycling deaths are static for the last 5. Any death is an absolute tragedy and any injury is bad too, but it doesn't seem that death is more likely than in the past - and that's what often puts people off.

I have cycled to work every day for the past two and a half years, until Thursday morning last week when a young guy in a Toyota decided he didn't want to be overtaken when stationary and tried to force me off the road, when asked "what was that for?" he jumped out and assaulted me, its difficult to defend oneself when clipped into a bike, dressed in waterproofs and helmet/gloves.
Nursing a very bruised shoulder and a swollen face.
I live in a village with only one exit route out and don't really want to bump into this individual again.
The irony is he was wearing a halfords work uniform.
So I have decided to stop for a bit as this is just the final straw, I was getting used to close passes, abuse of bus/cycle lanes, crazy overtake followed by crazy cut-in. Its turned into a survival test.

I served for ten years and I never felt as scared then as I do on UK roads today.

I have two children to consider.