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I've got the opportunity to commute to work, safe bike storage and good work showers. 12 mile round trip but it's on busy A roads.
I've bought a cheap commuter for a couple of hundred (2015 Cube Peloton road bike). Any hints or tips from the seasoned commuters out there. Tools to carry/decent lights/ puncture avoidance advice. Do I need to change the tyres from the Vittoria road ones?
Thanks.
Mudguards.
a long commute, lots of traffic lights, disc brakes make a big difference, to your hands and wear on your rims
also some sort of puncture resistant tyres, schwalbe marathons may be draggy , but youll definately get punctures and that will slow you down more!, good pump, multitool and spare tube with you at all times.
eat a hearty breakfast beforehand- porridge is good
leave a chunky bike lock in work so you dont have to carry it (even with secure bike store)
army surplus goretex trousers for the really wet days, tough as you like! a good jacket too
I did 10miles each way across london for several years 5 days a week, saved me a fortune , and I was fit, but if I had a big ride at the weekend Id get the train on Friday to save my legs
also leave an extra spare pair of pants at work, because 1 day youll forget!
Check you've taken your underwear. Then check again.
I did something similar for a few years and that's the advice I'd give myself now. As well as "assume every driver is trying to kill you - some because they're distracted/hungover/stupid, some because they don't like cyclists"
full mudguards. schwalbe marathon plus tyres. and study cycle.travel for a better safer route.
I prefer to stash stuff at work, clothes etc, and swap them out, rather than take change of clothes every day, just leave them at work and swap them out however often suits you
Have everything you might need to fix a tyre/ get you moving, being stuck half way takes a fair amount of time to walk, even just 3 miles
As far as lights are concerned, at the very least a good pair of front/rear LED red/white flashing lights that have good enough batteries to allow them to be on all the time. Then check out something like the Lezyne Stvzo lights, they do f/r sets, the Stvzo designation is a German legal lighting requirement to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic, the more expensive ones have a dipping facility, , just like cars do. As you’re going to be riding on main roads, this might well be worth the extra cost.
I’m planning on getting at least one of my bikes out and starting riding again, and I’ll need new lights, the Lezyne ones are what I’m going to get, as I’ll be riding on and off-road; it’s a technology I’ve been looking for for years, it’s surprising dipping lights haven’t been turned into a requirement in the U.K. Halfords, Amazon, and lots of bike retailers sell them, just do a search.
The "shifter" YouTube channel is dedicated to urban cycling and commuting with loads of tips and advice. It's Canadian based, but much of the content is relevant anywhere.
https://youtube.com/@shifter_cycling?si=nyCCAZk129vbBz43
Full length mudguards
Spare lights in your bag - you will forget to charge one, one will break, fall off etc
Clear lens glasses
Puncture proof tyres
Hi vis / reflective ankle velcro strap thingies
Bright coloured helmet - mine is flourescent green
A nice warm toasty base layer, pref merino if you are cycling both ways as they are ok to put back on in the evening even if they are sweaty
Keep some handcleaner at your workplace in case you end up with oil on your hands on the way in
I prefer a single pannier for on-road commute and a rucksac for off-road commute
The more stuff you can leave at work, the better. And panniers FTW. 🙂
Lots of tips from me, I've been commuting on and off for years.
Why a cheap commuter bike? If you are spending lots of time on it, and if you have secure storage, treat yourself to a nice bike, you've earned it. Use C2W if you can or save petrol money and get a nice bike.
- Cycle every day. It is so much easier to do this, kit is in the right place, lights are charged under a routine, you know where everything is, you never leave the laptop in the car, always got a towel at work etc. The more routine it is, the easier it is. If you sometimes drive, cycling 'takes longer'. If you ride every day, that is your commute time and your routine.
- You'll be surprised how infrequently it actually rains, most of your rides will be in the dry
- You'll be surprised how often the roads are wet (contradictory to the point above). Get mudguards, they are essential
- Do you need to shower? I ride in slowly, don't sweat much, and just get changed into fresh clothes and spray of deodorant, I don't shower. Helps with reduced faffing time. No complaints yet. Merino tops make this possible.
- Leave shoes, and trousers at work, along with spare pants and socks. Bring in fresh shirt each day. Don't forget spare pants.
- If carrying laptop, panniers are ace. If just packed lunch and clean shirt, rucksack is fine
- Leave lock at work
- Get cheap LED lights and have them on the bike as spares
Lights. Any lights. Road cyclists without any sort of lighting are the vast majority and they're a complete pain in the bollocks both as a pedestrian and a driver.
Insurance.
An understanding workplace which knows and accepts that you're riding in and might be delayed by a puncture / Range Rover / random act of dog.
Tools and ability to amend said puncture at the roadside.
Basic first aid kit to drag gravel out of knees and mop up pedal strikes to shins.
Some form of lightweight packable defence against the elements should a sunny early morning suddenly turn into a hoisting-it-down slightly later morning. I have a dayglo orange waterproof from somewhere budget like Decathlon or Go Outdoors which packs down to the size of a can of deodorant.
Deodorant.
I heartily agree with the mudguards and make it a decent bike comments above. I disagree with Schwalbe Marathon suggestions because they're hateful bloody things to pedal and other makes produce similarly tough tyres that roll really well. Continental Contact range is my choice, loads of different styles from slicks to MTB like tread.
Probably the only new point not noted above is try to find an alternative quieter route even if it adds a couple of miles to the trip.
Try a few different routes - it takes a while to dial in the best / most efficient route to get to work if you have options. Does it have to be on a busy A-road or is there a sneaky system of country lanes you could take? Longer yes, but probably considerably less stressful on a dark morning.
Bringing a lock and a very basic puncture kit (saddle bag with tube and levers, small multitool, and pump on the bottle cage) is all you really need unless you're very unlucky. They can just stay on the bike and hopefully not get used!
Spare clothes in a waterproof rucksack. I like the roll-top ones for commuting.
Lights out the wazoo.
Wash and lube the chain once a week but you don't need to go nuts. You wanna keep the bike reliable2 but probably don't need to treat it like your pride and joy. Mudguards also help.
I suspect you can probably find a route which isn't on a busy main road. Do a bit of research and be prepared to add a couple of miles.
Store what you can at work. Ride slowly and steady so you can often skip the shower till you get home if you don't sweat. If you're riding into the city, get glass proof tyres (or tubeless).
My commuting improved massively when I found a few alternative routes home that avoid the worst of the traffic. Used an online map thing, not sure if it still exists (will try to find it, or someone will know..? ) or bing maps is good for that sorta thing.
See.sense lights have been my best light purchase. Battery lasts weeks and they don't die having been left in the garage over the summer.
Tubeless tyres (Schwalbe G-One allrounds) have been pretty much puncture free. So much so that I'm not afraid of tempting fate by typing that here! 🙂
Been commuting to current office for 10 years luckily most is canal, good advice above, remember my dad telling me at 20 when I started cycling to uni work placement, assume everyone wants to kill you and don't wear tarmac coloured clothes, has served me well?
All of the above, frankly. But
Check you’ve taken your underwear. Then check again.
is the bit I wish someone had told me.
Cycle every day. It is so much easier to do this, kit is in the right place, lights are charged under a routine, you know where everything is, you never leave the laptop in the car, always got a towel at work etc. The more routine it is, the easier it is.
+1.
I don't think these threads are particularly valuable because every commute is different and everyone is different. (eg I carried different stuff commuting in London compared to my similar length one now, for all sorts of reasons.) All you're doing is getting on your bike to make a journey, so there's no need to overthink it, as long as you have everything that you need either with you or in work. You'll very quickly find out which lights work for you, which method of carrying stuff works and whether you need to stuff yourself with three breakfasts, as some do. Now if you want some advice about doing my 10 mile commute then I can help! Plus
Check you’ve taken your underwear. Then check again.
You can cope for a few hours in work going commando but might have problems if you leave your trousers at home...
I've been through a million iterations of light configurations; these days I have a Moon Nebula rear, lovely light, terrible battery life, saddle mounted, a Leyzne clip on rear too - you never know when one will fail/drop/run to empty, so ALWAYS double rear light. For front duties, external batteries are a pain in the butt, so I have one cateye for being seen, and an Exposure Sirius to see where I'm going. Much of my commute is on an unlit path and this setup really helps. It's easy to think commuting things like lights are expensive, compare them to the cost of a tank of petrol or diesel and it's easy to rationalise a light you'll use for years costing 1.5 tanks worth.
Schwalbe Marathon of a suitable variety as people have said, in addition to this, I find they wear well, but once you get one puncture they are usually done, so tend to replace at that point.
Weight on the bike not your back is far more comfortable IMO.
Layers, the pants thing above is important as you will forget as well all have at some point.
I'd always try and find a more relaxed route, strive to arrive, not hit KOMs on an A-road, everyone out there is literally trying to/happy to kill you. SMIDSY.
Someone mentioned a hearty breakfast above, I'm more of a before commute and after commute breakfast person, perhaps that's why I'm so heavy though 😉
Have a good look on maps and experiment with any route deviations that might add a bit of distance, but get you off hostile busy roads and make your commute far less stressful.
When I was a postie, heading in at 0600-0630, the A road wasn't too bad but it turned out that red traffic lights typically made the direct route slower than using a stretch of my commute home on quiet roads in reverse.
Direct, my commute was only ~4.5 miles, but the quiet back streets adding an extra mile were well worth it.
A locker at work to store spare work clothes, your bike kit if not commuting in work clothes, bike tools etc. is invaluable.
Check you’ve taken your underwear. Then check again.
My commute is 10km, I just wear my pants and commuting trousers, I don't wear chamois. Spare pants at work are in case I get wet riding in. (see point about lack of rain but prevalence of road spray, get mud guards.)
I don’t think these threads are particularly valuable because every commute is different and everyone is different
It's throwing ideas against a wall and seeing what sticks though. It's better "ooh, I hadn't thought of that" than "yeah, that doesn't really apply to me," surely.
Much of my commute is on an unlit path and this setup really helps. It’s easy to think commuting things like lights are expensive,
It might also be worth pointing out that if you're on an unlit path and have a squillion lumen front light then you've probably blinded the rider coming towards you. Be nice, use appropriate lights or turn the bloody thing down or cover them up.
I don’t think these threads are particularly valuable because every commute is different and everyone is different
It’s throwing ideas against a wall and seeing what sticks though. It’s better “ooh, I hadn’t thought of that” than “yeah, that doesn’t really apply to me,” surely.
Don't forget your clothes...
Remember to eat breakfast...
Put lights on your bike...
Hold on, you've got something on your face, let me wipe it off <licks hankie and wipes>
Whatever! 😀
And until you are in proper routine, get everything ready the night before. If you are in a rush in the morning and you can’t find your gloves, it is dead easy to convince yourself that you might as well drive in.
If you are in a rush in the morning and you can’t find your gloves, it is dead easy to convince yourself that you don't need gloves. Other than your skull, what's the first thing that's going to hit the floor in the event of a collision? I'd ride without a helmet before I rode without gloves.
traildog
Free Member
I suspect you can probably find a route which isn’t on a busy main road. Do a bit of research and be prepared to add a couple of miles.
Loads of great advice. But I'd second traildogs advice.
My commute is 1/3 longer because I take a longer route with much less traffic.
I have two lights front and rear and religiously charge them Friday night
Things I've forgotten
Trousers
Shirt
Pants
Socks
Lunch
Keys
The lock stays on the bike and almost never gets forgotten.
The waterproof trousers and jacket always stay in the back for the time when the forecast is wrong.
The deodorant always stays in the bag.
Paniers and full mudguards on all my commuting since 1997. I've never been sad about the slight extra weight. I'm always happy about the less sweaty back and dry shoes/ bum.
Sometimes it feels harder than it needs to be, still almost always faster than the car.
Lights out the wazoo.
And light-coloured/reflective clothing. It's scary how little of a dark-clad cyclist i can see when I'm driving.
Apart from all of the above, things became far easier for me when I started packing/ prepping the night before. My pannier is always packed straight after work (laptop, glasses, notebook, bag with ironed & folded shirt& trousers, underwear, clean towel. Lunch gets added in as i leave the house, but it's prepped the night before).
I keep a wash bag and shoes at work, along with a spare set of cycling clothes in case it's really wet on way in. Rarely have to use them.
My cycling gear is laid out the night before, lights are charged etc so I know everything is ready.
As well as the pannier bag, I have a saddlebag with a tube, levers and multitool. Mountain Morph is always strapped to the rack as I've found smaller pumps are shit when you're in a hurry.
I use a small frame top bag to put phone, lock keys and work pass in. It's much easier than having them in the big bag.
As everyone has said, mudguards are essential...I like the SKS full length ones.
Also as above, it's a mindset.
I’d ride without a helmet before I rode without gloves.
I think you typed that the wrong way around. I was thinking more about gloves to protect against cold hands than to protect skin following an off.
every commute is different and everyone is different.
Too right. I bloody hate panniers, but everyone on here seems to prefer them to a backpack!
leave some spares at work, inner tubes etc.carry a pump, leave a pump at work. I have had a few occasions where I have picked up a slow puncture and just topping up a couple of time then fixing at work was more pleasant than fixing in the cold/rain etc. Also means if you have a puncture on the way in you can take one from the work stash for the ride home.
have a couple of sets of lights fitted , just in case one fails particularly the back, which you won'y know about.
Mudguards, rack and the obligatory single pannier.
No QR everything needs to be bolted - wheels, saddle/post
Never ever ever ever try to filter up side of a truck at the traffic lights.
Double lights F/R, plenty of reflectors, inc the pedals
Removable cameras F/R(just in case)
It's not the TDF you're on, so watch your speed.
Never wash the bike. The mankier the better
For 6 miles each way, I'd just ride in regular clothes. Maybe stash a spare set of clothes at work just in case you get caught in an unexpected downpour.
As above, carry minimum possible on the bike, and keep relevant kit in the office (bigger carry in and home Monday AM and Friday PM)
Pack of festival wipes in your desk draw in case no time for shower before that 9AM meeting (alongside shampoo, deoderant, aftershave)
Extra USB charging cables for the that time you forget to charge your lights (you will)
Office shoes under the desk
fresh towel on weekly rotation if you are showering
Try not to stink the office out with rancid cycling gear, so buy enough extra bibs and tops if you are bothering w changes of clothes
decent wet bag to go in the pannier to keep stuff dry if it rains
are you full time on site or will you need to take a laptop or other equipment back and forth? Last time I did (near) full time commuting I had a desktop at work. Backpacks make me sweat buckets, so was glad to avoid that.
have you got an alternative (car, public transport, WFH provision) for the days where its really grim or you are feeling under the weather?
6 miles each way - are you looking at taking a leisurely street clothes ride, or a 20 minute work-oout followed by a shower?
Get the kit ready the night before, have the bike set-up, the bags packed and a stack of clothing (in the order you put them on) in the room you get dressed. The bonus of this is your other half will get see you in the niche attire of HRM, knee warmers and arm warmers before you put on your base layers and shorts/trousers.
Mudguards are vital, proper ones, with flaps and reflectors.
Tyres are a balance between speed, comfort and puncture resistance, you have to make your on decision on where on the spectrum you want to sit.
Leave as much as you can at work. Shoes are heavy so I left a pair in the office, toiletries the same.
Don't skimp on kit. I read some people say to use crap kit for the commute, I take the opposite view as you spend more time commuting than you do on your weekend rides.
Versatile clothing is really useful as the temps in a morning are often much cooler than those in an evening. I know roadies get a bad name on here, but stuff like arm warmers, knee/leg warmers, gilets, cloth caps, toe covers, etc. are brilliant for this.
Have a saddle bag with your tools that lives on the bike. Check it over once every couple of months to make sure it's still there and still works. If you have presta values then make sure you get an adaptor that lets you use a Schrader pump as this means petrol stations become an good option if you get a flat.
Spare undies at work as you will forget them once.
I prefer panniers over a backpack, others disagree.
On which note, hi-viz is good, I like a gilet as it's wearable all year round. And if you're going to use a backpack, make sure that's hi-viz too. I don't like the ProViz stuff as it's grey when there aren't lights on it which is not ideal in low-light when cars don't always have their headlights on.
I like lots of lights rather than 1 or 2 big ones. My default setting is 1 constant and 1 flashing on the front, 2 flashing and 1 constant on the back. I also had a constant on the front of my helmet and a flashing on the back. Plus a rear flashing on the back of the pannier (on the outside of the bike). Don't give anyone the SMIDSY excuse. Make sure they're USB chargeable and you can charge them at work.
And if you can add reflectors to the above, I had them on my spokes, then all the better.
Geared hubs - mine's a Sturmey Archer - from the 60s.
Mudguards. - invaluable
Lights - nice USB rechargeables, try not to leave them outside and can be charged on the laptop while you work.
Look at the weather app when you get up - if it says it's not going to rain go for it. If it looks likely, sack it off and drive. Life's too short to be wet at work.
Don't be scared of city/town traffic, you'll be faster than most of it if it's a city commute. I personally would avoid anything with a national speed limit as it then gets a bit scary.
Filter - don't be traffic, cut through it.
I know you've just bought a road bike for it, but for short distance commutes, a folding bike is a revelation. Set up better for regular clothes (i.e. flat pedals and a chain guard), and stashes inside nearly everywhere without complaints - really convenient if you're popping out after work or whatever.
Even for the occasional longer commute (up to about 20 miles each way), I opt for the folder now.
I used to love my commute as I took the scenic route, got bored every day so tried every other day, meeting a few friends en route. If I felt good I did sequential days to bank some days off.
Put the fuel savings into a separate account and treat yourself to something nice.
Panniers, full guards, good lock, don't overthink it.
+1 for Full length mudguards, also rack + pannier.
Keep a spare set of underwear and socks in your desk drawer at work for when, not if, you forget. "office shoes" in the office, then they can stay there. I normally kept a spare t-shirt too just in case.
Anything at all that ups the reliability of your bike is worth it, I generally commuted for decades on a SS for this reason, even for longer/hillier commutes. You only need one puncture/mechanical to write off months of marginal gains being slightly faster.
The logistical stuff:
Mudguards. As proper / full length as you can get, an ass-saver and crud catcher don't cut it.
Lights. Ideally with a spare set as well. They don't need to be full on 24hr racing things, just a couple of decent quality rear and something sufficient up front for whatever roads you're riding.
Leave as much stuff at work as possible - towel, work trousers, shoes and very definitely spare pants/socks/T-shirt. Use any days where you don't ride to replace old kit with fresh.
Keep a "commuting kit" of tools / spares etc with the bike or in the rucksack / pannier that you use. Otherwise you'll go to repair a puncture and realise that you used the allen keys at home, you used the tube on your other bike and so on.
The boring stuff that no-one wants to think about:
Know where you are. Know what escape routes are available, be that into a park / pedestrianised area, off through filtered streets / alleyways or into a busy area like a supermarket. It's very rare that you'll ever have to use these but it's well worth knowing what your options are before you have an irate BMW driver trying to turn you into a new bonnet ornament.
That makes it sound worse than it is. I only had cause to use that knowledge a couple of times during years of commuting in and out of Manchester on a mix of busy A-roads, back streets and canal towpaths.
I started commuting by bike in May last year, albeit ebike due to lack of showers at work. About a twenty mile round trip. Mainly off road and it is a muddy shit-fest this time of year.
Full length mudguards with extender flaps, a pair of warm waterproof shoes, Madison jacket and dungarees, decent warm gloves and waterproof panniers have been my best investments. Just set up the wheels tubeless for less faff. I think it is definitely worth buying decent kit if you're doing it most days. I do between three and five days. Would prefer a normal bike but can't face it without a shower.
I do various routes into the middle of Manchester from the edge of the Peak District, anything from 30 to 50 km each way, but usually no more than twice a week. The direct route is straight down the A6, mixing it with the stone wagons.......
Lots of good advice above. Key points for me are 'Assume everyone's trying to kill you' (because they are!). Ride conservatively and don't be frightened of taking the lane, especially if you're going at the same pace as the traffic, or of riding on the pavement, though if I do that, I do so at walking pace. I do observe red traffic lights.
The amount of climb makes a big difference for me. 30 km x 150 m is much easier than 30 km x 550 m so it influences things like overall weight of bike, tyre choice. I have no compunction about using the nice road bike, even in iffy conditions, though I do have a 'crappy conditions' bike too.
Robust wheels and tyres are useful though I don't go for really armour plated tyres. I use GP 4 Seasons on the crappy conditions bike and GP5000 Tubeless on the nicer one. I don't try and squeeze the maximum life out of the tyres though.
On lights, there are lights for being seen and lights for seeing your way. Some of my routes only need small lights like Exposure Boost. If you're on an unlit road or path, you need much more illumination. I tend to plan my route to avoid unlit areas if in the dark because I find it quite faffy and significantly slower than just blatting down a lit A-road.
Already been mentioned but a lot of lights nowadays are just overkill, especially on off road routes. You're trying to see where you're going not melt the shrubbery. Quite a few dog walkers and fellow cycle commuters have ridiculous lights on my route. I've almost come off a few times due to being blinded. I have shit eyesight but still don't need that much light to see where I'm going. If you really need to harness the power of a dying star to see where you're going I'd suggest you shouldn't leave the house in the dark. A bit different if you're mainly riding on roads and need to be seen. Basically don't be a dick and think of other people.
Oh and if you're anything like me, add twenty minutes to your journey each way for stopping to look at wildlife and play with people's dogs!
For 6 miles each way, I’d just ride in regular clothes.
Never. They get too sweaty too easily and might be tight in the wrong places, restricting movement. They get dirty too easily and sitting on a saddle bouncing around on a regular basis isn't much good for wear and tear, as well as potential for getting caught on bits of bike.
I used to get changed for a 4 mile commute, but was riding off-road along longer routes home most days back then.
Currently on a ~7 mile commute depending how boggy a particular farm track is. There's been times where I've taken it easy on the way into work, not got sweaty, kept dry and clean, and thought I could have just worn regular clothes. But that's pretty rare, and no point for me personally basing my routine around that.
Riding in towns, use cheeky footpaths and routes through parks, alleys, sea fronts, canal paths etc, as much as possible to get away from traffic (avoiding heavily pedestrians routes too).
Fit and forget puncture proof tires. Disc brakes. Trousers/jumper last a few days at work, change t-shirt & underwear daily. Keep shoes at work.
Keep a bottle of 'wet lube' on your desk at work for when you can't be assed to maintain your filthy commuter bike.
Want to say something about attitude, but route choice massively helps, as on quieter routes there's less potential for aggy exchanges. Riding daily, it's not worth taking risks ie, cycling around a big fast roundabout where you might feel obliged to compete with traffic. That's increasing potential for aggy exchanges. So you switch to using the lights at a crossing instead to get over the dual carriageway but they're really slow - again not worth taking risks to nip through a gap in the traffic on a daily basis, increases potential for aggy exchanges, raises stress levels, just chill instead, take a breather. It's got to be sustainable physically and mentally if you have no choice but cycle commute.
ALWAYS double rear light
This needs repeating.
All good advice, the only thing I would add is, enjoy the ride. It's lovely being out, getting exercise on a crisp day.
I've got a nice routine going with my commute, 10 miles into town, stop for a hipster coffee and pastry, then 2 miles further to office.
Makes for a chilled out morning and I'm still at my desk with time to spare.
Put things on the bike - Tool bottle with pump, tube, multitool, lights, spare lights. Means there is less to get ready and to forget.
Don't carry things you don't need. Leave things at work (locks, clothes).
Complete spare set of clothes at work is a good shout. Definitely socks and underwear.
Check the weather! It's slower if there's a headwind. May not be safe if there's ice. Might need a jacket on the way home even if nice on the way in.
Have a stash of extra food at work.
You'll be on the bike a lot. Good puncture proof tyres are nice. Wider for comfort but don't go for cheap super heavy dead puncture proof things. Make sure the saddle is comfy.
Whatever clothing you are commuting in, buy a few sets. If lycra you'll want fresh each day which is 5 pairs unless you do a lot of washing in the week. Multiple pairs of gloves, tops even shoes is a nice luxury if you get wet and can't dry things in time for the next day. I'd probably get dedicated commuting kit as it tends to wear out fast.
.mudguards. hub gear. Conti contact tyres. Rack. Dynamo lights. Putoline your chain. I commuted like that for years of almost zero maintenance. Redo the chain a couple of times a year. Blow the tyres up occasionally
As opposed to pretty much everyone else here it seems, I like dynamo lights. I back them up with LEDs, but with modern LED dynamo lights, you can't really even blow a bulb, so you will always have them, and they will always work. I even enjoy the whir of my bottle dynamo!
For 6 miles each way, I’d just ride in regular clothes.
Never. They get too sweaty too easily and might be tight in the wrong places, restricting movement. They get dirty too easily and sitting on a saddle bouncing around on a regular basis isn’t much good for wear and tear, as well as potential for getting caught on bits of bike.
6 miles is only 30 minutes, tops. 20 minutes normally. I reckon you'd lose at least 5 minutes at each end changing clothes around - it's just not worth it imo. Wear and tear on clothes holds for biking clothes too, even if they are designed and reinforced in the right areas - and my cycling kit costs a lot more than my casual clothes.
I spent years cycling in and out of London (18 miles each way) every day, I'd gotten into the mindset of always having to wear cycling gear and dealing with the faff. Switching to just being in regular clothes really was a revelation. It does get annoying carrying around extra clothes around with you all the time, and changing in various tiny toilet cubicles.
Personally, I’ve never bothered with mudguards for commuting. If it’s raining you’ll probably get wet. I do get showered and fully changed at work however.
Being self sufficient enough to change a tube/fix a chain. Saying that - set off in good time. Sometimes you just don’t want to change your tube when it’s -5°.
I like mudguards, but I've always found them a bit of a faff. Even the good ones seem to break after a while, easy to bend them and then they rub against tyres. Makes bikes annoying to get into cars if you need to. Incompatible with some bike storage. Can make toe overlap a real problem. Winter use only for me.
I used a rackpack for heavy stuff combined with a small rucsac for lightweight stuff ,like clothes. More aero than a pannier. My rucsac doubled up as a reflector having big Scotchlite strips on the back.
Twin lights front and rear - more visible and if one fails you are still golden.
Route choice. I used to turn a direct 9 mile commute into a 12 mile depending on time of day. IE starting nights or finishing lates I didn't want to be on rural roads when the pubs were coming out. The long route was towpath, back streets, well lit 30mph dual carriageway with bus/cycle lane.
With full mudguards dealing with roadspray I found Rainlegs better than full waterproof trousers.
Lights - Amazon currently doing the Cateye Amp 400 for £21. Nice light. Reliable toolfree mount. Good choice of modes. Simple to operate.
Keep some handcleaner at your workplace in case you end up with oil on your hands on the way in
Or use a mix of sugar and washing up liquid in the kitchen. Works just as well.
6 miles... 20 minutes normally
There's no chance of an 18mph average speed on my bike on a daily basis, more like 11mph avg speed.
35 years of commuting experience and the only obvious omissions so far are probably:
Chain tool.
Spare quick links.
Couple of pairs of medical gloves are more pleasant than filthy paws when you break the chain half way to work..
As others have said, introduce some variety into the routine and find a route that you actually enjoy riding.
Get an office round the corner from an M&S, very handy for the days when you forget your underwear. Also try to arrange a locker at the office, an excellent place to store the rest of the 5 packs of underwear and socks you buy ready for next time (alongside toiletries, lock, shoes, belts, trousers and a coat hanger).
Full length mudguards are not just for you, one of the worst things about rainy days is the spray from other commuters if you are on a busy route (mine is a 24km into central London so loads of other cyclists).
If on a busy route be conscious of other cyclists too, they’re often more of a liability/less predictable than the drivers.
Seme way of carrying stuff on the bike. A rucksack will make you really sweaty, necessitating a shower, on the bike is much more pleasant. I don't like paniers as they create a "tail wagging dog" sensation, and feel unbalanced if you only use one. So I have been using a carradice saddlebag for over 10 years, it's just about worn in now...
Lights. More lights. Spare lights. Batteries. But seriously I use 2 solid lights on the bike, a cat eye reflex on the rack and a flashing light on the saddlebag. A single light can fail leaving you unlit (at either end). I go for a mix of battery and USB rechargeable ones so that if I forget to charge some, and the batteries go on others I can swap batteries. Even buying some if needed from a garage or corner shop.
Try not to overdress. I basically wear summer attire, adding a gilet/windproof/waterproof as it gets colder. Only adding leggings/base layer once it is approaching freezing... I may be weird? Or just very sweaty.....
Proviz jackets are great for night time visibility, less good in the day, and are absolute sweaty boxes. Avoid on all but the coldest days.
Leave a big lock at work. Carry a small cafe lock so you can pop into the shop on your way home to get tea/milk/wine etc.
Shoes too, leave some at work.
Much of the advice here is good. Particularly about finding quiet routes and assuming everyone is trying to kill you. That does seem to have become less of a problem in recent years though.
Get in a routine. Know where your stuff is and put it in the same place every day. Ends up being easier/better than driving, and the "door to desk" time often isn't that different
I specifically don't eat breakfast before I ride to work. Weirdly I end up being more hungry and end up over eating throughout the day.
Keith, 10 mile pan flat commute, 2-3 days a week.
For six miles, ride slowly and don’t change? Otherwise leave shoes and a spare change of underwear at work. Use robust tyres. Carry two tubes and levers if you can’t get the tyres off. Rack and panniers is nicer than a rucksack, but it’s not a long commute so moot
Decent day bright flashing light - I use an Exposure Boost.
It doesn’t rain very often, you’ll get wet about ten times a year. Mudguards are good to have.
Jeez it's a bike ride not a military operation. Have a bike that works, have spares in a seat pack and a pump always on bike. Have some lights, two front two back in case one goes pop. Put out stuff night before, ride to work, work, ride home. Simples
In my experience never underestimate the stupidity of some car drivers and give lorries and vans a wide berth.
Regarding rear lights I ride with two rears when it's dark. One flashing to be more noticable and one constant as it's easier for drivers to judge speed and distance. In the light I just run the flasher (it's a Tooo camera light).
Bright and reflective overshoes at this time of year make it really obvious you are a cyclist.
Tubeless tyres (Schwalbe G-One allrounds) have been pretty much puncture free. So much so that I’m not afraid of tempting fate by typing that here!
Go on, laugh at me. I got my first puncture in about 2 years this morning! I thought tempting fate was just a myth!! This thread can sod right off!!
"eat a hearty breakfast beforehand- porridge is good"
Whereas I commute to work (20 miles) on nothing more than a cup of tea then eat when I get to the office. This one is personal preference and needs some experimentation. You might be a two breakfasts kinda cyclist.
If it's raining on the way in and you don't have a radiator your gloves will still be wet come the journey home, so take a second set.
Socks and thinner gloves you can stick over the nossle of an old school hand drier and give them a nice push start on getting dry if needs be.
I have a shortish commute (3 mile each way) so never really bother with cycling specific clothing. Would recommend a softshell jacket to stop getting too sweaty but still being able to cope with a shower. When it's properly raining I generally just stick some football shorts on and take my trousers and spare socks and pants in my bag, with a proper waterproof on the top half.
For the depths of winter one of those Belgian style caps with ear covers.
Wet feet are common even with full length +flapped guards, so another vote for leaving some shoes under your desk.
Wet feet are common
Not with Sealskinz and/or Goretex boots they're not.
I've commuted for well over 30 years and some of the stuff on this thread is bizarre. (Especially from people who don't even ride to work!) I think the op should ignore it all and see what works for him!
eat a hearty breakfast beforehand- porridge is good
That adds time in the morning. I never eat before the ride on, I'll have a bottle of water on the bike and then eat when I get to work.
That's for a 15 mile rolling, suburban commute.
Sometimes you'll be too knackered to ride in, or too bored of it. It's OK to take the train / bus / drive in every now and then - don't be a martyr about it. I used to take a train up to Wimbledon and then ride to Hammersmith every weekday for five years. Getting the tube instead when I was super-knackered (two under fours FTW!) reminded me how grim the multi-stop tube option was and inevitably resulted in a cold or cough, so I usually swapped back to the bike after two or three days.
Try and switch up the routes a bit, just for the variety. I had three routes I took. Luckily I had the towpath along the Thames from Putney to Hammersmith Bridge as an option, and that's lovely to ride - no traffic.
Someone will try and knock you off, many more will SMIDSY. Try and be the one that doesn't lose their head.
Forget mudguards saving you if riding in traffic... full change of clothes... spray from your own wheels isn't all you need to deal with.
Top tip? Always start with full winter gloves... starting off in the morning is often much colder than you expected.
Cables to charge lights at work is a good shout... and I'd add... have multiple front and rear lights for redundancy.
Depending how arduous the ride... two breakfasts... one before you leave home, one at or near the office.
eat a hearty breakfast beforehand- porridge is good
That adds time in the morning. I never eat before the ride on, I’ll have a bottle of water on the bike and then eat when I get to work.
It's 6 miles. There's no need to do anything special about food, just have what you normally would.
Unless I'm going to be out for >2.5 hours, I don't even consider fueling any differently, let alone actually doing anything about it.
Over the years:
- I use a drip wax rather than a wet lube, less maintenance and build up
- Like others have said, I prefer a rack pack/trunk bag over panniers, less work when riding home at the end of the day
- Good waterproofs, sealskin gloves and waterproof winter boots are a god send
- Mudguards if you're not going to get changed
- Ride a bit slower and be less sweaty
The thing I'm currently considering, as my commute is a bit over 30 minutes, is an e-bike.
As per much of the above; mudguards, decent tyres (another vote for Conti Contacts), emergency food, spare lights, waterproof backpack...
A waterproof/ziplock bag for your phone. You may want it to be easily reachable, for taking photos of good and bad stuff.
Also, as mentioned, pairs of disposable gloves. I've always got them within easy reach - vital when it's grim out and your chain drops after swerving from another pothole/close pass/pedestrian stepping out. You'll also play the Good Samaritan more often than you'd expect, and on those occasions their bike will be filthy.
And more underwear; keep a waterpoof bag with spare pants & socks in the bottom of your bag, below the permanent toolkit & pump.
I commuted for c20 years in London. Most of the advice really does depend on your commute. For many years I was a 'lycra to work/shower and change' rider, but later years different bike, slowed down a bit (journey time hardly changes, less time waiting at red lights). Now work at home but if I was commuting by bike I'd look at -
- full length mudguards
- dynamo lights. Before I had them, there would always be a few nights when I really wasn't expecting to be at work when it got dark and I'd not have lights with me. It's also less to faff with - no charging, removing for security etc etc.
- flat pedals. Even if it's just walking through the office at work it's still way more convenient that clips. You don't need super spiky pins on the road, especially not if you ride with grippy mtb shoes. (grip tape style, metal cages, pinless flats all fine)
- Try riding without changing, even if it's not all the way through the year. It's nice to be able to do stuff. on the way home/after work. Theres a lot of 'not lycra' bike friendly clothing about now. Rapha/Vulpine/Spoke. A pair of minimal 'undershorts' and just changing into pants at work (and a flannel to the face) is often enough even if it's really warm.
- Lock at work. Spare clothes at work. (Shirt/pants/socks/shoes minimum). if you walk to work you sometimes get wet - riding a bike is not that different.
- vary your route a lot until you find the one you enjoy most. I started off on big direct roads and ended with a route that took in more green space, parks and backstreets.
Also - reconsider a load of clothing you might have thought ridiculous in the past, even if you're riding in everyday clothes as there are a fair few days in the shoulder seasons when the temperature changes a lot between morning and evening or even through the morning commute slot
- armwarmers
- lightweight windproof front/vented back gilet
- Rainlegs https://road.cc/content/review/56364-rainlegs-wind-and-waterproof-leg-covers
Don't overthink it. There are better solutions to most issues you might end up having. But you can solve them when they crop up. I've commuted on everything form an OFO (think Boris bike, sit up and beg, full guards, chain guard, dynamo) in work clothes to full roadie kit on a racing bike like yours. They all have their place and do the job.
I’ve got the opportunity to commute to work, safe bike storage and good work showers. 12 mile round trip but it’s on busy A roads.
Is there an alternative?
Ignore the distance for a minute and see if there's a 'nice' route. The difference between 6 miles and 8 is less than 10minutes, when you factor in getting ready, showers etc then it's almost negligible and not worth the misery of fast roads.
I’ve bought a cheap commuter for a couple of hundred (2015 Cube Peloton road bike). Any hints or tips from the seasoned commuters out there. Tools to carry/decent lights/ puncture avoidance advice. Do I need to change the tyres from the Vittoria road ones?
TBH you could have bought a better bike for commuting, but equally any bike will do, it's only a bike ride like any other. It's just hat you'll do it twice a day, 5 days a week, regardless of the weather. If you stick with it I'd maybe consider swapping to a more utilitarian bike with at least 35mm tyres, proper mudguard mounts
MUDGUARDS. The number of rainy commutes in a year is remarkably small. It's a once a month occurrence. The number of days that the roads are wet though, that's at least 50/50 in winter! There are a whole variety of bodge on mudguards, Raceblades or raceblades XL are probably your best bet. The former provides a bit more coverage but is more of a faff to fit and adjust, especially if your not sadistic enough to still use 23mm tires.
Tools, no more than normal. I take a tube, frame pump and have a multitool in my desk drawer. Keep them in your everyday bag and don't take them out. for the weekend. Buy a dedicated commuting set or I can guarantee you the only time you will puncture is Monday morning when your stuff is still in you camelback.
6 miles is borderline for needing a shower at work, especially this time of year. Don't fall into he trap of thinking you need to dress like Pogacar just to ride 6 miles. I only dress for the commute if the weather is shitty, otherwise I just wear my work clothes with a softshell jacket on top.
Lights, yep you'll need them. I run a dynamo on my commuter as it means I don't need to mess with charging anything. If using battery lights then take 2 front and rear because IME eventually one fails or you forget to charge it. STVZO style lights with a proper cut-off don't piss off other road users (including cyclists). 1000lumen off-road lights are just anti social and unnecessary sending 500 of those lumens up into everyone else's eyes. OTOH if you commuted down narrow country lanes at speed then STVO beams don't reach as far, especially if the road undulates. Horses for courses.
Tyres, if they're in decent condition I wouldn't bother swapping them. I run a heavy duty commuter tyre on the rear and a standard conti ultrasport on the front. For unknown reasons I still get more rear punctures (mostly big things like nails and glass).
Have a full spare set of work clothes in your desk / locker. Eventually you'll forget something, or misjudge the weather.
Basically what everyone else said. Especially the bit about doing it every day. A routine is far easier to stick to, and you won't forget stuff.
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There are a whole variety of bodge on mudguards, Raceblades or raceblades XL are probably your best bet
Googling Cube Peloton it looks like it doesn't have mudguard mounts, but if you do have them on a bike with them on then proper mudguards are a revelation. None of the bodge on guards word very well - they move, they break, they rattle and rub and they don't have enough coverage to really keep you clean.
I'm very happy with Kinesis Fend offs
Do you have any leeway on the times you ride in?
Have found with getting home, leaving at 5.30 is queues of traffic everywhere, close passes, everyone in a hurry etc.
Leaving at 6 the roads are much emptier and nicer to ride on.
Check the weather each day. I've been caught out with a really mild morning, and then in the afternoon the temp has dropped to around freezing, which makes for a very cold ride home.