for the 1st time in my 27 years of working life,and after my recent heart attack
i am making a big lifestyle change and jacking in my job as a mobile HVAC/multi skilled facilities type role and im joining Virgin active looking after one of their gyms as a maintenance technician lot less money but a lot less job. soooooo i now will be doing a 7.5 mile commute twice a day,mostly on a canal towpath probably 2.5 miles on road, ill take mainly backstreet routes as much as possible,any tips on lights/riding styles/clothing warmly welcomed
ta DB

Watch out for punctures on the towpaths!

Off the top of my head, and in no particular order:

Build up to it if you haven’t ridden often recently – 15 miles a day accumulates by the end of the week with no days off!

Carry a pump, tubes, multitool and mobile phone. Headtorch is useful for fixing canalside punctures in the dark.

Mudguards keep you and your kit drier and cleaner.

Panniers are more comfortable than a backpack.

There is a trade off between speed/rolling resistance and punctures.

If your towpaths have narrow motorbike barriers, drop bars are great!

If you can keep work shoes and other kit at work, do so – less to carry in and slow you down.

You will get hungry – plan healthier snacks to avoid binge eating.

Off road lights are great on towpaths but annoy other road users due to the flood light effect. I’m finding German lights with their road legal beams are just as good on towpaths at brisk speeds without dazzling drivers and dog walkers. (B&M Kore light atm)

Two lights front and back on the road, one flashing, one steady. Getting one of those on your helmet seems to help get your visibility better.

Reflectives can be great, especially the motion of ankles going up and down, and Proviz jackets/gilets.

It will take you a while to figure out clothing – whether you run hot or cold, and canals can have their own microclimates sometimes it seems. But start chilly, and dress for the way you feel 1 mile into the ride.

If you work at a gym, fit a couple of weights sessions in a week, helps retain muscle mass as you get older, apparently.

Sorry to hear your plight mate, Decathlon is your freind. I’ve kitted myself out with loads of commuting stuff from warm shoes and socks, to puncture repair kits, lights and bags. Their hiking equipment is great for commuting to work on a bike.

Spoke reflectors for side visibility at night. On front wheel as back is obscured by legs, panniers.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Spoke-Reflectors-NEW-Lazer-Bright-3M-Scotchlite-Bike-Wheel-Bicycle-Cycle-1-72-/281054958297

AN absolute must are Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres. I was getting an average of 2 punctures per week until I put these on, and I have not had a puncture in more than 8 months. They are heavy, but FANTASTIC and worth every penny.

Depending on the kind of bike you have, Marathon Plus are great, personally on my 26″ commuter I love my Kenda Small Block Eight.

Currently on Sammy Slicks – lighter and quicker than Marathons and still pretty puncture proof (700×35 flavour)

But plus one for Decathlon – and there is an Aldi cycling sale due later this month according to road.cc

spoke reflectors and rear light purchased

Keep spare tube/puncture repair kit and lube at work.just in case.
If you do the tow path after wet weather ,maybe a bike brush and a rag too.
Buy porridge and honey in bulk.:-)
Check your bike at lunch time ,nowt worse than finding a puncture when you’re ready to go home….
Don’t ride too fast on the way in.

I used to use specialised armadillo tyres. They worked well for puncture resistance but were a little sketchy in the wet.

Birthday and Christmas presents from now on will be cycling kit. You can get away with a small amount but being able to have clean every day and not ‘have’ to wash stuff every night makes life much easier. You may find you go through a fair number of chains/cassettes. I used to stick to deore for the commuter, it worked well enough but didn’t cost the earth to replace when it wore out.

Similar for shoes, if you’re going to be riding in all weathers, then a dry pair of shoes first thing in the morning seems so much nicer than having to put your feet into shoes that are still damp from the day before. So second pair of shoes although a bit of a luxury felt worthwhile.

A bell on the towpath seems to be much appreciated by other users.

Having showers, lockers and so on at work is handy. If you’re able to keep a locker for your own use then leaving a spare set of clean work clothes/pants/socks/etc at work will be great on the day that you forget to pack something. You will do this at least once.

If you’re able to store the bike indoors somewhere then do, if not then use the heaviest duty locks you can find and leave them at work, no point carrying them back and forth.

And good for you for making the changes. I’m sure in a years time you’ll be fitter than you’ve been in a good long while.

I feel like I keep banging on about ’em on here but Dynamo lights are really bloody brilliant for commuting, no battery replacement/recharging worries and they’re always on and as mentioned above, the German stuff is designed for the job with a really good beam pattern (much like a car headlight) that doesn’t blind other road users/peds.

An extra bonus is because you’ve got no battery worries you can extend you’re riding whenever you feel like it and have a nice cheeky long ride! Great this time of year too if you’re a tad forgetful and it’s suddenly darker than you were expecting!

Defo full guards with proper metal stays, there’s absolutely nothing worse than kicking a shitty crud racer style guard at a junction or something and then have it rub like mad. Don’t underestimate just how much more pleasant full guards will be either.

Conti Gatorskins. A good jacket (spend the money) and plenty of other functional cycling clothing to layer up with. Exposure main front light. USB rechargeable backups (I recommend Knog).

Carry a pump, tubes, multitool and mobile phone. Headtorch is useful for fixing canalside punctures in the dark.

If you use reading glasses carry these on the bike too. You won’t see the hole to repair it nor the item that put the hole in tyre and tube without them. (Or have an understanding partner who will come out and collect when phoned).

Tubeless, two spare tubes, chain tool and links, back up emergency lights plus full blown night lights and an emergency £20 to bribe a taxi driver to put your dirty bike in his cab if you pull a muscle and an energy gel for those taking the long way home bonking emergencies. As much reflective gear as possible and mud guards to keep lights and you clean. Ortleib messenger bag with your dry clean kit in plus plenty of healthy food for the day…….you’ll find several pieces of fruit will get you between meals and as others have said porridge pre ride.
Main thing is embrace your new lifestyle, my commute by bike is one of the daily chores that I miss since being retired.

Marathon plus
Discs, cable or hydro,
1x drivetrain
USB charging lights, plus a backup set + reflectors
Spare tube, pump tyre levers (after a yr no punctures with marathons I stopped carrying them!) Multitool
Mudguards,
Comfy backpack, waterproof fluorescent cover
Clothing wise, 3\4 length shorts are great for winter, buff for when it’s really cold, merino Jersey too,
5 pairs of padded short liners
2 pairs of shoes, rotate when they get wet

Leave a big (motorbike) lock at work , small dlock in your bag if you wanna stop at the shops on the way home

On road, assume every driver is actively trying to kill you, don’t rely on your ears, look and look again

If you’ve got a big g off road ride/ race planned for the weekend, get the bus in on friday

Gym = showers at work, nice!

Main thing is embrace your new lifestyle, my commute by bike is one of the daily chores that I miss since being retired.

It was genuinely the hi-light of my working day. Didn’t go down too well when I absent mindedly said that during an appraisal.

Best thing I did was purchasing some tubeless xt wheels. Put a few capfuls of stans no tubes in the tyres every few months and you will never need to worry about flats. I used to pick the thorns out every few weeks during the summer and watch the sealant do its job.

Get a Crumpler bag for sarnies and phone, wallet etc. These have proved to be the best and most stable for cycling with kit.

Endura urban cycling trousers, saves me having to change when I get to work on dry days…. I’m lazy.

Mud guards… Yes I have finally fitted some of these…. They are only those tiny enduro things but they keep most of the crap off. If your not as fussy as me regarding bike aesthetics then just fit the full ones and stay spray free.

Get some bloody good lights, especially for canal path winter riding.. It’s dark as hell along there.

And finally, get a couple of mini d locks. Leave them at work to lock the bike up, and use one for nipping down town at lunch… After work etc. they fit nicely into your bag or even in your back pocket if you want to travel light.

The little Kryptonite lock is what I carry in my bag. Avoid the big one though – I’ve had two and they both jammed up.

Endura clothing seems to be pretty good. Much better than Altura – although slightly more expensive. I use the stuff with lots of reflective bits. Avoid grey/black clothing. Even with reflective stuff it’s invisible in the daylight.

Wear a helmet.

You will meet pricks. They walk and drive. Just wave cheerly goodbye to them and don’t let them get you down. I’ve been biking to work for 9 years now. I couldn’t imagine driving in.

Oh yeah…. Forgot about the challenge from other cyclists…. Never get skinned by another cyclist. Ok if they are on a road bike and tanking it then just let it go but a fellow mtb’er gets past you then prepare your self for a show down.

Keep a spare pair of socks & undies tucked away in a drawer at work.

If you don’t then you will forget to pack a change one day and spend the day barefoot and commando.

Also baby wipes are your friend.

I should be quite lucky as I should be able to keep bike in a plant room
And there’s a fully equipped workshop for the maintenance section.
And obviously showers etc, I’m going to have to get used to getting up earlier as IL be doing 6-2 or 10-6 with some flexibility apparently

To add to what’s already been said:

Schwalbe Durano Plus is the road version of the Marathon, I have it in 28mm, it rocks.

Newspaper – keep loads of it, stuff it in your shoes when you get in, leave them somewhere warm and they’ll be dry when it’s time to go home. Same at home. (well you have to something with the rubbish papers lying about).

Gas inflator. Never used one but the day I’ll need it I won’t have it. Saves time if you’re running late and need to get going quick.

Rinse your bike down after every wet ride at a minimum especially in winter. Mudguards are also your friends.

I’m considering investing in a dynamo but if you can’t afford one now get the lights first. Can’t comment on German lights but heard good things.

Overshoes and lobster gloves for the depths of winter. Aldi lobster mitts are actually quite good.

Autumn and spring are the seasons of arm warmers and gilets. It’s often bloody freezing in the morning and quite pleasant in the afternoon. Arm warmers live in my bag all year tbf.

I’ve been saying for years I’ll get an electric shoe drier. I still haven’t, but it could make the winter commute a little more comfortable. Father Christmas might bring me one.

“Get a Crumpler bag for sarnies and phone, wallet etc. These have proved to be the best and most stable for cycling with kit.”

How does that fit on the pannier rack ? I find my pannier bags or caradice infinately more stable than any bag on my back….. Not sure how crumpler managed to prove they were the best.

+1 for full mudguards

For 7 miles id go for comfort over speed. Hell over 15miles if gone for the dutch sit up style position having had a racey position for the same commute for years. Its added 10 minutes to my commute but its much more comfy over the course of the week , much more visible in traffic and i can see more.

For luggage:
Carradice Saddlebag (Camper longflap) – attached to a SQR block.

Carries heaps of kit behind the saddle and releases in seconds.

Also: Dynamo lights, full-length mudguards, puncture proof tyres (Schwalbe marathon plus), hub gears, drum/disk brakes.

As shown here – together with a Hebi chainglide so I only need to pump up the chain every couple of months. I also run a coaster brake for that Dutch look.

To add what I think might not have been said:

If using panniers, like ortlieb , which have no external pockets – I’ve just bought a top tube bag (beerbabe.Co.UK) to keep my keys for bike lock, work pass and phone in. Stuff I need along the way and if not wearing a cycle top with rear pockets have nowhere else for easy access.

Maybe a bit above and beyond but last year I started hot waxing my chain, using a cheap slow cooker and tea lights. It lubes the chain for up to a week and doesn’t get completely gunked up with oil and muck so makes keeping the bike clean a lot less hassle – just hose down and rewax.

7.5 miles isn’t too bad a trip to work. Or even to bad coming home. Good low rolling resistance tyres, breakfast before you start! And a Mars bar in case you feel hungry or maybe get the shakes. Pace yourself at first and you’ll get fit quicker than you think. My best buy for commuting? An airzound horn for motorists and pedestrians . 115 decibels let’s them know to move.

Waterproof shorts
PAkajak – Bright colour
breathable jersey
seal skin socks
waterproof and insulated gloves for the winter
spare tubes – don’t bother fixing punctures by the side of the road
CO2 pump
armadillo/gatorskin tyres, they really are worth the expense.
decent set of lights and pop some spare batteries in the bag
Decent lock

Get the bike serviced regularly, your commuting bike may be the least favourite of your N+1 stock but it is probably the most frequently used.

I do a similar amount of commuting myself and love it, even when its frosty or pouring down its still more fun that being a bus ****.

If I need to commute in smart trousers I wear gaiters to keep the chain, oil and road grot away from my trousers.

Looks naff, works well, available any walking shop / outlet village

I don’t think you need half the stuff everyone’s said . A jacket a drink and a tenner for a taxi if you get stuck. You don’t wanna carry a tonne of stuff for just in case.

Enjoy. You will get very fit and will probably end up extending your route.

Be organised and eliminate all faff.
If you don’t fancy full tubeless,get tubes that you can put slime or Stans in.

I sort all my kit out on a Sunday night, ride in Monday with a full messenger bag (don’t see the point of panniers unless you have a lot of stuff) then leave the weeks kit and bag and bring it home on a Friday. Means I get 8 out of 10 rides with no bag, just stuff lunch in the back pocket. Also have 2 spare sets of bibs and tops at work and a gilet in case I get drenched on the way in, and kit is still wet on the way home.

If you’ve got the money I’d be investing in a dedicated commuter come gravel bike as they now seem to be called.

I’ve recently gone full road guards and it is another level in comfort. I’ll be adding a dynamo setup this winter. Oh saddle bag with spares and pump fixed to the frame will mean you never forget them. Proper shoes are a worthwhile investment too.

Check if your work does a cycle to work scheme. You should be able to get it cheaper via that route if they do.

Watch for ice. Maybe you need to change your route in winter to the main roads. (Although that adds its own dangers)

Lots of good advice above. It will be quite a big adjustment so maybe consider doing it 3-4 days a week for the first while you’ll enjoy it so much more.

I’ve had a lot of luck with schwalbe mpluses but I got my first commuting puncture with them last night. Probably one in 3000km so not bad at all.

I don’t think you need half the stuff everyone’s said .

Not for occasional nice weather commuting when everything goes well you don’t.

Mostly been said already but: Marathons, two back lights, loads of gear at work, 1 x whatever, hiviz gilet,emergency snack stash. You should be able to string up some sort of drying arrangement near the (your) boiler, try not to burn the place down though.

Full guards- essential imo
Pannier/ saddlebag/ front bag nice
Lay kit out night before.
I always carry a light waterproof/ gilet in just in case.

It sounds like you have the route but an important part of commuting is working out the route to miss out danger spots. Don’t be afraid of a couple of extra miles for an easy ( and full) life!