I am determined to do Bolton to Manchester on a daily basis. 14 miles each way. Downhill in, uphill home. Bike is going to be the Croix de Fer. Mudguarded up, and currently with Specialized Armadillo 25c tyres. Unsure whether to put Marathon Plus tyres on. Thoughts?

Any tips to make a start? My mentality at the minute is, it’s raining, I’m driving. Sit in traffic an hour and hate it.

Dont put it off till monday!
Do it a couple of times this week to ease yourself into it.
Get your kit ready the night before and put it on as soon as you get up.
The tyres will be fine.

Edit: I stopped earlier this year due to some odd hours I’ve been working but I really missed it. It’s only 5 and a bit miles and is almost too much mither for the benefit I get from it so I’ve just started running one way and cycling the other (fortunately we have secure bike storage). Can’t wait for an icy 5.30 run tomorrow! 🙂

you may die…. 😯

I do 13 miles each way per day.

It takes 30-40 minutes depending upon the weather. It took me 1:55mins to get home yesterday in the car. NEVER AGAIN.

Are you on roads or cycle paths?
Wear a Buff under your helmet.
ALWAYS look twice at junctions.
Guards are a must, good lights are a must.

I prefer bigger comfier tyres for my commute (currently 37s) as I find they have more traction and give me more speed.

Sounds like you’ve got the gear sorted. Thought about panniers/ traditional saddle bag. Much nicer than weight on your back for the road imo.

Got something bright to wear? Not necessarily flouro or hi vis but non black/grey? If you are doing those kinds of distances a little help for the wombats behind the wheel doesn’t hurt. I know there are policy views against creating expectations of hi vis clad cyclists but a little splash of color does help ime.

I sometimes do about 17 miles undulating commute on the bike. Faster than the car at this time of year unless I have a large laptopand lever arch files to lug around.

Reason starting Monday is my wife and I currently car share. She has a new job a mile from home and I don’t want to use my campervan!

Do you find the 37’s slow you down? Was thinking Marathons in a 32c.

It is on roads. A6. There is an off-road option down an old railway but it’s a bogfest this time of year I imagine.

I do a hilly 12 miles each way every day.
I get to work in a much better mood than I used to after sitting in traffic.
All I can add is, “do it, do it!”.

Do people prefer breakfast before or after? And what about coming home, eat at 5ish if leaving at 6?

spyke, if you’re referring to the old line from radcliffe to agecroft its almost all tarmac now.

Just start. Marathon Plus in a nice narrow 25/28 or Durano Plus in 25 for something faster. A rack and panniers for that distance. On average over the course of a year, you can expect to be properly rained on about 15 times a year. It’s just a state of mind.

And sell the car 😉

Bregante, it’s Sustrans Route 55 I think. I could get on it at Walkden, and get into Trafford PArk

Spyke, I eat at home before I leave (half hour before heading out). On a decent lunch, which I try to eat after 100 I can ride home and then eat when I get in. I carry a power bar or gel or similar in case of bonk on the journey.

The hardest section on your route is the bit from the bed to the bike, after that it’s all fab! Don’t think about it, just auto pilot and get on the bike. Then it’s fine!

Break yourself in gently so you don’t overdo it and put yourself off, it may come as shock to the system. Lots of lights this time of year. Explore every option to keep off the main roads – it may take longer, but you will enjoy the journey more.

A mate used to commute Didsbury-Chorley once a week as his Friday treat. Be careful on roundabouts in Manchester – he would end up in A&E roughly every 10 months, but on the plus side, he got a new bike paid for by the drivers’ insurers every 18 months or so. (To be fair, his worst cycling injury was caused by a badger, but he bounces quite well whatever the circumstance…)

Will watch out for badgers in Manchester

That route you’re referring to is the linear walkway. Its well surfaced as far as worsley woods and there’s about 200 yds at most where it can get a touch muddy. That was my commute in the opposite direction all last year. Much better than the A6 even in the darkest depths of winter. I did it on a cdf too.

+ 1 for using route 55

Like has been said, it’s mainly solid all the way to Winton, then follow the road by the canal to Trafford park

I’ve done route 55 loads and it should be fine with mudguards through the odd puddle. Only thing was a few weeks ago United Utilities were doing some work which had narrowed the wide former double railway down to a gap the size of singletrack, fine for riding but a bit of a squeeze if meeting up with another cyclist.

I’d still rather put up with that than the A6

Perhaps have a reccy at the weekend ?

Might do Route 55 then. No problems with scallies etc?

Depends how far you go towards little hulton 😉

I’ve never had a problem with anyone and I normally get on at parsonage road / tynebank and head towards manchester, but yeah it would be the main thing I’d worry about.

Sometimes get teenagers hanging around at the Winton end but they just keep themselves to themselves.

I’d have to go all the way from Cleggs Lane as would have to do final bit on A6 from home.

Get on at mount skip lane. That’s where I got on. If you’re travelling during normal sort of commuting hours you’ll be fine. I never had a problem and I’d often travel home after 11pm (properly pitch black going under the motorway though) 😯

Might be worth a recce at the weekend* as simmy says, I ran up that way on Saturday and there is some sort of hoarding up about a mile from the Winton end. As I was blowing out of my arse to keep up with other runners though I didn’t take a closer look.

*not Saturday at 9 am though as you’ll meet 200 runners coming the other way! 😆

Definitely consider a rack and panniers, I commute 22miles each way 3 times a week and getting the weight of my back made a massive difference. Sitting down and relaxing is much nicer without a back pack on.

Get the right gear, do not think this is going to save you money, I spend a lot on food and clothing.

At 28miles a day I think your have to build up to that, 5 days a week will leave you feeling weak on Friday and your struggle to get out on the mtb, I try not to ride Friday so that I’m fresh for the weekend.

Oh and join the winter commuter challenge:

http://www.endomondo.com/challenges/12947414

17 miles each way here, generally 3 times a week. I eat when I get to work, lunch tends to increase in size as the week goes on and I get hungrier. Sometimes I have a mid afternoon snack, otherwise just ride home and eat when I get there.

I agree that you should break yourself into it, and that you’ll eat a lot! If dinner isn’t ready when I get back I tend to stand at the fridge for 10 minutes if I haven’t ridden for a while.

Mudguards, lots of lights, lots of reflecty things, good warm kit.

Forgot to say, that distance, think about a rack and pannier, I find it much comfier. Carry a waterproof jacket, spare batteries or back up lights, 2 tubes and tyre levers pump etc. Make sure the person you will need to come and rescue you in the event of a disaster knows your route.

I have a banana and coffee before my commute (12 miles each way, 3 times a week usually) and breakfast at my desk. I eat a lot anyway, but I find something carby an hour or so before heading home helps. I also carry an energy gel for emergencies – sometimes at the end of the week I have resorted to using one. Or stopping at the ice cream van at Bramcote Hills Park….

I’m never sure about carrying a drink – usually only in the summer when it is proper warm, but there are times when hydration has been over done and hedges are required.

And definitely recce the route at the weekend, you don’t want to be figuring it out in the rain and dark at 7am next Monday morning.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Commuting by bike is the way forward. I only do about 12 miles a day, but I love it, even if my fingers were numb this evening. Someone took Autumn and out Winter on instead!

In a morning I’ll be leaving home at 7.30ish

I used to do 15 miles each way, would take anything between 50 – 75 minutes depending on the weather and traffic. It was a route in and out of London so pretty flat but lots of traffic, junctions and lights that slowed the whole thing down a little.

i used to just have a light breakfast before setting off, bowl of cereal or a couple of bits of toast and jam, that sort of thing and then have elevenses at work to make up for the energy lost on the ride in.

Always carried and drank one water bottle each way.

When I first started I built up slowly, gauging it on how I felt. started with a Mon and Thu, then Mon, Wed, Fri, then Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri until I was comfortable doing the whole week. probably took about 8 weeks until it riding in every day felt normal.

Just over the hour each way for me. Once or twice a week depending on other stuff. (I ride home then in)

Eat when I get to work and if it’s the 2nd one in a row I’m chewing at the bars by the time I get there.
Eat loads during the day then ride home and eat anything I can find before tea a bit later.

Generally as above.
If your going to do everyday you need ride steady not fast as you’ll be wrecked by Wednesday unless you do big miles already.

It is far far better than driving.

Option 2 – Make wife walk the mile to work…

Even wife is thinking of riding to work! She has a CDF!

Marathon 28s are plenty tough enough for bomb proof commuting. Marathon Winters with the studs if your route gets ice regularly over the winter and you want to keep cycling, but they are slow. I have a set on spare wheels so I can switch them for icy weather.

Rack and pannier(s) without question. Don’t bother thinking about it, just get them.

At least two rear lights, and a front backup that can get you home if necessary.

Make sure you have the basics to deal with typical mechanicals; spare tubes+patches, multi tool, magic links, reliable pump.

15 miles each way is a significant commute if you ride it 5 days a week, but if you get into the habit, you won’t go back to the car. Have fun.

The hardest section on your route is the bit from the bed to the bike

I hadn’t thought about it until he said it but what ti_pin_man says is quite true.

TiRed – Member
On average over the course of a year, you can expect to be properly rained on about 15 times a year.

I read the same thing when I started commuting by bike – sounded great. Last month alone I got properly rained on more times than that!

Fortunately I am waterproof.