Yes, a radical idea, I know…

Anyway, I would be faced with a 4 mile cycle each way, just over half of that on towpath, the rest through city centre traffic/roads. Looking at something like This , adding hydraulic brakes and buying a few extra pieces of winter riding gear. I currently get public transport, but it’s slowly wearing on me with late buses and buses not turning up at all. I’ve done my sums and I can save around 40% on my costs.

So, I’ll need to be riding in all weather, snow, ice, wind, rain etc.

Talk me into it, or, talk me out of it.

Col

4 miles each way…. can’t see any reason not to!

😀 enjoy riding past angry looking people stuck in cars

I ride all year – 4 miles each way. As long as my fingers and neck are warm, I get by. No fancy gear here. Keep some spare clothes at work.

If its flat, ditch your gears and fancy forks. Simplify to win

Only thing that stops me is lack of showers where I work (the dodgy bike shed doesn’t help convince me either).

Ride whatever bike you have now, see how you get on. After a month or two, you’ll have a better idea of what you need.

For four miles, half on a towpath, I’d be walking.

4 miles each way is fine. Make sure you have your shower (or cleanup) stuff at work and you’ll not have any problem. Not sure why you’d need hydro brakes unless you’ve got something steep to ride down. Just remember to be a little more careful with other road users than you would be in a car.

Walking? I’ll pass 😉

I’ve cycled to work before (I lived further away at the time, 6 miles) on my Meta and it was fine. But I’d like to keep that bike for it’s purpose and not use it for commuting – it gets used enough as it is.

We have a shower in work, though it’s currently out of order but I’m working on getting it sorted and I would keep my work clothes in work when possible (office environment, smart casual at worst)

Stick a rack and some panniers on it, this stops the sweaty back syndrome. Mudguards will also help keep you clean and dry in the bad weather. You wouldn’t even really even have to upgrade the brakes.

For four miles, half on a towpath, I’d be walking.

Possibly this!

I don’t get spending £500 on a commuter, either buy a BSO for £100 each year and bin it. Or buy something secondhand, I commuted on a stupidly light cannondale XC hardtail from the late 90’s for a year, cost me half that saracen, was faultlessly reliable, was nice to ride, and did for XC rides as well as commuting. Sold the frame for 75% of what I bought the bike for! I now have a Claude Buttler Tourer from the 50’s and really want to spend the change on a a tweed jacket to go with it.

My comment on the brakes was based on previous experience with those Tektro cable brakes. I PITA. Needed constant adjusting. Anyway, I’ll be off to have a nosy at that Saracen in the next day or two.

I used to do 7 miles each way, every day. All weathers. On towpath all the way. The traffic otherwise was too hideous to comprehend

15 each way now up some serious climbs so every day is a no no

4 miles is nowt! Its not far enough to get properly soaked or cold. And the public transport option is still there. You’ll be fine. In fact, better than fine. The warm glow of smug self-righteousness is quite a tonic when arriving in the office of a morning. Everyone else loves you for it 😉

And bikewise: for 8 miles a day, build a cheap singlespeed and ride it into the ground. Cleaning singlespeed commuter bikes is against the law

Thanks for all the replies. On a side, does anyone have experiences of those Nexus 3-speed hubs?

At 4 miles you’d hardly get a sweat on! If I lived anything less than 10 I’d bike in for nearly every shift, (not the 9pm finish ones though)

it is nice to have a bike for commuting if you can. that way it doesn’t need to be a compromise. mudguards. lights and loads of reflective tape etc.

4 miles each way

If you main concern is money then why not walk or run? You wont need any special kit, no punctures, broken chains or other expenditure. Just a cheap head torch for the dark winter evenings.

And bike wise: for 8 miles a day, build a cheap single speed and ride it into the ground. Cleaning single speed commuter bikes is against the law

If you do ride then follow this advice.

As others have said, you won’t need a shower for 4 miles. Not unless you hammer it along the path. I like hub gears but ride 25 miles a day on a fixed singlespeed on the road. You will need mudguards, and I recommend pannier and rack, to keep your back cool. My son rides that to school each day 😉

dont bother with a BSO they cost more money than they should and the ride is horrible

what you want is a POS dug out of the back of someones shed, stripped back to a single gear, replace the brake cables/blocks and new tape on the bars. then fit guards, rack, reflectors, lights

it will be the same sort of price and less attractive to thieves

Nexus 8 speed here, no problems with 11 mile each way, some off road content, skirting big climbs.

You won’t need a shower for a 4 mile cycle – you will be less sweaty than you would be for a 4 mile walk.

Just put BB7s and speed dial levers on if the tektros are that bad.

Just do it you miserable sack of shit!

Just do it you miserable sack of shit!

Gum my plums, horse.

Go for it, well apart from the ‘riding on ice’ bit. Not worth the risk in my opinion and it’s not much fun.

Get some old raleigh or peugot of gumtree locally.

Don’t let the rain outside at the minute put you off!

Aye Barry, just sitting listening to it. Sure I’d get soaked standing at the bus stop anyway!

I don’t get spending £500 on a commuter, either buying a BSO for £100 each year and binning it.

Admittedly it’s different for a commute of this length, but I’d commute on a Di2 equipped carbon wonder bike if I wasn’t worried about it getting stolen (when I’m in our Horsham office I do use my full DA equipped Madone).

If you’ve got a long commute you likely spend longer on your commuter bike than any other, why not enjoy it?! I’ve got an Allez for commuting on, but to be honest I could probably sell it and buy at least 2 complete DA transmissions for the Madone, and it’d be far far far nicer to ride! In fact, I’m increasingly tempted to do just that!

Get some old raleigh or peugot of gumtree locally.

but check that it is not nicked…

Ive actually been considering it myself, 7 miles each way, very hilly, good workout 2 or 3 times per week. We have showers on site so it’s just a matter of getting organised and leaving clothes and food here to save me carrying them on the ride.

I do about the same length of commute on a £250 Raleigh.

I used to faff with extra clothes, but I no longer do. In fact, I wear a suit to work, and just keep a spray deoderant in my desk drawer. I figure that I didn’t used to worry about sweating when I was younger; why should I care now?

I also love being able to ride past queues of traffic feeling smug.

I do 5 miles each way half od which is hilly but nothing too steep and use a cheapish (£200) mountain bike I bought off ebay and converted to singlespeed. I have kept the nobbly tyres on as much better in the winter. As above the simpler the better and definitely fit mudguards.

Buy yourself some good winter gloves when it starts to get cold, they’ll be worth the money. Also a buff helps round your neck. I commute in my normal biking gear, don’t really get people who bike to work in work clothes.

4 miles is almost the perfect cycling commuting distance.

I used to do 2 and a bit miles and no sooner had you got cycling than you’d finished.

4 miles? You lucky bastard, it’s 20 miles ew for me. Just ride anything, or run it, you’ll get nice and fit running that twice a day.

I can confirm I am NOT running or walking to work.

I’ll have a look at some bikes over the weekend and decide.

Thanks again for all the responses

Col

In nearly 20 years of cycle commuting I’ve never had the luxury of a shower at work. – Strip washes have been sufficient in that time and no one has said otherwise. 😉

I certainly wouldn’t want to walk 4 miles each way but on a bike that’s 20 mins at a gentle 12mph avg.

No brainer IMO

I do 13 on a road bike each way all year and have no shower, baby wipe wash and 10 minutes to cool down, 4 miles would be fine on a 100 quid 2nd hand job.

As above, get mudguards. Apparently according to Matt Seaton if you ride all year round you’ll only get drenched 12 times. I rarely wear waterproofs. I’m lucky I have a stationary cupboard for my bike in work and a spare drawer in the desk for change of clothes. I took the rack and panniers off, too heavy…..small timbuk2, really good

I’m 3 miles form the office, but usually extend it to 10 miles in and then 10 miles back just to make it feel worth it. Occasionally I’ll do a 30 miler via the trails up at Nant-yr-arian or more usually a 15-20 miler taking in some of them :). Lucky to have showers at work, plus a drying room for wet kit 🙂

paclite waterproofs for me. trhe trousers have been good but the paclite jackets are not really robust enough for a courier bag or rucksack and will eventually need replacing.

not very sweaty though and light to carry.

if you are wearing work clothes getting soaked is not really an option.

Used to do a couple more than that each way. Microfibre towels, Aldi have them cheap at the moment. Arrid XX body spray, dries you up a treat. Baby wipes for pits & bits. Huggies are best I found. Full guards are great, even in fairly heavy rain you’ll only get moderately wet. Rare to get a real soaking. Some cheap disposable nappies stuffed into wet shoes soon have them dry. Rucksacks can get heavy, a rack or basket is better in summer. Lots of cheap led’s on the rear, bike covered in 3m tape keeps you visible. Bikewise, anything that will take full guards, road / tourer / mtb. A P7 torch is my choice of light, enough for tow paths, too bright for roads, so mine is pointed down & flashing. It becomes very addictive after a while, & summer is ace.

I do a touch under three miles each way. Ride in my work clothes and the students haven’t started any Mr Smelly nicknames yet.

Second the mudguards, etc.

If you’re on towpaths for some of your commute, be prepared to switch to the rods in the winter as they won’t be gritted. Once on the roads, you won’t want to be riding an expensive/good bike, because they are gritted.

The salt is also why you’ll either need to spend cash each year on a new drivetrain or go SS/fixed. I’m really liking fixed at the moment, but hub brakes/gears are good too, though more expensive.

id get a cheap but good second hand single speed for that distance

ive bought a few – one a giant bowery as new for £165

My geared road bike is stripped down awaiting upgrades for spring, so im just using my single speed, done a few night rides of 25 miles this week, loving it

if its looking rough at the end of winter I’ll sell it and buy another in better nick