[Closed] Commuting by bike - give me the cold, hard truth

Hmmmm.....doing 20 miles a day everyday might make me go off riding bikes for fun.....but would make me a very fit cyclist.

Doing it once or twice a week is lots of fun and is helping make me a stronger rider at the weekends, when it matters 😉

Chertsey isn't London, it's barely inside the M25!

It'll depend on all sorts of factors, 10 miles is extremely doable, 20 is alright if you're fit, and if not you will be.

Facilities at work will probably dictate how pleasant it is - secure storage for your bike and nice showers are a lot better than a baby wipe shower and wondering if your bike's been nicked every day!

FWIW depending which office I'm in mine's anything between 10 and 45 miles each way. I think about 15-20 is perfect. YMMV.

I commuted into London from Kent about 15 miles each way. By Thursday is the weather wasn't great I'd had enough of it. I started finding excuses not to ride, my bike was getting hammered and I had a couple of offs.

apart from that it was awesome 🙂

From Herne hill to Shepherds Bush - Outer zone 2 to diagonally opposed zone 2 was fine for 10 years on a singlespeed MTB with slicks.

The nobends trying actively to kill me were more difficult.

It takes about 2 years to get your 'radar' sorted.

Medics call London cyslists 'Organ Donors' for a reason.

20 miles one way sounds like a real PITA though.

Chertsey isn't London, it's barely inside the M25!

Alright don't rub it in!

Second year in Epsom/St Helier so perhaps Twickenham or Surbiton for a year then onto Tooting for the next year.

My cycle commute is 12 miles each way and (if I'm honest) I'd like it if it were a little longer. 15-20 miles each way would be ideal for me.

Agree on the two-years or so to get 'commuter traffic radar' sorted. Regularly riding in the vicinity of commuters in cars and school-runs kamikazes take some getting used to.

Good lights, secure bike storage at work, decent washing facilities and somewhere to dry your cycling gear will make or break it as an experience for you, I reckon.

I commute 10 miles each way 4 days a week
I prefer the morning commute and do it on the singlespeed
I use the mtb to allow extra miles via the woods to eliviate the boredom
And after 8 years of commuting it is starting to become tiresome

If you can vary your route it helps a lot

Medics call London cyslists 'Organ Donors' for a reason.

do they really though?

remember that you can always extend your commute if you want to, it's hard to make it shorter.
[7 years of commuting 14 to 20 miles a day in London and not tired of it yet]

I have done 10 miles each way (20 a day) into london for several years, 5 days a week rain or shine on a rigid steel kona, 1x9 is perfect imho, discs are nice as the constant traffic lights are a pita
and leave a massive motorbike lock at work

its not too much of a problem, just as fast as public transport- including shower time at work, but never delayed (with schwable marathon + tyres)

i got fitter, but im no lance and im still podgy!
Did feel a bit tired of cycling at weekends and would have to have a day or 2 off beforehand if i was doing a weekends biking or a race or my legs would feel it

but other than that its fine and even factoring in bike wear and tear and a decent set of waterproofs + 5 pairs of short liners youll save thousands a year in travel costs

Around a 36 mile daily commute here. Usually 3 sometimes 4 days a week. You've got the right bikes, something that rolls fast to get you from A to B. Its great in the summer but you need to be hardy when the cold weather kicks in. If your heart is not in it, you'll give in. I sold my car and forced my hand (and for the most part) enjoying the benefits. I have good days, and bad. I have days off, the body needs to recover. I say go for it!

Is that 20 miles each way or round trip? That far in start stop urban traffic will be very tiring. I Did 17 each way for a short time and found it a bit tough after a long day at work, even though I had already been doing 11 - 13 each way for a year. 10 each way is no bother once you're accustomed to it.

Medics call London cyslists 'Organ Donors' for a reason.

Mainly because its reuse of a saying about motorcyclists even though the serious accidents a rare. Agree that it takes some time to properly beable to read other road users from and when best to take the lane and when best ease off e.t.c.

I know a very keen cyclist whos also a paramedic, she just calls em cyclists

It's looking like twickenham or surbiton at the moment and heading out of town towards Chertsey, so not into proper London. So about 12 miles one way....

I commute 4 or 5 days a week 10 miles each way. I have about 10 different routes now including off road to stop me getting bored. Family commitments mean i rarely get out on the bike at weekends so i usually extend my route 1-2 days a week.

Commuting by bike is brilliant. I don't think I'll ever be able to do another job where I can't ride to the office 😆

20 miles each way is perfectly doable, and will probably take around 1:20ish. But if you're not used to that distance everyday then might be worth starting off 2/3 days a week. You might have a few days when you don't enjoy it but even the worse day on the bike is better than getting a train.

St Peters? I'd be delighted to have this on my commute: [url= http://goo.gl/maps/qH7ak ]http://goo.gl/maps/qH7ak[/url]

Ned, you have no idea how much that has cheered me up 😀 ta!

I did 4 years commuting in London, nearly 3 of those doing Shepherds Bush to Bermondsey daily which is just over 9 miles (& an awesome sight seeing route). 1x9 29er with Schwalbe Marathons & no shower facilities in work. Also had to then travel from Bermondsey to various places around the city for meetings & events so some days I'd be doing c30+ miles.

No accidents. No flats. Fair few near misses & loads of nobheads (pedestrians, cyclists & drivers) but all preferable to a soul destroying (& expensive) commute a l'underground.

Do it! You'll get used to London & its cycle commutery ways

my current commute is 16miles each way and i am doing this on average 4 days a week, i used to do 12miles 5 days a week.

I am doing a rural commute so few lights to worry about, just fast moving traffic. It can get to you and it can get depressing in the middle of winter when the rain is in your face and you have 16miles into a headwind to deal with. But those days when the sun is out you understand, it makes the crap worth while.

If your going to do it, look at facilities, you don't want to carry anymore than you have to, can you ditch kit at work, have a shower etc etc. get a bike with fast tyres, get decent lights, if i was specing a commuter today i would be looking at the new dynamo hubs and lights for fit and forget ( there are few things worse than finding out your battery is flat and you have an hour to ride in the dark)

I've been commuting by bike for about 20 years in different jobs, anything from 2 to 12 miles each way. Go by time, rather than distance;an urban route with lots of traffic lights and crossings could take more time than a longer run on rural roads. I think about 40 minutes each way is a good journey time; long enough to get some useful exercise, but not taking up too much of your day.
If you want to make it a regular habit, beware of making your journey too demanding and time consuming. Remember that you will be doing it through the dark and cold of winter.
Whatever bike you are using, I would say mudguards, rack and panniers are the important bits. If you have lockers and showers at your workplace that's great.
Commuting by bike is a great way to start the day, and a great way of building exercise into your day for free. I would hate to be stuck in a car every day. Enjoy yourself!

I think over ten miles e/w is a lot and must risk a) getting bored, b) getting run down (esp in poor weather or cold) and c) turning you into a diesel engine.

My commute used to be 5 miles at its most direct and I tended to extend to 6-7 miles as I enjoyed it and to work on fitness. But if in a rush / late or raining then keep it short. Now its 3.6 miles that is too short for ideal but most days I manage to extend to 5-6 miles. A short, very intense interval type ride can do as much for your fitness as a much longer slower, steadier ride and is probably more fun, (Strava and commuter races etc)

I do a 21 mile round trip. Theres a few hills which get tough when i'm tired (even though its a gentle gradient!).

40 mile round trip is quite far 5 days a week for *most* people. Takes a lot of time out the day too.

5 days a week EVERY week makes things a lot tougher IMO, especially when you have no other choice. In those circumstances, 10 miles can be quite far. Its a lot longer when its dark, raining, -2 degrees, you've got a cold, and didn't get much sleep.

That said, its absolutely the best way of fitting exercise into the day. Theres no extra time added onto the day and it saves money.

I travel five miles to work and more often than not, about six to ten miles home through the forest, I SORN'ed my motorcycle to make me do it and tbh, three months in and it's all smiles! Used to do seven (hillier) miles for about ten years and mostly enjoyed the ride (even though options were more limited).

I think "sensible" depends on the alternatives. I'm lucky in a way that where I live is rubbish for public transport. 6 miles to work. Tube station is 15 mins walk away, 5 mins walk at the other end, 45mins to 1hr. £7.20 a day, and it's horrible. Compared to 25-30 mins and a bike ride. If it's rainy, there's a change of clothes and shoes, more than I'd have available if I was walking/tubing.

If you pick a place that doesn't have good public transport connections to work, you'll more likely have good ride to work, more rural environment to live in, access to trails, cheaper rent. Pick a place where it's easy to bus/train to work and you'll have more people around, pay more rent, and if you fancy an extra 10 mins in bed, you won't be biking, and it'll cost even more.

Edit: Make your choices up front by choosing where to live, because after that, you're a product of your environment. I'd rather do 12 miles rural roads than 6 miles polluted, clogged London commute with 23 sets of lights and 6 zebra crossings. For example.

And just saw your reply to mine earlier. You want a shortcut through those woods, don't you? 😀

So as it's looking like a 12 mile each way rural commute you'd be daft not to IMO!

Don't need to do it every day. Personally I drive/get the train at least once a week (significantly more regularly these days due to busy schedules!) to take in fresh shirts and what not, and avoid having to carry them on the days I ride. Riding unemcumbered is far nicer IMO!

17 miles each way commute for me, cross country on fast A roads. I do it 3 times a week at the moment, will push up to 4 soon but it's tiring and I still want to ride with family/mates at the weekend so not likely I'll go to 5 days. Winter is grim and I found lots of excuses not to ride on the really shitty days/weeks.

10-12 miles would be my ideal distance, then I'd happily get rid of the car and ride every day. You can always extend your route on a nice day.

Cheers guys. Ok prob not going to change where we're looking at to live but good to know I can aim to ride in a few days a week then catch train on other days. Just need to decide on sscx or geared (posher) road bike to take to london.Feel bit happier about things, thanks all

I did 30km (18.5 miles) door to door in an old job, mostly country roads, fair bit of climbing. I started doing it in about 1h15, by the end I would just break under the hour.

I certainly got fit when it was sunny. But it bored me to tears doing it. Then I really dislike road riding, so it was always going to.

5 days a week was too much for me to enjoy riding at the weekends too. If I didn't have to have a normal life, then that mileage would be fine, the trouble was a full days work to do, and also a home life & upkeep.

In the end I think I averaged between 2 & 3 times a week to give me a good balance of fitness, ability to work & wanting to actually ride my bike at the weekends.

Would I do it again? Not sure now I have left that job & am home based... Riding less now, but the quality of riding is far better.

Oh, and it's really sh*t when the weather is bad. Even worse when it's 5pm, dark, p*ssing down & blowing a headwind gale & you have to ride home.

I think "sensible" depends on the alternatives. I'm lucky in a way that where I live is rubbish for public transport. 6 miles to work. Tube station is 15 mins walk away, 5 mins walk at the other end, 45mins to 1hr. £7.20 a day, and it's horrible. Compared to 25-30 mins and a bike ride. If it's rainy, there's a change of clothes and shoes, more than I'd have available if I was walking/tubing.

If you pick a place that doesn't have good public transport connections to work, you'll more likely have good ride to work, more rural environment to live in, access to trails, cheaper rent.

I think this is a v fair summary. I should have added that after 12 years riding to work 5 days a week, 47 weeks a year it is fantastic and one of the best single decisions I have ever made. Saves a lot of money, gets you really fit while taking no extra time from your day, great way to clear the mind of work, see loads of interesting back streets , country lanes etc, avoids being stuck on tube / train / traffic and it means you can live somewhere that is overpriced by virtue of its public transport connections. Do it!

Not sure about the last bit-to live where we want I'd need ti commute by motorbike really (about twenty miles each way)

I was working in Hammersmith last summer and riding from Leyton, which was a total of 28 miles through London. It was fantastic, I got very fit and it made riding at the weekends much more pleasurable.

I'm riding to Kensington not which is a paltry 22 mile round trip and would happily ride all weekend if I could, on or off road. Even on a bad day when it's windy, raining and generally miserable I'd rather be going to work on my bike than on public transport as I find it utterly depressing.

Do it, you can eat what you want, get fit and if clears your head. If you've had a bad day take it out on the road, put a few lung busting sprints in and by the time you're home, you'll have forgotten what the problem was.

Do it, you can eat what you want, get fit and if clears your head. If you've had a bad day take it out on the road, put a few lung busting sprints in and by the time you're home, you'll have forgotten what the problem was.

This is all very appealing!

Twickenham to Chertsey would be a fine commute. I ride it most weeks as part of a cub run. 10 miles a day is my opener for a commute. Anything less feels too short for the full lycra and shower experience.

7 miles each way, 4 days a week, leave shoes in office to drop weight carried, do feel like I need a rest day on Friday as it allows me to want to ride on Saturday/Sunday, also gives me the chance to join in on Fat Friday when it comes to lunchtime and not feel guilty about it...

Love riding to work, allows me time to myself, made even more fun by doing it SS or fixed depending on mood, preparation is the key, packing bag and making lunch the night before helps of course

geared, there will be days when you will be glad of them, uphill with a headwind on a fixed gear that is usually not too badly overgeared becomes sapping when nature pushes you backwards.... 🙂

roll shirts in the bag to avoid creases, stash as much in work as you can, get a locker and a bloody good Dlock that lives at work

Oh, I would highly recommend single speed for lots of commuting. The SE isn't exactly mountainous. Gears become a pain in the neck with the cack that gets sucked up from the road and salt in winter. Red lights are awesome for practicing track-stands and drop offs on slicks on high pavements are all good practice for off-road skills. It really can be fun. The best bit is constantly looking for the 'perfect' route through all of the urban back-streets which are off the beat from commuting car drivers. The down-side is having to work late. Getting on a bike at 2am and cycling home after a 14 hour day is rubbish. Enjoy!

On a previous job I did six months drive/cycle commute.

Drove early am 25 miles, cycled the remaining 15.

Was cold in December but I'd try to do it at least three times a week. Lidl cycling gear kept me toasty!
I still kept my summer tyres on which was an error. Caused two stacks by front wheel washing away. So don't scrimp on tyres like I did.

Now my commute varies between 80 - 250 miles so its not an option sadly.

I ride from near Twickenham to North Greenwich - 20 miles each way. Its fine, but I won't pretend that I do 5 days a week because I have meetings in town or other stuff on some days. Its fine. Find a good route hand work out how junctions work and where to place yourself.
If you are going to be TW based let us know - we're fairly amenable and ride road, cx and mtb out to surrey hills chilterns etc most weekends. There will be cake and maybe a cheeky half at the end.

I sometimes do an 14 mile commute. Its good but I feel tired.

I would want it to be 10 or less. I reckon 7 miles would be about perfect.

I do 6 each way in a straight line, I wish I lived further away from work most days though.

10 is probably the sweet spot, any less and you spend a disproportionate amount of time getting ready/changed each day.

10 is probably the sweet spot, any less and you spend a disproportionate amount of time getting ready/changed each day.

I do 10.5 and feel it's a bit short, I think about 15-20* each way would be ideal for 5 days a week. I'd have a very strong case for getting a new road bike with disc brakes if that was the case. You're right about the getting changed bit. I was doing 5 each way and felt I spent longer in the toilets changing than riding.

*my journey is through London east to west so there's no hills.

In terms of bikes I would not make the decision until I had seen where I was locking it up. Unless you have good security I would go for something with minimal attachment. It is also better for leaving for 5 minutes while you go to a shop (still locked mind) or outside a pub for a while. I lost several bikes in Twickenham, none of them had much value and I was not careful enough but still frustrating.

Three years ago my wife and I, who both work, decided to sell one of our pre-marital cars and have just one family car. My wife would use the car for her longer commute, where as I'd cycle the 6 mile journey.

I've kept it up until last month when I'd just become sick of it. The distance wasnt an issue, weather your going just 2 miles or 15 miles makes no odds, you've still got to go through all the hidden motions that add up time and wear you down.

Putting all your cycle gear on and getting dressed four times a day whislt maintaining a steady flow of clean gear to wear day in day out will get tired quickly. Packing your backpack with clean clothes, packed lunch, tools / office work etc, every day, seemed to take longer than it should and was a PITA. Showering up to three times a day didnt do my ecema much good either. Even just maintaining the bike properly each week soon eats into your free time.

Getting piss wet through and freezing your face off at 5am in the morning, after sod all sleep, to start a 12 hour shift at 6am. That wears you down quickly when you have to do it all week.

It wasnt just the commute that bugged me, I work weekends so often have time off mid week, but had no car to go anywhere or be able to go and buy anything big or heavy. You can plan for that to some extent, but after three years I felt i'd lost my freedom. I couldnt just nip down the motorway to my parents or freinds when I felt like it. I started to just stay in all day because it was easier, I'd get cabin fever, and worst of all I started to loath my bike.

Ive had the new car a month now, and Its fantastic. I can roll out of bed and just jump in the car last minute for work and get there warm and relaxed. I can go see freinds and family when I want, and If im on with a diy project and I relise I need another bag of cement or a length of timber, I can go and fricking get it and carry on with the job.

Best of all, I enjoy riding my bike again, even [i]choose[/i] to ride it to work twice this week.

I tried to man up for three years, but you know what. B0llocks to that unless you have too.

[i]it. The distance wasnt an issue, weather your going just 2 miles or 15 miles makes no odds, you've still got to go through all the hidden motions that add up time and wear you down.

Putting all your cycle gear on and getting dressed four times a day whislt maintaining a steady flow of clean gear to wear day in day out will get tired quickly. Packing your backpack with clean clothes, packed lunch, tools / office work etc, every day, seemed to take longer than it should and was a PITA. Showering up to three times a day didnt do my ecema much good either. Even just maintaining the bike properly each week soon eats into your free time.[/i]

**** all that hillarious polava.. get on bike, pedal. try not to get squished. arrive at work. Do work... Do the reverse home. It's kinda sim p l e

Grimy, I think that's a good point. I'm not sure how you just get on bike and ride kev but chapeau

ap, I'll drop you an email anyway if that's ok

During my last stint I in London I rode from Bounds Green into the West End. All the other suggestions are top notch but I would also say that no matter how depressing the weather is for riding on the commute it is still a hundred times better than being crammed on the tube with a thousand other bodies for 40 minutes each morning. I used to arrive at work in such a bad mood after having to do that! After riding in I was raring to go!

22 mile each way commute - once a week.
Would do it more but play football and mountainbike after work some nights.

I work from just one location which isn't in London and just do 9-5:30. I keep spare clothes for 4 days in a draw by my desk and a towel on the coat rack. Another draw has sachets of porridge and packets of cereal bars. We have a disable toilet with a shower, and secure bike storage.

I get up in the morning and drink a black coffee while putting on riding gear. Kiss the family goodbye and get on my bike. Ride to work, shower, make some porridge, start work. At the end of the day I get changed, ride home, and shower.

I'm lucky that I don't do shift work or work from different locations, so I can get a routine going, but this stuff is only as difficult as you make it.

I can see Grimy's point of view, but I think that's as much a problem with shift patterns etc as commuting. I'd love to get rid of my car but I recognise that I can't at the moment. If I can get my commute down to 10 miles next we move then I'll definitely consider it though.

I'd cycle the 6 mile journey

You drive 6 miles! Not in London though eh?

Suppose it depends on what you do for a living and where you work. but you could easily do 6 miles in your everyday clothes and not turn up stinking.

but I would also say that no matter how depressing the weather is for riding on the commute it is still a hundred times better than being crammed on the tube with a thousand other bodies for 40 minutes each morning.

This for me is the best reason to ride a bike London, it's even worse on a hot summers evening with all those 'ripe' bodies around you.

20 miles a day is do-able. I'm (almost) 62 and I started doing that distance last September to save on the rail fare. You'll have to be committed to it, though. It took about four months for the pain to recede (just weakness leaving the body, right?) and now I can do it without any feeling of collapsing knees or daily exhaustion.

I'm even thinking of doing the LEJOG next year, as a result of the 200-miles-a-week schedule.

Accept the challenge and feel good about yourself!

Medics call London cyslists 'Organ Donors' for a reason.

I thought that was *motor* cyclists.

I've a 16 mile each way commute.. All can only be done on main roads sadly.

The first 8 miles are through the countryside, and the last 8 through the centre of Warrington.

Its a bit tasty in places.. 😕 But I try and do it a couple of times a week- meeting/ site visit depending..

Putting all your cycle gear on and getting dressed four times a day whislt maintaining a steady flow of clean gear to wear day in day out will get tired quickly. Packing your backpack with clean clothes, packed lunch, tools / office work etc, every day, seemed to take longer than it should and was a PITA. Showering up to three times a day didnt do my ecema much good either. Even just maintaining the bike properly each week soon eats into your free time.

I think Grimy has a point. I stopped commuting by bike last year when it got super cold and the roads were freezing, and I haven't picked it back up.

To be honest, one of the reasons is that there's a section of road that is awkward to avoid without huge detours that worries me.

I don't think I scare that easily - I've been riding on the road for over 20 years - but I've found generally outer London rush hour traffic is more worrying than it is in central London. At a guess I'd say people concentrate less, probably because traffic is moving more and there's less going on around them.

Add that to a narrow and unlit road, bad visibility and lots of quick moving traffic, and you have a worried cyclist (OP - You'll probably know the road too - between Staines and Old Windsor. My commute is from Addlestone to Slough.)

I regularly ride from Trafalgar Square out towards Bromley. It's about thirteen miles all in and is perfectly commutable. In general, London drivers seem very cycle aware and if you don't go in with the attitude that you'll remonstrate with everyone who transgresses the Highway Code you'll be fine.

Busses though are generally driven by psychopaths.

I did 23K there and and 23K back when in Netherlands. Was a pleasure even the rain was not too bad. Did find myself drifting off by Friday though.

Cant ride on the road very often here in Aus as I am terrified even though there are some cycle lanes. I imagine riding in that there London would be even worse than here. I have seen the loons on Utube with their video footage muttering registration numbers every few seconds. Rather you than me I think.

20 odd years of bike commuting in the 10 - 30 mile each way bracket.

It's rare for me to bike commute 4 or more times a week and I have the advantage of different routes as take my fancy. I also use every bike in the collection which ranges from full on bling disk wheeled time trial bike through to a full susser.

Never had showers available so used to strip washes. However this limits MTB commutes, especially in poor conditions. You can't really arrive at work covered in mud.

Winter commuting can be gutty and the weather over the past few months has certainly been challenging.

Even a couple of miles of mid sized town traffic can be a ballache and I take my hat off to folk who commute in to busy cities like London.

My recommendations (in no particular order):

Mudguards for poor weather
Decent gloves and overshoes
Two (or more) pairs of shoes
Enough bike clothing to cover three consecutive days riding
Good lights and ideally double up on front and rear for redundancy
Variety of routes if poss
Choice of different bikes for riding variety
Try and ride with others - makes the time go quicker / good training if they're fitter

I didn't shower or get changed when i commuted 6 miles!

You wouldn't get changed to walk 20 minutes to the shops!?

I've done a 10 mile each way commute for about 7 years now from NW London into the outskirts of London town. A few things I've thought about:

1. Use a relevant bike. I use a road bike with mudguards, decent tyres, rack/panniers, dynamo lights and a hub gear. Means you rarely have to think about whether the bike is working and even worse cleaning it! I can't remember the last time I had a puncture (28c schwalbe Duranos).

2. You DONT have to do it everyday. Sometimes I ride 2 times, somtimes 5 times a week. All depends on whether I'm going out after work and how my legs feel. Always have the option of the tube. Plus eventually you'll miss it if you don't do it at least 3 times in a week!

3. Keep clothing simple. I have tons of bike clothes, but I tend to use the same one set for commuting. Means I dont need to decide in the morning! Merino baselayers and Torm sportwool jerseys are good: dont smell. This may sound weird but I also think about how long stuff takes to put on/off. I dont want 4 layers to take off and hang up. I just want 2.

4. Pick a good route. No-one wants to sit on an A road getting buzzed by traffic for 40 mins. Even in London, you can always find a less busy route you'll find more enjoyable.

I've never found my commute stops me riding at the weekend. Still want to go out on the club run every Sunday. Thou if I've got big weekend of riding planned, I'll just get the tube in for a few days.

Do it, you'll love it.

My commuting has been on and off for years (living rural where distancs are just too great for regular bike commuting, 22 miles each way and a lot of ups & downs), but when I moved to a city I have almost completly ditched my car*

**the fact its borderline broken and I need to spend £k on it to get it to a decent condition again is part of that. Also parking in the city is a total ballache, money and finding a space wise.
Driving to work (3 miles) 20-60minutes depending on traffic & parking situation
Riding to work (1 mile less as no gyratorys) 12 minutes, except if I miss the first set of lights, in which case 14 minutes, never ever takes longer

Also you know when you get to work, you make a cup of tea/coffee/bovril and around 9.45 you sort of bonk into your desk, yeah? I don't get that when I ride to work.

After a while you hate travelling by car.

Mine is 15 miles each way, I'll do it every day unless I have an offsite meeting or some personal reason for not doing it, like I can't be arsed.

It's all great while the weather is nice but it takes real character to continue to ride when it's properly nasty and you have a choice. Make sure you store some danger pants and socks at work.
Find fun routes. An extra half mile in a nice place is completely worth it. Don't discount offroad routes, even in London I'm sure there's plenty.

Your bike choice should be based entirely on robustness. Tyres in particular should be spectacularly tough. Forget about them needing grip, puncture resistance is the most important thing on earth.

Get a decent bag. I'd avoid rucksacks if I were you. The old fashioned courier bags are excellent in my opinion.

Get some shoes dryers in work. Again, you're welcome.

Hold up your thumb now and look at it. That's how thick your skin needs to be because you'll be sharing the road with the most hopeless drivers, the stupidest people and the most dangerous psychopaths in the world. Your best approach is avoid getting killed by them and then generally ignore them.

Hmmmm.....doing 20 miles a day everyday might make me go off riding bikes for fun

I don't think so, any more than commuting by car puts you off driving somewhere great for a holiday.

I wouldn't bother with a singlespeed either. I've only got geared bikes, and they don't suddenly stop working when the roads are wet. The only maintenance required is brake pads, a bit of cleaning the frame, and de-griming the chain periodically. All of which applies to SS as well. Gear cables never much of an issue on commuter bike, if you are worried get ride-on cables and you never have to worry.

I'd say that if you are going more than 7 or 8 miles a proper road bike can make it better, unless it's proper urban riding. More than that I'll always take the road bike unless I haven't got a good place to lock it.

As for the weather issue - it depends on the alternative. 45 mins cycling in the rain to do 10 miles is still way better than 45 minutes sat in a car to do 10 miles. And if you don't give yourself an alternative, then you just do it, the same as driving or getting out to get the train. You'll never resent it, because there are always nice mornings and you will always be fitter for it 🙂

Driving to work (3 miles)

If I lived 3 miles from work I would NEVER drive. That's scandalous!

I have never cycled to work and thought i wish i had driven, whereas i have driven to work and thought i wish i had cycled.

I didn't shower or get changed when i commuted 6 miles!

You wouldn't get changed to walk 20 minutes to the shops!?

Good for you, if I rode it hard then I'd be quite sweaty, and thus would want to change.

It's probably been mentioned already, but also consider what you will be wearing at work. If it's suit and tie, you might have to skip riding in Monday and Friday to take in a suit and clean shirts for the rest of the week.

If it's jeans and a t-shirt that you can shove in a riding bag it's not such an issue.

I started commuting a couple weeks ago with the main aim of reducing money spent on petrol. Only a 3-4 miles each way, rode slowly enough to not bother showering at work. However, according to Google it's only 80p each way, so maybe a tenner a week, so back to driving as it's a lot less faff! Might ride in on the odd day if I fancy it though..

I live 5 miles from work which works really nicely. I only cycle 2 - 3 times per week (mainly because I have evening commitments 2 days per week which I go to straight from work and which don't lend themselves to arriving by bike), but I tend to do a 10 mile route in to work in the morning. Depending on my energy levels after work I can either cycle straight home or do something longer (or cycle straight home, swop to my road bike and head out again).

I have hub gears, tough tyres and disk brakes, and after 900 miles on my "new" bike the extent of my maintenance has been changing the oil in the hub gears and occasionally lubing the chain.

Not London but I have a 15 mile, quite hilly, commute into Manchester and same home. TBH the worst part is other road users. I also have an alternative route of 17miles each way that is mostly traffic free which I try to use wherever possible (time allowing).

few pointers from my experience;

Leave with enough time - it's horrible being late then realising you've got a strong headwind all the way in!
Full mudguards are brilliant.
Shimano winter MTB boots and Aldi gloves will keep you happy through winter.
Vary your route to stop the boredom / complacency setting in.
Decent lights are worth every penny (I use exposure ones as there's no cables).
Get a breathable waterproof.

Hope that's some help! 😀

This:

This may sound weird but I also think about how long stuff takes to put on/off. I dont want 4 layers to take off and hang up. I just want 2.

And this:

Make sure you store some danger pants and socks at work.

And this:

Full mudguards are brilliant.

And this:

Get a breathable waterproof.

😀

Buy some quality waterproofs & gloves for winter.Might also be handy if you could grow some eyes out of your arse(to be on the lookout for inconsiderate drivers).Hi vis gear probably wouldn't go amiss either!.

Ive just done another route check on google and it looks like 23 miles each way for me (In Rural Norfolk)so I guess I better try it one of these days.
Real pain is no showers at work, but at least dress code is pretty informal.
Does anyone have any recomendations for clothing I could commute in without needing to get fully changed or is that just not practical ?

If you are cycling from Twickenham way to Chertsey then it is nothing like riding in central London. In general the worst places are Hampton Court bridge in the morning (~7am) and Twickenham high street in the evening (~8pm). I cycle from near Twickenham to Weybridge and have a pretty good route through Hampton/Molesy/Walton. You could go through Hampton/Sunbury/Shepperton. Either way the roads are all pretty wide and the traffic is pretty good. Weybridge can get a bit busy especially if there is an accident on the A3 and Walton bridge can get a bit maniac but the old bridge is being kept as a cycle/pedestrian bridge. You can get along the Thames towpath to as far as Weybridge as well - one of my colleagues comes in that way from Surbiton. Fortunately I have secure bike parking, lockers and showers at work so can take clothes in and leave them there for work.

Can't agree with Grimy.

It's only one extra shower per day. The only cycling kit that I change daily are the shorts, which i wear under baggies, and with a merino top which certainly don't get changed daily.

I do occasionally drive to work, and I hate the feeling of not having ridden to work - I spend the whole day trying to wake up.

I also find cycling less stressful, as I know exactly how long it'll take me, whereas in the car it's a lottery.

As for single speed vs geared, I'd definitely say geared. Even riding all year round, I simply don't have any problems with gears getting gummed up with road grime to the point of not working, and when you're tired and carrying a heavy bag, even the smallest hill gets boring pretty quickly.

I've been commuting in for about 5-6 years and would recommend it, it can be a bit tough in the wind/rain/snow/ice etc but the past few days have been lovely and remind you how nice it is to do - anything has to be better than public transport!

My direct route is about 4 miles but it can be up to 40 miles on the way home if I take a 'scenic' route home via South Birmingham in the summer.

A single speed should be fine in and around London, just get a nice gear ratio of 66-70 gear inches

The following are invaluable to me:-

Full length mudguards
Schwalbe marathons or something similar
Carradice Saddlebag ( I hate commuting with a rucksack ) or Rack/Panniers
Merino base layers can help avoid constant washing of cycling gear
Ice tyres for the Winter months ( I stuck some on my mtb and managed to commute all year round )
Aldi gloves and leggings (winter only)

I did 14 months 7 miles each direction now moved a bit closer 🙂 But still ride of course 4 days a week.

But my thoughts are
Choose the best most direct route not via roads (ideally) canals are excellent for this.

Buy the best water proofs you can afford £90.00 for over trousers £150.000 decent jacket both worth there wait in gold when it's not raining....... it's like a bloody monsoon (I'm based in Greater Manchester what can I say 😀 )

Buy the best lights you can afford
Buy the VERY best backpack you can afford that will take all your gear for work PLUS you water proof and tool kit.
Have a towel at work plus spare pair of socks + can of deodorant plus the work clothes of course, once you have got them there.

On the roads treat every one as though they are trying to kill you e.g your on a main road slow down and expect the prick to pull out from the side road.Or the dick that has just pulled up to open his door in front of you as they will!

Clean the bike once a week (IMPORTANT ONE!) , always carry pump, a couple of extra tubes plus tire levers and multi tool and you will not be so far short of what you need.

And have fun in summer you will get a tan for free, in winter those hot drinks will feel all that much more special LOL

I do ~20 miles a day, usually 3 days a week. I try to do it year round. I'd be tempted to give it a go, see if you can get on with the time/distance etc THEN worry about getting the kit.

Bad weather - it's never as bad as you think it's going to be. Even in the snow & ice over winter, I still got to work happy I'd gone by bike. Maybe I'm weird. Good weatherproof clothes help, but mainly it's mental - don't think about it, get your kit on a get out of the door 🙂

Just do it, even the shittest ride to work is still a ride, and way better than being in the car.

I've only read the OP so may be repeating what other people have said.

I commute 20 miles each way at least three days a week, sometimes 5 and do it all through the year. I also do longer rides at the weekend and in summer 200 miles weeks is the norm. This is my 7th year of doing it and I absolutely love it. Of course there are some days that I feel like shit and think how can I do this but once on the bike I always feel fine.

The key things are being organised, cycling being the default way to get to work and building in some rest days. Riding Monday/Wednesday/Friday works very well for me and gives me plenty left for a long weekend ride either Saturday or Sunday, or both. Rest days are also 'take lunch and clothes to work' days which means I don't have to carry a rucksack or panniers.

Just read the post above - two 20 mile commuters in a row!

Only days I miss are when there's black ice, frost and ice patches are fine but black ice is horrible, came off last January on black ice and it hurt a lot.

I don't use over trousers, I think I might get a bit hot over 20 miles.

11.5 bumpy miles. Sometimes I love it sometimes Id prefer not to start out but when I'm not doing it I miss it like hell. Strangely enough I also prefer autumn and winter. (light fetish)

Oh and it gets you seriously fit btw.

Another thing - eating, a lot of bike commuters say you need to eat loads, your hungry all the time, etc. I think in general this is just an excuse for people to eat more than they need to. I don't eat huge amounts, not feel the need to. I could if I was a greedy bastard I suppose.

Clean the bike once a week (IMPORTANT ONE!)

Huh? My bike gets cleaned about once a year and still works perfectly.

My commute into London was between 15-20 miles depending which route I took. It's a perfectly doable distance.

You don't get as wet as you think you're going to.
Panniers and mudguards make life more pleasant.
Plenty of good cycle clothing make life more pleasant too.
Having a spare set of wheels helps, spare bike easier still. Often i would go to get the bike out and realise that I had a slow puncture which had deflated overnight. Easy jump on other bike or swap wheels.
I went through a lot more components than i do know that I'm not commuting.
You'll get fit, really proper bike fit. To the point if someone were to say fancy riding to the coast after work you probably wouldn't bat an eyelid.
You may lose interest in riding at the weekend. I found that i was pretty much ridden out by Saturday morning if I'd done the full 200 miles option.
If it looks a bit daunting to begin with then you may want to start with a couple of days a week, say Tue and Fri then make it Mon Wed and Fri, then Mon, Tue, Thu and Fri then every day.