[Closed] Did my first bike commute Tuesday...

You'll get used to it. Buy some decent padded shorts. Get mudguards for when it's wet.

Thanks, I'll invest in some at the end of the month.

Do you know of any decently priced shorts?

Padded shorts, Decathlon of DHB at Wiggle are the usual suggestions for reasonable priced options.

For 6 miles I'd say get a saddle you'll be comfortable riding in work clothes, rather than faffing about changing. Mudguards and chain guard to keep the clothes usable, obviously.

Loads of things that could be causing your sore butt, not just a case of getting some padded shorts, but these will help.

How does the saddle feel? Are you familiar with it, or is it just one that came with the bike? Bit of a minefield, as there are literally hundreds of choices. It is a bit of a case of trying different ones until you find one you like.

How high is your saddle? I see quite a lot of people with their saddles too high, rocking their hips as a result and probably not doing their butt/nether regions any good at all.

Angle of the saddle? Level is a good starting point, with only minor adjustments depending on how you find it.

Other commuting tips - try to make sure you have some spare clothes/food at work and a spare towel. Because you will forget stuff at some point.
Hi-viz is a good idea, as is not hugging the gutter too much as cars will force their way past.
Lights - get some and use them. Even on dull evenings when you think visibility is fine. Use rechargable batteries so you can top them up at the weekend and you don't then have to worry about 'running the batteries out'. I always have two rear lights; one on constant and one on flash.

tried to find them on Wiggle, but they did not appear. Do you have a link please?

Yuk - I'd not cycle 6 miles in my work clothes then stay in the same all day* Half an hour each way? You'll not notice the aches and pains after a couple of weeks. Agree with the mudguards though. Also, have a spare tube, pump and multitool in your bag.

*unless I worked at some scientific facility growing bacteria and experimenting with smell

haha, yeah. Well the morning ride to work was quite cool and there was a good breeze. The commute home was totally different.

Think tomorrow I'll pack my work clothes in a bag and wear some shorts and T-Shirt until I can get a nice pair of shorts.

I carry a packed lunch + a book. So may have to invest in a bigger bag.

Your arse should only be sore for a few days. No need for padded shorts.

midlifecrashes - Member

For 6 miles I'd say get a saddle you'll be comfortable riding in work clothes, rather than faffing about changing. Mudguards and chain guard to keep the clothes usable, obviously.

No I disagree. I only ride 4 miles to work. I get there just at the point where I start sweating. I much prefer to wear cycling kit, wipe myself down in work and change into clean clothes. It also means that it's my grubby cycling kit that takes all the road grit, rain, mud, etc. I had a stormy commute a few weeks ago where I got home epically filthy. If I'd been in normal clothes I wouldn't have ridden at all.

So a change of clothes is recommended. Fair enough 🙂

Take a weeks worth of clothes in on Monday. And a travel towel and some deodorant. Ride in everyday with your packed lunch. Take it all home on Friday, via the pub.

After a couple of weeks commuting the discomfort will wear off, did for me anyway, pretty much never have a problem with it now 🙂

I've been having a great time with my first week of bike commuting from Buchanan Bus station in central Glasgow (I bus it in from a wee town to the south of Stirling), out to the University in the West End. It's only about two and a half miles but I've been doing it on a pink shopper with a basket on the front. It's awesome, and nearly impossible to ride without making 'Brrrrmmmmpph' motorbike noises!

They're 'Nextbike' hire bikes and if I can do the whole journey, there and back, in less than 30 minutes it's essentially free. I've got it down to about 22 minutes in total, but it's killing me and you should see the sweaty mess I'm in by the time I get to the lab! 😳

It's such a lift to the day though, getting a bit of wind in my hair and the heart pumping, well worth it.

Have a good one mate, I'm just about to head off and see if I can find a bike to take me back into the city centre. Woohoo! Brrrmmmm....BrrrrmmmMMMmmmmhhh!

Beagy 😆

I've been doing it on a pink shopper with a basket on the front. It's awesome, and nearly impossible to ride without making 'Brrrrmmmmpph' motorbike noises

Thanks beagy. I definitely noticed the lift I got from going on my bike to work. Should have been on it today. But because of the storm last night I was kept up by Mrs bfreeman0 and step daughter. Hopefully be back on it on Monday.

Currently commute around 25 miles a day. Next week will move a mile and half from work and will really miss the slog. I'll still take a change of clothes though. Can't imagine cycling in anything other than shorts.

Let's see if you're still so keen on a dark February morning temp is well below freezing and its blowing a gale with horizontal sleet in your face.

Congratulations on the change. 6m is pretty much a perfect commute, far enough to get you fit but not too hard to keep on with. I remember getting a bit sore/bruised when starting out cycling after a long absence, you get should get over it pretty quick. I'm with the get changed crowd - you'll appreciate that on wet days!

The petrol savings will pay for kit over time.

Chapeau... A ride is a good way to start and end a working day (or any day). I quite enjoy the fact that for the 45 or so minutes it takes me, the only focus is the riding.

Other than having clothes at work and some padded shorts I'd recommend some of that "dry shower gel" (it just seems to be normal antibacterial gel) if you don't have shower facilities at work.

For good, cheap, shorts try these [url= http://www.decathlon.co.uk/500-cycling-bibshorts-black-white-id_8297839.html ]BTwin 500[/url] review here [url= http://road.cc/content/review/121341-btwin-bib-shorts-500 ]road.cc[/url]

bruneep - Member

Let's see if you're still so keen on a dark February morning temp is well below freezing and its blowing a gale with horizontal sleet in your face.

It's great getting to work sweaty, blue with cold, with twigs and small animals stuck in your helmet. 😆

But those days are made up for by the beautiful days when I ride around a lake on the way, with mist rolling off the water, sunshine reflecting off it and the few dog walkers I see all say a cheery good morning.

I'm moving on Saturday and commute goes from 9 miles to around 20, looking forward to it tbh 😀 At the moment I feel like I'm just about warmed up when I get to work.

Definitely prefer wearing cycling stuff and changing at work as I do hammer it (Grrrrrr)

No showers at work, I have a travel towel, shower gel and spray in my desk and have a quick standup wash at the basins in the WC.

Can't imagine sitting all day in the same pants I rode in on, scrot rot city!

Update, today it so far was easier than last week. No pains yet. Slightly slower than last week though which is really strange. Looking forward to the commute home.

Wore shorts and a T shirt and got changed when I got to work. Which is far better. Thanks for all your tips.

How's everyone else's gone today?

Well....not a cycle commute, but seeing as you've asked...

Car broke down last week due to a intercooler pipe coming loose. Got it repaired by breakdown cover, but he said the pipe should be looked at by a garage in case it's weakened.
Car was in garage at the weekend as it failed MOT on rear brakes. Asked them to look at the pipe, which they did and said it hadn't been reconnected quite right but it was now. But, I should think about ordering a new one as the clips that hold it all together are wearing. I was intending to do this once next weekend was out of the way and a busy week at work this week....

Picked car up from garage with spangly new brakes and started driving to work. Got 12 miles down road and pipe failed again, so then spent 45 mins driving home on the back roads with black smoke bellowing from my car.
They've ordered the part in for tomorrow, so currently sat at home unable to get to work having to take a days holiday. I need to arrange a lift in to work tomorrow as I am supposed to be flying to Germany with work tomorrow evening, then back Wed. Thursday morning I need to pick the car up and get it to the place I had the MOT done (near work) to get it re-tested and it's due on Thurs, so had better pass.
And at some point in all of that I need to get my kit and camping stuff ready for the 24/12 this weekend.

Currently on hold with Barclays trying to get my telephone banking sorted out, since my ING savings account have moved over to Barclays. Only been on hold now for 17mins so far..... 😐

In the process of doing my driving lessons, and it stuff like this that does put me off.

Hope it all works out though, must be a pain using holiday up when you haven't got anything planned.

Glorious. Even the grumpy dog walkers appeared more acommodating today!

Congratulations. Six miles is the threshold for pootle in work clothes vs. hammer and shower. Your rear will soon become accustomed. Stay under 12 mph and avoid hills to stay fresh 😉

And fit mudguards.

bfreeman0, don't let my moaning put you off!
Car has done well for ages, just a shame everything has come at once!

Have had quite a productive day to be honest, once I got over the annoyance (and expense) of the situation! Although packing 'light' for the 24/12 so far hasn't worked! Same every year.

I'm pleased the commute seems to be going well for you. I have recently started commuting the last 13 miles of my 40 mile commute (not every day) and it's great cruising in on the country lanes while avoiding the traffic that you otherwise would be stuck in! Just keep your wits about you, ride confidently and keep it up!

2 More days and it's brilliant. Taking every other day off though so I have some time to rest, but hoping to do it everyday by the end of the month.

I currently leave my bike 20 minutes away from where I need to get a bus. At a train station.

I'm thinking of parking up a bit closer, but how long do you think I could leave a bike unattended for? I'm away from it for just under 12 hours.

My eventual plan is to commute by bike twice a week, not done so in a few months due to a new arrival. Hopefully I'll be back on it once a week from next week.

I leave work clothes and toiletries at work and take two lunches with me the day before a commute so all I take with me when riding is a small Camelbak with pump, multiool, spare tubes, keys wallet phone.

I also leave at work a spare riding shirt in case the morning ride was a particularly sweaty one and I don't want to put on the same shirt again.

I get a shower at work.

My commute is about 9 miles each way, a lot of it off road. 45 mins there, an hour to get home. Can't wait to get back on!

Mine is only 6/7 miles, struggling with some of the uphills, plus I keep changing my route. Though when I go tomorrow I'll have my final route for both ways.

The best part of my day is going to pick my bike up and seeing it there waiting for me with a big grin on her face (well I imagine the bikes grinning and a female).

I'm thinking of leaving my uniform at work too, but not my lunch. I'll need to invest in a better lock and a drink holder. And maybe an armband for phone.

Different routes is good - I'm bored of the same route (long country roads, any change for me adds 6-7 hilly miles onto the 15miles I do) and have plateued in my ave commute times.

I've lockers and showers at work so I ride with a minimum of kit with me (pump, tubes & spanner for the hub). Take several weeks clothes into work so I can get changed there.

I really enjoy it, only time I don't do it is when it's really icy (slippy hell, often watch cars bump into things because they haven't taken account of the road conditions) - I have spikes but the resistance is huge, I really only use them for snow.

I vary the route home most days but the way in is the same each day just because it's the most straightforward route. On the way home I can go from a 20km ride to a 60km ride without much thinking about it depending how the weather is, how I feel etc.

First time I did the commute home I missed a turning as it was hidden away. The resulting route had very nice surroundings. However I wasn't able to enjoy it as I was trying to get home.

So will have a look hopefully at the weekend.