Forum menu
If so how far and what on ? Im toying with the idea of starting a few days a week now its getting lighter but it would be a hilly 14 miles and i'll no doubt be a sweaty wreck by the time I arrive. Any tips on decent bags to hold a change of clothes etc welcomed ?
Yes six miles so not really an issue. Panniers or rack would be best to stop you getting sweaty. Ride easy on the way in.
If you want a rucksack look at overboard or alpkit for cheapness or ortlieb for bombproof.
Recently got some panniers for my commute - make a huge difference I think...
[img] 
:large[/img]
Either drive halfway and cycle the remaining 24 miles, or ride all the way in (45 miles) one morning, train home, then vice versa the next day. Road bike either way. Take fresh shirts in on a train day and leave trousers shoes etc, so i don't have to carry a bag.
14 miles is a nice distance I'd say.
Yup. 2 or 3 times a week, 45km each way.
Mainly use my Sabbath September with rack & pannier (Altura Arc) but sometimes use my Pompino, On-one ti cross bike or Spesh Tarmac (on really nice days)
Yes, 13 miles each way. I do it 2-3 times a week, limited because of child care and need to use the car to drop off kids. I often extend the route home to 23 miles. Infact more often than not. Ortelieb (sp) panniers are ace.
I do a 30 mile round trip, involving some serious climbs a couple of times a week.
Leave yourself some stuff in work when you're in the car... Trousers, shoes, so you're only carrying a fresh shirt and under crackers in. Get a decent courier bag.mind you... I blagged a lift home tonight because I didn't fancy another soaking!
Mine's only short, a couple of miles- not far enough for sweating up to be an issue even at max speed.
6 miles each way. 3 days a week. extended when i can.
leave stuff at work on days you dont ride.
use a normal HT trail bike as my descent into work has proper biking bits
4.5 miles each way, 5 days a week. I leave shower stuff and work shoes/trousers at work to minimise the rucksack content.
3.8 miles each way. Sweat like a pig. Is that just because I'm 3 stone overweight?
Ten miles each way every day on the SS
Good fun through town in the subways and steps
Tried it on a road bike but wasn't as fun and the roads are a state
Am lucky enough to have a shower at work and not wear a suit so can chuck jeans and t shirts in my old rucksack
11.5 miles each way with a few hills, (Bolton to Heywood) twice a week on my Badboy. Its got to be panniers too - just got some cheapo Lidl ones and they work fine for me. Bike has marathon tyres with slime tubes, a big lock, comfy grips, spds, plenty lights, reflective spoke covers Plus got one of them air-horn things too for when needed! It weighs a ton But I Love it coz it keeps my fitness on the good side and saves me money! When I get to work, just have a change of clothes ready and wipe down with wet-wipes, then redo the old deoderant. Start work fully refreshed!
You Go for it!
6.5 miles each way although a recent change of roles and fairly regular 15 hr shifts has mad me a bit lazy recently 🙁
10 miles each way a couple of days a week - downhill most of the way in, uphill most of the way home. As others have said take your stuff in on car days, ride as light as you can and build up the number of days slowly. Great fun. We have showers, but I work in a wet wipe factory so either way I'm not too stinky 🙂
32 miles, 3-4 days a week, on a trek 8500 HT, with locked out forks and schwable marathon plus skinny (for a mtb) tyres. Thinking about getting some carbon rigid forks to lighten it upfront.
11 miles each way every day on a road bike. Lock, shoes, trousers and towel left at work, clean shirt and socks taken in each day (rolled up to prevent creases), and towel/trousers swapped every few days or so.
I ride with a backpack just because I'm used to it from mountainbiking, but I will try a rack soon.
just short of 10 miles each way(with options to do more including the odd 40 mile run when the mood takes me) - home to station/station to work - not always in the office so depends on work load as to how many times (4 days this week 😀 but only one next 🙁 )
If you need to carry stuff like clothes and/or paper work on a regular basis panniers are definately your best option.
In my opinion (based on many many years commuing to work) the best bags for commuting are the courier style from Crumpler or Chrome . They sit nice on your back and are easier to get access to than a ruck sack. I'm also a big fan of the Carradice barley saddle bag - looks good (imo) and carries far more than you would expect. (last night = pair of brogues, A5 hard back notebook, paperback, half packet of fig biscuits, phone , ipod,gillet and a beanie in main bag with spares/tools in side pockets)
bike for the job ??? depends if your buying something specific or converting wha you've got - rigid with slicks is the base line.
About 24k each way 2 or 3 times a week 3 seasons and drive during winter as I can't justify those really dark nights on a b road when I have a wife and 2 littleuns to stay alive for! 🙂
Good luck, you will love it once you get into it.
Yes I bike about 4 1/2 miles each way 5 days a week so not to bad for sweating I use the Salomon xa20 rucksack good size for fitting change of clothes in its also waterproof just used nikswax to top the waterprooth up also do this this to my soft shell cycle pants so if i get court out its not that bad.
My bike is a bianchi c2c 700c road bike
My commute is approx. 9-10 miles each way 4 days a week, every week. Exact distance depends on route and whether i take the commuter or MTB.
Saturdays i take the train with a 1/2 hour walk at each end....to give my legs a rest! Allows me to have drink or several after work too.
30+ miles each way but only once a week. Have used various road bikes. I don't bother with carrying work stuff - no point unless you're riding 5 days a week, just iron it all at the start of the week and take it to work in the car.
If you had to carry stuff on the bike then for any decent distance I'd use panniers rather than a rucksack, and definitely not a courier bag. No need to get waterproof ones, just use a bin bag on the inside.
My commute is half a mile each way - does nothing for my fitness!
11 miles each way 4 times a week. I usually do 2 days on the road bike and 2 days on the hardtail. The trans pennine trail almost runs from where i live to work which is handy.
I leave my shoes and belt at work and just carry my lunch, undies, trousers and shirt. I use a camelbak mule but have just ordered a saddlebag from bikepack.eu so will start using that when the weather gets warmer
Cheers for the responses guys, given me a bit on incentive to get on with it. Think ill start on the road bike and invest in some puncture resistant tyres as a 1st move
12 (mine) or 25 (the GFs) ride a SS pompino. cycled every day (bar 1) this month.
no doubt be a sweaty wreck by the time I arrive.
slow down a bit. if i do 25k in an hour & i stink. do it in 1hr20 and i don't break a sweat.
if your going to do it regularly get some mudguards, make a massive difference.
. if i do 2k in an hour
Are you crawling on all fours ? 🙂
eh? 😉
Few miles each way, Dutch stylee. Super chilled.
Unless I'm chasing roadie scalps on the way home! 🙂
Think ill start on the road bike and invest in some puncture resistant tyres as a 1st move
Good shout, I use Conti GP 4 Seasons, replaced the rear a couple of weeks ago after >5000 miles with one flat, which luckily wasn't whilst commuting.
17 miles on a skinny tyred Swift
17 mile each way usually twice a week. Summer up to 3 times a week on a cheap cross bike. Mix it up with the trail bike now and again for a bit of fun. Take spare shirts/trousers etc on my car sharing days so I dont lug too much kit in. Nice to shower when I get there. I keep spare lube/tubes/pump at work in locker. Backpack gets sweaty but I wear a cheap merino baselayer in winter that dries nice for the trip home with technical fabrics. Car sharing mates passed me tonight taking the p1ss but I dont care I love it. Gives me time to burn crap off and clear my head, think about stuff. Conti Gatorskins have been great. Oh and the odd days rest definately helps me these days.
15 mile round trip but can be extended to 30 ish when weather is better. Use either a inbred alfine 8, 66" fixed langster or road bike. Carradice q/r saddle bag on inbred and langster and courier bag or no bag on road bike. As others say roll clothing to minimse creases. I am fortunate we have lockers, showers and a drying room for kit which helps a lot. I find if I commute I can eat more and still loose weight, which is nice.
I have a meagre 2 mile commute to work but due to having to drop my eldest boy off at school i am forced to drive my 'hated by cyclists' LR Discovery the short distance...
When the school holidays come i get on the bike, we have showers at work so sweat isnt an issue... not that there is much of it after 2 miles.
6 miles each way and at all times of the day and night as I works shifts. Came off this morning on a patch of oil, nice graze on my knee, one ruined jacket and scuffed brake/gear leavers on my custom Genesis Croix de fer. Grrr:(
Trevor.
2 miles? Could you not walk it?
Good point CptFlashheart, and yes i could, but my son's school is about 1 3/4 mile from home and he's only 4... at least he'd be fit i suppose!
I used to commute weekdays between 15-20 miles (variety of routes) each way. Always used a backpack partly because it was I had gotten used to using and partly because it allowed me to use different bikes. I did the trip on a road bike, regular mtb, front suspension mtb and full suspension mtb. I was fortunate that my workplace had a shower installed otherwise I probably would not have ridden in due to being a sweaty mess.
If I were doing it again and had a choice of bikes, I'd pick a cross bike with disc's, mudguards and panniers, or at least some way of making do without the backpack. You do go through a lot of equipment and if you are riding everyday you'll likely need a fair amount of bike clothing as it's not always possible to wash and dry stuff ready for the next morning every night. Office clothes weren't really a problem as it was a very casual place so jeans/shorts and t-shirts were fine.
The only difficulty was drying out rain sodden clothing during the day without making the office look like a laundry. I ended up rigging a sort of washline under my desk, heat from equipment helped the drying and it was discrete enough that nobody minded too much.
13 miles each way,
Everything kept in a cheap/waterproof Alpkit Gourdon, saying that I've been leaving trousers and shoes at work and rolling a shirt and shorts into a drybag and stuffing them into the jersey pocket.
3.5 miles each way. BMX 😛
3.5 - 7 miles each way, (depending on college or work). messenger bag and fixie 😉
22 miles each way, on my 853 mudguard bike, carrying an OMM sac.
Oh, and 127 sets of traffic lights - anyone beat that?
17 miles each day unless I really really have to drop off/pick up the kids but my default commute is always the bike. even on crappy days like today it was fun...I really hate sitting in the daft traffic jams.
My commute is probably muddier than most and have recently fitted full mudguards. The difference is amazing, get to work without one bit of muck on me. Also keep you a lot drier in the rain. Almost worth making your bike look really dorky for.
15.3 miles each way, would be more but to get under the Mersey I have to use a train!
Don't think I can beat that number of lights aP but the last 3 miles of my route has 37 sets of lights (the same route 10 years ago had 6!!)
Oh, and 127 sets of traffic lights - anyone beat that?
Yep, afraid so - I lost count around 120, it's close, I've got about 135 I reckon on the short route, not counted on the long one, possibly fewer due to more lanes.
One tip if you are doing the pannier thing: get two and balance them out weight wise. It's surprising how much you notice having only one on, and if you're like me then that slight feeling of things being unbalanced is annoying.
aP - Member22 miles each way, on my 853 mudguard bike, carrying an OMM sac.
Oh, and 127 sets of traffic lights - anyone beat that?
as lights per mile a few above can, possibly, but I defo can:
me - 3.5 miles 24 sets of lights = 6.86 sets of lights per mile
you - 22 miles 127 sets of lights = 5.8 sets of lights per mile
ooh, I love stats 🙂
but not loving our love for traffic lights. Less than 4 miles an over 20 sets of traffic lights, WTF????
10 miles each way on a fixed wheel road bike with rack and mudguards. Laptop, work, shirt and underwear ride in an Ortlieb Downtown briefcase pannier (superb kit). Suits stay at work. I also get nice fresh towels and a pound per day for spending in the bike shop.
Today, however, was two miles to Slough station on a Dutch roadster in my suit. It's all cycling though 8)
My best tip is buy some decent tyres. Schwalbe Durano plus and Marathon plus have remained puncture free.
My commute is 15 miles each way across the Quantocks (1000ft of climbing each way), I ride a CX bike which means I can do a fair bit of the route offroad if the conditions are OK. I use a Camelback Octane rucsack and always take a second set of kit for the ride home. I work 12 hour shifts so I don't ride as often as I'd like because I just end up knackered.
did 34kms this morning in an hour 20 now that our showers in the office are back running after much complaining - now if only we could get our lockers back - mines dissapeared complete with my washbag, workshoes , trousers a couple of sets of underwear and shirts after i got shipped abroad for 3 months at short notice.
Was raging but work have reimbursed me for the lost items !
23 odd miles from sunny essex into the city.
Would love to commute by bike (and see the triathlon bike splits drop like a stone) but love my life, wife n kids more.
Please be careful out there everyone.
30 miles, no traffic lights. Beat that, suckers 🙂
Would love to commute by bike (and see the triathlon bike splits drop like a stone) but love my life, wife n kids more.
It's not that bad - the biggest issue is the other cyclists! IMO if you've got your wits about you (ie you're a half reasonable cyclist) you'll be fine.
I predict that within month of commuting, you'll experience the somewhat liberating feeling of going commando in the office. Rummaging through your courier bag, once you arrive in, to discover you've forgotten your shreddies, is a right of passage 😀
Any of the regular commuters [i]not[/i] done this then?
Forgot my bike lock key !
Keep emergency shreddies in desk drawer is my top tip for regulars without lockers
commute is 16.5 miles each way depending on the exact route i take. try to do it 3-4 days a week, but to be honest i find jan and feb the hardest months, winter never seems to end 🙁
Having not ridden for the last three weeks i suspect i am going to have to spend the next few weeks building up the mileage again.
24km each way on my road bike with a small rucsack.
Fortunately I have a locker at work in which I keep a spare set of clothes and underwear for those "oh pants" (or lack of) moments!
Aye, emergency ones kept in desk drawer, forgot a shirt a couple of times in 5 years, no real hassle as I have a works polo shirt stored in the desk.
Forgetting my trousers a couple of weeks ago caused a few issues....
Forgot my bike lock key !
Done that before. Just took my bike into the office, didn't give them a say in the matter!
If so how far and what on ? Im toying with the idea of starting a few days a week now its getting lighter but it would be a hilly 14 miles and i'll no doubt be a sweaty wreck by the time I arrive. Any tips on decent bags to hold a change of clothes etc welcomed ?
* Take clothes for the week in on a monday and take home dirty stuff on friday - this gives you 3 days with little to carry.
* leave work shoes at work
* Pannier/bag on bike (like Carradice SQR) is better than bag on back
* Get a lightweight towel - lighter to carry but also dry quicker at work
* Always keep an extra pair of pants + socks for commando emergency
* Commuter bike should have mudguards and decent puncture resistant tyres
* pressure employer to provide basic facilities - bike store, pump etc
couple of colleagues ride so just got them to lock my bike up to theirs.
i have in the past taken my bike into a uni lecture - lecturer protested a little , explained its value and the situation and that id cycled 20 miles to be at the lecture- he let me stick it in his office for the day after that !
* Always keep an extra pair of pants + socks for commando emergency
+1
😯 Hats off to you 45 milers.
Mines a measly 6-11 miles each way (depending on where I'm working) on by road bike with mudguards and [url= 
]possibly the biggest bag you can get for your back.[/url]
It makes me about 1st heavier which I see as a bonus as I'm positively flying when I've not got it on (I'd like to think anyway).
25km each way, 4 times this week, usually 3 times though. I go past ocean beaches, harbour beaches and over the harbour bridge at the end in to city and office. Riding a condor steel road bike. timbuktu Messenger bag works for me, bought in 1994 in detroit, still going strong in sydney 18 years later!! I have trousers and shoes at work plus wash bag stuff. Just carry my shirt (ironed, then folded and placed in plastic bag) and my boxers and sox. The plastic bag stops the shirt from getting creased - thats why dry cleaning comes back in plastic wrapping!
11 miles each way, once or twice a week. Only regular riding I get these days 😳
99.9% off-road & traffic-free, through country park and along the Tyne, which is nice.
Pannier/bag on bike (like Carradice SQR) is better than bag on back
Yep very good bag. Big enough for my laptop, change of clothes, tube, pump, keys, and mini tool. Needs a few minor customisations to make it perfect.
[img] 
?w=350&h=350&a=7[/img]
Steel Rock Lobster with skinny commuter tyres, Ergon grips, mudguards, Lumi and.. err..phone holder 😕
[img] 
[/img]
35 miles each way - rode in today for the first time this year. Tailwind all the way in - that can only mean one thing on the way home 🙁
I'm lucky enough to have an office to myself on Thursday and Fridays - bike lives in the office with me with stinky drying kit draped all over it! I bring clothes etc in the day before and just carry the bare essentials. Hardest bit is getting up at 5.15AM!
i have to say getting up at 5.15 was the easy bit today - weather was immense - if anything i over dressed ! beautiful sunrise.
Normal commute is 9 miles each way, on skinny tyre SS (Kona Bandwagon), unfortuantely all on road. Quite often go a different route which takes it up to about 20 miles (usually only on the way home though).
Another route I like to do once or twice a month is over the Pentlands which takes me up to about 26 miles with about 18 of that being off road, is a great fun ride home. Thats done on my old Cotic Soul.
a few days a week now its getting lighter but it would be a hilly 14 miles and i'll no doubt be a sweaty wreck by the time I arrive. Any tips on decent bags to hold a change of clothes etc welcomed ?
If you don't have the option of leaving clothes & shower-related paraphanalia at work then I'd definitely recommend panniers.
Once you add up the weight of towel, shower gel/shampoo/deodorant, trousers, shirt, underwear, shoes, lunch, emergency spares ... it can get quite hefty for a backpack.
14 hilly miles will take you around an hour (?) ... so that's 28 miles & maybe 2 hours a day riding ... I'd say 3 days a week would be sensible without wearing yourself into the ground, and only 2 consecutive days (i.e. Mon/Tue/Thu, Mon/Wed/Fri).
My commute is about 11 flat-ish miles if I go the most direct route, and I have a locker at work where I keep clothes, towel, shower gel bla bla (I bring clean stuff on days I use the car) ... I use a CamelBak (breakfast/lunch/emergency spares) as it's not too heavy ...
I find I [i]can[/i] do the commute 5 days a week but I'm pretty tired after the 4th day, so usually do 3 or 4 days a week so that I'm not so wrecked that I'm totally useless to my wife & kids when I get home 🙂
Having said that, I have a habit of treating each commute like some sort of personal time trial which means I'm tiring myself out more than is necessary.
Lftle
Easy 3 miles each way for me, four times a week at least on a £200 (brand new) Python Atlas fixie most days, leaving the fat tyres for the weekend
10 miles or so each way, geared Roadrat with rack & panniers. Trying to do it as often as possible, which is 2 or 3 days (out of 4) at the moment.
Find I'm getting a bit tired by the middle of the week though, but I do usually ride at the weekend and Monday night too, so being a bit tired on Wednesday is perhaps not too surprising. Be interested in any tips for reducing fatigue if anyone's got any? 🙂
20 miles each way for me, 3-5 days a week. I use a roadified kona jake the snake. I use a small camelbak in winter for carrying stuff as I'm not worried about a sweaty back and it's somewhere else to hang lights. I summer I use a largeish saddle bag but I'm thinking about getting one of those big ortlib ones. I usually switch to the saddle bag in March.
Be interested in any tips for reducing fatigue if anyone's got any?
If you're riding Sat and/or Sun, then Mon/Tue/Wed commute & Mon evening ride I think you're going to feel fatigued no matter what.
The best you can do to help yourself is a eat/drink properly & get good nights sleep.
And rest, i.e. a couple of days a week off the bike.
Find I'm getting a bit tired by the middle of the week though, but I do usually ride at the weekend and Monday night too,
I'm usually feeling it by Friday, commute all week plus Thursday night ride. Mind 5/6 pints after the night ride probably explains why i feel sluggish on Friday 😀
3 miles each way from home, but as I rely on my family to feed me, it works out about 100miles per week in total.
Ride an LHT with drops, full mud guards and panniers.
Usually only have one pannier on and don't really notice the unbalanced feel of it, thought I would, but really no issue.
3 miles each way from home, but as I rely on my family to feed me, it works out about 100miles per week in total.
Your maths disturbs me. How often do you eat??
Are you a mormon? Or just polygamous? Do you have a number of families within a 3 mile radius of work? Do they all feed you? How fat are you?
Every day, 2.5 miles each way, fixie skidder, rucksack.
I don't own a car so i'm careful to make sure my commute isn't too long.