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I do various routes into the middle of Manchester from the edge of the Peak District, anything from 30 to 50 km each way, but usually no more than twice a week. The direct route is straight down the A6, mixing it with the stone wagons.......
Lots of good advice above. Key points for me are 'Assume everyone's trying to kill you' (because they are!). Ride conservatively and don't be frightened of taking the lane, especially if you're going at the same pace as the traffic, or of riding on the pavement, though if I do that, I do so at walking pace. I do observe red traffic lights.
The amount of climb makes a big difference for me. 30 km x 150 m is much easier than 30 km x 550 m so it influences things like overall weight of bike, tyre choice. I have no compunction about using the nice road bike, even in iffy conditions, though I do have a 'crappy conditions' bike too.
Robust wheels and tyres are useful though I don't go for really armour plated tyres. I use GP 4 Seasons on the crappy conditions bike and GP5000 Tubeless on the nicer one. I don't try and squeeze the maximum life out of the tyres though.
On lights, there are lights for being seen and lights for seeing your way. Some of my routes only need small lights like Exposure Boost. If you're on an unlit road or path, you need much more illumination. I tend to plan my route to avoid unlit areas if in the dark because I find it quite faffy and significantly slower than just blatting down a lit A-road.
Already been mentioned but a lot of lights nowadays are just overkill, especially on off road routes. You're trying to see where you're going not melt the shrubbery. Quite a few dog walkers and fellow cycle commuters have ridiculous lights on my route. I've almost come off a few times due to being blinded. I have shit eyesight but still don't need that much light to see where I'm going. If you really need to harness the power of a dying star to see where you're going I'd suggest you shouldn't leave the house in the dark. A bit different if you're mainly riding on roads and need to be seen. Basically don't be a dick and think of other people.
Oh and if you're anything like me, add twenty minutes to your journey each way for stopping to look at wildlife and play with people's dogs!
For 6 miles each way, I’d just ride in regular clothes.
Never. They get too sweaty too easily and might be tight in the wrong places, restricting movement. They get dirty too easily and sitting on a saddle bouncing around on a regular basis isn't much good for wear and tear, as well as potential for getting caught on bits of bike.
I used to get changed for a 4 mile commute, but was riding off-road along longer routes home most days back then.
Currently on a ~7 mile commute depending how boggy a particular farm track is. There's been times where I've taken it easy on the way into work, not got sweaty, kept dry and clean, and thought I could have just worn regular clothes. But that's pretty rare, and no point for me personally basing my routine around that.
Riding in towns, use cheeky footpaths and routes through parks, alleys, sea fronts, canal paths etc, as much as possible to get away from traffic (avoiding heavily pedestrians routes too).
Fit and forget puncture proof tires. Disc brakes. Trousers/jumper last a few days at work, change t-shirt & underwear daily. Keep shoes at work.
Keep a bottle of 'wet lube' on your desk at work for when you can't be assed to maintain your filthy commuter bike.
Want to say something about attitude, but route choice massively helps, as on quieter routes there's less potential for aggy exchanges. Riding daily, it's not worth taking risks ie, cycling around a big fast roundabout where you might feel obliged to compete with traffic. That's increasing potential for aggy exchanges. So you switch to using the lights at a crossing instead to get over the dual carriageway but they're really slow - again not worth taking risks to nip through a gap in the traffic on a daily basis, increases potential for aggy exchanges, raises stress levels, just chill instead, take a breather. It's got to be sustainable physically and mentally if you have no choice but cycle commute.
ALWAYS double rear light
This needs repeating.
All good advice, the only thing I would add is, enjoy the ride. It's lovely being out, getting exercise on a crisp day.
I've got a nice routine going with my commute, 10 miles into town, stop for a hipster coffee and pastry, then 2 miles further to office.
Makes for a chilled out morning and I'm still at my desk with time to spare.
Put things on the bike - Tool bottle with pump, tube, multitool, lights, spare lights. Means there is less to get ready and to forget.
Don't carry things you don't need. Leave things at work (locks, clothes).
Complete spare set of clothes at work is a good shout. Definitely socks and underwear.
Check the weather! It's slower if there's a headwind. May not be safe if there's ice. Might need a jacket on the way home even if nice on the way in.
Have a stash of extra food at work.
You'll be on the bike a lot. Good puncture proof tyres are nice. Wider for comfort but don't go for cheap super heavy dead puncture proof things. Make sure the saddle is comfy.
Whatever clothing you are commuting in, buy a few sets. If lycra you'll want fresh each day which is 5 pairs unless you do a lot of washing in the week. Multiple pairs of gloves, tops even shoes is a nice luxury if you get wet and can't dry things in time for the next day. I'd probably get dedicated commuting kit as it tends to wear out fast.
.mudguards. hub gear. Conti contact tyres. Rack. Dynamo lights. Putoline your chain. I commuted like that for years of almost zero maintenance. Redo the chain a couple of times a year. Blow the tyres up occasionally
As opposed to pretty much everyone else here it seems, I like dynamo lights. I back them up with LEDs, but with modern LED dynamo lights, you can't really even blow a bulb, so you will always have them, and they will always work. I even enjoy the whir of my bottle dynamo!
For 6 miles each way, I’d just ride in regular clothes.
Never. They get too sweaty too easily and might be tight in the wrong places, restricting movement. They get dirty too easily and sitting on a saddle bouncing around on a regular basis isn’t much good for wear and tear, as well as potential for getting caught on bits of bike.
6 miles is only 30 minutes, tops. 20 minutes normally. I reckon you'd lose at least 5 minutes at each end changing clothes around - it's just not worth it imo. Wear and tear on clothes holds for biking clothes too, even if they are designed and reinforced in the right areas - and my cycling kit costs a lot more than my casual clothes.
I spent years cycling in and out of London (18 miles each way) every day, I'd gotten into the mindset of always having to wear cycling gear and dealing with the faff. Switching to just being in regular clothes really was a revelation. It does get annoying carrying around extra clothes around with you all the time, and changing in various tiny toilet cubicles.
Personally, I’ve never bothered with mudguards for commuting. If it’s raining you’ll probably get wet. I do get showered and fully changed at work however.
Being self sufficient enough to change a tube/fix a chain. Saying that - set off in good time. Sometimes you just don’t want to change your tube when it’s -5°.
I like mudguards, but I've always found them a bit of a faff. Even the good ones seem to break after a while, easy to bend them and then they rub against tyres. Makes bikes annoying to get into cars if you need to. Incompatible with some bike storage. Can make toe overlap a real problem. Winter use only for me.
I used a rackpack for heavy stuff combined with a small rucsac for lightweight stuff ,like clothes. More aero than a pannier. My rucsac doubled up as a reflector having big Scotchlite strips on the back.
Twin lights front and rear - more visible and if one fails you are still golden.
Route choice. I used to turn a direct 9 mile commute into a 12 mile depending on time of day. IE starting nights or finishing lates I didn't want to be on rural roads when the pubs were coming out. The long route was towpath, back streets, well lit 30mph dual carriageway with bus/cycle lane.
With full mudguards dealing with roadspray I found Rainlegs better than full waterproof trousers.
Lights - Amazon currently doing the Cateye Amp 400 for £21. Nice light. Reliable toolfree mount. Good choice of modes. Simple to operate.
Keep some handcleaner at your workplace in case you end up with oil on your hands on the way in
Or use a mix of sugar and washing up liquid in the kitchen. Works just as well.
6 miles... 20 minutes normally
There's no chance of an 18mph average speed on my bike on a daily basis, more like 11mph avg speed.
35 years of commuting experience and the only obvious omissions so far are probably:
Chain tool.
Spare quick links.
Couple of pairs of medical gloves are more pleasant than filthy paws when you break the chain half way to work..
As others have said, introduce some variety into the routine and find a route that you actually enjoy riding.
Get an office round the corner from an M&S, very handy for the days when you forget your underwear. Also try to arrange a locker at the office, an excellent place to store the rest of the 5 packs of underwear and socks you buy ready for next time (alongside toiletries, lock, shoes, belts, trousers and a coat hanger).
Full length mudguards are not just for you, one of the worst things about rainy days is the spray from other commuters if you are on a busy route (mine is a 24km into central London so loads of other cyclists).
If on a busy route be conscious of other cyclists too, they’re often more of a liability/less predictable than the drivers.
Seme way of carrying stuff on the bike. A rucksack will make you really sweaty, necessitating a shower, on the bike is much more pleasant. I don't like paniers as they create a "tail wagging dog" sensation, and feel unbalanced if you only use one. So I have been using a carradice saddlebag for over 10 years, it's just about worn in now...
Lights. More lights. Spare lights. Batteries. But seriously I use 2 solid lights on the bike, a cat eye reflex on the rack and a flashing light on the saddlebag. A single light can fail leaving you unlit (at either end). I go for a mix of battery and USB rechargeable ones so that if I forget to charge some, and the batteries go on others I can swap batteries. Even buying some if needed from a garage or corner shop.
Try not to overdress. I basically wear summer attire, adding a gilet/windproof/waterproof as it gets colder. Only adding leggings/base layer once it is approaching freezing... I may be weird? Or just very sweaty.....
Proviz jackets are great for night time visibility, less good in the day, and are absolute sweaty boxes. Avoid on all but the coldest days.
Leave a big lock at work. Carry a small cafe lock so you can pop into the shop on your way home to get tea/milk/wine etc.
Shoes too, leave some at work.
Much of the advice here is good. Particularly about finding quiet routes and assuming everyone is trying to kill you. That does seem to have become less of a problem in recent years though.
Get in a routine. Know where your stuff is and put it in the same place every day. Ends up being easier/better than driving, and the "door to desk" time often isn't that different
I specifically don't eat breakfast before I ride to work. Weirdly I end up being more hungry and end up over eating throughout the day.
Keith, 10 mile pan flat commute, 2-3 days a week.
For six miles, ride slowly and don’t change? Otherwise leave shoes and a spare change of underwear at work. Use robust tyres. Carry two tubes and levers if you can’t get the tyres off. Rack and panniers is nicer than a rucksack, but it’s not a long commute so moot
Decent day bright flashing light - I use an Exposure Boost.
It doesn’t rain very often, you’ll get wet about ten times a year. Mudguards are good to have.
Jeez it's a bike ride not a military operation. Have a bike that works, have spares in a seat pack and a pump always on bike. Have some lights, two front two back in case one goes pop. Put out stuff night before, ride to work, work, ride home. Simples
In my experience never underestimate the stupidity of some car drivers and give lorries and vans a wide berth.
Regarding rear lights I ride with two rears when it's dark. One flashing to be more noticable and one constant as it's easier for drivers to judge speed and distance. In the light I just run the flasher (it's a Tooo camera light).
Bright and reflective overshoes at this time of year make it really obvious you are a cyclist.
Tubeless tyres (Schwalbe G-One allrounds) have been pretty much puncture free. So much so that I’m not afraid of tempting fate by typing that here!
Go on, laugh at me. I got my first puncture in about 2 years this morning! I thought tempting fate was just a myth!! This thread can sod right off!!
"eat a hearty breakfast beforehand- porridge is good"
Whereas I commute to work (20 miles) on nothing more than a cup of tea then eat when I get to the office. This one is personal preference and needs some experimentation. You might be a two breakfasts kinda cyclist.
If it's raining on the way in and you don't have a radiator your gloves will still be wet come the journey home, so take a second set.
Socks and thinner gloves you can stick over the nossle of an old school hand drier and give them a nice push start on getting dry if needs be.
I have a shortish commute (3 mile each way) so never really bother with cycling specific clothing. Would recommend a softshell jacket to stop getting too sweaty but still being able to cope with a shower. When it's properly raining I generally just stick some football shorts on and take my trousers and spare socks and pants in my bag, with a proper waterproof on the top half.
For the depths of winter one of those Belgian style caps with ear covers.
Wet feet are common even with full length +flapped guards, so another vote for leaving some shoes under your desk.
Wet feet are common
Not with Sealskinz and/or Goretex boots they're not.
I've commuted for well over 30 years and some of the stuff on this thread is bizarre. (Especially from people who don't even ride to work!) I think the op should ignore it all and see what works for him!
eat a hearty breakfast beforehand- porridge is good
That adds time in the morning. I never eat before the ride on, I'll have a bottle of water on the bike and then eat when I get to work.
That's for a 15 mile rolling, suburban commute.
Sometimes you'll be too knackered to ride in, or too bored of it. It's OK to take the train / bus / drive in every now and then - don't be a martyr about it. I used to take a train up to Wimbledon and then ride to Hammersmith every weekday for five years. Getting the tube instead when I was super-knackered (two under fours FTW!) reminded me how grim the multi-stop tube option was and inevitably resulted in a cold or cough, so I usually swapped back to the bike after two or three days.
Try and switch up the routes a bit, just for the variety. I had three routes I took. Luckily I had the towpath along the Thames from Putney to Hammersmith Bridge as an option, and that's lovely to ride - no traffic.
Someone will try and knock you off, many more will SMIDSY. Try and be the one that doesn't lose their head.
Forget mudguards saving you if riding in traffic... full change of clothes... spray from your own wheels isn't all you need to deal with.
Top tip? Always start with full winter gloves... starting off in the morning is often much colder than you expected.
Cables to charge lights at work is a good shout... and I'd add... have multiple front and rear lights for redundancy.
Depending how arduous the ride... two breakfasts... one before you leave home, one at or near the office.
eat a hearty breakfast beforehand- porridge is good
That adds time in the morning. I never eat before the ride on, I’ll have a bottle of water on the bike and then eat when I get to work.
It's 6 miles. There's no need to do anything special about food, just have what you normally would.
Unless I'm going to be out for >2.5 hours, I don't even consider fueling any differently, let alone actually doing anything about it.
Over the years:
- I use a drip wax rather than a wet lube, less maintenance and build up
- Like others have said, I prefer a rack pack/trunk bag over panniers, less work when riding home at the end of the day
- Good waterproofs, sealskin gloves and waterproof winter boots are a god send
- Mudguards if you're not going to get changed
- Ride a bit slower and be less sweaty
The thing I'm currently considering, as my commute is a bit over 30 minutes, is an e-bike.
As per much of the above; mudguards, decent tyres (another vote for Conti Contacts), emergency food, spare lights, waterproof backpack...
A waterproof/ziplock bag for your phone. You may want it to be easily reachable, for taking photos of good and bad stuff.
Also, as mentioned, pairs of disposable gloves. I've always got them within easy reach - vital when it's grim out and your chain drops after swerving from another pothole/close pass/pedestrian stepping out. You'll also play the Good Samaritan more often than you'd expect, and on those occasions their bike will be filthy.
And more underwear; keep a waterpoof bag with spare pants & socks in the bottom of your bag, below the permanent toolkit & pump.
I commuted for c20 years in London. Most of the advice really does depend on your commute. For many years I was a 'lycra to work/shower and change' rider, but later years different bike, slowed down a bit (journey time hardly changes, less time waiting at red lights). Now work at home but if I was commuting by bike I'd look at -
- full length mudguards
- dynamo lights. Before I had them, there would always be a few nights when I really wasn't expecting to be at work when it got dark and I'd not have lights with me. It's also less to faff with - no charging, removing for security etc etc.
- flat pedals. Even if it's just walking through the office at work it's still way more convenient that clips. You don't need super spiky pins on the road, especially not if you ride with grippy mtb shoes. (grip tape style, metal cages, pinless flats all fine)
- Try riding without changing, even if it's not all the way through the year. It's nice to be able to do stuff. on the way home/after work. Theres a lot of 'not lycra' bike friendly clothing about now. Rapha/Vulpine/Spoke. A pair of minimal 'undershorts' and just changing into pants at work (and a flannel to the face) is often enough even if it's really warm.
- Lock at work. Spare clothes at work. (Shirt/pants/socks/shoes minimum). if you walk to work you sometimes get wet - riding a bike is not that different.
- vary your route a lot until you find the one you enjoy most. I started off on big direct roads and ended with a route that took in more green space, parks and backstreets.
Also - reconsider a load of clothing you might have thought ridiculous in the past, even if you're riding in everyday clothes as there are a fair few days in the shoulder seasons when the temperature changes a lot between morning and evening or even through the morning commute slot
- armwarmers
- lightweight windproof front/vented back gilet
- Rainlegs https://road.cc/content/review/56364-rainlegs-wind-and-waterproof-leg-covers
Don't overthink it. There are better solutions to most issues you might end up having. But you can solve them when they crop up. I've commuted on everything form an OFO (think Boris bike, sit up and beg, full guards, chain guard, dynamo) in work clothes to full roadie kit on a racing bike like yours. They all have their place and do the job.
I’ve got the opportunity to commute to work, safe bike storage and good work showers. 12 mile round trip but it’s on busy A roads.
Is there an alternative?
Ignore the distance for a minute and see if there's a 'nice' route. The difference between 6 miles and 8 is less than 10minutes, when you factor in getting ready, showers etc then it's almost negligible and not worth the misery of fast roads.
I’ve bought a cheap commuter for a couple of hundred (2015 Cube Peloton road bike). Any hints or tips from the seasoned commuters out there. Tools to carry/decent lights/ puncture avoidance advice. Do I need to change the tyres from the Vittoria road ones?
TBH you could have bought a better bike for commuting, but equally any bike will do, it's only a bike ride like any other. It's just hat you'll do it twice a day, 5 days a week, regardless of the weather. If you stick with it I'd maybe consider swapping to a more utilitarian bike with at least 35mm tyres, proper mudguard mounts
MUDGUARDS. The number of rainy commutes in a year is remarkably small. It's a once a month occurrence. The number of days that the roads are wet though, that's at least 50/50 in winter! There are a whole variety of bodge on mudguards, Raceblades or raceblades XL are probably your best bet. The former provides a bit more coverage but is more of a faff to fit and adjust, especially if your not sadistic enough to still use 23mm tires.
Tools, no more than normal. I take a tube, frame pump and have a multitool in my desk drawer. Keep them in your everyday bag and don't take them out. for the weekend. Buy a dedicated commuting set or I can guarantee you the only time you will puncture is Monday morning when your stuff is still in you camelback.
6 miles is borderline for needing a shower at work, especially this time of year. Don't fall into he trap of thinking you need to dress like Pogacar just to ride 6 miles. I only dress for the commute if the weather is shitty, otherwise I just wear my work clothes with a softshell jacket on top.
Lights, yep you'll need them. I run a dynamo on my commuter as it means I don't need to mess with charging anything. If using battery lights then take 2 front and rear because IME eventually one fails or you forget to charge it. STVZO style lights with a proper cut-off don't piss off other road users (including cyclists). 1000lumen off-road lights are just anti social and unnecessary sending 500 of those lumens up into everyone else's eyes. OTOH if you commuted down narrow country lanes at speed then STVO beams don't reach as far, especially if the road undulates. Horses for courses.
Tyres, if they're in decent condition I wouldn't bother swapping them. I run a heavy duty commuter tyre on the rear and a standard conti ultrasport on the front. For unknown reasons I still get more rear punctures (mostly big things like nails and glass).
Have a full spare set of work clothes in your desk / locker. Eventually you'll forget something, or misjudge the weather.
Basically what everyone else said. Especially the bit about doing it every day. A routine is far easier to stick to, and you won't forget stuff.
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There are a whole variety of bodge on mudguards, Raceblades or raceblades XL are probably your best bet
Googling Cube Peloton it looks like it doesn't have mudguard mounts, but if you do have them on a bike with them on then proper mudguards are a revelation. None of the bodge on guards word very well - they move, they break, they rattle and rub and they don't have enough coverage to really keep you clean.
I'm very happy with Kinesis Fend offs
Do you have any leeway on the times you ride in?
Have found with getting home, leaving at 5.30 is queues of traffic everywhere, close passes, everyone in a hurry etc.
Leaving at 6 the roads are much emptier and nicer to ride on.
Check the weather each day. I've been caught out with a really mild morning, and then in the afternoon the temp has dropped to around freezing, which makes for a very cold ride home.
Lots of good advice for the OP to take or leave. I would add 1) don't ever clean or maintain your commuter and 2) don't ever spend any money on your commuter
(unless absolutely necessary of course)
Do you have any leeway on the times you ride in?
also, rain radar. If you have any flexibility leaving a bit early/sharp/or working a bit late (or sitting and reading a book for a while) is a sensible alternative to riding in a short heavy shower.
have an emergency change in work in a plastic bag just incase you forget something. I have trousers, shoes, towel, a coat that live at work so I don't lug them.
I change at work because work clothes are invariably the wrong amount of layers for riding and it's a nicer experience to have a fresh shirt
Dynamo lights if you can, multiple sets of usb rechargeable also to make sure you have backup. I have one solid and one flashing on the rear because permanently on is better for other road users to perceive position but flash gets their attention
I use a backpack because you feel panniers swinging round (which is fine for touring but commuting is a pita) and it's easier to get from the bike shed to showers to desk. If you pack smart you don't carry that much - roll your shirt around the pants/socks
A really tough rear tyre, something nicer on the front like michelin Pro4 endurance or similar - the toughest tyres use a hard rubber compound but they don't grip and in the wet they feel sketchy. Full mudguards obvs.
cycling cap keeps the low sun in the morning out of your eyes, keeps the rain of specs, cap stops the helmet getting sweaty (nothing worse than putting a wet helmet on )
I do 5.5 miles each way and don't change - this time of year I can go pretty much as fast as I like and I might be warm when I turn up but I'm not sweaty. In summer I go slower. I treat it as a transport option in the same way the Dutch do. no special cycle clothing other than a wind proof top, helmet and gloves (at this time of year those are 100% Briskers).
Only thing I would say is budget for more trousers as the seat will go shiny over time.
My bike is a 1960s sit up and beg and my commute is across Cheltenham town which is pretty flat. It's fast enough and comfortable with enough (3) gears. for the terrain and looks like nothing interesting so is in no danger of getting nicked. I've got a Dutch lock fitted which swings through the wheel and is a great deterrent as it's almost invisible. It's got cheap plastic flats and a few more modern lighter bits and is reasonably well maintained but it still looks pretty crap to most.
I wouldn't want to ride a nice/proper bike as I'd always be worried about it and I'd have to carry a lock.
Charge your lights and Garmin at work.
Double up on front and rear lights, put both rears on in case one fails, front leave second one off until you see usual one has failed.
Has anybody said mudguards? Mudguards.
Redundancy on lighting
Spare socks at work
I've got work boots at work so always dry footwear, don't rely on your riding shoes being dry enough to wear all day
Try and find a quieter route
Other than that trial and error dependant on your commute, mine's a hilly 15 miles so needs cycling clothes a pan flat 6 might be doable in work gear, start worst case and work backwards and it'll vary season to season, day to day
Eat.
I've been thinking about the change of clothes thing, and, once above say 3 or 4 miles, it boils down to this:
Are you a sweaty disorganized night owl?
Or will your route include off-road sections where you might get dirty?
YES - take a change of clothes for when you get to work
NO - cycle in your regular work clothes.
@Speeder - also a Cheltenham commuter although my ride is only three miles.
I use a 20+ year old Specialized Langster fixie which needs minimal maintenance. For commuting fixies are great if your route is not too hilly.
For lights being seen is more important than seeing for me as my route is well lit. I use an Osprey messanger bag and have one rear light clipped to that and one to the seatpost.
Commute in normal clothes with a DHB softshell jacket which I bought in the Wiggle clearance. I do have some MTB trousers which I wear if it is raining and then change into at work.
There are a few others who commute so our workplace bought a track pump and some bike tools to keep in the office for minot repairs. No under cover storage for bikes though so they live outside and get wet when it rains - another reason why a simple fixie is a good fit for me.
I have just bought a new flashlight which has both white and red modes and can be bodged onto the bike with zipties is one of the bike lights fails. It is also useful for investigating any bike issues when in the dark - link below.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BFVTGGK3?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
A few people have said puncture resistant tyres, they're not for me, but I don't necessarily disagree if that's what works for you/them. I would say though, that whatever you run, as soon as you start getting punctures, it's time for new tyres - don't try to get every last mile out of the rubber.