A further tip: leave spare socks and underpants at work just in case you forget to pack some

I’d second this, but add a complete set of clothes, after my debacle the other day when I realised I’d left my clothes at home. Cycling shorts and a t-shirt weren’t going to work for meetings, so had to cycle back home

Don’t fall into the canal if you’re more than a mile from home.

Gulp, I’m wearing those very CFH Bridgedale socks right now.

Some good advice here.

I’d add self adhesive ‘high intensity reflective tape’.

I have lots of it on most of my bikes. White (on frames, forks and rims) orange (on cranks and pedals) and red (rear stays, seat post)

Very, very visible from a long way off

+1 for a dynamo hub and B&M lights. It removes all the worry about batteries running out. You can leave the lights on constantly and the quality and spread of the light is fantastic.

Of course easiest way to get full range of German lights is to go to a German website, didn’t think of that.

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/shop/battery-operated-302/l-24

I’ve just replaced my aged (10 years) & leaky Alpkit Gourdon with:

Waterproof Backpack – 20 Litres

Of course easiest way to get full range of German lights is to go to a German website, didn’t think of that.

Browsing that, just came across the Lupine SL A7 for the first time.
Really nice light – tad expensive though!

Spa Cycles in Harrogate do a large range of B&M lights. (awful website though – definitely 1990s in feel!)

Full mudguards a must, +1 for spare clothing (especially pants and socks) and expect to have close passes even on cycle paths!

A tip I picked up many years ago was to paint a blob of, preferably luminous, paint on all of your tools so when you put them down they are easy to find again.

Good luck and enjoy the fitness boost!

not sure if this has been suggested but spoke lights like the cateye orbit sound naff but they are great visiblity aids, not just from the side but even from slight angles front and rear you get a lot of eye catching movement.

This is the original but it looks like there’s a new white version

Plus if you put two on one wheel and go fast you can pretend you are on one of those bikes from Tron.

I’ve done the light shining back at myself trick, made an huge difference to driver behaviour. One lady turned her car around and followed me to ask what light I had as she wanted to get one for her partner. Sitting in a car on a wet dark evening your world is a multitude of white and red lights. A clearly visible reflective human stands out amongst all the noise.

I wouldn’t use anything exposure for a city commute. They are fantastic peerless off road lights but even on low way way too focussed and bright for a town.

I wouldn’t use anything exposure for a city commute. They are fantastic peerless off road lights but even on low way way too focussed and bright for a town.

I agree with the exception that I have an Exposure Blaze rear light, and I think it’s excellent in all conditions. I especially like the pulse mode which I think is more effective than an on/off flashing light. The only downside in my opinion is the fact that the bracket is only suitable for fitting to the seat tube, which is fine providing you don’t have a bag that would get in the way.

I also think that the Joystick and similar lights on flashing mode are excellent for making oncoming drivers aware of you in low light conditions (as opposed to nighttime), i.e. tree lined roads, very overcast or rainy weather, twighlight and dusk. The OP already has a bar mount for his Six Pack, and the Exposure etc. will fit the same mount (he just needs to buy another bar mount with the addition of the plastic clip for the Exposure, and he said he planned to buy another bar mount anyway. An advantage of this is that the Joystick can also be used as a helmet light when paired with his Six Pack for off road riding.

joystick can also be fitted with a difuser to allow side visibility.

Something i wish they did for the revo.

So my commuter had b+m IQX

Great thread I’ve picked up a few tips even though have been commuting for ages. Will try that shine-back-on-yourself.
Might not be for everyone but key features on my commuter:
– SPDs with those clip on plastic flats one side. Much nicer to use with running shoes if I’m mixing it up.
– 1×9 MTB gearing – but with the 44t in the middle of the chainset (triple). Low maintenance but good for varying intensity / speed to suit mood / training requirement / recovery unlike single speed.

Tried panniers but prefer backpack (40 litre!) as don’t like the weight on the bike, less maneuverable.

I wouldn’t use anything exposure for a city commute.

Nonsense. I’ve run a Joystick aimed at the ground coupled to a Strada for years. I would certainly not run a Max D though unless it was basically pointing straight down.

Might get a pro viz jacket and point my 6pack back at me

(I am of course joking)

Very much in same boat, 8 miles each way, done it half a dozen times so far.

I’m using a water proof Ortleib bike packing seat post mounted dry bag. Lighter/cheaper that panniers, not sweat inducing but does a crap job of holding an ironed shirt.

I’m learning that Strava is making me want to cycle faster, which reduces humour levels when someone in a car does something daft that slows me down/reduces my average speed.

First ride in today (I’ve done it a few time in the past but not as a regular thing).

Went well, had one very close pass by some twonk in a Vauxhall Calibra (think that says enough about them really).

Had the 6pack on low and didn’t seem to get any complaints although it was dusk not dark.

The mountain bike was only about 10 minutes slower than the road bike for the same journey compared to when I’ve ridden it in the past and I was taking it pretty easy. Think I’m going to be enjoying this!

One minor hiccup was I brought my wife’s door keys by accident so had to get a member of site staff to break into my locker. 5:15am get up clearly doesn’t agree with me for coherent thinking!

Re Strava: do your first week’s commuting on the fastest bike you have so you get all your cups done and dusted. Then move to whatever bike you are going to commute on – you won’t get near your PBs so you just treat it as a steady ride.

@chilled76 – I’ve done that even after several years’ commuting 😳 After a while you get into the swing of things. If you’ve a locker at work then leave as much as you can (including spare underpants, socks and shirt) just in case you forget something.

Whitestone, sounds like a decent plan re Strava.

Two weeks in, saving so much £££ its unbelievable 🙂

Probably the best buy I had was a Proviz jacket (when Halfords had them for £40). They are not the most comfortable, and certainly a bit (err a lot) boil in the bag but boy you cant be missed in them. Had a passenger lean out of the window at some lights complementing me on the jacket and that “every cyclist should wear one”, but the biggest compliment was a cycling buddy who was coming the opposite way to me. He couldnt believe how visible they were and bought one for himself within a week.