Cycling to work.......teaching assistant.

cyclinggirl

I really want to apply for this teaching assistant job, which is 3 miles from home.
My only means of transport is my mountain bike as I don't own a car.

I mean it's ok in nice weather but am wondering about the winter, icy roads, rain etc.... is it realistic to think I could cycle all year round.

Can you buy really good waterproofs?

Not Responding

cyclinggirl wrote:

I really want to apply for this teaching assistant job, which is 3 miles from home.
My only means of transport is my mountain bike as I don't own a car.

I mean it's ok in nice weather but am wondering about the winter, icy roads, rain etc.... is it realistic to think I could cycle all year round.

Can you buy really good waterproofs?

3 miles is the ideal distance for casual commuting. It's short enough that you don't need to bother wearing lycra and so on; unless it's really hilly you're not going to build up a sweat.

When it rains, pile on the goretex. When it's cold, wear gloves and a hat. No problems.

The Endorser

3 miles? Streth, you'll have no problems with a pidly jaunt like that!

cyclinggirl

It's not about the distance, although it is quite hilly.
You have to look presentable when you get there.
Could leave a change of clothes there and some make-up, lol

electricdave

All year round is perfectly viable - I do a similar length journey in all conditions on a MTB.
When it's cold and / or wet, I wear a lightweight Gill waterproof jacket. I carry a set of waterproof trousers in a backpack, and because the journey is so short, you don't tend to get too sweaty. Summer I just wear a t-shirt & jeans (and gloves, which I always wear when cycling anyway).
In winter the only extra thing I wear is a snood - a sort of fleecy muffler scarf type thing to keep my ears warm.
Go for it !

Tartanyak

My commute's just under 8 miles each way and I do it whatever the weather. Unless I'm feeling lazy... The pain of living in the pennines.

Gloves tend to be a must for me and I own waterproof trousers and jacket (both Gill, both rather handy). Although, they do get boiling for me... But that shouldn't be a problem. Snood or scarf is needed for winter or your throat pays for it.

I take a change of clothes in my backpack and leave my shoes and things at work.

Saying all that, I usually end up in shorts and a t-shirt, then get so soaked I have to change completely anyway. Saves water bills I suppose, having an outside shower... I was never so affectionate towards my eyebrows before this 'summer' we're having. Hair gel in eyes is quite, quite painful.

gary_fisher3

Yes, I commute a similar distance and also work in a school.

You will need somewhere safe to lock up your bike. It probably wont be safe in the schools bike shed.

You're going to need somewhere to get changed and somewhere to hang wet clothes. I would also advise a change of shoes on really wet days.

You probably wont want to woddle down the corridor in full Lycra. Most kids don't wear anything special to ride their bikes and they wont understand why you're wearing Lycra etc.

Eurostar

Hello cyclinggirl, how did the bottle work out!

Good waterproofs cost a bomb - e.g. £80+ for a jacket - but they are worth it if you use them a lot. To minimise sweating you need the very best fabrics, which are breathable. Go for Gore-Tex Paclite or eVent.

But maybe this is overkill for a 3 mile journey - you probably won't sweat much. Unless it's all uphill!

Waterproof trousers are quite unusual, because most people wear shorts. If you want to stop your shorts getting wet you can get Rainlegs - they look stupid but people say they work very well.

You might also want a waterproof helmet cover http://tinyurl.com/36qe8h

Mister Paul

You'll be fine.

If it gets too rough to cycle in the winter, knowing how things are these days they'll have already closed your school.

spasypaddy

surely at a school they have showers, so it wont matter how dirty and sweaty you get. Take a towel and a change of clothes in a bag on your back and have a shower at work. Just make sure you cycle in a shower hat so your hair doesnt get wet :P

Tartanyak

Looking back... Maybe we're suggesting a little too much for just a 3 mile trip?

And regarding the waterproof trousers... Most of the time, I just get wet, but on some days I can't face the feel of icy water down the centre of my backside first thing

Aidocp

I do a distance just greater than that, 3.5miles going the short steep way or 4.5miles going the slightly less steep way. I wear a cycling top and change that when arrive for one thats in my pannier but wear my normal trowsers. I find over trowsers OK for this distance in winter, they're good wind stoppers too, a bit too hot for summer or longer distances though. Mine are Altura Night Vision. I wear a Endura pac lite jacket for most of the year or a Endura Biker Jacket for colder days. I commute in all weathers, the distance is to short to get worried about the weather. You'll be fine, by time winter comes you'll be totally used to your commute.

dondare

You could walk that in 45 mins.

cyclinggirl

Eurostar wrote:

Hello cyclinggirl, how did the bottle work out!

Good waterproofs cost a bomb - e.g. £80+ for a jacket - but they are worth it if you use them a lot. To minimise sweating you need the very best fabrics, which are breathable. Go for Gore-Tex Paclite or eVent.

But maybe this is overkill for a 3 mile journey - you probably won't sweat much. Unless it's all uphill!

Waterproof trousers are quite unusual, because most people wear shorts. If you want to stop your shorts getting wet you can get Rainlegs - they look stupid but people say they work very well.

You might also want a waterproof helmet cover http://tinyurl.com/36qe8h

Ah yes, the water bottle, lol. I gave up on that, was too much hassle. Got a waist bag from Ebay which holds a bottle, it's great, has solved my problem.

cyclinggirl

spasypaddy wrote:

surely at a school they have showers, so it wont matter how dirty and sweaty you get. Take a towel and a change of clothes in a bag on your back and have a shower at work. Just make sure you cycle in a shower hat so your hair doesnt get wet :P

No showers, it's a Primary school.

starseven

Cyclegirl

Hi , Most of the time your 3 mile commute shouldl be a pleasure and over time you can figure out what works best for you. Personally I now leave a pair of shoes at work, its one les thing to carry and they last forever. I also go with minimalist get wet then get changed method rather than waterproofs method. You can try both and see whats best for you.

I would say though that since I have been cycle commuting I have become a bit scruffier rarely now seen in a suit, shirt and cufflinks etc, usually its clothes that doent look too bad after being rolled up in a pannier/rucksack.
It gets easier if you have some storage at work and It is nice to have another transport method availible for the days you need to be extra smart or just dont fancy cycling.

Good luck

BentMikey

Not that it matters, you won't need showers for a 3 mile trip, that'll only take 15-20 minutes taking it easy. You can just get changed in the loos, and take a towel/wet wipes to freshen up.

Do it, it'll turn the worst part of your day into the best. I would recommend buying Cyclecraft by John Franklin, and also joining the CTC, if only for their 3rd party insurance.

http://www.londonskaters.com/cycling/wh ... icycle.htm

alfablue

That is an ideal commute distance for arriving in a decent state. For wet days get some Gore-Tex Paclite or eVent clothing (jacket and trousers around £80 to £90 each if you shop around) as suggested, some waterproof overshoes (£20), and some Sealskinz waterproof gloves (£20) as wet fingers will get cold. That's the ideal, but its quite an expense, nevertheless you should get years of use out of the kit, and anything Gore-Tex is guaranteed for life re: waterproofness (and the guarantee works - I have used it on a 4 year old jacket that "de-laminated" - no receipt, Gore gave me £170 refund as it was a discontinued model).

But, given that it is only 3 miles you could get by with much cheaper waterproofs - for example Altura Nevis Ladies jacket, £43; Gill Ladies Freedom Pants £34, and keep dry shoes (and socks if required) at work. With a pair of gloves you will cope with any weather on a 3 mile ride. These cheaper waterproofs won't be as breathable or durable, but as suggested above you probably wouldn't get too sweaty on a short ride.

Despite the very wet June we have had, I commuted through last winter (14 miles each way) and I can count on the fingers of one and a half hands the days I needed the waterproofs, but I took them every day. There is a great deal of satisfaction in leaving the car at home and cycling all year round - Go for it!!!

Small Fish

My Wife's a primary teacher and commutes about 3 miles every day. She has a decent lightweight waterproof jacket - a Patagonia one because she wanted something that could be worn when not on the bike and some waterproof overtrousers.

If it's really raining hard - which (June 2007 excepted!) doesn't happen TOO often - she usually puts a skirt and shoes in her rucksack and wears the waterproofs. You get to know through experience how much protection you need on damp/drizzly days but decent mudguards really help keep you dry.

She doesn't go fast so has no problem with perspiration - and having a messy curly hairstyle helps too!

ChrisKH

If nothing else it will set a good example to the rest of the school and the pupils.

Unlike my son's headmistress who berated a pupil for riding his bike across the playground to the bike shed.