Commuting logistics!

dwaller80

Hello all

I recently bought a new road bike and I intend to start commuting in a months time when i start my new job. The commute by bike will be a 23 miles round trip from Worcester to Malvern and I'm using this as part of my training regime for a Lands End to John O' Groats charity ride next year.

My new job will be office based so I was just wondering how you all manage with taking suits/shirts/cycling kit to work. Do you drive one day and drop a load of stuff off or is there another way? I've bought a 2009 Specialized Roubaix Elite so there's no hope of attaching panniers or racks!

I know it's a stupid question but any help would be much appreciated!!

Cheers

David

singlespeedexplosif

Mine is similar - 24 miles round-trip. I leave my shoes at work and take everything else in panniers. If you're unable to use those (post-mounted rack?), I suggest a good courier bag and leave as much at work as possible. You could do one day per week on the train/car and do a big drop-off/pick-up of clothes, but then you have manky clothes sitting around your office for a week.. maybe leave the suit hanging at work, and stick new shirt/duds/socks; lunch and lock in the courier bag?

linsen

I have a similar length commute to you.

And a similar non-pannier option of a bike (Frank below)

I have clothes at work to change in to when I get there, and all the shower stuff etc. I take my smalls in a small pack with me, along with my lunch, and make sure I have snacks at work.

If you want to change towels regularly get a trekking towel (superlight and very good). Mine is a lifeventure one from Blacks.

I would have thought you would build up to an everyday commute like that over time if you have the luxury, as it's pretty draining at first. So have a driving/rest day and use that as an opportunity to change kit etc.

RufusA

I have a pair of work shoes permanently under my desk.

Shirts / trousers etc. I take folded up, and use a pack-it to keep them compact and crease free - highly recommended: A "15" holds a shirt and pair of trousers comfortably, and slips in to any rucksack or bag big enough for a laptop!

http://www.eaglecreek.com/accessories/packing_folders/

I use a pannier now, but did survive with a cheap as chips Tesco rucksack for a while.

HTH - Rufus.

symo

I leave my shoes at work, clean shirt and laptop in my alpkit gourdon 30litre waterproof rucksack.

Kieran_Burns

I leave my suit at work and bring in a clean shirt each day. Along with smalls to change into

Trousers in on a monday and home on a friday mean a slightly heavier day one way but no problem.

benvickery

I cycle just under 25 miles about 3/4 days a week. I also have a pair of shoes under my desk all the time and a pair of trousers in my office. I normally carry a laptop and charger, shirt, tie, socks and underwear rolled up and my lunch in my rucksack. It works quite well. Do you cycle much already? The biggest issue I've found is eating and drinking enough as I burn about 900 calories on my ride as my average speed is 18/19 mph. I started my current job at the end of August and although I wasn't really overweight when I started, I've lost almost a stone in just under 2 months.

Good luck, it is definitely enjoyable.

Bassjunkieuk

I'm also one for the "leave what you can at work" brigade. I move around between various sites but thankfully don't need a full suit at most of them! I can just about get everything I need into my backpack for the first and last days on a site. The days in between mean I just have a slightly emptier bag as I normally only have a clean shirt and socks/boxers etc.

Sounds like you'll have a nice commute, my father in law lives down in that area and I'd love to get my road bike out down there!

Bagman

I leave as much as possible at work, trousers, tie, shoes, jacket. I use a plastic bag and roll up a shirt (stops creases a bit) with socks and a fine pair of Calvin Kleins. Lunch in a plastic chinese takeaway box. Spare tube, tyre levers and repair kit in the bag with laptop. All goes into my camelback rucksack. I leave my lock on the bikerack. I usually bring a 500ml bottle of SIS and a high carb bar to eat after my shower. Good luck with the LETJO ride

gtvlusso

Fecking hell mate - I was born in Worcester and bought up in Malvern, good luck on those hills...or are you down in the Link?!

el_presidente

my shirts are laundered opposite the office so they never have to go home

gtvlusso

To be fair, I am doing 12 miles a day at the moment (down from 72 at my peak in summer and my "normal" 40 miler - due to new puppy!!!). I will be back to the old mileages as soon as she stops weeing in my house.

I keep clothes, towels, and toiletries at work in a plastic box (with a lid) under my desk. We don't have a drying room at work (pain in the arse!), but we do have showers.....

I carry, my laptop, lights, arm and leg warmers, repair kit (tyre levers, spanner, pliers, chain breaker + link for sram chain and allan keys), 2 spare tubes and a folding tyre + locks - heavy backpack, but you get used to it.

linsen

gtvlusso wrote:

To be fair, I am doing 12 miles a day at the moment (down from 72 at my peak in summer and my "normal" 40 miler - due to new puppy!!!). I will be back to the old mileages as soon as she stops weeing in my house.

I keep clothes, towels, and toiletries at work in a plastic box (with a lid) under my desk. We don't have a drying room at work (pain in the ars*!), but we do have showers.....

I carry, my laptop, lights, arm and leg warmers, repair kit (tyre levers, spanner, pliers, chain breaker + link for sram chain and allan keys), 2 spare tubes and a folding tyre + locks - heavy backpack, but you get used to it.

Was going to ask how the pup was doing.

We have a Border Collie. 6 days from the next insurance kicking in he has just gashed his leg on a piece of glass or something and has gone in for the full works to be stitched up.

I would say that he has always been in rude health but he's forever getting injured :?

As for the lack of drying room, do you use a trekking towel? I have one and no drying room and it dries very quickly on the back of my chair at work

Jamey

I know you can't use panniers but just for the sake of contributing something to the thread... I use two panniers. One contains the stuff that stays with the bike (puncture stuff, tools, locks, overshoes, gloves, etc) and the other contains stuff that comes with me (change of clothes, lunch, phone, wallet, keys, etc).

It's heavy but I figure it makes me fitter to cycle with all that extra weight. Then at the weekends, when I don't have panniers, I feel like I'm really flying and it makes me happier.

FixedNewbie

I leave as much as possible at work, try to bring in boxers and socks each morning and swap t-shirts etc during the week. Unfortunately we dont have a shower at work but there is a tap in the car park that is proving very handy :-) Just make sure you get in before everyone else....

dwaller80

Blimey!! Just checked back for the first time and 14 posts.....thanks for all the help!!

It sounds like the general consensus is to leave as much at work as possible then! I don't start my new job for another 4 weeks but I tried out the route with a friend of mine on Saturday. I tracked the ride with Nokia Sports Tracker so the commute can be seen on this page:

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=488324

GTVLusso - I too am a Malvern boy and I spent most of my childhood cycling on the hills!! Its a great way to spend a day! The commute itself is not that hilly apart from a long stretch just before work and again on the way home up to J7 of the M5.

benvickery - I haven't cycled seriously for 10 years but I've just started my training regime. As I'm doing LEJOG next year, I've started a training blog to aid with motivation and fundraising.

For anyone that's interested, my LEJOG training blog can be found here:

http://cycling-end-to-end.blogspot.com

Details of the fundraising page will be posted soon.

Thanks again for all of your help. If anyone wants to join me on a training ride, just let me know.

Cheers

Dave