Commuting 20 miles to work (first time)

tomb08uk

Hi All,

I have a mountain bike which I bought a year ago (a Trek 6000). I have not used it as much as I would of liked to so to make more use and to get fit I want to firstly start by cycling one day a week to work and then as I get better and more efficent maybe cycle everyday. I live 20 miles from my work so this would involve cycling from my home, to work and then another 20 miles back after work.

I have bought some Continental Traffic tyres to replace with my current off road tyres as found the offroad tyres wore quickly and didnt feel they gripped very well on tarmac at all.
Tyres I have ordered: http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle ... ffic.shtml

Has anyone got any advise to assist me? As I have not done this before so I know its not going to be easy so any suggestions will help greatly.

Such as does anyone know a site which I can put in my home and work postcode and a map will generate a bike route for me as some of the roads i currently drive on ar dual carraige ways.

Cheers for reading, I appreciate your time!

Look forward to your responses,

Tom

Sirius631

One piece of advice often given is to do the ride as a dry run at the weekend, so you can find out exactly how long it will take and learn any particular risks. My commute is 25 miles each way. I only do this a maximum of twice aweek, due to other commitments. When I started, I parked up at half distance and rode from that point. I still do this sometimes, so that I can have a short ride in and make a very long loop on the way home.

nwallace

Not aware of any sites which have route ratings for cycling and calculate routes based on that, and even if it did exist probably wouldn't have much in the way of ratings entered anyway.

Load up Multimap and get it to do directions from your house to work, view the map then put on the OS map. Look for Yellows (public unclassified) and Oranges (B Roads), also consider Red and Green but local knowledge and your traffic confidence are probably bigger factors on these than on the unclassified and B roads., though saying that some of the lesser roads can be worse for traffic.

Look out for any useful off road routes, footpaths/tracks/"other roads" or marked sustrans routes that coudl help you

Since you've only had the bike a year and say your not getting out on it as much as you would like I'm guessing your traffic confidence has room for improvement.

Once you have found a route, you may want to drive it to work and back at normal times.
This lets you get a local knowledge of the traffic conditions you are up against.
If you think you need a practice at it outwith commuting times, then give it a shot at the weekend.
If you've found the least densely populated road in the world, don't tell everyone about it!

tomb08uk

Hi Sirius631,

I am going to do exactly this. As in on Saturday I am going to do the route, take a break when get there and then cycle back.

With regards to cutting the route by driving half way, I did consider this but I dont really know of a location I can park half way and ride from......

I assume you are using a road bike as I have a mountain bike at the moment and as above mentioned in the process of replacing the tyres. I hear you get better speed from road tyres, so as these tyres are not slicks, they are sort of intermiediates I will hopefully notice a difference to my current off road tyres.

tomb08uk

Also Sirius631,

Just as a guideline and out of interest how long does this route take you?

scottgeniusltd2005

www.bikehike.co.uk


it's free and brilliant.

good luck. i'm currently building up road miles on mtb with panaracer passelas. upto 30 miles a day so far. but i need to get to 50 a day min before sept, back to uni for career change.

b0y1nterupted

i have the conti traffic tyres on my MTB & they are much better than the knobblies i had they feel a lot smoother (though not as much as slicks) plus only 1 puncture in about 6 months with them & cheap too,

just dont try to do too much too soon, maybe take bike in your car & pedal home then into work the next day rather than same day at 1st & leave clean clothes in your car,

or can you get the train half way

also as people have said have a trial run on a non work day

google maps is good for routes as you can change it too suit yourself & view the roads

scottgeniusltd2005

forgot to say that bikehike shows you elevation map in either gradient or graphical layout

tomb08uk

Brilliian advise regarding leaving the car at work b0y1nterupted.

I might actually do that.

Bikehire - what is this site? I dont understand whats its for? I am after a route like the aa do, but for bikes so it showw bike routes when possible.

Thanks

Tom

scottgeniusltd2005

www.bikehike.co.uk just click the link. it's specifically for bikes and walkers

scottgeniusltd2005

click on course creator

scottgeniusltd2005

also take emergency bonk replenishment. i find a redbull and bananas worked for me. redbull for immediate hit and nanas for longer energy. nothing worse than the when the energy is suddenly depleted a long way from home.

GarethPJ

I don't want to do anything on your bonfire, but I've tried conti traffics on my MTB as an all round tyre, I found them pretty useless off road except on hard pack (not your problem) and very slow and draggy on road. The lack of speed is mostly down to their low inflation pressure, partly down to the tread and partly down to their fat section.

If you reckon your 20 mile commute will be hard work (it is for me!) then the last thing you want is something making it harder. It's probably a bit late since you've already ordered the tyres, but you'll find you get there quicker and arrive fresher if you fit narrower, harder and slicker tyres. Schwalbe City Jets have a strong following and come cheap the 1.5" version is rated at a speed but still comfortable 85psi. I'm a fan of Spesh Fatboys more expensive, but they last forever and are faster.

IME it might be worth starting off by driving part of the way, not so much for getting there but for the homeward journey. I find the homeward journey harder. Or maybe that's just me, I do have some hefty climbs on the last part of the homeward run. From the river there's over 500 feet of climbing to our house. Depending on the route that can be over the last 3 miles or 4.5 miles. I actually prefer the shorter steeper option mainly because the longer option starts with an arrow straight climb of about 300 feet in just over a mile. Hardly alpine, but it's soul destroying as the speed drops and you can see exactly how far you've got to go. The traffic zipping past at sixty plus just makes it worse. I know all the uber fit hardened commuters will zip up it without changing down, but us ordinary mortals find it hard work.

The other option might be to cycle in one day and cycle home the next. This only works if public transport is an option and you have somewhere secure at work to store your bike overnight.

CiB

Tsssk - all this 'have a go one weekend and see what how you do', 'drive half way then ride the rest', 'build up gently'.

Roll yer sleeves up and just get on with it. Get on your bike, give yourself under 2 hours to do it, and then do it. You can do 10mph can't you? It'll be bloody hard the first few times, then you'll find that it's not that bad, then you'll find you don't need to take a pile of bananas and energy drink, then you'll be doing it 2, 3, 4 times a week in around 1h 5mins or so but by then you'll have discarded the MTB and found yourself a nice lightweight roadie to do it properly. 20 miles is actually a piece of cake if you stick at it - there comes a moment when it's not even a challenge but is instead just the way you go to work. Get on with it. Stop asking questions and just do it. But buy a proper bike.

Stuey01

20 miles is a fair old way to start doing from scratch.

Do you have a "support vehicle", i.e. the wife, who can come and get you if you aren't fit enough?

Carry inner tube(s), puncture repair kit, tyre levers and a pump - you do NOT want to get stuck half way because of a puncture.

Leaving clothes at work is a good tip. I leave a couple of suits and a pair of shoes at work and just carry a fresh shirt and tie in my pack every day.

I use spesh nimbus armadillos at 1.5" width on my MTB, never had a puncture yet in 15months of knackered london roads. Very quick compared to knobblies and much less work. Skinny tyres are essential for road mileage.

tarquin_foxglove

tomb08uk wrote:

does anyone know a site which I can put in my home and work postcode and a map will generate a bike route for me as some of the roads i currently drive on ar dual carraige ways

For a point to point route I'm not sure of, I use multimap and select the 'walking' option. When I've used it, it selects a direct-ish route that avoids motorways & major A roads.

Mossrider

I echo Chris in Bicester (although its a bit of a do or die attitude). I do 28 miles each way (once a week) but with 800m of climbing each way - I'm in the South Pennines (on a roadie). The first few times i arrived cream-crackered, but now I get in invigorated (racing against previous times) and get home at night feeling fine.

However if the wind is in the wrong direction....(take a hint - check the windspeed and direction, makes quite a difference over that distance, especially if you are exposed). Also the difference in effort required in winter to summer is surprising. Mostly I guess due to the energy expended in just keeping warm (and all that clothiing can't help).

If you are really serious about this, consider investing in a road bike. It will make your life so much easier.

CiB

Thanks for your support there. Just to add though...

Mossrider wrote:

I echo Chris in Bicester (although its a bit of a do or die attitude).

Not really. The worst that can happen is that it will take 2 hours, but it won't. It'll be hard work but after doing it a few times you wonder why it was such a big issue building up to doing it, as long as you don't leave 6 weeks between attempts.

Mossrider wrote:

If you are really serious about this, consider investing in a road bike. It will make your life so much easier.

Couldn't agree more. 20 miles means you need the right kit. The right bike, the right clothing, the right attitude. But it really is enjoyable once past the initial body shock of riding 20 miles to work and then riding home again afterwards. The buzz is still huge, for me anyway. When it's not, it's time to stop doing it. Or time to buy an even more extravagant bike to do it on.

sarajoy

Agree with the above, sometimes worth just getting on and doing it. A workmate was trying to build up to doing the 6 miles from hers into work - I said she'd be fine to just buck up and do it - no point faffing about with little half-rides in some kind of idea of training.

20 miles is a fair bit longer mind!

For the first one, I'd say wear comfy/breathable clothing in layers, and make sure you have somewhere to stuff any that you get too hot for. Take a bike multi-tool (you'll KNOW after 5-10 miles when something's uncomfortable and needs adjusting - it's often worth sorting on the spot), a spare inner tyre - or two, a pump (say you get a flat half way - that's a long walk), and a mobile phone, just in case.

Christophe3967

Good luck - and if you want to do it on a MTB that's cool, don't listen to those who would persuade you to get a road bike. You'll have great fun and eventually you'll notice that you're going past people on hybrids and road bikes. And then you'll realise that some of the people going past you are only doing so because they've got lighter bikes. And then a little voice will start talking to you. It will tell you that that you would destroy them if you too had a lighter bike. And maybe you'll try one out at the LBS. And maybe you'll sell your MTB and buy a road bike. But you'll appreciate it so much more because you'll have done your time on the MTB.

CiB

You really don't want to be carrying anything for that distance, but there are limits - you'll want a drinks bottle, pump, couple of spare tubes, tyre levers, cash, phone for when it all does go wrong and a walkman if you're not in built-up areas - that really does add to the pleasure. At work, have enough clothes ready to wear, a towel etc, deodorant [required], shoes - don't forget the shoes - and whatever you need to store the bike safely. I use my office, because I can. Take these things in when you're not on your bike. Extra shirts & smalls are useful for when you get the urge to do that extra day's ride - you don't want to be limited by being faced with wearing yesterday's shirt.

For hills, [thanks to whoever posted this recently on here] carry a grudge. I've done this for years but it was someone else here used that phrase - sums it up superbly. Carry a grudge, some wrong that's been done to you, anything. It'll get you up a hill when it's becoming a struggle.

sarajoy

You know, the short sharp hill on my way home was SO much easier when there was a bunch of cars backed up in a big queue down it. I flew up on the middle ring! Normally that thing kills me! I'm guessing it was a case of "HA HA SUCKERS" helping me along

Peyote

I've been doing a 26 mile (52 mile round trip) commute for the past year. Usually once or twice a week.

I started off using a Roadbike, but quickly changed to a Tourer for the sake of comfort and load carrying. The nature of my job means I usually have to take a set of clothes and files in, so I generally have a couple of panniers attached (probably an extra 5-6 kg). All that on a roadbike started to get a bit uncomfortable (23mm tyres!) and the final straw came when I overloaded my panniers and sheered the p-clips holding the rack onto the roadbike!

It is so much easier on the Tourer and adds about 10mins onto my total journey time (pushing it up from about 1h 30min to about 1h 40min) I can handle that! So the moral of this story? You should be fine on a suitably shod mountain bike (it's quite surprising how much difference a thinner tyre with 20-30 extra psi can make).

Anyway, hope you enjoy it, the light summer mornings and evenings are great, and pitch black rural roads in winter are scary-fun!

Sirius631

tomb08uk wrote:

Also Sirius631,

Just as a guideline and out of interest how long does this route take you?

Mine is a lumpy route which I never tackle at above my level 2 on the HRM. It takes me just over 1h30 at the moment.

daniel_owen_uk

Love riding my mountain bike to work, gets me out on it when family life at home means I don't get much opportunity.

But my commute is 2 miles, I can afford to take a heavy bike with nobblies suspension etc.

20 miles is no joke, 200 miles a week would hit me hard, and I am reasonably fit. I would do it, but I like others would want a road bike.

Alternatively MTFU and try it

c12345

its essentially my story. started off once a week on MTB for a similar distance. upped to 2 or 3 times a week. 6 months later I could keep up with (drafting) career rodies on lunchtime training rides (20mph average). Old bike of ebay and get an instant 2mph solo speed bump once you get over the fear. A couple of years later and I've got a maxed out c2w scheme and doing 250 miles a week.

My advice is :

1) "pump, multi-tool, inner tube, zipties" in a saddle bag - don't even consider setting off without it.

2) Throw yourself into it - you'll just be slow - but not every day (1 or 2 times a week to begin). Pick your days with metcheck. wind is your enemy. rain is just inconvenient.

3) go light. leave things at work (including a jacket for the home leg for if the weather turns) . if you can avoid using a rucksac, do so. I just carry a wallet and phone in a jersey back pocket.

4) pump your tyres up to max recommended pressure.

5) Quite early on, take the plunge with lycra (no knickers) and a wicking top. dhb from wiggle is fine. Also, legwarmers and armwarmers are a godsend and are cheap as (try dhb again). Wear them in the morning when its cold or foggy, carry home in a pocket.

6) glasses - anything. Try Lidl ones for £7 ? sooner or later, a car will throw a stone at you, or in the summer, a bee will go kamikazee at your eye. You'll know when it happens, and you'll thank me for it.

7) Enjoy. If you're hating it, then your probably not doing it right? Have fun.

scottgeniusltd2005

i have gone from zero to trying to do a 13 mile hilly each way commute. i did it in feb when i started a new job (which lasted a week, it went bust, but i have carried on doing 100 to 150 miles every week since) believe me if you do it every day you will be very very tired at first, get ulcers, get run down, bonk till you learn to eat properly, but it will pass and you will enjoy it. it all depends if you have got the balls to fight thru the overtraining and mood swings.

sarajoy

...does 'bonk' mean something different in the cycling world?

Back to OP - good luck dude, it'll be cool

gtvlusso

Good luck fella, will be hard, but the rewards are glorious - i.e. buying bigger jeans because your arse and thighs get huge!

scottgeniusltd2005

yeah, 'hit the wall', 'maxxed out', 'no more left in the tank', basically a total depletion of available energy. it's horrible, demoralizing and feels almost impossible to get home no matter how many rests you have...i.e., bonked out

c12345

...yeah, the bonk can get you with little or no warning. happily trundling along, minding your own buisness then *BANG*

I can think of at least 3 occasions its happened. you feel a bit empty stomached, then 5 mins later you go lightheaded, heartrate through the roof, something turns up the chroma channel on your vision, ringing in your ears, can't concerntrate, can't pedal, can't even stand up. nasty nasty feeling so in addition:

8) carry enough spare change to buy a biscuit boost or 2 from the nearest shop or garage.

don't worry though, that will only happen if you push yourself too hard.