Can't get the courage...!

rhext

If you've got a car and can carry your bike on it, try going half-way and parking up first. When I started, I parked in the local park-and-ride and cut the journey down to 5 miles each way. I now do the 12-14 miles each way as a matter of routine.

Having a shower at work makes it a lot easier, and you've still got a few weeks of the type of weather where picking the wrong clothing means discomfort rather than hypothermia! If you pick clothes which leave you feeling perhaps a little too cool for comfort while you're outside getting your bike, you'll be OK when you've covered a mile or so! Once you've started you'll start to guage what clothes to wear very quickly, but don't make the mistake of thinking that cycling will keep you warm wearing a thin t-shirt in the depths of winter!

I cycled for the best part of a year with no mudguards and carrying everything in a rucksack. It's true that no mudguards mean a liberal coating of crud if it rains, but it doesn't actually rain very often..... The minimum I'd carry would be pump, tyre levers, spare inner tube and a couple of emergency patches. I usually add a multi-tool, but have never actually had to use it. You'll probably want some lights too at this time of year. It's entirely practical to commute this sort of distance without a rucksack if you're able to leave kit at work in advance.

Although if you do decide it's for you, then I can't recommend mudguard/rack/pannier combination highly enough.

dmch2

rhext wrote:

but it doesn't actually rain very often.....

That's surprisingly true. I only wished I'd bought my overtrousers with me for my commute once or twice a year (plus another couple of times when I brought them with me and actually used them)

Velonutter

I work from home, but wish I had a nice healthy commute, would love something around 30 miles each way 8)

Instead I try to do 30 miles before breakfast a couple of times a week.

Once you have your stamina built up, you will think nothing of 20 miles each way.

Many commuters drive to work on say a Monday & Friday, delivering clothes etc. on the Monday and collecting it all for the weekend, saves carrying it all on your back.

CiB

Someone has to say it. Get on with it. 14 miles is a boy's ride, a warm-up for most people once you get past the non-cyclists 'oooooh 10 miles is much too far to cycle' viewpoint

You'll knock 14 miles out in about an hour at a slow pace, about 45 minutes if you push a little bit - you'll be knocking miles out at about 3 to 4 minutes per mile. You saying you can't ride a bike at at steady pace for less than an hour without needing a pannier full of spares, and enough fluids & energy bars to do a century? Come on - think logically. It's 14 miles, not 70.

You need nothing more than a bike that you're comfortable with, a frame pump, a puncture outfit & 3 tyre levers. Carry a spare tube if you prefer but you're only allowed one puncture per journey that way. Practise mending punctures as your first attempt shouldn't be on a dark wet night in November. As for spares & tools, just keep the bike well-maintained. Modern bikes are pretty good and can do more than 50 miles without falling apart. Catastrophic failure is so rare that you need't worry about it. Everything else is adjusment that can wait till you get home; you're not doing the TdF.

A bit of nervous anticipation the first few times is one thing, but being this bothered about it is a bit excessive tbh. Step back and have a think about it. You saying you really don't fancy a sub 1 hour ride to get to work?

Mudguards etc - all optional. Just wear cyling shorts & top in the summer and add more as it gets colder, so base layers, top layers, leggings, waterproof coat & overshoes as the weather deteriorates. Take enough clothes etc in the car on the odd day per week that you don't cycle so that you aren't lugging a rucksack around all the time.

On arrival you'll need a few minutes to relax a bit, get washed & changed and that's it. You won't need an extra meal just for 45 minutes effort. Surely?


14 miles? I'd kill for that. 21 is that bit too far to be the easy option every day. 14 would be brill. You give it a couple of weeks then come back on here and tell us all how easy it was, how much you enjoy it,and how little stuff you find that you do need.

soveda

One thing I would suggest is that if your commute takes you through rural unlit roads have a head torch in your saddlebag/rucksack (something like the petzl e-light) so that when you puncture because of hedge cutting in the pitch black you can save your bike lights for riding.

Brommers76

Have you considered or can you drive to work with the bike in the back and then ride home, ride back in in the morning? It is mainly a bit of planning that is required to make sure you have everything you need at work. I think Father Jack has a belt and braces approach but I think most of that is OTT if you have a shower at work.

I use a bog standard road bike, if I need I take a little rucksack but have no problem carrying clean undercrackers and socks, CO2, 2 levers, spare tube, mobile, money and glasses in my jersey pockets. You only need proper clothes when it starts to get cold. Mudguards are useful but only if you intend to ride when it is raining - if wet or rain will see you getting the car out then don't buy them. Best bits of clothing IMO are good gloves and overshoes when it gets cold, arm and leg warmers and I have a collection of gilets- a couple are waterproof.

My commute is 20m each way but only do both ways once or twice a week.

Just do it - you will wonder what all the fuss was about

TMR

Father Jack wrote:

Definietly get slime filled inners want everything to increase puncture protection, look at a decent set of tyres too.

Is that really necessary? For a commuting bike, he could just pop a pair of Specialized Armadillos on and be done with it.

CiB

Gotta say this whole thread makes me larf. 21 miles on a carbon road bike is my commute, 2 or 3 days a week when I can fit it in. Occasionally I have the odd puncture, or get wet, or find that the gears are not quite hunky-dory. The idea of panniers, slime-filled tyres, rucksacks full of stuff, having a big hearty meal on arrival and stocking up on fluids etc to go home never occurs. It's 21 miles in an hour & a bit, a not very big bike ride. Just get on with it. Strewf. :roll:

rhext

CiB wrote:

Gotta say this whole thread makes me larf. 21 miles on a carbon road bike is my commute, 2 or 3 days a week when I can fit it in. Occasionally I have the odd puncture, or get wet, or find that the gears are not quite hunky-dory. The idea of panniers, slime-filled tyres, rucksacks full of stuff, having a big hearty meal on arrival and stocking up on fluids etc to go home never occurs. It's 21 miles in an hour & a bit, a not very big bike ride. Just get on with it. Strewf. :roll:

I must confess, I'm with Chris on this one. What goes wrong?

- you get wet (maybe 10 times a year, less if you pay attention to the weather forecast)
- you get a puncture (10 minutes delay maybe once or twice a year)
- you could eat a scabby rat when you get into work (isn't that what crisps/mars bars are for?)

So if you've got a bike and can fix a puncture en route (or don't mind an occasional stroll home) you're on. Give it a go, you won't regret it!

I'll confess I do use panniers - but only so I can commute five days a week without having to resort to a car journey to carry my clean underwear and shirts....

t84

Fair enough, I'll just get on with it then

When I was MTB'ing 5 miles a day I was carrying t-shirt, jeans, socks, etc in a backpack along with a spare tube/pump/phone/wallet/etc and it wasn't too bad!

rhext

Well, just do that on your road bike and you'll be fine!

rodgers73

I've just done my 3rd commute today and it really really is easy once you get into it. Do it once and see - you'll soon get the nerve!