Commuting: Practice first or just MTFU and do it?

hatbeard

Hey all,

I'm a rookie commuter who only got his bike on friday (and has yet to actually ride it).

I'm planning on commuting Greenwich -> Farringdon on it but as someone who hasn't rode a bike in about 15 years the thought of doing battle with london traffic is a little err daunting.

I'm strongly thinking about just saying eff it and riding in tomorrow morning leaving nice and early and giving myself plenty of time to get there so i'm not stressing my speed etc

for all the commuters out there how did you get started? is it better to try and do a couple of rides on the weekend to get myself back in the saddle as it were or as the thread title says am I just being a big wuss and I need to MTFU and go do it?

the other option I thought of was taking the bike on the riverboat to london bridge / tower hill and cycling from there to cut the journey in two and ease myself into it.

t0pc4t

just crack on my friend!!

and welcome aboard

pitchshifter

I went through my commute on a weekend to get the best route with no time constraints so it was nice and relaxed. Worth doing if you are not sure of the way.

The traffic you will get used to and learn to master tricky situations. You can't practice this just have to go and deal with it.

Best of luck.

il_principe

pitchshifter wrote:

I went through my commute on a weekend to get the best route with no time constraints so it was nice and relaxed. Worth doing if your not sure of the way.

The traffic you will get used to and learn to master tricky situations. You can't practice this just have to go and deal with it.

Best of luck.

+1 Ride the route on a Sunday then just dive in. You can always just ride a few days a week to start with, but there's no substitute for just getting on with it.

Enjoy, 'tis much fun.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Can you drive? Would you drive up to (say) central London early on a Sunday in preparation for the real drive up to work on Monday?

Nah.

Jump in. It's one of those things that looks a lot more dangerous than it is when you're on the outside looking in.

AndyOgy

There are 2 bits of advice that I'd give to new cycle commuters:

1) NEVER EVER undertake a lorry, ESPECIALLY if there's a chance it could turn left.

2) Read Cyclecraft.

jonginge

As above. If you've not actually ridden the bike it's probably best to have a shakedown ride where there is no time pressure just in case you find the brakes don't work or the saddle is at the wrong height etc

Wish I'd done that before I took a new bike to the Alps. We live, we learn

lost_in_thought

Greg66 wrote:

Can you drive? Would you drive up to (say) central London early on a Sunday in preparation for the real drive up to work on Monday?

Nah.

Jump in. It's one of those things that looks a lot more dangerous than it is when you're on the outside looking in.

Wot he said.

Leave plenty of time, as you've already said, and perhaps warn work that you're cycling in for the first time and you may be late.

I found navigation the biggest issue, traffic wasn't a problem (Mayfair to Liverpool Street).

Butterd2

What route are you planning on taking, I go from Charlton, over Tower Bridge to Aldgate?

http://beta.mapmyride.com/routes/detail/23651778/

I would say MTFU but it will be a bit of a shock to the system, happy to hook up with you for a ride in if you leave 8:00-8:30ish?

Pufftmw

Greg66 wrote:

Can you drive? Would you drive up to (say) central London early on a Sunday in preparation for the real drive up to work on Monday?

Nah.

Jump in. It's one of those things that looks a lot more dangerous than it is when you're on the outside looking in.

LOL I spent a sunday morning "teaching" my (not so current) wife driving from Clapton to Blackfriars several times in order that she could drive in. She still failed miserably

ketsbaia

I thought about doing a dry run at the weekend before I started commuting, but in the end didn't get round to it.

Just do it. Within the first 500 metres, you'll wonder what was stopping you before.

And welcome aboard. I'll say hello as I pass you on the Old Kent Road if you head that way.

MonkeyMonster

You can also use googlemaps eye view and go along your route using the pictures...

ketsbaia

You also need to read all of this first.

Kieran_Burns

No one else has said it, so...

Make the extra bits as easy as possible for yourself.... have your survival kit ready (spare tube, tools, lights etc) ready the night before. Have a change of clothing / shower (cleaning) kit at the office - carry only what you need when cycling as opposed to everything you think you need.

Apart from that - you know the route, go have fun. It IS very safe and as said above, you'll wonder what stopped you!

soy_sauce

the best method to teach a kid to swim is to throw him/her into the deeper side of the pool.


and this theory also apply here.

dhope

Leave a bit early, roads are much quieter at 7am than 8am on that route. Not to say that they're dangerous at either time but there's an appreciable difference.

dhope

soy_sauce wrote:

the best method to find out if a kid can swim is to throw him/her into the deeper side of the pool.

FTFY

MarkS1980

I did mine on a Saturday afternoon first so I could check the route properly. Although I knew most of it by car there were a couple of sections where it was safer to use a cycle path which disappears down the side of a busy A road so I wanted to see what kind of condition the path was in and exactly where it came out. It was also good to be able to ride it without having to worry about time so I could get a feel for the roads and make mental notes of potholes and any other potential problems.

nich

Dive in!

I remember I tried a practise run. Got a puncture up a hill, got fed up and came home.

I browsed the net for a bit, looked for the best route (which was different to my practise one anyway) and just did it.

Pack everything the night before, get up nice and early, and just do it.

My only problem was that I was worried about time so left very early, and still cycled very fast. I was outside work before 7am and had to wait 40mins till the doors opened :oops:

My route is probably similar to yours as I go up through Deptford / Evelyn / Lower / Jamaica and onto Barbican.

I find it quite an easy route and traffic never gives me any problem. The earlier you go the less traffic there is, but the more traffic there is, the slower it moves. I don't mind either way now.

p.s., the longer you leave it, the more your'll kick yourself for not doing it earlier!

hatbeard

MonkeyMonster wrote:

You can also use googlemaps eye view and go along your route using the pictures...

have already done this but it's a very good suggestion.

and thanks everyone for the suggestions/advice.

@ketsbaia... I'll get right on that

@butterd2 thanks for the offer I'll probably leave VERY early (7am) so I can nip into my gym and shower before I get to work anyways.

If worst comes to worst I've been training for a 10k run this sunday anyways so if it does get too much I'll just lock the bike up somewhere and run in

Sanderville

When I started commuting I bought a bike on a Sunday and started riding to work the next day, from Rotherhithe to Holborn so not too different from your route.

The main thing that struck me is that the viewpoint on a bike is totally different from what I was used to when driving, so everything seemed to be coming at me from all angles at once. That took a couple of trips to get used to.

For the first week I was knackered and pukey every morning when I got to work but that was down to fatness and over-enthusiasm.

It's all much easier than it seems in the first week though, so just get stuck in. You won't realise how much you like it until the first time you're forced back onto public transport for a day.

Since you're in Greenwich you should have a look in Decathlon next to Canada Water station for bits and pieces - cycle stuff there is much cheaper than most places.

nich

hatbeard wrote:

If worst comes to worst I've been training for a 10k run this sunday anyways so if it does get too much I'll just lock the bike up somewhere and run in

This is funny. On my route in I often wonder why everyone is waiting for the bus and / or tube.

I'm always like, but it's a straight road, then a right turn over London Bridge and your there, in the City, you can all walk it so easy!

hatbeard

Sanderville wrote:

Since you're in Greenwich you should have a look in Decathlon next to Canada Water station for bits and pieces - cycle stuff there is much cheaper than most places.

That's quite useful. I already spent a £1000 at evans (see the what I just bought thread) with my cycle to work voucher but I price matched everything so saved myself about £300 on top of the tax benefits of C2w so I'm pretty well kitted out already but I still need some cycling clothes (will make do with my running kit for now for base layer etc) so I'll definitely check them out.

simonaspinall

You can never underestimate the need for good quality clothing - Particularly in the rain and cold. Also, it's unusual to see someone with too many lights.

Defo get some high-class thermal, waterproof gloves and overshoes (hands and feet are always the worst in the cold)
Good waterproof, close-fitting if possible
Thermal microfibre balaclava reeeeeeally helps in the cold
Get a decent mini-floor pump
Good mini-tool, spare tube, tyre levers and park tyre patches for emergencies
Spare brake pads
Cereal bar in case you have a blood sugar crash (try not to have one with choc on it in case it melts)

At work it may be a good idea to keep some spare kit if you have a real mare - track pump, spare tyre, spare light, spare chain, cables and public transport fare in case your bike is unrideable, even a basic cycling toolkit (edinburgh bikes one is good)

Do all that and you'll only have to worry about catastrophic failure, which (touch wood) is very rare and unlikely.

Alphabet

all of the above and plot your route on here:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

if you only put two points in (ie start and finish) it'll in theory plot your best route and show you the gradient.

i go along quite a bit of that route and you've got some lovely bus lanes to use. it'll be fine. head down and get on with it

mese13

Butterd2 wrote:

What route are you planning on taking, I go from Charlton, over Tower Bridge to Aldgate?

http://beta.mapmyride.com/routes/detail/23651778/

That's definately the route you want, or a portion thereof. Don't go anywhere near the Old Kent Road - it can get pretty hairy - and is too far south for your commute - you'd probably add a mile to your journey.

Just crack on with it. The bits to look out for are:

Greenwich oneway - make sure you're in the correct lane & no undertaking on the left hand corners
Deptford - keep on the LHS of stationary traffic rather than overtaking - they normally leave a gap for cyclists, and it would get too exciting facing the oncoming traffic
KFC - little hump over the bridge where the cycle lane starts; watch the left hand turn (to the tip) shortly after - make sure anyone intending to turn left has seen you, and knows damn well that you're going stright on and that they're not going to hook you
Surrey Quays oneway - hang in the bus lane
Rotherhithe - roundabout is easyy on the way in
Bermondsey - starts getting busy - may want to head up the middle; lots of buses to overtake; watch out on the ped crossings too

Then there are various ways up to Farringdon so try out a few to discover what suits. You could stay south on Southwark street and head over Blackfriars Bridge or head over Tower Bridge & weave your way up through the City.

Start to memorise the roads as well, favourite potholes etc. and sections where it backs up or gets tight. You'll tweak your speed accordingly.

On your way home the only real difference, apart from it perhaps being dark, is Rotherhithe roundabout. Hang in the bus lane and then move into the centre 30m before the roundabout. Stay central on the roundbout and then bear left to Surrey Quays. Eye contact with the drivers coming out of the tunnel to ensure they've seen you.

Best advise: take it easy to start with, but be assertive, and make sure you've got some decent lights if you're coming back late.

Butterd2

hatbeard wrote:

@butterd2 thanks for the offer I'll probably leave VERY early (7am) so I can nip into my gym and shower before I get to work anyways.

Ah, that's more dhope's kind of time......

All the best, see you on the SCR thread soon!

Butterd2

mese13 wrote:

Butterd2 wrote:

What route are you planning on taking, I go from Charlton, over Tower Bridge to Aldgate?

http://beta.mapmyride.com/routes/detail/23651778/

Greenwich oneway - make sure you're in the correct lane & no undertaking on the left hand corners
Deptford - keep on the LHS of stationary traffic rather than overtaking - they normally leave a gap for cyclists, and it would get too exciting facing the oncoming traffic
KFC - little hump over the bridge where the cycle lane starts; watch the left hand turn (to the tip) shortly after - make sure anyone intending to turn left has seen you, and knows damn well that you're going stright on and that they're not going to hook you
Surrey Quays oneway - hang in the bus lane
Rotherhithe - roundabout is easyy on the way in
Bermondsey - starts getting busy - may want to head up the middle; lots of buses to overtake; watch out on the ped crossings too


On your way home the only real difference, apart from it perhaps being dark, is Rotherhithe roundabout. Hang in the bus lane and then move into the centre 30m before the roundabout. Stay central on the roundbout and then bear left to Surrey Quays. Eye contact with the drivers coming out of the tunnel to ensure they've seen you.

Some good advice there, only one I would debate is staying on the inside through Deptford, personally I prefer to ride down the centre with the motorbikes avoiding the risk of sideswipes or left hookers. Prob depends on your speed as to which is more appropriate.

hatbeard

mese13 wrote:

Butterd2 wrote:

What route are you planning on taking, I go from Charlton, over Tower Bridge to Aldgate?

http://beta.mapmyride.com/routes/detail/23651778/

That's definitely the route you want, or a portion thereof. Don't go anywhere near the Old Kent Road - it can get pretty hairy - and is too far south for your commute - you'd probably add a mile to your journey.

Just crack on with it. The bits to look out for are:

Greenwich oneway - make sure you're in the correct lane & no undertaking on the left hand corners
Deptford - keep on the LHS of stationary traffic rather than overtaking - they normally leave a gap for cyclists, and it would get too exciting facing the oncoming traffic
KFC - little hump over the bridge where the cycle lane starts; watch the left hand turn (to the tip) shortly after - make sure anyone intending to turn left has seen you, and knows damn well that you're going stright on and that they're not going to hook you
Surrey Quays oneway - hang in the bus lane
Rotherhithe - roundabout is easyy on the way in
Bermondsey - starts getting busy - may want to head up the middle; lots of buses to overtake; watch out on the ped crossings too

Then there are various ways up to Farringdon so try out a few to discover what suits. You could stay south on Southwark street and head over Blackfriars Bridge or head over Tower Bridge & weave your way up through the City.

Start to memorise the roads as well, favourite potholes etc. and sections where it backs up or gets tight. You'll tweak your speed accordingly.

On your way home the only real difference, apart from it perhaps being dark, is Rotherhithe roundabout. Hang in the bus lane and then move into the centre 30m before the roundabout. Stay central on the roundbout and then bear left to Surrey Quays. Eye contact with the drivers coming out of the tunnel to ensure they've seen you.

Best advise: take it easy to start with, but be assertive, and make sure you've got some decent lights if you're coming back late.

thanks for this...

I think that I may compromise a little and commute in, then head to london bridge on the way back and get overland/riverboat back until my confidence increases a little before trying to ride the whole way back in the dark. my travelcard is valid for the rest of the month so I may as well get some use out of it before it gets retired for occassional paygo usage only.

biondino

At the very least, have a ride of your bike somewhere easy and safe first, both to ensure it's set up correctly and to reassure yourself that you won't do anything silly once you start!

Pufftmw

mese13 wrote:

That's definitely the route you want, or a portion thereof. Don't go anywhere near the Old Kent Road - it can get pretty hairy - and is too far south for your commute - you'd probably add a mile to your journey.

Absolutely nothing wrong with the Old Kent Road - its virtually empty from New Cross to Albany Road!! I've never found it hairy or dangerous, instead its free-flowing and fast