Hello and Dawes Diamond

SouthernDave

Hello! Just joined as it seems like a forum with humour and good advice. I am about to start a new job and with the thought of buying another pig of a car to drain my money and patience, I have opted to try and return to the world of commuting by bike.

I used to live in Rainham, Kent and cylced daily to Strood, Kent and back on a mountain bike that I put slicker tyres on and proper mudguards etc. Since then I have put o some pounds and got married and moved and more.

Now my new job and home are in Sussex and I plan to commute from Hailsham to Eastbourne via the Cuckoo Trail (Cycle Route 21). I tried it on my current bike a Giant Boulder on knobbly tyres and it took me about 45-50 minutes one way and I was sweating! I think the distance is about 8 miles or so, hard to work out.

I decided that biking maybe my best option to start with and help me get a bit fitter. So I have ordered a folding Dawes Diamond folder as a) I found one cheap on Amazon and b) it would give me the flexibility to take lifts to/from work with my wife who works some days nearby and also to catch the bus if the weather has turned bad, etc. I can also store it easy at work.

Now I am looking into suitable clothing and avoiding turning up a stinking, sweaty mess....tips?

Any advice on bike, route, clothing and comments or tips generally welcome!

desweller

Do your new employers have any changing and shower facilities? If I were you I would take my work clothes with me in a pack (or leave them at work) and cycle in suitable cycling gear. It's going to be hard to reconcile the needs of your work wear with the needs of your cycling clothing, in winter or summer...

SouthernDave

Sadly no, I don't think so. I asked at interview and no-one seemed to know, so unlikely. I know I can cycle slower which might help and I think to start with I can get a lift in and cycle home, which means I can build up a bit of fitness as well, which should help....?

desweller

I can't help you then; I start sweating within a mile of setting off, no matter how slowly I'm going!

I don't think you can expect to improve your fitness without generating a bit of sweat though.

Initialised

Hi and welcome to the fold.

I also use a Giant Boulder for a <8mile commute, it has proven to be a reliable work horse. When I used to wuss out in the rain I found it OK to strip and load in the boot, granted a folder makes this easier but that makes wussing out easier too.

Until I decided to stop wussing out I didn't really need any extra kit. Since you're starting now you will least need gloves and a hat for the cold but dry days.

My advice would be stick with the Giant and wear as little as you can get away with, a layer less than you'd wear if you were walking is probably a good place to start.

SouthernDave

At Des - That's fair enough! I meant to work up a sweat on the way home, which is fine obviously, with regards to improving fitness, etc.

At Initialised - Thanks for that. It's not so much about wussing out, but more about time - i.e. I can leave later or come home quicker if using a bus or a lift, that's all. But I take your point ;-)

Initialised

Don't get me wrong, I wussed out all the time in my first year back in the saddle, but now I'm not bothered and for me the commute is now often faster than it would be in the car and much faster (and warmer once the blood's flowing) than the two busses I'd have to take.

It might be 8 miles in 45 minutes now but as you get faster (and slimmer and lighter) you'll get that down to 30 and come to depend on the exercise like a drug so the bus/car simply being faster becomes irrelevant.