Finally carried out first proper longish commute!

daniel_b

*Update on last post :-)

Hello commuting fraternity,

I need to tap into your extensive collective knowledge.

I currently work in an extremely unrewarding job, but it's mightly close to where I live, it's some two miles away, and is mostly along tow path and cycle path, with a little bit of road thrown in - I do this mostly everyday on my trusty Carrera Subway with SKS guards, a rack and a rack bag, I cycle in my work clothes, which are smart jeans and a polo shirt.

I have been offered a new role, which is more money, but is further away, ie Reading - the norm is of course to drive there along the M4 (From Newbury) but as it is 19 miles I am considering trying to cycle it - they have a shower, and cycle parking facilities of some kind.

I have been doing a lot of running recently, and have been on long road rides before, and completed a couple of 80 mile sportives, though sadly cycling last year was reduced - I was hoping to up it this year anyway.
30 miles on a weekend would be totally managable, and 40 would not be too much of a stretch either.
My steed for the journey would at present be one of two bikes, either a Marin Hybrid 2005 vintage (Converted to drop bars by the previous owner) and running Shimano 105 10spd, and is fitted with a rack and guards - bit worn and scuffed, and the freewheel needs replacing I think, but apart from that should be fine.
The second option (if she'll let me) is to use my girlfriends, currently idle 2010 Specialized Tricross Sport, that she used for commuting until she recently took a job 4 minutes walk from home - this is also fitted with SKS guards, and a rack, but currently has semi treaded tyres and flatties in, but that's no biggy to change.

So in light of the distance involved, and my relative level of fitness (Not amazing) which bike do you think I should use, and how many days would be viable to make the commute?

I'm thinking start with one day, and then if all goes well look to go to two, and possibly three days.

I'm also not sure on dress code as yet, but I have ortlieb panniers I can use, so assume there are ways and means to roll work shirts up and trousers if need be, to make them look servicable at journeys end?

Cheers

Dan

bails87

Yes, you can bring 'smart' clothes into work and still have them looking respectable.

Non iron shirts would be a boost, but I've found Primark ones to be very crease resistant, esepcially compared to my more expensive ones. I fold them around a peice of cardboard, then put them in a zipped A4 sized pouch from Alpkit.

As for the journey, 19 miles is doable, but a big step up from 2. Are you sure it's 19 miles? Plan the route on google maps, but use the walking, rather than driving, directions to get a route that's more 'as the crow flies'. It'll often knock a few miles off.

If I were you, I'd start extending the current commute. Maybe do the normal ride in, but do 10 miles on the way home every day for a week, then start increasing the length of your ride in to work. Hopefully that will get you ready for a longer, but less regular, commute.

iPete

It is possible, I'm doing 22miles each way at the minute and that's in London where you lose a lot of time stop/starting.

You just have to build it up over time and maybe have a few hard weeks to get yourself going 5 days a week. My office moved and I went from 17-22 and it was noticeable, it really helps to have an efficient bike. I took the panniers off and moved to a large saddle bag, certainly helps on those windy days.

Charles tyrwhitt non-Iron shirts are fantastic and I'm fortune enough to be able to keep a few pairs of trousers/shoes and towel in the office and if I ever get the train I keep 10+ shirts here. It's much easier to slap a shirt on than carry casual gear.

CiB

There's a few here who do decent commutes; my offering fwiw based on ~20 miles each way is that it's very doable but ideally needs to be broken up, so alternate days (M/W/F) would be fine, and go for the full 5 days occasionally if you fancy it.

I take enough clothes for the week when I drive in; been doing it for long enough now for 20 miles to be the norm so I don't bother with additional foods & special meals etc, just a bottle of squash on the bike that lasts each way.

It's not the miles that does me in, it's the getting up early to arrive in time for a cool-down, wash & change, and the getting home much later than if I go by car. Sometimes that's a benefit, but every cycling day being a near-on 12 hour day isn't my preferred option.

Bottom line is that 19 miles is about an hour; it's not that difficult and needs only minimal planning re clothes etc to make it easy.

bails87

I should have said, I do 15 miles in and about 19 on the way home. 3 days a week, most weeks works well for me. As said above, monday, wednesday, friday gives a bit of recovery time in between rides.

Fireblade96

Newbury to Reading along the canal is a lovely ride, but slow.
Along the A4 it'll be faster but it's not my favourite piece of road.

I'll probably be excommunicated for this, but what about the train (cycle to/from stations) ?
Once it gets light later in the day I'd be tempted to ride home along the canal, with the occasional refreshment stop where necessary of course ;-)

bails87

Fireblade96 wrote:

I'll probably be excommunicated for this, but what about the train (cycle to/from stations) ?

No, that's sensible with a long commute.

It might be cheaper to do the full journey 3 times a week and get the train twice, than pay for a season ticket to do part of the journey by train every day....if you see what I mean.

I think I'd rather do all or nothing. Rather than riding, stopping, then riding again.

daniel_b

Thankyou chaps for all of those inciteful and useful replies

I have just run the route through viamichelin, and the 19 mile route is staying mostly on the A4, which is fine, I have ridden on it before.

But there is another route that goes out along Greenham common, and kind of runs parallell to the A4, and this is only 20 miles, so I might be tempted to try this route - not familiar with all of the roads, but could suss it out easily enough.

At present i'm not sure what the facilities are for storage, or even the ins and outs of the dress code - if smart jeans and polo shirts are acceptable, then i can either keep them at work, along with a pair of shoes, or wedge them in a bag.
If I do have space to keep clothes etc, then driving in one day a weel with all the clothes for 5 days would be a boon, as then I would need to bring very little with me, and the current rack bag would serve the purpose fine.

Good call on the oversized rackbag idea though, that had not crossed my mind for some reason :oops:
Any recommendations - would it be a carradice of some kind?

I'm actually rather excited by both the prospect of a new more interesting job, and the likelihood of a longish commute there and back, which is a good sign I would venture.

Do you guys commute your long distances during the dark winter months as well?
I'm thinking I know the answer here already.

The canal ride had crossed my mind briefly, but as you say I would imagine it will be far too slow really, although perfectly managable on the Tricross (I have been given permission to use it by SWMBO).

Timewise, I reckon with my current level of fitness and on the road I should be able to make it there in 1hr 20 to be conservative, fortunately it is a mostly flat route, and would need to be up at 6:00 to leave at 6:20, with the idea being I get there at 7.40, leaving me 20 minutes to lock up, shower and get changed - sound feasible?
If finishing at 4.30, I would aim to try and be home for 6pm.

The other option open to me, could be to drive there with the bike in the car, cycle home, and either cycle in the following morning, or utilise a car share option I may have access too, that would make it even less strenous to start with.

I have calculated that if I driver there everyday and back it will cost me about 2.5K off my gross salary, what with petrol and extra servicing - so if I can cycle in 2 or 3 times a week, that suddenly drops by 40%/60% which makes a big difference, and of course my fitness levels would go up a lot, AND I can try and start taking some proper scalps! :twisted:

Thanks for all the tips and personal experiences, greatly appreciated, and is fuelling my enthusiasm 8)

Cheers

Dan

Fireblade96

bails87 wrote:

I think I'd rather do all or nothing. Rather than riding, stopping, then riding again.

Depends on where your house & office are, compared to the stations... if you see what I mean.

essex-commuter

iPete wrote:

Charles tyrwhitt non-Iron shirts are fantastic .

bails87 wrote:

I've found Primark ones to be very crease resistant.

There's only one way to settle this......FIGHT!!!!!!!!

bails87

essex-commuter wrote:

iPete wrote:

Charles tyrwhitt non-Iron shirts are fantastic .

bails87 wrote:

I've found Primark ones to be very crease resistant.

There's only one way to settle this......FIGHT!!!!!!!!

I'm sure the proper non-iron ones are good. But I'm surprised how 'ironed' my primark ones look after carrying them in my backpack. In comparison, my TM Lewin ones (which cost about 10 times as much as the Primarks) are a nightmare. They look messy just from the creases caused by sitting down at my desk!

essex-commuter

I bought some 'non-iron' shirts from M&S, to be honest they look awful when they come out of the washing machine.

pangolin

Daniel B wrote:

Good call on the oversized rackbag idea though, that had not crossed my mind for some reason :oops:
Any recommendations - would it be a carradice of some kind?

Carradice get good reviews. I have one of these Ortlieb ones which I like a lot

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/ortlieb-saddle-bag-item127540.html

iPete

pangolin wrote:

Daniel B wrote:

Good call on the oversized rackbag idea though, that had not crossed my mind for some reason :oops:
Any recommendations - would it be a carradice of some kind?

Carradice get good reviews. I have one of these Ortlieb ones which I like a lot

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/ortlieb-saddle-bag-item127540.html

Snap, have the same Ortlieb; packs a spare tube, shirt, socks, boxers and some food with a squeeze.

Kieran_Burns

Daniel B wrote:

(snip)

I have calculated that if I driver there everyday and back it will cost me about 2.5K off my gross salary, what with petrol and extra servicing - so if I can cycle in 2 or 3 times a week, that suddenly drops by 40%/60% which makes a big difference, and of course my fitness levels would go up a lot, AND I can try and start taking some proper scalps! :twisted:

Thanks for all the tips and personal experiences, greatly appreciated, and is fuelling my enthusiasm 8)

Cheers

Dan

someone tell the poor guy how this NEVER works out this way... I don't have the heart

daniel_b

Aha, yes i am well aware of the 'pitfalls' of buying lots of cycling kit, Wiggle, CRC, Royles, Probikekit, Ribble, Evans, Planet X, and numerous other shops know me well!

But that is different, if it is money I saved, and re-invested in things I NEED for riding, then it's all good ;-)

I have now accepted the offer, just waiting for confirmation - rather excited now!

Incidentally, can anyone recommend an oversized rack bag? Something big enough to get breakfast/lunch and some clothes into?

I currenty use this now sadly discontinued:


They used to do a larger version, but the whole line has bitten the dust it would seem :-(

meanredspider

Good luck with this. Don't underestimate what difference a quick bike could make to your journey. If it's reasonably flat, weight is less of a concern but fast-rolling tyres and close-fitting clothes WILL make a difference. As others have said, a stash of clothes at work so you don't need to carry stuff every day makes a big difference - you can then just focus getting you to the office and back. Eating properly and getting sleep helps too.

The satisfaction as the miles mount with your fitness is huge. Also doing the commute despite the weather (if I do all-year-round most people can)is also satisfying.

Well done!

daniel_b

Thanks MRS, appreciate the encouragement :-)

I think both my drop bar Marin, and the Tricross sport with suitable tyres will be fairly rapid beasts, though of course the mudguards, rack and rackbag will add a fair amount of weight - though as mentioned above, if I can avoid using panniers and stick to a rack bag, all the better.

one of my doubts about this role was that I would not be able to get much cycling or as much running in as I have bene so far this year, and I am already seeing the benefits - but with this solution my fitness should improve as well as travel costs being reduced - win/win.

Once I have the offer I will need to think about tyres, but I will probably post a new thread about that, perhaps even with a celebratory poll :-)

bails87

I also commute all year round (well, this year was the first) and it is very rewarding. Especially with the right kit. I like whizzing along through a cold, dark evening in a little bubble of light and warmth. When it's dark it makes your lights stand out even more than you do when it's bright and sunny, so I seemed to get more space and respect from drivers.

Also, with the choice of two bikes that presumably have a lot of tyre clearance you can put on Marathon Winters or the like for true 'all weather' (other than truly deep snow) commuting.

craker

Daniel B wrote:

But there is another route that goes out along Greenham common, and kind of runs parallell to the A4, and this is only 20 miles, so I might be tempted to try this route - not familiar with all of the roads, but could suss it out easily enough.

Bury's Bank Road skirts the northern edge of Greenham Common. Windy, bumpy and popular with drivers avoiding the A4 through Newbury. After that I guess you'd be on the Brimtpon / Aldermaston / Burghfield road. All in all bumpier and more picturesque than the A4. The A4 runs through the basin of the Kennet valley so its flat all the way.

There's lots of parallel routes between Newbury and Reading - north through Bucklebury is also promising.

Kieran_Burns

Daniel B wrote:

Thanks MRS, appreciate the encouragement :-)

I think both my drop bar Marin, and the Tricross sport with suitable tyres will be fairly rapid beasts, though of course the mudguards, rack and rackbag will add a fair amount of weight - though as mentioned above, if I can avoid using panniers and stick to a rack bag, all the better.

one of my doubts about this role was that I would not be able to get much cycling or as much running in as I have bene so far this year, and I am already seeing the benefits - but with this solution my fitness should improve as well as travel costs being reduced - win/win.

Once I have the offer I will need to think about tyres, but I will probably post a new thread about that, perhaps even with a celebratory poll :-)

I think it fair to point out that one of my cycling buddies does a 18 mile each way commute 5 days a week in any weather on his Tricross. He weighs in north of 15 stone, and while he's not fast (1:15-1:25 for the commute) he keeps doing it.

We're both running Conti Top contacts (mine are 28s, his are 32s) - mine is the 2008 Tricross Sport, his is the 2011 version (after he got his previous one nicked)

daniel_b

bails87 wrote:

I also commute all year round (well, this year was the first) and it is very rewarding. Especially with the right kit. I like whizzing along through a cold, dark evening in a little bubble of light and warmth. When it's dark it makes your lights stand out even more than you do when it's bright and sunny, so I seemed to get more space and respect from drivers.

Also, with the choice of two bikes that presumably have a lot of tyre clearance you can put on Marathon Winters or the like for true 'all weather' (other than truly deep snow) commuting.

Hi Bails - I am fairly sure I have all the required kit, I have an extensive wardrobe of shorts, bib shorts, bib tights, arm warmers, short sleeve and long sleeve jerseys, along with overshoes, proper shoes, jackets, gloves, buffs, glasses etc etc
I also have a pretty good lighting arrangement, that I setup for my gf when she used to commute, and if I use her Tricross then all the mounts are already on it - I also bought her a rear light, one of the ones from DX, i forget the make that they sell it as over here, but it's the one that has a battery pack, is rechargable, and you use the dial to select between the modes, I also have a collection of Smart rears and a couple of Blackburn Mars 4.0's knocking about, oh and a couple of helmet lights as posted on here last year.

Thanks for the tyre tip.

craker wrote:

Daniel B wrote:

But there is another route that goes out along Greenham common, and kind of runs parallell to the A4, and this is only 20 miles, so I might be tempted to try this route - not familiar with all of the roads, but could suss it out easily enough.

Bury's Bank Road skirts the northern edge of Greenham Common. Windy, bumpy and popular with drivers avoiding the A4 through Newbury. After that I guess you'd be on the Brimtpon / Aldermaston / Burghfield road. All in all bumpier and more picturesque than the A4. The A4 runs through the basin of the Kennet valley so its flat all the way.

There's lots of parallel routes between Newbury and Reading - north through Bucklebury is also promising.

Yep that is the one, Bury's bank and then onwards east bound.
I think I will start with the shortest and flattest route first off, which is about half way along the A4, and then see how I go once my fitness improves.
If I'm looking to go more picturesque, I would think it will be a return journey that would justfiy it.

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Daniel B wrote:

Thanks MRS, appreciate the encouragement :-)

I think both my drop bar Marin, and the Tricross sport with suitable tyres will be fairly rapid beasts, though of course the mudguards, rack and rackbag will add a fair amount of weight - though as mentioned above, if I can avoid using panniers and stick to a rack bag, all the better.

one of my doubts about this role was that I would not be able to get much cycling or as much running in as I have bene so far this year, and I am already seeing the benefits - but with this solution my fitness should improve as well as travel costs being reduced - win/win.

Once I have the offer I will need to think about tyres, but I will probably post a new thread about that, perhaps even with a celebratory poll :-)

I think it fair to point out that one of my cycling buddies does a 18 mile each way commute 5 days a week in any weather on his Tricross. He weighs in north of 15 stone, and while he's not fast (1:15-1:25 for the commute) he keeps doing it.

We're both running Conti Top contacts (mine are 28s, his are 32s) - mine is the 2008 Tricross Sport, his is the 2011 version (after he got his previous one nicked)

Your buddy is making a sterling effort there, 180 miles per week, fair play - does that mean he does not have the desire/legs to get out at all at the weekend though?

Thankyou for those tyre suggestions also.

Re rear rackbag type of arrangement, I saw this a fair while ago, and am thinking this could be the answer - it's bloody huge:


Only downside if of course that it is not material, so no 'stuffability', on the upside it's completely waterproof.

bails87

That bag kinda gets in the way of any seatpost mounted lights

And on the topic of lights, is it the Magicshine Mj818 you've got? I've got one and it's (literally) brilliant!

UndercoverElephant

bails87 wrote:

That bag kinda gets in the way of any seatpost mounted lights

I think Sketchley has one of those bags on his Equilibrium...

bails87

UndercoverElephant wrote:

bails87 wrote:

That bag kinda gets in the way of any seatpost mounted lights

I think Sketchley has one of those bags on his Equilibrium...

Nah, I thought he had one of those wicker baskets on the front

daniel_b

bails87 wrote:

That bag kinda gets in the way of any seatpost mounted lights

And on the topic of lights, is it the Magicshine Mj818 you've got? I've got one and it's (literally) brilliant!

hah true, but I was planning to affix it to the rear of the box - someone on here posted about using a bit of common all garden plastic drainage pipe to create a mounting surface for the curved bracket.

818, that sounds about right, think it was £45 or so off of DX, it's properly bright, very impressed with it.
What kind of life do you get out of it in the different modes?

Tony-J

Alright I'm a bit short for time and I've only skimmed the thread to so sorry for the disrespect people but my basic advice.
Buy the best road capable bike you can get with full guards.A Ribble Audax or similar style. Get kevlar tyres for it 700*23c.
Do not carry anything on your back. Get a Carradice SQR and a Nelson, Camper or an SQR Tour bag. Get good gloves and spd pedals. Oh and if you can stretch to it a Brooks Swift or Pro saddle.

bails87

I'm happy with a backpack, but I don't carry much. Tools, pump, lunch, wallet, keys, underwear etc, and occasionally a shirt.

As for the light, I don't know what life it gets as I use it with a front light too, which I've used for two commutes (~2 hrs) with the rear on flashing and the front on low and the button on the front has just changed colour to indicate 50% power.

daniel_b

Hello all,

thought I would resurrect this thread, as I have finally had the offer in writing, and handed in my notice earlier this week.

I plan to car it in the first week or two, until I can suss out the lay of hte land, and what I will be able to leave there day to day, if I can stash a pai of shoes, and trousers/shirts for the week, then I can afford to go very lightly encumbered.

I have not yet ordered that beast of a backbox, but whether i need it will depend on what quantity of kit I have to carry each way.

I will plan to start with one day a week, then go to two, and take it from there.

One question for you, I have a fair amount of what I deem to be 'best' gear, ie Assos/Santini/Mavic/Craft - do you guys tend to use this for your commuting, or do you go for some cheaper brands that will do the job?
If the latter, what do you tend to go for, or do you just keep an eye out for end of line bargains?
And would you go for bib shorts over this distance or just normal shorts?

Cheers

Dan

FoldingJoe

Daniel B wrote:

I have calculated that if I driver there everyday and back it will cost me about 2.5K off my gross salary, what with petrol and extra servicing - so if I can cycle in 2 or 3 times a week, that suddenly drops by 40%/60% which makes a big difference:twisted:

...which can be put towards n+1!! :twisted:

CiB

Daniel B wrote:

I have calculated that if I driver there everyday and back it will cost me about 2.5K off my gross salary, what with petrol and extra servicing - so if I can cycle in 2 or 3 times a week, that suddenly drops by 40%/60% which makes a big difference:twisted:

Aaah. Isn't it sweet, that naivety that comes with not realising how much bike stuff you'll end up buying. Bless.