Allow me to introduce myself...

[summerdays]

If your used to a motorcycle then continue to use your deadmans and lifesaver, and be extra careful of junctions (obviously).

Ok what's a deadmans?

 

[walker]

Hi Walker! Sadly, I've not yet got the bike so am still on the train/motorbike just now. I'd be grateful to know of a suggested route.

I used to commute from Dartford and pretty much stick to the same route as that.

I would head through Welling and down Wickham Street to Abbywood/plumstead/woolwich/charlton/Greenwich/deptford
/bermondsey/Jamica Road
then onto whereever it is you need to get to from there, thats the flatest route for beginnners,

after that you can involved Shooters hill and through Blackheath

 

[postman]

Hello and welcome have you thought about riding the route on a saturday and sunday on your days off.To give yourself a little practise.Get to know the lie of the land as it were.And with it being the weekend you could take your time would not matter what time you got back.I did that when we had to leave Leeds City Centre for the lushness of Stourton,Hunslet.I don't think.Did it a couple of times.Found it very useful.

 

[Yorkshireman]

Yorkshireman - they are just sooo wrong...... mirrors on a bike , god help us, next you'll be telling us about bells as well......

Well fossy, I find mirrors handy (and most m/bikes and all cars etc seem to have 'em ) and I must admit that both my bikes have a 'ting a ling' fitted, though they are only really of any use on cycle paths and even there the local 'walking gargoyles' don't seem to hear them (perhaps they all have tinnitus like me . I think my most recent cycle obsession interest has been

FLAPS

 

[goo_mason]

Admitting to having a fondness for flaps will get you some strange looks in certain situations, Colin !

 

[Yorkshireman]

Remarks have been passed in a couple of other cycling fora (where there has been a certain amount of discussion re guards and flaps) .

 

[swee'pea99]

I'm surprised no-one's responded to the news that you haven't got your bike yet. Choose carefully. The choice you make will make a *big* difference to your life. I'm not sticking my neck out, beyond saying that I'd definitely go for a racer rather than a hybrid or anything along those lines, and if you used to cycle and are ok with a spanner, you can get a cracker off ebay for a song.

Happy riding! (Oh, and as others have said, do ease into it. That's quite a distance you're mooting...be a shame to demoralise yourself at the outset.)

 

[stoatsngroats]

Hi Sproket Dog,

There is lots to reap from the posts here, but I'd have to second this...

tough it out early on until your body adapts, but bike gear as soon as you're ready, it really does work and make things better, bike shoes, shorts (bib), shirts, all of it is good stuff,

....I just started to do 9 miles e/w for work, leaving at 3.30 am ish, and found that I struggled to do more than 1 day/week.....despite doing 30 mile rides at the weekend off, and on, road.

I do a physical job, and find that bedtime before 10pm is not manageale, so short sleeps are perhaps not doing me any favours, but I have to say that today was the second consecutive commute completed!(this after three weeks!)

You should try the ride on a weekend, and then somhow sort out 1/week for a while.....the main point is IT NEEDS TO BE ENJOYABLE!

Good luck, and keep safe!

 

[HJ]

Firstly, road safety. The one problem I've notice on a pushbike is the lack of mirrors. How do you guys get around the fact that you cannot see bhind you?

As the others have said, just turn your head and look. There is an advantage of doing this, over using mirrors, as it gives and indication to those following you that you are about to do something and (sometimes) makes them think before they try to pass you, but not always...

 

[Sprocket Dog]

Hi swee'pea.

I need to get a bike that go trail riding at the weekend as that's going to be my 'fun' stuff. All the bikes I've been quoted for are capable of taking both road and trail tyres. So far I'm leaning towards the Giant XtC 4.5.

I think in terms of build up, I'll try to work out a train station half way to work, cycle there and then jog the half mile to the office at the other end and vice versa.

.....the main point is IT NEEDS TO BE ENJOYABLE!

This is the problem.

I got into motorbikes in a big way 8 years ago, but as I was commuting 20k miles a year I didn't do much in the way pleasure riding. In fact I didn't even look at the bike at the weekend.

Hopefully I'll still want to go trail riding at the weekend though as my commute is a lot shorter now.

As the others have said, just turn your head and look. There is an advantage of doing this, over using mirrors, as it gives and indication to those following you that you are about to do something and (sometimes) makes them think before they try to pass you, but not always...

Thanks, hadn't thought of the lifesaver acting as an indication to those behind you.

 

[punkypossum]

How secure is bike storage at the train station? I wouldn't want to leave a brand-new xtc at ours!!!!

 

[swee'pea99]

I need to get a bike that go trail riding at the weekend as that's going to be my 'fun' stuff. All the bikes I've been quoted for are capable of taking both road and trail tyres. So far I'm leaning towards the Giant XtC 4.5.

Hi Sprocket

Have to 'fess up here and say I predate mountian bikes and know nothing about them...Having said which, it seems to me that you're looking for one machine to do two quite different things. I'm sure the Giant is a great machine - definitely for your off-road fun. But does it lend itself to distance commuting? I honestly have no idea..anyone care to comment?

Your easing-in by train idea sounds good to me.

 

[threefingerjoe]

As far as mirrors....as yet, no one has mentioned the helmet-mounted mirror. I've been using one for many years, and really like it. Still, when changing lanes, I do a quick over-the-shoulder and hand signal.