Comfort in commuting....

[biking_fox]

It's only a 5.5 mi each way, so I'm a little overdressed really, but I go
Padded shorts
No water, only cause it's so short otherwise I would
Work as hard as I can be bothered, Shower and full change when I get in.

But the slow approach is also fine and I used to do that at my old job.

 

[Oddjob62]

Usually 15-20miles there, 3-4 back

1. Padded under-shorts.
2. Nothing, but I might start now that it's starting to get a bit warm.
3. Showers at work.

 

[Origamist]

I'm back on the bike following a very long period off it 'cos of a knee injury, and I'm giving the "slow movement" technique a try-out. Apart from cycling slowly, this involves not wearing or carrying anything on the bike that you wouldn't wear or carry off it. The point of this is to demonstrate how easily cycling can be fitted into the normal routine of normal people, like walking or taking the bus, rather than making it look like an activity only risked by super-fit lycra-clad road-warriors.
Today I cycled 11 miles wearing jeans & T-shirt and no padding in the pants with no discomfort. The saddle is a very old San Marco Rolls that does not have gel. The bottle cage is always empty unless I'm using it to carry a bottle of beer or wine for later.

Glad to hear you're back on the bike.

Nowt wrong with a bit of slow cycling: "What is this life if, full of care..." etc

 

[Woz!]

Mines 13 miles each way.
Padded shorts, with a pair of normal shorts over them so I don't get the pee taken out of me at work!
Brookes saddle (so to be honest I probably don't need the padded shorts anyway).
Bottled water on the frame.
Shower at work.

 

[Greenbank]

8 miles each way.

1. Padded lycra shorts, but MTB-ing baggies usually (I prefer having pockets).
2. Water bottle on frame. Usually only bother having a drink if I get stopped at the Grosvenor Road/Vauxhall Bridge Rd junction (pretty much every time).
3. Shower if I'm really sweaty otherwise I just apply a mexican shower (a.k.a. shower in a can).

Far more sweaty on the way home as it's usually much warmer at 6pm than it is at 8am/9am.

 

[Plax]

1. I never use padding. I find it uncomfortable, don't seem to be able to find anything that "fits" (It's usually too big).

2. Always carry a bottle with me. Make up some squash before leaving the house. I usually don't drink anything on my commute (only 8 mile round trip) unless it's really hot / I swallow a fly / take a detour and add a few extra miles. I like to have a drinks bottle at my desk and drink from it throughout the day and top it up at the water fountain if necessary.

3. Depends. Usually use baby wipes as it's mainly downhill so don't really work up too much of a sweat unless I feel particularly energetic. If I go to the sorting office first (adds an extra 8 miles on), I'll have a shower when I get to work. It's also nice to have a shower if you get a good drenching on the way in.

 

[Batzman]

15 miles each way.... cane it (unless I'm feeling knackered)
bib shorts (padded) under baggy shorts
drink before and after, but don't generally carry water
Shower at work, and at home as I sweat a lot

 

[Woz!]

The drink thing reminds me of when I was previously commuting 10 miles each way.
I had a fancy bottle and I occassionally would put pure juice in it. Once I had not ridden for a few weeks, got on the bike and set off. I got most of the way to work and then took a BIG pull from the bottle, only to realise that what I'd taken into my mouth was mostly fur! I'd forgotten to empty the bottle and I had a large mouthful of rotten orange juice.
I spent the next ten minutes retching by the roadside and burped foul rotten juice for the rest of the day

So - be careful if you put anything but pure water into your bottle!

 

[Jake]

hmmm not thought of babywipes, plenty in the office.
6.5miles
padded lyrcra under baggy MTB style baggy shorts with pockets for phone, ipod, spray on plaster etc.
take a bottle now its got warm as need it at times.
no showers, so dry off with towel and spray deodorant
clean shirt or t-shirt plus undies, along wiht gym kit and food everyday. take trousers on monday, bring back friday.

 

[fossyant]

So - be careful if you put anything but pure water into your bottle!

Always wash bottles after use....... - no 1 way to get stomach problems....

 

[Greenbank]

I always take the bottle off the bike when at home/work. During the day I drink the rest of the water/squash and then refill it from the water fountain in order to make me drink enough liquids. I've got a bottle of squash on my desk that I use to make the drink for the journey home.

If I forget to take it off when I get home I'll notice when I'm getting the bike out the next morning and know to leave that one at home (the fresh bottle is usually in my shorts pocket at this point). I leave the old one in the bike shed and bring it inside when I get back home later.

Bottles are hand washed in hot soapy water and all of them are put through the dishwasher whenever we use it (quite rare, probably less than once a fortnight). I've also got milton tablets for steralising them but I tend to just bin them after 3 months or so and start off with a fresh new one.

Just buy cheap clear (or slightly clouded) bottles. Opaque ones are useless.

 

[garrilla]

21mile ride with daily improvement of PB as trhe goal

padded shorts or longs
water bottle with thinly dilute lemon barley, prob take 2 or 3 sips on the ride
shower at work with a change of clothes

 

[Twanger]

It's not thirst that's the issue for me...it's washing the crap out of your mouth that I need.

 

[J4CKO]

I do 7/8 miles each way, padded cycling shorts, dont bother with water bottles as I dont like plastic flavoured tepid water, luckily have great showers at work, they have just replaced them, gel seat cover, generally very agreeable.

I think cyclists have a different idea of comfort, compared to car drivers, not in abject misery or intense pain seems to be the key, compared to air conditione, leather lined, surround sounded luxury but then again what we miss we more than make up for elsewhere, no pain (discomfort), no gain.

 

[MacB]

20 miles each way, still learning as the seasons progress, currently:-

padded bib shorts(all old team kit from Prendas)
don't bother with drink but do carry empty bottle, early start but can anticipate needing water on way home
SS top - just cheapo ones, don't want to spend on them until lose a bit more weight
full shower and change at both ends, go as fast as I can generally, though have flagged on way home a couple of times.

recently switched to a Brooks B17 saddle and has been great so far, approx 250 miles on it now. But am still trying to get rid of a saddle sore caused by my saddle pointing left of centre a bit. This happened on other bike, then on new commuter. I'm on the thrid seatpost, tighten it up as much as I can and still the saddle twists to left slightly. Going to try a 'coke can' shim next. Also hope that as I get lighter the extreme tortional forces will diminish.