Home visiting optician - thinking of commuter bike? 😂 Advice please

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ishaqmir

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone

In order to get more cycling into my week I’ve started to think of using a good commuter bike for home visits to patients when for example I’m local and say limit mileage to 30 miles round trip? Problem is an optician has to carry a LOT of stuff for eye testing, hence, I had put this off for ages as it just sounded ludicrous to me! But I’m thinking if I get a dedicated bike for all weather conditions and have big panniers on each side at the back and a big box on the front? I reckon I could cut down my luggage weight to around 15kg if I got weight saving storage for the bags.

do you think this is possible? At the moment I have a lovely endurance carbon bike, which is useless for this purpose, so would love as much advice as possible for a bike, bags, etc and whatever you think of...
 

Ian H

Ancient randonneur
Sorry, but I couldn't help noticing this.

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15kg doesn't sound too much, especially divided between different bags. I've carried more than that on tour.
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
15kg luggage, all weather bike (mudguards, lights) and 30 mile round trip?

Doable, but won't you be expected to arrive presentable and not smell?

Pedal assist might be worth considering.
 
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ishaqmir

Well-Known Member
15kg luggage, all weather bike (mudguards, lights) and 30 mile round trip?

Doable, but won't you be expected to arrive presentable and not smell?

Pedal assist might be worth considering.

That’s a good point, yes, I’m always arriving smart in trousers shirt and tie.

may be this is a dead end...
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
My sister in law is a podiatrist and occasionally does home visits.

She uses her Whyte/Shimano Steps ebike.

Lots of ebikes come in a trekking style - flat bar, rack, mudguards, decent lights on the better ones.

The weight in a couple of good quality pannier bags ought to be fine.

Asking the rear wheel to handle that and the torque from a motor might be a bit much, so a crank drive is what's required.

Lots of choice, but around £2K for something from the likes of Cube or Raleigh would do the job.
 

snorri

Legendary Member
Nice idea, but I wonder how all of your optical test gear would stand up to the inevitable bumps and vibrations of cycle travel in the longer term.
It would need a small furniture van to carry all the stuff my optician has at his disposal in his consulting room!
 
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SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
How much is all this optician's gear worth? I'm assuming it's not cheap, so I wouldn't want to be carting it around on a push bike personally. If it's the tools of your trade they need to be kept safe & secure.
 
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ishaqmir

Well-Known Member
How much is all this optician's gear worth? I'm assuming it's not cheap, so I wouldn't want to be carting it around on a push bike personally. If it's the tools of your trade they need to be kept safe & secure.

yes, good point, it’s expensive equipment, I’m beginning to think its not worth the trouble...
 

tom73

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Why it’s not doable ? Many have in past got round via bikes. Midwives and District Nurses did for years and they had to put up with not the most practical uniform.But still got around looking the part and had kit which was no way said to be light weight. Much of it breakable.

Modern day we have cycle responders and paramedics all with lot a kit and having kitted them out and been one it’s not cheep and you carry a fair old bit of stuff.

I’d say go for it with a bit of planning it’s well worth a go with a bit of press coverage it would be good PR and a good selling point for you all round.

Maybe a pic of the stuff you need to carry maybe of help as to how best to carry it.
 
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ishaqmir

Well-Known Member
Why it’s not doable ? Many have in past got round via bikes. Midwives and District Nurses did for years and they had to put up with not the most practical uniform.But still got around looking the part and had kit which was no way said to be light weight. Much of it breakable.

I’d say go for it with a bit of planning it’s well worth a go with a bit of press coverage it would be good PR and a good selling point for you all round.

Maybe a pic of the stuff you need to carry maybe of help as to how best to carry it.

thanks for the encouragement tom73, yes I was thinking with the right branding on all the bags and outfit etc it would really catch people’s attention too...

the domiciliary eye test equipment is a bit different to the testing room, it’s miniature versions of it all. The two rear panniers however would be full of trays holding ladies and gents frames, not exactly very heavy, but space consuming as they have to be organised. The testing kit could fit into a large bag on the front.
 
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ishaqmir

Well-Known Member
Yes, a bike trailer sounds good. My concern with this trailer and generally with the idea is that I would sometimes have to just lock the bike outside the patient’s house as may not be able to get it in, or they may not want it in the house especially if it’s been raining... so ideally shouldn’t be something very expensive?
 

tom73

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
thanks for the encouragement tom73, yes I was thinking with the right branding on all the bags and outfit etc it would really catch people’s attention too...

the domiciliary eye test equipment is a bit different to the testing room, it’s miniature versions of it all. The two rear panniers however would be full of trays holding ladies and gents frames, not exactly very heavy, but space consuming as they have to be organised. The testing kit could fit into a large bag on the front.

I know it’s a more portable set up for home visits I was just trying to visualise it to work out a way to do it :smile:
You can always get some custom made ones and any extra lay out would come with a bit of help from the tax man ;)
Plus if it’s a bit cold out your force to get a bit of extra tea and the odd cake from older customers.
So it’s a win win :laugh:
 
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