Slick
Guru
Good luck.
New Commuter With No Money
- Thread starter MahatmaAndhi
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
When I worked in the main office we all did hot desking. A right pain constant fight with the desk police and getting stuff left out back from FM. It was a few months before I got a safe place to stash stuff Keep your eyes and ears open for what's going spare. One of the hardest thing to learn is who and when to ask about stuff. It's often not the who you may think. Get to know who in the office knows everything and how to get round the system.
As for your bike and over all fitness just ride and enjoy the fitness will come.
As for your bike and over all fitness just ride and enjoy the fitness will come.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
However, if its a fairly new building there may be through planning conditions an onus on the developer to provide showers.
If it isn't 
Panniers are the way to go for work luggage. One should carry all you need, two will provide some shopping room on the way back. The best way to attach panniers to rack is with a quick-release locking system like Ortleib or Rixen and Kaul. Hook and elastic is a bit of a faff every time, and some of the hook and lock systems drop off when the mechanism fails.
Carry your shackle lock on the rack top, held in place by a bunjie chord.
You may need to carry a repair kit, esp puncture repair, which usually means a spare inner tube. For 4 miles, you are just over my limit for kit-free riding, but not long enough to need the ultimate in speed and efficiency, so ideal candidate for Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres, the toughest inflatable ones on the market.
The other accessories most commuters need are lights, gloves, [helmet], mudguards, trouser clips, bright windproof, bright waterproof top, waterproof trousers, neck loop/buff.
You should be able to ride in work clothes. You either ride fast, sweat, cool down, change, or you ride slow and go straight to your desk. It takes about the same time both ways. If anything the latter strategy is quicker.
Carry your shackle lock on the rack top, held in place by a bunjie chord.
You may need to carry a repair kit, esp puncture repair, which usually means a spare inner tube. For 4 miles, you are just over my limit for kit-free riding, but not long enough to need the ultimate in speed and efficiency, so ideal candidate for Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres, the toughest inflatable ones on the market.
The other accessories most commuters need are lights, gloves, [helmet], mudguards, trouser clips, bright windproof, bright waterproof top, waterproof trousers, neck loop/buff.
You should be able to ride in work clothes. You either ride fast, sweat, cool down, change, or you ride slow and go straight to your desk. It takes about the same time both ways. If anything the latter strategy is quicker.
I just want to approach this at another angle because others have already given you good advice. My question: what tyres do you have on your bike and what pressure do you have them pumped up to? They can make a massive difference to the amount of effort you are putting in. Also, feel free to ride slowly, you don't have to be sweating on the way in, on the way home you can put the effort in though and also take a few detours
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
Don't know if this helps but i use an Osprey Momentum 32. It has a pocket for laptop, a main storage for my lunch and rolled shirt and a front pocket for cables, bits and bobs, deodourant etc. ALso a top pocket for cash, cards, sunglasses. It can take water bottles either side and shoes in the bottom and has an integrated waterproof cover.
Downside is that it is a rucksack. It's supposed to have loads of tech to avoid a sweaty back, but you do still get a sweaty back (just no where near as sweaty as it could be). Like others i keep shoes and trousers at work, which helps minimise the weight. 10-12mph is a great speed IMHO (that's how fast I go and I am also not a racing snake).
Downside is that it is a rucksack. It's supposed to have loads of tech to avoid a sweaty back, but you do still get a sweaty back (just no where near as sweaty as it could be). Like others i keep shoes and trousers at work, which helps minimise the weight. 10-12mph is a great speed IMHO (that's how fast I go and I am also not a racing snake).
Leave stuff in the office.
The issue is working out how and where.
Options include:
Asking other cyclists
Find that bloke (every office has one) that cycles 10 miles each way to work, rain or shine, even in mid winter. What does he do ?
Making friends with the building facilities people, they will know every nook and cranny of the building.
(Our building apparently has a secret darts room up on the roof, access by invitation only. The Muslims have agreed to keep it secret as long as the darts players allow them to use it as a prayer room, 180! everyone wins!)
Get friendly with the IT department, I'll guarantee they have a secret storage place somewhere.
Likewise IT will be well aware of the inner workings of the building.
It's amazing what you can keep in a suit-bag in a cupboard.
I kept all I needed for a couple of years in a suit-bag with the coats in a cupboard before the introduction of lockers.
The issue is working out how and where.
Options include:
Asking other cyclists
Find that bloke (every office has one) that cycles 10 miles each way to work, rain or shine, even in mid winter. What does he do ?
Making friends with the building facilities people, they will know every nook and cranny of the building.
(Our building apparently has a secret darts room up on the roof, access by invitation only. The Muslims have agreed to keep it secret as long as the darts players allow them to use it as a prayer room, 180! everyone wins!)
Get friendly with the IT department, I'll guarantee they have a secret storage place somewhere.
Likewise IT will be well aware of the inner workings of the building.
It's amazing what you can keep in a suit-bag in a cupboard.
I kept all I needed for a couple of years in a suit-bag with the coats in a cupboard before the introduction of lockers.
OP
OP
MahatmaAndhi
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Peterborough, UK
I've managed to get this situation under control somewhat with a small investment in 'the Middle of Lidl'.
They have their cycling deals on at the moment, so I got one of their Crivit backpacks that is a lot lighter and less cumbersome than the laptop bag I was using. The pocket inside the main compartment fits my work Chromebook perfectly.
I also picked up some panniers for £10.
So now I can fit my packed lunch in an old floppy rucksack I had lying around which weighs next to nothing and squishes in to a pannier. This is easily lifted out and slung over a shoulder when I get to work. I ride with the Lidl bag on my back with just the Chromebook and phones in it. My jumper goes in the other pannier which is swapped with my cycling jacket on colder mornings.
Thanks everyone for your advice.
They have their cycling deals on at the moment, so I got one of their Crivit backpacks that is a lot lighter and less cumbersome than the laptop bag I was using. The pocket inside the main compartment fits my work Chromebook perfectly.
I also picked up some panniers for £10.
So now I can fit my packed lunch in an old floppy rucksack I had lying around which weighs next to nothing and squishes in to a pannier. This is easily lifted out and slung over a shoulder when I get to work. I ride with the Lidl bag on my back with just the Chromebook and phones in it. My jumper goes in the other pannier which is swapped with my cycling jacket on colder mornings.
Thanks everyone for your advice.
Last edited:
OP
OP
MahatmaAndhi
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Peterborough, UK
Good question. I'm still working this all out.
- Location
- Glasgow
@MahatmaAndhi be careful with the Lidl stuff, it is not waterproof, you need to put your things in a waterproof bag too.
When you have the founds, it's worth surfing the bay for used Ortlieb panniers, you can get them at bargain prices if they look a bit tatty.
It won't matter if they look ragged, the Ortliebs will still be waterproof, they last a life time.
When you have the founds, it's worth surfing the bay for used Ortlieb panniers, you can get them at bargain prices if they look a bit tatty.
It won't matter if they look ragged, the Ortliebs will still be waterproof, they last a life time.
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
Excellent advice.
I'm currently working on a similar plan to make sure cycling doesn't become a chore.
HemelChris
Active Member
- Location
- Hemel Hempsted
PaulSB
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
ALDI cycle event May 9th. Always worth a look in store or on the website.
