New commuters... 13miles one way.. need advise

[tariq]

Hello Riders,
Desperate need of your advise. I live in sutton(surrey) and work in city near soho square. I want to start commuting by bike, but a bit scared of miles need to cover. this would be 13miles one way.
I have been doing barclay cycle (YES, its crazy slow and heavy 25kg ) since 4 months 8miles altogether a day.
I just need advise when should i start. As winter is already in. Is it good idea to start now or wait till summer.

I dont want to start and give up in the middle, so please suggest what your experience says. I am fully determined but a bit anxious.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

there are plenty of riders that do that mileage and more and there are far better bikes to be commuting a distance on. The cconventional wisdom you'll get a lot of in this thread is no doubt 'for that you need a road bike (drop bars - racer type) and I'd generally agree, some people ride long distances on hybrid (barclay type but not as heavy) and I have both drop and hybrid types and happily use both whatever the weather but on windy days particularly you really do notice the positive difference being more crouched down on a drop bar bike makes - that said a lot of the time on a drop bar bike, people tend to ride with their hands on the tops of the bars or 'on the hoods' = hands wrapped around the top of the brakes

There are options within this drop bar category depending on what you intend to carry in the way of workwear, packed lunch etc and as you suggest riding through the winter will require a bike that can take a decent set of mudguards - for 13 miles each way you'll most likely be more comfortable with a rear rack and some panniers on the bike than a rucksack on you.

Be sure you consider things like this when test riding bikes and deciding what one you need.

It may be a full on road bike with a longer saddle to bars distance, very skinny hard tyres (less comfortable on bad roads & less ability to take it off tarmac) and gearing designed to go very fast on the flat but not as well up hills suits you. These do have options to winterise them and carry luggage but often at a higher cost.

A cyclocross bike may give you better options and be a more forgiving ride in terms of less crouched position, wider softer tyres whilst you are still getting into such distances - but still let you be fast and aerodynamic when you need to

You could also consider flat bar road bikes if you are worried about comfort, not bothered about battling through a windy day or have a neck/back problem that would make drop bars and aggressive bike geometry a painful problem.

There are people that would tell you the one true general purpose bike is a mountain bike and you could easily do 13 miles on a nice lightweight one with a set of smooth tyres fitted and that if you wake up and 6 inches of snow has fallen overnight you could just change to knobbly tyres and ride just as happily - again an option to think about depending on what else you might use the bike for at the weekends.

As for riding the winter - up to you, dress for the weather and there is no reason at all why you shouldn't do it, thin layers of clothes to keep you warm without getting bulky and sweaty are good. waterproof coats usually aren't very good at wicking sweat away inside and build up too much heat around your body unless you pay a lot of money and they still aren't great at everything. My preference for wearing 'cycling' gear is softshells to keep me warm and which are showerproof with a thin packaway waterproof jacket for the rare occasions when it does rain heavily.

Good quality socks & gloves to keep your fingertips and toes warm out on the ride will make your life far nicer when you've arrived and been in the warm for a few minutes or if you need to be doing shirt buttons up.

A buff to keep the chill off you face and ears is an essential piece of kit - they don't need to be super expensive, 3 for £10 in TK-Maxx rather that 1 for £15 in a mountain shop work, most of mine have been free ones given away in cycling magazines.

 

[DCLane]

+1 to all the above; I do 10+* miles each way on a £500 Raleigh Airlite 100 but also use an MTB frequently.

*For 10+ that does mean 10 some days, usually more. Yesterday it was 20 back home.

 

[400bhp]

It sounds like you're getting the tube/train/bus to a Boris bike stand then commuting the rest of the way.

It also sounds like you already have a bike.

13 miles in London will be relatively easy - flat, stop start (so you can have a rest) and plenty of other cyclists to "protect" yourself.

However, don't start off by doing 13 miles each way every day. Perhaps mix it up with your current regime, so perhaps 2 days @ 13 miles and 3 @ 8 miles. Once you feel more comfortable then increase the days @ 13 miles.

Also, if you can, do a test ride on a non work day. You can then suss out the ride in your own time without the pressure of being late ets.

Carry a spare tube and tyre levers at the very least and learn to change a tube.

Starting in winter will arguably make you more resilient.

Good luck and adviCe, not adviSe (sorry, bugs me that one).

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I wouldn't discount a hybrid for a 13 mile route. I regularly do much more to and from work on my hybrid, plus I always use a rucksack.

Agree with everything else though

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Hi Tariq!
Don't be anxious, you don't have to start by doing all the distance every working day.
Try a few bikes if you can (take notice of the tips from the posters above, you will need a bike that can take panniers and mudguards), then, when you find one you like do the trip twice a week for a few weeks, then gradually increase the commuting days.
This way you will get used to the daily distance, less likely to quit the plan half way if you are not exhausted
If you don't know already, learn how to change a flat tyre and how to pump tyres up to the right pressure - this helps avoiding punctures.
Good luck!

 

[Jefferson Meriwether]

I just need advise when should I start. As winter is already in. Is it good idea to start now or wait till summer. I dont want to start and give up in the middle, so please suggest what your experience says. I am fully determined but a bit anxious.

I don't know whether it's better to start now or wait till summer. I started commuting on a hybrid in November 2009 (It was a 12 mile round trip at the time.) & I personally am glad I started commuting in the winter; I feel it has helped make me resilient to cycling in slightly less than pleasant weather.

For my current 20 mile round trip commute I alternate between my road bike and mountain bike; I find my road bike makes for a bit more of a nicer ride purely because it's good for the higher end gears on my hilly commute; my mountain bike spins out the top end gears a bit too quickly when going down hill. Like others have suggested, try different bikes if you can & see which type suites you personally for you commute.

Seeing as you're fully determined I'd say go for it and start commuting. If you're planning to commute all year round you're going to have to face the crappy weather sooner or later so you might as well face it now. Plus, when the fair weather cyclists start making an appearance next Spring you'll be fitter than them and so can chase them down and scalp them whilst out on your commute

 

[markharry66]

Dig in, not all of London is flat. Start slow a few days a week, if you cant cope with temperature wrap up warmer. Make sure you have lights, emergency backup lights and plenty of spare tubes.
You might want to start out with decathlon triban good way of getting a lightweight bike. Do they last yes is simple answer still on a red triban from over 12 months ago.

 

[vickster]

I'll be doing the same commute in the new year - Sutton to Bank. New job, expect I'll start cycling in around March - as I don't like the cold or dark very much and I won't cycle if it's already raining (as I get silly cold extremely fast, teeth chattery and painful cold, not going to willingly inflict that on myself). Also, no sick pay provisions during my probation period in case of mishap!

I plan to do this on a flatbar Whyte Cambridge with disc brakes with rack, don't fancy it on clipless pedals (possibly in the summer months during the holidays). I'll allow an hour and a quarter due to traffic, I expect getting round at Colliers Wood to CS7 is horrific in the rush hour. It's a pretty flat journey if you stick to CS7 - Tooting High St is all gradually uphill and there's Balham Hill but it's short

I shall be investigating other back roads to see if it's possible to avoid the worst trafficked parts

I'd start training at the weekend, problem with the rush hour is you won't be able to bail with the bike and get the train, you'd need to leave it at a station Just allow plenty of time, I'd allow 75-90 minutes to start with (plus any time for showering, changing)

Bike wise, depends on your budget - but I'd allow up to £100 for a couple of good locks if leaving it anywhere in London and probably £150+ for enough clothes, lights, pannier rack and pack etc. Decide whether you want a helmet as you'll need to factor that in too

If you want some company part of the way, I'll let you know when I start

 

[martint235]

All the above is good. I do 12 miles each way on a single speed so the bike is up to you.

The one thing I'd add is start now. You've got a little time to get ready before winter hits fully and it's commuting at this time of year that will show up any niggles that need sorting (lights, clothing etc). Come next summer, you'll have a few months under your belt and it'll all be easy.

 

[Leodis]

Sutton to Bank. New job, expect I'll start cycling in around March - as I don't like the cold or dark very much and I won't cycle if it's already raining (as I get silly cold extremely fast, teeth chattery and painful cold, not going to willingly inflict that on myself). Also, no sick pay provisions during my probation period in case of mishap!

Softie...

 

[wilkotom]

I wouldn't discount a hybrid for a 13 mile route. I regularly do much more to and from work on my hybrid, plus I always use a rucksack.

Agree with everything else though

+1

I commute 13 miles each way on a Trek 7.5FX. I've considered going to a proper road bike but that's not going to be for a good while yet

 

[vickster]

Softie...

Yep and proud - I earn enough to cover the cost of public transport, enjoy cycling but not when it's cold, wet and dark

 

[martinclive]

I started 2 years ago on a 15mile each way commute - started in September - so had the winter first (and did the first year on a drop bar singlespeed) - but boy does it make the summer feel great when you get to it

Follow the advice above - good quality clothes and lights plus spare tubes etc - try a Mon, Wed and Fri pattern and enjoy!

Good luck!

 

[Frood42]

I live only 4 miles from work and this was my first full year commuting, I have done 6877 miles so far this year, and this month I have done 779 miles (or 1250km, my best was 872 miles in Jun, my lowest was 508 miles in Mar).

Start off slow like @400bhp suggested, do the 13 miles maybe twice a week, and then slowly increase that.
London is mainly quite flat, and you will have plenty of stops at traffic lights for a quick breather.

I started out on a Boris bike doing a 10 mile commute at the tail end of 2012, continued through the winter, than 2nd Jan 2013 I picked up my new bike and started doing 20miles a day (5 days a week), and have not looked back since, going as high as 50-60miles a day on the commute.

If you can start now and keep it going then you will hopefully have a good base come the spring/summer to increase your mileage further if you find you do enjoy it as much as I have done.

I cycle a flat bar hybrid (Carrera Crossfire 3) and wear a rucksack, at this time of year I only average about 12-14mph over the whole ride in this weather (drops and road bike would be quicker).

Get some decent lights (and a cheaper backup set), a rain/wind proof jacket, puncture resistant tyres (like Marathon Plus), extra tubes, tyre levers, pump, and multi tool.

I take my office clothes in on a Monday on the bike, but also carry a spare running fleece, running t-shirt, football socks and mountain bike shorts in my rucksack on the commute (I don't do Lycra right now), just in case the stuff I was wearing doesn't dry properly at work come home time.
I also have a spare pair of hiking trainers at work in case my shoes get drenched (they have a stiffer sole, which is my preference to wearing proper trainers).

I would suggest heading out at the weekend if you can to check out your route into work before you start it properly, as it will be alot less stressful than trying to do it on a Monday morning when you may have time constraints.

Good luck!