New commuting adventure.

[Ozzy 77]

Hi all,

I need some advise please, I intend to start commuting to work from South East London to Acton, West London. The journey each way is 22 miles. I know it's a large starting point, but it's a necessary one due to rail costs. But cost saving is not my only driver on this, I am also doing this for health reasons, I need to lose weight. So bike choice is my main concern and hurdle at the moment. I have been reading up for sometime now and I am still not sure what way to go, whether to go for a full road bike or a hybrid. I am aiming to commute pretty much all year so need something robust with disc brakes.
Any and all advise is welcome, thanks in advance.

Ozzy

 

[Simontm]

I an only tell you my experience.
Wanting to commute 15 Miles e/w, I got a Pinnacle Hybrid and a rucksack.
The Pinnacle was nippy enough but started getting neck issues so got a rack and bag which solved that.
The Pinnacle very quickly began getting wheel problems which led to arguments with Evans so started looking for another bike.
Having previously had a racer years back, I started looking at drop bar and settled on the Specialized Diverge, Sora set, Spyre cable disc and 28 wheels, gravel bike - now called an adventure bike.
Absolutely loved that bike, nippy, fun, comfortable with bolting for guards, racks and bottles - unfortunately a Corsa wrote that one off.
Got a Whyte Suffolk, again disc this time Hy-Rd cable activated hydraulic disc, 105s.
I now have a Merlin Pro-Axe. Another disc adventure/gravel/all-rounder. 105 with full hydraulic.
I’d say for speed and distance, get a drop bar that can take guards and racks, but that is purely my opinion.

 

[Slick]

22 miles each way sounds a big ask 5 days a week, especially if you are looking for fitness. Is there no way of shortening it or even train one way until you are more used to it?

There's no greater incentive than no other alternative, but it's going to be tough.

 

[Cycleops]

That's a pretty ambitious commute. Have you done much cycling up to now? Do you think you'll be able to do that every day there and back in all weathers? You will get sweaty so do you have showers at work? You'll need a change of clothes too.

The only way you can find out if you what type of bike suits is to try them for some length of time which might be difficult. A hybrid might be the best initial choice. Maybe go secondhand for starters, there are bargains to be had if you're careful.

 

[Jenkins]

As commented above - what's your current level of fitness & experience as 22 miles each way is around 1.5hrs IF you can average 15mph. It's doable on a hybrid, but I'd look for some kind of drop bar, disc braked mixed use bike such as the Whyte range.

Is there no way you can do a split train/bike commute to keep the cost down instead?

 

[Custom24]

My commute is 20 miles each way and even though I have been doing it for 3 years, I am happy with 3 days a week. I find any more Tiring.

I take a rucksack in once every few commutes with the supplies I need for the next few. On non rucksack days I rely on my triangle bag. No racks for me.

Rucksack choice is also important IMO. I use a Deuter AC lite 22. It's great but needs a Hump waterproof cover on wet days.

Before this commute I had just a 5 mile each way commute so when I got this job, I trained for the commute. Nothing more fancy than building up to it gradually over a few weeks, but I would recommend this.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

That’s a big one. *Where* to Acton? I lived in various parts of London over 5 years and commuted to the West End and it was never more than 11 miles each way. Maybe we could also help you fine tune your route?

The epiphany for a commuting bike came to me when I changed from a bike with rim brakes to disc brakes. I used to wonder where all the muck on my bike came from. On getting discs I realised that brake blocks make your bike filthy.

I think you have to go for comfort over speed, so a hybrid or a tourer/Audax style bike with relaxed geometry is the way to go. London is flat so bike weight isn’t too important. A nice comfy, real, steel bike?

What you save on transport costs will pay for the bike so quickly, so get the best you can. And enjoy your new adventure and health boost.

 

[vickster]

As commented above - what's your current level of fitness & experience as 22 miles each way is around 1.5hrs IF you can average 15mph. It's doable on a hybrid, but I'd look for some kind of drop bar, disc braked mixed use bike such as the Whyte range.

Is there no way you can do a split train/bike commute to keep the cost down instead?

Quite possibly more given how much traffic, sets of lights etc will be encountered in those 22 miles, 15 mph average will be tough. Assuming a 9am start leaving before 7 will be needed (assume there are good shower facilities at the workplace as 22 miles in traffic, and all weather will necessitate)

Definitely agree on drops (with mechanical discs and crosslever brakes for high up position in traffic) plus rack and bag and proper fixed midguards

There might be the odd hill if coming from Crystal Palace say. West London is flat

Secure parking? Leave a couple of big heavy locks there regardless

 

[rivers]

22 miles each way is a fair old commute. Mine is 16 and I do it 3-4 days/week plus a fair amount of additional mileage. It's doable, but don't expect to be able to do it every day, immediately from the start. When I first started commuting by bike, it was only about 7 miles each way, and I found it tough, for about the first week. It got easier. Then I moved further away from work, worked on upping the mileage over a couple of weeks, and 16 became a breeze.
You might have to do the cycle in, train home, then reverse it the next day for a bit. Good luck!

 

[tom73]

As a newbie i'd say 22 miles from a the start will be a bit tough going. I found it quite easy to build the miles up and 22 miles is an ave evening ride for me now. But I was not too bad fitness wise before I got going.

If you can get some basic fitness in well you are looking into bike's and stuff then it will pay off. Or even if it's short term as others have said can you break it down my part train part bike ? Spending on how fit ect you are 22 miles from the start you will either love it or hate it and call it a day before you really start. Which is a shame as life is really a happy thing on two wheels.

I don't know your area so can't say if it's too much too soon.
Do you have a route in mind and do you know it well to know just how easy or hard it will be ?

I'd say once you have got a bike get some shorter rides in 1st build some base miles in it's really is surprising how the miles stack up.
British cycling is a good place to start may want to look at this starter plan https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/k...-Beginner-8-week-Sofa-to-50km-Training-Plan-0

As for a bike hybrid with drops sounds good or Cyclocross type both give you the options to have a flexible bike.
Teck FX range worth a look they are good honest flexible bike. (though don't have drops but maybe worth thinking about) Mrs 73 has one and loves it.
Do you have a budget in mind ? 22 miles a day you don't want a cheep lump of a bike over time you'd hate it.

 

[ianrauk]

It's a long old way for a new commuter and I'm talking from the point of a long distance commuter myself. London traffic means there will be a lot of stop start and will take you a good hour and a half each way because of that.
Get the best bike you can afford. You will be wise not to scrimp. Disc brakes and mudguards are essential for a long, all year round London commute. You get a rim braked bike and you will eat through a pair of brake blocks every couple of months and a pair of wheel rims every 18 months. You will have to keep the bike in tip top condition for it to run well. This means a quick daily check (especially tyres) and a weekly clean and re-lube. The last thing you need is for something to break because you ignored that clicking or scraping noise or a puncture because you didn't see that small piece of glass stuck in the tyre. . Stock up on spares. Cables, brake blocks, inner tubes, chain etc etc. You just don't know when something will fail and need replacing so you will need to be prepared.
You will suffer punctures. Do not go down the route of Marathon Plus tyres, they will suck the life out of you. The next best tyres are Durano Plus. they are not the fastest of tyres but faster then M+, and they offer a good level of puncture protection.
You will suffer punctures, no doubt, so get your self a C02 inflater. There's nothing worse then having to stand there in the dark and pissing rain spending five minutes trying to pump up a tyre. Using C02 it's done in a second.

 

[si_c]

Welcome and congrats on making the decision to commute by bike!

I do 13mi each way commute daily, which is a comfortable distance, however my legs did feel it the first month or so when I increased the distance from the 5mi each way I did before. As a new commuter it will take some time for you to get your fitness (forget weight, it's not really relevant for commuting - it will come off as a byproduct), and I think you will struggle with a 44 mile round trip. That's a lot of miles for someone unused to regular cycling - I'm not trying to discourage you at all - but you do need to be realistic.

At that sort of distance, you probably need to think about working your way up to it - start off with 2 days a week and then go up from there. You also need to consider the facilities you have at work. Do you have secure cycle storage? Lockers? Showers? Can you access the cycle to work scheme?

It is also worth asking in a bit more detail about routing as the best route for cycling may not necessarily be the most direct - plenty of people commute into London on this forum, so if you give us a couple of postcodes near to the start/finish of where you are going (not the actual postcodes though), they will be better able to advise.

In terms of equipment for all year round commuting, you absolutely need mudguards and I'd suggest a rack and pannier bags as well although a rucksack can work well if you don't mind a sweaty back - I use one, but I have showers and changing facilities at work. At least one heavy duty lock is needed - if you can leave one at work then great as you can get something like an Abus granite X and leave it there, meaning you don't have to carry it with you all the time.

Also you need to consider cycle clothing - even with mudguards you are going to get wet feet when it rains heavily so spare shoes is a good idea as well as waterproof jackets and shorts/trousers.

In terms of the bike, the type of bike that you get almost doesn't matter, anything you get that is serviceable will do the job perfectly well, it just becomes a matter of what you find more comfortable. I much prefer a road bike to a hybrid for commuting, simply because of the greater number of hand positions meaning I don't get stiff or sore - but you may find that you don't like it at all. I wouldn't consider anything too expensive for commuting either, so an aluminium or steel framed bike is perfect.

I'd also look at e-bikes for commuting that sort of distance - especially as you will be new to it, a good e-bike will have plenty of range for you to do that sort of distance daily, and will make it noticeably easier for you to do. The other option would be a brompton - as this would allow you to take the train easily if you are feeling under the weather or have a puncture and are running extra late.

 

[Cycleops]

@si_c 's suggestion of an e-bike is a good one, it will take much of the pain out of a long commute.
You can if fact take any bike and convert it for between £2/400 very easily. There a number kit options on the market.Buying a good purpose built one will be quite expensive.
The other suggestion of a Brompton is also good but only for part of your journey as it will become tiresome for long distances.

 

[jefmcg]

I would think this will be impossible in the short term, but you can probably train up to it.

Many years ago I was doing mixed-mode commuting (basically a folder on a train), so 5 miles or so a day, broken into 4 chunks. I started cycling 12 miles each way instead, and was doing fine until maybe halfway home on day 3 or 4, where I just bonked. Ran out of energy by the side of the road, and had to sit with my head between my knees for 10 minutes before I could make my way home.

Do not start doing 220+ miles a week from a low base. Work up to it. Here's some thoughts

1. Buy a folder, and do mixed mode commuting and gradually reduce the amount of public transport use.
2. Half your journey would be against peak, so you could - for example - cycle to Paddington and take your bike on the train to acton and vice versa in the evening. Again, gradually build up.
3. Cycle one day, use public transport the next. Maybe only cycle in 2 days a week to start.
4. Cycle in one day, then catch public transport home. Next day public transport in, and cycle home. I like this because you "only" cycle 22 miles a day, but it probably will be as expensive as only using public transport.

etc. You don't want to be exhausted in your new job, and you don't want to be cycling on London's busy roads without your wits around you. So take it slowly.

(I've done a 32 mile round trip commute. I think 44 miles is doable, eventually.)

 

[OneArmedBandit]

You need to test the journey first. 22 miles is my "long way" commute but that's mostly along country roads where you can crack along. I would imagine that traffic and traffic lights in London may slow you down - even being able to zip past traffic my speed is much slower in the city.

As for bike, personally if you are committed to that distance I would get a road bike for sure, the extra speed along that distance daily will quickly add up. Road bikes seldom come with disc brakes especially at the lower end of the market but they are not really needed if you keep your brakes well maintained - caliper brakes will still skid your front wheel which is beyond the maximum you can brake anyway. In wet conditions you just need to lightly press them before coming up to a hazard to clear the rims.

It can be done, I would and do quite happily add to my long way. But you need to do it in a measured way, catch the train half the way at least to start unless you can build up miles at the weekend. Otherwise you'll just be knackered, hate cycling and give it up solely because you dived in a very, very , very deep end.