Newbie communter, all advice wanted.

[Beebo]

Here are my words of encouragement.
I started commuting 3 years ago today, as a new year resolution. It's the only one I have never broken! I have cycled over 4,000 miles for the past 3 years and cant see myself stopping.
I just got on my bike and cycled in, with no kit other than some cheapo lights. It is cold and dark but you soon get used to it, and the summers are bliss.
It was 12 miles each way on a front suspension MTB. I quickly realised that padded shorts were required, and that the jump from 0 - 100+ miles in a week was too great, so I cut back for the first few weeks, but with in a month I was doing it 5 days per week.
I bought a hybrid after 2 months and a road bike 12 months later. 12 month commuting does require a good quality bike, as the endless riding takes its toll on cheap stuff,
I have spent the last 3 years acquiring cycling kit, you quickly learn what is good for you. I spend very little on my kit, most of which comes from Lidl/Aldi, Decathalon or cheap Evans stuff.

 

[AndyPeace]

some great advice thanks everybody, just to update you, i went into my local bike shop to get some bits & pieces i needed, explained to them what i was doing & he basically told me not to cycle to work, said i would ruin my good mtb, now it was £1500, not the most expensive, he said i'd have to wash it every night to get the road scum off it, & that it would make the parts wear out fast on my bike, & come the summer my good mtb would look knackered. said i'd be better buying a cheap road bike to get me to work. was quite surprised he was putting me off doing it.. said fine in the summer, but forget about doing it in the dead of winter, whats everybodys thoughts on this?? i'm a bit deflated now about it.

I'll point out I'm youngissh at 40 and live in the midlands,uk (where the weather is pretty tame), my commute is short (min 6 miles each way) BUT winter is no problem. I do ride a hybrid (on 25mm slicks). As long as you dress for the weather there's no reason not to commute in winter. I did my first 100km ride last December and by no means would I rate myself as hardcore. I ride 6 days; a week 48 weeks a year, I also ride for lesuire too. I'm pretty slack on cleaning the Hybrid but hose it down once every week or two and clean/oil the chain weekly. The bike shop guy sounds a bit nancy to me...don't get your mtb bike dirty and don't ride in the winter,lol. My advice ,simple, do it and judge for yourself.

 

[David Parry]

Personally I wouldn't countenance riding listening to music, but then I ride mostly in heavy traffic and need all wits and senses about me

Interesting. I find that a good sound track is even more critical in heavy traffic, keeping me calm and focused.

 

[Dave the Smeghead]

I couldn't imagine riding with music playing. I really do believe that you need all of your senses to ride defensively especially in traffic so you are aware of what is around you.
I have spent most of my commuting time in London, and in maelstrom of London traffic you need every advantage you can get.

 

[David Parry]

I couldn't imagine riding with music playing. I really do believe that you need all of your senses to ride defensively especially in traffic so you are aware of what is around you.
I have spent most of my commuting time in London, and in maelstrom of London traffic you need every advantage you can get.

Music while cycling does magic for me, and I'm not sure why, and believe it or not, I think it enhances my situational awareness. If you commute in London, you're in the major leagues so you have my respect. To be honest, it is as if sound distracts my visual scanning. Music "clears the mechanism" for me and insulates me from distracting traffic noise. What traffic sounds are you listening for, if I may ask?

 

[David Parry]

My winter commutes in the Vancouver area are mostly in darkness, and effective strobe lighting, front and back, is in my view the most important equipment. You get what you pay for here and go to the max knowing the money you save by cycling. Serfus. There is no substitute.

 

[Dave the Smeghead]

Music while cycling does magic for me, and I'm not sure why, and believe it or not, I think it enhances my situational awareness. If you commute in London, you're in the major leagues so you have my respect. To be honest, it is as if sound distracts my visual scanning. Music "clears the mechanism" for me and insulates me from distracting traffic noise. What traffic sounds are you listening for, if I may ask?

Fair play chap. If it works for you go with it.
Any traffic sounds that are out of the ordinary - cars revving too much, screeching tyres, motorbikes, mopeds and scooters, even other cyclists if they are trying to get past me even on the inside (and yes that has happened). I just don't want to not hear anything that affect me. It is almost like a structured free for all - every car driver wants to be at the front, every motorcyclist wants to beat them, every bus wants every bit of road, every truck will fight them and everything else for that space and the black cab drivers that think they own the road and that nobody but them has any right to be there. And in the mix of all this are the cyclists some of whom are as keen to beat everyone else or ride in a totally suicidal fashion. And not forgetting the lemming like pedestrians more interested in not spilling their cup of majorly overpriced coffee rather than not ending up on someones bonnet or under the wheels of a bus or walking straight out in front of my front wheel.
Other than that commuting in London is a breeze!

 

[David Parry]

LOL Dave!

Why do we pay that much for coffee!!??

 

[Dave the Smeghead]

LOL Dave!

Why do we pay that much for coffee!!??

Not me - not anymore! Got given a fantastic bit of kit known as a flask from the team I managed when I left after 4 years of managing them. Bloody amazing it is. Would you believe it keeps hot drinks hot? I usually fill it with coffee made exactly to my taste (no sugar bit of milk) and I can get 4 or 5 decent cups out of it before I have thawed out my toes properly, and it probably costs me less than 50p a flask full (and even less when I fill it at work before the ride home - but don't let my boss know!).
I can't believe that all the lemmings still pay that much for a cup of coffee. Mind you if one of my contractors is paying I don't say no!
Does this make me a total tight arse? Only definately!!!!!!!!