Test Commute

[Orange]

Rode my route to work this morning as a tester - probably won't start until the clocks go forward again, as I've no lights and there are some very busy, narrow rural roads for part of the journey.

Quite a few hills and wind against me but fairly pleased it took 52 minutes there and 53 minutes back (25 mile round route), though I'm sure it will be slower with rush hour commuters. There have been a few times, with traffic jams, that it has taken me longer than that in the car!

I think I will definitely need to invest in a rack as well though. Carried a rucksack with not very much in, much less that what I would need if commuting and I defintely had a bit of a backache by the end - as well as a very sweaty back, even in November.

Saw a couple of club pelotons going the other way, with one stray accompanied by a couple of mates fixing a p******e at the side of the road. Now that would put me off commuting, if I started getting regular p******es!

 

[Strick]

Sounds like you made good time, well done.
Personally my suggestion would be to go out and get a rack and a decent set of lights and start commuting sooner than later. I kept putting mine off for various different reasons, and really wish I had just gotten on with it.
Up to you of course, as you have to feel comfortable with it.
Dont forget a tool kit, spare inner tube, pump, tyre levers, etc.

 

[Moodyman]

Invest in a rack and some panniers. Get some decent lights - plenty available on offer the moment.

The money you spend will pay back long before March in fuel saved.

Ohh...and fit some good puncture resistant tyres

PS - those are good times you got there. My 12 mile commute takes 55 mins to an hour.

 

[ianrauk]

Re Punctures
Keep your tyres clean and free from any flint, pieces of glass etc. Check after every commute. It only takes a couple of minutes. If you get into the habit, you will have very few punctures.

I do a 5 mile round commute in all weathers on some of South East London's worst pot holed, glass strew streets and I can count the number of punctures I have had this year on one hand.

 

[Orange]

The money you spend will pay back long before by March in fuel saved.

Google Maps says £2.64 in fuel for the one way, journey, so that's £5.28 per day. I wonder how many days before the cost of lights, batteries, rack and panniers are earned back?

Actually, must check to see if my bike has the fixings to actually take a rack...

 

[Moodyman]

Google Maps says £2.64 in fuel for the one way, journey, so that's £5.28 per day. I wonder how many days before the cost of lights, batteries, rack and panniers are earned back?

Actually, must check to see if my bike has the fixings to actually take a rack...

The best way to workout bicycle savings is to keep a log of all bike-related purchases versus cycle journeys made. Initially the bike costs will look scary, but you'll start recovering them very quickly.

 

[cyberknight]

I do get my share of punctures, i have a bad bit of glass strewn cycle path to negotiate and if i am going to get some debris its there, even so i can count the number i will have a year on 1 hand , maybe a few more if my luck is bad but mines a high average from what i read here.

Carry a couple of tubes as you can with practice change a tube in about 5 minutes from start to finish , good tyres help and i am sure many people can recommend some .I currently run gator skins as i like speed as well as resistance, if your worried about punctures you could look at getting some scwable marathon plus tyres and you should not have to worry about them although they can be a little heavier than a normal tyre depending on what you have on

 

[SurlyNomad]

Orange, Loads of great advice above, IMO as a returning cyclist do the hard work now to make it easier for yourself for when the clocks go forward i.e. start now when the going is starting to get tough and when the weather is nice and mild in the spring your commute will be a breeze. I stopped regularly commuting end of may when i went to mexico and got comfortable and now ive just started back its a bitch! but im determined to crack on with it. Hope whatever you decide have fun and dont worry about Pun******.