Uni Commute

[mattyashy]

I'm thinking of getting a road bike and commuting to uni this year,about a 9 mile ride there. Couple of questions;

- what do you do when you get to work re: being sweaty etc, as I won't have access to showers
- commuting in winter months. Is it just a case of having warm/waterproof gear? Could I get away with cycling shorts, with a warm top and hat?
- are road bikes good to ride in the wet? I know they're safe in a straight line, but on bends/ going over white lines are they a bit unsafe?
-and finally, £200-300 for a bike? Go new, or look second hand?

 

[Will1985]

I have had to deal with this for years....ride slower, don't wear too many clothes to keep as cool as possible, carry a deodorant can and small towel. I often used t-shirt and shorts with waterproofs to ride, then sit through lectures in t-shirt and shorts. Just remember to keep your hands warm with decent gloves

Also, use 2 decent locks to put one through each wheel and the frame.

Road bikes are fine in the wet...the only difficult time is with ice and snow.

 

[bonj2]

I'm thinking of getting a road bike and commuting to uni this year,about a 9 mile ride there. Couple of questions;

- what do you do when you get to work re: being sweaty etc, as I won't have access to showers

just get changed. no real need for shower, just towel down. Shower's nice, but if you just get changed you wont' be overly sweaty.

- commuting in winter months. Is it just a case of having warm/waterproof gear? Could I get away with cycling shorts, with a warm top and hat?

Warm gloves, and socks/shoes/overshoes are the main things. Hands will get very cold due to windchill if not wearing gloves, feet also get cold. Also bib tights would be better than shorts.

- are road bikes good to ride in the wet? I know they're safe in a straight line, but on bends/ going over white lines are they a bit unsafe?

Fine. One thing to be careful of is wet ironwork, e.g. manhole covers - make sure you're going straight when you go over them!

-and finally, £200-300 for a bike? Go new, or look second hand?

look in decathlon

 

[BrumJim]

Bike - second hand as Universities are also learning places for bike thieves. Also you will have so much spare time and helpful friends that keeping a second-hand bike on the road will be much more fun and cheaper than having a new one.

Biggest problem with road bikes in the wet is the line of spray up your back. Only danger of slipping over that I have ever had has been ice, hence nobblies not much better.

Waterproof as essential in the summer as in the winter.

 

[jonny jeez]

As a student maybe you will appreciate this equation

a*y over 9b/30x/0s= "no friends"

when ...

A=mass (you)
y= distance (9 miles)
b = the number of hours spent in class (9 appx)
x= the number of students sharing a classroom with you (30 appx)
s= number of available showers (0)


I would buy a bargin pack of deodorant and cycle slowly or you'll be hellishly unpopular at uni.

Wear whatever you feel comfortable in (and dont look daft turning up in...so bib tights are probably out of the equation...sorry Bonj) but try to keep it sensible, you'll need something waterproof (and with no showers, breathable)

Also search ebay for a good cheap second hander that's already lost most of its money.

if your going to take it slow to save working up a sweat, you can ride in , in your civvies.

straight to the front of class for you tho for deciding to take a bike in and not poncing a liff of someone, well played.

 

[MajorMantra]

a*y over 9b/30x/0s= "no friends"

Math fail. Can't divide by zero.

Matthew

 

[jonny jeez]

Math fail. Can't divide by zero.

Matthew

gotcha!! I made you actually work it out!!!

 

[mattyashy]

I'm not worried about looks, I do sports science so need to be in sports gear whenever I'm in.
And on a road bike, should I get clip shoes, or just some shoes that I can walk around in and cycle in,as I don't want increase my bag size any more.

 

[marinyork]

Math fail. Can't divide by zero.

Matthew

I think Mr Riemann would disagree.

 

[jonny jeez]

I'm not worried about looks, I do sports science so need to be in sports gear whenever I'm in.
And on a road bike, should I get clip shoes, or just some shoes that I can walk around in and cycle in,as I don't want increase my bag size any more.

Okay, cool.

in that case i would take Bonj's advice on clothing. No need to wear cycling specific stuff if your budget wont allow (sorry I'm stereotyping here a little i know, and assuming you are perpetually skint)

good sports gear with lots of layers in the winter and little else in the summer will do fine for a 9 mile jaunt in my opinion. BUT DO GET A WATERPROOF JACKET

Can't you use the shower block in the uni gym...or is there not a uni gym

buy pedals with clip's on (not to be confused with clipless pedals) clip pedals are the ones with toe clips/rat traps hanging off them, clipless are the ones that require the little pixie boots to ride with...just like me....hmmm that sound really wrong

There is a thread just a few links down the main commuting page about the virtues of both that you can review

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=40904

, but to save luggage, go for toeclips.

Hope that all helps

 

[MajorMantra]

but to save luggage, go for toeclips.

I wear SPD shoes all day at uni and they're fine. As long as you have ones that aren't über stiff and which don't let the cleat protrude too much they're fine.

Matthew

 

[SavageHoutkop]

are you sure there are really no showers? There are quite often some, but they might be hidden or only for staff/postgrads.

 

[marinyork]

Showers are normally available at universities if you harass/enquire enough. Of course if you're at some smaller decentralised area it might be different.

 

[Arch]

Bike - second hand as Universities are also learning places for bike thieves. Also you will have so much spare time and helpful friends that keeping a second-hand bike on the road will be much more fun and cheaper than having a new one.

Might be worth finding out if the Uni has any sort of second hand bike source. Here at York we have (or at least, had, for several years I dunno if it's still going) a second hand bike sale at the beginning of the year, all bikes abandoned on campus. Mostly crap and rusted to hell, but I got lucky and found an old Dawes Galaxy for £15... There may be a cycling club/society/BUG (Bicycle Users' Group) to give you local advice.

Showers, you don't need them. Take the last mile or so slowly to cool down, and if you feel you must, wipe yourself down in the loos with baby wipes, or even just a wet flannel.

 

[thomas]

I plan on cycling in Lycras when I get back, and then changing when I get there...or just cycling slowly in normal clothes.

I'm only a mile and a half away so can't really get that sweaty.