by ris » 26 Apr 2016 22:05
hi LB, good to have you back!
i've been commuting about 12mi each way for about 8 years. i have worked my way through a succession of ways of doing it and a few bikes.
i have a winter bike and summer bike(s). i find that with the mileage i am doing (about 7,5 - 8,000 km a year) having redundancy / cover in bikes is helpful. from experience the winter bike takes the brunt of the work, and at the moment mine isn't really up to it anymore. it's an 8yo specialized entry-level road bike and after 7 winters it is now coming to the end of the road for me. the only things left from new are the frame and bars, but even so i have come to the conclusion that full mudguards, probably disc brakes and a better fit (it's a bit big) are becoming a necessity rather than a nice to have.
if you are relying on it daily then you need a robust, reliable bike which you will be confident / happy about tinkering with and fettling to keep on the road. in repeated days of poor weather it will get a proper kicking, particularly when it is wet and freezing (salt, grit, rain etc will trash a lot of components). i'd recommend comfort over speed as well - you'll be in the saddle a lot and an aggressive position can be tiring.
you'll also need a very decent set of lights, chargers and possibly backup batteries for those days you forget to charge. if it is your only way home you don't want to be riding with little or no lights. you might slide on some ice and bugger your shoulder... or something.
kit-wise - just have lots of it. you'll get through it in the winter. overshoes and decent gloves are my addiction for kit, though. the rest i can layer up from running tops and baselayers, but specifics like those two make a massive difference. expect plenty of days where you check the weather forecast (every morning without fail!) and need to bring spare or different kit for the return commute as for the morning. this time of year you can get an 8-10c temp change from morning to afternoon!
i ride my 24mi round trip 3-4 days a week, with the others being days out of the office or where i have access to a car. i use my car day to bring a weeks worth of office clothes and running kit to the office. they live in a locker or in a bag under my desk. doing it that way i don't need to carry a rucksack everyday, which early on i found was wrecking my back. over the last year i've found i have needed to use a bag a couple of times a week (taking drawings / laptops to work, or dropping off my daughter at school, where i'll need shoes to walk her there and switch to cleats for the commute). this is often handy for bringing odd bits of extra clothes in, or switching kit on the shite weather days. it really helps my work have a very relaxed dress code, so slightly crumpled shirts are fine.
this might be making it sound like more of a pain in the arse than it really is - there is nothing you can't do with a bit of planning and routine, and i have one that words really well for me. i have a shower and bike store at work, and a very cycling friendly organisation, so i feel comfortable about turning up, late, in lycra and mincing about.
15-20mi each way is very do-able, i would suggest you build up to it if you can (alternate days / mornings / evenings). i enjoy summer and autumn when i can stretch my return commute to 30+ miles. in good weather it is a real treat, and all you need is a water bottle and a bit of food. even at 2-3 days a week the first month or two will be knackering - you'll feel pretty ruined - but your body will adapt really well and i've done quite a few full week commutes when the need has arrived.
the last thing is, you will need to eat, and you will get very hungry (probably at work and home). when i get in the door in the evenings i am like a starving hippo and tend to snack horribly on anything not nailed down. if you don't get a good feed and stay hydrated during the day then the return commute can be get pretty rough.
every winter i tell myself in november that i don't need to see the whole thing out. i can take the car more, or use the train if i want. and every year i make sure i get to christmas. i figure if i can get to a new year then i'll somehow find a way to ride through until the clocks change and it gets warm. commuting in the summer is a piece of piss, but sticking out 5mo of freezing, dark, rides can be tough. really worth it, though - i know i benefit massively in my physical and mental health, and also in my races.
hope this is useful!
most disturbing in lycra, 2010, 2012, 2013
club champ 2015