Health Kick - Cycling Commute

[Rickmanchester]

I’m about to start cycling to work, current route is 15 miles each way. My bike is heading off for a service and strip down this weekend as it’s hasn’t been used for 2 years. I’m
Currently 19st 6lb, so I’m going to struggle to begin with, but it will get better with time. Does anyone have any tips for me before I start?

Seat?
Cycle gear?
Am I overdoing it?
Things to consider?

I’m open to any suggestions as this is all very new to me, but something I’m looking forward to doing!

[NUKe]

You don’t say your height, age or general fitness, apart from it’s about 2 years since you last cycled. So can’t really comment on that side of things

Can you try the route on a weekend, or at least have a go when you know you can arrive late. Do you have a back out plan to get home if its too far Try and ride at leisurely pace at least until you are used to it. You will pretty soon learn how long it really takes and you will probably finds this drops a bit in the first few months. Don’t underestimate how far 15 miles is, even for a reasonably fit rider its likely to be over an hour.

Saddles are really personal and depends on the bike as well. Clothing more layers are best, and at this time of year something waterproof for the outside. You will warm up riding so don’t overdo clothing but make sure you have enough to keep warm if you have to stop to fix a puncture or mechanical.
Carry a small amount of food in case you get hungry, And if you’re not very fit water as well,

You will almost certainly need lights at this time of year

[roubaixtuesday]

That's a very long commute, particularly if you're doing it every day. I do 10 miles each way daily, and that's about as much as i'd like to.

You can expect to take a few weeks to get used to it, and to be tired until you are. You'll definitely need to get changed at work, and I'd recommend wearing cycling specific clothing for the ride if you're going that far.

If you haven't cycled for a while you will inevitably get a very sore backside for the first week or so, but will be OK after that. I wouldn't recommend a different saddle to begin with - it's a very personal thing and until you're riding regularly you won't really know whether your current one suits you.

In terms of equipment, in priority order for me:

1. Lights
2. Proper full mudguards - get these fitted at the weekend if you don't already have them.
3. Basic toolkit: Spare inner tubesx2, tyre levers, pump, multitool.
4. Good waterproof, good gloves
5. Rear rack and panniers
6. Waterproof overshoes

Others will doubtless have different lists.

if you're getting the bike serviced, get them to have a look at the tyres you have on, and a view on how puncture resistant they are. There's a big spectrum out there - more resistant is generally heavier and less comfortable, but IMO worth it for winter commuting. I use Schwalbe Marathons, and get something like 5,000 miles between punctures on average. Lightweight racing tyres are far more puncture prone and don't last very long either.

If you stick to it for a month from now, the mornings will get lighter and you'll feel amazing going into summer. Luck!

[thatsnotmyname]

If you've been off the bike for two years, you will struggle, and your legs will certainly burn to start with. What's more, they will stay burning for the first few days, and will still be burning from the journey in, even as you begin the journey home. But as long as you leave enough time for the journey and take it steady I don't see an issue.

[mjr]

Good luck! How do you currently commute? Could you build up to doing the full distance somehow?

[Rickmanchester]

Good luck! How do you currently commute? Could you build up to doing the full distance somehow?

I currently drive the route, it takes me an hour each way in traffic and around £50pw in fuel. Google says on a bike it’s 1hr 10m. Granted it will take me quite a bit longer to begin with, but hopefully as my fitness gets better I’ll be somewhere near that. It isn’t possible to do part of the route unfortunately.

[richardfm]

Do you have options for cycling part of the way and then train or bus the part of it? It might better to start with a shorter cycle. You are looking at a couple of hours each way when you start.

[mjr]

Good luck! How do you currently commute? Could you build up to doing the full distance somehow?

I currently drive the route, it takes me an hour each way in traffic and around £50pw in fuel. Google says on a bike it’s 1hr 10m. Granted it will take me quite a bit longer to begin with, but hopefully as my fitness gets better I’ll be somewhere near that. It isn’t possible to do part of the route unfortunately.

Nowhere to park safely part way along? Oh well, if you find you can't do it everyday then do it when you can, maybe every other day at first unless your car is crocked. Each time you ride, you're saving most of that fuel money if nothing else. Keep rolling!

[gbnz]

Currently 19st 6lb, so I’m going to struggle to begin with, but it will get better with time. Does anyone have any tips for me before I start?

Don't fall into the mistake of thinking that exercise will have much of an impact on weight loss .

I do it every year, despite knowing that diet is the key. Had a great reminder mid summer 2018, when 13 weeks off work resulted in my cycling thousands of miles, running a couple hundred miles, c/w 10-15 hours down the gym/pool every week. I was fit beyond belief, but not a gram dropped!

And then four weeks watching the diet and dropped the required stone (NB. It's on my mind as I need to sdrop the winter flab )

[yutkoxpo]

That's a long commute to start off with and this isn't the easiest time of the year to begin.

You know yourself best and what works for you, but taking the idea as a long term plan rather than begining next week, for example, may be a more gentle and ultimately successful route

By that I mean getting out on the bike every day and clocking up a few miles, testing the waters, so to speak. Try an hour in the morning (before work) and an hour in the evening after to see how your body reacts.

Consider what you're eating and drinking, especially before the ride - morning & evening. A 15 mile cycle will need different fuel to an hour's driving.

Consider what special clothing (if any) might be helpful.

Consider any lighting and other accessories you may need - mudguards etc.

Consider the best (not always shortest!) routes. Google Maps is great for general planning, but not for plotting bike routes in my experience. Cycle.travel does a great job. Or perhaps a colleague does a similar commute and can advise?

Consider the facilities available at work - not just security for the bike but showers? A place to dry wet clothes? A place to store work clothes? Etc.

Consider a puncture. Are you up to fixing it in the side of the road or is your boss going to be peed off if you're late?

Taking a bit of time to build up your fitness/comfort/skills could pay off.

Any colleague interested in doing the same? Could be a good incentive to have a buddy.

I had a 20km commute and built up to it slowly, from one day a week to four. Then I sold my car and went 5 days per week. In all weathers. One of the best things I ever did! It took marginally longer than the car but I arrived at work feeling great! The ride home was a great opportunity to leave all the work crap behind.

[bogmyrtle]

If you know you are unfit it is rather an ambitious expectation if you intend commuting every day.
Don't forget, this isn't about cycling 30miles day, it's about doing a day's work, being unfit and cycling 30 miles a day. As the week wears on you will be very tired.
Before you start, you need to have enough cycling miles in your legs to achieve the distance easily and you need to have enough trial runs to establish your route and timings. Google doesn't take road conditions and weather into account.
If you need to be at work by a certain time you need to know how long it takes you to get out of bed, get breakfast and get out of the door.
Presumably your workplace has showers. If not you will have to do something to clean up otherwise nobody will want to work anywhere near you. You need to factor all of this into your timings as well as a bit extra for emergencies such as punctures which you should be able to repair at the roadside if you have some basic maintenance skills.

[Tangled Metal]

No guts no glory approach? Good on you! I hope you manage it and don't put yourself off. It's twice my distance and after about 7 or so years commuting between 2 and 5 days I would not actually want to do that distance.

I know that for 7 miles each way I find first day I feel great, second day on a run I'm into my stride so a little quicker then third day I'm slow and struggle. Especially if it's wet, windy or winter cold. I then need a day off. I could build up to 5 days a week but didn't always feel like it. My point is you will probably start off feeling tired but good. Then two dates later, one day or your ride home you'll find it hard. A real drudge. Get through it but accept a day off to recover. It's your recovery that gets you fitter and stronger.

Food and water is becoming more important at 15 miles or hour plus. I used to make homemade isotonic drinks. Orange juice and water in a 50:50 mix. In summer I add a pinch or a bit less of low sodium salt. It helps keep you going if hot, sweating or tiring fast. Don't underestimate your intake on cycling days. Personally I used to eat something 15 to 20 minutes before setting off. Certainly on the homeward journey.

Overshoes in rain or cold, waterproof jacket in rain only. Personally in winter cycling tights with MTB shirts over the top for your walk through work to changing location modesty. But mostly the shorts help to keep water away from your groin for comfort. I don't like waterproof trousers anymore, too restrictive and you don't stay any drier with them. Besides mudguards really help with wet winters. If you're cycling with effort you'll not feel the wet and cold if your legs are insulated.

Wet and warm is almost as good as dry and warm in winter imho. Wet and cold isn't nice though.

I hope things go well but test ride it first. Perhaps ride in, take a break then ride home on the same trial ride day. Worth finding out what it's like before you have a deadline to get in. Also good for checking ride timings, route choice, etc.

Good luck

[LittleGreyCat]

As the others have said, try and break yourself in gently.
I used to commute 10 miles each way, but when I started I would ride one day, drive the next.
2 days riding and 3 days driving was OK, and I had time for my body to recover.
Easy then to ride 3 and drive 2, and after a while work your way up to riding all 5.

However for starters 15 and 15 is a long trip for a day.

At another job the commute was over 20 miles each way.
What I did there was to drive into work with my bike in the car.
I left my car at work and rode home.
After a night's sleep I rode into work the following morning then drove home with my bike in the car.
That way I worked up to 20 miles each way on the same day.
This was in the summer, mind.
20 miles in the dark each way would not have been fun.

Best of luck.
Don't try and do too much all at once then find yourself giving up the whole idea.
Easy stages.

[Cowsham]

15 miles is my commute to work

Before you do your first run.
Plant some dry clothes and your food at work so that you don't have to carry it on you.

Prevent a sore bum. Don't sit too upright on your bike take some of the weight on your hands -- also try and get a flatish saddle with a little padding the ridges on some padded saddles can hurt after 15 miles.

Give yourself an hour and 3/4 to get there to allow for punctures, rests and getting changed out of your wet clothes at work. My clothes are still soaking with sweat but I have the time down to about 45min.

[SimonCelsa]

That's a long commute but do-able if the terrain is not too severe.

Punctures would be my greatest concern on a long commute (mine is barely 3 miles and hence a brisk walk would suffice) & to this end I would consider fitting solid tyres. I have only recently done some brief research but apparently the 'Tannus' brand are pretty good, albeit a little expensive. I'm considering a pair myself maybe for next winter. https://tannus.co.uk/tires/