Commuting tips

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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mjr
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by mjr »

ChrisP100 wrote: 17 Aug 2021, 11:05am I normally check it just before bed, so it's only really 7 or 8 hours ahead where the forecast is usually pretty good (especially wind strength/direction).
Must be better where you live.
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Carlton green
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by Carlton green »

Cycle commuting comes in a variety of forms. This is a short commute by the OP. I’d say to ride the simplest bike that’s still practical and to be not very concerned about how long the journey takes. A sedate ride on a three speed bike equipped with lights, rack and mudguards would be fine - decades ago it was the norm for many people. A beanie keeps your head dryish and a scarf / cloth tube keeps your neck / beard protected. Gloves and over-gloves / mitts are helpful. Cycling with wet glasses isn’t ideal but ask about and you’ll find ways forward ... as the rain should hit them first I’m wondering about safety ‘over glasses’.

In practice only a small fraction of journeys actually need to be done in the rain. Get some reasonable weatherproofs and I found overshoes to be helpful too. If you can then have a second bike available to you at home and a ‘plan b’ (can be walking, a lift from a workmate or maybe bus) incase your bike fails at work - such failure is typically a rare event. I fitted flint catchers to my mudguards and am convinced that they saved me from many a puncture.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
ChrisP100
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by ChrisP100 »

mjr wrote: 17 Aug 2021, 11:27am
ChrisP100 wrote: 17 Aug 2021, 11:05am I normally check it just before bed, so it's only really 7 or 8 hours ahead where the forecast is usually pretty good (especially wind strength/direction).
Must be better where you live.
It's not too bad to be fair. I live in Lincolnshire. The Met office in general I would say are 75 to 95% accurate withe temperature/wind predictions and maybe a bit less with rainfall (mainly due to the local topography - there is a bit of a shelf that can play havoc with localised showers).
ChrisP100
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by ChrisP100 »

Carlton green wrote: 17 Aug 2021, 11:46am Cycle commuting comes in a variety of forms. This is a short commute by the OP. I’d say to ride the simplest bike that’s still practical and to be not very concerned about how long the journey takes. A sedate ride on a three speed bike equipped with lights, rack and mudguards would be fine - decades ago it was the norm for many people. A beanie keeps your head dryish and a scarf / cloth tube keeps your neck / beard protected. Gloves and over-gloves / mitts are helpful. Cycling with wet glasses isn’t ideal but ask about and you’ll find ways forward ... as the rain should hit them first I’m wondering about safety ‘over glasses’.

In practice only a small fraction of journeys actually need to be done in the rain. Get some reasonable weatherproofs and I found overshoes to be helpful too. If you can then have a second bike available to you at home and a ‘plan b’ (can be walking, a lift from a workmate or maybe bus) incase your bike fails at work - such failure is typically a rare event. I fitted flint catchers to my mudguards and am convinced that they saved me from many a puncture.
Rainex (or similar) is your friend (although you have to be a bit careful with coated optics).
cycle tramp
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by cycle tramp »

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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by [XAP]Bob »

mjr wrote: 17 Aug 2021, 11:27am
ChrisP100 wrote: 17 Aug 2021, 11:05am I normally check it just before bed, so it's only really 7 or 8 hours ahead where the forecast is usually pretty good (especially wind strength/direction).
Must be better where you live.
The other key thing is to be slightly flexible if possible.
Fortunately I didn't have completely fixed start/stop times, so I could adjust ten minutes in either direction to avoid heavy showers.

http://www.raintoday.co.uk is always good to look at as well.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
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ChrisP100
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by ChrisP100 »

It was my first commute back this morning after my extended Christmas break and having to work from home. The thing I've noticed when I have a more than a week of is that I'm not quite as slick at sorting my life out. Everything was a bit of a faff and made worse by the fact I forgot my milk for my breakfast so I ended up having to eat my mini shredded wheat dry... :shock:

The second thing was how much my fitness has dropped off. I'm sure it will come back fairly quickly, but it was certainly a struggle this morning.
Jdsk
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by Jdsk »

ChrisP100 wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 3:10pm It was my first commute back this morning after my extended Christmas break and having to work from home. The thing I've noticed when I have a more than a week of is that I'm not quite as slick at sorting my life out.
Yes. It all gets a lot easier when the routine is established. Or re-established.

I think that this deters a fair number who have never got over the hump.

Jonathan
ChrisP100
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by ChrisP100 »

Jdsk wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 3:15pm
ChrisP100 wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 3:10pm It was my first commute back this morning after my extended Christmas break and having to work from home. The thing I've noticed when I have a more than a week of is that I'm not quite as slick at sorting my life out.
Yes. It all gets a lot easier when the routine is established. Or re-established.

I think that this deters a fair number who have never got over the hump.

Jonathan
What I found is that once I got over the initial period of testing and adjusting and finding out what works it gets a lot easier. Things like working out what clothing to wear when the weather changes, what to carry in my bag, the best time to set off, how often I need to charge my lights, maintenance intervals all need a fair bit of experimentation to get right, but once you have them nailed down everything gets easier. From then it's just getting into a routine, and that comes with repetition.
VinceLedge
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by VinceLedge »

I commuted under 4 miles to work for many years, used a few different bikes and found that any bike with road tyres and mudguards was fine. Rear hub gear one was good as dérailleurs and cogs get really mucky quickly in mixed weather so need more frequent cleaning and sorting.
As to clothing , I wore a waterproof cycle jacket every day unless it was warm and unlikely to rain (not often as in Scotland!). I did wear cycle longs or shorts because it was too easy to get work trousers mucky from the road or chain, changed quickly in the loo at work.
I used an urban type helmet with few slots in it as this kept my head dryer than a usual helmet and also much warmer in freezing weather!
Also invested in a waterproof pannier and an overboard waterproof rucsac as getting caught in a shower and getting work gear, computer, paper etc soaked is a real pain.
4 miles is an easy cycle commute but quite a long walk in, the only time I walked was a couple of days when the snow was too deep to cycle. Only used car if I needed it to go somewhere further afield during the day, used the bike for local meetings.
ChrisP100
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by ChrisP100 »

Flexibility is ultimately the key to cycle commuting as you are subject to the elements. I pretty much have all the clothing for summer, winter and anything in between either on, or in a 20L rucksack. I wear summer cycling shorts all year round (which can get a bit chilly around the cheeks as the temperatures dip into the minus figures) and full length leg warmers ankle to hip for temperatures below 7 or 8 degrees.

For the top half I wear a base full sleeve base layer in most circumstances, and then any combination of short sleeve cycling top, windproof cycling jacket with zip-off sleeves and a full on heavyweight waterproof jacket (Proviz CRS 360+) dependant on temperature/wind/rain.

I have a couple of thin neck tubes that I wear. One round my neck and the other one under my helmet to keep my ears warm in the winter. I also have a slightly thicker one in the bottom of my bag as a spare in case I get soaked.

Gloves wise I'm currently using my winter waterproof gloves. In the spring I will stick my fingerless mitts in my bag and when it gets a bit warmer I'll probably ditch the winter gloves until the autumn.

I wear SPD shoes and summer cycling socks with neoprene overshoes as required. The overshoes are perfect in the wet, but also as an insulating layer if it gets too cold. In the summer time I may leave the overshoes out altogether if the forecast is good.

I also have clear lenses in my glasses for the winter, and my summer lenses are tucked away in my bag.

Spares wise, I have a set of tyre levers, a multi-tool, a puncture repair kit, a spare tube and a couple of pairs of disposable gloves which have proved invaluable on many an occasion. I also have a mini lock in my bag just in case I need to stop at a shop in an emergency (my main lock is permanently attached to the cycle rack at work). Finally I ALWAYS carry a space blanket because if all else fails or I have an accident then at least I will be warm and dry until help pitches up.

The downside to all this is I'm carrying all of my kit all of the time, so often I'm carrying 2 or 3kg of unnecessary weight, but it's not that bad really.
Ray
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by Ray »

These days I avoid the rain, but carry a waterproof jacket in case I get caught out. When I get home I'll be changing anyway, so a bit of dampness, rain down the neck, or even a soaking, are hardly disastrous.

But I've ridden lots in the rain over the years, up to a hundred miles at a time, most recently using rain jackets of various kinds. In my experience, though, nothing compares for comfort and waterproofness to a full cape and sou'wester. I'm well aware of the guffaw potential of appearing in public as if you're manning a life-boat** but, believe me, it works. No rain down your neck, dry legs (or, at least, thighs), and quick to don and doff, especially in intermittent showers. For a short journey you can even wear a cape over ordinary street or work clothing, and be ready within seconds of arriving. A bit tricky in high winds, granted, and maybe difficult to find suppliers nowadays, but maybe worth considering?

**There's plenty of guffaw potential in arriving at your desk/workplace drenched to the skin, too.
Ray
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ChrisP100
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by ChrisP100 »

Ray wrote: 3 Feb 2022, 1:35pm These days I avoid the rain, but carry a waterproof jacket in case I get caught out. When I get home I'll be changing anyway, so a bit of dampness, rain down the neck, or even a soaking, are hardly disastrous.

But I've ridden lots in the rain over the years, up to a hundred miles at a time, most recently using rain jackets of various kinds. In my experience, though, nothing compares for comfort and waterproofness to a full cape and sou'wester. I'm well aware of the guffaw potential of appearing in public as if you're manning a life-boat** but, believe me, it works. No rain down your neck, dry legs (or, at least, thighs), and quick to don and doff, especially in intermittent showers. For a short journey you can even wear a cape over ordinary street or work clothing, and be ready within seconds of arriving. A bit tricky in high winds, granted, and maybe difficult to find suppliers nowadays, but maybe worth considering?

**There's plenty of guffaw potential in arriving at your desk/workplace drenched to the skin, too.
I ride a fairly rural exposed section on my commute. The road runs adjacent to open fields at the top of a slope. On Tuesdays ride home I was having to lean 20-30 degrees in the crosswind to avoid being blown in to the middle of the road. Not sure how I'd have fared in a full cape... :lol:
thirdcrank
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by thirdcrank »

Re Guffaw potential: Have the answers ready.

Q You've not cycled to work in this?

A Of course not. I drove in then stood about outside in the rain.
peetee
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Re: Commuting tips

Post by peetee »

My commute in Southampton was for a period of about twenty years on a few different bikes the best of which was a steel tourer with very long mudguards and a five speed Sturmey hub. It was left in a covered but insecure bike rack but as the thing was covered in a variety of Hammerite paints it wasn’t at all attractive to thieves.
I never felt that bike was short on gears, grip, comfort or speed. It did all I asked of it.
In poor weather I wore waterproof leggings and gaiters that covered my feet and shins and kept my shoes totally dry which was a godsend in a workplace with an unheated changing room. I agree about the peaked headwear. I had two helmets in that time. The second had a peak and in the wet it was much better than the first at keeping rain off my glasses.
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
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