Cycling commute

Whatwicklow

Howdy,

Ill be starting a 25 km bike commute in a few weeks. West Wicklow to Citywest the pedal, the traffic, the weather, none of it phases me, it's the logistics, backpack, locks, clothing etc.

Any tips from the experts?

Thanks

daragh_

Whatwicklow wrote: »

Howdy,

Ill be starting a 25 km bike commute in a few weeks. West Wicklow to Citywest the pedal, the traffic, the weather, none of it phases me, it's the logistics, backpack, locks, clothing etc.

Any tips from the experts?

Thanks

What's your starting point? Are you coming in via the N81?

This time of the year you will probably have the wind behind you on the way in and against you going home. But it dies down a good bit over the next few weeks. And you'll have more light in the evening.

If you can get a pannier rack you'll save yourself getting a sweaty back. But there's some good backpack options out there - see the current backpack thread.

I leave my lock attached to the rack in work. Saves me having to lug it around.

daragh_

daragh_ wrote: »

What's your starting point? Are you coming in via the N81?

This time of the year you will probably have the wind behind you on the way in and against you going home. But it dies down a good bit over the next few weeks. And you'll have more light in the evening.

If you can get a pannier rack you'll save yourself getting a sweaty back. But there's some good backpack options out there - see the current backpack thread.

I leave my lock attached to the rack in work. Saves me having to lug it around.

Wait, you mean the wind doesn't change the direction to be constantly against you? Must be just me then 😂

daragh_

Niner leprauchan wrote: »

Wait, you mean the wind doesn't change the direction to be constantly against you? Must be just me then ��

You need to anoint your bike with fresh goat's blood to appease the Wind Gods. That usually sorts it out. Cycling 101.

!!!!

I've been commuting for years by bike and recently moved to doing about 17km each way. Over the years I've went through all sorts of clothing, started in my normal clothes, then mountain bike shorts, then lidl "tights" and in the end I found it's not worth skimping on. Buy clothes that you're comfortable in, and if you're not keep looking, they may be expensive but long term you'll appreciate it.

Make sure you bring tools with you, and enough patches/inner tubes to replace 2 punctures, also, think about investing in some "puncture resistant" tyres, I've tried both Schwalbe Durano plus and Continental Gatorskins and both definitely don't puncture as often.

Always bring everything you need in terms of clothing, the amount of times I've set off in sunshine and halfway there it's raining and I've got the wrong layers, or I only bought a base layer and a jacket and in the evening it's sunny.

Lights, don't skimp on lights either, you don't want to be stuck on the way home without lights in the dark, depending on your route you may need lights to be seen with or to see with, they're very different in terms of cost. Have backups too, just in case.

I use a Proviz backpack, yes, I get a bit sweaty but my current bike can't take panniers and it's also a bit of safety kit as it's super reflective.

If you've showers at work but you need to bring a towel invest in a microfibre one, decathlon (opening next month in Dublin) sell brilliant huge ones for about €10, if you can't wait order online!

Cionn

Personally:
Pannier bags are great.
you can't have too many lights ( I keep at least 1 on during daylight too)
make sure you have everything to change a puncture and ideally cO2 gas pump.
I have gone from clip in pedals to standard ones for a simpler approach

admit to yourself that you will never get the clothing/layers completely right ever. be happy to exist in the grey area of getting it slightly wrong always

Plastik

Good mudguards, a good rain jacket, good lights. These things are worth every single cent you'll spend on them.

I take as much as I can in/out in a backpack twice a week, leaving as much as possible in work, and try to travel as light as possible every other day. If you don't need to lock your bike at home then simply leave the lock locked to where ever you'll be leaving the bike every day.

Other logistical things are stuff that only you will be able to decide on yourself based on the facilities you have etc.

Pa ElGrande

Use met.ie (rain, wind and temperature) - the forecasts are reasonably accurate 1 to 24 hours out as regards planning clothes to wear plus you got the boards weather forum that tend to have a heads up on potential of disruptive weather patterns if you are planning for the week ahead the best days to cycle are. Keep a sports bag at work with spare clothes and a towel this lets you travel light, you are going to sweat over that distance, you will need to change when you get to work.

Strong winds will sap your energy, cross winds are dangerous, and 2 wheels are less stable than 4 on ice, plus you are likely using the N81 which is a fast straight road for traffic, in bad weather conditions make sure you are seen in the distance which means good front and rear lights. I use the Bontrager Flare RT as a rear light even during daylight.

So far this year the temperatures have mostly been under 10C so a 3 layer system is essential IMHO, base layer, mid layer and soft shell jacket is fine most days. Reflective material really helps if you are cycling at night, the high vis jackets are useful for low light conditions. When drivers can see you they can plan around you and when stopped at lights or intersections if they are pulling across your path, make eye contact to avoid mis-understandings and signal your intentions in advance. Get used to checking and looking over your shoulder to maintain situation awareness.

If you have not already done so practice changing tubes on the rear wheel, this is a long distance you are travelling and eventually you will get a flat (or 2 if you are unlucky). You also learn what tools you need to carry with you and how long it takes once you have practice. Good tyres as mentioned above are essential to reduce the number of punctures, a good tip as well is to inspect the tyres when you get into work for glass or metal that may be stuck in the types especially on wet days. Somehow Heineken or vodka bottle glass seems to be attracted to my types.


Clothing items I use for this time of year:

Pay attention to sizes if ordering online the Italian XL is smaller that the UK XL and a lot of cycling clothing is Italian in origin.

Pay attention to washing requirements (some of this expensive clothing requires low temperature, non biological powders and some may require special waterproofing treatment after a while)

Skull cap (protect my ears and keep the head warm)
Neck warmer/snood
Merino wool base layer.
Thermal jersey mid layer (got it on special offer at Halfords last year) has rear pockets for phone and snacks.
Windproof Softshell jacket
Bright yellow gillet with reflectors.
Gloves - two sets depending on weather.
Socks - keep feet warm, they will feel cold after an hour. The Lidl skiing socks work fine for me.

Rainy days

Overtrousers to keep rain off.
Overshoes - on wet roads protects footwear from splatter and on really cold days helps keep feet warm.
Reflective jacket - keeps rain off, but the sweat in. (Really tempted to get a Gore shakedry jacket if I can afford it.)


Sunny days:

Dark Glasses (cycling into morning or evening sun). Available in Lidl today.

I'm going to have look into the microfiber towels !!!! mentioned in their post. Didn't realise such a thing existed and they could be a real space saver in the bag along with the other benefits.

Hurrache

If you have formal or semi formal wear in work, in fact even if you don't, leave your work footwear under your desk for when you get there. They're the bulkiest thing to have to carry.

On the microfiber towels, I gave up on them, can take an age to get a good dry out of them so returned to the old fashioned type.

Hurrache

Hurrache wrote: »

If you have formal or semi formal wear in work, in fact even if you don't, leave your work footwear under your desk for when you get there. They're the bulkiest thing to have to carry.

On the microfiber towels, I gave up on them, can take an age to get a good dry out of them so returned to the old fashioned type.

Yeah and they are a dry pair of shoes waiting for you in the event of wet feet on the way in.

Whatwicklow

Op here, that's a great amount of info. I'll need to read it all correctly tomorrow in work and come back with a few questions.

Macy0161

Another vote for panniers over back pack.

Regarding Towels... these decathlon ones are great. Pack very small, dry quickly.

I don't bike commute at the moment, but when I was I generally didn't do 5 days a week bike commuting, so I would drop work clothes for the week on the day I was driving or on public transport. If I am bringing in clothes, I used a i am run box - it won't fit a suit, but trousers/ shirt/ jocks and socks no issue. I got mine on Sports Pursuit for a good bit less than the link.

cdaly_

Also Dynamo lighting. Always on, never runs out of battery, there are even brake lights to be had...

lissard

Can you not just leave a set of clothes and a towel in work? Greatly simplifies everything if you are not commuting every day of the week. Less for you to lug around on the bike and in fairness it looks like you will be doing 50k a day.

Whatwicklow

Thanks everyone, Ill likely drive a few days purely to help with moving clothes in & out. Its for fitness opposed to transport necessity so If i can make it easy ill do it more often.

irlirishkev

lissard wrote: »

Can you not just leave a set of clothes and a towel in work? Greatly simplifies everything if you are not commuting every day of the week. Less for you to lug around on the bike and in fairness it looks like you will be doing 50k a day.

This.

Leave whatever you can in work for as long as you can. You'll get a couple of showers out of a towel. Ages out of jeans, forever out of shoes etc.. Keep spare socks for just in case days..

Personally I don't bother trying to stay dry in summer months. Wear active wear clothing that dries quickly. Anything rainproof will probably overheat you.

For clothes, put them in something to keep them dry in your bag, should the heavens open up. I just use an A4(ish) size ziplock bag, and it keeps my t-shirt, jocks and socks dry (jeans, belt, boots, hoodie are all left in work).

PhilOssophy

My own cycle is very short compared to this (just over 5k each way I think). But fair play OP I've great admiration for you battling the wind on the N81. No matter how hard it gets, realise that you are getting great exercise in the process of commuting and have little or no need to ever use a gym!
I hated my time driving to work when I had to do it. It is a waste of everything.
Definitely reduce the load as much as you can by dropping the clothes off en masse. If you had 5 towels, drop them off too and bring a wet one home every day.

CrankyHaus

Those neoprene cycling overshoes are great for wet weather. I pretty much wear them for most of winter. Would highly recommend them.

Mudguards are great IMO. But full ones can be a nightmare to fit and difficult to deal with if you have to take your wheels off to fit the bike into a car. Crud catcher and duckbill type ones are the proper compromise IME.

Plan and change your route based on safety and hassle rather than merely distance. It took me some time (and the advice of some on here, cheers) before I found the right, slightly longer route after numerous "incidents" on the shorter routes any one of which could have been very serious.

!!!!

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm going to have look into the microfiber towels !!!! mentioned in their post. Didn't realise such a thing existed and they could be a real space saver in the bag along with the other benefits.

I've longish hair and I'm not a small guy, I found them amazing at drying, the space they take up is nothing and for the price ~€10, they're worth a try!

!!!!

Macy0161 wrote: »

Another vote for panniers over back pack.

Regarding Towels... decathlon ones are great. Pack very small, dry quickly.

I don't bike commute at the moment, but when I was I generally didn't do 5 days a week bike commuting, so I would drop work clothes for the week on the day I was driving or on public transport. If I am bringing in clothes, I used a - it won't fit a suit, but trousers/ shirt/ jocks and socks no issue. I got mine on Sports Pursuit for a good bit less than the link.

That's the towel I've used, just opted for the larger size