New commuter advice?

[Baldy881]

Hi all.

I have recently changed jobs and my was 70 mile daily commute is now 12 miles. I have purchased a bike on the cycle to work scheme which I am collecting on Saturday, the bike is a Whyte Stirling.

Now I know riding into work is just riding a bike at the end of the day, but I'm keen to find out how everyone else manages their commute?

Clothing, is it a no no to cycle into work in your work (suit) trousers and shirt and just have waterproof over garments for if it starts lashing down? Or am I going to be needing specific clothing which I change at work? The ride is 6 miles each way so it's not like I'm going to be a sweaty Betty (I hope) I'd obviously not wear my work shoes for riding in as I can see that being a bad idea, but do I really need to be doing the 'all shirts into work on a Monday' business etc? We don't have much in the way of changing facilities, I guess that's my main concern here... (would have to be a stationary cupboard kind of thing).

Backpack/rucksack, I will on occasion have to carry my laptop and other small bits and pieces home with me, depends on workload and deadlines which I never really know until the day whether I need to do a bit at home and thus take it with me. If I don't transport it right I can envisage a sodden knackered computer in a backpack and me getting a royal bking at work for knackering it!! I'll also have my lunch and other small bits to ferry around daily.

Security isn't an issue as I can keep the bike inside where I work.

So just interested on any advice really, if I need specific clothing etc I'd like to keep it to a budget even though I suspect with cycling clothing/backpacks etc you get what you pay for! I'll probably wimp out on horrendous weather days and take the car!

Thanks for any help,
Rob

[anonymous-user]

Waterproof clothing is flappy and a pain in the arse, its not breatheable and you will sweat in your work clothes over short distances which is unpleasant. Take wet wipes etc and you should be able to tidy yourself up sufficently. My commute, dependant on route, is as short as 5kms but I still wear lycra and have clothes at work becuase its just nicer. Have a look at DHB kit from wiggle, its good quality and cheap. Altura nad Endura are also similar.

Rucksacks get hot in the summer but so I try to take as little as possible in mine but I still take a small one in most days. If youre carrying a laptop i'd invest in quality panniers.

[jamiebae]

I use panniers, it's much nicer than a rucksack.

With clothing, I ride my 17km commute in jeans or shorts and a polo shirt, plus a softshell if it's cold and go at a reasonably leisurely pace. I certainly wouldn't ride in a suit though.

[untakenname]

I would ride in sports clothing that's breathable, doesn't have to be Lycra with the distance of six miles.
Leave a couple of pairs of socks at work, just incase it rains.
I'd also get an action cam like a Möbius or similar and mount it on the bars, just incase and get liability insurance, it's £30 or so and you can get it by becoming a member of British cycling which also gives you discounts at halfords and wiggle.

[Baldy881]

untakenname said:

I would ride in sports clothing that's breathable, doesn't have to be Lycra with the distance of six miles.
Leave a couple of pairs of socks at work, just incase it rains.
I'd also get an action cam like a Möbius or similar and mount it on the bars, just incase and get liability insurance, it's £30 or so and you can get it by becoming a member of British cycling which also gives you discounts at halfords and wiggle.

Thanks for the advice, I have a poor mans GoPro (SJCAM 4000 WiFi) already strapped on my Bell helmet for MTB'ing, which I'll be wearing for the commute as well so it's no biggie. Interestingly, the guy in the lbs wasn't a fan of cameras, he was suggesting wearing cameras is almost goading car drivers to do something!! I think i'd rather have one on though...

So, with the comments on clothing and you all using sports/leisure wear so far, I'm guessing most do leave their shirts/trews at work then? May well be that I drive in Monday and fetch the clothes, then cycle Tue - Fri although I'm expecting to have to work around the weather a bit!

[anonymous-user]

I drive in one day, take a weeks load of shirts in etc, i have showers at work though which is really convenient.

Is there a gym nearby you can try to get cheap membership if only for the showers and changing faciltiies? Some do swim-only membership so whilst its an additional outlay, its useful to have the option

[Shirt587]

I'm lucky in that I've got a shower at work. 10 miles each way, really wouldn't want to do it in work clothes because of a) hot and sweaty and b) even if that wasn't the case, if it's been even slightly damp the night before my feet get splashed by puddles.

Trousers & shoes live at work, clean shirt each day in a Shirt Shuttle. Got mine on eBay, £15 well spent.

[Daveyraveygravey]

pablo said:

I drive in one day, take a weeks load of shirts in etc, i have showers at work though which is really convenient.

Is there a gym nearby you can try to get cheap membership if only for the showers and changing faciltiies? Some do swim-only membership so whilst its an additional outlay, its useful to have the option

I'm the same as Pablo, although I only commute randomly - usually twice a week, sometimes every day, sometimes not once. I'm lucky in that I don't get too smelly; I can go as strong on the way in as I like and no-one has complained yet. My commute is 7 miles at its shortest on a nightmare road, so I tend to go country roads and make it about 15-17 miles; or I sometimes get up really early and do 30+ miles.

I have a small rucksack for my lunch etc, it doesn't bother me too much.

[Flooble]

Daveyraveygravey said:

I'm the same as Pablo, although I only commute randomly - usually twice a week, sometimes every day, sometimes not once. I'm lucky in that I don't get too smelly; I can go as strong on the way in as I like and no-one has complained yet. My commute is 7 miles at its shortest on a nightmare road, so I tend to go country roads and make it about 15-17 miles; or I sometimes get up really early and do 30+ miles.

I have a small rucksack for my lunch etc, it doesn't bother me too much.

LOL! How do you know you don't smell? You may just have really polite workmates who are secretly wondering how to tell you :-)

[Daveyraveygravey]

Not my workmates!