# Realistic commuting distances



## jnb (14 Jul 2009)

OK, I'm thinking of getting back into cycling which I haven't done seriously since I was at university. Ultimately I would like to be able to cycle to my office rather than drive.

The question is, what is a realistic distance to cycle as a commute. Work is a jeans and T shirt kind of place so that's not a problem , but the office is 14 miles away, which is . Now obviously I don;t expect to be able to go out tomorrow, buy a bike and immediately do that but is it a realistically commutable distance?

(or putting it another way can I persuade the Mrs that it's a good idea for me to spend £300 on what she will regard as a toy)


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## John the Monkey (14 Jul 2009)

Yep.

I do 13 ish miles each way (although I started by doing 8 miles each way, which was the distance for 3 months until we moved house).

Take it easy to start with. Get the bike, and a cycle computer, and do a couple of weekend rides at an easy pace to get a feel for the distances. Figure out your route to work and try doing that at a quieter time (Sunday, f'rexample?) and see what you think. Once you do take the plunge, remember you don't have to start by doing *every* day. You could start with Fridays only, or every other day, and work your way up from there.

Personally, I found that 10 miles was the point at which little niggles with my bike became more painful, so make sure that whatever bike you do get fits and is set up properly for you. On a related point, 5 miles is about my limit in "normal" clothes (cotton especially gets kind of uncomfortable when you sweat into it, jeans especially) so do think about getting some bike specific clothing to wear.


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## John the Monkey (14 Jul 2009)

I found Paul Dorn's website useful when I started;

http://www.runmuki.com/commute/


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## ianrauk (14 Jul 2009)

Hi jnb and welcome to the site.
Well first off you have picked up a good time of year to start commuting. The weather more often then not at the moment is pretty good.

As regards to the distance a 28 mile trip is a pretty good trip, for someone that is used to a daily commute I would have thought it would take an hour tops. Obviously it's all depending on fitness and the route, wether flat, hilly, lot's of traffic etc. You will find many people on this forum, myself included (32-38 miles) commute that distance and more every day. 

What may be a good idea is to build up the commute. A couple of days a week, building up as your fitness and knowledge of the route gets better... but hey, you may be fit enough already to do 5 days straight off.

Whatever you decide good luck. And get on that bike and do it.... you wont regret it.

No doubt more people will be along with further advice


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## jnb (14 Jul 2009)

OK, so it looks like I could do it. Now what should I be looking at in bikes. Last time I cycled was at university where I had a no name chinese road bike. Window shopping around the town where I work there are a couple of outlets; halfords who I wouldn't trust to be an expert in these things but seem to have lots of bikes (apollo any good?), or an independent round the corner who suggested python or schwinn hybrids.

So £200 from halfords or £300 from the independent? Apollo, Python or Schwinn (or something else?). My gut feel is that I'd rather buy from the independent just because they seem to know what they're on about whereas halfords only seem interested in the sale.


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## John the Monkey (14 Jul 2009)

If you're going for Halfords, Carerra or Boardman are the brands to look at - good bikes for the money, but you may need to look them over to check that the setup is right (Halfords branches seem a bit variable in terms of the skill of the mechanics). 

IME Apollo are not terrific bikes - overly heavy with too much that is "style" rather than function.

I'm afraid I don't know much about Schwinn or Python, they're not brands I've seen around here.


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## ianrauk (14 Jul 2009)

Halfords have a couple of good ranges of bikes.
The Carrera's and the Boardman's. *Do not buy an Apollo!!!!*
Go to your lbs and have a chat with them see what they recommend. If they are worth their salt they will give you some great advice as to what you would need both bike and accessories. What is the name of the lbs as no doubt someone on here would know them


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## jnb (14 Jul 2009)

ianrauk said:


> Halfords have a couple of good ranges of bikes.
> The Carrera's and the Boardman's. *Do not buy an Apollo!!!!*



OK I won't buy an apollo even though they might be on offer and I can't afford the boardmans.



ianrauk said:


> What is the name of the lbs as no doubt someone on here would know them



Haywards Heath cycle centre - anyone know it? any good?


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## jimboalee (14 Jul 2009)

jnb said:


> OK I won't buy an apollo even though they might be on offer and I can't afford the boardmans.
> 
> 
> 
> Haywards Heath cycle centre - anyone know it? any good?



Ooh... That's a lovely part of the country. Are you sure you won't have a 'light tourer' or sports bike. Or even an 'entry level' road bike.

14 miles to work gets shorter and shorter as the weeks go by.


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## Lazy-Commuter (14 Jul 2009)

I can't help too much with the models of bikes you've listed, but would recommend you give the money to the LBS rather than Halfords as you've already worked out .. you're not just buying the bike with the LBS you're (if they're any good!!) buying into a relationship with them which should keep you running for years.

As regards the distance, how secure is work? Could you, for example, drive in one day with the bike in / on the car, leave the car there overnight and ride home .. ride back the next day and collect the car, taking bike home or leaving it at work as appropriate / safe? Over time, you can gradually increase the ride / drive ratio ...

Wotcha, by the way.


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## jnb (14 Jul 2009)

jimboalee said:


> Are you sure you won't have a 'light tourer' or sports bike. Or even an 'entry level' road bike.



Right now I've very little idea what I would get. Hybrids seem to be recommended but I have no real idea why. Road bikes seem to get into more expensive territory. Tourers or hybrids would seem the sensible choices to me right now but I'll freely admit I'm no expert.


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## jnb (14 Jul 2009)

Lazy-Commuter said:


> As regards the distance, how secure is work? Could you, for example, drive in one day with the bike in / on the car, leave the car there overnight and ride home .. ride back the next day and collect the car, taking bike home or leaving it at work as appropriate / safe?



Which would still leave me with a return journey albiet one with an overnight rest. Current plan is that I'll get the bike and use it for return trips to the allotment (3 miles return), then the shops (8 mile return), then the squash club (10 mile return) and then try the commutes. That way I can build up the distances and I'll not be left with car or bike in the wrong (ie less secure) place at the end of the day.


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## Lazy-Commuter (14 Jul 2009)

jnb said:


> Which would still leave me with a return journey albiet one with an overnight rest. Current plan is that I'll get the bike and use it for return trips to the allotment (3 miles return), then the shops (8 mile return), then the squash club (10 mile return) and then try the commutes. That way I can build up the distances and I'll not be left with car or bike in the wrong (ie less secure) place at the end of the day.


Aha. Sorry, I didn't really make that clear: I wasn't meaning to do that right from now .. more meaning that you'd do it once you'd built up to the distance. Saves having to do the journey in and then home all in one day is all.

But if work's not secure, it's a non-starter anyway ..


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## jnb (14 Jul 2009)

On second thoughts I might not bother. I've just been reading a few of the threads on this site and it seems that every second post is about inconsiderate or even deliberately violent and threatening behaviour from other road users.


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## Woz! (14 Jul 2009)

I've recently started commuting by bike again. My previous was a 10 mile each-way trip, this one is 13 miles each way. 
The distance is fine to be honest - I have a couple of nasty hills, but after doing it for over 2 months now they don't bother me at all. 
As far as car drivers - I've had a couple of idiots beeping me and one dumb woman drove me off the road at a roundabout, so yeah, it's quite bad. In the three years I've been driving the same route I've not had one incident while in the car, so it does look like bikes are at least partially targetted by idiots and ignored by morons. 
Thing is, the more bikes there are on the road, the better it will get!

As far as bikes go - have you looked at second hand? I road a ratty racer for a few weeks and decided that I really liked the drop bars for commuting, so I bought a touring bike (Ridgeback Voyage). At your price range you might be better off with second hand, because that distance will add up the miles over the year so you want a good quality bike!

Oh, and the MOST important thing: Get puncture resistant tyres! Seriously.


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## TwickenhamCyclist (14 Jul 2009)

Another tip – for building up to 14 miles each way; can any of the journey be done by public transport? If so you could cycle to the closest station on week one, then to a station further up the track for week two etc etc – build up slow, perhaps not every day, you’ll be amazed how quickly the stamina and fitness builds up. 
I used to do 10 miles each way (much less than that now unfortunately), and, I’m sure along with most other cyclists on this forum, thought nothing of jumping on the bike for 10 miles, didn’t even notice it, until non cyclists friends/colleagues would almost faint at the thought of such a daily feat – “You cycled all the way from….. That must be 10 miles???”


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## Bigtwin (14 Jul 2009)

Until recently, I was doing a commute of just about 25m each way.

I'd say that was plenty long enough. Fine on a nice summer's morn/evening, but not such a hoot on a pissing windy night in Jan/Feb, day in day out.

Previously I had a 12m each way with a fair bit of stop-start. That was about perfect - you could sprint/crit it, take it easy if you were tired, or take a longer loop if you felt the urge.


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## jnb (14 Jul 2009)

TwickenhamCyclist said:


> Another tip – for building up to 14 miles each way; can any of the journey be done by public transport?



'fraid not. I go side to side across Sussex. Now if it was up and down (ie along the london bound routes) public transport would be a possibility, but then again traffic would probably be worse.



TwickenhamCyclist said:


> I used to do 10 miles each way (much less than that now unfortunately), and, I’m sure along with most other cyclists on this forum, thought nothing of jumping on the bike for 10 miles, didn’t even notice it, until non cyclists friends/colleagues would almost faint at the thought of such a daily feat – “You cycled all the way from….. That must be 10 miles???”



Encountered the same thing when it comes to walking and hiking, people seem to react with disbelief if you suggest going for a twenty mile walk.


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## marinyork (14 Jul 2009)

jnb said:


> On second thoughts I might not bother. I've just been reading a few of the threads on this site and it seems that every second post is about inconsiderate or even deliberately violent and threatening behaviour from other road users.



Don't let it put you off. You have a great mindset to do this.

I get far more abuse in a car and as a ped than I do as a cyclist, it's just this is a cycling forum. The difference is the bike is on the road and it only takes one deliberate act/mistake and I'm dead. In a car the same things happen but with radically different outcomes.


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## John the Monkey (14 Jul 2009)

jnb said:


> On second thoughts I might not bother. I've just been reading a few of the threads on this site and it seems that every second post is about inconsiderate or even deliberately violent and threatening behaviour from other road users.



Commuting forums aren't the place to go for a rosy picture of cyclist/driver relations!

Basically ride predictably, but expect everyone else to be an idiot and you can't go far wrong - I've had some nasties on my commute, but the positives far outweigh the negatives (imho). Bear in mind also that you'll see the same folk (mostly) each day - they helps, ime, as they become "trained".


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## Lazy-Commuter (14 Jul 2009)

John the Monkey said:


> Commuting forums aren't the place to go for a rosy picture of cyclist/driver relations!
> 
> Basically ride predictably, but expect everyone else to be an idiot and you can't go far wrong - I've had some nasties on my commute, but the positives far outweigh the negatives (imho). Bear in mind also that you'll see the same folk (mostly) each day - they helps, ime, as they become "trained".


I'll echo all that. I don't get too many "incidents" (touches wood hurriedly) but then I have a nice quiet commute on quiet roads / off road. I think many of the hassles you'll read on here tend to originate in large towns and cities .. try to experiment with your route and avoid A roads / trunk roads if possible: it'll be far more pleasant on quieter roads.


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## Bigtwin (14 Jul 2009)

Lazy-Commuter said:


> I'll echo all that. I don't get too many "incidents" (touches wood hurriedly) but then I have a nice quiet commute on quiet roads / off road. I think many of the hassles you'll read on here tend to originate in large towns and cities .. try to experiment with your route and avoid A roads / trunk roads if possible: it'll be far more pleasant on quieter roads.



Half agree. My commute had a lot of minor country roads in - by far the most dangerous bit. School run 4x4s taking up the whole road at stupid speeds, the boy-racer ragging it on the way to/home from work in a Saxo VTR etc, had to fling me and the bike in a hedge to avoid tractor with huge power harrow scraping both banks; all were IMO at least as bad as the odd slow speed idiot happening around town.

Morale; There's always idiots, and sooner or later you and them will meet.


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## Lazy-Commuter (14 Jul 2009)

Bigtwin said:


> Half agree. My commute had a lot of minor country roads in - by far the most dangerous bit. School run 4x4s taking up the whole road at stupid speeds, the boy-racer ragging it on the way to/home from work in a Saxo VTR etc, had to fling me and the bike in a hedge to avoid tractor with huge power harrow scraping both banks; all were IMO at least as bad as the odd slow speed idiot happening around town.
> 
> Morale; There's always idiots, and sooner or later you and them will meet.


Right enough. Depends on the roads I guess: one of my favourite road bits on my commute is a no-through road of approx a mile which leads to a bridleway in the woods. There's maybe 12-15 houses up there so little traffic and nearly all of it is going to / from the houses and will generally expect / recognise me and so be sensible.

But, it's a single track road and you get the odd person who's lost ... then it can go wrong. I suppose the point is to try to find a route that works for you and not to be complacent.

I'm going to try to reassure jnb a bit more now and say I _much_ prefer the bike commute to the car .. I find it a lot less stressful. To the point that Mrs-LC commented on me being tetchy the other week and blamed it on me being forced into the car for a few days.


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## wafflycat (14 Jul 2009)

jnb said:


> On second thoughts I might not bother. I've just been reading a few of the threads on this site and it seems that every second post is about inconsiderate or even deliberately violent and threatening behaviour from other road users.



I'll just echo what others have said about here - remember this is a cycling forum where folk feel that if they have a brown Lycra moment due to some dozy twerp in a metal cage not paying attention, here is a place where a sympathetic and friendly ear is obtained. The vast majority of motorists are not out to kill or maim cyclists, intentionally or otherwise and the vast majority of the time cycling is utter pleasure. 

If I may...

If you have been off a bike for some considerable time, think about getting some cycle training from an instructor qualified to the national standards for cycle training. Plus get a hold of, read and absorb 'Cyclecraft' as it will help give you the basics of assertive (not aggressive) and safe cycling in traffic - it is the book that goes hand-in-hand with cycle training these days. 

http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/

Find a cycle training instructor

Hope the above helps


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## jnb (14 Jul 2009)

wafflycat said:


> ... Plus get a hold of, read and absorb 'Cyclecraft' as it will help give you the basics of assertive (not aggressive) and safe cycling in traffic - it is the book that goes hand-in-hand with cycle training these days. ...



Hmmm, any changes in the recent editions? I can get a 1988 edition for one penny and postage or a 2007 edition for a tenner.


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## wafflycat (14 Jul 2009)

As the blurb says about the new one..

_"The latest edition of Cyclecraft has been extensively revised and extended."_

_"Reflects experience gained through implementation of Bikeability, the National Cycle Training Standard"_

So personally speaking, I'd go for the new one.


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## Origamist (14 Jul 2009)

jnb - if you are coming into London anytime soon, you can borrow my 2007 copy.


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## Arch (14 Jul 2009)

+1 for Cyclecraft, and remember, no one bothers to report non-events. You don't get newspapers headlining with "No one died in Iraq today" or "the weather's been average recently".

I very rarely have any stories worth telling - most of what I see is people being stupid/careless, but not directly affecting me.


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## Twanger (14 Jul 2009)

Arch said:


> +1 for Cyclecraft, and remember, no one bothers to report non-events. You don't get newspapers headlining with "No one died in Iraq today" or "the weather's been average recently".
> 
> I very rarely have any stories worth telling - most of what I see is people being stupid/careless, but not directly affecting me.




Me neither. I get annoyed at cyclists jumping red lights. I get more annoyed at cyclists than I do motorists because I think that cyclists are *US* and should know better, while motorists are *THEM* and can not really be expected to know how to wipe their own bottoms.

Actually, that's rubbish. I normally have a fine commute. The last two months (nearly three now) have made me fitter, happier and poorer (I bought gear!). My commuting time has fallen from 70 minutes to 40 (or from a average speed of 9 mph to 15). No one has ever shouted at me from a car. I have been cut up once or twice by buses and once by a taxi, but not in a dangerous way. 99.9% of road users are decent people.

I have to forcibly remind myself not to break the law. OK, I DO break the law a little, but not when there's anyone around. There's a one way street at the top of Belvedere road in crystal palace I always go the wrong way down for a couple of hundred yards. But the alternative is a lengthy and tiring detour and there is never ever another vehicle on the road.

Yesterday, though, the devil spoke and while filtering down the outside of stationary traffic in Horseferry road I...well, I went round the right of an island.

Today, I met one of the women from work cycling in from Charing Cross on a little pink Dahon single speed, the sort with wheels nicked off a Sainsbury's trolley, that she got off ebay. We "two abreasted" it from Berkeley square up to Manchester street, and that was a pleasant chat.

I get pains in my legs from the new muscle. I do stretching exercises, which work. I pick bits of glass out of my tyres in an attempt to avoid punctures. I adjust my gears. I clean the bike. All true and a pleasure, but not great reading on a commuting forum.


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## fossyant (14 Jul 2009)

98% of the time rides are fine, you get the odd one when it's a little dicey....that's it.... Then the 0.1% and it's well iffy.....


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## J4CKO (15 Jul 2009)

My commute has the occasional pillock, no actual agression in a year, in fact I must commend most drivers on their sensible and considerate approach, there will always be cocks and you will have learnt how to spot them in a car and cycling will hone this instinct, always assume that the car driver is going to make a bad decision or hasnt seen you, be very deliberat, almost exagerate your movements, dont dither and dont be afraid to block them from overtaking if you deem it not safe as most like you to save them fron the decision of whether or not they skim past you too close.

With regards to a bike, look for a second hand quality Hybrid, loads buy them and then for one reason or another dont ride them, dont ffs buy anything from the cheaper end of Halfords as it will put you off forever, no suspension, front or rear unless you plan going off road and by that I mean properly off road as bridle paths and farms tracks are fine if careful on pretty much anything, even a full carbon roadie.

Dont underestimate the gear you need, decent (multiple) lights, decent clothing etc, I bought mine slowly, Aldi, Decathlon etc are useful places for cheap serviceable bike gear.

Hi Viz, try and always wear a hi viz something or other, I have all back bib shorts and jersey, it does make a difference.

Rear view mirror, I am not as dependant as I was on it but a very useful item if you are used to a car, I really missed mine when I started, getting one for me was the difference between stopping commuting and carrying on, no substitute for a look over the shoulder but gives a good indication of what is coming.

Dont worry abotu rain, we are waterproof

Wear Lycra, its great, its comfy and you dont spend all your time hitching it up.

Get Panniers, ideal for carrying vast quantities of beer, gets the weigth low down and you still have space for a rucksack if really laden.

Use Google maps/earth type things to plan your route, its amazing what you spot and how you can plan routes that are useless to cars.

14 miles is quite a long way, but just do it, dont put it off


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## jnb (16 Jul 2009)

OK so now how do I persuade the Mrs it's a good idea, £300 for a bike, £100 - £200 for accessories (panniers, mudguards, helmet (not convinced but it'll keep her happy), lights, etc.) - suddenly "I'll cycle to the office" isn't such a cheap option.


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## wafflycat (16 Jul 2009)

Well, I'm a Mrs... and I think your budget is entirely reasonable. Indeed it's positively frugal. Tell your Mrs that this Mrs has a steed that would cost a couple of grand to buy... And my son has a rear wheel that would cost over a grand and a set of wheels that would cost about £1500 to buy.Gives a sense of perspective on your very reasonable budget 


Let's see.. a decent pair of shoes can cost £100 easily these days.. A leather handbag? That's another £100 easily spent. Hair done at hairdresser's place... very easy to blow over £100..

The cost of cycling - better than gym membership & fees. 

Your budget - easily spent in a meal for two & decent wine in a good restaurant these days. 

And you could blow it all down at the pub of course..

All the time you're on the bike you are saving money on petrol/diesel and getting fit with a good cardiovascular workout, increasing your life expectancy, so you can be fit in old age to enjoy retirement with the Mrs in years to come...

Will that help a bit?


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## SavageHoutkop (16 Jul 2009)

AA cost of motoring per mile (from here) shows that it's 18.25 p per mile you drive at best (ignoring standing costs). 

if you do the full 14 miles each way, that's 28 miles per day, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year - 6720 miles.

Total cost of that driving - £1226.40. in one year.


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## tordis (30 Jul 2009)

I use two different routes to commute to work - one is around 10 miles long and it involves crossing the Thames on a ferry; the other one is 12 miles long. In both cases, it's roughly an hour's ride. At first I thought it's just that bit too long, but then I realized that it takes me 45 minutes or more on public transport anyway, and I decided to give it a try. It was the best idea I've had in years 
I don't drive, so a car is not an option, but my monthly travelcard is about £140. So yes, by cycling, I'm saving money. It's not the most important factor, though. It's the joy of riding that matters most, the freedom of going where I want when I want, without having to wait, queue, push, fight for seats, feel someone's breath on my neck, smell someone's fish & chips takeaway and listen to other people's mobile phone conversations.


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## thomas (30 Jul 2009)

jnb said:


> On second thoughts I might not bother. I've just been reading a few of the threads on this site and it seems that every second post is about inconsiderate or even deliberately violent and threatening behaviour from other road users.




I do 13.5 miles, takes about 45min but then I've been doing it a bit longer. I'd recommend taking your clothes in a rucksack and wearing either, lycras and some kind of cycling top or, if that'd too serious, some light shorts.

I go quite busy roads and do have issues (heck, I usually complain about them on here). But it'd be for about 30 seconds of my ride in, and something serious doesn't happen everytime! Today, I had some really nice lorry passes (and I'm forever* fussing about them nearly killing me)

Passed a chap this morning who was just commuting in jeans and a shirt, said morning which he said back and something muffled. He caught me up at the lights and said it again "slowly but surely". Good motto I think, just do it at the speed you can and it'll be fine.

*well, i've fussed once or twice.0


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## tordis (30 Jul 2009)

"thomas" said:


> I'd recommend taking your clothes in a rucksack and wearing either, lycras and some kind of cycling top or, if that'd too serious, some light shorts.


Thanks for the advice, I don't think I'll go as far as wearing lycra, but I tend to wear clothes that are easy to move in (a T-shirt or vest and a pair of leggings). I wear a uniform at work and I keep it in my locker - that's quite handy, as I don't have to carry a lot with me.


 "thomas said:


> Passed a chap this morning who was just commuting in jeans and a shirt, said morning which he said back and something muffled. He caught me up at the lights and said it again "slowly but surely". Good motto I think, just do it at the speed you can and it'll be fine.


Good motto indeed  Plus, the bike that I currently have is more suitable for off-road riding and it's quite slow on the roads. I'm just in the process of looking for a perfect bike to make my commute even easier and more pleasant. Still, I'm not planning to push myself too hard, unless I feel like it. And there are days when I do


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## SimonC (30 Jul 2009)

J4CKO said:


> My commute has the occasional pillock, no actual agression in a year, in fact I must commend most drivers on their sensible and considerate approach, there will always be cocks and you will have learnt how to spot them in a car and cycling will hone this instinct, always assume that the car driver is going to make a bad decision or hasnt seen you, be very deliberat, almost exagerate your movements, dont dither and dont be afraid to block them from overtaking if you deem it not safe as most like you to save them fron the decision of whether or not they skim past you too close.
> 
> With regards to a bike, look for a second hand quality Hybrid, loads buy them and then for one reason or another dont ride them, dont ffs buy anything from the cheaper end of Halfords as it will put you off forever, *no suspension, front or rear unless you plan going off road and by that I mean properly off road as bridle paths and farms tracks are fine if careful on pretty much anything, even a full carbon roadie.*
> 
> ...



Deffo no suspension, even for a lot of off roading - dont see many cyclo-cross bikes with suspension

+1 on the lights as well, how many people do you see (or not see!) with a poxy little red light on the back with shagged out batteries. I got a front/rear pair of CatEye led lights, about £60, very bright, and the batteries last OK also. Better to spend money on the lights than a car up the backside or pullin out on you.


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## Lizban (30 Jul 2009)

SimonC said:


> Deffo no suspension, even for a lot of off roading - dont see many cyclo-cross bikes with suspension
> 
> +1 on the lights as well, how many people do you see (or not see!) with a poxy little red light on the back with shagged out batteries. I got a front/rear pair of CatEye led lights, about £60, very bright, and the batteries last OK also. Better to spend money on the lights than a car up the backside or pullin out on you.



Best advice I had was buy some spare shoes for work. I have a job that means I'm all over the country and in my office about 2-3 days a week.

I found carrying my size 12 work shoes a real pain, simply brought a spare pair and now all I have to carry is shirts and spare undies so much easier.


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## Coco (30 Jul 2009)

You'll be fine with the distance. One of my colleagues a work and I started cycling into work at about Easter. I'm about 5 miles from work and he's about 12. We both started from my house for a couple of months and then he gradually parked further away until he is now cycling in from home. Is that an option for you? Can you drive part of the way and then cycle in?

WRT dangers on the road, you'll be fine there too. My normal route in is via parks and cycle paths, but this week I've been cycling in from a different part of Glasgow and go about 6 miles all on the road. I'm pretty sure you could have an argument every day if you wanted, but equally I've been surprised at how considerate other drivers are. I have been coming into work a bit later and leaving early to avoid the worst of the traffic so its mainly milfs I see on the road.


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## blazed (30 Jul 2009)

You could go out and realistically do 200 miles you arent going to die. When im on the road its like im eating it up, i look behind me and theres nothing there just empty space. Thats because im in the zone, its all mental you can get there to. I swear some days its like im in some sort of time warp.


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## ComedyPilot (30 Jul 2009)

blazed said:


> You could go out and realistically do 200 miles you arent going to die. When im on the road its like im eating it up, i look behind me and theres nothing there just empty space. Thats because im in the zone, its all mental you can get there to. *I swear some days its like im in some sort of time warp.*



Hope springs eternal............


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## RSV_Ecosse (30 Jul 2009)

I bought a Pinarello FP1 around this time last year on the CycleScheme at work. Had not been on a bike for years beforehand.

My commute is a 36 mile round trip. I got the bike and a load of gear/kit and thought "Hmmm.....I'm going to have to work up to this distance, can't do it fresh off the bat".

Then one morning I got up and thought "To hell with it, might as well try it". Best thing I ever did. Managed it no problem at all and now the roadie cycling bug has bitten me big time. I can't get out enough on the thing and cycle to work most days now even through the crap weather.

As a result, I'm much, much fitter, feel better once I get to work and love the whole deal.

Try it m8, you won't look back. Trust me.


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## addictfreak (30 Jul 2009)

My commute is around 28 miles round trip, takes me about 40 mins each way. You'll be fine.


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## Breedon (30 Jul 2009)

Well my commute distance varies from week to week, I'm doing 9.11 at the moment, I'll be starting another site soon and thats a 61 mile round trip and I'm very seriously thinking about doing it.


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## beanzontoast (1 Aug 2009)

blazed said:


> You could go out and realistically do 200 miles you arent going to die. When im on the road its like im eating it up, i look behind me and theres nothing there just empty space. Thats because im in the zone, its all mental you can get there to. *I swear some days its like im in some sort of time warp*.



Slightly OT: I've pondered on this before. The medico's will know - is it to do with altered perception casued by changes in body chemistry due to exercise? Does it only kick in on longer rides?


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## blazed (1 Aug 2009)

beanzontoast said:


> Slightly OT: I've pondered on this before. The medico's will know - is it to do with altered perception casued by changes in body chemistry due to exercise? Does it only kick in on longer rides?



I dont know that it has anything to do with your body you are not perceiving it to happen it is actually happening. I could swear at least a few times time has stood still, i guess i hit some sort of crazy speed and cause some kind of black hole. Im like a particle accelerator on two wheels.


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## Sittingduck (1 Aug 2009)

addictfreak said:


> My commute is around 28 miles round trip, takes me about 40 mins each way. You'll be fine.



14 miles in 40 mins commuting... respec


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## Lisa21 (2 Aug 2009)

blazed said:


> I could swear at least a few times time has stood still, i guess i hit some sort of crazy speed and cause some kind of black hole. Im like a particle accelerator on two wheels.





 ffs


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## blazed (4 Aug 2009)

Lisa21 said:


> ffs



Whats your boggle?


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