Commuting 'logistics'

[slowmotion]

The average traffic speed in central London during the daytime is a little over 7mph...…..and falling.

 

[mjr]

£100 will buy a serviceable road bike, don’t spend any more, mudguards and pannier rack are handy, good lights are a must and a removable cover for the seat. Make sure wheels and seat post are not quick release and try and use a couple of locks.

You’re not doing a time trial so buy something tough robust and comfortable, the less sexy the better. Older 26” wheel mountain bikes are a bargain so are 10 year old hybrid town bikes.

They may be bargains but it's 20 miles. 2 hours for a new determined rider. Each way. At least, I'd budget to try a few saddles out if I'm spending that long riding.

I prefer the bike-train/bus and e bike ideas above!

 

[Reynard]

I prefer the bike-train/bus and e bike ideas above!

That's how I "do" Cambridge when I have to head that way. It's about the same distance ballpark as what the OP is trying to do. I ride to Ely station (five and a half miles), then get the train to Cambridge North (about 15 mins on the train) and then ride into the city centre via Chesterton (3 miles). Takes about the same sort of time as car + park & ride. Driving and parking in Cambridge is a right royal pain.

I know there's one forum member who commutes from Ely to Cambridge all the way by bike, but he's a good five or so miles nearer than I - and considerably fitter...

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Cheap, not worth stealing, flat bar hybrid rat bike combined with the car sounds the way to go, IMHO. That way, so long as there's somewhere to pull off the road and park the car, you can vary the length of the riding bit according to how enthusiastic you are feeling and how nice the weather is. And if its really crap one day or you need to carry extra stuff, you can forget the bike altogether and take the car all the way.
I wouldn't even consider doing 20 miles cycling at each end of a full day of other stuff - but I would certainly consider doing 5-10 miles each way so long as it wasn't lashing down or blowing a gale. You have to design your cycling activity to be as pleasant as possible otherwise you are unlikely to persevere with it for very long.

 

[Paspie]

45 minutes to do 20 miles by car sounds pretty rubbish if not in London. Are you travelling on main roads into a big city. If so, as suggested can you do some of the journey by bike and then pick up a train?

Much of my way there is on a meandering B-road that isn't completely double-track, average speed is about 40mph. Main roads are available but involve a detour that's not worth it.

If there were an end to month-long strikes then maybe the train would be feasible.

 

[12boy]

I had a similar commute which I resolved by driving there in the morning and riding my bike back at night, leaving the car there and reversing the next day. Also took a really heavy chain and lock and left that there. That way I didn't have to carry the heinous monstrosity back and forth. The idea of riding a bike then catching a bus or train for part of the ride is a good one too.

 

[vickster]

Did the 181/2 along a mix of urban & rural into Leeds in just over an hour. It may have been an "A road" used for most of it, but it narrows in places as well as being unlit.

The harder part will be the actual route being used, which hasn't been mentioned. Is it in a flat area, or are hills likely to be a problem.

There’s no way I could cycle 19 miles in an hour even on flat empty roads with no traffic lights, roundabouts, junctions. Maybe more possible with an ebike I guess but those are limited to 15mph

 

[vickster]

The average traffic speed in central London during the daytime is a little over 7mph...…..and falling.

OP doesn’t say s/he is travelling into Central London tho

 

[sleuthey]

You are creating a dialema that doesn't have to exist. IE...

Buy a U lock and find a rack visible to a CCTV

Use Allen key or locking wheel skewers not QR

Take the recommendation others have given you on a cheap push bike.

Use the car to park and cycle or drive every other (wet) day.

If your itching to spend your student loan then put it towards accessories like a car bike rack

 

[Edwardoka]

Speaking from experience, 20 miles each way is too long for a bike to be your sole mode of commuting.
I did 25 miles each way for a while and I was so worn out by the end of my first full week that even with the only alternative being 3 buses, I rarely opted to cycle afterwards. 20 hours commuting a week. What was I thinking?

13-15 miles is the upper bound of what I'd consider a sane, maintainable 5 day commute by bike, although if you alternate between the bike and car/public transport, 20 would be manageable.

 

[Paspie]

Alternating transport modes is a kludge and it doesn't stack up monetarily. I'm sticking with the car, thanks.

 

[Sharky]

Speaking from experience, 20 miles each way is too long for a bike to be your sole mode of commuting.
I did 25 miles each way for a while and I was so worn out by the end of my first full week that even with the only alternative being 3 buses, I rarely opted to cycle afterwards. 20 hours commuting a week. What was I thinking?

13-15 miles is the upper bound of what I'd consider a sane, maintainable 5 day commute by bike, although if you alternate between the bike and car/public transport, 20 would be manageable.

Almost exactly what I found. A hilly 23 miles each way, proved too much and I had to alternate with my car. Sometimes leaving the car overnight at work and cycling just one way back and then to work the next day.
My last commute was about 13 miles and I could do that every day, although there were always somedays when I needed a recovery day and took the car.

 

[MichaelW2]

You don't need at state of the art race bike for a long commute. A decent midrange used roadbike would do the job. You may need rack and mudguard fittings and clearance. You will need good lights.
Consider driving half way to start with.

 

[Slick]

Alternating transport modes is a kludge and it doesn't stack up monetarily. I'm sticking with the car, thanks.

Your missing out if you do. I do 15 miles each way but not 5 days, as it's too much for me although very doable if required. Just do it a couple of times a week when you are feeling like it or when the weather is most kind, but I'll be surprised if you don't end up cycling more than driving, even if it is just for financial reasons.

 

[12boy]

The difference between raising your blood pressure driving in a car and raising your pulse rate riding a bike is huge. For 30 plus years my job was one my colleagues said was stressful, but I rarely felt stressed because my bike medicine kept me well. Michael W2's suggestion of driving part way and riding the rest also seems sound to me, more so if you search out safe places to park your bike and good parking options for the car along the way and the safest and most pleasant way to go. You may, however, find it best to wait for better weather to begin your biking. I will hopefully go for a 10-15 mile ride today on snowy paths in 20 F, but I wouldn't want to begin commuting in this crap, especially since it took a while to figure out how to stay warm and ride safely in these conditions.