Countryside commute

[johnr]

I've just spent the winter commuting on a single speed after causing £3-400 of damage for the past 2 winters. I have hills on my commute which were a struggle - but I'd definitely recommend single-speed for cleaning/ease of use.

I use snow stud tyres when needed and love them; they give a great feeling of safety.

Finally, check out Aldi's autumn sale and pick up some flashing led reflective bands. Make you look like an xmas tree, but the drivers on my commute give me noticeably more room when I use them.

You're going to be using the road with the same people most days. Try to interact with them, it'll make them less likely to get homicidal. I acknowledge polite driving, pull in where safe if I'm holding people up and generally entertain them with a variety of garish lycra.

I really love my commute and enjoy passing through the subtle changes of season (autumn-winter-monsoon). Migrating and indigenous wildlife provide variety and entertainment. This is a great time of year to start.

 

[ushills]

pic of the lane

That's like most of the roads I go on round here. I have 28C tyres for a bit more comfort but 25C will be fine and I would rather that than a main road.

Be careful for farmers in land-rovers early in the mornings as they are used to the lanes and need to get about. I usually pull-over when I hear one approaching.

 

[Peteaud]

That's like most of the roads I go on round here. I have 28C tyres for a bit more comfort but 25C will be fine and I would rather that than a main road.

Be careful for farmers in land-rovers early in the mornings as they are used to the lanes and need to get about. I usually pull-over when I hear one approaching.

How do you find the "gravel" in the middle of the road?

I am concerned about p********* from this.

My guess the farm traffic would get used to see the same people after a while it would probably be the first few weeks / months of being extra aware.

 

[GrasB]

As long as you're on tougher tyres you'll not have much problem with punctures, however you'll find that the bike will tend to slide about.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

How do you find the "gravel" in the middle of the road?

I am concerned about p********* from this.

My guess the farm traffic would get used to see the same people after a while it would probably be the first few weeks / months of being extra aware.

a very dangerous guess imo...

 

[Peteaud]

a very dangerous guess imo...

Worded badly.

But point taken.

I see generaly the same people every day, so i tend to look for them.

 

[mcshroom]

Sorry coming back to this. I ride my route on two different bikes. Usually I use an old Raleigh Criterium racer with 25mm tyres (Krylium Carbons). Or a Dawes Vantage Tourer on 32/35mm Marathons or 38mm Snow Studs in winter.

The gravel is unnerving at first, but to be honest you get used to it, and I don't get many punctures (other than a few around hedge lopping season) - in fact I can't think of the last one I had commuting (that's just hexed me).

Your bike will get dirtier than on urban roads, but there's less greasy oily stuff in the muck, more muddy stuff. In winter with derailleurs it's a good idea to clean regularly and especially if you live in a sandy area you may find your chains wear out a bit quicker, but it not that difficult to keep on top of things. Do get full guards! If nothing else you'll be thankful of them keeping smelly farm mud/slurry off of your clothing in the rain

I will usually pull into the next passing place if a car comes up behind me as it's more pleasant than riding with a car on your tail, but make sure I'm obviously not stopping if a car is near a passing place in front of me otherwise they will try and bully (they try anyway sometimes but it's not that common). Lots of waves of thanks all round seems to keep people happy. The worst drivers you will find on a rural road are rat-runners avoiding traffic jams as they see the lanes as a race track.

I really would choose this sort of commute over urban/main road commuting any day.

 

[Hacienda71]

I have had more visits from the fairy per mile cycled, cycling around the city due to glass than on my rural commute.
You do have to watch out for unexpected piles of mud on the road from farm vehicles coming onto the road or cattle being taken to milking etc, but you tend to get a feel for where this is a regular occurrence.

 

[headcoat]

I think most dangers have been covered here, and this may be not be applicable to your route, but watch out for dog walkers and there dogs, a nice bell seems to do the trick.

 

[akb]

Sounds and looks very similar (if not the same) to my 13 mile route. Starts of using a B-Road and then cycle track full of loose gravel etc.
Im on a Trek Hybrid and the only problem I had was P*******s. Swapped the standard Bonty tyres for Continental Travel Contacts (at 80psi) and have had no probs in the last 12 months since they have been on. They have also made the ride a bit quicker due to reduced rolling resistance.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Race horses. They are the blight of both legs of my commute. The lads that exercise them, usually in packs of twenty or more, have zero road craft, scarcely have them under control at the best of times, they go nuts and bolt if you swish past on the main road as they are coming up to the junction of the main road and the lane they are on, and they shoot everywhere.

 

[GrasB]

I think most dangers have been covered here, and this may be not be applicable to your route, but watch out for dog walkers and there dogs, a nice bell seems to do the trick.

Oh that reminds me, when you see a dog that looks to be off the lead be very sure that there isn't an extendible cord between the owner & the dog!

 

[smutchin]

I've just spent the winter commuting on a single speed after causing £3-400 of damage for the past 2 winters. I have hills on my commute which were a struggle - but I'd definitely recommend single-speed for cleaning/ease of use.

Singlespeed is a very good idea for high mileage in all weathers.

And maintenance can be further reduced with a Hebie Chainglider:
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/hebie-chainglider-prod21367/

Marathon Winter tyres are great for ice and light snow on tarmac, though you might want something more knobbly for deep snow and/or offroad.

d.

 

[Panter]

My commute is extremely rural, there's a good 10 miles of country lanes that have grass growing out of them, endless mud, flints & thorns etc as they twist over the North Downs.

On the plus side, I rarely see a car on them!

I've found no real problems as such, I use my SCR3.0 road bike with 700x25 tyres but they're Marathon pluses which have proved (virtually) puncture proof. Also, the slight tread pattern does seem to give a little more traction on the mud. I also run full mudguards all Year round as even when we do get a Summer, the lanes are frequently damp and muddy in places.
The tyres do take a real battering though, I don't got much more than 2000 miles out of a rear before the flints and gravel just wear it away but very, very little actually gets through.
I've been doing this commute for over two Years now and seriously would not consider any other tyre for the job.

I do use a lot of lights in the Winter, two Hopes or one of those magicshine high power jobbies as the lanes are extremely dark and desolate and it's a nice comfort as much as anything else.

I am extremely aware of any traffic though. Although cars are rare, they can be doing some speed as they aren't expecting any other road users on them so I run two rear lights as well as a helmet light with the theory being the high level light may be visible over the hedgerows etc.
I also carry a good supply of tools, tape, cable ties etc as a long walk through the lanes is an unnerving experience and something I'm keen to avoid!

I also carry a small torch with me, which sounds excessive, but if you do get a mechanical in the dark there is absolutely zero ambient light to help you out.
In the Winter, I run my hardtail which is fitted with studded tyres but, that's a bit of a last resort if it's very icy as it's very hard going on the studded rubber.

In saying all that though, my commute is a 31 mile round trip hence the road bike. If it was 6 miles I'd be sorely tempted by a hardtail running wider M+'s for that extra security when riding over the loose stuff.

All in all it's a very enjoyable experience (in the Summer, anyway)
I'm frequently treated to the sights of buzzards, sparrowhawks, badgers and hares and the accompanying birdsong is very pleasant. The swarms of insects not so much though

 

[Peteaud]

Sounds and looks very similar (if not the same) to my 13 mile route. Starts of using a B-Road and then cycle track full of loose gravel etc.
Im on a Trek Hybrid and the only problem I had was P*******s. Swapped the standard Bonty tyres for Continental Travel Contacts (at 80psi) and have had no probs in the last 12 months since they have been on. They have also made the ride a bit quicker due to reduced rolling resistance.

Still on the oe Bontrager but was going to go and get schwalbe M+.

Looking at full guard set from halfords


The route takes me through the town centre, across a very busy A road, down a b road, down the lane back on to a B road and then along a reaqsonable country round.

The small lane is not really a rat run as in a car its much easier to bypass it although ive probably jinxed that now.