Bike commuting advice wanted

[madsciencenow]

So I'm thinking about commuting to and from work at least some days of the week and I'm looking for practical advice on doing this effectively.

What are things I should be aware of that aren't obvious, what gear do I need, what additional details do you need from me to answer my naive question (I live in Northern Illinois and work in North Chicago with access to the Des Plaines River Trail for those that are local)?

The distance that I believe I need to go is between 20 and 30 miles one-way depending on the route and I think I can stash my bike in my office. In addition, there are showers on site.

My current drive takes 25-45 minutes and I typically cycle when I get home from work for about 90 minutes. The commute will give me additional miles/day but will ultimately consume the same or less time in my day.

[redir]

That's a pretty good commute. Mine is only ten miles. One thing I like to do is drive in on Monday and leave the car in the lot and commute on bike all week and then drive home on Friday. We get a lot of afternoon thunder storms here so if one creeps up I can opt to just drive home.

For ten miles I just use a messenger bag but for a long commute like that I'd probably prefer a touring bike with panniers.

I make sure to leave a couple full set of cloths at work too... Nothing like showing up to work on your bike only to realize you forgot your cloths.

[CMiller]

I think for a commute that long don't get a beater bike. Get a bike that's comfortable and fun and has an easy way to carry all your stuff. Some people like panniers on a rear rack, others like baskets on front racks, others use just saddlebags. Either way I'd consider a gravel/cyclocross bike that fits well, and can take big tires/fenders/racks. Spend the money on nice Schwalbe tires, or even some gravel kings can work super well, but always be prepared for flat tires.

Honestly, try it out with your favorite bike with just a big saddlebag thrown on, that might be all you need!

[donevwil]

Will you be riding in the dark, dawn, dusk (you'll need good lights) or daylight only (consider "here I am" lights). Will you ride in wet, foggy, damp conditions (fenders).

Leave change of clothes, or at a minimum shoes, and towels, cleaning supplies at work. Comfortable bike with fatter, more durable tires is nice (I hate being late because I had to fix a flat). Panniers are much more comfortable than a backpack or messenger bag over that distance, not a necessity by any stretch, but something to think about.

[mtechnica]

Ride a normal road bike
Bring a tube and patch kit, get one of the little folding floor pump things
Get an ortleib messenger backpack they are comfortable and big
Err on the side of durability for tires
Invest in a high quality tail light like the Bontrager flare R
Have a backup bike, maybe a fixed gear for when it rains or your main bike is down
Leave yourself a buffer on time in case of an incident
Try to find a place at work to let your kit dry out after you get there
Leave as much stuff at work as possible like shoes so you’re not carrying them back and forth

[Dude]

i would always leave a spare pair of socks, belt (reversible that was brown on one side, black on the other) and shoes at work. Of course a toothbrush, toothpaste too (though I always keep that at work). That way I'm not bringing bulky stuff back and forth, just flat clothes. I got hungrier commuting too so i'd have a stash of food at my desk.

I don't smell when I sweat so I never had to worry about cleanliness.

Definitely do a practice ride on the weekend so you know your route.

Commuting that length, a rack and fenders will go a long way. Messenger bag/backpack for that long sucks and you get much, much sweatier with it on.

You will get rained on or wet from ground spray. I didn't want a waterproof bag, they were too expensive and too limited options. I opted for a normal bag and used dry bags inside my bag. Sea to Summit has some light, thin dry bags. I had a dry bag for my computer and a dry bag for my clothes.

Keep a some spare plastic bags and ziploc bags in your commuting bag in case something leaks or is otherwise compromised.

There are varying opinions on this but on a bike/pedestrian dedicated bike path I would wear one earbud in my ear (left ear was kept open as that's the side cars pass on) and listen to podcasts/music/whatever. Once i got the trafficy section of the commute I would take the earbud out because I actually did need to concentrate.

don't be afraid to splurge on good quality clothing. It will make a big difference and will keep you comfortable. Plus, what you're saving in gas will offset some of the spend.

when it's really REALLY cold out, to stay warm, put on all of your clothes about 30 mins before you leave. That way you're nice and hot on the inside of your clothes before you brave the cold. I found it easier to "generate" heat once I was already warm.

[ryker]

Dynamo front hub is pretty nice ... never worry about charging lights.

[palincss]

With a commute that length you're obviously going to have to ride in something other than the clothes you wear at work. Unless you come up with a way to store part of your wardrobe at work you'll have to find a way to transport those work clothes. For me, the mission profile for commuting was little different from that for light touring, and (having tried all kinds of alternatives) the bikes that worked best were touring bikes.

Unless you plan to do this only in the late spring, summer and early fall you're going to have to deal with lighting. I heartily endorse generator lights. Considering how much travelling to work costs and how much you save by doing so by bicycle, the way I do the math there's no reason to skip: get a top line system like a Schmidt SON dyno hub and a top quality light like an Edelux II. Battery lights are inevitably going to lose power and leave you in the dark during your ride. Perhaps not when they're new, but as the battery ages it will lose capacity and sooner or later you're going to have the system go dark before you make it home. Generator lights have infinite burn time. What's more, you never have to remember to charge the battery.

It's transportation, not training. And most definitely not racing. And the best route is almost certainly not going to be the same route you'd drive in a car.

[EricChanning]

I like to have clear lenses always ready for the trip home if I'll be riding in the dark when the riding lights attract bugs on trails.

Keep some chain lube and extra rain gear at work.

Keep a lock at work so you don't have to lug it back and forth.

You're probably going to want to eat/refuel long before lunchtime. Keep snacks around.

Try not to eat lunch too late if you digest food slowly and think more seriously about the nutritional value of the lunches you eat at work. Maybe you already do that since you tend to ride after work.

Avoid switching back and forth between bags too much from day to day. You'll end up leaving essentials in the back you leave behind.

[charliedid]

What bike do you have? Remember if main route is DPRT it can be very muddy much of the year and at times impassible.

I'd want a bike that takes 38's and a front rack and fenders for that sort of mileage. A backpack while simple would be horrible IMO

Touring or gravel bike.

[mtechnica]

I dunno why you guys hate backpacks so much, it’s so nice not having your bike weighed down with crap and what’s an extra 10lbs on your back, you hardly notice it if you get a good bag.

[prototoast]

Some advice that others haven't mentioned: Eat! A typical work eating schedule involves having lunch at work and then dinner after you get home. If you have lunch at 12 and leave work at 5, you're setting yourself up for a bonk on the ride home. Make sure you get enough food in the afternoon before you leave work, and have food accessible to you when you ride..

[Bradford]

I commute 2-3 days a week now and have commuted off and on for 28 years...my two cents:

--your commute seems long to me. I have had commutes as long as 25 miles and find I ride less. I almost always enjoy the ride in at any length but rarely enjoy the ride home at the end of the day if it goes past an hour. So I now drive to the local train station and hop on the bike path behind it...16.5 miles each way is perfect

--Life and work gets in the way, so 2-3 days a week is more realistic than every day for me. So I bring in clean clothes on a car day, hang the shirts in a garment bag in the closet and stash the rest, including two pairs of office shoes, under my desk. I get in, do email for 30 minutes to cool down, then I head to the shower and get changed. I find that much better than bringing in clothes every day.

--I have set up my tech so I don't need to bring my laptops home everyday, also makes the ride more enjoyable

--Lights...good lights...same ones for daytime running and winter rides. 900 lumens is enough me up front, something good on the back

--I like a dedicated commuting bike. I used my touring bike for years, but now use a Fierte Ti and really like the combo of a faster bike to ride and a little taller up front for the city part of my ride. Ti is good so I don't worry about the paint, used is good because it wouldn't break my heart if it got stolen. You want a bike that is enjoyable to ride but not tempting enough to steal

--Just like touring, reliable stuff that is easy to fix is better than high-zoot fancy stuff.

--Heavy duty locks that you leave at the office...one NYC chain and one U lock.

--Everything comes off a commuter unless it is behind your desk, so I like Ortlieb clip off bags

--Don't be afraid to do something dorky if it works. I have a top tube food bag thing that I put my work ID (to access the garage) and keys in. Don't worry if it looks goofy

--Hi viz everything to compliment your blinking lights. Blinking spoke light too for rides in the dark

--Keep a tube (and CO2 if you use it) in your desk so you can re-load if you flat on the way in

--Have the tools you need, and know how to use them, to fix the bike on the road, including a chain break and a back up pump if you use CO2

--Don't set rules...ride when you want, drive when you want, but don't feel guilty about riding or not riding

--Have clothes for every option. I have more costume changes than Cher and can adapt to 5 degree changes...vests, shells, fleeces of different flavors, etc. I have five different glove options alone. I didn't buy it all at once, but over the years I've grown to really appreciate not being cold in January or hot in July

--Photochromic glasses...able to ride in bright sun and after dark

**don't take advice from anyone who doesn't commute regularly, but there are plenty of us so you should be good

[madsciencenow]

so I'll give a little more detail on my bike since this seems to be a consistent question.

The bike I would ride is a Moots Routt and riding to work is part of my justification for keeping it. I love riding it and it's pretty comfortable. I can go pretty wide with 700c or wider with 650b

Charliedid: you are correct that DPRT sucks about half the year. I ride on weekends and routinely have to find alternative routes.

Keep the advice coming.

I should also mention that I could ride my bike to the Metra and take it up to my town if conditions get real crappy.

In addition, year round probably isn't practical given the weather we have and the distance from my office to home.

Finally, I don't recall if I mentioned or not but the bike will live in my office while at work. I work in a gated office park (badge in) and a building with badge in only access.

[CMiller]

Perfect bike! I'd do fat 650b tires with full fenders, and invest in good lights. Great you don't have to lock it up.

[madsciencenow]

Perfect bike! I'd do fat 650b tires with full fenders, and invest in good lights. Great you don't have to lock it up.



What fenders would you recommend?

I’ve got a number of lights from years of early AM rides that will burn for at least a couple hours at above 1000 lumens


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[froze]

Fender wise the more coverage you can get the less wet you will get, and the less of a mess your bike will be, but you're limited due to no fender mountings on your bike along with the Wright Style dropout really limits what you can do, so you'll need clip ons. I would go with a mtb style of fender like the Zefal Swan Road rear fender this will cover up to a 45 mm tire but I think that size tire would push the limits as to how well it will cover, so I think 38 or less width of a tire is idea. Then for the front use the Crud Catcher fender, not as good of coverage like the Zefal Swan but does pretty good. Another option are the Ass Savior fenders, these you can actually stow away in your backpack if you don't want some fender always on your bike; these don't work quite as good as the Zefal but something is better than nothing, and some people swear by them; they do make a long one now too, it looks like it could work really well, it's called the Fender Bendor regular X, and they'll fit any bike.

Personally if you'll be riding on nothing but paved paths and roads I don't see the need to have 45mm wide tires, I would go with the narrowest you can find down to 28 to 32 max, the wide tire on a long commute will make the job more difficult by taking more watts to turn the wheels and tires, and going home especially you will feel it more.

If your route will be on roads you need to get a VERY bright tail light, I bought the Nite Rider Omega that puts out 300 lumens of spot like coverage to the rear, this light is so intense it's incredible, but I got this so that people will see me during the day from far away, and it does just that. I also have the Nite Rider Sentry Aero 260, this light is not as intense as the Omega because it's more of a flood, plus half of those lumens are being used to cover the sides, I bought this one because the side lighting is amazing at night and cars can see you extremely well from the side, there is currently nothing remotely close to this light for side illumination on the market. So I put the Aero 260 on my helmet and the Omega on my bike seat tube. Technically you're not suppose to put anything, a light or a camera on your helmet, but people do and so do I just not the camera. You need a lot of light out the rear because we have idiots out driving and texting or yakking away about what to bring home for dinner and they're not paying attention to the road, but if you have lighting that can be seen from a long ways it will attract their attention and hopefully wake them up a bit.

In regards to tail lights and how to use them, this study was done at night: a Canadian study showed blinking lights work best, but a European study showed steady light works the best, so since I use two tail lights I set the Aero 260 on alternating strobe like action, and the Omega I turn on solid so I cover both spectrums of the study!

Just like the problem with people coming behind you have the same with those coming at you, so I now use a Lezyne Mini Drive XL on my fork, though they do make a helmet mount I just haven't gotten it yet, anyway day or night I put that on strobe and it's also very intense, then my handlebar light is a Philips Saferide which was an extraordinary light that unfortunately is no longer made, anyways this thing is so bright I rarely run it on high.

Make sure you leave yourself enough time space when going to work if you have a flat you will have the time to fix it; not sure what kind of boss you have but most won't tolerate a worker being late too many times before they're let go, and some bosses think that riding a bike to work is not a reliable way to get to work and if you get flat and are late getting in they could tell you to no longer ride to work you have to drive. Yes I know that sounds silly because you can have a car breakdown as well but people don't really know what a bike really can do.

[palincss]

Personally if you'll be riding on nothing but paved paths and roads I don't see the need to have 45mm wide tires, I would go with the narrowest you can find down to 28 to 32 max, the wide tire on a long commute will make the job more difficult by taking more watts to turn the wheels and tires, and going home especially you will feel it more.


On the other hand, if you're carrying your clothes and what amounts to a light touring load, you will need higher tire pressure than riding unloaded; with a narrower tire that pressure will be higher still. All together, that makes for a harsher, more tiring ride.

If you are commuting in the dark, unless you have perfect road surfaces you can expect to ride over and through more rough pavement, potholes and road debris than would be the case in the daylight, when you can easily see that stuff to avoid it. You're far more likely to pinch flat on a narrower tire than on a wider one.

[marciero]

Handlebar bags are great for small stuff. Once you use them you can never go back. Rear or front rack and panniers for computer, clothes, food. I have a bike rando-type rack and decaleur setup that can fit a small computer and sees occasional commuter use. I have an Ortlieb pannier briefcase for computer but also try to keep one machine at work. Same for clothes.

Lights: Front generator hub and light. It is so great not to have to worry about charging. Plus these lights are better. USB or battery for rear is fine since they last longer. Flashing lights are no-no in my world-front or rear.

Fenders: yes

Backpacks: no

[AngryScientist]

that's a long commute.

sounds perfect to do a few times a week.

i would definitely prefer to stage your gear at work during the days you drive in. leave a bag with personal hygiene stuff, shower kit, work clothes, everything at your office, that way you can ride in unencumbered. bring the laundry home and swap for clean stuff when you drive.

for a shorter commute, i would opt for street clothes, but in that length proper bike kit will make the task better.

consider how you will get your bike and yourself from the street to your office. this has everything to do with office culture and the people/place you work, for example, in some cultures, it may not be "cool" to walk yourself in bike kit and wheeling a bike through the office lobby during business hours with clients around, etc. you may want/need to adjust your schedule to blend in more. just a thought.

it sounds like you'll be riding a CX type bike so you're probably in mtb shoes, but consider the footwear too. i have very nearly killed myself on multiple occasions walking in cycling shoes through an office lobby with marble floors on a damp day. think ice skating!

[madsciencenow]

I'm curious why no flashing lights?

My thinking is that on the front I want both a flashing (low power) and non-flashing light. The flashing helps draw attention to me and the non-flashing helps illuminate the road and will allow drivers who use the casual glance to turn out onto the roadway to not miss me. In addition, I also like having a light on my helmet to be able to direct where I want. I will often use this on cars coming up on my right to make sure they see me before turning onto the road in front of me.

In the rear, I'm a fan of four or five flashing lights. I like having a couple on my jersey, and my garmin varia and another flashing light on my post. In addition, I have this multi colored vest thing that lights up and is visible in front and back plus it has reflective straps.

I'm not sure what else I could do unless I light my a** on fire or have a flare on top of my helmet?

I'm not super familiar with the hubs that provide power to a light. This seems like a really nice feature but one that's a bit of a pain to get up and going as it requires a dedicated front wheel?

[marciero]

I'm curious why no flashing lights?

My thinking is that on the front I want both a flashing (low power) and non-flashing light. The flashing helps draw attention to me and the non-flashing helps illuminate the road and will allow drivers who use the casual glance to turn out onto the roadway to not miss me. In addition, I also like having a light on my helmet to be able to direct where I want. I will often use this on cars coming up on my right to make sure they see me before turning onto the road in front of me.

In the rear, I'm a fan of four or five flashing lights. I like having a couple on my jersey, and my garmin varia and another flashing light on my post. In addition, I have this multi colored vest thing that lights up and is visible in front and back plus it has reflective straps.

I'm not sure what else I could do unless I light my a** on fire or have a flare on top of my helmet?

I'm not super familiar with the hubs that provide power to a light. This seems like a really nice feature but one that's a bit of a pain to get up and going as it requires a dedicated front wheel?

There is disagreement on the flashing lights thing. I fall into the "no" camp. There seems to be conflicting evidence that they increase visibility or not. Some evidence even suggests flashers have the opposite affect, especially with impaired drivers at night-again, not conclusive in my mind. My feeling is that they are both fine and safe.
My personal feeling is that flashers are sort of obnoxious, though I dont judge others for choosing to use them. It's worth noting that in Germany, where they actually have standards and regulate bicycle lights the way they do for cars, flashers are illegal. Also, if you are riding with others flashers in the rear are annoying. One consideration though, is that on flashing mode the battery may last longer.

With the generator hubs, yes-dedicated front wheel. But I dont swap wheels on these bikes, so it's THE wheel on the bike. There are some pretty cheap setups. You can find used wheels for sale from time to time on 650b or ibob google groups. I bought a new A23 wheel with Kasai hub for $200 which is functionally as good as my more expensive ones. Inexpensive hubs from Kasai, Shutter Precision, or Shimano. Nice ones are more. The B and M Eyc is an inexpensive light (~$75) that is miles better than the most sophisticated lights from 10 or 15 years ago.

A complete light setup would have a tailight also wired to the hub, which is really pretty awesome. But again, battery or USB rear is fine for commuting

[DreaminJohn]

A question I have that is hopefully relevant to the OP:

What do y'all do about the dirty clothing that may accumulate? As someone who sweats profusely there's NO way I could use the same clothes to ride home unless there was some sort of washing involved.

Thanks.

[froze]

On the other hand, if you're carrying your clothes and what amounts to a light touring load, you will need higher tire pressure than riding unloaded; with a narrower tire that pressure will be higher still. All together, that makes for a harsher, more tiring ride.

If you are commuting in the dark, unless you have perfect road surfaces you can expect to ride over and through more rough pavement, potholes and road debris than would be the case in the daylight, when you can easily see that stuff to avoid it. You're far more likely to pinch flat on a narrower tire than on a wider one.

On the other hand I tour with about 45 pounds of gear with just 32mm tires and have no issues with harshness of ride because the tires are only inflated to 60 in the front an 70 on the rear, so with the much lighter weight of commuting clothes 32mm tires, and using lower PSI to reflect the less carrying weight, are plenty large enough tires; heck I commute to work myself on 25mm tires and I'm 63 years old with lower back fusion and the ride quality doesn't bother me at all, and of course it doesn't bother me touring. What's weird there is times that I think the 32mm tires on my touring bike is a bit too large! But I use those in case I have to ride a gravel or dirt road, which I've had to do, plus they wear longer, but I definitely see no need to go larger than 32mm while touring on roads (obviously not off road) and for sure just commuting.

IF your headlight(s) are bright enough you'll see potholes with no problem, I ride a lot at night, especially when the sun starts setting earlier in the evening, and my lights are more then enough to see potholes with. You only need about 1000 lumen light...HOWEVER, you won't be running the light at it's max of say 1,000, you really only need 700, so you run the light at the lower setting to save battery, the reason to have around a 1000 lumens is in case of rain at night when it gets really dark, then you flip it on high and you can see the road far better.

While you could pinch flat if you fail to see a pothole while using 23mm tires that won't happen with 32mm, I've hit potholes while touring and never had a pinch flat, of course it helps to use the correct psi.

[froze]

A question I have that is hopefully relevant to the OP:

What do y'all do about the dirty clothing that may accumulate? As someone who sweats profusely there's NO way I could use the same clothes to ride home unless there was some sort of washing involved.

Thanks.

All I do is take a change of clothes with me to work in, I also take a "sponge" bath in the restroom as I'm changing into work clothes. If at all possible either hang or lay out your kit in such a way that it can dry throughout the day, you could take another kit with you if you want, I don't because I'm going home and no is going to care once I'm riding if I stink. Using a wool kit cuts down on odor A LOT! So I use wool so I don't have that issue, but I still have to air it so it will dry.

[mktng]

Some great bits of advice.
Although I don't completely agree with some. But everyone's different.

One thing I could add. From experience, and having bought one recently after thinking it was a waste of money for the longest time.......Garmin VARIA rear radar.

It helps a lot. A lot more than than I thought it would. Its very accurate. It will never replace shoulder checking. But some sections of my commute require me to pay as much attention as possible at whats in front of me.

[azrider]

I dunno why you guys hate backpacks so much, it’s so nice not having your bike weighed down with crap and what’s an extra 10lbs on your back, you hardly notice it if you get a good bag.

Agree with Mtechnica on this. I prefer backpack to panniers or weighing down bike. My commute is 24 miles and with the backpack, even my normally comfortable Dave Scott Centurion became to harsh with the added weight of backpack so now I opt for the CX bike which has 35's and low 50 psi.

My advice:

Get your setup to where you THINK you want it, then try the commute on a Saturday morning as a test run. You'll learn a lot more from that test run that from a bunch of yahoo's on internet :p:p:p

[madsciencenow]

Some great bits of advice.
Although I don't completely agree with some. But everyone's different.

One thing I could add. From experience, and having bought one recently after thinking it was a waste of money for the longest time.......Garmin VARIA rear radar.

It helps a lot. A lot more than than I thought it would. Its very accurate. It will never replace shoulder checking. But some sections of my commute require me to pay as much attention as possible at whats in front of me.

I have one of these and love it! I use it for all my rides regardless of where they are. It's a game changer. Probably won't keep me from getting run over by a distracted driver but it's helpful to at least know where traffic is and to think about how to better "share the road" with moving vehicles.

[froze]

Agree with Mtechnica on this. I prefer backpack to panniers or weighing down bike. My commute is 24 miles and with the backpack, even my normally comfortable Dave Scott Centurion became to harsh with the added weight of backpack so now I opt for the CX bike which has 35's and low 50 psi.

My advice:

Get your setup to where you THINK you want it, then try the commute on a Saturday morning as a test run. You'll learn a lot more from that test run that from a bunch of yahoo's on internet :p:p:p

I agree as well when it comes to commuting to use a lightweight well made backpack, save the panniers for touring. But I have never commuted 30 miles one way to work and back 30 miles with a backpack so I wonder just how uncomfortable it might get on a longer commute? On my commuter bike I don't have an option of putting on panniers anyways if I was doing a long commute. Some commuters I've seen and read about use fancy panniers (the guys I saw used just one pannier) that double as briefcases, so when they get to work and change their clothes they look professional. And some of the commuter panniers double as backpacks.

Another consideration in favor of a backpack is laptops and the such, these things take a beating in a pannier but no so much in a backpack. Just make sure that you put the computer into some sort of waterproof bag REGARDLESS if the backpack or pannier says it's waterproof, never assume anything is waterproof.

[froze]

Some great bits of advice.
Although I don't completely agree with some. But everyone's different.

One thing I could add. From experience, and having bought one recently after thinking it was a waste of money for the longest time.......Garmin VARIA rear radar. It helps a lot. A lot more than than I thought it would. Its very accurate. It will never replace shoulder checking. But some sections of my commute require me to pay as much attention as possible at whats in front of me.

I like the idea of the Varia, but it's tail light only has a 16 lumen ability which makes it useless in today's world, plus highly dated in that area when other tail lights are putting out up to 300 lumens. I just bought a Nite Rider Omega that puts out a screaming 300 lumens, and it's startling bright even in full sun. I just think with today's distracted drivers you need something far far brighter than 16 lumens. They already charge nearly $200 for the Varia, so charge another $45 and have a 300 lumen tail light I doubt people who like techy stuff would even blink at paying $245 for such a thing.

Personally I use a mirror fastened to my sunglasses, I'm sure it works just as well as the Varia for far less money even when considering the tail light.

https://www.niterider.com/product/5091-omega-300/
https://www.rei.com/product/752285/bike-peddler-take-a-look-mirror

Some people prefer the mirrors that hook onto the handlebar end instead, I've never used one so I don't know if I would like it or not, but I do like the ability to simply move my head and see whatever I point my head to vs on the bar that would be nearly impossible without veering off the road doing so! Maybe a combination of using both mirrors might not be a bad idea?

[Lewis Moon]

I commute 28 miles to work 3 - 5 days a week. I use an Osprey Syncro 15 backpack to carry my clothes. I leave a pair of shoes at work and have a brick of baby wipes for morning "cat baths" in the employee restroom.
I use my commuter time as workout time so I usually arrive pretty sweaty (it IS Arizona, after all). I have a fan at my desk and hang my clothes to dry behind me.
Caveat: I'm a field biologist working among the same. I've spent 15 day river trips on the Colorado with the people around me so...we may have a different measure of "office decorum".

[benb]

The hardest thing is staying motivated...

I can't give you any advice there. My commute is easy and yet I have a hard time motivating myself to do it.

Riding is supposed to be fun, commuting for me generally has not been the most fun kind of riding. The roads are more crowded, more likely to have a dangerous interaction with a driver while I'm commuting, and because I have to actually arrive at the office I have to go through a zillion busy intersections. And it's not really long enough to be a great workout. Lots of logistics in terms of carrying stuff.

A longer commute might actually be easier that way.. if you have to go 20+ miles you have more opportunity to ride through some areas that are better for cycling.

[Bradford]

A question I have that is hopefully relevant to the OP:

What do y'all do about the dirty clothing that may accumulate? As someone who sweats profusely there's NO way I could use the same clothes to ride home unless there was some sort of washing involved.

Thanks.

For riding clothes, I hang my shorts and shirt in the closet, chamois side out, and they dry during the day. One of the advantages of living in Denver is that everything drys out quickly. I keep my dirty work clothes in a box under my desk and take them home on car days...I'm about to pack up a load right now.

Another tip, mountain shoes and pedals. I use Frogs, but any mountain set up will work. In my experience, work buildings have lots of tile and eventually you will slip and fall wearing road shoes.

And while we are talking about shoes...winter boots are mandatory for winter riding, you don't want to be messing with covers. I have three sets of shoes, one summer, one winter, and one shoulder. The shoulder season shoes are low cut, but big enough for thicker socks because in Denver, the morning ride is in the 40s but the ride home is in the 70s or 80s; summer shoes are too cold for the mornings and winter shoes are too hot for the afternoons.

[prototoast]

The hardest thing is staying motivated...

I can't give you any advice there. My commute is easy and yet I have a hard time motivating myself to do it.

Riding is supposed to be fun, commuting for me generally has not been the most fun kind of riding. The roads are more crowded, more likely to have a dangerous interaction with a driver while I'm commuting, and because I have to actually arrive at the office I have to go through a zillion busy intersections. And it's not really long enough to be a great workout. Lots of logistics in terms of carrying stuff.

A longer commute might actually be easier that way.. if you have to go 20+ miles you have more opportunity to ride through some areas that are better for cycling.

On this theme, when I used to bike commute more, I lived 3 miles from my job. In the mornings, I would usually take the long way to work, typically doing a 12 mile route, and regularly going 15-25 miles. At the end of the day, however, I just wanted to be done, and would usually ride straight home. I could imagine after a hard day of work, it could be rough some times to work up the motivation for 20-30 miles.

This could depend on the job--I was working consulting at the time, which meant that people were pretty lax about when I showed up in the morning, but it was also very unpredictable when I would leave. If I had been working a job with more regular hours, I might have preferred to go the short and predictable way in, and then meander my way home at the end of the day.

[KidWok]

I've used a bike for year-round commuting and primary transportation for most of my adult life. Previously used a disc brake equipped cross bike and now using a class 3 e-bike. Some great tips already here...here's mine:

- Helmet mounted lights: Amazing to me how many motorists look "past" cyclists and just don't see them. A bright helmet mounted light allows you to point the light right into someone's windshield and really get their attention. A handlebar light isn't visible for someone coming out of a side street/parking lot if there is also cars parked on the street going the same direction as the cyclist. I don't know how many times I've had a car edge forward into the road and jerk to a stop when I've pointed the light on my head in their direction. It's a lifesaver and a must have for me. I have a Cateye Volt 400, which comes with the helmet mount, and I use it day and night. I also use a Orfos Pro amber light zip-tied to the back of my helmet with a small USB battery.

- EXTRA set of lights. I primarily use my helmet mounted light but I also keep another one on the handlebar. You may find that a) you accidentally forgot to charge your primary light and/or b) there are times when you want a handlebar mounted light dedicated to illuminating the road surface. Same goes for the rear. I see so many people with only one light and it being too dim because it wasn't charged or doesn't have fresh batteries. Don't be that person.

- Definitely yes on full fenders. Don't bother with clip-ons. They're a pretty mediocre solution. Make mud flaps out of milk jugs that touch the ground, at least on the front.

- I would recommend using a front low-rider rack for a long pavement commute. I've tried both backpack and panniers. Prefer backpack for short commutes, but they do get sweaty on hot days and I don't like how stuff shifts around when trying to sprint for a light.

- Don't skimp on tires. I started off commuting on Panaracer Paselas because they had a really durable compound and were cheap. Quickly found that their hard compound also had horrible grip. If you're commuting in the city and/or wet conditions, you'll likely be braking more so get nice tires. I've really liked the Schwalbe Marathon Supreme for this application.

- For your commute, I'd absolutely consider a class 3 e-bike. That kind of distance is pretty significant. A class 3 would make it doable everyday if you wanted to. It would also make hauling the dirty clothes, extra food, laptop, etc much easier. I am a real estate broker and use mine in the Seattle/Bellevue area. My commute to the office is only about 7 miles each way, but I oftentimes need to meet clients or show my listings within a 20 mile radius. Having a class 3 is great because it gets me around faster than a car in the city and I'm still getting a zone 2-3 workout. I can consistently count on a 15-18 mph average travel speed depending on the number of lights along the way. So your 20-30 mile commute will become a 75-90 minute bike commute and you don't have to spend 45 minutes in the car anymore. This assumes that your commute route has the means to handle a class 3 e-bike, which may be more restricted than a class 1. I find that year-round e-biking enhances my non-assisted road biking. I'm leaner and have a solid base fitness year-round. Not hard at all for me to stay committed to using an e-bike for commuting because it's way better than being stuck in a car even on the darkest and rainiest days.

- I keep an extra set of rain gear at the office. So many days that start off with bluebird skies in the morning only to wind up wet on the way home. Always an extra set of jacket, pants, and shoe covers in my desk drawer.

- Flat BMX pedals...especially in the city.

- A recent game changer for me has been the Lazer Anverz helmet. It comes with a removable rain cover and a clear visor. As a year-round commuter in a rainy place, these two things have been a big step up from what I was previously using.

- Reflective gloves. I usually just get them from hardware stores or safety/industrial stores.

- Unfortunate recent addition: I've started using a 3M 6503QL respirator mask on my commutes. It filters out PM2.5 particles from brake dust, tire dust, and diesel exhaust. Originally it was just for wildfire season when AQI hit yellow. My commute is on a fairly major road and I'm frequently driving next to a lot of cars and diesel trucks so I've started it whenever I'm on a major road. The QL model has a quick release lever so that I can have it off my face when not on major roads.

Tai

[BlueFly]

Suggestions regarding lighting, tools, supplies, and additional clothing accessories (shoes, belts, personal items) are noteworthy. I use a backpack to carry daily work clothes and personal items. I also do not have to carry a laptop everyday. Although there have been times I needed to do that.

One technique that i used during one of my projects, since i had to use a 2 lane bridge (w/o a bike/walk lane) was to drive to work Monday with bike.

On the return trip each afternoon, I parked the car, in a safe residential area, on the home side of the bridge.

Ride home and the next morning ride to the car (total ~20+ miles). Pack the bike and drive over the bridge and to the office (~ 8 miles) where I could shower/dress for the day. Friday afternoon I would just drive home and then go for a ride.

YMMV based on route, neighborhoods, etc.....