Bicycle commuting tips – How far is too far?
I was hoping to get some tips on how to best cycle to Uni from experienced cyclists.
-The trip is about 30km each way on reasonably undulating terrain. Is this too far to begin with? I’m fairly average fitness, and it doesn’t really matter how long i take, it’s not like I’m going to be fired if I’m late.
-Probably about 10-15km of the trip would be on country roads with no shoulder, and traffic traveling at 80-100kmph (50-60mph). Is this particularly dangerous? I’ve seen other people cycling on the road I’d take, but I’m not sure about it.
-The bike i have is a crappy, rusty old road/racing bike which I’m currently replacing bits on. It’ll be mechanically fine once I’m done with it (i think), but i wonder might it be worth spending a few hundred dollars on a new one.
Any suggestions are appreciated
30 km each way is possible, you might have to start the first couple of weeks cycling on alternate days. For this much mileage you will need a good, well maintained bike, when you are riding 300 km a week, your bike needs a fair bit of attention, chain needs to be wiped down and re oiled a couple of times a week, bike should be wiped down as well, just by going over it like that you can pick up small problems before they can result in a breakdown. Expect to have to replace some parts regularly, a couple of sets of tires, 2 or three chains, a cassette, and brake pads at least per year. I commuted about this distance for about 20 years, on 4 different bikes ranging from a non suspension mountain bike converted for road riding , to a road bike, and finally a touring bike. The best by far was the touring bike, almost as rugged as the mountain bike, almost as fast as the road bike. You need to think about how you will carry the things you need for your day, backpacks are not very comfortable for this long a ride, so you need a rack and a bag to go on it, I prefer a rack top bag over a pannier, but either works well. Think about mudguards(fenders), you might get caught in the rain and they really help. If you ride your road bike, make sure it can be adapted for these accessories.
Von commuting to work on his bicycle in Miami, Florida
