Expert level bike commuting strategies?

[Michael Morrissey]

Lately I have been biking to work again, from my home in Queens to work in Manhattan. Unfortunately, my commute is less than ideal. There are few bike lanes in my neighborhood. I leave at 6:30, when it’s dark and cold outside. There are lots of big trucks and fast drivers. It’s hilly. Then, when I get to the bike lane section of the ride, it’s crowded with electric bikes, deliveristas, and stand-up electric scooters.

My commute is 7.8 miles point to point, and I make it in about 53 minutes. I started keeping track of my times on Strava. I like looking at my records (eastbound across Central Park in 1:40!) but I feel Strava is mostly a record of how long I get stuck at red lights. There are so many stoplights that I struggle to raise my average speed over 11 MPH.

I use one Ortlieb bag, and I’ve tried to lighten my load as much as possible. Yet, I still feel like I am carrying a lot to work. One thing I’ve been doing is rolling my work clothes and putting rubber bands around them. That helps with the organization.

I’m riding my Rivendell Appaloosa with a big back rack and fenders. Fortunately, even after riding it for about 7 years, the bike still feels amazing. I also feel great getting so much exercise, and I find I feel I have more energy on days I ride compared to when I take the subway.

I was wondering if anyone has any bike commuting advice? I’m finding it hard to stay motivated. I want advanced level advice - not just “keep your tires pumped up,” but more along the lines of “Buy 5 Bromptons and have your wife drop them off at work every Sunday so you can ride one home per day.” One thing I might try is a lighter wheelset on the same bike. As Bill Lindsay said, “If everybody had a gravity knob on their bike, we would all peg it to the minimum.”

Thanks,

Michael

[Ted W]

Bike commuter here. I ditched the second family car a couple of years ago and any time I'm going somewhere without my wife within the city, I'm on my bike. I average about 20 miles per day between commuting to work and other errands around town. I'm also in a less-than-ideal bike city (at least that's what I'm told, I don't think it's that bad... maybe I'm just desensitized at this point). My advice may or may not be all that helpful but I'll offer it anyway:

Find your mental happy place, your "zen" if you want to call it that. For me, that was understanding that I can't control what other people do and just expect it, handle it and move on. I'm far happier if I don't let things outside of my control bother me. Stuff in the bike lane, aggressive drivers yelling at me, inattentive drivers turning in front of me. I have found that if I just expect every car to turn in front of me and every bike lane to be blocked, I don't get mad and I just shake my head and move on with my life. Part of this, too, has been exploring alternate routes. If I take a route that's full of inattentive dockless scooter riders, maybe I'll see if I can find a less crowded way to get through that section of my route, even if it means adding extra to the route.

My last piece of advice is to check out Ride with GPS's route planner and their public heatmaps. I have found that this, in conjunction with Google Map's bike navigation can help me avoid bad roads and ride routes that other cyclists ride regularly. To me, this indicates that either there is good infrastructure along that route or, at the very least, drivers might be more accustomed to seeing bikes along that route.

I hope you found that information helpful.

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[Mack Penner]

I think Ted is right: the secret commuting sauce is "zen." I don't commute in comparable conditions (small city, Canada, prairies), but I keep it interesting by always mixing up routes (if only slightly) and, when possible, mixing up the bikes, too (a second wheelset could do that trick!). I guess I try to treat commutes less like commutes and more like bike rides than can be whatever I want them to be. 

I also love keeping track on Strava, but I have banished any concern about avg speeds.

Counter-intuitively, sometimes taking ridiculous routes helps, too. Yesterday, my commute involved pushing my Appaloosa up a steep dirt trail covered in snow and ice. Had to squeeze the brakes and make progress a step at a time in order to avoid slipping. Easy to laugh at yourself in those circumstances.

Also, potentially unpopular opinion, but single speed helps. Single speeding makes "zen" easier, and you'll never have a derailer freeze up in a gear you don't like.

And finally, is it possible to ditch the concept of work clothes? 5 years ago, "work clothes" for me meant fancy boots and a blazer. Now, my clothes are my clothes and I dress in a way that works for how I get around. I still keep the fancy boots and a blazer in my office, but I never wear them.

Good luck out there,

Mack

[Roberta]

Hi, Michael.

I'm a city girl and a newer commuter (< 2 years) and each way is 2 miles.  The traffic and rudeness can really drain a person.  The Brompton idea is pretty funny, but I had a similar thought at the beginning of my commute--ride a city bike to work and then walk home (or in your case, ride the subway to work and ride home).  The one way trip options is why I subscribe to city bike.  I love the freedom, but the bikes less so.

I also had an Appaloosa (2016 version) and it was a fantastic bike, a perfect commuter, I think.  One year, I tried tubeless and the piece of mind of not getting flats was fabulous.  My commuter got a flat once and I had to walk home in the rain pushing the bike.  I wasn't so happy.  When I went tubeless on the Appa, I changed the tires to Gravel King slicks and the entire ride changed for the better, bringing back more fun.  I couldn't wait to jump on it every day, it was like a new bike.  So, perhaps new fabulous tires for a different feel?  How about riding different bikes, perhaps for a week at a time. I do that.

For me, sometimes (but not enough), I take the "long way" home, having the ride feel more like a bike ride than a commute.  Or, I'll go on sightly different routes, even if they are only one block away from standard route, the scenery is different.    Also, for me, I don't like riding in the rain or extreme cold, so I just don't, as I don't want to equate "ride bike" with "chore."  I'll take a bus to work and walk home.  Walking is still good exercise and it feels good to do something different.

You'll find in my office a selection of shoes, socks and pants and I change at the office.  I got over the pack up everything everyday pretty quickly.  One of the best pieces of advice I got on this board.  Pack everything into a big bag--in my case one of the $2 cheapie backpacks with the string-- and put THAT into the pannier or the saddle bag or basket of that day's ride.  Pannier might get dirty, but that bag is always clean, big enough and easy enough to bring to my room or kitchen.

Roberta

Philadelphia

[Bill Lindsay]

Since you're recording your commute on Strava, I'd recommend having a look at Wandrer.earth.  It's ADDICTIVE to compulsive sorts like me.  What it will do is incentivize picking an entirely different route each way, each time.  What Wandrer does is it colors every rideable road and trail on Earth red, and everything you ride gets colored blue.  It's like a binary heat map.  You get no credit for riding the same route a thousand times.  It's gratifying to lay down a footprint in NYC and see it grow.  I'm laying down a footprint in Silicon Valley now that they've moved my office down there.  It's $30 a month, and it's a one-man operation.  He uses the money for a good cause.

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Ted W]

> One year, I tried tubeless and the piece of mind of not getting flats was fabulous.  My commuter got a flat once and I had to walk home in the rain pushing the bike.  I wasn't so happy.  When I went tubeless on the Appa, I changed the tires to Gravel King slicks and the entire ride changed for the better, bringing back more fun.  I couldn't wait to jump on it every day, it was like a new bike.  So, perhaps new fabulous tires for a different feel?  How about riding different bikes, perhaps for a week at a time. I do that.

This reminds me, being prepared for every (most?) eventualities is a huge part that I think some people tend to overlook. Being stranded or having to push your bike because of a mechanical failure is a quick way to ruin your commuting experience. I run tubeless, knobby tires on my Appaloosa for the same reason mentioned above: flat protection. Having knobby tires reduces the changes of a flat in my experience and tubeless tires have a lower likely hood of going flat due to the common, small punctures I experience around town. In my experience, tubeless tires have added flat protection compared to strictly tubed tires. You have sealant in the tire to automatically seal any small punctures. In the case of punctures too big to seal automatically, I carry tire plugs (also called "bacon strips"). If all else fails, I also carry a spare tube and patch kit; you can always run a tubeless tire with a tube if all else fails. I've also seen tire repair kits that include a sewing kit for repairing sidewall tears, but I've never seen a need to include that in my kit.

To avoid getting stranded on the side of the road due to a mechanical failure, I carry the following on my bike at all times:

* spare tube

* tire plugs (bacon strips, not darts)

* tire/tube patches

* frame pump

* bike-specific multi-tool

* Wolftooth (yes, branded) Pack Pliers

* Spare quicklinks

* Tire levers

* Spare tubeless valve and at least one spare valve core

* a couple of M4 bolts of various lengths

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[Roberta]

Along Ted's line of "be prepared" and my "peace of mind" I forgot to mention Dyno light.

Bill, I you might have been able to find gems you wouldn't have know otherwise.

[Piaw Na]

I've been bike commuting since my roommate crashed my car in 1990.

• Try not to carry stuff - I've gotten to the point where I have 2 computers for work, one at home and one in the office so I don't have to carry it between home and work. (In the old days it was easy to convince my employer to do this because hard drives can't take the hammering in a saddlebag and would die every few months)
• Rather than bullet proof my bike (I'm the kind of person who can get flat tires no matter how bullet proof the tire is), I go for maximum repairability. That means quick release wheels, rims and tires that are compatible so removing an inner tube and patching a flat is easy, and I've unfortunately gotten good at repairing flats. That doesn't mean that fixing a flat by the side of the road with cold fingers while cars are splashing dirty water on you is fun, but cursing at a tire that won't come off no matter what is even more frustrating. (It also means no generator lights to make flat tire fixing easy)
• Rain gear and fenders. Living in California I can get away with clip ons rather than full fenders, and good rain jacket and rain pants covers the rest. Needless to say, Kool-stop Salmon brake pads are a necessity.
• Preventive maintenance and simplicity. That for me means I inspect the bike and replace chains and other consumables like brake pads on a regular basis.
• Garmin radar. This is great for peace of mind as well as those ugly left turns.
• Complain to the traffic engineering department in your city. I've had good luck writing city traffic engineering departments complaining about lights that don't respond to bicycles or even debris in the bike lane. One trick is to CC the local bike advocacy organization. When the city departments see that someone's been CC'd, they assume you're preparing for a lawsuit in the future and they will actually fix things. Recently they even swept the streets after I complained!

[Jeremy Till]

Long time bike commuter here. For the past seven years, I've worked in a city (Davis, CA) that's about 16 miles by bike from where I live (Sacramento, CA). That's just a little bit longer than I can, or have the motivation to do, 100% of the time while also having enough energy for my job and being present for my wife and 5 year old at home. It's also not the most pleasant bike ride--while the cities at either end are pleasant places to ride, in the middle there are many miles of frontage road and somewhat sketchy bike path along a freeway. So, most days I ride my bike to transit, either bus or train. I'm lucky to have both options. The morning bike ride to the bus is actually in the opposite direction from my work, but it goes through a pleasant neighborhood and is just long enough (~3.5 miles) to help me feel like I've ridden a bit and got some exercise. 

So, my first advice would be to explore multi-modal options. Is there a transit option that can cut out the worst part of your commute? Is there a transit option where riding to the transit is actually more enjoyable than riding straight to work?

If you're a tinkerer and enjoy riding different bikes, like I am, then I would say that switching things up and using the commute to try new setups is a good way to keep things fresh and motivating. I ride different bikes depending on if I'm multi-modal commuting or riding the whole way, and the opportunity to ride a different bike helps me get excited about choosing one option or another. The daily repetition can also help with comparison between setups to help you try new things and dial them in. Multi-modal may also put different demands on your setup that might lead you in the direction of a different bike. For instance, while I have a Clem, I don't commute on it because its length makes it difficult to use with the bike racks on the bus and train. 

I go through periods of higher motivation where I get in the habit of doing the full commute, most recently in 2021-2022 when I returned to the office after the pandemic, but then life intervenes and I fall out of the habit and it's hard to get back in to it. I rode all the way home on Tuesday, and while the freeway-adjacent parts were as unpleasant as ever, the other parts helped me to remember why I enjoy it, and it felt good to get the miles in. So my last piece of advice would be to take it easy on yourself--even long time bike commuters can struggle with motivation. Don't get down on yourself for wanting to take it easy sometimes, but also embrace the good feelings when they do occur.  

-Jeremy Till

Sacramento, CA

On Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 7:26:25 AM UTC-7 Michael Morrissey wrote:

[Josiah Anderson]

Lots of great advice here already; I will pile on in support of changing it up as much as possible. I have also been successful in using other modes to convince myself of how effective bike commuting is. I currently have a 1 mile commute, and for the first little while I would often walk or run, but I eventually got tired of that and started riding again. Before that, I had very easy bus access within ~50 feet of my doors on either end, and I used it frequently, but then I decided it was faster and more fun to ride my bike so I started doing that again. I even drove for a 6 mile commute a few times, which ended very quickly because I felt so bad afterwards. So my advice is to try something else and see how it works; if it's better, that's great and you've found something to add to the rotation, and if you don't like it it'll keep you riding.

Josiah Anderson

Missoula, MT

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[Eric Floden]

I was a big fan of changing up my routes when I was commuting. I am not easy to awaken, so would take the direct route to get to work, but going home, instead of doing the 6km  direct route, often went double and sometimes 3x and 4x the short route. It gave me something to think about at work. "Hmmm, which way today?"

And the odd time, I would leave the bike at work and walk home... 

[Patrick Moore]

#1: Don't force yourself; do it in order to enjoy it.

#2: Very often gently forcing yourself to get out of the door will put you on a ride that you will thoroughly enjoy. But don't make it a chore.

#3: Don't time yourself unless (a) you enjoy timing yourself and (b) you're not overdoing it.

I violated #1 and #2 regularly back when I commuted 15 or 16 (or even 20 miles with detours) 1 way across town to an office job.  I use to ride 16 miles across town on Central/Rt 66 in rush hour, day and night, and beat the crosstown bus; I'd try to break an hour clock running including downtown and lights every mile on East Central and I sometimes did. Fixed gear, 9 miles of climbing, ~10 lb load in a Carradice. But I was always tired. Later, as I aged (started age 41, ended age 53) I found a route off the main boulevards and slowed down and enjoyed it more.

Use a bike you love. I had many fun rides on several nicely set up beaters -- one I wish I'd kept was an early edition Raleigh Technium sports tourer, a flexy tank, but it had a Cadillac ride with 32s -- but I finally decided that leaving my new Riv Road custom hanging on the wall was stupid and had a local builder convert it into a fixed gear for commuting.

Have a dedicated commuter that fits and feels like your best "fun" bike but has lights, fenders, racks or bags. Good, light wheels, similar setup. My commuter was a geometrical and in many respects a build clone of my gofast road bike.

Use good tires. I commuted on the fastest (feeling) tires I could find, including for a while 200 gram 22 mm Specialized Turbos. They didn't flat (here in goathead country, this before modern sealants) any more than 1.25 Paselas, and probably less. I commuted for fun and nothing ends that fun, for me, quicker than riding dead draggy tires.

Learn to fix flats and change tubes quickly; tho' with modern sealants either in tubeless tires or in tubes this is largely a thing of the past, IME.

Make your ride longer if this allows you to detour on to smaller and less traveled (and perhaps more pleasant) roads.

Leave what kit you can at the office. I kept shoes at the office as well as a cleaning kit; this for myself: spray alcohol and paper towels. I'd retire to my office (where I parked my bike) and wipe myself down with rubbing alcohol, in hot weather while standing in front of a big fan on High. I carried office clothing and lunch as well as bike kit in my Carradice Nelson Longflap or Adam. You can also drive in on Monday with a week's worth of clothing and drive in on Friday to take them home again but I generally just carried my things because we were office casual and it required less planning.

Start clean. Take a morning shower; you'll still be half clean when you arrive after 8 or 12 or 20 miles.

Get up a bit earlier. I also violated this rule. But 10 or 15 minutes extra time = far less anxiety, and allows you to stop to patch a tube or adjust a derailleur without cursing.

Take a big lunch and a morning snack and a late afternoon snack.

Take your lights! A few times I blithely rode in only to find that I'd forgotten my lights; once rode home on a Riv Road custom without lights and bent the fork against a curb in the twilight. Another time I bought a cheap Walgreen's flashlight and taped it to the bottom of the left drop bar hook. Fortunately much of my route, if I took a detour, was on bike paths.

Keep a few tools and tubes and bits and a pump at work.

Carry enough water in summer. I once consumed a gallon between a 28 oz bottle before I left, 2 28 oz bottles on the 16 miles home, and close to a half gallon when I reached home. 95* and well-sub-10% humidity riding into a typical stiff afternoon SW wind.

Carry hot sweet tea in winter.

Wear lays of wool in winter for comfort but also because wool does not stink. My Kucharick ls jersey would get stiff and gray and crusty with sweat before it started to smell.

Ride aggressively. Not stupidly, but take your lane at intersections to prevent right hooks. When proceeding straight through intersections ride to the left of your lane and stare directly and hard at oncoming cars so that they are less likely to left hook you. I liked to stand and accelerate hard to give on-comers the idea. And wave your arm with forefinger pointing forward to signal that you are going straight.

Rain cape for rain. Most of our rain comes in the summer so jacket and pants would have been far too hot. A light cape well tied or weighted down is comfortable; I found the Carradice Duxback canvast cape too warm, though otherwise very good.

Tape cardboard to your office wall so that the wall doesn't mess up your bar tape when you lean your bike against the wall. Or get them to give you an extra office for changing and bike storage.

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Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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[Patrick Moore]

Note that sealant (Orange Seal regular formula) works very well in tubes in road tires; a metaphorical 95%+ as well as sealant (OS Endurance formulas because it leaves far less residue) in low pressure fat tubeless tires. I ride 175 (digital!) gram 29 mm RH tires in goathead world and while I carry spare tubes and extra sealant I no longer carry patches. And you don't need to replenish sealant in tubes, IME, except every 18 or 24 months.

Patrick Moore

29 mm Elk Pass with tubes at 50 to 60 psi + OS regular

42 mm Naches Pass with tubes at 30 to 40 psi + OS regular

50 mm Soma Supple Vitesse SL tubeless at 20 to 23 psi + OS Endurance

72 mm WTB Ranger tubeless at 13 to 15 psi + OS Endurance

[Patrick Moore]

Agree with the QR wheels and easy-off/on tires, but I found unplugging and re-plugging dynohub connectors a very minor part of fixing a flat. Sure, SON spade connectors are fussy, but they're not that fussy, and Shimano's and SP's system -- a block plug that lines everything up -- is a doddle. I made a plug around my SON spades using Sugru. 

And all of this from back when I went through most of 2 boxes (100 each) of Remas a year.

On Thu, Oct 26, 2023 at 11:25 AM Piaw Na <pi...@gmail.com> wrote:... (It also means no generator lights to make flat tire fixing easy ...

[Patrick Moore]

That's 1 and three (3) ...

[Minh]

Hi Michael, 

lots of great advice, i ride into Chelsea from Park Slope a few times a month, i think NYC is just a whole different commute.  Have you connected with anyone that takes your approximate route?  I know my stress levels went down many levels once i figured out a a better route.   for me a better route is not what google maps suggests or even what makes the most 'sense', in some cases i take a neighborhood street instead of a bike lane.   or i go oppoosite direction a few blocks to get to a less stressful street.   

start exploring and looking for little tweaks like this to lower your stress level!   also if you are having to take the QBB, making that crossing in and of itself is a big accomplishment!

[Armand Kizirian]

I will provide two suggestions, the first, expected, the second, perhaps not.

1) Bountiful suggestions to be made as far as equipment goes. Mine would be to make all touch points on the bike, luxurious. Ever since I tried Rene Herse/Compass tires, I don't run anything else. I have had very good luck with flats, even with extralight casings. I am a very vigilant rider though, always veering around debris piles along the way. They have transformed both comfort and speed on my bicycles and anything else redacts the cycling experience for me. If you have yet to find a saddle or grips that make them disappear on the entirety of your commute, find what does. I will also say, if you can manage what you fit in your pannier on a basket, I find front loading makes the bike feel livelier. Not only is the weight centered, but if you get out of the saddle for more spirited riding, the weight stays isolated over the front wheel, shifting and swaying less than the wider arc swinging left to right on the rear, as it would with a pannier(s). 

2) Change your mind, or rather, your perspective. Get creative and make a list of fun games to play with your awareness on each commute. For today's commute I will....listen to as many birds as possible...find the brightest colors....pay attention to at least a dozen trees I've never given a moment's notice before....breathe only through my nose....wave to 5 different people with a smile for no reason at all....step into a storefront I've always been curious about...

...the list goes on and on. There is no such thing as the same commute, even with an identical route, every day. Have fun. :)

[Will Boericke]

Not sure I can add more here.  I'm a daily commuter in new england, all weather, and my commute makes me happy each day.  My commuter bikes are heavy, old and generally undesirable, but well-equipped for the job.  Dyno lights are a must, as are studs in the winter (but not every day, hence two bikes).  I have a front load for one bike and a rear load for the other, for variety.

Every once in a while I have to drive.  This reinforces how much better the ride is.    Perhaps commuting in some other fashion might provide similar perspective for you - it's equally annoying AND you're not on a bike.  

Will

[Kainalu V. -Brooklyn NY]

Yes, Wandrer is great fun,! and helps you get around and explore possible great options for your commute, while exploring terrible options on your commute🙃. I use the free option because I’m needing to pinch the pennies. As for commuting advice, I’d say however and whatever bike you end up riding, make it a habit and you’ll find you don’t consider any other way an option. I used to work in Yonkers 3 days a week and commuted from Brooklyn, sometimes taking to 1 train up to Van Cortland to skip the less fun part, but riding home was always the best. Since I took a full time job in the Upper West Side 6 years ago, I’ve managed to only miss a few weeks after a particularly nasty collarbone break. That nasty subway is dead to me!, for the most part (I like to cruise around on it with my fam, when I can’t convince them to ride bikes or walk). I assume you take the Queensboro regularly, do you ever go Triboro? Those wheel troughs on the stairs make it great for even the heaviest of bikes, and it’s a nice portal to the Bronx and all points North (Highbridge is the bestest)

Happy rolling!

-Kai

[Eric Daume]

Just to clarify, wandrer.earth is $30/YEAR, not per month. It’s a lot of fun to use. It took me a good nine months to cover the ~440 miles in my town. Rides get less and less efficient at picking up new miles as you ride…

Eric

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[Luke Hendrickson]

Enjoy the new adventure! I love commuting by bike. Everyone has said wonderful things, but I’d like to add something: just get a dynamo system and ditch the rechargeables. This has made a huge difference for me having just a couple less things to worry about charging.

A clear, resonant bell. I have a Crane Suzu and people reeaaalllyyy hear it. I’m always ringing it to let people know where I am and it just works. Wonderfully. 

It’s been said but wool makes a difference. I wear wool socks from SmartWool year round and I love them and the warmth/cooling they provide. I also have a WoolyWarm sweater (obsessed!) and the Dottie Wool gloves. I won’t win any awards for looking good, but I’m always cozy on my bike. 

I also suggest racks/a trailer. Why add more weight you ask? I never, ever need to wear a bag and can run the usual errands with little or no planning because I can just throw stuff on my racks. The planning comes when I need to haul more and have to plan around having my B.O.B.

And attached is my current setup for commuting, riding, and plain fun. Enjoy yourself out there!

[Philip Barrett]

One thing to add - you can have Strava auto-pause when you stop.

https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/216919277-Auto-Pause

[Will Boericke]

And not average in zeros to your speed.

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[Drew Henson]

Seattle bike commuter here, going on over a decade with about a 9 mile trip one way. Although I don't ride everyday like I once did with work from home setup I have now. I agree with a lot of the above. My strategies to keep it interesting:

- Tinkering, testing new set ups. Biking is where a lot of my hobby $$ goes and I like trying out new stuff.

- Having two commuting bikes that are set up differently. I have one upright bike (sam) and one drop bar (crust dreamer). But with dyno hubs and fenders, but very different to ride. 7000c vs 650b, v brakes versus discs, etc. 

- Bag options. Tray a basket bag set up versus panniers. Leaving more at the office versus packing more.

- Changing up route up as much as possible. That wandrer app looks awesome! Sometimes in the summer I like to bike by the baseball stadium to see the crowds or bike along the beach. 

[Bill Lindsay]

Did I say $30/month?  Rats.  Sorry.  Yes, $30 a year, and still a good cause.  

BL in EC

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[velomann]

I really can't add much to what's already been said, but these would be my own main points based on 5-days/week bike commuting for over 20 years. Most of that was about 11 mostly flat miles each way, one year of 16+ miles each way with more stressful traffic and a couple big hills, and now averaging about 6-7 miles each way (I'm technically "retired,: but still working 5-days/week.)

If you can keep a change of clothes at the destination, that's helpful. At the minimum, if you can keep a pair or 2 of work shoes at work, that's super-helpful and cuts down on the load.

If you have a quiet commute (it doesn't sound like you do) podcasts/audiobooks can liven things up. But safety first.

I ran Orange Seal in tubes for several years when I was commuting through flat-prone areas and it helped a lot with flats. 

For commuting, don't allow yourself to get caught up in any feeling that you need "performance" whatever for your bike. Reliability and durability are far more important for the daily grind. This is especially true for tires. The shop I work at, which caters almost exclusively to bike commuters, only sells Schwalbe Marathon tires. They're not flat proof, but about as close as you can get.

Habits are not developed overnight. For bike commuting to become a habit, you gotta stick with it. Soon enough, driving becomes much less appealing. 

Mike M

On Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 7:26:25 AM UTC-7 Michael Morrissey wrote:

[Michael McArthur]

Lots of good advice here. On the head space front, I have a couple positive thoughts that I keep bouncing around - cycle commutes are the only time I get paid to ride my bike. The $$ saved over other commuting modes means cycling isn't just an expensive hobby. I also consider the exercise of my 9mi commute with 430' of climbing to be the easiest way to find time in my day to get the heart pumping. I mean, I'd have to spend time commuting anyways. 

I've landed on tubes instead of sealant for the lack of hassle of maintaining tire pressure and drying sealant. I pump up 1x per week to keep my 29/30 psi. On carrying stuff in, my strategy is to leave a pair of shoes & towel at the office to lighten the load. I have the equivalent of one pannier worth of stuff to bring, so use a porteur rack & bag to keep it all centred. Fenders and 650x48 slicks stay on year-round to manage lousy pavement while enjoying the ride. 

Lastly, commuting is great way to make sure you bike is ready for the longer weekend rides. You can fine-tune fit and ensure everything is working before you headed to the riverside camp spot. 

Hope this helps. 

[Tom Wyland]

I've been commuting for 13 years. My current commute is suburban, about 6 miles each way.  Lots of great advice here and as expected I learned something new (sealant in tubes! sign me up!)

I would try new things to constantly improve your commute (equipment, route, clothes)

• Try changing up luggage, cockpit (handlebar, grips, stems), tires, etc
• Dynamo lights are awesome and help with safety during the day
• I'm prepared, but I don't change my schedule for a weather forecast
• I leave clothes and another computer at work to avoid lugging them every day. I shower before I leave.
• Choose different routes to avoid left hooks/cross traffic, etc.  It's worth making your trip longer sometimes.
• I got an ebike and take that on some days when I'm really unmotivated or it's hot/windy, etc. 
• The time difference between really pushing myself and just pleasantly cruising is like 5-7 minutes, tops. 

Thanks,

Tom 

Reston, VA

[Brian Forsee]

Lots of great info in here. I have an easy commute, about 4 miles each way, but I have the constantly fluctuating midwest weather to deal with. I'll offer a counterpoint to some previously mentioned advice of minimizing what you carry. Overall I agree with keeping your load to a minimum, with the exception of some clothing accessories. In the fall/winter i keep some stuff in my commute bag full time.

Things like:  Rain Gear. 2 pair gloves (I have gloves for below freezing and some dotty wools and keep them both on the bike. Wear the wrong ones to start? Pull over and swap em out real quick. No sweat!) Same goes for winter head gear. Maybe even an extra sweater. 

I find i fret over the details of the weather less when i know i can easily make some mid-ride adjustments to my clothing.