Tips For Your First Commute By Bike
The Coronavirus outbreak has made commuting via bike more important than ever, especially with commuters being encouraged to avoid cramped and busy public transport, such as trains and buses.
There has always been a relatively high number of people which have chosen to commute via bike, staying fit and saving money in the process - but if you are looking to commute via bike for the first time - it can be intimidating.
In this post, we have put together a few hints, trips and tricks to making sure that your first commute on a bike goes well.Â
Buy the Right Bike
Most commutes take place on busy roads, so there’s a few things to avoid when buying the right bike for commuting. Full suspension mountain bikes are usually pretty poor on the daily commute for example, and race bias road bikes also tend to provide a pretty poor experience. Instead, choose a road bike or hardtail mountain bike - which feature an upright riding position - as well as plenty of cycling efficiency to make sure each pedal counts.
Think About Distance
If you only commute a few miles each way to work, it’s likely that you will be able to commute both to and from work on the first day of commuting by bike. If trying to commute for the first time, you can always drive some way to work - and then commute by bike, or bike to work and get public transport back. The trick here is to work out distance, how far you can cycle, and the time that it takes.
Frequency
Again, think about how often you can commute in the beginning. Think about your fitness levels, as well as being able to stick to the plan. In our experience, a good starting point is trying to cycle into work three days a week.
Wear Bright Clothing
There’s a range of high visibility cycle clothing available to buy online - and multiple studies have shown that this clothing helps motorists see you - preventing and lowering the risk of an accident.
Consider Cycling Shorts
Cycling shorts are recommended if your commute is over some sort of distance - not only do these padded shorts provide padding and comfort against the saddle of the bike - they also have also been carefully designed to remain comfortable over long distances, especially when worn without underwear.
Practice the Commute
Although cycling to work on your day off is probably not very high on your list of priorities - it’s a great way of checking the time it takes, and the best route on how to commute to work.
Think about a shower
If your commute covers any kind of distance, or any kind of undulating terrain - it’s likely that you will work up a sweat on your commute. Think about hygiene and getting a shower at work - for your benefit, as well as the benefits of the colleagues which need to be sat next to you!Â
Things to do:
- Get a commuting partner
- Look out for opening car doors
- Follow the rules of the road
- Stick to cycle lanes when possible
- Buy racks and mounts to carry luggage
- Buy a good bike lock
Things not to do:
- Weave in and out of traffic
- Riding on the pavement
- Having headphones blasting, losing situational awareness
Best Commuter Bikes Online
At Westbrook Cycles, we supply a massive range of bikes suitable for commuting - you can view the full range across our site, and if you have any questions about the right bike for your needs - please do get in touch and we will be more than happy to help wherever we can.