You don’t need expensive or fancy kit to commute by bike
More people in London are cycling to work than ever before. If you’re in Zone 1 during the morning rush hour, more than thirty percent of vehicles you’ll see on the roads will be bicycles. The investment in cycling infrastructure such as the cycle superhighways may have been controversial, but it’s helping to turn London into the cycling capital of Britain.
But if you’re new to cycling or cycle commuting, London’s roads can still be intimidating. I understand that. When I started commuting by bike I was nervous of cycling on main roads, nervous of cycling in rush hour and most of all, nervous of buses. But once I started, I found cycling to be my favourite method of commuting and a great way to explore parts of the city you may not otherwise see.
If you’ve been thinking about commuting by bike, but are put off by the cost of kit or the state of the roads, don’t be. Here’s a beginner’s guide to cycle commuting in London.
Choose your kit
As a beginner the choice of bikes and cycling gear can be rather overwhelming. But cycling doesn’t have to cost a fortune – it’s perfectly possible to get all the essential kit you need for commuting for under £500. If you’re happy with a second-hand bike, you won’t even need to spend that. In addition to the obvious places to look such as eBay and Gumtree, try specialist websites such as BuyaCycle or Police auctions. There are also lots of bike recycling organisations around the country and your local bike shop may sell second-hand models.
Bikes
Your choice of bike will depend on the type of terrain you encounter on your route to work. For commuting in London, you’re likely to be mainly on roads or tarmac cycle paths so there’s no need for a mountain bike. Many experienced cyclists (and those with a need for speed) chose a road bike with drop handlebars. If you’re a newer rider and not planning on taking up racing anytime soon then I’d recommend a hybrid bike. These tend to be more affordable and allow you to have a more comfortable, upright riding position.
There’s a huge range of styles of hybrid bike from those that are essentially a road bike at heart, to others that are more adapted for off-road riding. If you’re commuting on roads, you’ll probably want to opt for a steed towards the road bike end of the spectrum as the bike will be lighter with thinner tyres. From personal experience, it’s worth investing in a decent pair of puncture-resistant tyres for all-season riding. Trying to change a tyre at the side of the road in the pouring rain is not fun.
If you’re confused by all the different types of bikes available, check out this useful guide to commuter bikes from from Evans Cycles.
Accessories
The topic of cycle helmets is guaranteed to lead to a lively debate if raised in a pub full of cycling commuters. For my part, I would always recommend you wear a helmet when cycling – your head is precious, let’s keep it intact. There’s a huge range of helmets in different shapes and sizes available on the market to suit every head.
Also essential in London is a good bike lock. How much you spend on this will depend on where you park your bike (e.g. if you have secure bike storage at work) and how precious your bike is to you. There’s a comprehensive guide here to help you make the right decision.
When it comes to bike lights, my view is the brighter the better, particularly when it’s dark and wet. If you don’t drive a car it’s easy to assume that drivers will be able to see you. They have big headlights right?
Well yes, but even on a lit road, it is surprisingly difficult to spot a cyclist riding in the rain at night who is wearing dark clothing and has no lights. And I’m a driver who specifically looks out for cyclists. Moral of the story: ALWAYS use lights at night.
Depending how much stuff you need to lug to and from work, you may want to invest in a bike rack or panniers to ease the load on your back. If you’re going for a backpack it’s worth choosing one that’s waterproof or has a rain cover. I use a reflective HUMP cover which keeps me visible and my bag dry – it also has a hand mesh pocket at the back which you can stash an extra light in.
Clothing
You don’t need any specific clothing for cycling. (Though long skirts and dresses are not advised. Been there. Done that. Got the bruises.) That said, if you’re commuting regularly and don’t want to turn up at the office with soggy trousers covered in chain oil, you’ll probably want a separate set of clothes for cycling.
If you have a short commute, you’ll probably be fine in a pair of leggings or fitness tights, but for longer rides, padded shorts or tights will make your ride a lot more comfortable. And in case you were wondering, you do not wear underwear under the shorts. Cycling shorts are a really personal thing – what suits one person doesn’t necessarily suit another – so do your research before shelling out a load of cash.
The other useful piece of kit is a reflective windproof or waterproof jacket. It may not look ‘cool’ but it’ll keep you warm and dry and could save your life (see point above about people cycling in the dark).
Get trained up
If you haven’t cycled for a while or you’re a bit wobbly on a bike, it’s worth booking onto a cycle training course. Even if you’re an experienced cyclist, you may learn some new tips and tricks for cycling in a city. Free cycle skills training is available at different levels in all London boroughs. Some boroughs will even loan you a bike for the training if you don’t have your own.
Choose your route
When I first started cycling to work in London, I chose the most direct route into work. It was along a main road, but it wasn’t a particularly fast road (especially not during rush hour) and there were cycle or bus lanes for part of the route. But after a couple of near misses and one incidence of being knocked off my bike by a careless driver, I started to get a bit more nervous. Although I didn’t commute every day, after a few months I realised I was subconsciously avoiding cycling into work. Making up excuses for why tomorrow wasn’t a ‘good day’ to cycle.
So I started to look for alternative routes into work. I tried following one of the marked cycle routes on designated quiet roads, which was fun but took too long to be practical. I then plugged my details into the TfL Route Planner, which was super useful. It gave me a list of route options, from quickest and most direct, to an easy route which avoided all main roads. I picked the ‘moderate route’ and amended it slightly using one of the free cycle guides Transport for London produce.
I ended up with a route that took me slightly longer to get to work, but was infinitely more enjoyable. I felt safer and more relaxed and began to look forward to my cycling days again. If you’re commuting outside of London, the CycleStreets website has a journey planner covering other parts of the country.
Learn the basics of bike maintenance
Now don’t panic, I’m talking about the BASICS of bike maintenance. Stuff that every bike owner should know. This doesn’t involve stripping down your bike or replacing components and doesn’t require fancy tools or special knowledge. It’s about making sure your bike is roadworthy. Sustrans have a useful 11-step checklist which covers basic bike checks and pumping your tyres up. It’s also worth practicing replacing an inner tube or repairing a puncture as there is a bit of a knack to it.
If you’re not sure about anything or want to try your hand at more complex maintenance, YouTube is your friend!
Above all, just get out there and enjoy a commute in the fresh air. It beats playing sardines on the tube any day.