Commuting: 10 things I wish I'd known before I started cycling to work

It's easy to build up a preconceived idea in your head of what it'll be like cycling to work. You might picture yourself riding on the side of a busy road, sweating through your clean office clothes, with an enormous, heavy rucksack weighing you down.

As it turns out, it doesn't have to be anything like that.

In fact, get a few things right and you can transform your commute from a dull slog from A to B to a highlight of your working day.

Here are 10 things veteran bike commuter Si Richardson wishes he'd known about cycling to work, when he first started out.

Read more: Top tips for cycling to work: Beginners guide to commuting by bike

1. There is no ‘wrong way’

It’s easy to get hung up worrying about getting everything right. Have you got the right bike? The right gear? The right spare parts? It’s good to think about these things in time, but they shouldn't stop you from getting on your bike and riding to work in the first place.

As Si says, “the hardest part about it all is just getting started, so don’t put obstacles in your way; don’t worry about needing specialist equipment, just get out there and do it.”

2. Cycling to work can be fun

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Commuting by bike can be fun, with the right attitude

Most of us know that cycling to work is good for the planet, your health, and your wallet. But you might not have thought that it could be fun, too.

“You can’t say the same about driving and you can’t say the same about public transport, and whilst walking is nice, that’s not fun either, but cycling is,” says Si.

Cycling to work is a fantastic way to squeeze something enjoyable into your daily routine. It can turn the practical matter of getting into work into something you look forward to.

Read more: Commuting errors: 10 mistakes all cyclists make riding to work

3. You can explore different routes

When you first decide to cycle into work, it seems obvious to find the most direct route and take that. Spend a few minutes consulting the map, though, or using an app like Strava and you will probably find loads of different routes that can get you to work, many of which are more pleasant or interesting than the one you started with.

In fact, since cycling is far more than just a way to get from A to B, give yourself a bit of extra time so you can explore further, as Si explains:

“Seeing as riding is fun and driving is not, why not allocate an extra five or ten minutes for your commute so you can choose an even nicer route."

4. You can travel light

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A small bag will do if you pack carefully

When many of us start commuting by bike, we pack everything and the kitchen sink in our bag. The problem is that carrying a massive backpack or weighing your bike down with panniers can suck the joy out of the ride.

By leaving as much heavy or bulky stuff at work as possible, you can get your commuting bag down to a tiny pack — you’ll hardly even notice you’re carrying it.

Try leaving most of your clothes at work, along with your shoes, so all you need to carry in each day is a fresh t-shirt, underwear and socks.

As with any ride, provisions for a puncture or roadside mechanical are a must too. We recommend you carry a tube, pump and multi-tool.

Read more: Five essential tools and spares for cyclists

5. It’s better to pack a change of clothes

Depending on the length of your commute, you might get away with riding to work in the clothes you’ll wear for the day. However, this can make the ride itself less fun, as you’ll be stressing about getting a sweat on rather than enjoying the ride.

“The slight issue with cycling for commuting is that unlike walking or driving, you build up a bit of a sweat,” says Si.

For that reason, we’d suggest packing a change of clothes for all but the shortest of commutes. That could mean riding in lycra and changing fully once you’re there, or it might be as simple as chucking a fresh t-shirt in your bag to change into once you arrive.

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Only pack the bare essentials

6. You don’t need a ‘commuter bike’

What is the best bike for commuting? It’s a question we’ve asked ourselves a number of times. If you want to follow Si’s advice and enjoy your commute almost as a proper bike ride, then a road bike or gravel bike is the best tool for the job.

“When I first started riding to work I used the only road bike I had, which just too happened to be a road bike that I’d been racing on as a professional just a few weeks beforehand," Si explains.

“I then decided that perhaps I should have a practical road bike, so I bought one that had mudguards and the like and honestly, I hated it so much that I sold it within a month because it was really boring. I went back to a fast road bike and just put up with having a wet bum when it rained.

"For me, fun trumps practicality.”

Read more: What's the best bike for your commute?

7. A quick wipe-down after a rainy ride will help to look after your bike

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A quick wipe makes a world of difference

Keeping on top of bike maintenance when you ride your bike twice a day to commute can seem impossible. However, Si says that a little effort goes a long way.

“One particularly good tip is if you’ve cycled in the rain, give it a wipe down with a rag while it's still wet. Sounds like a small thing but it’ll make such a big difference the next time you come to ride it."

Look after your bike and equipment, and you'll get thousands of trouble-free kilometres out of your gear. It might seem like a bit of work, but keeping on top of maintenance will allow you to ride a nice bike to work, rather than a rusty old 'commuter bike'. That's going to make the ride a heck of a lot more fun.

Read more: GCN's maintenance tips library

8. Locking up securely: there’s a chance you’ll be able to store your bike inside somewhere

Security is always a concern when you need to leave your bike unattended for hours on end, and it can be the reason we leave our nicer bike at home and take something less valuable instead.

Before you commit to getting a 'beater' to lock up outside, ask your workplace if there's somewhere you can keep your bike during the day that'll be safe and secure.

If that's not possible, get on to your local authority about safe bike storage.

Read more: Two bike parking places per apartment for new buildings in the EU

9. You can get really fit just by commuting

Cycling to work is a great way to get a bit of exercise into your working day, and it can even be used as valuable training time. That's how Si makes the most of his commute:

“I ride into work gently, and on the way home, I might add in some really hard riding. It might be that I try to get home as quickly as possible, or ride hard on the hills, or some days, maybe just 10 30-second max sprints.

"Not only does it keep me fit, but it gives me something to think about other than, ‘I wanna get home.’"

Read more: Are 2 shorter rides better for fitness than 1 longer ride?

10. Normal clothing, or normal cycling clothing, will suffice

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You can ride to work in the clothes or cycling gear you already own

“We’re drawn towards having the right stuff and accessories," says Si, "but actually I think the best investment you can make is time — spending time thinking about your routes to and from work."

As with anything in cycling, there is a whole load of discipline-specific products you can buy for commuting. A lot of them are really valuable, but you don't need any of them to ride to work. For shorter commutes, normal clothes are just fine. A normal helmet designed for road biking or mountain biking will provide the same protection as something 'commuter-specific'. And for longer commutes, the lycra you'd wear on any other bike ride is absolutely fine.

The only commuting-specific items you might want to think about are a set of bike lights and some reflective clothing, especially if your commute sees a lot of traffic.

Read more: Is high-visibility clothing effective for cyclists? Debunking myths and misconceptions