10 Things I Wish I'd Known When I Started Commuting By Bike

Do you have any other bike commuting tips? Let us know in the comments below!👇

I live in Los Angeles, so you need a car to get laid and respect. I would like to bike to work and I live near my work, but my ADHD makes me late all the time.

I just started as a necessity while I'm homeless. It's honestly a little relaxing when it's not exhausting, I just wish it wasn't so painful after the fact

Help others to start early. My Kids are used to riding to the Kindergarten since they are 3. If that's normal life for you, you won't get worried once you are older

Try a couple of practice runs to work on a weekend to memorise your route - however I did that then cycled in at 4am in the dark and couldn't remember the route😢

Just started a ‘Bike to Work’ since early July, now became addicted🤸🏻‍♀️

My biggest obstacle to commuting by bike is dealing with work traffic. It’s a rural area with several plants changing shift when I start out so to avoid being mowed down by very anti-cyclists NASCAR types I wind up having to turn the route to work into 21 miles of back roads. Still try to do it every so often though.

before riding, you need to eat a little portion (carbo + protein like eggs) and a little sip of caffeine for energy throughout the route

Driving is fun, commuting is not.

Ride a moped. Same speed as road bike , comfort of a car.😂

Ebikes are technically more efficient than cycling

I average about 1100 miles a year just commuting to work or for going downtown to meet friends or catch some music. I ride a touring bike (Fuji) because 1)They have a longer wheelbase which if good for riding rough city roads. 2)The relatively bigger tires help cushion the bumps. 3) Fenders can be easily attached and removed as can racks. Unfortunately, there are not many alternative and more fun routes here in the city so riding the same streets all the time does get a bit boring. I wear street clothes and will bring a work-friendly shirt to put on when I arrive.

Not that I'm a "fair-weather" rider but, here in Tucson, AZ, even at 0630 it's can be 85F and well over a 100F by the end of the day, I will sometimes choose to drive on those days. But also, being in the desert, the evenings can get very cold and in the winter when leaving the house at 0630 it can be 29F and maybe 60F on the ride home. I prefer not to ride when it's below 35F so I'll drive then, too. I've used the MapMyRide app to keep track of miles and after using it for just over 10 years, it shows 11,300 miles. They are all commuting miles.

You've got auto maker commercials on your video openers.

Get to know the location of your LBS near your office, as this will come in handy if you should have a mechanical or need to get some parts.

Driving is fun

Wear safety vest, if you can let vehicles pass you if safely moving out of the why (if no bike lane here you are allowed to ride on the road following all traffic laws), keep a medical record and emergency contact information on you (sounds bad but it saved lives here as EMS and other first responders have basic information like blood type, medicine you are on, and medical conditions, someone to call like family to help filling out paperwork and things.

Really glad you made this video...what better way to squeeze some fun miles in than making it your commute? I will, however, point out that in my climate (the US Pacific NW) fenders/mudguards make the ride much MORE fun (woohoo, puddles on the road, not in my shoes!) and make all your gear last longer. There are also some really low-profile options that disappear into a fast road bike with tight clearances with pretty amazing coverage.

Can't agree more with Si on the wet bum on the rainy days. Sod extras and practicality, il gladly take a wet bum and have a ton of fun on my commute in the rain any day. Oh the joy I get grinning in the cold dark rain smiling at drivers stuck in their cars 😂
Ps as soon as I seen the spare pair of jocks to work I knew he is up to the same thing as myself 😁

I would be too afraid to just leave my bike in an open area even if it is secured.

when I was in high school I worked at wendys and someone stole my work bike and so I walked after that. now I work at the pentagon and I was scared to leave my mtb there especially since its pretty kitted out, i asked a fellow cyclist and he told me that he has forgotten his lock multiple times and its been ok. I should have guessed that since there are these huge cameras right above you looking at your every move. thats one of the few places I would trust doing that. you cant enter without a id or a sponsor so in order to get close to the bike rack you would have to be a worker.

I think ebikes are a great option for people who want to get outside more but have joint pain or other limitations. I enjoy my Addmotor M81.

My all round commute a day is only 20 miles in Edinburgh, a lot of hills and wet weather but I love it 95% of the time

When I started to use my road bike to commute, I didn't give it much thought and had problems with rain, headwinds and getting a sore butt. I still preferred it to public transport, which I had used before. More than a year ago I then solved my problems with weather and discomfort by getting a velomobile. Now I use that to cycle almost everywhere I have to go. One of the best things I ever bought.

also, when (if u can) u store inside somewhere at work, try to lock it there too
where i live bikes will be outside for years never touched everywhere like no bike theft at all it seems, but heard this cashier who had every bike stolen in his life living here, how lol

The first time I needed to change an inner tube to repair a puncture, I didn't know how to do it. I had to walk the bike home five miles. I asked the local bike store to let me watch them fix it and take me through what to do. They were happy to. So that's my tip. I made a good little kit, it's easy to change an inner tube when you know how. Also this tip: learning that commuting tyres are not all created equal and some of them are much more puncture resistant. After 3 flats in six months with my Kenda tyres, I changed to Schwalbe Marathon Plus. A lot of people criticise them for having no feel and each to their own, but now I only get punctures about once every 18 months.

It used to be light, but now I have to bring my laptop due to wfh setup and RTO. But still awesome compared to driving in traffic. Plus dopamine is fully loaded once I reached office.

Great video, thanks! I’d check if there’s a Bike to Work scheme at your employer as it can save hundreds of euros/pounds. I got an electric bike but cycle with it most of the time on eco. People think electric bike won’t make you fit but it’s not true. What I love about it is that I don’t need to break out sweat and so need no change of clothes or shower at work. I’d get also anti-puncture tyres - one of the best things to equip your bike with.

Great episode!

Another great vid. Thanks Si lots of great tips in this.

As a Dutch guy, let me tell you that you can definitely also work up a sweat on a flat commute. Being slightly competitive on a road bike is not helping that at all. 😉

MTB, Road bike, Gravel bike and E-Bike. How come there's never any mention of hybrid bikes? Seems like they could be ideal for a lot of people especially for beginner cyclists and commuting. Seems hard to find many videos about them.

Absolutely love this content! Super video Si & gcn! Only missed it because I was in northern Canada without internet. Love how Si centralized FUN!!! He and I have totally different styles but the fun is what unites all bike commuters. I love fenders, a more upright profile, and a rack and milk crate. Lights are essential for year round and safety. Here in Canadian winters, studded tires are a must. Experiment to find your style that works for you, but as Si says don't get hung up on kit. You can do it! And you deserve the fun and freedom!

I would say don't be scared.
Few years ago i was commuting to work on short distance. Around 5 km. And i was doing it in December. In my home country it would be very harsh. But in Uk i could do it. There was some rain or snow/ice. But everything is possible.
Of course it wasn't much of a distacne. But still some challange in difficult weather.

Few years ago I cycled to work every day. Due to corona I got let off an went to a different job a bit too far away for the bike. The job was extremely stressful, the days very long and the commute by car only added to the stress. I really missed cycling and being able to clear my head after a workday.
3 months ago I quit, moved, got another job and started cycling to work again. I feel more relaxed, healthier, stronger and all the weird stress related problems my body came up with have almost disappeared.
I live in the Netherlands, so cycling routes are pretty good (although there are a lot of improvements that can be made).

Leave for work slightly earlier, even if it’s 5 minutes earlier, doing ever so slightly more than the minimum is uplifting

I live a bit too far from work, with significant route issues to commute by bike. However, I avoid rush hour traffic by coming in early and going for a ride before work most days. It’s the best mix I can come up with in my present circumstances.

Commuting just changed my life

Commute with a comfortable bike

Great advice. I find Simon encouraging and entertaining in his videos. I started cycling all the way to work in 2020 every day possible and now find it indispensable to my lifestyle, enjoyment, and fitness.

You can’t say driving is fun? Bruv.

oooooh i've really missed the 'classic gcn' style content!

I only started cycling to work a week ago. I had to drive into work on Friday as I had a meeting offsite & genuinely missed the feeling of accomplishment that comes with getting to the office under my own steam. For the unfit like me (and carries a back pack) I would suggest a fresh T-shirt for the way back, it’s much more pleasant putting dry cloths on!

When I commut to work, I use flat pedles so I can ride in my work shoes. I also wear chain guards to keep my long work pants out of the chain. Great video.

Wear a reflective vest day or night.

Multiple routes... I would lose my Local Legends then mate 😢

U die easily if commute in Hong Kong

What Orbea model do you ride? Looks awesome