Convincing myself the cycle commute is worth it

Ballard

Thanks. 
Because I've found in the past that my toes get extremely cold after less than an hour in this weather I've got some thick walking socks, without which I'd struggle to much more than 45 minutes at this time of year. Good point about walking overshoes. Perhaps that'd be the answer.

[Deleted User]

You can get some waterproof/warm thermal socks - Dexshell and SealSkinz do them though can be a bit pricey

Prendas Thermolite are supposedly rated to -6C though I didn't order them in the end because the review on their site that they linked wasn't exactly singing their praises - said they were too thin for very cold rides! I have some Defeet woolie boolie socks which are decent but in the real cold I find the same as you even in some half decent cycling boots. I'm awaiting delivery of Madison Isoler Merino Deep Winter socks (Bike tart was cheapest I found)

[Deleted User]

MrGorsky said:

Hello all.
 Today I commuted on my electric assisted bicycle, 24 miles each way.
I’m writing this to try and convince myself this greener and moneysaving commute is better. I’ll be making this journey 3 x per week. It took 1hr 15, as opposed to 25 minutes in the car, along B roads, single track through fields and forest, and bridleways. I enjoyed it, saved £5 in diesel, and got some exercise. Negatives being time taken, maybe less convenience, and weather. If I use the car, we may need to look for a second car for my wife to use, and we really can’t afford that at the moment. ..... just mulling this over.....

Hoe did you manage to average 19mph? If the bike's legal the electric assist is supposed to cut out at 15mph.

[Deleted User]

jack_pott said:

MrGorsky said:

Hello all.
 Today I commuted on my electric assisted bicycle, 24 miles each way.
I’m writing this to try and convince myself this greener and moneysaving commute is better. I’ll be making this journey 3 x per week. It took 1hr 15, as opposed to 25 minutes in the car, along B roads, single track through fields and forest, and bridleways. I enjoyed it, saved £5 in diesel, and got some exercise. Negatives being time taken, maybe less convenience, and weather. If I use the car, we may need to look for a second car for my wife to use, and we really can’t afford that at the moment. ..... just mulling this over.....

Hoe did you manage to average 19mph? If the bike's legal the electric assist is supposed to cut out at 15mph.

Could just be pedalling faster on flats and average speed was bumped up by the electric e.g. on hills. I've done long rides where my average was say 16-17mph and I bet it would be closer to 19-20 if I was boosted up hills to 15 rather than going at 10-12 on long steep climbs. Or it's an illegal one. Have been passed by one of them on my commute, I was doing 18-20mph on bike lane (generally not very heavily used) and they just whizzed past and disappeared, I'd guess it was closer to 25mph. I call them all motorbikes anyway, when you can sit on them and do nothing and bike takes you along, that's little more than a moped

[Deleted User]

Deleted_User said:

You can get some waterproof/warm thermal socks - Dexshell and SealSkinz do them though can be a bit pricey

Prendas Thermolite are supposedly rated to -6C though I didn't order them in the end because the review on their site that they linked wasn't exactly singing their praises - said they were too thin for very cold rides! I have some Defeet woolie boolie socks which are decent but in the real cold I find the same as you even in some half decent cycling boots. I'm awaiting delivery of Madison Isoler Merino Deep Winter socks (Bike tart was cheapest I found)

I ended up getting the socks a bit late - they arrived on Saturday so weather hasn't been cold enough to really test them but they were comfy to wear this morning, shame it was 4C so I wouldn't have been cold in the woolie boolie ones - still, nice material and design and I'll try the second pair on Friday as looks like 2C on my commute and maybe towards end of next week as well

[Deleted User]

Arctic Dry are another firm doing warm/waterproof socks I found
I tried the merino socks on a couple of rides, commuting and out for about 1 1/2 hours on Saturday and I am pleasantly surprised that they are warmer than the woolie boolie ones, still not perfect but certainly good value for money and worth using again.

Ballard

I've yet to look into the overshoes but will have to do it or get some shoes that'll also dispel water or they'll be soaked. I normally just use trainers as I really didn't get on with clipless. I fell off so many times when coming to a halt that I've been put off for life and cycling into London isn't exactly stop free so I'd be in and out of the clips quite regularly.

Norman_Castle

^Try Fabsil on your shoes.

[Deleted User]

Ballard said:

I've yet to look into the overshoes but will have to do it or get some shoes that'll also dispel water or they'll be soaked. I normally just use trainers as I really didn't get on with clipless. I fell off so many times when coming to a halt that I've been put off for life and cycling into London isn't exactly stop free so I'd be in and out of the clips quite regularly.

You'll need to look for MTB style shoe covers that fit tight over the toe to heel to keep them in place, anything designed for bike shoes will often have something like a velcro strap that sits under the shoe that will be destroyed on flats but such covers are fine. Waterproof trainers wise, I see a lot of sponsored content on youtube for some brand that does these, look a bit like converse. Else goretex running shoes might be a bet.

My commuter bike I use speedplay frog SPD style pedals, they're incredibly easy to get in and out of (rather than say spd-sl style which are more effort) and double sided, even if you're not confident, unclipping maybe 10-20m before the junction, while slowing, gives you plenty of time

Ballard

Maybe I’ll look again at proper cycling shoes. My brother swears by them but I just remember the deep gashes in my knees from last time I tried them.