66
votes
Accepted
I am a beginner to commuting by bike and I find it very tiring. Is it my fitness level or my single-speed bicycle?
Was going to comment, but I'll make this an answer - it's the bike, not you. No, I really do mean it's the bike.....
The bike as a fixie with 48/19 gearing is suitable for a cycle fit 20-something ...
- 46.2k
63
votes
Invested too much in my car! How can it be worth cycling to work?
It is a known psychological fallacy (sunk costs fallacy) that already having spent too much resources (time, money…) on something that turned out to be a mistake somehow justifies persisting in doing ...
- 14.1k
53
votes
Should I drive or bike to work?
Health
Two decades ago I threw away my bike. Admittedly it was worn, but I had that "I have a car, why do I need a bike?" thought.
After a long time in a sedentary desk job, I got back on a bike ...
- 115k
52
votes
Accepted
Why does my bike constantly break/need servicing?
The bike you have is a decent low/mid-range hybrid bike with entry-level name-brand components. It should absolutely be mostly trouble-free with basic maintenance for a daily 4 mile commute. While ...
- 751
40
votes
Cycling to work - 30 mile return
Even with an e-bike going to 150 miles a week is a big jump. Likely you just need to have a few rest days to allow your body to adapt and recover. 3 weeks is the range in where you start run into ...
39
votes
Should I drive or bike to work?
You don't bike to work to save money, you do it for the fun. Honestly, once you are a regular rider, you won't want to get into your car unless it's raining.
That said, of course biking is a lot ...
38
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to commute 34 km (21 miles) daily?
That's similar to my old commute (a bit further but flatter), and I didn't cycle regularly when I started. The Google estimate is probably reasonable for the second time you do it, though may not ...
- 53.1k
24
votes
Invested too much in my car! How can it be worth cycling to work?
I would simply steer away of the bike vs car perspective, as people will instantly start obsessing over two metrics: cost and speed. Neither of these capture some of the true benefits of cycling. I ...
- 30.2k
22
votes
Accepted
Tips for improving commute efficiency/comfort?
I have found that if you don't want to invest in equipment the best way to improve efficiency is by ensuring you are fitted properly to the bike you have.
For example: Many non-cyclists do not have ...
- 1,426
22
votes
Cycling to work - 30 mile return
I moved house in August, and have had a 26 km commute so roughly similar. Mine's got 50 metres drop on the way to work, so mostly flat.
In my experience, you're in the distance where comfort becomes ...
- 115k
20
votes
Why does my bike constantly break/need servicing?
Firstly, I do agree with some of the other answers that riding better can help - my main hazard is glass, and I simply got fewer punctures as I got better at spotting and avoiding it. Knowing how to ...
- 2,987
20
votes
Accepted
How maintenance-free can a commuter bike be?
The best is probably to look at the so called Dutch bikes - or the bikes offered by subscription services, that are usually designed to lower maintenance requirements and maximise utility - often at ...
- 13.7k
19
votes
How does Google Maps estimate cycling times
This site seems to have some good answers to your questions. It says
Google assumes a baseline moving speed of around 16km/hr (10miles/hr) regardless of trip distance.
but if you read more you can ...
- 455
19
votes
I am a beginner to commuting by bike and I find it very tiring. Is it my fitness level or my single-speed bicycle?
Great effort on both the write-up and the commitment to start riding again.
Try and separate the issues:
Your route was suboptimal due to trusting google
Getting off and walking a bike is ...
- 115k
19
votes
How feasible is an expensive road bike for commuting?
Riding pleasure is important, and from that point of view a better bike will be an improvement for sure.
It's perfectly feasible, but it will come with trade-offs. It depends at the end on your ...
- 13.7k
17
votes
Invested too much in my car! How can it be worth cycling to work?
My case is a particularly striking example: I would have to pay £8 per day to park. Plus another couple of pounds on fuel. I have a collection of bikes, but one that's perfectly adequate for this ...
- 53.1k
17
votes
How maintenance-free can a commuter bike be?
The two ‘key’ things for a commuter bike to reduce maintenance are to use an internal gear hub, and to use a belt drive.
An IGH has the distinct advantage of everything being encapsulated in a way ...
- 1,021
16
votes
Accepted
Is it worth buying a second hand classic road bike for commuting?
A (decent) bike from the '90s would not be significantly different† from (a decent) one only a few years old except for a small weight difference and possibly lacking brifters, which are de facto ...
- 3,375
16
votes
Is cycling in my DNA?
If you really want to find out, look for a local time trial route and see what people can do on that.
There's also an advantage coming up behind someone - not so much the aero advantage as you have to ...
- 53.1k
15
votes
Should I drive or bike to work?
Definitely bike that sort of distance. As for whether to treat yourself to a new bike or not, that's harder to answer.
An old, beat-up bike will still function perfectly well provided it's serviced. ...
- 341
14
votes
Tips for improving commute efficiency/comfort?
There are lots of things you could try:
Perhaps you could borrow a lighter bike with clipless pedals to see if you like it. Oops, never mind, you vetoed this option ;)
You could make sure that your ...
- 2,651
14
votes
I am a beginner to commuting by bike and I find it very tiring. Is it my fitness level or my single-speed bicycle?
4.1 miles, mostly flat, are on paper doable by any human with two legs in about 90 minutes. Walking. A bicycle? it should be at least 1/3 quicker (although I would expect it to be 3 or 4 times faster ...
- 3,401
13
votes
35km commute possible?
2) Google maps estimates that this distance would take 2 hours to complete. Would it be possible (depending on the bike and fitness) to do this distance in about an hour?
Given that most commutes ...
- 30.2k
13
votes
Why does my bike constantly break/need servicing?
If it's bad luck, it's very bad luck. Some of those are issues I haven't faced in 30 000 miles (handlebars and BB shouldn't work loose). Mudguard and chain case issues could probably be fixed with ...
- 53.1k
13
votes
Is it possible to commute 34 km (21 miles) daily?
Yes, you can ride that distance daily. You might find it hard at first but it should definitely be doable.
I can't say if the Google estimate is any good - it will depend on how fast you ride and ...
- 75.1k
13
votes
Is cycling in my DNA?
Daniel, what is your actual question? Us strangers on the internet cannot tell you if you are genetically gifted, you must test your biology yourself.
I guess the best you can expect from this ...
12
votes
Accepted
Saddlebag Laptop advice
I have carried a laptop on my commute bike for closing in on 15 years now. Mainly in panniers (saddle bags). For a little while in a courier bag when when I was young and dumb. For what it is worth (...
- 30.2k
12
votes
Accepted
How does Google Maps estimate cycling times
The answer given by gammapoint is surely a nice estimate to take into account when looking at Google Maps.
However, as being rather close to Google through Top Contributor and Local Guides programmes ...
- 236
12
votes
Accepted
Is it cost-effective to upgrade an old-ish Giant Escape R3 commuter bike with entry-level branded parts (wheels, drivetrain)?
Cable replacements, chain, tubes, all those are "consumables" Even spoke replacement is not an uncommon problem to have periodically. A bike isn't a cellphone to be discarded when its a bit tired - ...
- 115k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible