Commuting to work by cycling advice

[Yukbuck]

Keen cyclists... I need advice. Like basic everything I should know about keeping safe on the bike. I'm going to start commuting to work by bike... it's not far.. a couple of miles but I live in a city so want to be dressed as safely as possible.
So I've got my bike lights... do both need to be flashing? Or just normal light? I'm planning on getting a reflector bag cover for my rucksack. Anything else? I have a helmet. Will my black coat be ok if I've got a reflector vest on?
And do you use no lights during the day ? (In winter) unless it's a dull day? Sorry if these are all stupid questions. I want to make sure I'm doing things right from the off!

Check the law on bike lights. There’s something about them - which colours are allowed and flashing or not.
Check the temperature range of your tyres. I believe some lose their grip when it’s very cold.
Think about what you will do if you get a flat - will you be warm enough! Repair kit. Decent wind proof gloves.
I don’t ride so no idea if that’s it.

Get cameras, front and back, so when the inevitable dangerous driving almost kills you, you have evidence to take to the police.

I know that sounds dramatic but there is so much bad driving around!

Hi vis jacket and gloves, so drivers can see your hand signals. I use steady red/white lights back/front and a blink red light on the back.

Good warm, waterproof, windproof gloves, hi vis or with lots of reflection.

Puncture repair kit and pump, and the ability to use them.

Have two sets of lights front and rear (4 lights), so that you can have solid and flashing lights. Make sure that you have reflectors on your wheels, coat and gloves. Practice nice bold hand signals and being able to look around at the traffic. Do not undertake large vehicles and do not let them overtake you around a corner.

In terms of clothes, I found my winter coat too heavy after a while so you might want to pick up a cycling jacket in the sales. See how you get on over the next few weeks.

I used to love my cycle commute and I miss it, so have fun!

Make sure you have pedal reflectors - they can make a surprising difference to your visibility (and are a legal requirement). Reflective ankle bands are great for visibility too, because drivers notice the movement.

As a PP said, I wouldn't want to commute in my ordinary winter coat, for comfort reasons. I'd look into getting something like this in the January sales.

Good, waterproof gloves are a must for comfort too.

I just realised I linked to a men's jacket but I'm sure there will be an equivalent in a women's fit.

Also, personally I hate cycling with a rucksack as you get a sweaty back and it can affect your balance. If you end up really taking to the commute and doing it long term, I'd get a pannier instead. Ortleib or Altura are great brands. They're not cheap but they will last forever.

Put Schwalbe Marathon tyres on your bike - I have done thousands of miles in them and never had a puncture. Buy a good lock and use it. Ride assertively, consider doing a cyclesafe course, and have fun! I miss my cycle commute.

Are you going to get changed at work? It might be a short ride but you get surprisingly dirty on a bike - e.g. mud/water spray up your legs.

Don't have flashing at the front, it's right at the eyeline and is blinding to padestrians and other motorists. Blinking red light at the back and maybe one on your helmet too, that with a high Viz and reflective ankle strips and you should be well seen especially if you stay in streetlit areas.

You don't need cameras I've cycled for 25 years commuting in London, Sydney and various large urban areas. I've had an accident once (someone opened a door on me). Be an aware road user and try and anticipate what others might do (even if it's not what they should be doing). Obey the rules of the road and signal clearly and firmly and then do it (being clear and assertive).
With regards to kit, as others have said you may want to ditch your heavy coat. I like proviz reflect coats (they sell vests too if u go that route). They are super visible.
I don't cycle with a ruck sack, I prefer a pannier. I have one that converts to a work bag that's fairly smart. But maybe that's for next year if you stick with it.
I also would invest in good waterproof gloves, I have a sealskin pair I picked up in a sale and when it gets really cold I have some thin thinsulate liners. The best waterproof trousers I've found are a cycling specific pair from adidas...

I used to love commuting by bike!

I'd say gloves are essential. And I had high viz ankle elastics.

Keep a change of clothes in a drawer at your work - just in case you get heavily rained on, splashed by a large puddle, end up with sweat patches on your back, etc.

I'd second not having a rucksack, but saddle bags instead (you can get high viz ones)

Get a good bike lock and make sure that you don't just put it through a front wheel but lock up your bike frame as well

Try several different routes to and from work - I actually ended up preferring a longer route as there was less traffic and more cycle paths. It just felt safer.

Test your brakes often.

Until recently I drove in the city (now live in the sticks).
I would say get the brightest lights you can find - as too many have piss poor pinpricks of Light hat get lost among the car headlights.

IIRC you are only allowed to have the front Light flashing - go for this as again it helps prevent you from being lost among car headlights.

Apart from that common sense - don't go through red lights, wear bright clothing and go out with the mindset that road users are likely to do the most unlikely thing at the most unlikely time.

Get some Bikeability level 3 training, it teaches about road positioning, filtering safety, route planning and road user psychology /behaviour. Your work may even pay for it.

Definitely get training. It really helps esp with learning to take primary position when you need to esp to stop the 'overtake and left hook' that happens so often.
Get at least 2 sets of lights but more if you can. Have one on steady as it's helps others to locate you and determine your speed. The others on flashing so drivers are more likely to notice you. Wheel lights are also good as drivers can see you side on.
I have a mesh back rucksack as don't like panniers so don't get too sweaty a back.

I don't wear waterproofs as find they are too sweaty so just get wet and change but my commute is 12 miles so I do get quite warm.
I run lights in the day esp in winter as I find it helps a lot.
The law on lights is that you must have a rear reflector and pedal reflectors and also have one front and rear light on between dusk and dawn. Lights can be either flashing or steady.

My ears get cold when I cycle (50 miles a week, some commute, some leisure) - I have a fleece band that goes under my helmet.

Cycle defensively - if the road is narrow, I cycle far enough out that car drivers are forced to overtake properly. If on a roundabout, I cycle where a car would drive (right hand lane if turning right). I've cycled almost daily for 20 years, and other than one car door opened onto me, never had a collision with a car.

I don't like waterproof trousers (I sweat!) so change when I get to work if it's wet.

If you're in a city, I'm guessing the whole route has street lights. If part of it is unlit, you need a really really good front light that doesn't flash. Whether or not your lights flash is up to you; they do want to be bright.

If you aren't confident about doing your own bike maintenance, you might want to get your bike serviced. Otherwise, if the gears don't quite work that's OK, but the brakes really need to! If, when you pull the brakes on hard, the brake lever touches the handlebar, it needs adjusting.

I'm another pannier fan, but that's personal choice.

Happy cycling!

At this time of year -if you are in UK check the weather forecast and choose your days fir cycling.

Icy roads are no fun and I cracked my ribs a few weeks ago when the wheels slid out from underneath me.

I second VeryPuny's tyre suggestion. Schwalbe Marathons are fab, we out them on when we go on our touring holiday. I have never had a puncture with them.

Make sure you get just "Marathons" if you go down that route, DH often suggests that I use Marathon Supremes when we are not touring as they are half the weight but not as puncture proof.

Best bike lights ever are Exposure. They are quite expensive but so worth it for safety and visibility this time of year. I also have a dual light on my helmet white front red back, which you just angle downwards to avoid dazzle. Perfectly safe and increases your height so it increases viz for lorries and hgvs.

Luminous gloves are great too. This weather, fleece lined leggings by Specialized are the biz.

I’ve got a proviz reflective backpack too.

Also recommend marathon tyres.

A Buff. The single most useful piece of cycle clothing I own.
Equipmentwise, a stand pump. Tyres should be inflated more than you can manage with a hand pump.

We all had new wheels this year with a dynamo hub and a really good light set. Our rear light 'brakes' when you do which is fab and the front light is absolutely amazing, best light we have ever had -Schmidt Edelux II.

You just need to get something that a) you can afford and b) that works and you keep charged (or the batteries charged) OP for now. If you love it you can invest more cash in the future (unless you are well off enough not to worry about a big outlay right now).

I have my lights on all the time. I wouldn't wish to be without a dynamo wheel/light set now I have got used to one, no faff at all, I don't have to think about it.

Lights - If you're in a well lit area (with streetlights) flashing lights will make you more obvious to motorists. However, it is harder to judge the distance to a flashing light so if the road is very dark it's better to have a constant light. I commute on well lit roads and use flashing lights.

Get lights as bright as you can afford. Lots of them now have USB charging so you don't spend £££ on batteries.

Carry a set of backup lights in case your main lights fail... or be prepared to walk.

Get full length mudguards. Not the clip on things that flap about. Proper mudguards that fit close to the tyre.