Originally Posted by
AdamDZ
Hi and welcome!
What bike is it?
Hi Adam,
Thanks for your detailed post. I bought a Kona Dew Plus.
Is your commute mainly on-street with traffic?
I have two main ways to get to work, one would be quicker but more traffic (8 miles), the other would be safer because it has a lot of bike paths, but longer (10 miles) I'm opting with the safer ride.
10 miles one way for someone who didn't ride for a while can be a lot to handle in the beginning. Even if you are in a good shape you will hurt first few times. So you may ride a bit first to see how much you can handle and get your muscles used to the new type of workout.
Ride your commute route on a day-off to check it out.
Thanks. I think I'll try that first on an off day. The biggest thing I think I'll have to get use to is the sore butt after riding for a bit of a distance at first.
Get fenders, you don't want to get splashed with dog poo and urine, vomit, dead squirrel blood, chemicals.... you get the picture. Fenders are not just for wet weather, you know.
Get puncture resistant tires. You will be sooo happy that you did
I put fenders on it and I believe my tires are puncture resistant.
Get a rear rack and rack bag or panniers, unless you don't mind carrying a backpack. Although, a 10 mile ride will be much more pleasant without any weight on your back. Waterproof panniers are really nice for commuting.
I think I'll do this. I was just considering a backpack at first but it would probably get me more sweaty than I want to get.
And.... don't ride the wrong way! That's bad juju and other cyclists will curse you to no end! Not to mention you will end up causing accident pretty quickly.
Adam
Sorry for sounding ignorant, but what way is the wrong way? I'm assuming that I should ride with the flow traffic, correct?
Thanks