Hello i just found job that is 10 miles away google say about 1hour bike ride. I want to get a bike that would be good to commute with. Also i am about 250 lbs my previous bike looks like its flat when i ride it even after inflating. Also any tips? Accesories? That i should carry? Already bought that green slime just incase and a portable pump.

Ok so i tried out the commute this saturday although it was a little tiring it feel doable.
Just need to find a more comfy seat current seat is like im sitting on a rock. Any recomendations on seats? Id post pic of bike but dont know how on my phone lol

Green slime is a pain in the rump. It can (will) clog up your valves. If the tear in the tube is bad enough the slime will just get all over the wheel requiring it to be cleaned.

For me the best option is to carry a spare tube. They fold up really small and fit in most frame bags and pouches or just zip tied to the frame. That said in 15 years of regular riding I've never blown a tube. (Why do I say these things? Must I mock the biking gods? This will bite me I'm sure.) Anyway that's with 26" wheels with 2 inch wide tires and 29" wheels with 38mm tires. Blown tubes are more common with thinner road bike tires because they don't have as much volume to flex against. And unless you are riding through literally fields of thumbtacks and nails the odds of a puncture going through the tire and putting a hole in the tube are slim. Tires might be punctured but the tire is just tread. You can put 100 holes in it as long as the tube is good underneath. (I'm assuming you're not planning on running a tubeless set up)

I'm not saying not to carry a spare tube and a pump because I always do. I've needed the pump more than a few times when I just realized tire pressure was low well after I'd left the house. But the green slime...you can live without.

Other tips...

Pannier bags are your friends. They are special bags that attached to the rear rack on a bike (also get a rear rack) and hang to the sides of the wheel. They let you carry whatever you need to with a low center of balance and without having to weight you back down with a back pack. Some people love backpacks, I hate them. So this is a personal preference thing.

A front and rear flashing light is REALLY important if you'll be riding on roads with cars. Look at Cygolites for examples. They flash REALLY bright white front and red rear to make sure you are seen by drivers. They work really well.

And a helmet. Don't cheap out on a helmet and get a $13 piece of trash on Amazon. Or any helmet on Amazon because it's likely to be a knock off that hasn't met safety standards. Go to a store and try different helmets on to make sure you get one that fits. Spend more than $20.

As for bikes, go to a local bike shop (NOT WAL MART) and see what you like. Try different sizes. Different models. Different brands. A Specialized and Trek similar type bike with similar sizes might ride very differently. And one might be perfect for you but horrible for me. So you really have to get on various models and see which one fits you the best.

Also, what's your budget?

Also...whatever your budget is, set aside double that for all the fun accessories and other stuff you decide you can't live without over the next year after you buy a new bike. Or call your credit card company and tell them to block charges from the local bike shop if you don't want to spend future money. It gets addictive.

Ten miles is fairly long for a first-time commuter. Could you find a place about halfway where you could park your car then bike in from there?

Also, what kind of roads will you be riding on? The ride could be very nice if you've got good roads with wide, safe shoulders. Do you have a good route that can avoid traffic? Important to consider.

A VERY IMPORTANT safety accessory is a MIRROR. Get one that works. I use a Myracle Mirror on both my flatbar bike and my dropbar bike. Works very well. You will need a mirror if you ever have to take the lane or get into a left turn lane or if you need to veer around crap on the shoulder.

I agree with getting a tube - fix the flat later at home. Good lights are a must too, but just as important will be a brightly colored jacket. Or get a safety vest that road construction workers use and wear it over your other clothes.

You didn't say what kind of bike you're using. If you got a road bike, it probably has 23- or 25-mm tires on it. If possible, put 28-mm tires on it. You will notice the difference in comfort.

Good luck.

Don't overthink it. Ride a bike -- any bike -- to work and then back home. Take note of what works and what doesn't. Then buy accessories and new bikes based on that.


For example: I bought a $179 mountain bike from Target and started my bike-commuting career on that, putting my extra clothes and stuff in a backpack. I don't do that anymore, but it got me started.

I agree: don't overthink this. Some of the best advice I got about bike commuting is that it's just a bike ride. A bike ride that happens to end at work, so bring the stuff you need for work. At the end of the day, you're going for another ride. This one happens to end at home. So take the stuff you need to take home.

This is an excellent point.

I've been riding for years but I just started commuting 2 years ago. This year I got a nice hybrid bike that suited my riding style, road surface quality, body size, and style preferences. Last year I learned what all my needs and preferences were by riding a bike that wasn't well suited to commuting at all. I was on a 15 year old 26" wheel mountain bike with knobby tires.

It was not great for commuting (but it was a hell of a workout!) despite being a super fun bike on dirt trails in the woods.

However, I learned last year what I needed different in a commuter bike.

So this is really good advice.

If the bike you have looks like the tires are flat the problem is the tubes/tires, not the bike. Nothing about the bike will make the tires flat. So slap some new tubes/tires on the bike you have (this can be done for under $50) and ride that one for a while. See what you like and don't like. Get tires without a lot of tread for this purpose. Not something with deep knobbies that looks aggressive. (You might just need new tubes, so this could cost you all of $15)

And work yourself up to 10 miles like someone else said. If you aren't used to 10 mile rides, it'll kill you. Especially if there are hills. The drive halfway option is good. You can also take longer rides on the weekends to break your body in. Go to a 20 mile ride on a Saturday when you aren't in a rush and can take breaks every 10 minutes.

And I cannot stress this enough...DRIVE YOUR INTENDED BIKE ROUTE FIRST WITH THE MINDSET OF A BIKER. Make sure it's suitable for biking. Do NOT just assume you can figure out a good route on the fly. You'll find yourself on a heavily traffic road with no room for a bike or going through an intersection that shouldn't be traveled on a bike or some other road hazard that makes biking dangerous or impossible.

Studying satellite maps is really helpful for planning a route. You can find a lot of options you wouldn't see in a car or that aren't marked on your GPS maps. For example I cut through an access road between a strip mall and a cemetery. It's a great route because there is no traffic on it. It's just an emergency access route no one knows about that doesn't appear on maps.

You'll also find things like 2 parking lots that butt up against each other that you can't go between on a car but can easily go between on a bike. Things like that save distance or help you avoid heavily trafficked areas where you might get run over.

Was looking for bikes on bike shop they seem to be a bit expensive. Budget probabky 500

For an hour each way commute I made my bike more comfortable a fairing* directed the around around me.

and since aero was the fairing , not crouching low , a high and near to me aero bar set up gave me the elbow pad arm rest
to reduce the hand pressure..

No I don't have pictures.. this was 1989..

* Zzipper road Fairings, model "thriller" made for upright , non recumbent bikes..




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Then definitely keep the bike you have. Make it ridable. Save more cash for a new bike and accessories once you have a better picture of what you want/need.

I'd get rugged puncture resistant tires and, if you haven't changed an inner tube, practice it at home so you don't have to figure it out on the side of a road.

I'd carry a pump, spare tube (or 2), patch kit, and tire irons.

10 miles is totally do-able; but you want to do it right.
Figure out your route on a Saturday when traffic isn't bad and you aren't pressed for time; multiple Saturdays until you know how much time you need to plan for the commute.
Use your current bike until you have a better idea of what you like and don't like, whether it's the right size, etc.
Buy lights and safety gear and repair items now that you can transfer to your new bike later.

After you've done the commute enough times to make sure you're ready, THEN you buy a new bike and you can be confident in your choice. Wouldn't hurt to see what the bike shops near you are offering though, and see how they treat you.

Way too many people buy the bike first and then have regrets.

Tell us more about your existing bike and tires, and the type of roads/trails you'll be riding.

Great advice! When I started commuting I was on a so-so Scott Mtn. bike with a backpack. Now I have three specific commuter bikes, plus many other bikes.

Best of luck in getting out there and getting pedaling!

I'm also about 250, for skinny road bike tires, we need well over 100psi. You need wider tires (and maybe also a bike that can accept wider tires). I'd say 28mm wide at a minimum, but 35 or 42 would be better.

10mi each way is fairly long, especially if you're just dipping your toe in the water. As you say, it will take about 1hr each way -- that's 2hr out of every day. Do you have that much time to spare? It might even take longer if you need to build your fitness up, although that will happen quicker than you might think, you'll make tremendous gains in just a few weeks.

My recommendation: use your current bike, start commuting to work once or twice a week to ramp up. Maybe even drive in the morning with the bike, ride home, ride back the next day, and drive back.

What kind of bike do you have right now anyways? You say "previous bike" -- do you not have it anymore?

The best recommendation I can give is look to spend under $200 on a 90's era rigid-fork mountain bike, tune it up (or have a shop do it) if necessary, and ditch the knobby tires for some slick city tires. Ride that for a while, get hooked, and with the experience under your belt, you'll understand more what you want out of your next bike.

See if you can make the bike you have work for you by upgrading the tires. Also try your commute on the weekend to see how long it will take, gauge traffic or find alternative routes. Once you commute a few times with your current setup or with some minor upgrades you'l have a better idea of what type of bike to get or ask questions to better tailor our replies.

For example we don't know your current bike you or how much experience you have. We also don't know the terrain or typography of your commute. Do you want something that is quick and light or something this is bombproof with an upright riding style.

Yes i have time more time now actually my previous job i had to be on road before 630am just to get to work at 9 and going back home takes about 2 hours so yeah i have time.
This is when i drive by the way.