If you have the ability to shower near/at work, it can make life so much easier, especially in the Summer.

As others have mentioned, there is no secret handshake or hidden magic to commuting - just some common sense and a desire to do it. Welcome!

I tend to wear a variety of clothing - anything from running tops/shorts to old mountain bike shorts and mountaineering layers - all of which I just have anyway. I dispensed with my old "roadie" lycra gear because I no longer have the desire to wear it, though some prefer it. It is really wide open.

If I had limited funds, I'd prioritize safety lighting first, and a set of slick tires which will offer better ride quality and more efficiency for the distance you are riding.

Oh, and don't do anything to provoke Chipcom - once you've seen him in a dress, you will never be the same.

That's a good point. While playing with google maps I was able to tweak the route a bit to include a bike path for about 5 miles of the route. That helps ease my traffic anxiety and the path is flat so it's less likely that I will exhaust myself too soon. The midwest has crazy weather sometimes but luckily we are heading into fall and I feel it's the perfect time to get started (even if it is just one way during the daylight hours... baby steps). I'm not so worried about rain as much as I worry about being cold (though I think I still have a little while before the bitter cold comes to Missouri... and by then I may have found a solution). One poster suggested finding wool sweaters at a thrift shop to wear - that's a great idea because I don't care so much about looking good as I do being comfortable.

Thanks again for all of the encouragement - it's so easy to get swept up into thinking that you need more than you do (which creates opportunities to make excuses to never start). I'm going to keep reminding myself that this is good for my health and my wallet. And I will definitely keep reading to learn from all of you experienced riders.

Here's a nice intro to cycling safety that is worth reading: https://bicyclesafe.com/

See, said you had your head on right.
Good tires are a definite plus, Schwalbe Marathon and the like mean you will vastly reduce your chance of a flat, nothing but solid tires ( and they suck ) are immune.

Weepingwillow, if you're worried about cold, then start to think now about your cold fingers/cold toes strategy. Wool socks from the thrift store on both hands and feet can suffice--but I'd get those NOW and carry them with you so you have them when you need them. (Cheap glove liners inside the wool socks can get you even further!) Later on you can figure out what precise type of glove/mitten/sock/bootie combination works for you. But there is nothing worse than frozen fingers and toes on your commute, and I find my fingers and toes get cold at temperatures when my core is quite comfortable. And it's always better to have to stop to take off extra clothing than try to warm up mid-ride, at least for the extremities. Also, speaking as a native midwesterner, check out hunting departments in stores like Meijers (not sure if they are in MO) or Kmart for inexpensive clothing options.

Commuting by bike is as complicated as you make it to be. The level of complexity depends largely on your requirements for safety and comfort... and your needs for gadgetry and your fashion tastes . The higher the requirements the higher the complexity. Take a fixie ninja biker: his/her commute is minimalistic because he/she doesn't care about safety and comfort. Take me with my dual horns, four waterproof panniers, several lights, reflective tape, dedicated commuter clothing and it's very complicated But I like it!

A.

++1 on getting quality tires. When I started riding back in the 70s, tires were awful and flats were common. Now they are so much better.
13 miles is fairly long for a bike commute. I doubt you'll want to wear your office clothes - especially high heels - for that length of ride. Forget those picturesque images of Copenhagen or Amsterdam, those women are only riding 2 or 3 miles, at most. Inexpensive athletic clothing from TJ Max/Winners can work fine.
If possible, drive your intended routes very early in the morning before sunrise to see what sort of ambient lighting is about. If there are strong streetlights, you might be able to get away with those inexpensive clip-on LED lights. If not, you'll want to budget for something with at least 100 lumen output.
When the sun is low on the horizon, you'll need to think about whether oncoming motorists can see you with the sun in their eyes. Some sort of flashing light can make you more visible to them, or you can plan to ride earlier or later to avoid the problem.
Avoid cotton on damp days or if there's a strong probability of rain. I got hypothermia riding home in the rain in cotton pants and tee shirt once, years ago. Not fun. It loses all of it's insulating properties when it gets wet.

I often do a 5 miles total multimodal in and then a 16-17 mile ride home on very busy I-95 corridor roads on a too-small-for-me dahon 26" folder. No big whoop. But I do use semi-slicks or studdeds...

Some of this is from experience and some from necessity:

- If you're riding in the dark, make sure you can be seen and that you can see where you're going. Day-Glo safety vests are dirt cheap.

- Get reliable tires and learn how to change a flat BEFORE you get a flat OR make sure your cell phone is fully charged so you can be picked up.

- Target and WalMart carry all sorts of cheap non-bike specific workout clothing that will get you by until you can afford the overpriced stuff everyone else uses.

- Make sure the bike is tuned up so that it shifts and stops like it should.

- https://www.cyclistview.com/

I agree with this! Perhaps that is why this thread reminds me of the scene from Annie Hall where the psychiatrist asks Woody and Annie how often they have sex. He says, "Never, maybe three times a week," and she says, "Constantly! At least three times a week!" This says a lot about the "wunnerful world" of bicycle commuting and the many approaches to it.

You must find your own truth, Grasshopper.

One of the things you will discover is that when you friends, family, and cow orkers will be stunned to discover that you are riding 13 miles a day and will feel concerned that you may not be safe, worry that you have suffered from an economic downturn or a dui, and will offer to give you rides.

A few people will see you doing this and find inspiration and might just try it themselves.

Keep this up and that 13 mile ride will start to feel like a warm up and you might find yourself looking to ride longer and farther and people will be more amazed.

My long commute is 60 miles a day... it is often the best 4 hours of my day as much of it takes me through the countryside and I do look forward to seeing the city vanish into the distance behind me when I head out.

Sometimes I take the long way home and can turn my 100 km day into a 140 or 160 km day.

Lovely post sixty-fiver... that's inspiring

All true. My distance to work is 8.5 miles, one way. I usually log in 20-25 miles getting home, just because I like it - for all the reasons mentioned. Some people do question my sanity and a few crack wise with me, calling me "Lance," and so on. But it is all good natured and I enjoy the attention, to be honest.

Dont take it for granted, keep it as simple as you can and get the book, "Ride to Work."

Inspiring indeed, and it made me feel bad that I didn't ride this weekend, it was such a nice day today.

I didn't get out yesterday, basically recovering from a stupid work week, today was nothing but cold drizzle. Went out anyway, learned it's time to get the next layer of Winter defenses in action, still enjoyed it.

I ride all week, to and from work. If I dont ride on the weekend, I dont sweat it.
Usually, I just get on my little Hard RocKommuter and tool around the area if I feel the need to spin.

I've been commuting for 30 years, and for most of that time, I was commuting without a helmet, handlebar bag, seat bag, extra tube, multi-tool or a tyre gauge. Most of my commutes were done with a bike, a frame pump, a tube repair kit and lights. That's really all you need. The other stuff is good, but in essence, the bike is a tool that you use to get from point A to point B. It doesn't need to be complicated.

I scorn bike clothing! If you can't bike in jeans and a T-shirt, you're turning a commute into a hobby or a sport. If you want to do that, fine. But it's not necessary.

I beg to differ. Jeans is just about the worst/most uncomfortable thing to wear when cycling any distance. I can't imagine riding in jeans when it's wet, cold, sleet, snow. In those conditions long cycling tights and a pair of shorts/knickers made of synthetic material will make your commute so much more pleasent. My commute is also part of my fitness training so in a way it is a sport to me.

Of course the point Brett is making is that you can do anything you set your mind to. If we all waited until everything is just perfect before we did anything, or until we met someone elses standards, well... I daresay we would get nowhere.
Sure the right tool for the job at hand is always best. But getting started in the best fashion you can is the key.

I don't wear lycra shorts except for the hottest days in summer but I like bike specific clothing, or at least outdoor clothing, it's just more comfortable. I normally wear MTB shorts. I tried wearing regular shorts but some are just too uncomfortable: seams in the wrong places, stiff, etc. Sometimes I wear hiking shorts or beach shorts. And jeans in heat or rain are a torture. I don't even wear jeans shorts when walking in Summer.

In cold weather I wear warm, unpadded bike tights with the MTB shorts over them.

Normal clothing designed for slow walking doesn't work very well for cycling, even if it's just a 30 minute commute.

Perhaps if my bike riding was limited only to commuting I wouldn't buy any special clothing. Since I also ride longer rides on weekends and got into touring this year I need better clothing anyway. And a lot of it can be used for hiking as well.

Grow into it. Don't think you have to totally conquer all your bike needs in one swoop.. Yes, be sure you have all your needs taken care of such as maintenance issues and being ready on the road for any mechanical problems that might arise.. But, more than likely, if you keep your bike in good shape , you'll be ok. I agree with Chip's claim. Invest in a good lighting system.. And make your bike so that you'll be seen in low light conditions such as reflectivity. Other than that, you'll learn as to what your future needs will be and update your bike as needed..
. A concern you'll have to solve from the get -go. How much stuff do you need to carry. That will be something to chew over...

Between 1984 and 1986 I cycled 10,000 miles with only three pairs of 100% cotton jeans, a few T-shirts and a coat for cold weather. I cycled in driving rain, hot, cold, and blizzards where I couldn't see 10ft in front of me. I rarely felt uncomfortable (only when I got thoroughly soaked and a change of clothes fixed that) - never had any cause to replace the jeans with spandex trousers. I think the idea that jeans are uncomfortable for cycling is a myth pushed by spandex manufacturers. Sure, if the jeans are too tight, they'll be uncomfortable, but other than that, jeans are fine for cycling.

In my experience, synthetic clothing makes me sweat. Then it feels nasty and clingy and it stinks. Cotton breathes a lot better than any plastic material I've ever worn.

I think comfort is mainly in the mind - if you're convinced a material is going to be uncomfortable, it will be.

If you have a cadence of 60 and below, normal, non-bike specific clothes are fine. If you tend to ride with a normal cadence of 80 and above, I find spandex\lycra more comfortable. I simply bought a pair of lycra leggings for $10 and wear those inside a pair of no name polyester shorts. My morning commute tends to be cooler this time of the year and the return ride home warmer. So I just wear the shorts on the way home. Neither of those are bike-specific (read: expensive) clothing. I did buy a pair of lycra\spandex arm warmers on sale for $18 at my local equipment store. These are very good for keeping the arms warm and getting more utility out of short sleeved garments yet providing the flexibility of removing them as the temperature changes.

The best thing one can do for regular commuting is to dress in layers so one can tailor their garments with the prevailing conditions. The more comfortable you are, the safer you are since you won't be as distracted especially in urban traffic.

It was supposed to snow here today and would have preferred that to the cold drizzle we are getting... back was killing me and did not feel like going anywhere but hopped on the bike anyways.

The drizzle wasn't as cold as I thought and riding in the rain can actually be an enjoyable experience... it reminds me of Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver and the people I love there who would not give this little spitting a second thought and ride anyway.

Used to hate the rain and said I would take our dry winter and extreme cold over cold and wet but that does not seem to be the case anymore.

Did some long rides this year and spent hours riding in the rain covering distances of 80-100km... it makes you appreciate the warmth you find when you get to your destination.

But not everyone shares your handicap.