Commuting Essentials
 

I plan on commuting to work in 2011, 2 days a week. My round trip commute will be about 35 miles. I will use my Giant OCR 3W. Should I switch out the tires to more of a cross tire or ??? I work at a hospital in the operating room, so I will be able to wear cycling clothes, have access to a shower. The only essentials I need to carry, ID, cell phone, keys, maybe a lunch, and lock. My bike will be locked outside to a bike rack(visible to security), not visible to the public. Any thoughts, recommendations? How should I train for commuting, should I be able to maintain a certain speed or just ride for distance? Thanks, I appreciate your feedback(input).

Tires depend on the quality of the roads you will be riding. Chances are, regular tires will work fine, but you might be changing flats on it if the roads are trashy, or you don't keep them inflated and you get a pinch flat. I'd ride bigger puncture-resistant tires, or at least get some Mr. Tuffy liners to put in them.

Other than that, pretty much anything will work. Stay warm, stay dry, and don't worry about speed. I'd also recommend getting a mirror of some sort, it will help a lot with traffic.

Since you're only riding it 2 days a week, I'd say go ahead and ride about the same distance on one other day each week. 3 times a week is plenty enough for your body to adjust.

Good tires are very important. Good puncture resistance will allow you to spend your time riding instead of repairing flats. Thorn-resistant tubes will add weight but also help prevent some flats. Definately carry a couple of spare tubes, patch kit, levers, pump and a multi-tool. I like running front and rear flashers as well as a high-vis vest at all times to make me more visible. If you will be riding in the dark, you'll also need a light to see where you are going. With the amount of stuff you'll be carrying, a rack and trunk bag would work well. And fenders will help keep you, and your drive train, cleaner and dryer.

Don't worry about speed the lights/stop signs will take care of that. You may want to think about riding the route on an off day and see how long it takes. Another option is multi mode - bus/car part way, ride the rest until you feel strong enough to do the whole thing.

I ride 700 X 23 tires but puncture resistant. You're in MI so you may want to go bigger on tires, I know how smooth those roads are. Either way, flat resistant tires are pretty much a must.

Just start doing it and see what works or doesn't for your situation. You can try it out with everything you currently have, then make choices on experience. Most of us have gone through several iterations of our commuting setups/gear until we found things that work best for us (Pretty soon you have a couple bikes :)). You can carry your stuff in a back pack until you decide if you'd like to keep doing it. Then you can start doing upgrades - rack/bag/fenders/lights etc as your budget/needs permit. You'll want to also look at gloves etc if you plan on riding in colder weather.

If you don't already know how to change a tire - you'll want to learn and carry the items needed to do that.

Tires with a more aggressive pattern for snow definitely, don't be a dummy like me.
Trying to ride on snow with 700X25 slicks :D

To your list I'd add lights. When I worked in a hospital, I remember most surgeries were scheduled early. That means riding to work in the dark. I'll also second the nomination for a mirror.

For tires, any good puncture-resistant road tire will do, although most of us have personal preferences. Cross tires--racing tires designed to run in the dirt, sand, gravel, and on grass--are generally not puncture-resistant and wear quickly in regular use on pavement. Their tread pattern too puts less rubber on the road.

Finally, join us on the Commuter Cycling Century Challenge (2010 thread linked) over on BikeJournal.com. The goal is 100 commuting days in the year. At two per week, you'll make it, no problem.

Someone mentioned gloves for cooler weather... I think you should wear them no matter the weather. Don't know what exactly you do in the O.R. (though have an idea based upon your username), but the gloves should save you from road rash in case of a mishap.

Some good advice there. I'm assuming with your more "race-oriented" bike you won't be doing any winter riding, but if you are then IMHO studded tires are a necessity. Unfortunately the narrowest 700c tire available is 32 mm wide and likely wouldn't fit your Giant.

For me cycling essentials include the aforementioned puncture-resistant tires, tool kit, and lighting. I also require fenders since I ride in all conditions. I don't like to carry anything on my back so I use a rack, pannier, and trunk bag. I have slowly been acquiring cycling-specific clothing, as it does make commuting and riding in general more pleasurable for me. Safety is also paramount so I wear a helmet at all times, use active lighting even during the daylight hours, have a mirror, and use and Airzound Bike Horn.

Lastly I am somewhat anal-retentive when it comes to locking up my bike. I use a sturdy u-lock, plus a heavy chain/mini u-lock combo. At work my bike is parked in a locked, fenced-in compound that is under video surveillance (I also work at a hospital). I still double-lock my bike in case someone neglects to lock up the compound behind them or, God forbid, one of the other users decides to take my bike. I've heard it said that one should spend at least 10% of the bike's retail price on locks, and I think that's sound advice.

Don't forget good lights and maybe a hi-visibility jacket.

2x17 miles is quite long but quite do-able.
If you allow yourself 1.5hrs to start with you will be able to judge your time and leave later.
Carry spare insulation/waterproofs as required. A small waterbottle, puncture and basic toolkit, small road-rash first aid kit,
Keep a heavy lock at work but carry a cable lock for popping into shops.
Add F/R lamps and reflectors, fenders if it gets wet.
Wear bright clothing, helmet and gloves and cover your legs up in the cool.

You can carry the stuff in a large saddlebag, racktop bag or single pannier.

The most appropriate tyres are probably 25-28mm kevlar-banded fairly slick. You only need tyre tread off-road.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the feedback. Can you recommend some puncture resistant tires? Thank you

Yes, keep a heavy lock/cable on the bikerack to avoid having to carry or forgetting it. ALWAYS lock your bike even if it's just a quick stop.

A Topeak beam rack with a quick-release trunk bag and detachable shoulder strap is good for small loads.

Suggest carrying 2 front lights, 2 blinkies, spare batteries. A HiVis/reflective shirt/vest is your friend.

I've had good luck with both Continental Top Contact and Michelin Pilot City tires. I've heard mixed reviews about the Michelins, and I suffered a couple of blowouts myself, but I've had zero issues with the tires since I reduced the pressure to about 10 psi below max.

I think good puncture resistant tires are the 1st thing to get. I believe Schalbe Marathons are highly recommended. I have the Panaracer RiBMo's on my touring bike.

After that I would do a test ride on your route with things you might be carrying. You don't need to go all the way and back, just 1/2 way should work.

First it will allow you to notice if you are fit enough. Secondly it will give you a rough estimate on time. Third it will tell you what the road/travel conditions will be like. Fourth you will have a greater understanding on your body, and your contact points on the bike (in case you need to change or add things like saddle, bar wrap, stem height, etc.).

My personal preference is for either Continental Ultra Gatorskins or Continental Grand Prix 4-Seasons. The Gatorskins wear a little longer and the 4-Seasons are incredibly grippy in the wet. Both models give a good ride when inflated to sensible pressures for rider weight. (See PSI Rx.) My only complaint is the sidewall protection is on the outside of the tire and becomes shabby-looking over time.

I've used Bontrager Race-Lite Hardcase and found them very puncture resistant, with an acceptable ride, but not as grippy in the rain. The bonding between the outer tread layer and the casing failed predictably at between 3,000 and 3,500 miles. They've been redesigned since.

I've tried two different models of Specialized Armadillo. In both cases, they were darned near bulletproof, but they ride like cast iron, (weigh like cast iron too) and are slippery when wet. Rain in the forecast for later in the week makes them skittish.