Help me commute!
 

I have been riding after work 30 miles after work each day. It is about the same distance to work and back in a relatively rural area in texas. I have a bad head on my car now and access to a car and motorcycle but I'm just irritated and think I would better use my time riding to work and back and then still try and do group rides to get in better shape.

I live in Wichita Falls TX, we are in a drought and it barely rains. So I am going to "skimp" on rain gear for the time being but will add it as I can afford it.

Logistics:

I have a GT Transeo ultra hybrid with 28c roadish tires and a Giant Defy 1. The GT I can average about 18-19mph and the Giant 19-20mph. I can ride the GT 30 miles no problem and the Giant 50ish miles is getting near my limit on it. I ordered a tubus fly bike rack (big feet and dont want to hit the rack) and a top peak RX TrunkBag EX.

What I don't need:
I can leave jeans, shoes, deoderant, soap for showering, and most of my food at work (Mainly pbj's and fruits I eat or go out to eat nearby).
I also have a toolkit I can switch between bikes on a seat mount and carry a spare tube, should probably up this to two for work.

What I need:
Underwear
Socks since ones I wear in will be moist
Shirt
Towel? Not sure here what I really need

What recommendations does everyone have for me before I start doing this? Thank you!

There're plenty of threads on this sub-forum w/as much gear info as one would need. I'll give you my particular approach...as will others I'm sure and you can adapt suggestions to your needs.

I've got 2 bikes I use for commuting. One I take in on Mondays fully loaded w/clothes and food for the week. It's got a rack, panniers, toolkit, etc. Then the rest of the week I ride a fixed gear w/a seatpost rack/trunkbag combo. I bring each days work clothes home. Each bike has it's own toolbag, framepump(I recommend the Topeak Road Morph w/gauge for commuting), multi-tool, tube(s), patch-kit, tire levers, and a headband light as I work 2nd shift and ride in the dark. It's for having both hands available for roadside repairs. My tires are Schwalbe Marathon Plus on both bikes. 28mm on the 'mule' and 25mm on th fg. Over 15,000 commuter miles w/one flat and one slow leak.

So, we have similarities in bikes. Use one as your mule and one as your fast bike. Afa clothing goes the rule I've followed over the last 20 years of cycle-commuting is: don't ride in your work clothes or work in your ride clothes. Seems like you've got everything else pretty well covered. All the best. Commuting by bike is habit forming. In a couple of months you'll wonder why anyone who live 25 miles or less from work wouldn't ride a bicycle. :thumb:

For a towel I use a small, quick drying thing called a Shamwow. Stupid name, but it works great and doesn't take up much room. I leave it at work and bring in a clean one from time to time.

Ordered a frame pump that you said. I have two co2 carts currently but figured if I have a bag for commuting might as well. If a chain brakes i have a chain tool on my multi tool. Is carrying some of the power links good in case a link has failed or pin lost? Is carrying a single tube usually good enough with patches/levelers?

I have some basic head lights/tail lights and don't plan on dealing with any darkness till at least november. I have reflective tape, reflectors, and I can put the tires with reflectors on my hybrid.

Thank you for the help so far.

I think you've pretty much got it covered.

Personally, if I could afford Marathon Plusses I would not carry a frame pump:). I do carry a compact pump because I flat if I don't:). I also carry a tube and patch kit for all riding except my commute. My commute (7.5 mi) parallels the bus and I commute with a folder, so if I ever get a flat riding in, I would just walk to the nearest bus stop and call it good. Always check the inside of your tire carcass carefully if you flat. Whatever caused the flat may still be embedded in the tread. If you flat twice in the same trip that is the likely reason. Also, FWIW, I don't think you need a chain-tool or the Powerlinks.

H

Except when you do.

I've broken one chain at which point a chain tool means the difference between riding and walking.

For underwear, I chucked my old cottonies and bought a ton of spandex underwear. Any dept. store will have them. A couple cool things: I ride often, so I never have to remember to put on biking spandex, spandex underwear is popular, so my teenage kids actually said those are pretty cool. If you know teenage kids (especially boys), they'll never admit that anything about their parents is cool :)