So here goes, I'm a car driver. Always have been,,,, until recently...

I've been offered a new job but it is a 23mile round trip from my house. I've sat, done the sums and found the cost of fuel real scary. So, I have decided to ride to work. Now I'm fit, I can run half marathons in a little over one hour thirty minutes, so I'm not worried about the distance (unless you guys tell me different), but I have no idea what to buy. None whatsoever.

1) Bike? Why are there so many to choose from? I thought about a cheap road bike for speed primarily but there are hundreds that all look identical! Is a road bike the right choice at all?
2) Safety? Helmet obviously, lights I've read are a legal requriements in the UK here. But what else should I consider? Loads of reflective stuff hey?
3) Clothing? I suppose I can use my running clothes and leggings?
4) Emergency? Tyre repair kit would be sensible hey? What else.

I am completely bewildered, but I am seriously looking and commuting three or four days a week to save cash. Any, absoultely any advice from previous newbies would be greatly appreicated. I'm still trawlling through this website for similar threads, so apologies if this type of query has been posted before - I just haven;t found it yet!

Cheers for now.

I'm a runner too and unless it is uphill the entire way, you should be fine since your running pace is good. Your running gear will suit most of your needs. I wouldn't invest in any additional clothes until you determine what you need.

As for bikes, get ready for a variety of opinions. I was a new commuter not that long ago and I am glad that I invested in a good road bike that is designed for commuting. Fenders and racks easily attach, etc.

Good Luck.

Do you have a bike already? Then, whatever it is, use it. You'll know soon enough if it's suitable or if it needs modification or accessories.

I started a thread in the Classic & Vintage section called "What's in your tool kit?" or something like that.

There are tons of threads which answer your questions more extensively than you'll ever want. Just take a good length of time to read them. There are also blogs on bike commuting.

Welcome! It's fun. You'll find that bike commuting saves time over driving+exercise. Cycling to work takes less time because you're doing two things at once. The time-cost for me to cycle to work is about 30 minutes, and for that cost, I get a 60 minute workout.

In your condition, a 23-mile roundtrip commute should be a piece of cake. That doesn't mean it won't take some getting use to, however. Your aerobic fitness isn't the issue, but your comfort level riding on a bike, adjusting to the saddle, and using different muscle groups. For some excellent advice for a new bike commuter, see this thread:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-New-Commuters

If you don't have a bike, I would recommend visiting local bike shops if that's in your budget. Proper fit is essential on bikes -- probably the most important issue for new riders -- and a good bike shop should be able to recommend the right size for you. It might cost more money in the short run, but will probably save you money in the long run and make it more likely that you will continue riding. If you already have a good idea about what size bike fits you, then you might want to shop for used bikes on Craiglist or other local venues. You can often find very good values on used bikes but it's easy to buy something that doesn't fit if you don't have a good handle on that.

noglider - thanks alot. thats the sort of advice I need - to be pointed in the right direction with regards to threads as I'm sure this question has been asked loads of time before. I'll have a look at the toolkit thread.

Cheers

Congratulations on your decision.
One thing I’ve oberseved here on BF is the sheer volume of information and opinions can sometimes be overwhelming for a new commuter. This seems to create a tendancy to “get it perfect” right out of the shute.
My advice –dig in with what you’ve got. In your shape, 12 miles one way won’t kill you no matter what your riding, wearing, etc. With the exception of safety (lighting,etc.) and a few tools, go slow with your purchases. Browse the information here but figure out what works for you. Tarwheels link is an excellent start.
I’ve been commuting for years and still find a great deal of valuable advice and tweaks here to make my ride more comfortable and enjoyable.

Totallynew, although you are fit as a runner, you still will have to get accustomed to cycling... it's a different ballgame. As for the type of bike, that really is just a matter of personal preference. I commute on various types... folding, fixie, MTB, road, vintage type roadster so there really is no 'right' bike for commuting. Do you have a shop nearby that offers bikes for hire? You could give the various types a try and see what feels best to you.

I started 6 months ago on a cheap Magna Excitor ($115) and upgraded to a Specialized Sirrus ($450) in 3 months. Don't make my mistake, get a good bike. Needn't be expensive, most here would look at my Sirrus as cheap. If you know your size and buy used, you can get sonething like a Sirrus as low as $200 - $300.

Only essentials you need to get at the beginning is a patch kit, tire levers and frame pump. Even those may be optional .. e.g., I still don't have a frame pump. My commute is just 3 miles each way, so the maximum I would need to walk is 1.5 miles. Include lights if you ride in the dark. You should use them even during the day, but my commute is simple so I don't.

The rest .. rack, bag etc can come later.

For the bike, focus on things that can't easily be changed later. Recommend a frame that will easily take a rack, fenders and wider tires, even if you don't install them right away. Also recommend a frame that will take disc brakes for all weather commuting. Style of bike (road, hybrid, MTB) should be thoroughly researched, and it is a good idea to test ride several types of bikes to see what you like. If you have a secondary use for the bike, such as road riding, trail riding, shopping, etc., this will help guide your decision.

Other than that, plan on spending a lot of money on accessories and clothing. Savings from bike commuting will easily pay for everything over the long haul. I used to buy cheaper stuff, such as inexpensive lights, only to find they really weren't up to the task, so try to do it right the first time.

I agree with going to your LBS try out some bikes out, see what fits you, if its in your budget. Most people will say anything is fine to start. It's not. I bought a cheap Schwinn for my 11 mile commute, but I find riding my single speed mtn that I built is much easier and more fun for my ride. And ask questions. In your area, you'll want something to protect your change of clothes and fenders if you plan to ride in the rain. Make sure the fenders fit.

^^^This!

You will get endless opinions on what type of bike to use. Some people prefer a road bike, MTB, personally I prefer a hybrid. But it's really a matter of personal preference. But, most people will find, after getting started, they want to add a few things. Rack, fenders, etc. If you purchase a bike without proper attachment points for these types of things, it can be frustrating down the road. Some bikes (especially racer/road) don't have many of these fittings, so just keep that in mind when looking to purchase. Also, like others have said, proper sizing is critical.

Everything else, you will figure out in time. Now get out there and ride! Have fun!

The first question I would ask is where do you live? If you live somewhere like San Francisco with a really mild climate, I would just look for a road bike with rack mounts on the frame. If you live somewhere that gets snow, I would look for something that can mount at least 35mm wide tires so you can swap studded tires on in the snow and ice (cyclocross, hybrid, or mountain bike fits this category). Then, to address ergonomics and riding position, go a bike shop and test ride different types of bike and see what feels comfortable. Some people hate drop bar road bikes, some people don't like flat bar hybrids and mountain bikes. Just depends on what you feel comfortable riding. Clothing is going to depend on the climate where you live. Around here, running gear will only keep you warm from early May until about mid-September; whereas in southern Texas, that would be more than enough for winter commuting.

Bike - type of bike won't really matter unless you're out in the country. Stop lights and traffic will limit your speed more than the kind of tire on your bike. I started on a road bike and switched to a hybrid. More upright position and better equipped for cargo means a more confident rider.

Safety - at the very minimum a flashing red for the rear and a solid white for the front, a helmet, and a hi-viz vest.

Clothing - normal work clothes this time of year with a hi-viz vest over top. I wear shorts and a t-shirt and change when I get to work, but it's so nice out right now that I barely sweat at all.

Kit - definitely a tire patch kit and frame pump. You don't want to get stranded when you get a flat.

Good advice. I'd add that you should think out the logistics. What can you leave at work? What will you shuttle in/out on your drive day? What must be carried on you or on the bike daily? Plan for how you'll carry at least that much. Many people begin with a backpack, then switch to a rack-mounted bag or panniers.

Your budget will dictate how much of these things you'll start with and how fast you can purchase to adapt to your needs. \

+1 on the frame pump and patch kit. You may want to carry a spare tube, too, as it's faster to change. You can then patch at your leisure without delaying your commute in to work.

This is one of the things I emphasize most when telling others that I bike. I simply don't have the time to waste by driving. I'd lose probably an hour a day if I drove + exercised for an hour, compared to biking.

Very good point! It only takes me about 8 minutes more by bike to get to work than by car, so it's only 16 minutes extra round trip; and for those additional 16 minutes of commute time I get an hour of exercise. Additionally, I cancelled my gym membership when I decided to commute full time by bike. Cancelling the gym membership saves me $35 per month. Add that $35 per month to the $65 per month I spend driving to work with my car, and you've got a solid $100 per month savings. On top of that, my bike doesn't need as much maintenance as my car, and if something breaks, it's typically cheaper and easier to fix.

I've been commuting by cycle since early 2011, but recently took a few months 'off' cycling when we had a baby and I was working odd hours. Just got a new job myself, and I want to start cycling again. It's a 12 mile round trip, downhill going, uphill coming back (a killer!) and I have a hybrid. A road bike didn't 100% suit me and I have a mountain bike I found on a landfill and restored and I wouldn't dream of commuting on).

One massive piece of advise I'd like to give is 'know your frame size'. Try tons of bikes. Find one that's comfortable and go with it.

Other than that, a good multi tool and a few spare tubes have been my best friends since I started cycling. Never looked back really.

For bikes, definitely look at cyclocross (but not the high-end race-ready models). They make the best commuters in my opinion. Efficient riding position, strong but still reasonably light, can take wider tires, and usually have rack and fender eyelets.

totallynew, I have a feeling you're getting into this with the right attitude, and I'm looking forward a couple of years to seeing you posting seasoned advice to a future crop of newbies, who will be totally nonplussed by your handle (assuming you keep it the same).
I agree with others above, no need to obsess about equipment right off the bat, just dive in, and fine tune your gear afterward, based on first hand experience. Quite likely you'll end up with multiple bikes, once you figure out what different particular riding missions you want to equip yourself for.
For warmth, figure out by experiment what, if anything, needs improvement from your current wardrobe, and then go looking for it.
If you have to ride between sunset and sunrise, you will need lighting at any rate, so I recommend you find a sales outlet (online?) that has buyer reviews that you can peruse. Lighting needs are very specific to the situation. I.e., is it a matter of being seen, or of illuminating the unlit, deserted path in front of you?
As for choice of bike, a late model, state of the art "road" bike is probably too specialized for most commuting purposes. But if you're not adverse to buying used, and perhaps doing a little wrenching as needed to refurbish/customize, thers is an enormous supply of low-mileage, commuting-friendly, quasi- as well as fully-fledged road bikes out there on the used bike market, that will be much less expensive and yet much more suitable for commuting, than a current model road bike. New bikes these days are becoming much more specialized than in the past, so, yes, you can always get what you want, but you'll always pay for it (unless all you want is a so-called "bike shaped object" (BSO) from a so-called "big box store".

You are from the UK so get a bike capable of coping with typical UK winter conditions.
Your 2x11 miles is starting to become a Long Commute where efficiency becomes important.
I suggest a road bike of the "winter training" style (eg Kinesis TK), a light touring (Audax) or a cyclo-cross with disc brakes (Boardman make a nice one).
Make sure the bike has clearance for 28mm tyres + full-length bolt-on mudguards. I would suggest standard 32 spoke wheels, nothing special or fancy.
You will probably want a rear luggage rack with a single pannier.
In winter you will need a good lighting system and possibly a backup lighting system.
Fit some puncture protected tyres.

You will need a Plan B for the few weeks of freezeup. This may be some studded winter tyres (you need cyclo-cross style clearance) or public transport or a car.

Figure out the annual cost of not using a bike to get to work. Multiply by 5. That is the amount you can save, so don't skimp on the initial spend.
Make sure you have 3rd party insurance. Check out if you can buy tax free through work.

Wow,
thanks everyone. Brilliant advice. The one thing I've been doing over the past few days is paying particular attention to the cyclists I see every day, namely what they are wearing, what bikes they've got and for me at least how visible they are when the daylight fades. I think as I'll be leaving early and getting back late, now that winter darkness has kicked in I'll invest in the best lights I possibly can and as much hiVis stuff as I can wear or stick to the bike.

At the minute I'm heading down the road bike route, principally for speed as there are three killer hills both ways. When things get icy I think I'll have to resort to the car.

I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again.

When things get icy, you should switch to knobby tires. Studded would be even better.

Where are you?