7 Months of cycling to work

Well it has been about 7 months now since I started cycling to work and all in all it has been going quite well. I managed to find myself a nice reliable route to take everyday, and even though it is quite hilly it's not to bad.

I thought I'd put up a post about my experience so far and offer a few tips to people who are thinking of biking to work.

Get a good water proof backpack.

When cycling to work a bag of some kind is essential, it'll allow you to carry a change of clothes as well as other bits and bobs you need for work on a day to day basis. Make sure it is as water proof as possible, there is nothing worse then getting to work soaking wet only to find your dry clothes in your bag aren't that dry anymore. If you don't have a water proof bag then you could simply put a bin bag or something like that inside it as a liner.

Don't wear too much when cycling

When you're looking out the window in the morning thinking to yourself that it looks a bit nippy don't instantly go for the full winter fleece because you think you'll be cold. You should obviously dress for the weather but don't go over the top. Once you get cycling your body will soon warm up and if you are wearing too many layers you'll soon start to overheat and in the summer sweat like there's no tomorrow.

Be prepared for weather changes

While I recommend not going over the top with what you wear while you're cycling, at the same time you should always make sure you've got the extra stuff with you in case you need it. The best place to keep said stuff is in, yes you guessed it, your water proof backpack. The weather has a nasty habit of going from bad to worse in this country, so just because you left the house in the morning in glorious sunshine doesn't mean you won't be cycling home in a torrential down poor, so make sure even if you're not wearing it you've got the relevant kit with you.

Those are just a few quick tips to get you going, I'll probably post a few more a bit further down the line. If you've got any of your own then please post them in the comments.