This Wednesday the 15th of August is officially Cycle To Work Day but that doesn’t stop you cycling in to work on every other day of the week!
We’ve collated some top tips from our workforce to help you make the most of your commute.
Tyres:
You never want to deal with a puncture on the way to work. Check your tyres regularly for cuts, make sure you consider any extra weight of any laptop bags etc. when setting your tyre pressure and pick a tyre that has a good level of puncture protection. The Specialized All Condition Armadillo elite is a favourite of ours.
Plan ahead:
Leave spare clothes, a wash kit, towel and shoes at work, this way you can carry as little as possible, keeping weight on the bike down and keeping your ride to work light and fast.
Plan your route to avoid heavy traffic. The most direct route may not always be the quickest and even if it is, a 30 minute ride on traffic free roads will always trump a 15 minute low speed, car dodging experience.
If you absolutely must carry a bag, keep it light. This Cube Pure Ten backpack is spot on for carrying your essentials, tools and spares and its natural fit technology is designed to keep you comfortable.
Health:
Make it part of your fitness regime. Time is important to all of us and with commuting, a full day at work and a social life to contend with, getting into the gym can be tough. You can’t workout in your car but there’s plenty of ways to up your fitness on your bike to work. Work in some interval training in with your commute or extend your route to work to get some extra morning miles in. A cycle to work can also give you a boost in serotonin, dopamine and other feel good chemicals to help keep those stress levels in check.
Keep track of your fitness goals with a Wahoo computer and compete with yourself every day by hunting PB’s on Strava.
Be Prepared:
Make sure your lights are charged. Pack your bag the night before and wear clothing appropriate for the weather conditions.
This light set from CatEye is a great option for those tied to their desks for the day. Both the front and rear lights are USB rechargeable, so you charge it straight from the USB port on your laptop for the ride home.
Go Electric:
It’s not cheating and it could make the difference between slogging in once a week and gliding in daily and less sweaty. It may cost you more at the outset but if it keeps you cycling in you’ll save in the long term. We’re big fans of the Specialized Vado. As well as the power from the custom 250w motor, mudguards and a rear pannier rack as standard make it ready to commute straight out of the box.
Cycle to work schemes:
reduce the cost of your new commuter by purchasing it with a cycle to work scheme. We accept vouchers from multiple providers, check out more detail here or speak to your employer. https://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/cyclescheme/
With our summer sale now on, up to 42% off bikes and plenty of good weather still to come, there’s never been a better time to get into the habit of cycling to work.
