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Great video. I especially relate to checking the weather. I became the de facto weather man at my workplace after switching to cycling/scooter full-time.

On an unrelated note..... what happened to your left side eyelash? 🤔

When I used to commute in early spring and late fall I would dress so I was a little bit too cool when I walked my bike out to the end of the driveway. Just chilly, not cold, as I knew I would be generating lots of heat after riding for a few minutes. During the summer I dressed very light and simply sucked it up. My commute rides were only about 1.5 hours each way depending on headwinds so it was OK. I just shifted down and went slower as I like to keep my pedal cadence consistent. The same with hills. I used my gears and, ultimately, the hills weren't any problem.

sneaky deception ? I know one convincing people that 1x12 was better than 3x11 gears which mountain bikes had before the industry decided she was going to reduce parts without changing their prices it's cringe when I see so many people thinking it's "better" I only touched my front derailleur for maintenance once in 8 years and that's after falling and pushing the bike down a rocky mountain slope, it wasn't even damaged just wasn't shifting "as good" so I re-tensioned the cable that's it (rear derailleur is another story but it's still there unless you go wireless)

My tip would be to learn how your bike works and how to repair/ service it yourself. You will have to invest in some tools initially, but you will save a lot of money in the long term.

Great video. The complexities of a daily commute by bike in the UK are substantial.. I used to ride 10 miles each way in Birmingham UK and it required careful preparation. Definitely not for everyone. Choosing a safe route is very important. I did not use the same route in each direction. Instead I planned to have only left turns which are much safer in the UK as we drive on the left. I achieved this by having a slightly longer route in the form of an oval which I rode in an anti clockwise direction both going and coming. This really is a life saver as it avoids turning across the traffic. Hope this helps.

"The Dark Truth "

Great one, bro!

For headwinds, hills, long distance commutes and dodgy knees an e-bike has made a huge difference for me. And no, I don't feel I'm cheating one little bit especially when I'm pedaling home after an exhausting 13 hours night shift and another one to cycle 20 km each way to that night too. I'm using the car even less. That's the most important thing. And there's no law saying you have to use the maximum assist if you don't want or need to. It pedals just as easily as an ordinary bike with no assist or over 25 kph which I regularly do 30-35 kph on the flat with no strong headwinds. And I still haven't or won't give up on my old ordinary bike. For light rain a light jacket is fine and maybe some rain proof leggings. For heavier rain a bike poncho is brilliant. They can add a lot of wind resistance in headwinds but on an e-bike it's negligible. In very cold weather the bike poncho is also great for protecting against wind chill. And the best thing I bought last year was a pair of unbranded handlebar mitts from AliExpress for €8. If it's not actually freezing my hands end up sweating in them very easily. Much much more effective than any gloves I've used before. I got Marathon E Plus puncture resistant tyres for my new e-bike and after 5 months so far, so good. I've never been that long without a puncture before. Doing what it says on the tin. I'm going to get similar for my okd bike too. But I still always bring a toolbag with me with basics for most situations on either bike. Better looking at it than looking for it. Regarding theft, I wouldn't leave the e-bike parked out in a public space all day. Or all night because I work mostly nights. Even for my old bike which is just worth a few hundred euros second hand I would use a 7 kg 2 metre heavy chain with double mini D locks. Diamond rated for bicycles, but only gold for e-bikes or motorbikes! And I prefer to lock to something other than a basic bike rack because they are literally sooooo easy to cut through even with an unpowered manual pipe cutter. And really REALLY good lights are vitally important for safety especially if like me, 90% of all of my riding is on busy public roads with no bike lanes, no shoulders and no separation from those 40 tonnes articulated lorries and everything else blasting past my elbow at mostly 80-100 kph.

the big game changers for me are that my employer pays those of us who bike commute to bike commute and they support us by providing not only money, and also ample amounts of bike parking in every work building, showers in nearly every building and enough storage space in our workspaces for those of us who bike to store extra clothes, shoes, etc. i recommend that people start by doing one day a week. make it a fun day where you have less going on and plan your routes to be easy and low stress. eventually work up to two and so on. don't feel bad about needing to take days, weeks, months off from bike commuting! you might end up a year round bike commuter like me, but even if you don't, i think it'll be a fun way to get where you want to go.

my commute is short and i enjoy cross country mtb so i just use my now 9 year old hardtail , i dont have cargo options other than a backpack , it has definitely helped me stay fitter than average even with a very short commute (like 7-10mins) the commute is very suburban but treacherous still because its still busy and people here dont stop at stop signs so i always have to get near stand still at each intersection , disc brakes are a lifesaver for the hills i have wanna get a second bike soon but more suited for road

About the wind. The headwind is annoying, but the strong sidewind is what is dangerous. Especially in crossings when you were shielded by the buildings before. If it's a windy day just be ready for it. A good quality, good puncture protected tire can save you a lots of trouble. I went around 3k km between punctures.

In your comparison we can only learn that your colleague's tyre is also cool. Can you tell what the difference in rolling resistance is? Can you tell the difference in how the tyres behave on gravel or paved surfaces? How do these tyres perform in cold weather on snow?

Comming from Holland, i miss Hungary allot. Had vacation 2024 september in Hungary, one of the toughest rides i took with my bike was about 92km long. From Legend Estate to Vac and back again, with my feet standing in the Donau 1 week before the super high waters closing that island in the middle of the Donau for visiting.

A "super lightweight indestructible lock" was my wish when commuting. Going to the store later and my bag is already heavy with my krypto lock.

These facts and this advice is not "the dark side" of bike commuting, it is just reality and wisdom. Great video!

Started commuting 3 years ago best thing I ever did no more buses, clears the head, a little bit fit, don't get me wrong I thought I was going to die at the start but it gets better now I have one of those new fangle aero jobs for the weekend I think I'm great "think"

Bike commuters have three goals, in this priority order: 1) Don't get killed. 2) Arrive at the destination. 3) Avoid pissing off motorists. I'm retired, so there's no going to work. I could run many errands by bike, but at the the places I would go, there is no secure parking. I'm not going to carry my bike's weight in locking devices.

First Rule: All winds will be headwinds. Second Rule: Wind velocity is directly proportional to grade. The steeper the hill, the faster the wind will be moving. My problem with rain is keeping my glasses dry. If I can't see, I can't ride. And when the hills get too steep, I get off and walk.

have you seen the decathlon fold light 1 second? one legged fork and the rear wheel is also only supported on one side, like the giant halfway was. seems good

42 yo here. Been commuting since i was 12 yo, except Friday and Sunday. I go everywhere using my bicycle except if i go out of town. Just be ready and simple, don't over complicated things. The most important thing is that if you aren't an athlete, don't act like one.

i once climbed alpe d'huez with a 2 speed standard gearing brompton. i was 24, strong and light, and my front pack was only 4 kilos. (tent, sleeping bag, camping mattress, pump, tools, tyre and tube and not much else) i still have the bike but rarely use it as i now don't live anywhere close to a tube/metro/subway

is that a schlumpf 2 speed crankset? on the brompton

The biggest obstacle is the law. Here in the UK there's basically no consequence if you kill a cyclist, even if you get convicted of death by dangerous driving you'll likely just get a driving ban for 18 months and no jail. Don't say hurty words online though or you could get 5 years in jail

I used to commute by bike and train but now they have started major maintenance on the tracks with fewer departures so Im not allowed to bring my bike. Trying to manage with renting bikes in the city but its less fun. Would like to have a bike only commute but its too far. Well well, things will get better again!

Insurance was pretty cheap for my ebike, ~$200 a year. I think you need an approved lock, but it's worth it with the extra injury coverage. Also, those look like the Surly moloko bars on your bike, I hope they're good. I plan on getting them soon

e-bike that is the only way.

we humans should not feel bad to sweat, as humans we have the most advanced cooling system in the animal kingdom, that is also one of the reason we climbed at the top, just take a good shower just before you go to work, change clothes when you arrive and there will be no smell, sweat smells when bacteria gets on it and that needs time. i do commute 10 miles in every weather, -10C or + 35C doesnt matter, first year was learning curve how to dress and how fast to go, what i learned is normal clothes are OK just needs to be thin and in many layers, mudguards and panniers with rack are a MUST, use one bag to store full rain gear (protetcion for shoes, waterproof pants and rain poncho) that is a game changer, when you stop thinking about what weather will be when you go home it gets much easier... also always have with you some additional clothes. in extreme cases if you are cold, you can use rain gear to block the wind... i agree with video that wind is the most difficult to deal with...

Commuter of about ten years here. Came to say that if you're putting in distance with a panier and rack system, rotate which side of the bike is carrying weight. Try to keep weight balance between left and right sides of the bike. I found that a basket on the front was preferable for carrying anything I needed for the day. Double paniers are overkill. A single panier is unbalanced. For winter commuters that are still using rim brakes: whipe your rims, inspect your pads for debri and pick it out if seen. I'm also a professional mechanic and y'all wouldn't believe some of the winter bikes I've seen. Stay sane out there y'all. And remember: it's safer to be on the move than stalled where a car wants to go.

I was a commuter back in the eighties and nineties. Then I got a job which required me to have a car, and my circumstances also needed a car. Now, I would like to get back to bike commuting, but my wife is convinced I would be nailed by a car whose driver was texting while driving. She very much says "no" when I bring it up. Oh, well.

I bike commute 5-days a week year round in rain, sleet, snow, hail, hot, cold, humid. It does not matter. My ride is 15-miles each way and I'm the happiest on my bike and another thing - NO e-bike here.

I suggest investing in aero bars to counteract winds

Male, 65 years old in N California. I commute 5 days/ week. 4 flat miles each way (20') almost all of them on a paved bike trail.

Cool idea, nice music. It reminds me of the versatility of old-school external frame backpacks. You can tie anything to one. So I wonder about folding some square-holemmetal fencing over a bike rack and strapping it down good so that you have a big broad surface to tie whatever to it. A length of cloth, some cord, and two carabiners would be an easy diy version of this to clip whatever to this nice fencing surface.

My bike is a 2014 Kona Rove Ti. My last bike :)

Using a single speed, coaster brake rear, rim brake front, old heavy steel frame. I get to point B slower, but my wallet still has money in it.

Nice shill

It’s odd I have got 54 bikes. I collected a few. But my favourie to bikes are a giant peleton and and my winter tcx. Both rim brake, there are carbon and aluminium race bikes in my collection but the bikes I enjoy most are £100 90s bikes with modern 11 speed groupsets. 5000 miles a year, my mates turn up every few years with the latest and greatest but are they faster or happier?

Thank you. Found this video really well explained and it helped me make my own choice of which grips to buy 👍 Cheers, Andy

Enjoy the activity of riding any bike before you convince yourself what bike you “really” need. Experiences last a lifetime, bikes come & go.

Keep bicycle simple

Been enjoying riding bikes since the 60s, sting ray was my favorite

N+1 is for the weak ;)

The hoodie is 🔥

I have found the "bliss" point to be 11 - that is one for any and all specialties. Then you start realizing you are quickly running out of storage space.

I see no differnce between the bicycle industry and any other industry.

I started earning more a few years ago & i thought i'd treat myself to a new bike. I wanted a decent spec xc bike but i wanted 2x11. The industry said it had to be 1x12 or 1x13. I had to go 2nd hand & back to 2017 models to find high spec xc bikes with 2x11 drivetrains. For me that was the high point of mainstream bike design. Chucked an up to date fork on it & i can't imagine a better bike really.

I'm always searching for a new favorite color, not necessarily a new bicycle. My favorite new color became a Satin Carbon finish, and it just happened to be a noticeably faster ride also. But I'm not sure if it's just the 53/10, eleven speed drivetrain that it came with. It could be the lower stack height, shorter chain stays or the steeper rake angle that seemed to corner and accelerate better than what I've been accustomed too. So in searching for a new color was the best I advice that my local bike shop gave me years ago.

To produce one kilo of aluminium we create three kilos of poluting scrap. So, if the bike frame and parts weights 10kg we've created 30kg of scrap. Now multiplie for millions of bike produced every year. Think about that!

People waste way too much time and money on bikes trying to have one that will be lighter, make you go faster, look cooler. Being someone that has almost died multiple times and whose legs were temporarily paralyzed at one point I am just glad to be alive and be able to still ride a bike at all. I still ride well over 5000 miles a year and get just as much enjoyment at a slower rate on my older bikes as I used to when younger. People really need to reevaluate their life priorities............