Hints & Tips

How to Spruce Up a Boring Commute

Getting a bit bored of the same old, same old? It doesn't have to be that way!

Bored on a bike? We’re sure some of you will be shaking your heads in disbelief, but others who have maybe been riding the same route to and from work at the same time for a few years might be nodding, too.

We love cycling, of course we do – but most of all we enjoy seeing new sights from the saddle of a bicycle, pushing ourselves to new heights – and you don’t always get to do that on your daily commute.

However, it doesn’t have to be boring. Here’s just a few ideas to spruce up your ride…

Start an Instagram Diary

Sometimes when you’re riding the same route day in, day out, you fail to notice some of the beauty along the way. Taking a daily photo will remind you just how lucky you are to get out.

If you’re feeling patient, you could try taking a snap at exactly the same spot, every day. Sure, it’ll look pretty similar at first, but when you look back over the year you’ll have a lovely visual account of the changing seasons.

Buddy Up

This isn’t possible for everyone, but if you’ve got a mate going in the same general direction, doesn’t it just make sense to meet up and ride together – at least once a week? It’ll give you that extra push to make sure you don’t decide to opt for the car or public transport, and you’ll probably have more fun.

You could even start your ride early, and get a coffee and breakfast before the day even begins…

Look for a route off of the road

Roads usually get you where you’re going quickest, but why not try something different?

There’s loads of trails around that are perfectly manageable on a hybrid, cyclocross or even road bike – we’re currently rounding up a selection of the best lost railway rides in a series at the moment.

There are plenty more though, the National Cycle Network is probably the best place to start. Some routes really do require a cyclocross or mountain bike, but if you’ve got one and take that option, you’ll pick up some great skills and get a real workout on the way!

Go training

You don’t have to just go from home to your destination. Though you probably don’t want to ‘take the long way’ in both directions, extending your ride in or your ride home is a great way to get extra miles in. You also don’t have to just ride it, you could include intervals along the way, or even slot in some hill reps if there’s a tasty incline on your route.

Sounds testing? It is – but tack on just an extra thirty minutes and you’ll notice the difference in your fitness!

Strava it

No, we’re not suggesting you spend your morning ride to work drawing a Turkey over the local terrain. However, setting up a Strava segment for your ride to work, or just a portion of it, could provide a great incentive to up your effort as you’ll be able to see yourself improve over time.

Housekeeping:

Make sure you start and end your segment about half a mile away from your home and work, you don’t want to set up a trail for thieves (and do make sure you’ve got your security settings saved to hide the surrounding area for both – just go to your profile > settings > privacy)
Don’t set up a segment through a section with really heavy traffic, safety comes first
Remember weather plays a role – don’t get upset at yourself for being slower on a day with a 30mph headwind!

Get a rad bike

Really bored? Well – a new bike can go a long way to rekindling your love!

If your commute is pretty flat and you’re not after speed, we seriously can’t help but recommend the Electra bikes – they make a pretty bold fashion statement and we’re a bit in love.

Of course, if you’re riding quite far and there are hills, you may be after a shiny new road bike to help you up your speed, or perhaps a cyclocross or adventure road bike that will allow you to explore the trails less travelled…

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Getting your Bike Ready for Spring

7 Stylish Urban Cycling Tops

6 Reasons You Keep Getting Punctures