Contributed Collaborative Post
Is your commute, so to speak, killing you? This is true for around 75% of London-based commuters, at least – as a 2022 survey from Kings College London found. Whether you’re surrounded by poor-smelling fellow travellers on sardine-tin public transport, or trapped in your own personal hell somewhere on the M1 every early morning and late evening, it may well be time for a change.Here, I’ll be making the case for cycling being that change.
Curious a reputation as the UK’s cycling population has been (unfairly) burdened with, cycling is in fact an incredible alternative to other forms of transport. Not only is it an easy way to address your health, but it’s also one of the most efficient ways to travel on God’s green Earth, as reconfirmed in 2025 after a 1973 report. Whether you’re re-engaging with your fitness or simply want to be a more efficient mover than a salmon, here’s how to effect your switch to cycling as commute.
1. Choose the Right Bike & Gear
First, let’s look at what you need. You’ll need a suitable bike, naturally, and also the requisite gear for travelling safely according to your needs. The mean average cycle trip taken by adults in 2021 was 6.1 miles, though this is likely skewed by the mountain-biking weekend warriors amongst us. Still, fall on the shorter side of that and you might want a light road-bike for easy traversal of main roads; fall on the longer side and you might want an e-bike for a less-strenuous trip each day.
As for gear, at bare minimum you’ll need a helmet, front and rearlights, and a high-vis jacket for visibility in fog or low light. If you take things to and from work, you’ll also want a pannier to fit to your bike.
2. Learn Safety & Maintenance Basics
In order to cycle-commute safely, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the traffic rules and, in a broader sense, the Highway Code – which, crucially, tells you your rights as a cyclist as well as best-practice for cycling in traffic. You’ll also need to learn basic bike maintenance, both to keep your bike in good nick and to prevent being stranded in case of a tyre puncture.
Even with careful riding and regular maintenance, accidents can still happen — especially on rush-hour urban roads teeming with traffic. It’s important to know your rights and what steps to take if you’re involved in a collision. For instance, understanding how to report an incident, gather evidence, and when it might be appropriate to consider a cycling accident claim can help ensure you’re protected and supported in the aftermath.
3. Plan Your Route & Commute Schedule
With all the preliminaries handled, now you can get to business – the business of planning your route! Some will have it far easier than others, simply by virtue of living by a main road or having an office relatively close by; others will have to contend with quirky local road designs, or even stretches of travel with no designated cycle routes.
Here’s a tip, though: consider your comfort over minimising distance! Remember, cycling is extremely efficient, and maximising that efficiency could make for a quicker commute. What’s better: five minutes spent pumping your way up a steep hill, or five minutes spent following a cycle lane around a few bends?
This is a contributed collaborative post
