Bicycle commuting - An effective way to get movement into everyday life

Guest post by Suzan Enell (available on Instagram under the account Ultrasuz) who herself not only managed to lose 35 kilos but also built more muscles and took back the ultra title (after a 10-year absence) by running a 50 km race - where she also came 2nd in the women's category.

Bicycle commuting - An effective way to get movement into everyday life!

Autumn is coming and there is no reason to put the bike in storage just because it is getting darker and colder - the fact is that the earlier you start practicing cycling in both rain and dusk, the easier it will be later in autumn and winter when it gets even darker and even colder!

Oh yes, of course there are those people who live high up in the country where it is rarely plowed early in the morning or where there are other circumstances that make commuting to work by bicycle not suitable and then perhaps this particular post is not for you (but you get Feel free to read on, of course!).

How much time you want to spend on transport is of course entirely up to each individual, but if you make a comparison with going to the municipality, bicycle commuting is usually more time efficient and you also get fresh air, sunlight and exercise in the bargain!

I myself usually commute by bicycle and to give you an example, I worked for about two years in an office about 14 km from my home and with an electric bicycle (yes, you move when you ride an electric bicycle and you can also reduce the power of the engine) took it's about 35 minutes from door to door compared to if I went by public transport when it took almost an hour and twenty minutes, assuming all connections were on time, which was rarely the case.

Electric bike or not, cycling offers a huge number of advantages and a significantly greater freedom as you don't have to adapt to bus timetables, queues, accidents or look for parking spaces and where you draw your limit in terms of distance is of course completely up to you, but for an ordinary exerciser on a normal bicycle takes about an hour to cycle 2 miles (-ish, of course there are a lot of different variables that come into play, but check out the nearest cycle route to work and see how long it actually takes, maybe you can get the logistics and at least cycle a few days a week?).

If you have a bicycle, my best advice is good rainwear (go for quality with a high water column), of course a helmet (but highly optional if you are over 15 years old), and good lights - tip: Point the light slightly downwards so you don't accidentally dazzle other road users you meet, there are a lot of other cyclists I meet who probably don't think about this, but the light should therefore shine on the road in front of you and not be aimed too high.

Cycling in the rain and in the dark is not always super fun, but as I wrote earlier, it is a matter of habit. Practice it and the earlier you practice, the easier it is to keep the habit going. And just as you get to practice cycling in different weather, you get to practice which pack is best, maybe you can have a set with some extra clothes and a towel at the office, prepare with lunch boxes and change of clothes for a few days in a row so you have stuff at work or maybe it's the case that a pack of baby wipes and a deodorant is enough for a little refreshment before the working day starts (this of course depends on how sweaty you get, what you work on etc).

In terms of clothing and equipment, you have to try it out and at the beginning it may be wise to write down which clothes you used at each temperature, but in general, layer upon layer is always good so you can adjust if you need to dress or undress and sometimes an extra jacket is needed in the morning but not on the way home.

Buff, gloves, a thin hat and gaiters are things that take up a bit of space and when it gets a little colder, I personally think that a pair of really good winter tights keep the heat reasonably well.
Don't forget reflexes when you're out in traffic, both on you and on the bike!

Good luck with the cycling and if you have input you want to add, please comment!