15 Tips for Cycling to Commute Daily

Perhaps you are fond of sports and want to do exercises as much as possible, so you commute by bike.  Perhaps you are an environmentalist and want to protect the environment in any possible way, so you commute by bike. Perhaps you just like the feeling of cycling or want to save money. Here I have some tips for your cycling to commute daily so that you can get a wonderful beginning of the day and work efficiently.

Choose the right bike. You can cycle with various bikes, but the one which fits you best will make you more comfortable than the others. A folding bike is advisable if it is probable for you to get on a bus or train with it. You don’t need to spend too much, the right one can serve you well even though it’s second-hand. Try to buy an expensive bike in monthly instalments.
Fuel yourself properly. Your food intake should be sufficient to support your commutes by bike. After all, your body with enough energy is supposed to support your working after a long distance of cycling.
Make sure that your bike is in good running condition. What you should consider is something like, is there a bell on your bike or have its tire been punctured? Take some time to check your bike.
Be ready for the darkness, because you cannot always be sure about when to come back. Be prepared for anything that may happen unexpectedly as much as possible. Do the front and rear lighting and reflectors of the bicycle work well? Make sure that your bicycle can be applied to use after dark. Be careful to the traffic lights and the vehicles on the way especially at an intersection.
Invest in proper cycling kit. Wear clothes with high visibility which can especially get the attention of other drivers. A fluorescent vest could be a good choice. Wear gloves which can protect your hands when you fall. A proper cycle helmet is strongly advisable. Your risk of being injured will be lowered by them. A lock with high quality and a bike pump which serves you in an emergency are also recommended. Clipless pedals and cycling shoes not mandatory are useful if you want to get your cycling more efficiently.
Your bicycle should be possessed with panniers and a pannier rack. If you want to take a laptop, files or foods to work, use the bicycle to carry the stuff for you, not your back.
Learn to fix or change a punctured inner tube, so you won’t be stranded halfway between home and work due to something that can happen easily and is simple to deal with. Take a compact repair kit with you. Multiple tools can help you a lot in an emergency. At least, you should take an extra tube, a patch kit, a chaintool and spare link with you. The kit can also include hex wrenches, chain break, tire levers and a pump. Put them in your pannier hence you won’t be troubled for their being heavy. 
Get the information about specific roads of awful traffic condition as much as possible. You’d better know which roads you should avoid specifically through your own experience, your local fellow cyclists, local bike shops or local cycling shops. Otherwise, you can find some cycling maps of preferred routes to support your smooth cycling most. Know the routes beforehand.
Make a parking plan. Can the bike be brought into the office? Is there an outdoor rack which is secured? All in all, make sure the cycle parking facility is available. And don’t forget to lock your bicycle if it is necessary.
Begin your first ride to the place where you work on a day you are free. Time yourself. Is the time you spend on the way shorter or longer than what you have estimated? Think about potential problems that will delay you and handle them so that you can lower the rate of being late at the maximum.
When you are riding for a long distance, take it easy if you don’t want to be sweaty to work. Mudguards are beneficial for your being clean. You’d better arrive at your destination dry. Carry a change of clothes, socks, and shoes if it’s easy for you to be sweaty. Change in a spare room; wipe your sweat off with a clean and wet washcloth. Put your clothes with sweat at the pannier.
Your clothes don’t have to be used for cycling specifically if you don’t sweat too much after riding. You don’t need to spend money on professional clothes and can wear different suitable clothes according to different weather. In really hot weather, you can wear cycling shorts and a jersey. In cooler weather, you can wear microfiber dress pants which are durable and will work well. And in really cold weather, you can wear cycling tights. Take a shower every day to keep on being clean.
Riding in a proper position. Do exercise to maintain and strengthen your mobility when you don’t need to work.
You should not put anything unnecessary on the head of the bicycle for the safety purpose. If it falls down to the wheel, you will be obstructed or even injured.
You’d better know whether local area supports your loading bike on public transportation such as the buses, trains, etc.), in case that you don’t want to be sweaty at work or the weather turns on you unexpectedly. If not, change your means of transportation to commute. Be ready for the raining, coldness and so on. Take breathable weatherproof clothes with you if you want to cycle to commute on rainy days.
You know, those who cycle to commute are all willing to stay out of comfort zone in a car, which is admirable. When you pass a fellow cyclist, please smile to him or her and say HELLO, and it will show your respect to the cyclists. At the end, may you a good round-trip commute by bike!