Coach's view: Does cycle commuting really count as training?

In the many years I've worked for Cycling Weekly, the number of times I have walked through the office door sweaty of brow and helmeted of hair are too many to count. My cycle commute has varied across numerous house and office moves from three miles to ten times that amount – from little more than a super-sprint traffic-light hurdle, to a morning march over Box Hill that would take two hours-plus. 

The training effects have been undoubtedly as varied as the routes themselves – sometimes useful, sometimes not so useful. But is commuting even 'real' riding? After all, Strava even has a check-box enabling riders to mark out their commutes, as if they're somehow not the equal of the rest of what we do.

And let's be honest, cycle commuting can be... different. There aren't many rides we do in which we purposefully seek to head towards the busiest part of a town or city – which is how commuting naturally works for many of us.

And we rarely head out on a slower bike, carrying backpacks stuffed with lunch and a change of clothes, or even a laptop, when we're out for a weekend jaunt or training ride.

But for many of us, for whom public transport can be unaffordable and parking impossible, cycle commuting is more than a way to blow-dry yourself awake in the chill; or to work up sufficient adrenaline for the working day by tangling with terrible drivers – it's pretty much a necessity.

For some, it might also be the only realistic chance we get to get the blood pumping, without resorting to a 5am indoor trainer session. And no one wants that.

So if we're going to do it, how much does it count when it comes to our weekly riding tallies? How do we get it right, and what are the pitfalls? We spoke to coach Jon Sharples, owner of TrainSharp, to find out.

For him, the gold standard is to be lucky enough to have a commute that enables plenty of riding away from heavy traffic or town-centre conditions – either that, or to have access to a loop that can be tacked on, perhaps before or after work.

"I always talk about finding routes," says Sharples. "Some people are in the middle of town – it's really busy, loads of traffic lights, lots of stop-starting. That's OK if it's an easy day, and you just need to get to work or you just need to get home quickly. 

"For that person I would say you need to find a loop, or a route, where you could be safer, the roads are quieter. Perhaps we need a couple of loops because you need flat terrain for a zone one or zone two workout. And then perhaps we need a hillier route where we might be able to lay some foundations down."

Just as riding a short-town centre commute may require some creative thinking, being locked into a longer ride on the day-to-day also necessitates some careful planning, Sharples says.

"You need to ride with a plan," he says. "You can't just go hard every day. Some days, you need to know that you should ride a little bit easier, so you would wear more clothing, so you're not tempted into riding hard to warm-up."

To help get the most out of any training effect, off-bike planning is also key when it comes to cycle commuting, Sharples points out.

"There's all the other things you've got to think about – like having a shower at work; is there a fridge? Having a plan for food and snacks, and things that are easy to grab is quite important," he says.

Overall, for all the issues it can throw up, Sharples sees commuting as a boon for bike riders that can often help them achieve a good balance with their riding because of the way it fits easily in around the rest of their lives.

"There's a lot of riders with families, for them commuting is better because they've got the job done," he says. 

"It takes you a couple of minutes to get going, to warm up, the happy endorphins flow because you're outside and fresh air… You can put the world to rights and you've got lots of headspace. I do feel commuting [by bike] is really good."

Riding into work is not always easy, especially when there's a spot of drizzle or a chill morning wind – or at the end of a long day when all you want to do is teleport home to a sofa and cup of tea. But a cycle commute can be one of the unsung pleasures of the pastime – just remember to take it easy now and then or, perhaps, throw in a loop.