ExPatTyke

Firstly, well done for deciding to commute by bike. Aside from health benefits you'll be saving money and time.

As to a bike, I commute on C&V road bikes. My commute is similar to yours by the sound of it, I ride 15 miles each way on a mix of busy main roads and some trail sections, and the road bikes manage it perfectly well - steel frame for comfort, room for mudguards, and quicker than a hybrid even with me on board. £200 will get you a decent second hand bike, and if you do sell it after a few months you shouldn't lose much on it. Ride the bike before you buy it - I find Ebay and red wine a very good way of buying bikes, but trying the bike before you buy it is a much better way of going about it.

Halfords bike sections can be variable in terms of the service. To be fair our local one is very good, and my son had a Carrera that survived him riding it without any major problems.

Theft can be a problem, depending on where you store the bike during the day. My employer is very good and has a secure area covered by CCTV, but if you haven't got a secure location a good lock is an essential - bikes that are stolen tend to be more expensive ones with cheap locks.

A couple of tips - I always leave 20-30 minutes earlier than I need to; this gives time to fix a puncture (which is a rare occurrence anyway), and getting in early gives me time to sit outside and enjoy a coffee. Also, keep a waterproof jacket in your bag; getting rained on isn't so common as a lot of people say but having a jacket is great on those beautiful mornings that turn into miserable evenings.