Commuting distance

Cainy

Hi guys, im new here and pretty new to cycling. Got into it when someone at work talked me into a charity ride oxford to cambridge last year.

Anyway am looking to get out a bit more and maybe start cycling to work so just woundering how far you commuters cycle to work and what time you start, as i am considering it however its 15 miles each way and i start work at 730am, need motivation to see if others are mad enough to do this? To help inspire me.
Cheers
Cainy.

marksteven

hello mate, thats quite a normal distance, should take about an hour so i'd leave around 6 . lovely this time of year too. dont do it every day tho maybe twice a week to begin . good luck

Cainy

Ok shall give it ago next week. Its the getting up at 530 thas goin to do once i do
It a couple of times im sure it'll become easier. And hipe i dont get any punctures to slow me down.
Cheers

roddixon

Sounds pretty much like my commute. Up at 5 then leave at around 5:50 to get at work with enough time to shower and change before 7:15. Punctures are a pain in the a**e, luckily the many that i have had were not far from the train stations along the way and mostly on the way home... None since changing to scwalbe marathon pluses though (touch wood).

Enjoy the weather, then when winter comes around and its -5 you'll at least be a bit quicker/fitter. Of course you will still ride to work as it is very addictive

stuartturbo

Mine is 18.3 mile tackled for the first time today.
In was 1hr5min ride but 1hr20min
ride home was 1hr18 and 1hr23min journey
My ride from home is hard so the first half is a killer but get a chance to ease off on the way home the last few miles was a real effort

hstiles

Mine is 18 miles each way. Takes me 50 mins door to door.

Danny1962

It's perfectly do-able but it will be time consuming and tiring at first.

Two or three times a week at first is wise advice. You can build up later. A good diet will help -- and for a quick energy boost keep some dried fruit and oatcakes with you. Solid filling stuff, slow burning, non perishable, light to carry.

My first commute-route was 12 miles, Gillingham to Maidstone. Getting over Bluebell Hill involved an ascent of about 600' whichever direction you went in, then there was another 80' ascent at each end of my journey. It was tiring but I certainly used to turn up at the office feeling invigorated. I never did get to do it in winter because eventually I moved house nearer to the office. I now cycle in every day and wouldn't have it any other way. Beware -- you might get hooked too

stuartturbo

Danny1962 wrote:

Getting over Bluebell Hill involved an ascent of about 600' whichever direction you went in,

Used to mountain bike round there fun going down but the up bit !!!!

straas

I wouldn't start if I was you, if you're going to do it a couple of times a week.

The one downside to cycle commuting (and I can only think of one) is that it makes you want to smack your head against the window when you take PT.

Headhuunter

15 miles each way is fine, it would be the getting up at 5am or whatever that would get me!

phillipjohnson

I think 15 miles each way is a decent distance. It's definitely do-able but I think its more than most people's bike commute.

Good luck with the journey.

MichaelW

Its a long way to do every working day for a relative newbie rider. Dont be afraid to take rest days midweek.
Make sure you have an efficient and reliable setup. Dont skimp on tyres, they are the no.1 cause of problems which means being late for work.

Moostah

I am looking to start a 22.9km (14 mile) commute shortly. No idea how long it will take me yet, on my mtb. But it is flat as a pancake all the way on cycle paths and two lifts to access/leave the foot tunnel under the river.

kitchenman

Cainy wrote:

Hi guys, im new here and pretty new to cycling. Got into it when someone at work talked me into a charity ride oxford to cambridge last year.

Anyway am looking to get out a bit more and maybe start cycling to work so just woundering how far you commuters cycle to work and what time you start, as i am considering it however its 15 miles each way and i start work at 730am, need motivation to see if others are mad enough to do this? To help inspire me.
Cheers
Cainy.

I have a 15.2 mile commute. I have 2 bikes. A Cannondale T200 tourer which takes between 1:04 and 1.11 mins and a Cannodale CX700 Hybrid with an electric assist which takes between 47 mins and 58 mins. I've been cycling 3/4 times a week for a year and am heading towards 5,000 miles mostly done on the CX700

Paul E

Mines 12 miles with a couple of hills on the way back home, been doing it for a while now, mostly twice a week only becuase most of the time thats all I can do with having no bike storage half the time at work.

jamm13dodger

Mines 11.5 miles each way, into and out of Cambridge. Where are you commuting to?

chrishd883

hstiles Mine is 18 miles each way. Takes me 50 mins door to door.

That's fast - 21.6mph each way and that's without taking into account any stops for junctions, etc!


FWIW my commute is just over 34 miles round trip, circa 1,500ft climbing.
So 15 miles each way is very possible - doesn't make it easy though!

Start easy (once or twice per week) and build from there.
Takes time to build up the kit for commuting in all conditions.
But you will work out what works for you over time.

CarlosDSanchez

Mine is a 45 mile round trip, sometimes extended to 55 if I'm feeling energetic. Takes about 65 minutes each way unless it's windy. Worst bit is getting up early and 22 miles of 30mph headwind isn't much fun either! Keeps me sane though, great way to de-stress at the end of the day. Don't have a car, there is a train I can use, but I don't generally.

My main advice would be to get a road bike, I used to take 90 minutes to do the same trip on my hybrid. Also get some decent padded shorts, your ass will thank you for it.

peat

I have recently started riding to work once a week.

15 miles, mostly off-road (South Oxon Ridgeway). I can get to work in just a whisker over an hour, and 1hr18 back due to the topography. Those hills are a killer after a day at work.

I definatley enjoy the riding, i enjoy the fuel saving and i very much enjoy being smug infront of my lazy colleagues who live less than 5 miles away and still drive everyday...

Blandiblub

Woo - first 'semi-proper' commute today. Rode part of the way in - ok, slightly wussy - but parked up at another company building and Tube'd it the rest of the way. It'll do me for starters.

Just short of 7 miles in 31 mins, avg ~ 13mph. That'll improve no doubt over time and maybe I'll get confident enough to try the whole way... :shock:

phillipjohnson

I wouldn't worry about average speed. Just enjoy doing it :-)