Longest bike commute

Bike Chimp

Hello

I'm researching a feature on commuting for Cycling Plus. The editor, Rob Spedding, has already started a thread asking for the advice which you'd give to newbie commuters. I'd like to find the rider on the forum with the longest bike commute.

How far do you ride to work by bike? Do you ride every day and in all weathers?

The plan is to interview the person with the longest commute and possibly to join them on their ride to work one morning.

Also, what's the most unusual commute? Does anyone use their TT bike from time to time, or take a Brompton on a plane when flying up to head office? That kind of thing.

I'd also be interested to hear from anyone who takes their kids to nursery or school by bike on their way to the office.

Thanks

David Motton
Freelance journalist

SmellTheGlove

5 1/2 miles each way, all weathers. I win. Everyone else is lying.

rolf_f

I'd do a quick search - we had this as a discussion a few weeks ago. The most I do is about 35 miles one way but I think that was easily beaten!

essex-commuter

163 miles...per week :?

Bike Chimp

Thanks Rolf F. Found the thread from earlier this month.

Anyone who didn't post on that thread, though, please feel free to post here.

asprilla

42 mile round trip every day in all weathers; Walton on Thames to central London.

xcmad

Hi - 25.5 each way, all weather, on a genesis vapour. high wycombe - hatfield, and back! 1-3 days per week depending on meetings, etc

stuj15

A relativity mediocre (around these parts) 32 mile round trip here.

janm399

My summer route is 49 km, 600m climbs. I set off at about 6:15 and get to the office at about 7:50, just in time for a shower and 8 o'clock start. Weather permitting, I do this every day I'm in the office. I usually take shorter route (10-20 flat km) home.

As the days get shorter, I shorten my commute; all the way down to measly 7 km each way. The usual winter routine is cycle to work, then go on the turbo in the gym and then to work.

The only time the bikes stay at home is when the roads are icy.

Edit: a snap from my ride to work on Tuesday morning.

allezoops

1 mile to the childminder, 7 miles from childminder to work and 7 miles from work to home.

This is a new arrangement, just bought a Langster and fitted a topeak child seat to take my 6 month old to the childminder

Allezoops

sashmo

xcmad wrote:

Hi - 25.5 each way, all weather, on a genesis vapour. high wycombe - hatfield, and back! 1-3 days per week depending on meetings, etc

Sorry to hijack but that's a decent run across the hills. Which route to you take? I cycle Chesham to St Albans so suspect that we coincide at some point.

mouth

I do 2.5 miles each way but it counts on the basis that:

a) I'm a bus driver and therefore fat (5ft 5 and 17 stone)
b) I do it all weathers, snow and ice incuded
c) Ido it 6/7 days per week at all hours. Sometimes I start at 4.45am andsome finishes are 1am.

It counts right? I might lose the will to live otherwise...........

meanredspider

You can see my commute in here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0Qs5gMz8cM

and the ride back (somewhat faster) here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnAIFf6ulTo

stuj15

meanredspider wrote:

You can see my commute in here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0Qs5gMz8cM

Beautiful, I hate London traffic.

UndercoverElephant

Bike Chimp, you should take a look at our stats board:

http://www.startfarm.co.uk/aspStats/

I'd say that GBAShane or TheRunningMan are the people you want to talk to. They're already nearing 8,000 miles for the year.

Sketchley

mouth wrote:

I do 2.5 miles each way but it counts on the basis that:

a) I'm a bus driver and therefore fat (5ft 5 and 17 stone)
b) I do it all weathers, snow and ice incuded
c) Ido it 6/7 days per week at all hours. Sometimes I start at 4.45am andsome finishes are 1am.

It counts right? I might lose the will to live otherwise...........

I can beat that. 13.1 miles each way straight line, normally go via Richmond Park on way home which makes 18miles, sometimes I add a lap 25miles. So daily is between 26.2 and 38.1

a) i'm not a bus driver but i'm 6ft and 18 stone.
b) me too all weathers
c) 4/5 days per week, so you got me there.

gbsahne001

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Bike Chimp, you should take a look at our stats board:

http://www.startfarm.co.uk/aspStats/

I'd say that GBAShane or TheRunningMan are the people you want to talk to. They're already nearing 8,000 miles for the year.

Yes but my commute isn't that long (33 / 44 in the Summer 29 winter) , it's generally the weekends that push me to the top.... talking of which I'm getting late for an MTB ride

billy whippet

7.5 miles each way all weathers on singlespeed cross bike, party on road, partly off. Usually go on a training ride first, come home and change, then into work

neilp7

Mine is 9.8 miles each way partly along the A31 in Dorset in all weathers 4/5 days a week.
Although i've only been doing it since February so have missed the really bad weather!
I'm doing it on a singlespeed SE Lager.
I've been doing it to get fitter, which has happened, and maybe lose some weight but i've only noticed my thighs getting bigger! :?

iPete

41 mile round trip, 4-5 days a week, all weather, going into my 3rd winter as proof to that!

From the suburbs into central London. When I don't ride the whole way its Brompton>Train>Brompton

This is a video (time lapse) of my OLD commute, new one is now 3.5 miles longer:
http://www.vimeo.com/22261964

gtvlusso

Just over 100 miles a week on a fixie in all weathers. We consolidated from being a 2 car family to being a 1 car family, hence I have to cycle!

My old commute to my old job went up to 72 miles a day over summer - 36 miles each way around the old Severn Bridge. But that was far too knackering to keep up on a weekly basis and was reserved for morning when the world felt good.

As for taking junior to nursery, unfortunately, nursery is in the wrong direction for me. However, I could be tempted to do it on sunny days as we have a bobike seat on my SS mtb - Although, the commute and nursery run would take me over 200 miles a week!

Gussio

Had a one off meeting last week, which involved riding 104 miles from Richmond to Leamington Spa. Had planned to ride back as well, but didn't have the legs so had to make other plans :oops:

Bike Chimp

Many thanks for all the replies.

David

Rich158

I'm a bit late to this party but what the hell, 26 miles each way up to 5 days per week

My summer commute normally combines evening racing at Crystal Palace on Tuesday and Hogg Hill on Thursday and I try to get at least one day off during the week to stay fresh for a road race on Sunday. If I've raced on a Sunday I'll take the train on Monday in order to recover for Palace on Tuesday. Typically this gives me 200-250 miles per week.

My winter commute normally brings in a club night on Tuesday and Thursday which takes the evening commute up to 80-90km, and I'll do 5 days on the bike as it's all good base miles. I'll also try to get a 3 hour ride in on a Sunday which takes my monthly mileage up to about 1000, my current best is 1200 miles last November although I aim to beat that this year.

The biggest issue I have is trying to find enough recovery time and space for some quality interval sessions in the transition from base mileage to racing

The Running Man

45- 50 miles most days though when it's hosing it down or blowing a hoolie I can cut a couple of miles off by using the scenic route along the A4