Going from micro journeys to 25 mile commute

ZoomZoom

I'm early 40's and have come back to cycling in the past couple of months (and am enjoying every minute of it).

For the daily commute I make 4 journeys a day around a mile each, and try to make all journeys where possible by bike, the longest single journey I have done in that time is 10 miles. This is the only 'exercise' that I do.

My aim in the next few months is to commute the 25 miles to work once a week. Can you share your thoughts and experiences on how you have made this happen or any suggestions on how I could work towards that goal very welcome.  

Btw live in Woking outside the M25 and travel into London every day.

Thanks

Z

dhope

Single journeys of a mile will be good to get you a bit of confidence on the bike but the simple answer is to up the mileage.
Find a long way home, turn the 1 mile journeys into 5 miles. Do that a few times a week and you'll find quickly that it's easily manageable.

Without wanting to imply you're fat, take a read of this thread
viewtopic.php?f=40012&t=12760586

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

How bike friendly is work? Do you already have a public transport season ticket?

I was in the same position only not 25 miles but 15. 15 was a tough ride for me at the time.

So I would ride in Drive home, drive in ride home etc. This bulit me up to doing it everyday.

50 miles is a big ride with work stuck in the middle, I would maybe break it down into daily 25 miles but still going to be two hours+ I would guess building in London traffic conditions. What is the climb and decent like?

Also well worth giving it a crack at the weekend get a feel for the journey and how you feel at the end, worth doing it both ways fresh as it can differ quite a lot. You will have a tailwind in to work the magority of the time and straight on headwind home..

sketchley

Best bit of advice I can give is just do it, and then keep doing it. After a while 25 miles will be easy.....If you can leave your bike at work securely then cycle to work one day and then back on a different day when you start otherwise it's 50 miles there and back. Before long you'll be doing 50 miles a day and challenging gbsahne at the top of the stats....

clarkey cat

Doing 50 miles a day would be a pretty big jump. One option would be to ride in in the mornings (as you'll usually have the tail-wind) and then take the bike on the train on the way home (has to be a train that leaves Waterloo after 7pm to take it on). I think the ride in would be pretty easy.

On the way home is a bit of a ball-ache though - I find my problem is that from town to Richmond Park you have all the traffic and other cyclists to keep the interest levels up and then after the Park its just 8 miles of head-wind solitude... you'd have to add another 8 or so on top of that!

A few of us ride in from Weybridge and Walton but not to my knowledge as far as Woking. I dont do it every day. 3 or 4 times a week.

sketchley

When I started, I often go very early train in the morning as you can take bikes on trains that arrive in Waterloo before 7. Then rode to work then home in evening. This worked well, until I got shat on by a pigeon cycling to station so I went home and got changed as it really smelt, then decided sod it and rode to work. Not looked back since....

rick_chasey

Sketchley wrote:

When I started, I often go very early train in the morning as you can take bikes on trains that arrive in Waterloo before 7. Then rode to work then home in evening. This worked well, until I got shat on by a pigeon cycling to station so I went home and got changed as it really smelt, then decided sod it and rode to work. Not looked back since....

It's good luck being shat on by a bird.

Bi50N

I live in South Wimbledon and work in Woking - my commute is 7 miles to Surbiton, fast train to West Byfleet, then 3 more miles to Woking. Round trip of 20 miles.

I've cycled all the way home on a few occasions in the summer (about 22 miles).

I would recommend splitting your journey to begin with - Surbiton has secure cycle parking (covered, key-gated and under CCTV), so one option might be to do the 12 miles from Woking > Surbiton and leave your bike there. Frequent fast trains from Surbiton > Waterloo. Or, do the reverse and take the fast train to Surbiton from Woking (22 and 52 past the hour), pick up your bike and cycle the rest.

CarlosDSanchez

Have a test run at the weekend to find out how long it takes and how you feel afterwards. If you still have the car available to use, try driving half way with the bike in the back and then ride the rest, gradually increase the distance.

I've gone from no exercisse for the past 10 years to a 7 mile each way commute (broken by a 45 minute train journey) to a 12 mile each way commute (broken by a 10 minute train journey) to a 22 mile each way commute with no break - each time the distance went up it killed me for a month or so, then it got easier. Also lost 3 stone which was nice.

Twostage

Rick Chasey wrote:

Sketchley wrote:

When I started, I often go very early train in the morning as you can take bikes on trains that arrive in Waterloo before 7. Then rode to work then home in evening. This worked well, until I got shat on by a pigeon cycling to station so I went home and got changed as it really smelt, then decided sod it and rode to work. Not looked back since....

It's good luck being shat on by a bird.

Maybe, but I'd hesitate before taking her out again :shock:

ZoomZoom

dhope wrote:

Single journeys of a mile will be good to get you a bit of confidence on the bike but the simple answer is to up the mileage.
Find a long way home, turn the 1 mile journeys into 5 miles. Do that a few times a week and you'll find quickly that it's easily manageable.

Without wanting to imply you're fat, take a read of this thread
viewtopic.php?f=40012&t=12760586

Yes indeed! have started getting the clapham junction train and cycling in from there to work (around 5 miles), and I feel much better for it!

Will check out the thread, have still got a few kilo to go before I hit the ideal weight!

Z

ZoomZoom

Fat-Boy-Roubaix wrote:

How bike friendly is work? Do you already have a public transport season ticket?

I was in the same position only not 25 miles but 15. 15 was a tough ride for me at the time.

So I would ride in Drive home, drive in ride home etc. This bulit me up to doing it everyday.

50 miles is a big ride with work stuck in the middle, I would maybe break it down into daily 25 miles but still going to be two hours+ I would guess building in London traffic conditions. What is the climb and decent like?

Also well worth giving it a crack at the weekend get a feel for the journey and how you feel at the end, worth doing it both ways fresh as it can differ quite a lot. You will have a tailwind in to work the magority of the time and straight on headwind home..

There are bike racks at work, though the showers are pretty dismal. PT season ticket for South west trains I renew
monthly, driving is not really an option. Cant comment on the climb/descent as haven't really decided on the route in, but you're right 2 hours is going to be a long time on the bike.

Weekend idea is good, setting off fairly early on a sunday before it gets busy.

Z

ZoomZoom

Sketchley wrote:

When I started, I often go very early train in the morning as you can take bikes on trains that arrive in Waterloo before 7. Then rode to work then home in evening. This worked well, until I got shat on by a pigeon cycling to station so I went home and got changed as it really smelt, then decided sod it and rode to work. Not looked back since....

Yes indeed this is just the inspiration that I need

ZoomZoom

clarkey cat wrote:

Doing 50 miles a day would be a pretty big jump. One option would be to ride in in the mornings (as you'll usually have the tail-wind) and then take the bike on the train on the way home (has to be a train that leaves Waterloo after 7pm to take it on). I think the ride in would be pretty easy.

On the way home is a bit of a ball-ache though - I find my problem is that from town to Richmond Park you have all the traffic and other cyclists to keep the interest levels up and then after the Park its just 8 miles of head-wind solitude... you'd have to add another 8 or so on top of that!

A few of us ride in from Weybridge and Walton but not to my knowledge as far as Woking. I dont do it every day. 3 or 4 times a week.

I can get in super early 2 mornings a week (Tuesdays & Thursday) and with my workings hours currently 7pm isnt too late, I was on 7.50 train home tonight. Good to hear that there's a group not far from here, I regularly ride to weybridge/Walton areas on weekends, I should imagine that the cyclist are few and far between when you get this far out of London.

I've got a brompton do you think it's going to be ok, or should I use the best bike or just get a commute bike! Decisions decisions!?

Z

ZoomZoom

Bi50N wrote:

I live in South Wimbledon and work in Woking - my commute is 7 miles to Surbiton, fast train to West Byfleet, then 3 more miles to Woking. Round trip of 20 miles.

I've cycled all the way home on a few occasions in the summer (about 22 miles).

I would recommend splitting your journey to begin with - Surbiton has secure cycle parking (covered, key-gated and under CCTV), so one option might be to do the 12 miles from Woking > Surbiton and leave your bike there. Frequent fast trains from Surbiton > Waterloo. Or, do the reverse and take the fast train to Surbiton from Woking (22 and 52 past the hour), pick up your bike and cycle the rest.

I really like this idea, I think Surbiton is an ideal stepping stone to get used to the distances involved. Thinking that I could take the early train and then cycle from Surbiton to work. Idea of leaving the bike at Surbiton would mean that I would have to rely on PT at the Waterloo side, arrrrgh!

Z

Z

ZoomZoom

CarlosDSanchez wrote:

Have a test run at the weekend to find out how long it takes and how you feel afterwards. If you still have the car available to use, try driving half way with the bike in the back and then ride the rest, gradually increase the distance.

I've gone from no exercisse for the past 10 years to a 7 mile each way commute (broken by a 45 minute train journey) to a 12 mile each way commute (broken by a 10 minute train journey) to a 22 mile each way commute with no break - each time the distance went up it killed me for a month or so, then it got easier. Also lost 3 stone which was nice.

Your progress is very encouraging, the season ticket comes up for renewal at the end of the month, so splitting the journey into part cycle / part train, and then upping the cycle part when I had got used to it would mean that I'm not one of the walking dead at work.

@Everyone thanks for your experiences and feedback, think I have a plan which involves Surbiton as an first step before doing it all in one go!

Z

Bi50N

ZoomZoom wrote:

I really like this idea, I think Surbiton is an ideal stepping stone to get used to the distances involved. Thinking that I could take the early train and then cycle from Surbiton to work. Idea of leaving the bike at Surbiton would mean that I would have to rely on PT at the Waterloo side, arrrrgh!

Z

Z

One disadvantage, the route between Woking > Surbiton will be much quicker to cycle (less traffic lights) but your train journey will be cheaper, less crowded and you avoid public transport!

Here's what I found to be the fastest route from Surbiton > South Wimbledon:

http://app.strava.com/activities/3126363

From there you just go a little further to Colliers Wood to pick up the CS7, but a faster route into town is this (as far as Embankment, then just folllow the Thames)

http://app.strava.com/activities/3150612

I'm sure there are much nicer routes that take Richmond Park in to account...