Is it realistc to commute 22.4miles? Each wy

DonDaddyD
DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
edited June 2010 in Commuting chat
Ok so For 12 months my commute may now change from Wimbledon - Chancery Lane to Wimbledon to Ilford, which is 22.4miles.

Is such a commute realistic?

Route suggetions and times would be greatly appreciated.
Food Chain number = 4

A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
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Comments

  • MonkeyMonster
    MonkeyMonster Posts: 4,628
    Easily realistic - the guys in top 20 do that all that the time. Routes no assistance sorry :)
    MTFU and get it on!
    Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
    The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    It's doable... I suspect it'll be hard as hell to start with though...

    It'll get ya cracking fit
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    Not everyday in my opinion. You're looking at somewhere in the region of 3 hours a day (assuming good conditions) on the bike which is pretty draining mentally - physically I'd say not much of a problem if you're planning on keep the pace reasonable or have some slow days.
  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    If you have the time, I don't see why it'd be a problem (since you're already an experienced cyclist). That'd be 1h20 - 1h30 for me though, which means it could be up to 3 hours of my day taken up every week day. Probably nice enough in decent weather, but a horrible PITA in the wind and rain. =)
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    A mate tried a full 21 mile commute in on Tuesday (I led him in, in the last half) and he didn't mind the distance (even if he DID miss a turn on the way home and climb the biggest hill in the area! :roll: :lol: ) it was the time that did for him.

    Even finishing at 4:30 meant he wasn't getting hom 'til gone 6 so it makes it a long day (he set off 12 hours earlier)

    Distance - doable, time - not so nice
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    By 3 hours do you mean combined journey in and out? I do 10miles in 45mins (traffic lights) so twice that I'm guessing 1.30mins tops.

    To start with I may do 2-3days.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    Make sure that you have somewhere safe to leave the bike in Ilford.....
  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    By 3 hours do you mean combined journey in and out?

    Yeah.
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,487
    The other thing is that the likes of The Running Man et al are largely commuting through open country, so can maintain much higher average speeds (door-to-door average, not rolling average) whereas you will be going straight through the traffic light hell that is central London.

    Maybe get yourself a high-end folder like a Dahon Speed Pro TT or similar, so that you can bail out onto the train/Northern Line when your legs decide they've had enough, but still have a bike that you would be happy to ride for a good distance.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Alright i'm sold, I don't think I'm physically ready to do it day in and out but getting that fit excites me, also need to keep pace with my brother.

    1hr30 journey on bike or by train so it makes little difference. And if I don't ride on the week days I will do 3hrs on the weekends.

    As for route, gonna need a Garmin, maybe new wheels and possibly a new bike....
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Very do-able. But you will find yourself getting tired by Friday.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • mattrsa
    mattrsa Posts: 143
    I do 22 miles each way.

    The most I have managed is 3 times in a week, could prob do it 5 days a week but would be hard hard work. Also would mean getting home very late one night as I play squash

    My ride time is approx 1hour 20min each way which as has been said works out at almost 3 hours a day on the bike.

    Give it a go a few days and see how you feel,

    My legs have pretty much got used to the distance, its more the mental challenge of gettin up early and being on the bike for so long now
    Commuter - Trek 1.2
    Fun - Specialized Rockhopper
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    rjsterry wrote:

    Maybe get yourself a high-end folder like a Dahon Speed Pro TT or similar, so that you can bail out onto the train/Northern Line when your legs decide they've had enough, but still have a bike that you would be happy to ride for a good distance.

    You maybe on to something, I could then hop on at Liverpool street and it wouldn't take up much room in the flat... Mmmmmmm the mind ponders.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    21 miles here. Gotta be honest and say it's not doable as a permanent means of getting to work unless you really are one of the hard-core nutters at the top of the stats league doing 1000+ miles a month.

    Clear roads, no traffic lights, only two occasions where I touch the brakes makes it about 1h 10m for me now the weather's perked up. But doing it 5 days a week does my head in - it just becomes endless effort, up early every day, away by 7, back home around 6:30, plus you need to allow 20 minutes or so for a wash & scrub up at each end. Factor in those cold wet mornings, the morning after a late night of wine, woman and song, the mornings where a 22 mile bike ride to get to work just doesn't appeal, and it becomes hard work on a daily basis.

    I'm on a bit of a downer cycling-wise at the minute, Wednesday & Friday is ok for me but chuck Thursday in too and 3 successive days is just that bit too much. And I can't do Monday / Tuesday during school terms so can't break it up that way. Having man-flu for 3 weeks hasn't helped, but riding in 21 miles has become a bit too routine for me now. Having to do it every day would do my head in I reckon.

    :(
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,487
    CiB wrote:
    the morning after a late night of wine, woman and song, the mornings where a 22 mile bike ride to get to work just doesn't appeal,(

    Well after 22 miles each way, more than one would be really pushing it! :wink:
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    Of course it's do-able :lol:
    I don't think you need to be a nutter to do it at all

    It's also a very good way of losing lots of weight whilst eating whatever you fancy.

    And a garmin/new bike/ wheels etc? Well you will need to have a spare bike if you're gonna do it 5 days/52 weeks as you'll find that wear and tear is very high. I can't see why you'd need a garmin for a regular route though. (or any route for that matter, I can usually fit route direction or 100miles or so on a couple of post-its) of course if you like your gagets and can't think of anything more pressing to spend the money on......................

    As for the tiredness thing: yes this does happen, but you do get used to it. I find I feel more tired off the bike than on it though :roll:

    the nice thing about the longer route is that there's more scope for varying it without increasing the distance drastically
  • Rich158
    Rich158 Posts: 2,348
    MTFU, I do 22 miles each day a minimum of 4 days with a 50km fast club run on Thursday evening, and a race at CP on Tuesday, and possibly a race on Saturday or a sportive on Sunday. I don't find it mentally draining but it is physically hard and you have to accept that some days will have to be rest days and you pootle in. On the other hand I was in bed at 9:30 last night so you can forget a social life or TV, or aything else for that matter :?

    On the other hand don't listen to me, in the last month I've been called batshit insane and a fruitloop :shock: That tells you all you need to know :wink:
    pain is temporary, the glory of beating your mates to the top of the hill lasts forever.....................

    Revised FCN - 2
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    Rich158 wrote:
    MTFU, I do 22 miles each day a minimum of 4 days with a 50km fast club run on Thursday evening, and a race at CP on Tuesday, and possibly a race on Saturday or a sportive on Sunday. I don't find it mentally draining but it is physically hard and you have to accept that some days will have to be rest days and you pootle in. On the other hand I was in bed at 9:30 last night so you can forget a social life or TV, or aything else for that matter :?

    On the other hand don't listen to me, in the last month I've been called batshit insane and a fruitloop :shock: That tells you all you need to know :wink:

    Yeh and he's really really really old :P
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    rjsterry wrote:
    CiB wrote:
    the morning after a late night of wine, woman and song, the mornings where a 22 mile bike ride to get to work just doesn't appeal,(

    Well after 22 miles each way, more than one would be really pushing it! :wink:
    :) Some of us are married and value our goolies. More than one would be bad news.
  • osxboy
    osxboy Posts: 4
    Up until November 09 I was commuting 5 days a week on a SS Tri-cross as follows:

    Monday AM - 16.8 miles
    Monday PM - 24.6 miles

    Tues-Thurs AM - 8.4 miles
    Tues-Thurs PM - 30.4 miles

    Friday AM - 16.8 miles
    Friday PM - 16.8 miles

    So over the week 192 ish miles and was easily doable, different distances were more about convenience (dropping my son at school etc.) than time
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    I'm currently doing a fair few 40 mile commute round trips but I'm keeping it to 10 in the morning and 30 (or more :twisted: ) on the way home (and, psychologically, it helps a lot to know that I don't have to take a long route back). But flying through Wharfedale on a sunny day is rather different to ploughing through the suburbs of London on a dark wet morning in winter. I think the fast folder option is a good one. Would have to be a Brompton though!

    Only snag with that is you lose much of the financial benefit of cycling.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,487
    CiB wrote:
    rjsterry wrote:
    CiB wrote:
    the morning after a late night of wine, woman and song, the mornings where a 22 mile bike ride to get to work just doesn't appeal,(

    Well after 22 miles each way, more than one would be really pushing it! :wink:
    :) Some of us are married and value our goolies. More than one would be bad news.

    Ab

    So

    Lutely

    I never understand how anyone has the time for more than one, and holds down a proper job.

    Back on topic, I would say that time and tiredness are the biggest issues with a long commute. I try and leave the house at 8, and I'm not usually home much before 8. This means I'm doing well to see the little one before she goes to bed. Thinking about the things you've posted in other threads DDD, if you were thinking of moving house and starting a family, then I'm not sure there are enough hours in the week for 224 miles, but definitely worth a try for 2 or 3 days, with a train/bike combo for the others.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • Rich158
    Rich158 Posts: 2,348
    itboffin wrote:
    Rich158 wrote:
    MTFU, I do 22 miles each day a minimum of 4 days with a 50km fast club run on Thursday evening, and a race at CP on Tuesday, and possibly a race on Saturday or a sportive on Sunday. I don't find it mentally draining but it is physically hard and you have to accept that some days will have to be rest days and you pootle in. On the other hand I was in bed at 9:30 last night so you can forget a social life or TV, or aything else for that matter :?

    On the other hand don't listen to me, in the last month I've been called batshit insane and a fruitloop :shock: That tells you all you need to know :wink:

    Yeh and he's really really really old :P

    maybe, but not as old as some eh eh :wink: There's no point hiding behind me old man, we all know who the old fart really is :lol::lol::lol:
    pain is temporary, the glory of beating your mates to the top of the hill lasts forever.....................

    Revised FCN - 2
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    rjsterry wrote:
    I never understand how anyone has the time for more than one, and holds down a proper job.

    I have a hard time making time for one, and holding down a proper job. :oops:
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    Rolf F wrote:

    Only snag with that is you lose much of the financial benefit of cycling.


    There is no financial benefit when you're doing big mileage - the wear and tear costs are non-stop on top all the tools and clothing you need near the start.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    pastryboy wrote:
    Rolf F wrote:

    Only snag with that is you lose much of the financial benefit of cycling.


    There is no financial benefit when you're doing big mileage - the wear and tear costs are non-stop on top all the tools and clothing you need near the start.

    That isn't true!

    I've done over 3000 miles this year so far which I think counts as big mileage. I can assure you it has been far cheaper than the £60 a month I paid for my Metrocard and I suspect that was cheap compared to what a lot of Londoners pay.

    Despite the atrocious winter, all I've had to pay for in parts down to wear and tear is the odd chain and a cassette (and that partly my fault). Clothes have cost very little - most from Lidl or Aldi which also supply a similar toolkit to mine for £25 (I paid £45 from Woodrups).

    There's a lot of things I've bought for hobby cycling though and I wouldn't have got into that if it wasn't for the commuting but they aren't real commuting costs.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    What are the other options? Time wise? If tube/train takes the same? Or close enought that it makes sence for the bike.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    DDD matey that sort of mileage is well within your reach buy ilford, WTF did you do?
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • andy83
    andy83 Posts: 1,558
    definitely doable, but like mentioned above, I have the pleasure of going to work mainly on country lanes and also i dont really have a proper job (well i do but work two 12 hour shifts a week and two 7 hour shifts with one at the weekend) but on my long days i get an hour lunch break which i cycle on.

    Also a massive plus is direct to my job is 4 miles, so if im feeling really rubbish can do this route, but its not very often unless i need to be home quick.

    mentally i love my commute, getting fixie for winter so i can still do the long commute. Even on my days off in the week I tend to do part of my commute added onto a longer ride. If I was stopping starting at lights a lot I dont think id enjoy it as much
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    ITB, new job.

    Roger, two trains or I could drive. Driving I'm not keen on as traffic around London (avoiding the Congestion charge) could make the journey well over 2hrs. Two different train journeys or bike = 1hr30.

    I'm probably going to do the first month by train and then ease in the fact that I cycle to work gently...
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game