# Who commutes over an hour?



## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

How many of you guys have a commute over an hour? I changed shifts at work from days to evenings. Now I want to start riding to work a few days a week. But its 25 miles each way. I road out there last week on my day off just to see how long it would take and its an hour and a half. The ride sucked but it was our first 90 degree day and I only had 2 small water bottles and was almost out of water by the time i got back to town. And the wind was blowing 15 to 20 all day. So I don't think it will suck that much all the time. I am just having trouble motivating myself do ride in knowing I have to ride home at 11 at night.


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## jhat (Mar 7, 2009)

I commute occasionally and it is 30 miles each way. I use a good race bike and have a YMCA for a shower very close by. The bike sits in my office during the day. The advantage of coming home at that hour for you is that the traffic will be very light and riding at night is pretty cool.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

A good and somewhat popular way to deal with a 20+ mile commute is to drive in with the bike and a change of clothes in the car then ride home after work.

The next day ride in and drive home.

Repeat as needed.

HTH


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## kjdhawkhill (Jan 29, 2011)

21.5 miles for me is anywhere between 1h5minutes and 1h40 minutes depending on wind, legs etc. I typically start my day at 0700 so that means leaving the house at 0510. Riding that early in the pitch dark with very light traffic is probably safer than coming home at 1700-1800. Getting home at 2300-0100 shouldn't be an issue for you with good lights, good weather and no drunks on the road. Careful on friday nights and if your local sports team plays during the week. 

There are plenty of reason I don't ride every day, and motivation can be one of them. Try to do it at least once a week and maybe the additional trips will become easier to motivate yourself for.


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## DownByFive (Feb 2, 2012)

My current ride is 14 miles each way and takes me just over an hour, and I do it 3x a week or so. Last summer I was doing 50 miles r/t 2x a week. For me, it's not the ride, it's getting up earlier. I'm just so lazy in the mornings and driving is generally not bad, so it can kill my motivation to ride.


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

pulser955 said:


> How many of you guys have a commute over an hour? I changed shifts at work from days to evenings. Now I want to start riding to work a few days a week. But its 25 miles each way. I road out there last week on my day off just to see how long it would take and its an hour and a half. The ride sucked but it was our first 90 degree day and I only had 2 small water bottles and was almost out of water by the time i got back to town. And the wind was blowing 15 to 20 all day. So I don't think it will suck that much all the time. I am just having trouble motivating myself do ride in knowing I have to ride home at 11 at night.



I do two hour rides (Thirty miles) into work and then do a one hour ride home (Fifteen miles). Straight shot to work is twelve miles. 

But that's because as I got into shape my ride into work, time-wise, got shorter and shorter so I mapped out a longer route. Eventually I'll do the two hour ride home as well.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

MB1 said:


> A good and somewhat popular way to deal with a 20+ mile commute is to drive in with the bike and a change of clothes in the car then ride home after work.
> 
> The next day ride in and drive home.
> 
> ...


I have thought about that. But I'm afraid to be stuck with out my car the next day. I am right at the start of the foot hills of the rockies and the weather can be really nasty. My commute is out east and the thunderstorms that come down out of the mountains can be quite scary. With my luck I would be forced to ride in the next day in one of them.


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

pulser955 said:


> I have thought about that. But I'm afraid to be stuck with out my car the next day. I am right at the start of the foot hills of the rockies and the weather can be really nasty. My commute is out east and the thunderstorms that come down out of the mountains can be quite scary. With my luck I would be forced to ride in the next day in one of them.



Foot hills of the Rockies + thunderstorms = I totally understand :eek6: !


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

This should be kind of the perfect job to commute to. I work in a machine shop in a big factory. We have locker rooms with showers. and the hole place is secure. You can't get on to the grounds with out an ID badge. The only downside is I can't bring the bike in to my work area. It would have to stay outside in a rack.


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## Clyde250 (Feb 24, 2007)

Mine takes an hour. It's 11 miles and 1400 ft gain. The ride home, I pedal twice!


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## rearviewmirror (Aug 20, 2008)

I did a 65 minute commute (30km) each way for a year. My fitness was out of this world, but mentally it was very demoralizing, especially in winter. For that years I commuted 13,000km, not bad for a year of riding, but I'd never do it again.


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## kjdhawkhill (Jan 29, 2011)

rearviewmirror said:


> I did a 65 minute commute (30km) each way for a year. My fitness was out of this world, but mentally it was very demoralizing, especially in winter. For that years I commuted 13,000km, not bad for a year of riding, but I'd never do it again.


That's not really a fear of mine, riding twice a week is rare enough that it doesn't begin to take the fun out of it for me. Burn-out happens at work, not in my choice of transportation.


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## Smoker (May 20, 2012)

kjdhawkhill said:


> Burn-out happens at work, not in my choice of transportation.


amen to that.


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## Aushiker (Mar 23, 2008)

My commute is 42 km each way. My bike goes in the office and we have a shower etc. I generally ride in once a week with panniers with my clothes for the coming week.

This is a taste of some of the ride ...






Regards
Andrew


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## tkat20 (Jun 14, 2009)

My commute used to be about 17 miles, so I was in good shape and would ride hard. I worked Swing shift so I rode home in the dark. Going to work, I would ride to a friends house and if he was home I would ride the rest of the way to work with him. On the way home I would ride with him and then take off, fast. It was good because I would warm up slowly, like I should be doing on the way to work. Sometimes on the way home I would just feel exausted. I would continue riding and then I would feel OK. Funny how that happens. My commute home was usually uneventful (hardly any traffic) and I still got a great workout. I would usually ride only two or three days a week. 
Since I changed jobs, my ride only takes 40-45 minutes. I still ride two or three days a week. If I ride more than three days in a row I get too tired. Must be I'm getting on in the years (NO I'm not old).


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

I think I am going to make the ride in this week. One more question for you guys. Do you bring a second par of shorts for the ride one? Or do just use the same ones? I can take them in the shower with me to rinse them out. But I don't know how dry they will be at the end of my shift. Our lockers are quite small.


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## Scott B (Dec 1, 2004)

MB1 said:


> A good and somewhat popular way to deal with a 20+ mile commute is to drive in with the bike and a change of clothes in the car then ride home after work.
> 
> The next day ride in and drive home.
> 
> ...


With you concern about weather could you drive halfway, park and then ride in? That would cut some driving and not leave you without the car.

I have friends in SF who leave their car at work all the time at the major tech company where the work and have a parking spot. These inversions of usual car storage and use can be great as you get creative.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

A second pair of shorts? No, just hang up the pair you ride in on when you arrive, they should be dry when you leave, unless you really sweat like crazy. No need to rinse them out. 

I ride 33 miles round trip, so its a little over an hour each way. I use the same pair of bib shorts for 2-3 days in a row, unless it's really hot out. 

If I were you, I'd start out commuting 1-2 days a week. Scop out the weather and choose your days. 

What MB1 says makes sense, but I can understand not wanting to be stranded at home w/o your car.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

I ride 17mi each way. It takes 1hr to 1hr05min. My goal is to get it under 1hr, but that's just not working yet.



pulser955 said:


> One more question for you guys. Do you bring a second par of shorts for the ride one? Or do just use the same ones?


Same pair. I have a box in my office and just hang my clothes on it to dry. Turn your shorts inside out so the pad dries faster. 
And don't leave your socks in your shoes by mistake. I've done that a few times.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

pmf said:


> If I were you, I'd start out commuting 1-2 days a week. Scop out the weather and choose your days.
> 
> What MB1 says makes sense, but I can understand not wanting to be stranded at home w/o your car.



I was planing on seeing how it goes. But really i was thinking 1 or 2 days a week. I have a motorcycle i use too when the weather is clear. I am trying to drive my car as little as possible.

As for driving half way and riding half way and riding in. I don't think there is any place I can keep the car that long.


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## kjdhawkhill (Jan 29, 2011)

pulser955 said:


> Do you bring a second par of shorts for the ride one? Or do just use the same ones? I can take them in the shower with me to rinse them out. But I don't know how dry they will be at the end of my shift.


I ride in the same pair, but I'm one of the lucky ones with a shower, washer and a dryer at the office. For the most part I could actually do without the dryer with just a place to hang the bib shorts. In the summer a slight bit of (clean) damp doesn't bother me. The winter rides require a little drier chamois for comfort.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Give it a go. My commute increased from about 22 miles round trip to 31 miles RT last fall. I initially wondered if I would have to scale back my commuting, but I'm actually riding more often. The extra mileage was no biggie, but I do get up and leave about 30 minutes earlier in the mornings and get home later in the afternoon. My RT riding time varies from 1:50 to 2:10 hours, depending on the weather and how tired my legs are. I am fortunate to have nice showers at work and a secure place to lock my bike. If I faced a longer commute, I would try the strategy that MB1 recommended -- that is, riding one-way and splitting commutes with my car or truck.


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

Years ago, I had a 17 mile commute, but it was all (except for 1 mile) on a good bike path, almost no hills, and I could use my good road bike. I was able to do it in 55 minutes. Then, after a lot of years of an easy 11 mile commute, I now have an 18 mile commute that has a lot of hills and I have to haul my computer and other stuff (2 front panniers, one for the computer) and I have to leave my bike outside so I take a cheap bike. The ride also has a lot of street crossings and a few long traffic lights. It generally takes about 70 minutes and I can't do it 2 days in a row because I don't seem to be able to recover enough, so I end up bonking hard on the ride home the 2nd day. I only go to that office twice a week, so I only end up commuting once a week. I really think it's all the added weight and hills that do me in. Sucks. I used to be able to do my 17 mile commute every day without issue. Even in the middle of winter.


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## scorchedearth (Mar 22, 2012)

My ride home is 30km (19 miles) and takes me about 1:10. I commute twice a week for now and may increase as my fitness improves. A little while ago, I tried going two days in a row and was too tired the second day to really enjoy the ride. Having just started bike commuting recently, I imagine it will take a bit of time to get accustomed to the routine before I can ride more than twice a week.


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## acg (Feb 13, 2011)

18 miles each way. I take my car in on Monday... then then bike home... and ride to work again in the morning. The car is at work whenever I need it during the work week or if I need to bail on a bike commute home or it it is raining heavy (Portland}. My wife may take me in sometimes if I need a ride to work. I am lucky as I have an office to store my bike, large company's security staff polices the parking lot, company provides showers and towels, we have flexible work hours, my wife is a stay-at-home mom who can cater to my need to be driven to work if my own car is at work.


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## T0mi (Mar 2, 2011)

37km each way here. Taking from 1h05 when riding hard with my race bike and not to many red lights to 1h25 when it's dark and cold with my commuting mule (a CX bike with fenders, rack and wide tires).

I do it 4 days / week. I carry all my clothes for the week the first day, then ride lighter the other days.

I wouldn't do it without a shower at work.


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## spartacus001 (Nov 28, 2009)

I have a 16 mi commute each way on paved roads. There is a gentle uphill ride on my return trip. Time: 1:07 - 1:35 hrs. 
I would love to do it everyday but due to family commitments and work schedule I usually ride 2x a week. 

1 pair of cycling shorts that comes off or I keep my communiting shorts on all day.


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## J.T.D. (May 8, 2012)

My ride started out 1:05-1:10, but now it's down to 45-50 minutes. 
Lost 22 lbs. (was 199, now 185). 
Oh, and bought a Specialized Roubaix, which is 7 lbs. lighter than my old bike ;-)


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## Bill2 (Oct 14, 2007)

My commute to school used to be 1.5 hour return (slightly uphill). But they paved a dirt road short cut which cuts half an hour off of the return (and maybe 20 minutes off the ride to school). Motivation for me is staying in good shape, feeling better, saving gas and money, and enjoying the fresh air.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

I road to work a few days ago before this wild fire started. It went well. It was hot and windy on the ride out but I did it in 1:15 it was 24 miles. The ride home was nice. It was cool but not cold and I used my lights that I mountain bike with at night with. The roads were mostly empty and clean. The only problem I had was my backpack. I want one with some reflective stuff on it and a place to but a second tail light. I would feel safer if I had one on the back pack and my seat post. I will defiantly be doing that more often once the air quality returns to normal. And my supervisor let me stash it in my departments brake room. So I don't have to leave it out front. :thumbsup:


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## kjdhawkhill (Jan 29, 2011)

Keep at it. Things get faster when you begin to learn the roads and what sections have fewer potholes and less debris. Also, tailwinds help.

With a nice tailwind my commute home almost became a sub hour commute. 21 miles with a constant 15-20mph tailwind for about 80% of the ride. I enjoyed it because I've paid quite my bit of dues with similar headwinds in the past. 1:03:54 is the quickest I've done it and 1:35 I think is the slowest. 

Don't worry about mounting a light to the backpack, put one up higher on your helmet and maybe a third on a seat stay. Backpack mounted lights tend to wobble and point at your own rear wheel. 

One thing to think about if stashing the bike in a shared area (particularly a break room) is maybe trying to stash a goodwill towel at work for the bike so if you get caught in a downpour your sup won't pull the privilege of stashing the bike inside. 

Good luck with those fires and winds.


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

I ride into work in the early morning and meet my hubby at a gym not too far from where I work. We put the bike in the back of the car and he drops me off at work. It's a 40km ride for me. I have a shower at work.


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## bentnotbroken (Jan 19, 2006)

I ride 15 miles each way. In January and February (WI) it averaraged just over an hour depending on the roads. With clear raods and warm weather it closer to 50 minutes but once a month the wind pushs it to an hour.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

MB1 said:


> A good and somewhat popular way to deal with a 20+ mile commute is to drive in with the bike and a change of clothes in the car then ride home after work.
> 
> The next day ride in and drive home.
> 
> ...


This.


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## dandar (Mar 31, 2012)

Clyde250 said:


> Mine takes an hour. It's 11 miles and 1400 ft gain. The ride home, I pedal twice!


Mine is almost 12 and 700 foot gain each way. Good 1 hour workout both ways. I just started riding in April but have commuted once a week for 7 weeks straight. Hopefully starting next week I can bump it up to twice or three times.


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## howdoesseanroll (Mar 27, 2012)

kjdhawkhill said:


> Keep at it. Things get faster when you begin to learn the roads and what sections have fewer potholes and less debris. Also, tailwinds help.
> 
> With a nice tailwind my commute home almost became a sub hour commute. 21 miles with a constant 15-20mph tailwind for about 80% of the ride. I enjoyed it because I've paid quite my bit of dues with similar headwinds in the past. 1:03:54 is the quickest I've done it and 1:35 I think is the slowest.
> 
> ...


Good to know someone else is having trouble breaking the 1 hour barrier for the 21 mile commute - mine is the exact same and I cannot for the life of me get it under an hour!!


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## kjdhawkhill (Jan 29, 2011)

I could get it under an hour if I got faster. Or rode the most direct and fully paved (but most dangerous) route. It would be something like 18.7 miles - if I didn't get clipped by an idiot out wandering around in a two ton pickup.


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## nhluhr (Sep 9, 2010)

My commute is 21mi. I wish I could say it was less than an hour but alas... I'll blame my times on the stoplights downtown


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## whatthefunk (Apr 15, 2012)

My commute varies by day with the longest being around 15-16 miles each way. The last time I didnt ride the bike to work was about four months ago when it was raining and I felt like I was coming down with something. The ride in can suck, especially in the winter, but I love the ride home. No better way to burn off the day's stress than an hour at the pedals.


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## hill hunter (Jul 26, 2012)

This is my first post, so hello.

I ride 18 miles to work. I have been commuting to work for the last 3 months. I ride 5 days a week. The first time I rode to work was the hardest for me. After I did it a couple times I actually look forward to my rides. 

I use a Camel Back to bring my clothes to and from work, along with my lunch and anything else I might need. I leave my lunch box at work and when I bring my lunch I get ice from the ice machine to keep it cold. The weather is something that you will have to plan for.

I try to get to work early so I can cool down before I change into my work clothes. Like others have said, I hang my riding clothes up in my cubicle. The one thing I don't like is that I have to leave my bike in a rack in the parking lot.


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## crank1979 (Sep 9, 2007)

I aim for 1.5 hours on the way to work and 2 hours on the way home. That's about 52km each way on the mtb with slicks and Spinaci bars. If I'm having a good ride I'll hit those times but usually I'm about 10 minutes longer.

On the road bike I aim for the same times but it's 55km each way along country roads. Results are generally the same as on the mtb but it's a much nicer ride.


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## pennstater (Aug 20, 2007)

24 miles each way. Sometimes bike both ways. Sometimes leave the car at work, bike home and back to work next morning. Sometimes drive part way then ride. Occasionally due to unexpected weather or mechanical problem take the bike on mass transit. Sometimes bum a ride home or to work with an employee. Usually not more than twice a week. Times vary with Manhattan traffic, wind speed and direction and ambient temperature and humidity not to mention my fatigue. Varies between 1-1/2 hrs to as long as 2 hrs. 

There has to be a place to park somewhere between home and work.


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## mjm2369 (Jul 27, 2012)

good thread


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## shnipe (Jun 6, 2011)

One way my ride is 10 miles. On the way in to work I loop north and hit a few different roads to make it 20 miles. On the way home I ride straight home due to the heat and just being burnt from work. As my fitness increases I have a few routes that will have more hills that Ill be taking and eventually working up to 30 miles in and 10-20 home.


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