Commuting - Who commutes 20+ miles one way?

Hi, I'm new to the forum, but I just bought a new recumbent bike with dual 650c wheels and really want to start commuting to work with it.

I clocked out my route on the way to work today with a GPS and it was 22.52 miles, one way, on flat back country roads with little traffic. I work 12 hour shifts from 6am to 6pm, 4 days one week and 3 days the next, so I will probably have to leave a little after 4am each morning. I do have access to showers and lockers at work and my employer has a guarateed ride home program for alternate transportion folks if I should ever need it.

Right now I can maintain 14mph on my old recumbent pretty easy so I'm hoping I can get about an 18mph average out of this new one. That would make my commute about 1.25 hours. Does that sound reasonable?

For now I'm planning on 1-2 days per week and see how that goes but I would really like to hear from anyone that does this on a regular basis. I could also use some advise on getting the bike and myself ready for the commute. Any first hand advise would be helpful.

Thanks,
dustinm

Hi,

When I started my commutes I made arrangements to be driven 1/2way to work then commute in from there. In the afternoons I would call home and then meet up at an assigned place, again about 1/2 way. The total daily mileage was about 15 miles. The week before last my work hours changed so I was no longer able to ride in the mornings (too dark, I have night blindness). So I am hauled in to work and then ride the whole distance home which comes out to just under 16 miles on my bike odometer. Oddly enough by car the distance is 18 miles due to a different route. On a good day I will have exactly 1 hour on the computer's timer. Add to that 10 to 20 miinutes waiting in traffic at stoplights and you have about an hour 10 minutes to an hour and 20 minutes. If it is really windy the trip takes up to an hour and 20 minutes of road time. Adding in the variables for traffic lights and I'm at 1 hour and 40 minutes. I start out in the city in traffic and then get onto some quiet country roads once I get out of town. I try to ride every day, weather permitting. Last week I rode 4 days and the week before that, 4 days. Next week I hope to do 5 days.
I'll say for now on the time "It depends". It depends on your condition, the weather, the traffic, and the terrain.

Incidentally I'm a newbie to 'bents. I ride a Rans Tailwind. I'm in my 2nd month of ownership with 300 miles on the odometer.

I'f you are comfortable on the bike give it a try. Just allow some extra time for the first few trips until you establish how long it is going to take, and for anything unforseen that may crop up. Have fun!

'bent Brian

Hi, I just started commuting to work. My commute is 25 miles each way. I work on the graveyard shift. I leave 2 hours to get to work. I love riding into work in the darkness with lighting (especially with a newer route that has some street lights for about 10 miles rather than thru a dark, dark parkway). I have trouble riding home in the morning. I went on the midnight shift about 20 years ago to resolve a childcare issue and have been there ever since. I usually sleep within 30 minutes after arriving home. This was so I could sleep while the kids were in school and be awake at 3:30 when they got home. Well that pattern is set in stone. If I don't sleep early in the day, I can not sleep for days at a time. So......riding 2 hours during my normal sleep hours is very tiring. I have been experimenting with driving my car to work and leaving it there and riding home and the next day riding my bike to work. I only ride about 2 days per week since it takes so much time. I used to ride with a bike club on recreational rides, but now commuting 2x is really 4 club rides. I ride about 3-4 miles slower than club rides as I have Armadillo wider tires on to prevent flats and about 30 pounds with lighting and a pack. When winter gets here, I'll probably drive 1/2 way and park the car in a 24 hour grocery store lot and cycle to work since winter is even slower. Wish you a lot of luck.

I do a 30 mile one way commute about once a week. I'd do it more often, but getting up at 5 AM is the hardest part of the ride.

I usually try to leave about 4:30 myself when I do commute by bike. I need to do it more often, though. It's about 23.5 miles one way. I think if you can maintain 14 mph for most of the ride you are doing great. Don't worry about the speed, since riding that much will improve your cycling quite a bit, and your average will increase. I have numerous stop lights and signs, which make the commute that much harder. I also have a good headwind coming home, another reason I balk at riding as often as I should. I say jsut do the ride, and the enjoymet of commuting on your bike will be the first benefit, with the improved riding stamina showing up as the second.

Salvation Army thrift store bike: $30
Upgrade parts, lights, rack and bags: $150
Cycling clothes, shoes, helmet: $200
Seeing your coworkers dragging at 8:00AM: Priceless

Kind of makes those 5 AM mornings worth it.

I usually try to leave about 4:30 myself when I do commute by bike. I need to do it more often, though. It's about 23.5 miles one way. I think if you can maintain 14 mph for most of the ride you are doing great. Don't worry about the speed, since riding that much will improve your cycling quite a bit, and your average will increase. I have numerous stop lights and signs, which make the commute that much harder. I also have a good headwind coming home, another reason I balk at riding as often as I should. I say jsut do the ride, and the enjoymet of commuting on your bike will be the first benefit, with the improved riding stamina showing up as the second.

I'm lucky in the sense that I will only have 2 stop lights the entire commute and that it is all flat country roads. I also should have a tail wind on the commute home most days, so that is a real bonus.

I'm really excited to start this. I just found out today that 2 and maybe 3 other co-workers would like to meet up and do the ride with me. It should be nice having company on the hour and a half ride in. Thanks so far for all the input, keep it coming...

dmitsch

I'm lucky in the sense that I will only have 2 stop lights the entire commute and that it is all flat country roads. I also should have a tail wind on the commute home most days, so that is a real bonus.

I'm really excited to start this. I just found out today that 2 and maybe 3 other co-workers would like to meet up and do the ride with me. It should be nice having company on the hour and a half ride in. Thanks so far for all the input, keep it coming...

dmitsch


Don't forget front and rear lights for visibility. Some states require reflectors that can be seen form each side, hence the ones in the spokes. I looked around and found some that were smaller than the time trial looking wheel inserts that came with my bike. A heavy reflector in the spokes on a nice smooth road is definitely noticeable at high speeds.
I had a tail wind the other day for the first 5 miles or so, and was beating traffic from light to light in San Jose, but then it turned into a head wind again. Don't get so caught up in the act of commuting that you forget to enjoy the ride.