John_1961

Hi Gang,
I'm going to start commuting 25 miles to work On Monday.
Anybody know about how long of a ride it would be?.
Thanks in Advance
JOHN in SULLIVAN WIS

afwen

If you're able to average 15 mph including stop lights, it will take about an hour and 40 minutes.

SDRider

I average about 15mph...sometimes more on a fairly hilly 20 mile round trip commute. It usually takes me about 40-45 minutes one way depending on traffic lights.

jpfieber

My ride is 11.5 miles (2/3 on city streets, 1/3 on bike path), I usually take from 45 to 60 minutes (50 is pretty typical), depending on wind mostly (I haven't gone aerodynamic yet).

nashcommguy

In my experience post #2 is a reasonable goal. Depends alot on your condition, level of experience, type of bike, urban, rural, traffic pattern, stop lights, terrain. My commute is 20 into work and it takes me 1:10-25 depending on wind, mostly. But, the ride home is uphill and my time is usually 1:20-45. This is on all rural roads w/no traffic lights, but plenty of hills and wind.

tate65

On my 21 mile one, 42 RT, I average 14 MPH not including lights etc. I run between 1:20 and 1:35 for the 21 miles, but I do have a lot of lights, some Extreamly long. I have made it as fast as 1:05, but that is rare.

Remember to leave time for cleanup and a possible flat.

idcruiserman

No smart ass replies? What's BF coming to? A 25 mile ride is about 25 miles.

savethekudzu

If you're new to cycling this route or if conditions are bad, keep in mind that it could take you considerably longer than the suggestions here. My first-ever 6-mile commute leg took nearly an hour, but I wouldn't say that's necessarily typical. (It's never taken that long on any subsequent trips.)

PaulH

I average just under one hour door to door on a 10 mile one-way commute leg in the DC area. That's with plenty of hills and a traffic light every few blocks. Assuming fewer stops and hills, I'd guess about two hours for your first commute.

Paul

JoeyBike

Don't worry about speed too much at first. Try not to get an overuse injury - usually strained tendons in your feet and legs. I was forced to commute 18 each way for two years recently, and it took about six months for me to work through some strains and feel like I could do whatever I wanted to with speed. Long rides on weekends won't really prepare you for the daily grind.

Make sure your bike fits!

Good luck - have fun! Very rewarding if you pull it off and stay happy about it.

DataJunkie

90 to 120 min each way depending upon fitness level, terrain, stop lights, bike, traffic, etc

Too many variables.

cerewa

If you are in pretty good shape a normal average speed might be 15mph.

If you don't exercise much or if you have hardly ever exercised for two hours at a stretch, 11-12mph over 25 miles would be much more likely.

For myself, if I might get lost I need to bring a map and allow an extra half hour or so.

charles vail

As an old fat guy (49 & 260) I commuted 20 miles one way in 1:20 and did a one time commute of 28 miles (56 rt) in 1:59 and 2:16 on the way back. My normal exercise loop is only 9 miles with a 1 mile hill at the end and I do that in between 38-42 minutes. My fastest recent 10 mile ride was exactly 30 minutes over rolling terrain and no stop lights on a Long wheelbase recumbent. If you are younger, lighter and in better shape, with two good knees, your times should be better unless you have a bunch of stoplights to contend with.
Hope this gives you something to gauge your times with.

dobber

1.30388105 × 10-12 parsecs

John_1961

Ok gang thanks for the info I never wanted to drive in the first place this Reformulated Gas craps for the birds thats what there forceing us to put into our gas tanks here in SE Wis. I burn alot more gas now than i use to and with the high cost to fill the tank? SCREW IT.

cyccommute 

You do realize that commuting to work 11 days before the winter solstice involves some challenges, don't you? Winter riding isn't as easy as summer riding and requires a whole bunch more equipment. First there are lights and then there are cloths followed by bike equipment issues. None of it is cheap...not if you want to have at least a quasi comfortable ride. Don't expect to save a lot of gas money by commuting...especially in the first couple of years

And is your ride 25 miles one way (50 miles round trip) or a 25 miles round trip? 25 miles one way is a 2 hour trip (4 hours total). 25 miles round trip is still 2 hours but split up into approximately 1 hour chunks. Dealing with the cold and dark for an hour at a time is not that hard. Dealing with the cold and dark for 2 hours at a time is much more difficult.

I don't want to scare you off from commuting, but you might want to reconsider and start in March rather then in December. By then you won't need the lights, the arctic gear, sled dogs, rifle for the wolves, eskimo guides, etc By the time next December rolls around you'll be a harden veteran who doesn't need all that stuff.

Hydrated

You will qualify for ironman status, however!

cerewa

Unless it allows you to get rid of a car, its insurance, and its problems of depreciation or repair costs.

By the way I have a hilly 17 mile ride to work, and I decided an electric bike was the thing for me-- 8 hours working plus a couple hours of strenuous biking, day in/day out in bad weather or good... is not easy. But it's awfully easy to travel long distances without a car, and keep in shape, if you go by 50%/50% pedal-and-electric power.

banerjek

How much riding have you done in the past? Unless you are already in pretty good condition, you are likely to be in pain for the first couple months because you will not get an opportunity to recover (presuming you're riding every day). Don't try to make time until you figure out what you can get away with.

I would not dissuade you from starting in the winter if you're gung ho on this. If you can keep it up for 2 months, it just gets easier and easier. As your condition improves and you get better equipment, your speed will improve dramatically. Also, keep in mind that the time it takes to ride 25 miles will vary drastically with weather conditions.

DataJunkie

Not to mention that the OP is in WI.
My company was based out of Waukesha for sometime. Now it is currently in Brown Deer. I believe that is to Sullivan's east.

Anyhow, I would give the OP kudos () if he starts commuting now but it is perfectly reasonable to wait. God knows I would.
My coworkers in WI mentioned that they have been getting hit with storms for the last week.
If you do start be hella careful.

cyccommute 

Let's face facts, however. Bicycle commuters are a fringe element. We make up about 1% of commuters out there. People who give up their cars and bike commute are a fringe of a fringe element. I doubt that 1% of the 1% are car free. My original statement still stands...don't expect to save much money by bicycle commuting, especially in the first few years. Do it for fun, do it for exercise, do it to save the planet...just don't expect to save a lot of money.

Sixty Fiver

There are far too many variable to consider here although a 25 miles commute does sound nice... is that one way or return ?

What kind of bike are you riding?

What is the traffic like ?

What is the terrain ?

Are you Lance Armstrong posting as John 1961 ?

People consider me to be a fairly fast rider and I can make my 9 mile commute in as little as 23 minutes (24 mph avg) with the right bike under ideal conditions although the normal average is usually 30 minutes (20 mph avg).

The best way to know how long the commute will be is to do it on your day off and factor in that there will likely be more traffic duding your normal commute.

Wind is what slows me down the most and high winds can increase my commuting time to as much as 40 minutes.

cerewa

I entirely agree with you on the "hard to save money bike commuting" part, cyccommute. Bike commuting costs money- getting all the equipment can cost hundreds of dollars and being frugal it will still probably cost you $100 to several hundred a year once you have equipment.

But worldwide, most adults do not have their own car. Not owning a car while living in a developed country isn't as bizarre as you think:
in the U.K. "by 1998 seven out of ten households had at least one" car.

In the USA "Only 8 percent of households report not having a vehicle available for regular use". Just because car-free cyclists are rare doesn't mean car-free people are rare or that a cyclist who wants to save money and can travel to work every day without a car probably can't become car-free. These statistics also don't mention the # of housholds with 1 car and more than 1 adult, which is a viable strategy for a large portion of the households where one person commutes without a car daily.

Your one-percent-of-one-percent comment makes it appear that my comment is irrelevant. It is not and I stand by my words:
bike commuting probably doesn't save you money unless it allows you to get rid of one car

DataJunkie

If you are dirt poor or less compulsive than me it helps. However, if you are like me and start getting raises and what not, the savings go out the window and into more bikes and gear.

It is a nice thing to have when money is tight. Not having to spend money on gas or bike gear helps when things are not going so well.

outashape

I used to commute to work, but it was exhausting and taking up most of my life. It was a 25 mile trip each way. 2 hours before work, work, 2 hours after work, eat, charge batteries, get clothes & next days' lunch ready, etc. It was wonderful to bike to work on the midnight shift, but I was tired after work and the trip home was too much. Some years I cycled 3-10 thousand miles. But it is a whole different mindset driving the car home and then cycling 30-40 miles after work for pleasure, then the long "12.5 hour work day". Now I sometimes drive in and cycle home and the next day cycle in. OR I drive half way and cycle the other half. Most times I just drive to work with my bike in the car, and then stop 1/2 way home and cycle for 20 miles and load up the bike and continue driving home. Some exercise in the cold, (I hate the trainer), but no pressure. Today I have to work 12 hours. That would be a grueling day if I had to cycle home afterwards. I didn't save a penny. I might have saved a few trees.