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32 mile (51.5KM) one way commute, am I insane?

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32 mile (51.5KM) one way commute, am I insane?

Old 08-08-08, 09:31 AM
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32 mile (51.5KM) one way commute, am I insane?

I'm likely going to be moving soon. Long story but I've found an excellent deal on a great condo near friends and family. The downside, it's 30 miles from my job by the most direct route possible, 32 miles if I don't want to bike on a couple of really terrible roads (limited access state highways I believe which means it's probably not even legal for me to bike them). Anyone doing a super long commute? How long does it take you? Does it totally wreck you for work?

I don't own a car right now (this may have to change sadly). So I'm thinking I may do multi-modal, either train or carpool part way (assuming the car poolers don't mind putting a bike rack on their car). But I would like to do a full on commute some days (maybe even both ways, 62 miles!)
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Old 08-08-08, 09:38 AM
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I think this would be at the extreme end of things, but possibly doable. Depends on your fitness, weather, route, what time you have to get into work. All sorts of stuff. I did this sort of distance everyday, for 5 work days and also rode 1 day off in our bikewise bike battle national contest. I lost 8kg and afterwards slept for about a day and a half

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Old 08-08-08, 09:44 AM
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The problem with this isn't so much the biking but the hours it takes out of your day. I do a bike/train commute most of the time because doing my full commute by bike takes 4 hours out of the day.
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Old 08-08-08, 09:53 AM
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Originally Posted by neilfein
The problem with this isn't so much the biking but the hours it takes out of your day. I do a bike/train commute most of the time because doing my full commute by bike takes 4 hours out of the day.
Good point. How far do you live from work? And how much time does the dual commute reduce from four hours?

OP, I wouldn't do it, simply because of the time. Even if you average a little over 15mph, that's still two solid hours of cycling in the morning, and two solid hours in the evening. I would definitely look into either multi-modal commuting or single, via carpool or train. 20 miles, I could see done on an efficient bike on an efficient road. But unless you race in the TDF each summer, I wouldn't go for 30 daily.
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Old 08-08-08, 10:01 AM
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Doable, but I wouldn't (in a motor vehicle either)
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Old 08-08-08, 10:07 AM
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I have a 30 mile one way commute as well, I don't think I could handle doing that everyday so instead I drive either 10 or 15 miles in and bike the remaining way.
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Old 08-08-08, 10:09 AM
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I wouldn't want to commute that far by bike or car either. Way too much time.
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Old 08-08-08, 10:34 AM
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Na, your not insane, but ya might have a backup plan...that many miles every day gets tough
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Old 08-08-08, 10:36 AM
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I agree about the time. My commute is around 26 miles round trip, 2hrs total. Maybe you're faster than me, but that's still a long time to be on a bike going to work IMO..
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Old 08-08-08, 10:45 AM
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The time factor is my main concern. Assuming that I buy a car it would likely take about an hour and half to drive anyway just due to traffic plus there's parking expenses (I work at a major hospital in Boston).

I average about 14MPH on rides around 40 miles on my Atlantis, with a little more work I could be averaging 15-17.

However there is a commuter rail stop about 10 miles from the new place. So I may get a folding bike and do the multi-modal thing (reading time anyone?) Otherwise you're confirming what I was suspecting, I may need to look for a new job.

d2create: You sold your Atlantis!? That was a really nice paint job (I may go something along the lines of that route when mine needs a paint job, hope you don't mind).
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Old 08-08-08, 10:53 AM
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Consider doing it 2 or so days a week for fitness and training. What you lose by not commuting daily you gain by the long mileage. And, of course, the longer you keep your heart rate up consecutively, the more fat you burn. Commuting by bike a few days a week will trade off in the end.

The only problem is those state highway road things. Once I got lost on a century and ended up on a monolithic 6-lane highway thing with a 55mph speed limit. At the same time there was retail all along so I thought it was more of a fast boulevard than a highway. Either way, the ride was extraordinarily dangerous and the median sucked, but I did not get in trouble. I would not advise doing them.
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Old 08-08-08, 11:02 AM
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I'd probably test/try it one day and see how you feel about keeping it up after that first experience.
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Old 08-08-08, 11:05 AM
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Yes, you are insane. Why would you want to be so closer to your friends and family? You won't have a convenient excuse anymore. Now you are going to have to baby sit kids, walk dogs, wall paper rooms, do yard work, and such, all at a moment's notice. I advocate keeping the 32 mile commute and moving in the opposite direction.
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Old 08-08-08, 11:26 AM
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i had almost the same commute as you did, traveling in reverse direction out of boston towards work, and commuting back towards the city in the PM. It was exactly 32 miles each way.

I almost always rode the entire way home (32 miles), and almost always took the commuter rail/rode (6 miles) into work. And I didn't do that every day of the week. I did it mostly in spring/summer/fall and probably averaged 2-3 times per week. It takes a ton of time. It's hard to devote so much time to commuting every day and will really weigh heavily on you.

Riding 32 miles each way is tough. Especially in the morning day in and day out. It will take up an absolute ton of time. You NEED to have reliable train/bus to realistically make this work - the commuter rail now allows bikes on the trains although I'm not sure if they allow them in prime rush hour (I was taking the train "against" traffic so the trains were empty).

The winters will be brutal on you. A 2 hour ride completed twice each day in the total darkness with snowbanks and unpredictable roads = a recipe for disaster.

It can certainly be done. But I doubt it would be fun.
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Old 08-08-08, 12:31 PM
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You can probably ride fast, but you will burn out eventually. Doing such a long distance day in and day out and at your best speed could become painful in my opinion. Bike / Train or Bike / Car .. something like that I think. Also another important aspect is the timing. You wont be left with much time to spend with family and stuff ..

And the answer to your question -> yes ! u r insane
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Old 08-08-08, 12:34 PM
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Just take the train in, maybe a folder bike or razor scooter the rest of the way.

Or just get a car or motorcycle. We all like biking but sometimes other methods just make more sense. 30 miles isn't a joke.. and since you're in Boston you probably have to deal with ****storms... my friend lives in Boston and apparently they're having a hell of a storm season up there.
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Old 08-08-08, 12:39 PM
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I used to commute 27 miles each way but did it only three times a week at most. I do long and fast weekend rides so I can only handle 4 or 5 days a week.

You probably need to find some alternatives and spilt the time between riding and getting in other ways.
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Old 08-08-08, 12:40 PM
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Originally Posted by uke
Good point. How far do you live from work? And how much time does the dual commute reduce from four hours?
4 hours with maybe 10-15 minutes to shower and change.
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Old 08-08-08, 12:44 PM
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Multi-modal commuting also has the advantage of lettign you pick your ride length, to some degree. If you want a longer ride, why, just get off the train a stop or two early. My commute varies from 3 miles RT to 8.
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Old 08-08-08, 12:56 PM
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I'd build up a Surly Traveler's Check so you can have a real bike (no offense folder aficionados) and still be able to take it on the rush hour commuter trains.
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Old 08-08-08, 01:04 PM
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Originally Posted by BikEthan
I'm likely going to be moving soon. Long story but I've found an excellent deal on a great condo near friends and family.
You need to add in the cost of the car(either paid in cash or payments), reg, ins., gas , and maintence. This is more really the true cost of the deal. This maybe a few hundred dollars to several hundred per month. Add this cost on to the rent for a more realistic cost of your new housing.
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Old 08-08-08, 01:15 PM
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Originally Posted by neilfein
Multi-modal commuting also has the advantage of lettign you pick your ride length, to some degree. If you want a longer ride, why, just get off the train a stop or two early. My commute varies from 3 miles RT to 8.
Yup.

Get on the pubic trans part of the way so you are not drained of energy all the time.
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Old 08-08-08, 01:32 PM
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perfect in my opinion.

my one way commute is 29.6 mile each way. It got a little to easy so I incorporated a 42mile commute with 2k of climbing I do twice a week (mondays and wed) I ride in the long way and take the short flat route home...
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Old 08-08-08, 02:03 PM
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Honestly I think it depends on if the rest of your life will allow for that kind of time commitment. Good luck to you if you do it!
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Old 08-08-08, 02:06 PM
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My life wouldn't allow me to cut 4 hours out of my life to commute, whether it be by bike or car or hot air balloon. I wouldn't do it. Imagine riding it in February. Nuf said.
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