joshuatrio

Are you a morning person or an evening person? Is your average speed during your commute faster going into work, or going home? What do your to/from average speeds look like?

I find that going home, I can average an easy 2-3mph faster than in the morning. My commuting buddy is opposite. Morning though, I usually roll out of bed and am on the bike 13-15 minutes later - hardly awake.

Going to work, my average over 11 miles is usually around 16-17mph. 17.2 and I'm dying. Going home though, if I crush it, or have a pace bike, hitting low 20's is possible.

groovestew

I feel like I have more jam in the afternoons. I don't run a computer on my commuter bikes, and I haven't timed my commute in years, so I can't quantify it for you though.

droy45

For me its cooler in the morning and have more downhill sections so I tend to be slightly faster early on. In the winter, its about the same for either trip. Just plain slow with the darkness and cold both ways.

RFEngineer

70s F in morning vs 100s F in evening. Plus, I drop about 200 ft on the way to work. So mornings are way nicer and speedier!

Surrealdeal

I ride easier in the morning - I'm in no hurry to get to my job, I don't want to be spent once I get there, and probably most importantly I don't want to blow up my legs for the 23 mile ride home.

The evening ride, on the other hand, is hammer time.

Buzzatronic

I knew I was keeping a detailed spreadsheet for something! Here are my stats for this year (started Feb 15th):

Commute: ~11mi each way (sometimes I take different routes to get mileage or hill climbing) 85% of it is on a nice MUP.

Mornings (95 commutes)
Average Speed: 14.2mph
Average Distance: 11.2mi
Average Power (from Strava): 125w
Average Temp: 49F

Evenings (94 commutes, somehow I'm missing one)
Average Speed: 15.5mph
Average Distance: 15.5mi
Average Power (from Strava): 135w
Average Temp: 61F

Here's what my commute elevation profile looks like. Basically I ride an 11mi salad bowl every day.



So basically it looks like I'm most certainly faster in the evening than in the morning, but the 15.5mph average may not be 100% correct since I typically add on training miles/hills to my evening commute rather than my morning commute.

KevinF

I'm always faster going into work... The fact that the "going home" direction is more uphill than the "going to work" direction probably has something to do with that.

ill.clyde

Lately it's a wash for the most part. In the morning most of my commute, at least the first half, is mostly downhill. And I don't ride quite as fast in the mornings.

In the evening I ride faster, but the last half is back uphill and I'm not quite "there" just yet to hammer on the uphill portion

joyota

Faster in the morning, but only by about .5 mph. Probably just due to differences in traffic volume and how the lights are timed. When I take my longer, scenic route home (mostly bike paths & parks) I average 1-1.5 mph less, but it's so much more enjoyable.

squegeeboo

I'm faster on the way home. No real height differences, and normally a head wind in both directions, thanks lake Ontario....

I haven't timed much this year, but last year was about 45min (11.3miles) on average for the ride in, and about 40min (11.6miles) for the ride home.

RidingMatthew

TO work for me is faster than FROM work. I think there is a little more down hill. although yesterday I was basically even on my times, traffic & lights do make a difference on the commutes for me as well.
@Buzzatronic that spreadsheet is crazy.

fietsbob

Terrain and wind.. differs..

Before I moved , having a headwind north bound then a tailwind east bound

was really similar on the return trip, headwind west bound, tailwind south bound ,

with the hill kicking up in the last 1/2 Mile.

baron von trail 

Faster in the AM. My "go to" ride is shorter and has more downhill sections; wind is usually negligible. Riding home is 8-10 miles longer and uphill, but wind is usually brisk and at my back.

dramiscram

It's always about the Wind...

spivonious

Home is overall downhill, Work is overall uphill, so I'm a bit slower going to work, all other things being equal. I do seem to hit more red lights on the way home though, so the time is about the same.

Jiggle

Hate the mornings because the humidity makes it miserable. I'm much happier to hammer in the heat of the afternoon.

DX-MAN

Cooler air, fresher body, in the mornings; the workday takes a lot out of me, so slower going home -- and I tend to be more relaxed going home, too, since the hard part is over.....

CommuteCommando

Consciously ride slower in the morning to avoid spending the day at my showerless workplace needing a shower. Also, the 4 1/2 miles is what it takes to warm up my old bones. The after work ride is from 9 1/2 to 30 miles which I ride harder, though not necessarily faster due to hills.

enigmaT120

I go faster in the morning, but only because I have to catch a bus. After work I take it easy, enjoy (and this time of year, eat) the scenery and usually take a longer route. Athletically I'm stronger in the afternoon. It just doesn't matter.

wolfchild

Morning vs afternoon vs evening makes absolutly no difference to me. It all depends on the weather conditions, wind direction, my energy levels and how I feel.

Medic Zero

Classic Seattle - uphill both ways!

I don't have a computer and don't track my times. I don't think my afternoon commute in to work or my morning commute home (night shift worker) differs so much based on the time of day or before or after work. On my way in, I'll ride harder if I haven't left as early as I would like. Other than that, I suspect the biggest variations depend on how well I've eaten before the ride (often not nearly enough) and my mood.

1242Vintage

Morning commute is mostly a downhill run and much faster. Takes about 50 minutes to cover the 16 miles. It's a nice easy cruise. Afternoons are a different story. I work out all the stress from the workday on my trip home back up the hill. Trip home takes about an hour. https://www.strava.com/activities/72760063

EricL

Interesting question. I also keep track of my commute times and note the weather and any problems I had. I find that my speeds are pretty much the same, usually no more than 2-3 minutes difference. If I am faster it's in the morning during warmer months and in the afternoon during the colder months. I usually hit between 17.5 and 18 barring strong winds or heavy rain. I start and end at the same elevation basically. The left side of the profile is where I start in the morning, so it's a sweet downhill but a cold way to start an anything but warm morning.

Mr. Hairy Legs

Yep. We've had an annoying wind from the south just about every day this summer. If it weren't for that, my commutes home would be much faster because I'm less concerned with being sweaty when I arrive at my destination.

essiemyra

Usually the ride home is longer due to adding in extra fun miles. At this point were I am under six month out on a tkr I still am not pushing on my knees and legs for speed just the ride is enough.