Originally Posted by
cppb
Yeah, the distance is not a problem in general, but doing it at 4am might be. And I can take the bus in to the city and ride it home so I only do it on direction while I get used to the increase in mileage.
Are there any specific concerns about riding in pre-dawn dark? I have decent lights, planning on getting more, but do you find that people are less aware of you? More/less cautious? etc.
I find I feel more visible in the dark - especially with blinking front and rear lights to augment my regular lights. When I drive, I can see cyclists (using similar illumination to mine) much better in the dark than during the day. The daytime brings much more activity and visual distractions, so everything blends into the background a bit more easily (hence why running blinkies F&R during the day is every bit as beneficial as at night). If a cyclist is not running blinkies in the daytime, I hardly see him/her unless they are wearing hi-viz clothing.
A good headlight that allows you to see the road clearly for some distance is also a good thing to have, particularly for a ride of that length.
It is easy to "zone out" and get into a trance-like state, especially in the morning, riding through the tunnel of light. Having good forward visibility with good illumination helps avoid the tunnel syndrome.
I'd say the commute is doable as you state, but definitely a challenge.