I'm with most of those above. I ride a 8.25 mile one way distance to work, mostly flat, a few traffic lights to play with and some bike lanes on the highway. I have been working on speed. Yesterday on the way home, my top speed was 25.1 and I managed about 17.3 average over the 16.5 mile round trip distance. I have been hard on a weight loss plan, and as of noon today, have lost 18.9 lbs in the first month. No small amount of that weight loss I attribute to the bicycle commute. Yes I watch my carbs and keep daily calories around 1000-1100 a day most days. But it is the workout from the bike that is making the difference. Push hard on the commute and watch your fitness improve over the months...

Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL