Another Clyde commuter here... The commute will get much easier much faster, trust me! There are a couple hills that I was struggling to get up a couple week ago that I can power right on up without doing as much shifting. Feels incredible.

BTW, it sounds like you have some route options similar to what I do. I have a shorter, hillier route and a longer, flatter route. I take short and hilly in the morning and long and flat in the evening. Not saying that is what you should do, but don't be afraid to mix up your routes a bit to vary your training and your scenery!