I started out Commuting on an Italian racing bike that I had rigged up with a rear rack and bag, about 8 years ago, and my route was about 20 miles round-trip. Light options were more limited then, and I used a Cygolite NiCad headlight with a huge battery that filled up a bottle cage and a single Planet Bike Superflash in the rear. I quickly changed my lighting to a Fenix LED flashlight that was only about 180 lumens but still brighter than the old Cygolite, and I replaced the rack-top bag with a Carradice Barley seatbag. After several years, I bought a touring bike and started commuting on that because it could better handle more weight as well as larger tires and fenders.

Several years ago, my office moved downtown and my commute distance increased to about 30 miles RT. The roads are mostly the same, a mix of neighborhood, suburban and downtown streets. I got tired of riding my touring bike all of the time, and picked up lighter and faster sport touring bike that can handle fenders as well as a cyclocross bike. Now I commute on 4 different bikes, depending on my mood, the weather and how much gear I have to carry. However, I usually ride one of my two touring bikes because they are better suited for carrying loads and have wider tires.

The advancement in LED light technology has probably made the biggest difference in my commute. My $120 Light & Motion Urban 800 is brighter than lights that would have cost more than $500 when I started commuting, and I can easily charge it from my computer at work. However, I've been using the same Dinotte 140 LED taillight for 6+ years and still haven't found anything better for the money. I back up the Dinotte with my Superflash and Radbot taillights.

So, in short, my commute has gotten longer, slower and better lit over the years. I still have my occasional "fast days" when I ride a lighter bike and kick it up a notch, but my mileage is so much higher that I'll burn myself out trying to ride fast every day.

Addendum ... I just remembered that I actually started bike commuting when I was in college at the University of Georgia in Athens more than 40 years ago. I didn't have a car then and the UGA campus was very spread out. I soon realized that I couldn't make it to many classes on time by relying on the campus buses, so I got a cheap 10-speed. So began my interest in cycling and commuting.

I used bikes as my primary means of transportation through about 7 years of study at UGA. My bike was cruddy compared to what I ride now, although I picked up a nicer one by the time I got in grad school. I did very little recreational riding or touring back then, but was much more dependent on my bike for getting places. I remember my bike wheels being almost always out of true and not shifting well. My lights were pitiful compared to what is available now, and I'm surprised that I wasn't hit by a car because I often had to ride at night. My light system consisted of a single "leg lamp" that I strapped to my ankle, and mainly helped visibility by its movement up and down. It did very little to light up the roads in front of me. I carried my books and other gear in backpack.