Originally Posted by
caloso
I literally started commuting because I was training for a triathlon. I was frustrated because I was blowing off a lot of my bike workouts that I had scheduled for the evening. I'd ride the bus home and sit on the couch and never make it back outside. I had this genius idea that if I had my bike with me at the end of the work day I'd be forced to ride it and I might as well do the workout I had planned.
I started bike racing about 10 years ago and most of my training is still either on the way to or from work. My suggestion though is not to do the same route every day. Even if you don't do regimented interval training, you'll have better results if you switch things up. I've got routes that add 10 to 30 miles to the direct path between home and the office. Some days those might be highly structured and some days are just riding the ride and listening to a ball game in one ear bud.
Same, I commute ~9 months of the year and vary the distance between 15-40 miles each way with a variety of terrain. I also run an 34/36 as a low gear so I can keep some rides Z2 even in hilly Seattle. During the winter months when I bus, my training volume drops significantly because I can't will myself to get on the trainer after an hour bus ride whereas the rest of the year I have no choice(kinda). Once you get into a routine it works well, I train primarily via commuting for the last three years of cyclocross racing using various intervals and/or hills to do lots of sweetspot and V02max intervals which seem to be the easiest to time for during a commute. Otherwise long slow distance to build good aerobic fitness and listen to podcasts.
Originally Posted by
furiousferret
I commute during summer though not consistently as I'd like; its really helps with the volume but I tend to leave the actual training til I get home. A lot of others use it for training; for example Charon Smith only trains during his commute and he's one of the best crit racers in the US. Volume is important as well and 8 mile trips should probably be added on at least 1-2 times a week if that's where you are getting all your cycling from.
A huge benefit to commuted is its easy to ride fasted. I take my breakfast with me and eat after a 40 minute ride. Weight drops fast that way.
I use intermittent fasting to keep weight in check and commute fasted in the mornings too, but I extend it until noon so ~3 extra hours of fasting past my ride.