Originally Posted by
FLYBYU
I currently drive to work, it is 40km (roughly 25 miles) each way. Most of it is 4 lane divided highway with huge bike lanes. I cycle up and down this highway all the time. The rest is mostly industrial area with a single bike lane going from the highway. I started a new position at work and on alternating weeks I start at 9:30am and work until 6pm. I was thinking of riding those alternating weeks to save gas. It does seem like a long commute daily however. We have showers and change rooms at work, and I work as a heavy duty mechanic, so being clean and smelling nice is not a priority. Anyone else running a commute like this and have some advice to get started? Bike is an old fully rigid mountain bike with sickish 26" tires on it.
I have a similar bike and have been doing a shorter commute (19m/30Km) every day for about two years. I would suggest doing everything in your power to improve your efficiency on the bike. Get some bolt-on aero bars to battle through wind. Fast tires. Reasonably tight-fitting clothing. Don't carry a lot of stuff - drive all that in. Stay off the brakes and conserve momentum. Look for shortcuts. Keep everything in good repair and carry tools.
By the way, you will obviously save gas, but not necessarily a ton of money. At that mileage, the bike will steadily need tubes and tires and parts and repairs, and you will start to think of each expense in terms of how much gas you could have purchased.