Originally Posted by Miles2go

I'd like to see what's somewhat common for commuters that are riding at least 45 minutes one way, 3 or more days a week.

Chime in and share:

A bit of description of your route profile.
What kind of bike you ride. (photos would be cool)
How you carry your gear and what or how much (volume) stuff you bring on the ride.
Distance & time (average speed if you care to share)
How long you've been doing this and any thoughts you have toward the future of your commuting.

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My new commute is right at about 20 miles and progresses from 6700 ft elevation to 7,300 ft on my way in. It's an alternate hwy to the interstate it parallels and it's fairly high traffic, little to no shoulder in some areas, curvy most of the way and there is no other choice.

The bike I'm going to use is my cyclo-cross bike. I can move on the flats at 30 plus pretty easily with it and I run narrow, yet bullet proof Schwalbe Marathon XR tires. That said, I enjoy a very short work day so I can take my time in both directions.

I'm going to be carrying a change of clothes and will do so by wearing a backpack (TNF Skareb 40) or a larger messenger bag (Chrome Metropolis).

Riding season has just arrived here and I haven't done this commute yet so I don't have times. I hope that the route is safe enough to allow me to continue with some comfort beyond the first couple of rides.

Photo of the bike coming soon. I need to get a recent one.