Anyone commute 20+ miles each way?
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Anyone commute 20+ miles each way?
I'm moving next month to a condo. My wife and I currently share 1 car and with some added expenses I would like to avoid buying a second car for at least 4 months. New condo would be 22 mile commute each way and basically on one main road. Going to work would be mostly flat and downhill but coming home would have about 1400 feet of elevation gain over the 22 miles.
I usually ride around 300 miles per month recreational and do 20-50 mile rides with 2000-4000 feet of climbing regularly but rarely ride every day. So this would be about 900/month. Curious if anyone does that much commuting miles or if I'm crazy to consider it?
I usually ride around 300 miles per month recreational and do 20-50 mile rides with 2000-4000 feet of climbing regularly but rarely ride every day. So this would be about 900/month. Curious if anyone does that much commuting miles or if I'm crazy to consider it?
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Can you do multi-modal? (Bus and/or tran in addition to bike) I think it's doable if you have the time.
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I can. There is a train that would be about 7 mile ride from home and then 2 mile ride from train to work. Makes it more doable but total travel time would be the same or maybe longer with train. I also need to buy a monthly train pass for about $200 if I'm going to ride more than 2-3 time per month (to make financial sense). Once I get to that additional cost I'll consider buying a cheap used car and doing commute in 45 minutes. That will probably be ultimate end game and ride once a week or so
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I do 12 miles each way with about 500 ft drop on the way in and a 500 ft gain on the way home. It takes me about 45 min in and just under an hour home. I do that once a week and get in one other equivalent ride a week.
I can't imagine doing 22 each way.
I can't imagine doing 22 each way.
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Yes. I estimate 90 minutes each way by bike. I live in Los Angeles area so commute by car will be 45+ min each way with traffic (and need to buy second car). Mixed commute by train will end up being close to 90 minutes each way. So time wise biking is fine and more enjoyable but don't know if my body will give out and revolt against me
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Mine is 18 miles one way, but I only average 2-6 trips per week. Seems like a big bite to chew everyday. Carpool option? Ride share?
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This is about the same as my ride to work everyday, I couldn't imagine driving 22 miles each way though! I would have to take a shower at work or something..haha
#8
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No, I did 12, Most of it Rural, Section 8, affordablre apartment in Junction City , gig in Eugene. then I got to Move.
My Condolences on the Lousy Public transit in LA..
My Condolences on the Lousy Public transit in LA..
Last edited by fietsbob; 04-16-16 at 10:24 AM.
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I'm moving next month to a condo. My wife and I currently share 1 car and with some added expenses I would like to avoid buying a second car for at least 4 months. New condo would be 22 mile commute each way and basically on one main road. Going to work would be mostly flat and downhill but coming home would have about 1400 feet of elevation gain over the 22 miles.
I usually ride around 300 miles per month recreational and do 20-50 mile rides with 2000-4000 feet of climbing regularly but rarely ride every day. So this would be about 900/month. Curious if anyone does that much commuting miles or if I'm crazy to consider it?
I usually ride around 300 miles per month recreational and do 20-50 mile rides with 2000-4000 feet of climbing regularly but rarely ride every day. So this would be about 900/month. Curious if anyone does that much commuting miles or if I'm crazy to consider it?

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If you search for "very long commuter club" on this forum, there have been some good threads with eye-popping commuting distances over the years. I'd think that the time commitment would be the hardest part, since one can ride a bike more or less indefinitely at the right pace.

#12
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I've a friend who lives in Assen NL and rides to/from Groningen NL most days. I believe it's about 20 miles each way. He rides an upright Dutch bike in normal street clothes. No need to shower at either end. He does have the advantage of good Dutch bikeways the entire distance though which eliminates stress sweat (and being upright and riding about 13 mph does the rest).
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My commute is 16-20 miles each way depending on route. I also climb around 1000' going to work, but can pop that to around 2000' depending on route home. I can do mine, no matter the distance or climbing, in around an hour. I'm about to switch from my hybrid Trek DS to a BMC GF02 disc, so I hope to be able to do it a bit faster, though just being more comfortable will be worth it. I think 22 each way is doable, but you will have to change at work as riding at a leisure pace for 22 miles is going to be extremely boring and take forever.
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Yes. I estimate 90 minutes each way by bike. I live in Los Angeles area so commute by car will be 45+ min each way with traffic (and need to buy second car). Mixed commute by train will end up being close to 90 minutes each way. So time wise biking is fine and more enjoyable but don't know if my body will give out and revolt against me
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I will be later this year, but probably I'll switch to 2 or 3 days a week. I have plenty of cars lying around, I would just rather ride, but I can't afford the time to ride 58 miles a day 5 days a week.
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Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
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I have a 38 mile commute by bicycle (29 by vehicle) each way. When I ride, I ride the bike to the train in the morning then ride home. 4 miles to the train, then 1 mile to work.
That may work for you.
Jon
That may work for you.
Jon
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Kudos for you for even contemplating it. Riding three hours a day for five consecutive days is a hell of a lot of riding. I would second the bi-modal strategy.
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I've a friend who lives in Assen NL and rides to/from Groningen NL most days. I believe it's about 20 miles each way. He rides an upright Dutch bike in normal street clothes. No need to shower at either end. He does have the advantage of good Dutch bikeways the entire distance though which eliminates stress sweat (and being upright and riding about 13 mph does the rest).
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Yes. The short route is 20 miles each way. If the weather is nice a wind at my back i take the longer scenic route at 25 miles each way.
I have secure bike parking and a full locker room with showers at work. Makes commuting easy.
I have secure bike parking and a full locker room with showers at work. Makes commuting easy.
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I do 41 miles/day. It takes a while to get used to, particularly if you plan on riding on the weekends. It's not too hard to ride every day from Apr through Oct. The winter can be a challenge though and I probably end up riding 5 out of 6 days on avg.
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I was commuting 32 miles total daily, but it was flat (200 ft overpasses). I did it four days a week. Many people biked in one direction and took train/bus on the trip home. Work offered a "tech shuttle" but it was a horrible route and during commute hours, I could bike it in the same time it took to drive to the shuttle stop and take the shuttle. It would be nice if you could come up with a solution that was economical and allowed to your commute by bike some of the time.
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Years ago my usual commutes were 20 mile round trips, but a part time job after my regular job often stretched out to a 40-50 mile total ride by the time I got home near midnight. But back then I worked in hospitals and there was usually someplace to clean up after the ride, sometimes even shower if I was early enough. Since I worked directly with patients that was important, otherwise I'd have driven the car more often.
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I'm moving next month to a condo. My wife and I currently share 1 car and with some added expenses I would like to avoid buying a second car for at least 4 months. New condo would be 22 mile commute each way and basically on one main road. Going to work would be mostly flat and downhill but coming home would have about 1400 feet of elevation gain over the 22 miles.
I usually ride around 300 miles per month recreational and do 20-50 mile rides with 2000-4000 feet of climbing regularly but rarely ride every day. So this would be about 900/month. Curious if anyone does that much commuting miles or if I'm crazy to consider it?
I usually ride around 300 miles per month recreational and do 20-50 mile rides with 2000-4000 feet of climbing regularly but rarely ride every day. So this would be about 900/month. Curious if anyone does that much commuting miles or if I'm crazy to consider it?
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Office job here with no shower on premises. I just take a shower in the morning before I leave, and then use a large alcohol wipe and towel when I get to work. In the summer, I sit in front of a fan before I wipe and towel off. Don't need a shower at work. Just fresh clothes, some deodorant and those alcohol wipes---the fan helps too.