pinman

hi everyone. i'm thinking of starting a cummute to work but don't know whether i'm biting off abit more than i can chew. thing is it's abit less than 25 mile (39 kilometers) each way and means the more or less 4 hours on the bike each day and i am wondering if this could be abit dangerous to undertake. i don't intend to do it every day, maybe twice a week with at least one day in between and carry out my normal training when i'm not at work (abit of free wieghts, football(some of you may say soccer or lawn fairies) some running and cycling). i have done this commute once before and wondered whats the best way to go ie.
-best heart rate to keep to (140bpm average first time).
-what average speed to go at (about 22kph average first time).
-how much fluid to drink and what food to eat the night before and whilst at work for the ride home.
-just bought a GIANT OCR bike that i'll be using.
also i'm 29 year old male weighs about 14st and of low-average fitness and want to lose some beer gut whilst improving fitness/stamina.
any tips you can give me on this would be much appreciated

chipcom 

My current commute is 25 miles each way - nothing dangerous about it (and I am almost 49).
- Best heart-rate - Keep your heart-rate at or below 80% of max for the most part.
- Average speed - who cares, average speed means nothing unless conditions are controlled. Ride at whatever speed works for you.
- I eat nothing in the morning, drink maybe 1/4 bottle of lemonade on the ride in, eat a bowl of oatmeal with some juice when I get to work, soup and a sandwich for lunch, a little fruit before I leave for home, drink 1/2 to a full bottle on the way home (more climbing, heat of the day), eat a normal dinner, prep and PM my bike, gear and clothing for the morning, get a good nights sleep.

Of course that's me, you gotta find what works best for you. If you are out of shape, eat a little in the morning before you go and stay better hydrated during the ride.

You might also sift through this thread - https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/90213-advice-new-commuters.html

bizzz111

I started out on a 25 mile each way commute about a year ago. Was in terrible shape before I started commuting.

The first time was a real bugger. Didn't actually make it the whole way. Had to call the wife to come get me with about two miles left.

Just make sure you have the right equipment. I jumped on a 15 year old mountain bike that hadn't seen the light of day in about 14 years. Original knobby tires and not one tune up at all.

After that first ride it took me about a week to recover. Meanwhile, I put 1.5" slick tires, got a tune up, and put a rack and a rack pack on the back. The second week was about 100% easier. I averaged about twice a week for six or so months until I found a job closer to my work. I was able to get the trip time down to about 1:30-1:40 each way depending on the headwinds.

I didn't worry too much about food/drink other than making sure my water bottle was full of water before starting out. Since you say you already have done the commute you should know what your limitations already are and what you need.

pinman

thanks for the quick reply guys. thats just the kinda thing i was thinking about. just go at my own pace as long as i can manage it without pushing to much. but 4 hours riding a day, every day i would of thought would not be a safe way to treat your heart. its just a pump after all and may break if you give it to much work maybe??? also i was planning to take onboard extra carbs but you guys don't think it's necessary? i read somewhere that if the body is working without enough fuel on regular basis it will consume the next available enery source which is muscle and fat (mostly fat obviously but a percentage of muscle all the same which increases the less conventional enery you have). so i think the next purchase will be a spare tube and maybe a smaller pump i can attach to the frame.

AndrewP

I have a 17 mile each way and average about 21 kph. I never do it 2 days running or in bad weather. The average speed will depend on how many intersections you have to slow or stop for traffic. If you have a choice of routes take the one with the least intersections even if it is a bit longer. I take 2 bottles of 1/3 fruit juice 2/3 water but only drink it all on v hot days. Ease off the pace for the last half mile. I am 66 and hoped to lose some weight when I started riding about 35 yrs ago, but have gained about 40 lb, however I enjoy my life a lot more. Thats a nice bike if it will take a rack for carrying your stuff. I use 28 mm wide tires, and wouldnt want anything thinner with the state of Montreal streets, but the UK roads are much better paved.

lil brown bat

Your heart is beating every second, whether you're riding on the bike or sitting on the couch. Your ancestors spent more than four hours a day doing hard physical labor. Unless you're seriously out of shape or have certain medical conditions, it won't endanger you any.

As for "extra fuel", don't start loading up. Most people consume far more calories than they need -- when they start to exercise, they don't need to automatically increase their calories, but they do often need to change the mix. Ride your bike, eat sensibly -- cut out the cheeseburgers and fries, stick to whole grain, fresh vegetables and fruits, and lean meat, in modest portions.

RobertHurst

Your heart will love you for this. Starting regular exercise will clean out your entire circulatory system, making your heart's job a lot easier.

That said, your body may not be up for 50 miles/day right off the bat. You might find your various organ systems screaming for mercy at first. You might have to sneak up on it a little bit. That's all right. It won't take long.

Route makes all the difference. If the ride seems harrowing, look for an alternate route. It is unlikely that the best cycling route will correspond to the best driving route, depends on where you live though. Have fun.

I don't think it's unreasonable to take a little food on a 25-mile ride, but it shouldn't be necessary if you are sufficiently fueled to begin with.

Robert

Squeazel

You might want to drive half-way, park on a residential street and ride the rest, for a few weeks. This would be a little easier than starting with a 25 mile commute right off. Then you get half the benefit (actually most of the benefit- the difference in health benefit between nothing and 2 hours a day is much greater than the difference between 2 hours and 4 hours).

As far as time goes, you probably spend 40 mins in the car to go 25 miles, so you already have 1.3 hours each day that you're spending in a stressful little box.

huhenio

Plan for double the actual trip time.

donnamb 

Excellent idea. I'm surprised Chipcom didn't mention it in his post, since he's been known to do just that. ( - Chip!)

nashcommguy

Get the Topeak Road Morph w/guage. Best frame pump in the market by far. https://www.bikeisland.com 30.00US w/no shipping. You'll never regret it.

As far as diet and fitness level goes it'll be a work in progress as your intake levels will change as your stamina increases. Make sure you get enough protein via a suppliment of some kind. I use Musc-L from Kroger. Brown rice as a carb source is always better than white. Same w/breads and pasta. Lotsa fruit and veggies(steamed). Fish oil or flax seed will balance triglycerides and oatmeal balances cholesteral. Oh yeah, take a multi everyday as it helps to reduce stress. Drink plenty of water...more than you think you need and get GOOD sleep. You're an athlete now and you have to think of yourself in those terms. You'll be knockin' out 250 mile weeks before you know it. It's been my experience that I'll lose weight after starting a new routine for a while 'til the fat turns to muscle then I gain, but have a drop in my bfc(body fat content).

If you find yourself after a while having trouble falling asleep, back off you're pushing too hard. Enjoy yourself more than anything, though. Good Luck and happy commuting.

BTW, I'm 56 w/a 40mi rt rural commute. Been a cycle commuter since the winter of 86-87. Changed my life.

ken cummings

Do it several times on weekends to check out times, routes, and any problems. Learn if your local bus/transit systems transport bikes in case you need to bail or had to work late and have no lights.

gonediesel

I just started commuting a few months ago. My commute is only 18 miles, which is 3 more that I thought it would be. It takes me about 1:00-1:15 hrs to do. Right now I commute at least twice a week and usually never two days in a row. In the beginning I was going to do a drive in half way approach but decided I would do the whole 18 miles and ride less days per week. I don't think I will get to the point of riding everyday unless I have a shorter commute or shorter work shift. Right now I work 10hr shifts and usually don't get out right away. Commuting added about 1.5 hours to my work day. With a 2 year old daughter in the house I like to spend as much time with the family as possible. So time management is crucial to the success of your commute. As far as heart rate, as someone mentioned above, 80% of max is good. In the beginning, since you mentioned your not in the best shape I'd start lower. I am 37 (initially at 227lbs), so initially not in the best shape either. I keep my rate under 155bpm while cruising and in a few spots it will hit 170bpm for short periods. I notice if I exceed that I am pretty beat up at work. So try and keep it at a comfortable rate so you don't bonk or affect your performance at work. I keep track of the calories burned (from heart rate monitor) as a reference for food intake and how well I am performing. When I started the commute I would burn around 2400 cal. Yesterday I burned 1850. I roll out of bed 45 minutes before the ride and usually eat something very lite before the ride. I made the mistake of eating to much and it made the ride in tough. I usually eat something like a banana or granola bar. I pack my breakfast and eat it after I arrive. Which is usually a glass of milk and PBJ sandwich. For fluids I have a Camelback with 2L of water. In the 100 degree temps right now I throw some ice in it to help cool me down. I work nights so I ride in to work during the hot afternoons with ice water and the ride home in the cool mornings with room temp water. Lately I consume about 1.5 liters round trip. So if you had a 2L you should be fine unless your in the southwest like me. As far as the night before, I don't really drink or eat anything special. I would however discourage drinking alcohol the night before. Last week I had a drinky-drink before bed, nothing serious, just a slight buzz going on, and I could tell a difference in my ride performance the next day. Since I have started commuting I have noticed the liqueur consumption has decreased to almost nothing. Working nights sometimes I need a little assistance to fall asleep. With commuting I have no trouble getting to sleep. As far as speed, in the beginning do what is comfortable. I read somewhere that a good cadence is around 80-90. I notice I fall in around 78-85 most of the time. With that cadence my average speed is around 17mph. I have some hills and long traffic lights that slow me down. Since I started I have shortened the time it takes to ride by 15 minutes. I still give my self the same amount of time to get to work just in case of mechanical problems and wind. One night I had several mechanical issues, nothing major but it chewed up 20 minutes and I didn't have much time for a shower at work. I had a flat one night and it took me a bit longer to change the tube out than I had expected. When I got the bike new, I timed my self changing tubes twice at home but for some reason it took twice as long on the side of the road. So again planning and time management is very important to a successful commute. The company I work for is pretty commute friendly and I do not want to disappoint them with being late or tired at work. I have noticed that I am more on time when I commute than when I do not. Kinda odd? Good luck to you and all the other newbies out there. There is a lot of useful info here a BF.net forums. Do some searches on tires, lights, clothing, tools, etc. The more prepared you are the more successful you will be commuting. I love it. I only wish I worked 8hr shifts so I have more time home. One last thing, be safe. It is shocking how many close calls I have had in this short period and I live in a "gold" bicycling community. GD

gonediesel

double post