Nobodyetal

Out of curiosity, does anybody have a commute that includes an extensive stretch of something besides pavement?
ie dirt roads, mud, singletrack...

No purpose for asking, other than I have days where I wish I was a little less urban.

CliftonGK1

I don't, but until he moves this weekend my next door neighbour has about 3/4 of his commute on a dirt & gravel powerline maintenance trail. He rides a full suspension MTB with splashguard-type fenders and wide hardpack-tread tires that aren't too harsh when he's on the street.

Brett77

I do. I take what's called the "Lochside Trail" out to where I work in Sidney BC. The trail consists of sections that are paved, gravel, and dirt. It's all pretty compact so I have no problem using my 1980s Apollo on it.

Heathenix

Depends what route I take - on the way home I have a choice between a long stretch of gravel and moderate uphill or paved road with one big bejeezus hill with an 18% grade. The hill route has a better view of the ocean though - the gravel route goes through more forest and farmland. Either way I'm really lucky, my commute is 100% non-urban and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

madcow_number_6

Its the reason I still commute on a hardtail mountain bike.

I'm Lucky enough to have the corps of engineers trail not a mile from where I work: 11 miles of blissful single track should i so desire. And on top of that, just on the other side of the *cough*mountain, after a nice long downhill run , is my apartment. the trail starts at the bottom of the hill, after I get to the top its a detour onto the power line right-of-ways then down hill most of the way home.

Riding this isn't always fun with steet tires and a loaded rack but it is doable. And sometimes its better just to take the long way home.


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cwodave

I do. Part of my commute is around Salem Lake in Winston Salem and even goes up a short horse trail. On a slightly interesting side note, I used to ride up the horse trail but I broke several spokes so now I push up.

Dave

Sixty Fiver

YoKev

I ride on average 5 miles of old railroad bed that is for the most part just crushed coal. It gets very washed out in places sometimes, and the beavers can force water up to a foot deep to sit on the trail for days at a time.

If I extend that 5 miles I can take a much rougher section of trail for a bit, but that's not what my commuter is for...save it for the regular mountain bike.

Artkansas 

In the late 1980s my 7 mile commuting route featured 5 miles down the center of the Los Penasquitos nature preserve. So of course I used a mountain bike to commute.

It was great. In the mornings I'd go ripping through the woods on the main trail. Sometimes I would race coyotes, and once saved a bunny's life as I surprised the bobcat that was about to corner it. Hummingbirds were fearless. One came up to me as I was taking a break and spent a minute or so investigating my face at a 3" distance. Skunks were common as were deer. Deer were the most dangerous.

The afternoons has a lot more people on the trail, but it was great to go take a break and sit along the creek that ran through the center of the preserve.

Ah, those were the days.

GV27

About 1 mile of my nine-mile (one way) commute is singletrack.

Sixty Fiver - Nice Manitou 4's!

keithm0

When conditions allow (i.e. during our oh-too-short dry season) I often commute via the Redmond Watershed and the Powerline trails, and sometimes via the Tolt Pipeline trail. My commute is about 13 miles each way, with about half on dirt.

funrover 

Sixty - great pics



I do a little on mine, but being on a road bike it's very limited. When I do take the MTB I find ways to go off road lol

rhm

My 5.5 mile ride to the train station includes about .5 miles of canal towpath, the surface of which is a fine gravelly mix, only a little slower than pavement even with 16" wheels. I wish it were longer.