Same with me. Even if I try to go slower I still sweat because of the hills, so I figure I might as well push the pace as much as I can. I am able to push the pace more in the spring/summer/fall than in the winter because of all the layering involved for the winter weather.

For the most part, I go as fast as I can (averaging around 18-20mph). Occasionally though, I like to just stroll along, zigzagging, and riding with no hands. Of course, I only do this on the parts of my commute that run through residential neighborhoods, usually at night because I don't get off work until 10:30.

One of my biggest reasons for commuting is to get exercise and use the commute for base miles. I always ride fast. It's a habit, and I like it that way.

My usual route is a back road with a lot of twists and turns plus half a dozen short but steep climbs. So I average only 10 mph.

I commute to try to not make the turtles jealous.

-R

Balls out.

To work:
As fast as one can go safely with both eyes closed, i.e. barely faster than walking.

From work:
The speed is inversely proportional to wind speed.

Slow and easy on the way in. Its too damn early to be working hard! Then sprint intervals on the way home. Or trying to beat my best time home. Or adding on 10 miles to the ride home at whatever pace I feel like. Riding home is the best.

My commute is up a big hill and I ride past two waterfalls on the way to work, because of that and my general distaste for work my pace is slow. The ride home is much faster I can average 20+ mph without hardly pushing those pedals, top speed of 40+, I'd call my pace home to be car passing (even the speeding ones).

My ride is 10-11 miles. My pace is "I dunno, I just go there." In the summer my ride time is 36 to 40 minutes, in the winter, 41 to 52 minutes (rarely over 48 unless there's a bad headwind and loose snow on the road).

My average speed, including time spent waiting at traffic lights &c, is around 13-14 mph; typical speed while moving is in the 15-20 range. I pedal the whole time, hard enough to sweat, but not hard enough to get out of breath. I definitely go faster when there are other bicyclists going my way; can't resist the urge to pass them, or at least give them a good run. Unfortunately most of my ride is in a part of NJ where I seem to be the only bicycle commuter.

leisurely to moderate

It's a series of races against the clock.I have to catch a ferry halfway through my commute so my effort depends on just how late I'm running! Sometimes its a 10mile joy ride of 19ish and othertimes I'm gasping for air as my legs scream out at spinning my single gear at 120rpm for 24mph, praying that the ferry leaves just a few minutes late!

Some days I'd describe it as, "Wow, what a niiiice day", and others I'd describe it as, "Damn! Late for work again!"

My commute is about 12 miles each way. Mostly suburban/light industrial routes. I go pretty fast, often over 20 MPH, rarely under 14. However, I can gun it b/c I know there's going to be plenty of places to stop (unfortunately) ... lots and lots of traffic lights.

What I found out about commuting speed is that it depends on how long you want the ride to be. Here is what I mean by this.

When I was riding 17.5 miles every day to work and back. I was getting a 19 to 21 mph avg speed. 48 to 58 min or so each way. Then started riding 12 miles and my time was 45 min each way. 16 mph avg speed. Then it was 10.2 miles each way and did it in 42 min avg. About 15 mph avg speed.

See I want the ride to last between 30 min to 1 hour. So I adjust my speed to match that ride time.

Mine is slow but steady. I have a long (19 miles each way) commute so I don't go all out on any one point, but set myself a pace I can maintain for a couple of hours steady, including 1475 feet of climbing in one direction and 1100 feet in the other (total elevation change is only 375 feet, but there are lots of hills around here). I average 12 or so MPH, including the hill climbs which can get as slow as 4 or 5 MPH depending on how I feel.

Mine is hell, but better than driving. Miami has the absolute worst drivers in the country, of which most people come from the places with the worst driving in the world to contribute their expertise in poor automobile handling.

I avg around 15 minutes in my commute (4miles) all on city streets, no hills of course.

My afternoon commute is nice and slow in order to wind down. I have fun on that portion.

My commute is pretty short (5 miles each way). I let me mood, physical feeling, and weather dictate my speed. Most days I see my ride as 2 spinning sessions. During the winter my speed is much slower, but studded tires, more wind, more clothing, etc all conspire to make the same ride harder work, yet slower going. Most days I like to ride pretty hard and feel nice and spent when I get to my destination. It feels great and you feel like you are realy helping your body get stronger. Some days you'll feel tired, or are just not feel energetic. I still ride, but may not push it very hard. One a 5 mile ride that may only make a 3 minutes difference, but it that is what the body want, then that is what I do. I almost always feel better by the time I get to work so the ride still has theraputic bennefits. Unless you ride a lot you may also find that at first, you'll be completely whooped at the end of a week of cycling, and you may also feel your legs pretty much all weekend long. After some weeks, the body starts to adjust and the soreness goes away. Then one day you'll look at your average speeds and realize you now ride MUCH faster than when you weren't riding daily.

Happy riding,
André

My commute in to work is 13 miles of intervals (lots of busy intersections = lots of hammer like mad then back off).

My commute home is 15 miles at a brisk touring pace (16 - 22 MPH depending on wind conditions).

Bat out of hell. But seriously it depends on a lot of factors. Wind, traffic, temp, route, how I am feeling. I generally try to push it.

My pace is best described as slow. Avg about 13 mph with short burst up to 20 mph when needed for safety's sake.

I find my comfort zone. This is a blend of going as fast as I can without getting out of breath or killed in traffic. Basically you find a groove, your own comfort zone of speed, endurance & safety. Going in I'm more driven, coming home I'm more relaxed and even stop a couple of times to rest or even nap in the sun.

I do that all in the same trip!

Summertime, 25 kmph (16 mph). Wintertime 21 kmph (13 mph). In other words, a comfortable pace.