Barrettscv 

I'm working from home now, but that could change. Last year, I was an "intermodal" commuter with an 1.75 hour one way commute. I was using the bus to reduce my one-way commute from 31 miles down to 21 miles. My costs dropped from $12 (gas), $1.60 (tolls) and $8 (for other car costs) to just $4 in bus fees (but not including bike costs). I commute from the North side of Chicago to Schaumburg. My 9 miles ride along Pratt and Devon Ave in Chicago was moderately hazardous, but the 12 mile ride through the Busse Woods Forest Preserve MUP and on the streets of Schaumburg was sweet. The middle 10 miles is by bus. I avoid some truly insane 4 and 6 lane roads that are choked with reckless maniacs. The bus also provides a little needed rest.

But consider the upgrade. Before, bumper-to-bumper. Now, a mix of suburban streets & bike paths.















My Bike is a 2008 Soma Double Cross. I have plenty of lights but took of the rack & pannier and moved them to my back-up bike, a Giant Cypress.

m_yates

A bit of description of your route profile.
Mostly flat along the Erie canal trail, residential and city streets.

What kind of bike you ride. (photos would be cool)
Windsor tourist modified with bar end shifters, Nitto Noodle bars, and Nitto Technomic stem.

How you carry your gear and what or how much (volume) stuff you bring on the ride.
Rear panniers containing U-lock, multitool, tire levers, patch kit, spare tube, spare AAA batteries, cell phone, and work clothes. Sometimes I also carry food and a laptop computer.

Distance & time (average speed if you care to share)
23 miles r/t. Speed varies, but usually around 16 mph. The fastest trip speed averaged 20 mph, but I was lucky with traffic signals.

Here is a pic of the Erie canal trail:



Here is my bike:

jollyGreenGiant

My individual trips to work are a little shy of 16 miles, so roughly 30.5 miles RT. I ride alongside the Merrimack River to the ocean and back at least 2 days a week year round. I've found a wonderful route through rural and sparsely populated residential / farm land most of the way... very few cars.

Hills, yes. I have quite a few. Headwind, yes usually both ways due to the way the sea breeze sets up in the AM vs. the PM. It's a rare day when I can get a tailwind on either leg... Oh well, good training right?

Been doing this since I started my new job last June.

I've got a CAAD7 Cannondale R1000 ( Brooks seat, Gatorskin 25's ) for my nice day bike and a Cannondale Cyclocross Disk X7 with some SKS 45mm fenders for winter use ( Nokia W106 studs ) and for warm weather wet day use ( Gatorskin 28's ). I use a Mi-Newt X2 Dual headlight and a Superflash in the rear when it's dark.

Best time is just a few seconds under 46 minutes and then probably about 1:10 or so on the slowest snowy day during the winter.

Don't carry anything as I bring in all my clothes and lunch, etc. on Mondays and shower at a gym across the street from my office, I'm also lucky enough to be able to park the rig in the office inside.

I actually searched for a job that would be coducive to this routine and it's worked out great! Beats the old 90 mile a day commute through BS traffic and crazy MA drivers; I've lost 2 good VW TDI's due to folks rear ending me while stopped in traffic, did that awful commute for close to 8 years... I'm free

rnorris

My commute is usually mixed mode (bicycle and bus) and the mix changes daily, depending on my work schedule, weather, available time, and other factors.

Route is hilly, with an elevation gain of about 300' inbound and 800' (guess) homebound if I ride the whole thing.

2 main commuters: A mongrel 90's Stumpjumper for really wet days and leaving at the park and ride; a new Marin Point Reyes for longer commutes. Both are basically hardtail MTB's with slicks, which I like as my commute is a mix of obstacles, curb hopping, and open road stretches- often very wet. Both commuters are equipped with lights as I often ride after dark.

Rain gear, lunch, warm clothes, bike tools, spare inner tube, patch kits, pump. I prefer a small backpack to panniers for the mixed mode commuting that I do.

One way distance is 23 miles. The time usually falls somewhere between 50 minutes and 2 hours, depending on how much I ride. I'm a small engine so I tend to be slower than most serious commuters on the flats, but do better on the hills.

kgriffioen

ROUTE: Main city roads, they start out as quiet 2 laners and morph into what seems like 6 lane superspeedways and then back to quiet 2 laners. Some hills but nothing major. All urban.

BIKE: Windsor Knight road bike. Still do not have a decent pic to share

GEAR: Small frame pack for keys, phone, wallet and patch kit. Pump in my jacket. Lateral file cabinet in my office full of cloths; when full its enough for 10 days.

DISTANCE AND TIME: 24 to 30 miles r/t depending on wind and mood. The round trip takes anywhere from hour and half to just under 2 hours. Avg speed is 17.0 mph.

GTALuigi

2 hours 1 way
40+ km ... luckily it's mostly down hill in the morning.
the way back home is a back breaker though... same distance but backward so it's more like 3 hours going up hill
Dahon Mu SL, packing water, lunch, change of clothes, spare tire, air pump, flashlights, cellphones and basic repair tools (allen keys, screwdriver in my saddle pack.

Miles2go

To follow up with my first post, here's my main commuter bike:



Though I have 13 others to choose from, this is what I normally go with because I can cover the distance quickly without having to worry so much with road conditions. 32c Schwalbe Marathon XR tires have been flat free.

GTALuigi

1.5 hours ride
45km one way (round trip is 90km)
5 days a week
Dahon Matrix MTB
terrain a mix of dirt & grass, asphalt, concrete.
dual panniers (topeak a rack + dxp bag)
carry spare tire + tools, extra batteries for the flash lites, lots of snacks, drinks, change of clothes, rain gear, etc.
average speed went up from 25km/h to 31km/h (this includes uphills and downhills)
been at it for about 2 month, it's great & fun

Cycho

My commute is 35 miles R/T through several suburbs of North NJ. Depending on the bike I choose to ride, I get it done between 1:05 and 1:20. Here are my bikes:

Trek 7200. Since this pic, I've added bar end, clipless pedals and a Brooks B17.



Motobecane Grand Sprint. Replaced stock saddle with Specialed Phenom last Friday.

sauerwald

I commute 4-5 days per week, my commute is ~15 miles each way, (more or less depending on route). The terrain is rolling hills, no huge climbs, but hardly anything flat either. I always carry one pannier with clothes, lunch etc in it. One or two times per week I find myself with a briefcase on the other side of the rack with paperwork, laptop etc. Both the pannier and the briefcase are from Arkel - Love them!

Bike is a touring bike frame (Bianchi San Remo), with rack, fenders, schwalbe marathon plus tires. Drop bars, Generator front hub with generator powered front and tail lights, additional battery powered light set (Dinotte). 8 speed cassette with friction bar end shifter for rder, downtube shifter for the fder, but never move it off of the 40t ring unless I have an especially heavy load.

Been commuting on the bike for 3+ years.

ricohman

45 minutes? What if I can do my 20km in under 40?
If I get a 60km head wind coming home (which isn't uncommon) it can take me an hour.
And I ride along a straight highway.

91MF

A bit of description of your route profile.
i ride through the worst part of toronto. buses everywhere. road surface like a war zone. common obstacles: car parts, VCRs, boxes of nails or something equally hazardous.

What kind of bike you ride. (photos would be cool)
my 1990 cannondale SR600.

the wheelset pictured has been destroyed beyond repair by my commute. hooops have been replaced with black velocity deep vees w/ black spokes and nipples. they dont bend unless you really make an effort to eff them up.
i have also ridden my fixed gear bike before but my co-worker i commute with doesnt like all the skidding[haha] so i generally ride this when he is not riding in that day.


How you carry your gear and what or how much (volume) stuff you bring on the ride.
i wear a knapsack[northface] and have a saddlebag with my tools/inflator and a spare tube. i also have a spare foldable tyre strapped under the bag.

Distance & time (average speed if you care to share)
30.1KMs one way. home is a little faster than the ride to work. takes between 1hr and 1hr10min depending on how many buses i have to drag race and how many times i almost die.

How long you've been doing this and any thoughts you have toward the future of your commuting.
i've only been commuting for a year but i know my roadie is an ass-hatchet on these crap roads. that super stiff aluminum frame with the near vertical seat stays is brutal some days. i have been thinking of a fixed gear mountain bike with smooth tyres and one of those bags that hangs off your seatpost so i wont have to wear a bag on my back.

JPprivate

I am very much borderline, at 42 min for a lousy 7miles (I am really, really slow - partly by design in the morning, because I want to reduce the sweat factor - on the way back it's more like 30-34 min).

I'm riding on an old BSO, since I just started a few weeks ago, I figured this should do for now. My commute is actually not too far from what Barrettscv describes. On Devon (the crazy eastern part), North on Lincoln for a few blocks then through residential streets of Lincolnwood & Skokie for the remaining 5 miles.
Travel with a backpack on my spring rack (still looking for panniers), with fresh shirt etc. Keep shoes and pants, towel, alcohol spray and deodorant at work

canyoneagle

Route: I ride a route of about 12 miles each way - mainly downhill in the morning (net elevation diff is 700 feet, not sure of total climbing, as there are many 20-50 foot ups and downs). The route is mixed with about half of the ride through charming older hilly neighborhoods on designated bike lanes, and the other half in the urban/semi-urban core (flat valley floor), also on designated bike lanes. My building is not in the heart of downtown, so my route skirts around the center of the city.
My morning ride in is 35-45 minutes depending on lights. The ride home is 50 min to 1 hour - the last 3-4 miles home is a steady uphill grade with a few steeps.

I resumed riding my bicycle this Spring after a few years off, and am quickly getting back into shape. Woohoo! I'm currently commuting 3-4 days a week, but intend to bump it to a steady 5 days by Summer's end, and am planning to commute through the winter. I love riding in the rain, too.

Bike: I sold my stable of road and mountain bikes some years back and am now riding a 120th anniversary Bianchi Milano (charcoal/silver paint, Nexus 8 IGH drivetrain) that I've modified for commutability: Flat bar, topeak explorer rack with trunk bag (ottleib pannier soon), clipless pedals, the usual assortment of lights, hutchison top slick HP tires, and planet bike cascadia fenders. I am planning to buy/build a cross bike to be my main commuting steed, and set up the milano for exclusive rain/snow duty (further mod: replace the front fork/wheel with disc-compatible, and get set up with a disc brake instead of the cheesy shimano V-brake). No pics yet, but it's a very handsome bike. I love the IGH - my only gripe is the "steps" between gears make it difficult to fine tune my pace, but who cares? I no longer race, and am content to spin in a slightly lower gear than I COULD be cranking.

I pack a spare tube, patch kit, Topeak Alien multi-tool, tire levers, mini-pump (never got into CO2 - I'm too old school, I guess), 15mm wrench for the rear (nexus) wheel, clothes for the office, and toiletries. I keep a towel at the office and am shortlisted for a locker at work. I shower and change at work, then switch back to my riding clothes before my ride home. I can't stand riding my bike for more than a few blocks in regular clothes - too restrictive and hot.

bikegeek57

A bit of description of your route profile.

Atlanta suburban residential streets. about 1000 ft climbing all the hills between. Mix of quiet roads, mall parking area, busy roads. At 5:30 am it's very quiet going home is 4:15 pm busy rush hour time frame.

What kind of bike you ride. (photos would be cool)

Fuji Absolute 4.0

How you carry your gear and what or how much (volume) stuff you bring on the ride.

Panniers carrying clothes, shoes, clean up gear, lunch and bike tools.

Distance & time (average speed if you care to share)

11 miles one way give or take. Average speed is low due to the hills at 12-13 mph. Cruising I hit 17-19 mph which is a vast improvement over my initial rides of 9 mph average speed same route and 12-14 mph cruising speeds last year this time. Am averaging 55 minutes for the ride depending on traffic.

How long you've been doing this and any thoughts you have toward the future of your commuting.

Started June 2008 and plan to continue forever. This is wonderful. I commute all year round. It does get cold in Atlanta in the winter (won't ride when windchill or temps drop below 0 here) happens occasionally. Heat is heat. I just drink more and ride slower if it really is bad. I love rainy rides. Nice relief to the heat.

B Rubble

My commute is about 27 miles round trip. Takes about 1 hour each way. Am not racing.
Mostly bike path along the beach.
Bike is a surly LHT
I use two grocery panniers (one for essential tools on the bottom, and the rest of that bag is for work clothes and materials). The second grocery pannier is for any farmer's market stuff or grocery stuff on the way home.
Have been doing it for three years.

yetsukeng

I do 21 miles each way with 1300 ft of elevation gain when it's not raining. Mostly on MUP. It takes 65-70 minutes. I keep everything I need at work and ride light on either Blue RC7 or Orbea Onix

wunderkind

MY commute is about 16km. I am located in Vancouver so I am making use of the Central Valley Greenway. It is a mixed of bike lanes and parkland gravel paths. My ride is a 07 Norco Mountaineer MTB with a Blackburn rack to carry my knapsack. No fancy panniers yet. Maybe one day.
I don't know if I still qualify for this thread as my times have been steadying declining to under 45mins since I started. My goal is to go down to about 30-35mins. Given that my stock tires are knobby rubbers, I don't know if I can achieve that.

benda18

My commute is 2 hours one-way.

A bit of description of your route profile.
9 mile ride from my home to the nearest park and ride. 30-mile bus ride (including 1 transfer) to get to work. repeat going home.
What kind of bike you ride. (photos would be cool)
surly crosscheck (main)
scott sub20 (backup)
How you carry your gear and what or how much (volume) stuff you bring on the ride.
timbuk2 messenger bag. usually carry a change of clothes, lunch, and mp3 player or book to read on the bus
Distance & time (average speed if you care to share)
4 hours / 80 miles round-trip
How long you've been doing this and any thoughts you have toward the future of your commuting.
i've been doing this for 14 months. will continue to suffer as long as i'm getting paid.

Big Ron

A bit of description of your route profile.
13.6 miles each way, fairly hilly, mostly urban commuting corridors. I leave home at 5:45, leave work at 3:30 to avoid bulk of traffic.
What kind of bike you ride.
Raleigh Supercourse road bike in Summer. I just bought a Fuji Touring for Winter, or when I'm carrying a load. My previous commuter, 1997 Fuji Roubaix, is semi retired now, having logged some 30,000 miles and developed a bit of rust.
How you carry your gear and what or how much (volume) stuff you bring on the ride.
Backpack on the road bike, Panniers on touring bike. I mostly carry food, and a change of clothes as needed.
Distance & time (average speed if you care to share)
27.3 miles round trip, 1:30 - 1:45 time depending on route, winds, stoplights and mechanical issues. Typical Avg speed is anywhere from high 15's to low 18s.
How long you've been doing this and any thoughts you have toward the future of your commuting.I've been a fair weather commuter for circa 15 years. I hope to continue as long as health allows, though I suspect some idiot not paying attention - messing with cell phone, or fast food, or whatever will probably put an abrupt end to my commuting days sooner or later....Driver distractions were much less of a concern years ago.

angelo

A bit of description of your route profile.

16 miles (25Km) each way, Urban/Suburban/Office-park, 1000 feet of climbing
Basically from Baltimore city center to the BWI airport area.
Bikely link.


What kind of bike you ride. (photos would be cool)

ANT club racer. Campy mechs, brooks seat, custom rear rack, 25mm conti gatorskins (absolutely necessary for Baltimore's horrific road conditions), princeton tec front light, planet bike blinky rear.




How you carry your gear and what or how much (volume) stuff you bring on the ride.

I use a backpack to carry bib shorts, clothing, lunch. I've been trying to fit that all on the rear rack but it is challenging. I am thinking of using a front randonneur bag for wallet/keys/phone/lunch and putting the clothes on the rear rack bungied and inside plastic bag. I hate carrying my laptop but sometimes I have to do it.


Distance & time (average speed if you care to share)

Hour-ish. I deliberately don't put on the cateye because then I would end up "competing with myself" during the commute. I sometimes do a shorter 10 mile route, but the 16 miler is a little more safe and scenic and includes one ball-buster hill that I enjoy everyday (Gunn rd).


How long you've been doing this and any thoughts you have toward the future of your commuting.

Since last September. Part of the reason why I changed jobs is so I could bike to work. I would like to get more brave about doing this in bad weather. I feel that drivers are more distracted when there's precipitation and that makes me nervous.

canyoneagle

Nice ride! I've always loved ANT's frames. And thank you for equipping it properly (Campy)

JPprivate

Very nice. How's riding down Washington Blvd working out for you? It looks kinda scary.

b_young

My ride is about 11 miles. Lots of small hills and half with a lake view. For some reason always a headwind accross the lake.
My main commuter is a Specialized Sirrus with trekking bar and Topeak trunk/pannier.



If I fill my locker with clothes on a drive day so all I have to carry is lunch then I ride the Specialized Roubaix with a backpack. I get there a lot faster.


AVG speed depends on a lot. Wind, bike, how many days in a row. usually 15-20mph.

I've commuted for 3 years, I do drive the truck in about half the time. 12.5 hr shifts some at night. rotating schedule. Some days I am just tired. But I only plan on commuting more every year. I do commute year round though.

alhanson

Chime in and share:

A bit of description of your route profile.


Three times a week at least. Mostly 4 and 5.

Vienna VA to Washington Navy Yard (Southeast DC) one mile to WO&D trail, Custis trail, ride in to the national mall, Ride the mall from one end to the other then one more mile of road to the Navy Yard.

Works well as there are showers and Dry cleaning right around the corner. Total milage is 19.98 miles one way averaged so forgive me if I round to 20 miles one way.

Currently riding a Fuji cross comp (no pic at work), two small front panniers used on the back. One for computer, lunch and work related stuff, second for suit and clothing

Average around 1 hour 10 minutes, fastest done in 54 minutes, worst 2 hours 34 minutes in January (came down with the flu later that night)

I have found if I take the metro, drive during rush hour or ride in to the office, all options are within 15 minutes of eachother.