Reasonable commute length?
 

I've been off the bike for a couple of years and want to get back to commuting so as to lose weight. My commute is about 31mi each way. Should I strive to do this both ways a few days a week or is that too much of a stretch to be be reasonable? Riding one way is no problem but that doesn't avoid driving and usually results in logistics problems with clothes etc. I'd have to do this by myself unless there's someone here who wants to commute from around Nashua, NH to Burlington, MA.

I do have other options- taking the train or a commuter bus but each of these options would run about $10 a day and require me to ride a folding bike. I do have a folding but but it's not really fun to ride. My commute at each end of the train or bus ride would on the order of 10 miles so taking the bus/train really only knocks about 8-9 miles off the ride and would likely take an extra half our or so.

That's a LONG commute. I would do a partial commute. Before settling on a folder, though, check to see what the local transit services offer with respect to bike accommodations. In Fort Worth, virtually all buses have a rack on the front for bicycles:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...y/100_3946.jpg

...and they allow bikes on commuter trains as well (although a cyclist may end up standing there with his bike)

http://i764.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/100_4297.jpg

Another option is to drive to work with your bike, then ride home. The next morning, ride back in, then drive home. That way you're only doing the 31 miles once each day, which is conceivably do-able, but is still may be a stretch for you in the beginning. It may take you 2-3 hours to ride the 31 miles depending on traffic, hills, etc.

I would have a 25 mile each way commute if I rode the bike the entire time. I worked out my schedule so I can take an express bus for 20 miles of the route and then end up only biking 5 miles each way. I dunno how I would feel about 31 miles each way.

There's the question of being in adequate shape, which if you aren't now, you can be over time. Then there's the question of how much time do you want to spend commuting.

There's no way I'd want to spend that much time getting too and from work. Actually, I wouldn't even want to drive that distance so I'm probably not the best person to ask. ;) Public transportation is a more reasonable option in my mind because I can use the time in transit for something else. That's not really possible when driving or cycling.

Your taliking about a 2-2.5 hr commute assuming you ride at moderate pace over mostly flat or gently rolling terrain in good weather. Way too long for a regular round trip commute, IMHO. I would drive part way and ride the rest. You can always lengthen the bike leg as your fitness improves.

This guy says he commutes 42 miles each way everyday. I saw it on the internet so it has to be true!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSVUa_IYQns

I am in your "neighborhood."

31 miles is on the outer limits but is certainly doable. As has been said, depends on your fitness and commitment. While not exactly a flat commute, you have no real killer climbs to deal with.

As an aside, I can often beat my wife in her car from Lowell to Nashua, as long as she has to navigate a few lights. I observe all traffic controls, but I usually filter forward at lights too. That can give the bike a huge advantage.

Lot of folks commute around here...mine is much shorter than yours, but I have riding buddies who commute from Lowell to Burlington and Westford to Burlington.

I suppose it all boils down to what part of Nashua to what part of Burlington, and what kind of facilities do you have a work to change/shower.
Me, I bring in sets of clothing for the week, so I don't have to commute with clothes, but not everyone in is the same boat.

Let me know if I can be of further help or assist with roads and routes.


PS, I just noticed that you are in Pepperell. While I don't take them, you have both the Nashua River Rail Trail and the Minuteman Rail Trail at your disposal. Both are significantly shorter than driving on the roads, and neither involve hills of any kind. Don't know if either would help your commute, but certainly worth a quick check.

zac

check it out some quiet Sunday morning and see how far you get! :-)

that's a little far for me. I like my 13 mile commute just fine thank you very much! :-) some mornings I wish it was a couple miles longer and some evenings I'm glad it's just the 13! :-)

Personally, 31 miles is way more than I'd like to do...I wouldn't want to be biking for more than an hour or so before/after work--I value my sleep too much in the morning!

My commute now is about 5 miles one way, and takes anywhere between 15 (at my very fastest) and 20 minutes (depending on traffic/how I hit lights). I figure my upper limit for commuting is about 15 miles one way. That would put me right at about an hour one way, which is manageable.

I would seriously look into public transportation, but depending on the commute, your times will vary. When I was going 10 miles each way, it was smooth roads with one big hill each way and I was doing it in about 40 minutes without too much effort. Now, my 7 mile commute is 40-45 minutes, simply because most of it is relatively rough dirt and gravel roads.

When I first found BF my commute was 45 miles each way. Most days I would drive, with my bike on the rack, 30 miles to an RTA Park-n-Ride lot, then ride my bike the final 15 miles, then ride back to the truck and drive home after work. On really nice summer days I'd ride the entire thing. ;)

I have a 31 one-way mile commute and I do this^^^

It reduces my one-way cycling distance to 16 miles.

I also ride long distance events, my longest ride last year was 127 miles. I would not want to ride a 62 mile round-trip commute.

Michael

If you haven't been on a bike in years, 31 miles each way is not doable. You can work up to it, but even then that's like 5 or 6 hours a day spent commuting depending on your speed. I'd do what others say and drive/public transit it part of the way.

A round-trip commute would be a metric century--just one with a really long lunch stop.

It takes me about 3.5-4 hours to ride a metric at a pace that doesn't destroy me for the rest of the day. I think the time involved is more likely to be a limiter than physical fitness.

31 miles is certainly possible, but I wouldn't want to do it on a daily basis even if I were in good enough shape to. While I enjoy riding, that's 4-6 hours a day down the tubes in terms of having a choice about what you do with your time.

If you do want to do it, you'll very probably have to build up to it. Maybe not if you've been keeping yourself in tip-top shape while off the bike, but I doubt that's the case.

I tried a 40 - 42 mile each way commute for a little while. It was fun, but really hard. I was burning the candle at both ends, and it wore me down really fast. As many have commented: do that and work eight hours, and there is nothing left of the day.

I commute by folding bike and train, but this does not sound like a viable option for you. Of the two hours I spend on the train, I am asleep for most of it. Drive to the station, take the bike on the train... what's the point?

Can you put the bike in the car, drive to work, ride home; next day ride to work, drive home?

Have you figured out your commute route? Seems like you could get it shorter.

If you can do it and want to spend your free time doing it, do it. You will soon be in great shape. I mean really great shape.

My former commute: 14 hilly miles; ~50minutes
My current commute: 4.5 hilly miles; ~20minutes

I personally would not want to ride more than 10 ~ 12 miles each way, on a daily basis.

I work with a guy who commutes by bike one way each day - he has a bike rack on his car, and he will drive in to work, with the bike, then ride home. The next day he rides in to work and drives home.
Another possibility would be to drive half way, park in a parking lot, then ride the rest, and reverse the process going home.

Thanks for all the advice so far. Sounds like i'ts smarter to do the alternate day thing which isn't that big a deal as my wife works nearby and would have to drive anyway. The ride over to her is only five miles over back roads so that's ok even if I'm tired or it's wet.


The public transit here only allows folding bikes (except on weekends) so it's basically useless. If someone knows a way to get the MBTA to accept full-size bikes I'm all ears. I used to do the commute regularly (one way) when I worked a bit (22mi) closer and it wasn't bad. I wanted to get a gauge on whether, if I were in that shape again, a metric century was reasonable as a goal. Sounds like not...

I don't mind the time commitment since it's really only about 30min difference from driving each way. For those in the area, my route used to go down either 119 to Concord or 225 to Bedford for most of the way. Not ideal roads but OK. It's going to be warm tomorrow so I think I'll pencil in a ride home. Riding home I don't have clothes issues and I'm less tired.

There is only one way to find out :D

If it's like 1.5h driving vs. 2.0h on a bike I'd try riding. I don't consider the time on a bike time lost, versus the time in a car that is time lost for me. Although, this would be physically tiring and for someone who didn't ride in a long time, it's plain impossible. Also, in bad weather it would be both physically and psychologically demanding. An immense body and mind (will) workout to say the least. But if you could pull this off you'd be one fit son of a gun :D

My commute is about 8 miles and want more, but 31 miles, wow, that's a lot. Keep us posted, would ya?

Adam

That distance, I would be unlikely to do. I'm a big believer in choosing my home so that I'm close to work. If you want to spend your time doing it, then go ahead, but for that far, I'd rather take the bus. Then I could sleep or get some work done in transit.

You're basically contemplating a metric century every weekday. It's doable, but it's an awful lot of riding.

Commute with your wife! It's a double bonus. You get to spend some quality time with her, makes the commute less stressful for both of you, and that last 5 miles is an ideal bike commute length.

As for 119 and 225, you can easily find side roads that avoid those secondary roads. I don't mind 119 mid day, but at commute time it is a nightmare. I think 225 would be the much better choices. In your area it is a bit better paved and has wider shoulders. But really neither are fun at rush hour.


EDIT for those who say it is too far, well everyone has a different threshold. My commute is only 2 miles, but I often take the 40 mile "shortcut" on the way home. I ride early mornings too, 50-80 miles 3 days a week and am home before the kids go to school. Yeah I have been doing this for years, but it is certainly doable, just depends on your level of commitment (or whether you should be "committed.")

Hey, Good luck! let us know how it works out. I like the option of commuting in with her and riding home several times a week. But don't just wait for the warm weather: Riding in the winter isn't so bad, you can dress for the cold as long as you can keep your feet/hands and head warm; Riding in the rain sucks, Riding in the snow is peaceful, but difficult and I certainly wouldn't want to do 31 miles on those roads in the snow; However, riding in a headwind is the worst, and we are headed into wind season right now, so don't get discouraged if you end up with an evening commute into a 20mph+ headwind the entire way.

zac

Like suggested over here, I would throw the bike on car, park at work, ride back home, ride to work next day, and so on ...

I think the consensus is that it's a little far to do every day. Many people have suggested alternate days or other solutions. I'd also say that there's big difference between riding 30 or 40 miles to work and a 30 - 40 mile rec/training/group ride unless you have a pretty stellar route to work.

Yeah, you are correct, and if that was my commute I would probably regret it in short order too. It is a lot different when you ride because you want to and you ride because you have to. Plus I think I agreed with that in my post too:

I drive 9mi, park at public park, ride 14mi. That gives me a pedal time of 40-50min, which leaves enough time for changing etc. without planning a 2hr commute. Oh... and those headwind days can make the 14mi into work a LOT longer ;)

I would drive in with wifey, and ride home. Assuming timing works out, that sounds ideal to me.

There's your answer right there. Start out with just commuting back and forth from your wife's work. 10 miles/day, 5 days a week is the perfect starting point. Do just that for 6-8 weeks and then you'll suddenly come up with various and creative ways to do more miles.

Me too. Unfortunately, I have 17 miles each way.