I am planning on commuting next year to college i.e. september and its a 17 mile each way commute. at the moment i dont' cycle at all apart from the last 3 days in which i've done 60km and i really want to keep it up. i also need to lose about 60 lbs which is sort of the reason for the commuting. i'd like to get it sorted over summer cos i have plenty of time to do it then and it will hopefully keep me motivated

should i just focus on getting lots of miles in over the summer?

what sort of goals should i be striving for? i have to say i used to race when i was younger so used to do savage mileage every week on the bike but its a long time ago

I recommend coming up with a contingency plan for your worst case breakdown scenario before you actually need it. Some things that could help would be:

-keep the phone number of a taxi service in your cell phone
-know where the closest train stations (if you're lucky) or bus stops are on your route
-a repair kit to handle common problems
-know where bike shops are along your route

I once walked an extra kilometer or so in the rain to what I thought was the closest train station.

Another thing to consider is looking into a second bicycle, something used and cheap, so you have a whole spare bicycle. I've had periods where my bicycle was down for a warranty repair and rode a different bike for a couple months. 17 miles is a pretty good distance to ride so make sure you have the right kind of bike. I ride 17 miles and I use a hybrid. I have an older road bike as my backup, but it doesn't work nearly as good as my hybrid for the commute. I think the issue is the amount of weight I carry in my panniers; the road bike gets unwieldy.

Which kind of backs me into the other thing: What do you need to carry with you? How neat and clean do you need to be? I carry quite a bit with me for my commute: A set of professional clothes, a set of clothes for the ride home, some toiletries, my lunch, and a towel (there is a locker room with shower at my office). Figure out what you will need to take with you in terms of what you need on campus and what you might need for dealing with changing weather conditions. Also, where will you leave your bike at college? What about your "stuff" that you carry with you, your panniers, etc. (assuming you don't want to carry them around with you all day..... maybe a locker room is available to lock the stuff up?)

It's feasible, just make sure you consider all the logistics details.

However you plan on carrying your stuff backpack, rack or panniers ride around all summer with them loaded up with couple of ten pound bags of potatos so you will be ready when your lugging your textbooks back and forth.

For that distance I'd go for a road bike / cyclocross bike with rack mounts and use a trunk bag / panniers. Also +1 on the second bike - has saved me a few times.

+1 on the practise with luggage too.

Try finding some storage at your university to store items you don't need to be taking back and forth. If you're in good with your department, see if they have a place for you to keep your bike. I was a lab tech for the geography dept at my school so i kept my bike in the lab... right next to my desk.

Hey Breadbin, I'm planning my commute to school this summer (About 9 miles one way) and here are some things I plan to do/ already am doing. I need further advice too so I'll probably be lurking this thread

- I always ride with a backpack carrying a pump, 2 tubes, patch kit, multi-tool, bike lock, food, I.D, sunglasses, and my cell phone. I need to buy a powerlink and a first aid kit (biking booboo) also. - I have only a rear blinky now but I ordered a Magicshine headlight for fog, rain, evening, night riding. I'm thinking of wearing glowsticks at night or those led cycling leg bands - Get a bus pass. If you're lucky, like I am, the city might offer free bus rides to college students. - Plan your route through all the slowest streets and those with little space for traffic. Ride the route regularly, maybe even try to connect it to other key places that you visit. - Get to know other cyclists in your area, they might know little trails "under the bridge" or " through Mr Jacksons' backyard" - Shop at local bike shops as much as you need to. You might get a lot of help from them if you need it. - My school has a gym with all access showers and lockers. I'll wear cycling gear to school then have a shower and change into regular clothing that will already be inside my locker. - Know cafes and bakeries on your route. Italian sodas are awesome on a summer day. Hot Chocolate/Coffee is perfect after a freezing ride. - It's relaxing to ride leisurely. Give yourself hrs for your ride if you want

That's a pretty long commute! Plan on a minimum 1 hour each way. Maybe more like 90 minutes. Perhaps plan to ride 2 or 3 days a week and use alternate means the other days.

Move closer to campus.

+100

If the OP is going to school, his #1 priority must be making time available to study. A long ride can really eat into this. Besides, being closer to school, increases the amount you can participate in class, projects and social functions. If I were him, I'd try to live within a mile of school. There are plenty of opportunities to exercise and all the women there will be additional inspiration.

well i hadn't really thought about the logistics and the carrying stuff! was ust concentrating on the actual fitness so i'll have a think about the other part of commuting. as for moving closer i only have 2 years left so don't plan on moving before then cos i bought a house before i started college. it would make life so much easier but i'm gonna try and make it work to my advantage.

i have a back up bike so can use that if i get into trouble but i also have a car which i can use too i'd be lost without a car to be honest but don't want to depend on it. thanks for the replies and noobtastic good luck on your commute let us know how you get on

This. There have been several times since I started bike commuting where a second bike saved me and I got to class on time. I've ruined a wheel on one bike, woke up to flat tires, busted valve stems while pumping and felt like riding one over the other.

I bike commuted all the way through college, but I only lived 2-3 miles off campus. A rear rack with panniers or large seatbag (like Carradice) is almost a necessity for the distance you are considering. I mostly used a backpack in college, which is fine for shorter distances, but I wouldn't want to ride 17 miles each way wearing pack. A road or cross bike would also be preferable, although a mtn bike with slicks would be OK. I agree with others about a backup bike if you can afford it. If not a spare rear wheel will cover 90% of my backup needs. Make sure you get some good front and rear lights as you inevitably will end up riding in the dark from time to time.