So What's a "Long" Commute?
 

I was reading a thread within this forum and it caused me to come to this question:

At what point would you consider a daily commute, a "long" commute?

* The average cyclist travels at just about 12 miles per hour...

I'm not an average cyclist I guess - I travel at an average of 11.5 mph!! :) A long commute for me would be maybe 15 miles one-way. But, everyone's going to have a different answer because we are at different levels of fitness, different cities and different weather challenges. But for me: 30 miles round-trip :thumb:

That depends a lot on the rider's speed as well as the terrain, weather. A 30-mile RT commute would be a piece of cake for a fit rider on a road bike on flat terrain. It would be very long for someone in not-so-great shape or riding in lots of wind or hilly terrain. I commuted 22 miles RT on a fairly hilly route for 4-1/2 years and it didn't seem long to me. This fall my commute increased to 30 miles RT and it still doesn't seem that long (about 1 hour each way), but I've been cycling for many years and try not to carry a lot of gear. On a windy day when my legs are tired from a long (60+ miles) weekend ride, that 30 miles feels pretty far though.

Anything over 45 minutes one way. The length of a vinyl record, an effective study period etc

Good question. I think it depends upon the circumstances surrounding your commute, and is more than just the number of miles involved.

My commute is 36 miles round trip -- but I don't consider it long, for a couple of reasons: (1) it takes me 1:15 each way by bike, compared to an hour each way by car, (2) it's mostly flat, (3) it's relatively uninterrupted (it's mostly MUP), and (4) I don't carry a lot of gear on my bike.

What tarwheel said.

People have actually done a lot of research on this and regardless of mode, it appears that any time your commute time exceeds 45 minutes one way it becomes too far for most people.

From a couple previous threads I have read on the subject, the concensus seems to be that 40 miles round trip is a limit for a full work day. Mine is 14 miles one way, often extended in the nice weather, and I take a train home at night (I have a long workday, that I can't seem to overcome in order to ride home). Personally, I think for the purpose of fitness, weight loss, etc., 10 miles one way daily at least is a minimum worthwhile to work up a sweat; FWIW.

my commute is 28-30 miles roundtrip (depending if i leave from my condo or my girlfriend's). i consider it a "longish" daily commute for bicycle travel. chicago is marvelously flat, but i also ride directly along the shore of lake michigan, so wind is all too often a major issue for me.

on a good summer day, on my lightweight road bike, with a nice tailwind pushing me along, and all the lights going my way, i can cover 14 miles in just under 45 minutes.

on a bad winter day, on my winter bike with studded tires, with an obnoxious headwind blasting me off the lake, and all the lights conspiring against me, it can take over 1:15.


time really is the most important factor, and as it's been noted, a multitude of other variables go into the equation, but for a quick and dirty distance-based scale, i'd break it down like this:

>10 miles round trip daily - short
10-19 miles round trip daily - average
20-29 miles round trip daily - decent
30-39 miles round trip daily - long
40+ miles round trip daily - serious commitment to the craft

Do you find riding with a turntable to be awkward? :D

For me, anything more than an hour each way would be difficult to sustain on a daily basis (motivation based, not fitness based). I think it also depends on the nature of the ride, as others have mentioned. Terrain and weather can make a huge difference.

hihi, had that one coming din' I :D

Just requires a constant cadence...

I would consider 15 miles or more a long commute.

I consider 32 miles a short ride, but a long r/t commute. 16 miles, pre-dawn, in 36 degree rain, with 1000' of climbing is a long slog. After an 8 hour shift, the ride home (in the winter) when it's already dusk by the time I leave, and dark by the time I get home just makes it feel all the longer.

I totally agree.
I do the absolute functional minimum to get to and from work during the dark, cold months, so the 16 mile round trip is plenty long enough.
Conversely, I would extend my morning rides during the Summer 1-2 days a week by leaving an hour or so earlier and adding in a scenic side trip up a valley with a 2,000' elevation gain before heading to work. During that time, my 16 mile round trip commute wasn't long enough for me, and I loved riding longer.

Where did that number come from?, or, fat chance !,
you only include 30 year old males?

show your data, that you arrived at to say avg 12 mph? sample size,
.. and location of survey?

Or just speak of time in the saddle. for that purpose , over an hour each way..

I'm about 20 minutes , apartment to the Post Office [point of reference ]

13.5 miles one way takes me an average about one hour. Given the responsibilities I have to family and work, much more than I currently do--roughly 2 hours a day on the bike--would too long.

So it's really the time, not the distance. I can see why more than 45 minutes each way would deter many, especially if they have little kids, work long hours, or have other significant commitments outside work.

Been there too. I vividly recall a ride home in the dark in the winter several years ago--it was snowing hard, I was cold, a couple of motorists gave me a hard time, and I felt exhausted as I was climbing out of the river valley to my home in the "hills." I realized at that moment that I was no longer having fun, so I took a break from bike commuting.

Proof of reference:

www.livestrong.com/article/413599-the-average-bike-riding-speed/

- Slim :)

Thanks Sixty!

I wasn't aware of the extent of research commited to this subject until today...

- Slim :)

Hey thanks guys for all of the informative responses!

All I know for certain is that, when I was in my twenties and thirties, all of my commutes seemed a lot shorter than what they are today :thumb:

- Slim :)

I like the way you think. ;)

I don't mind using 1.5 hours a day to ride my bike, but much more would get in the way of other things. And if you happen to be running behind in the morning (as I often am), it's harder to justify the choice that will make you late.

- Scott

I hang out with some urban planners on a regular basis and they have reams of research on things like this.

I commuted 24 miles round trip for the first year at my current job.

It took zero time out of my schedule.

Although I spent 40-55 minutes each way on the road depending on the intersection of traffic/wind/rest days for ~100 minutes total I wasn't spending 40+ minutes driving and going for a separate 60 minute ride which would also total 100 minutes.

My dc is 42.2 miles rt. Gets to be a grind sometimes, so I just take a day off now and then. Use a 2 bike system. Multi-geared, loaded w/clothing and food for the week on Mondays and ride a fg w/a seatpost rack/trunkbag combo the rest of the week. Bring food containers and clothing home daily as the tb is expandible. Workable system.