This morning for the first time in weeks we had blue skies and sunshine (2 hours later skies are gray and rain is on the way. See location.). So I was feeling pretty mellow and decided to just relax and enjoy the commute this morning. So I downshifted and took it easy up my hills and downshifted in the wind. This didn't affect speed too much but was much easier on my legs. After my short 4 miles I could have done it all over again... and again.

See, usually I try to keep it in high gear and hammer it to work to really work up a sweat. But this got me to thinking about you guys with long commutes. Do you play over the gears a lot more to conserve your energy spend?

There's a lot of variables in play, so every answer is going to be different. Me, I take it pretty easy every day, probably averaging only about 12mph. But I'm not "training" (some people here are) and have no plans to win the TDF - Also, I like to sight-see on the trip. Others here race to work like all get-out, which is OK too.

I always ride like that. Why would I work harder to make the ride shorter? I like being on the bike. I average about 16.8 MPH, FWIW. I don't try very hard really.

I think it depends on the day. On a gorgeous morning, 15C, no wind, I usually pedal as hard as I can.
If it's hot and humid, windy, or I don't feel that great, I go a lot slower and downshift quite a bit.
I've taken the same hill with the highest gear and one of the lowest.

Commuting by bike was always the best part of my work day. Unfortunately, I developed a tendency to want to get the whole thing over with, so even on nice days I rode the same speed. Silly, really. Now that I'm retired I'm learning to relax. Too bad I couldn't have done some of that when riding to work.

The speed I went was determined by weather, pretty much. I knew how hard I was working and simply maintained the same output. With a headwind, I'd go slower. One day I had a tremendous post-storm tailwind and my road speed was such that I got to work in 15 minutes rather than the usual 25.

Sometimes its a time trial, sometimes its a casual ride...unless I see a cyclist ahead of me, which is about once a month..then its a race.

I got used to my commute, at first I took 1h30 to go my 30.5 kms commute but over a year later I usually cover the distance in 1h05. My personal record is 58min. (did it 3-4 times). So when I take my time, at least once a week, often twice, I still go under 1h15

It's a balancing act. My 50-60 mile round trip commute is through the city, and getting up to speed after the many stop sign/lights is what seems to trash my legs out faster than anything. If I know I won't be riding the next day, I'll push it more in general, but if it looks like I can commute subsequent days, I try to take it a little easier. Today is Day 4, and my legs are definitely not fresh. I had a few energy drains from Days 1-3 I wouldn't mind getting back--pushing over a hill, not wanting to get caught by a cyclist behind me, chasing a green light, quicker starts than needed, etc. :-)

I generally push as hard as possible. Not looking to enter the TDF, but do use the time for a workout.

I generally ride hard but have tried to slow it down a bit. I took it easy on Tuesday and for some reason my knees were killing me. I drove the last 2 days because I want to take it easy on them. Not sure if I was spinning too much or if I was high geared a little too much and pushing harder but just not going as fast.

i usually push myself pretty hard, but that's life when you've got a 15 mile one-way commute and a life full of other engagements.

besides, going fast is really fun.

My commute is shorter than yours, and I'm still settling into my routine and attempting to become a 5-day commuter, but my experience is similar to what you have described well here. There are a couple of areas of my city commute that become sprint efforts every day, and I also try to maintain some reserve energy just in case I need it - sometimes a burst of effort can improve the safety of a situation or help get through a stale green light, so I don't want to be energy-spent going into those situations. Your description of legs not fresh later in the week is something I am dealing with too. 4 days is the best I have done in a week, but I am hoping with continued conditioning and weight loss that 5 day commute weeks will happen soon. That is the long-term goal. If at some point I find that 5 days of commuting is not enough of a workout, well that will be a wonderful place to be fitness-wise and a big improvement for me.

I try to ride at about the same tempo I would do a long slow run for marathon+ training. I should be able to hold a conversation, though of course I don't have anybody with me to talk to. Rarely I will pick up the pace, especially if I'm not planning on riding the next day.

Thanks for the replies. I had a rare opportunity at the weekend to escape for a ride along the coast. Normally I don't do more than 6 miles in one go. Took a relaxed pace along the coast and did close to 20 miles (may have stopped for a pint halfway).

Another thing I'm reminded of is when i briefly took up jogging and at the advice of a friend got a heart rate monitor. According to the monitor the ideal heart rate was a pretty slow jog and not going all out like I had been doing. I remember it had this nagging female voice that would constantly say "slow down". So don't know if there is anything to that, but becoming a gear-weenie may help avoid an anaerobic workout and could maximize weight loss. Also, like the last comment about marathon training (which I know nothing about) I could imagine it is about conserving your reserves so you can go the distance. Sort of obvious, but I don't get out on long rides really so never thought much about it.