On my way in I usually take the direct routes (there are about 3 roughly equidistant options), but on my way home I like to to take the long way when I can. Lately that has been twice a week. Although the direct routes all take about the same amount of time, they vary a little from ~7 to ~7.5 miles. When I manage to leave 5 or 10 minutes early I like to take a longer (~8 miles) route in that takes me through Interlaken Park. This is a one mile road that I usually see less than 3 cars on (today there were none) and sometimes just a few cyclists and a couple of walker/joggers. It's a peacefull, hilly, wooded area, that is a nice respite from the traffic I've fought through to get to there.

My favorite long way home right now is along the waterfront, the trail through the railyards, and then along the Ship Canal. Going this way, rather than the direct route adds about 4 miles to my trip home, BUT this route gives me nearly 7 miles of uninterrupted cycling. This is even more of a draw than the views along the waterfront and through the industrial areas. It's more like a pleasure ride and not a commute to be able to ride for miles without stopping for a traffic light or stop sign!

I've been taking these longer routes as much as I can the past couple of months, because I'll be back in school next quarter and so probably won't have the time or energy to be taking the scenic routes. I'll be commuting 7 days a week, two days a week I'll be riding into town twice, so I'll be putting in 100-120 hilly, loaded miles a week, without a rest day for 10 weeks.

My pace is pretty mellow, although I will try and eke out burning a few more calories by speeding up if another cyclist appears in my rearview mirror!

I had to google this. I guess I have been playing the game! I have to give myself more credit, being pretty low on the foodchain. Thanks - now I know the 'rules'.

Work starts at 7:00AM so I ride straight to work. On the ride home, I take the 'scenic' route where my workouts occur.

I live in on a ridgeline and work on the flats. There are only two roads I can use to get from the ridge to the flats, and one is much safer than the other. Once I'm on the ridge, there is only one road which takes me along it to my house. Once I'm on the flats, there is only one road which takes me to my job.

As such, I take the direct route home and back every single day out of sheer necessity.

I take straight to work so I can get there in time On the way home, depending on when the sun sets and other conditions, I will take a longer route. Pac is about the same - as quick as I can go.

Ad many others have said. I take a direct route to work all the time. The way home it varies but I almost always either take a longer ride, or stiop for a beverage (be it a nice microbrew or a coffee). Very rarely am I in a hurry to get home.

Generally I go straight to work and straight home. As time allows I will stretch out the ride home. If I know I'm not going to ride back in the next day I'll turn the ride home into a time trial.

did the OP ever say how far his commute was? I remember extending my commute home when I had 1/2 days. I would bike to gym for upper body weight training then home. didn't do that tooo much though. another time I biked to the gym but didn't do that again.

I have to vary both the direct and indirect routes, varying between 5 miles and 15 miles each way. If I am motivated I find a route that has a fun Strava segment and push hard. Speed varies on whether I take a hilly route and how loaded the bike is. Today I hit three category 4 Strava climbs and had a PR on one with bits of 20% inclines with 2000' of climbing for the day. I also packed extra clothes today so I could ride a rack less sunny day bike.

i will stretch both morning and evening trips depending on mood and schedule at work. The only drawback is getting sweatier for work.

30 miles each way so direct, always. With kids, wife wouldn't be too happy with any detour. In recent months, I've learned to slow down a little but that damm road bike just wants me to go fast.

You commute 30 miles each way? Dang, you the man! It's rare when someone commutes that far on a bike, there was a guy on another forum who claimed he rode 45 miles one way, I kind of doubted that one considering that would be 90 miles a day, but 30 miles is doable, but WOW what a commute. You don't need to take a detour that's for sure.

What happens if you get to work and it's storming by the time you have leave? Do you ride every day, weather permitting of course? or do you ride every other day and take the car in on those days? How long does it take you? Is all flat or hilly, is there a lot of city riding or mostly country?

Sorry for the questions but I find what your doing very interesting and amazing.

I remember when I commuted to work on my bike and people thought I was nuts at work...I only had to ride 3 miles to work!! Of course at night I took a detour home, but even then I think the longest detour I ever took was 45 miles, but on that day I got to leave work early so I got home at the usual time my wife was expecting me. I can't imagine what my co-workers would have thought if I was riding 30 miles to work and home each day.

Congrats HyHuu for doing such a commute.

Straight to work, then it depends on my mood, the weather, or the shopping/errands list in determining the length and speed of the ride on the way back home.

Thanks but I don't ride every day. I usually commute 3 days a week, sometimes 4 but never all 5 days. On days I don't ride, I take a commuting bus, which is only a little faster (go figure) and bring my clothes for the week. I need to save some energy for weekend activities: more riding, rock climbing, playing with the kids or finishing the "honey-do" list. I'm sure there are plenty of people who put in lots of mileage commuting out there. Luckily for me, the commuting route has very few traffic stops.

About the weather, if it's snow or icy I can't ride (road bike). And if it's cold rain mid 30s to low 40s heavy rain, I don't ride either. I used to but never really enjoy it so now I stop. Here in NoVA it's rolling terrain, it's either gently up or gently down. My ride takes about 1hr 45 minutes going in and an extra 5-10 minutes going home because getting out of the city in the afternoon is slow with traffic and lights.

It was rough the first few months but now I'm used to it.