This. I do whatever I want which usually ends up being ride as hard as I can when I can change/shower, doddle when I don't want to or can't shower, and go with the flow when I am commuting with my wife, friends, or coworkers. I almost never go to sleep with a plan for the next days commute.

I mix it up but most of the times I'm trying to move along briskly. If I get to commute regularly then I turn it into a race. The only time I hold back is if I know I'm going to also commute the next day.

I've edited to say that I normally bike for exercise purposes. Because of that I'm trying to do sprints, climbs, etc.

There is no thought process.......I get on the bike,turn the pedals,point it in the direction I wish to go and at some point I arrive......Repeat going home.

Works for touring also.....

If I'm in a big hurry,I drive.

Why do I participate in SCR?

I like pushing myself and going fast, but I do not try to beat commute times. History has taught me they rarely vary an appreciable amount. So I try to beat times, my lungs or my legs in certain sections of my commute; or other riders on the horizon. But if I am tired I slow down, I still am getting a better workout than all the drivers.

For me the commute is the best time for me to workout without giving up family time. Going fast under my own power keeps me happy; but just biking keeps me happy. I do not tend to go for other training rides, though I would like to; I like my family time more at this point.

I sweat no matter what and I have a shower and clothes at work. I always wear spandex.

My boss is okay if I am late, as long as I get my stuff done.

I ride unpaved paths but try and go as fast as I can - it is my nature. Unfortunately that is a little slower this year after having some stents put in. But I just love the cool mornings riding in, up with the birds, hawks, and occasional deer or Coyote, and can take a longer path home, depending on the sunset time. But I got just one speed and always look for another rider to motivate me more :D I get into work earlier, even though it is over a half hour to 45 minutes longer to ride in than drive - I am more motivated. Get a nice shower after cooling down and I am more productive and focused for the day. Overall, with a 2-2.5 hour RT commute, I get a free hour and a half of exercise!

For me, commuting by bike is just another way of getting to work. I know I won't go to the gym after work (and especially not before work), so doing a 6 mile ride after a cup of coffee is a good way to wake up and enjoy the roads before too much traffic shows up. I live in a hilly area, so I'm going to have to push up some hills one way or another, but I don't try to set any records.

If I go a little faster, I either had a tailwind or I'm actually getting fitter. Usually by the end of the day I don't want to do anything other than go home, so any errands I run have to be on the way.

Commuting in the morning is head-clearing, blood-pumping priming for the day. Commuting in the evening is a cross between head-clearing and death-avoiding by the increased traffic.

I know guys that will go 25 miles after work. I'm not one of them, but more power to them.

Riding to work: I ride a pace easy enough not to sweat.

Riding home: I like to do a couple one-minute intervals for training. But I have to be in the mood. If I am tired, I just do whatever pace feels good.

Or write negative reviews, or both.

- Andy

I start my commute rides easy, and let things develop from there. Sometimes traffic is bad and I pedal a lot harder to find and maintain some open space. Sometimes I'm just not feeling it, and I go slow the whole way. Sometimes I ride slow for the first two miles, and then hear a song that gets my blood pumping and end up racing the rest of the way.

I do enjoy the slower rides though - I like noticing everything in the environment. When I'm riding hard I miss all the stuff off to the side and mostly focus on my mirror and the asphalt ahead of me.

Interesting thread. I don't leave early enough to allow for "buffer" time in the mornings, so I generally ride pretty fast on the way to work. Most of the time I really like the workout and it helps me feel good when I get to work. Unless there is a strong headwind, and then I will feel kind of worn out. But, I'll take a hill over a headwind any day.

There are certain commute sections where I push myself more than others. I usually ride slower through the downtown section of my commute. There are a couple long stretches of road with no lights and a nice bike lane - one is flat and the other is a hill - I generally push myself on these sections unless I'm sore from a prior workout, tired from an overly long day, etc. I ride through a marsh area on my first :15 minutes from home. In the morning, I use that as a warm-up time and on the way home, I make a point to slow down and watch the birds. I love the "magic hour" of sunset time and like to slow down and observe things more at that time of day.

I haven't been doing much riding lately outside of commuting. If I was also doing fast-paced rides on weekends, I would probably be much less inclined to push myself on the commute.

Interesting how many different thought patterns.

Usually I dread getting up so early, then I see the night ( I leave about 5-5:30)... After a mile or 2 I'm really glad I rode.

If I try to go fast (for me), well I usually do go as fast as if I tell myself to just take it as it comes.

Sunrise is always cool, Sometimes I'm in an area where the trees block the view, but it's still such a cool part of the day.

I have a bit over 10 miles rural highways, then 10 miles of new riverside green way, then 2 of upscale neighborhood and boulevard... Then about 2 miles of dense urban roads and traffic.

I get the willies at 1 intersection in the rural area and about 1/2 of the urban part else I feel are low risk, especially with lights on.

I usually ride a little harder or at least faster in the morning. My rides long enough I'm going to sweat no matter what. I want to ensure I get there with plenty of time to cool down and change before official start of business. However I also want to sleep in as late as possible. Haven't really analyzed why, but the ride home is typically at least 1 mph slower. Maybe my legs are a little more tired, maybe a little less motivated, maybe a little more headwind, maybe net up hill. It's generally rolling hills the whole route. Likely more than one on any given day.

I pretty much ride balls-out whenever I'm on a bike.

No. I live car free, so my pace is never the same even over the same route in the same day. My absolute priority is safety and lawful riding. If i get there faster one trip than the previous, great, but it has never been a priority and never will.

- Andy

My commute to work is approx 20k/13miles, and every time I get on the bike I push hard. Have my Garmin on the front trying to beat yesterday (or the previous days) time and slowly getting the times down. I do this both morning and evening, the morning ride being uphill more and taking about 2 mins longer (on average) than the return journey. This is affected massively however by traffic, roundabouts, a level crossing and red lights. I also have a shower at work so the sweat doesn't matter.

Unfortunately my brain is wired this way I think, as I like to take the least amount of time commuting as possible whilst increasing my fitness. I spoke to somebody about why I didn't ride in 5 days a week the other day (normally do M,T,T,F or M,W,F depending on other training), and after reflecting on it for a bit I think it's because my legs simply won't take it if I did it 5 days a week.

I think there is something satisfying about knowing that my ride, even in harsh weather, will take 50 mins max, 40 mins average, and the car journey on a good day is 30 mins, with a bad day being up to 90.

Maybe I need to find a more relaxed attitude to my commute! :)

I was going hard as I could morning and afternoon commute. Waking up early, riding on my lunch hour and riding hard on the way home too. And of course I burned out, stopped riding for six months. Now I am just enjoying my commute. If I want to ride fast I do but usually just for short stretches. That is working for me.

It depends what bike I am riding. Every now and then I will ride my fancy crabon bikecycle, and will have opportunities to beat some strava PRs. But those were also set on that bike, so when I ride my usual commuter (has to weigh close on 40 lbs with everything loaded up), I tend to take it easier. I generally ride how I feel. If I feel like putting in a burst of speed, I do it. If I feel like rolling an easy 14 mph, I do that. Most of the time I will save my "sprints" for the sketchier parts of my commute where I have to get in traffic to make a left turn, or for the road that has no shoulder and heavy traffic.

My commuting pace depends on a number of factors -- the weather (primarily wind), how tired my legs are, and my weekend riding plans. Most days, I commute at what I would call "tempo" pace -- that is, just my normal speed and not trying to go particularly fast or slow. If I had a hard ride the day or weekend before, I ride at a slower recovery pace. If my legs are feeling good, the winds aren't howling and I don't have a long or difficult weekend ride in the near future, I often push the pace and go as fast as I can. Sometimes I ride fast in the morning and slower in the afternoon, or vice versa. So, in short, the answer is "it depends."

i ride all out and usually arrive at work puking

I also view it as a bit of a meditative time ... mild exercise, fresh air, reduced stress. No "time trials" for me, which I save for other times and places.

Mornings I tend to take it easy. Afternoons I am more likely to go all out, but not always. I stopped caring about PRs a couple years ago, but I still treat my commute as exercise and will push myself.

I love my workouts, and my commute is no exception. I only live a few miles from work, and I'm always in a good mood after about twelve minutes of pushing just as hard as I can. The way home is never much of a workout because traffic is heavier and I find myself being delayed more.

Dude! You gotta ride like "Premium Rush."

Sorry. Just kidding. Don't ride like that.

For me, I try to take it easy but still get to work on time, while staying alive. Traffic can be crazy.