2011 commuting stats
#1
Thread Starter
Prefers Cicero

Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 12,860
Likes: 146
From: Toronto
Bikes: 1984 Trek 520; 2007 Bike Friday NWT; misc others
2011 commuting stats
Just reviewing my commuting stats for the year, and I thought others might have collected similar data. With potentially 5 working days to go (Monday and Tuesday will be holiday days and I might not go in all three other days next week), my stats at the moment look like this:
biked 144 days, (104 on tour bike, 40 on mountain bike) 1500 miles
bus/subway 47 days, usually due to wintry conditions. I bike in cold or rain, but not on ice or snow.
drove car 8 days, usually due to offsite meetings, needing to take the car in for service downtown, or theatre tickets after work downtown with wife, who prefers driving
cabs 2 days - actually 4 "half days", where I took the bus in the morning, and worked very late, taking a cab home in the evening
There were also about 25 days where I worked out of town that I don't keep a record of. Sometimes I rent a car, sometimes I use cabs, but mostly I stay at a hotel close enough to the worksite that I can walk.
I'll update this data with final stats at the end of the month
biked 144 days, (104 on tour bike, 40 on mountain bike) 1500 miles
bus/subway 47 days, usually due to wintry conditions. I bike in cold or rain, but not on ice or snow.
drove car 8 days, usually due to offsite meetings, needing to take the car in for service downtown, or theatre tickets after work downtown with wife, who prefers driving
cabs 2 days - actually 4 "half days", where I took the bus in the morning, and worked very late, taking a cab home in the evening
There were also about 25 days where I worked out of town that I don't keep a record of. Sometimes I rent a car, sometimes I use cabs, but mostly I stay at a hotel close enough to the worksite that I can walk.
I'll update this data with final stats at the end of the month
#2
www.ocrebels.com
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,186
Likes: 8
From: Los Angeles area
Bikes: Several bikes, Road, Mountain, Commute, etc.
I just started bike commuting in August of this year (after about a ten year hiatus) and so far 43-1/2 commutes, all on my DaHon Curve folding bike. 6.5 miles from home to the Metro Station / fold bike - Take Metro 10 miles - Unfold bike, ride 1.1 mi. to work. So only about 15.5 miles of actual bike riding per day (round trip).
Four flat tires, chain popped off the rear sprocket once, otherwise no mechanical problems. No ice and snow here of course; 2 days in rain and wet streets.
Rick / OCRR
Four flat tires, chain popped off the rear sprocket once, otherwise no mechanical problems. No ice and snow here of course; 2 days in rain and wet streets.
Rick / OCRR
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 389
Likes: 0
From: Cape Coral, FL
Bikes: '79 Schwinn Varsity
Dumb Statistics.....as of this am.....3,957.7 miles
162 commuting days
164 one way trips with a headwind, 35 trips with a sidewind, 88 with no wind, and 37 with a tailwind
46 one way trips in the '90's, 56 in the '80s, 129 in the '70's, 71 in the '60's, 15 in the 50's and only 3 in the 40's had 3 @ 28 degrees in Dec '10
33 trips in heavy rain/tstorms, 10 trips were in regular rain, and 8 trips in light rain.
highest headwind was a day at 30-35 mph, best tailwind day was 18-23 mph..
4 flat tires, all rear tire.....3 because of radial tire wires, one nail.
no mechanical failures
total miles on bike is 28,025.5 since 5/15/06
and yes, my wife says I am somewhat a__l.
162 commuting days
164 one way trips with a headwind, 35 trips with a sidewind, 88 with no wind, and 37 with a tailwind
46 one way trips in the '90's, 56 in the '80s, 129 in the '70's, 71 in the '60's, 15 in the 50's and only 3 in the 40's had 3 @ 28 degrees in Dec '10
33 trips in heavy rain/tstorms, 10 trips were in regular rain, and 8 trips in light rain.
highest headwind was a day at 30-35 mph, best tailwind day was 18-23 mph..
4 flat tires, all rear tire.....3 because of radial tire wires, one nail.
no mechanical failures
total miles on bike is 28,025.5 since 5/15/06
and yes, my wife says I am somewhat a__l.
#4
Banned
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,787
Likes: 3
Allowing for vacations, holidays, and the occasional sick day, I'm guessing (don't officially 'track' it, I have other things to do) 240 workdays in 2011.
Can guarantee I rode (& will ride the last 6 scheduled) 200 of them. Distances, since I HATE taking the same way every day, varied from 2 miles to 9 miles 1-way. I will ride unless the snow is too deep, or there is ice on the pavement.
Can guarantee I rode (& will ride the last 6 scheduled) 200 of them. Distances, since I HATE taking the same way every day, varied from 2 miles to 9 miles 1-way. I will ride unless the snow is too deep, or there is ice on the pavement.
#6
Fat Guy Rolling
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,434
Likes: 1
From: Louisville Kentucky
Bikes: Bacchetta Agio, 80s Raleigh Record single-speed, Surly Big Dummy
My records may be off a bit, but I see 197 commuting trips for 2011 (so far). I took a bus two or three times, a cab once, and probably drove less than 10 times.
2007 commuting miles out of 5332 total miles.
2007 commuting miles out of 5332 total miles.
#7
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,299
Likes: 16
I have just one commuting day left then I'm off until January.
175 round trips this year which is down from 214 last year because now I'm working 1 day/week from home.
Number of days driving to work: 0 (same as last year)
34% of my one-way trips were multi-modal (train + bike) versus 22% last year.
6145.6 miles commuting versus 8263.4 last year.
66.4% of my mileage was commuting versus 80% last year.
Last year, I rode my bike (commuting + recreation) on 289 out of 365 days (79%). This year it's 277 out of 355 so far (78%).
2010 total miles: 10329.3
2011 total miles: 9261.7 (YTD)
So 2011 is less than 2010, which is okay with me. I wanted to spend less time on the bike and more time with my family this year, which I did.
175 round trips this year which is down from 214 last year because now I'm working 1 day/week from home.
Number of days driving to work: 0 (same as last year)
34% of my one-way trips were multi-modal (train + bike) versus 22% last year.
6145.6 miles commuting versus 8263.4 last year.
66.4% of my mileage was commuting versus 80% last year.
Last year, I rode my bike (commuting + recreation) on 289 out of 365 days (79%). This year it's 277 out of 355 so far (78%).
2010 total miles: 10329.3
2011 total miles: 9261.7 (YTD)
So 2011 is less than 2010, which is okay with me. I wanted to spend less time on the bike and more time with my family this year, which I did.
#8
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 4,571
Likes: 16
From: Oxnard, CA
Bikes: 2009 Fuji Roubaix RC; 2011 Fuji Cross 2.0; '92 Diamond Back Ascent EX
Out of 149 days I was at work this year (low number due to taking extended vacations this past summer and being off for an extended time due to commuting accident in the fall) it broke down to:
78 days riding to work
16 driving to work due to weather (mostly high wind days wich we had an unusual number of this year)
33 driving due to appointments or meetings after work
20 driving due to being injured (hoping to be back in the saddle early next year)
2 driving due to bike needing repair
Not a great year but hoping to get back on track for 2012.
78 days riding to work
16 driving to work due to weather (mostly high wind days wich we had an unusual number of this year)
33 driving due to appointments or meetings after work
20 driving due to being injured (hoping to be back in the saddle early next year)
2 driving due to bike needing repair
Not a great year but hoping to get back on track for 2012.
#10
Thread Starter
Prefers Cicero

Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 12,860
Likes: 146
From: Toronto
Bikes: 1984 Trek 520; 2007 Bike Friday NWT; misc others
Great to see some new commuters. My other stat which I forgot to include above, is that next week I complete my 20th year of predominantly bike commuting.
#11
Just started commuting this Fall. I'm at around 80 days and 575miles. Thanks to all the commuting community on bikeforums for all the helpful information and supportive environment. I love my bike more now than when I was a kid. I'm actually looking forward to the end of vacation and the return of the regular commute!
#12
Living the Dream
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 449
Likes: 0
From: DFW Metroplex
Bikes: 2015 AWOL Frameset with custom drivetrain, 20?? Windsor Tourist, 2010 Specialized Secteur
I only have 3-4 commutes left this year.
So far, 183 rides for 4,900 miles.
I'm going to try to break 5k for the year.
So far, 183 rides for 4,900 miles.
I'm going to try to break 5k for the year.
#13
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
Bikes: 1978 nishiki 2011 Kona Dr.Good 1996 trek 830, 1996 Iron Horse MT400, 89 Specialized Hardrock,
started commuting in august ... been riding almost everyday for 18 weeks now .. give or take 500 miles so far
#14
Tractorlegs
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,185
Likes: 60
From: El Paso, TX
Bikes: Schwinn Meridian Single-Speed Tricycle
I like reading these posts - it's encouraging me to set goals for 2012. I started commuting by bicycle late August and rode about 80 times, drove the car 15 days. This was my first significant bike riding since 2003, and it felt good to get back on the bike.
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Trikeman
Trikeman
#15
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,896
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh, NC
Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia
It's been a great year for me bike commuting and cycling in general. Today is my last commute of the year and I'll finish with 4,100 miles over 170 days. My commute distance increased from 22 to 30 miles in October when my office moved downtown, and I've really been racking up the miles since then. I am actually enjoying the longer commute, although I encounter a lot more hills and traffic lights in the extra 8 miles.
Overall, I should finish with about 8,200 miles for the year as I'm at 8,049 right now with 9 more days of cycling left. As usual, my commuting miles will account for almost exactly half of my total mileage. I rode two centuries this year and two bike tours, and averaged more than two metric centuries a month.
My biggest accomplishment was losing 30 lbs, and I now weigh what I did in college nearly 40 years ago. Cycling really helped in that regard, but the biggest factor was just controlling my food intake. I started tracking all of my calories from eating and exercise with an iPhone app (LoseIt.com) that I got around Christmas last year, and it really helped me figure out how to lose weight and keep it off. The weight loss has made me a better cyclist, but hills are still a challenge. My average speed commuting increased by about 0.5 mph over the entire year, which is probably a direct result of the weight loss.
I got two new commuter/touring frames in 2011 and sold a racing frame and mountain bike. Since so much of my cycling now is commuting, I decided to part with my beloved Merckx Corsa so I could swap the components to a new Salsa Casseroll, which has become my main commuter. Over the summer, I found a great deal on a used Waterford RST-22 frame -- with almost the same size and geometry as my Salsa -- and that has become my backup commuter and will become my main touring bike.
My goal now is to figure out a way to ride across the USA, perhaps in 2013. My challenge is to save enough money and vacation time to make it happen, and my longer commute will hopefully get me in shape for the trip.
Overall, I should finish with about 8,200 miles for the year as I'm at 8,049 right now with 9 more days of cycling left. As usual, my commuting miles will account for almost exactly half of my total mileage. I rode two centuries this year and two bike tours, and averaged more than two metric centuries a month.
My biggest accomplishment was losing 30 lbs, and I now weigh what I did in college nearly 40 years ago. Cycling really helped in that regard, but the biggest factor was just controlling my food intake. I started tracking all of my calories from eating and exercise with an iPhone app (LoseIt.com) that I got around Christmas last year, and it really helped me figure out how to lose weight and keep it off. The weight loss has made me a better cyclist, but hills are still a challenge. My average speed commuting increased by about 0.5 mph over the entire year, which is probably a direct result of the weight loss.
I got two new commuter/touring frames in 2011 and sold a racing frame and mountain bike. Since so much of my cycling now is commuting, I decided to part with my beloved Merckx Corsa so I could swap the components to a new Salsa Casseroll, which has become my main commuter. Over the summer, I found a great deal on a used Waterford RST-22 frame -- with almost the same size and geometry as my Salsa -- and that has become my backup commuter and will become my main touring bike.
My goal now is to figure out a way to ride across the USA, perhaps in 2013. My challenge is to save enough money and vacation time to make it happen, and my longer commute will hopefully get me in shape for the trip.
#16
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,575
Likes: 223
From: Canada
Bikes: 2009 Trek 520
128 commuting days for 3968km (2465 miles). In total I rode 190 days for 7750km (4815 miles).
My longest consecutive time off the bike was 20 days in July, taking a break after a 600km tour followed by a vacation. There were 4 other gaps between 9 and 11 days. Since the start of September my longest break was 3 days.
I'll ride a bit more before the end of the year. But December has been a busy month riding to the university to study, and I need to take a few days off biking as I'm exhausted and sore.
My longest consecutive time off the bike was 20 days in July, taking a break after a 600km tour followed by a vacation. There were 4 other gaps between 9 and 11 days. Since the start of September my longest break was 3 days.
I'll ride a bit more before the end of the year. But December has been a busy month riding to the university to study, and I need to take a few days off biking as I'm exhausted and sore.
#17
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Champlin, MN
Bikes: 1994 Mongoose Switchback, 1983 Schwinn Voyageur SP, Cheap unnamed ssfg road bike
I'm a bit embarassed to post in this thread, but I figured I would because then others might feel better...
200 miles, commuted 10 times over the summer.
I have a list of excuses longer than my arm, though!
a: just bought a house
a1: moved in with a fiance and 2 kids
a2: lots of nights of dad-duty while (see a3)
a3: fiance was in school in the evenings.
b: it was too hot
c: my bike broke (bottom bracket bearings wore out)
d: I inhaled a bug and choked to death
e: work hours changed, couldn't justify cost of a good headlight (see excuse a)
200 miles, commuted 10 times over the summer.
I have a list of excuses longer than my arm, though!

a: just bought a house
a1: moved in with a fiance and 2 kids
a2: lots of nights of dad-duty while (see a3)
a3: fiance was in school in the evenings.
b: it was too hot
c: my bike broke (bottom bracket bearings wore out)
d: I inhaled a bug and choked to death
e: work hours changed, couldn't justify cost of a good headlight (see excuse a)
#18
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 253
Likes: 7
From: NC
Bikes: 2006 Novara Randonee, 2009 Fuji Cross Pro, 2013 Specialized Roubaix Pro, 2013 Allez Smartweld A5 Frankenbike, 2021 Diverge Comp Carbon
My best year as a commuter (stated about 5 yrs ago, extremely part time). I rode 80 days (of about 220 days in the office this year I figure) for about 2300 miles. Pretty good for me, and hope to improve next year. My total mileage is about 4200, so my road bike is starting to get lonely, given that it's generally used for long rides (60-100 miles).
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'06 Novara Randonee
'09 Fuji Cross Pro
'13 Specialized Roubaix Pro
'13 Specialized Allez Smartweld Frankenbike
'21 Diverge Comp Carbon
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'06 Novara Randonee
'09 Fuji Cross Pro
'13 Specialized Roubaix Pro
'13 Specialized Allez Smartweld Frankenbike
'21 Diverge Comp Carbon
#20
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,720
Likes: 111
From: North of Boston
Bikes: Kona Dawg, Surly 1x1, Karate Monkey, Rockhopper, Crosscheck , Burley Runabout,
1,870 miles on 104 one way trips. One flat, down from about 2,000 ave miles in each of the last 3 years. One ride where I pedaled through a deep puddle ( over flowing stream) and water went over the shoes. One ride where the gatorade froze SOLID, not just slush, 7F. One ride with a small pavement helmet test, slow speed and helmet worked as needed. Countless rides with fresh air, sunrises, birds, turtles, dogs, geese and other flora and fauna. Refreshed body and peace of mind, every trip.
#21
I'll have 220 odd commutes and roughly 4300 miles. Maybe 6700 total which is a decent increase over last year.
I hadn't thought about it but since the commuting time is a consistent 35 minutes each way plus or minus a couple of minutes it comes to about 250 hours spent on the bike commuting. Might be time to upgrade from my Denali.
I hadn't thought about it but since the commuting time is a consistent 35 minutes each way plus or minus a couple of minutes it comes to about 250 hours spent on the bike commuting. Might be time to upgrade from my Denali.
#22
Senior Member

Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 848
Likes: 21
From: Fort Collins CO
Bikes: Kona Dew, Kona Ute, Salsa Timberjack, Salsa Fargo, New belgium brewery cruisers-2014 and 2009 and 2007
120 days riding to office, 101 at the old office, 6 miles, 19 to the new, .8 miles. 20 days vacation and 60 days of travel. Not sure about how many times I drove when I wasn't going to the airport, but I know that in the past 4 months I drove 5 times so I could haul in air compressors and help with the office move. next year will be many more commutes, but fewer commuting miles.
random trip miles was 400-500. documented shortest distance commute is 620, so several commutes may have been longer but I didn't log the miles. the rest of you commuters are ANIMALS.
random trip miles was 400-500. documented shortest distance commute is 620, so several commutes may have been longer but I didn't log the miles. the rest of you commuters are ANIMALS.
#23
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,965
Likes: 6
From: Falls City, OR
Bikes: 2012 Salsa Fargo 2, Rocky Mountain Fusion, circa '93
I don't think my Trackie tells me how many days I rode. 98% of my riding (so far) is commuting though. I am happy to say that only about a thousand miles this year were in a 4 wheel vehicle; the rest is my motorcycle or my bicycle. I definitely rode the bicycle more days to work, but that's only 18 - 34 miles per day, compared to a hundred per day when I drive or ride my Beemer. Nobody wants to count bus miles. :-(
#24
One Man Fast Brick
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,121
Likes: 0
From: Chicagoland
Bikes: Specialized Langster, Bianchi San Jose, early 90s GT Karakoram, Yuba Mundo, Mercier Nano (mini velo), Nashbar Steel Commuter, KHS Tandemania Sport
I don't keep track of my commuting stats any more. But I commute to work almost exclusively by bike and train since I sold my car, going down to one car in the household, about 1.5 years ago. The biking portion of the commute is about 30 miles rt, so I probably have around 7000 miles commuting for work in 2011. I bike commute for most of my errands and other local commitments too though. Adding in those commuting miles I suppose will land me around 9,000 for the year.
#25
member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
From: SF bay area
Bikes: 33yr old mtn bike
about 235 days of bike commuting, 30 mi/day, ~7100 miles total for the year. That is about 470 hours on the bike. I ride a 55 lb, 28 year old, $500 mtn bike with panniers...
I had to drive my car to work 2 days this year due to required long side trips.
4 new chains, 1 new bottom bracket, a new freewheel and large chain ring, no flats or other mechanicals while riding... no complaints except the daily need to clean the bike of mud, crud, sand, and dirt...
I had to drive my car to work 2 days this year due to required long side trips.
4 new chains, 1 new bottom bracket, a new freewheel and large chain ring, no flats or other mechanicals while riding... no complaints except the daily need to clean the bike of mud, crud, sand, and dirt...




