having never properly ridden a road bike before, but considering commuting, how long would it take me to get to a level where I could do a Sheffield to Derby commute?
How long should the ride itself take and which way would you go?

I’ll be riding Belper to Sheffield week after next. Up through Higham, Clay Cross, Chesterfield. Then a few choices. For a longer route if the weather is good I might go via Chatsworth area – lots of routes on quiet lanes.

I also have a route planned from Chesterfield via the canal, but don’t know how muddy it might be. Not an issue for me on the crosser, but you specified road bike.

I do Belper to Nottm once a week. I wouldn’t want to do it more than twice a week as I’d be a bit sluggish on my weekend rides for a while. Depends if this will be your only riding time i.e. other commitments for recreational time.

Derby to Sheff is probably 40 miles, so you’d need to allow 2.5 – 3 hours.

If you can do a 40 mile road ride no problem, then you shouldn’t have too much difficulty doing the return journey. But you might want to start off at once a week and build from that after 6 weeks or so.

How many times a week are you planning?

EDIT: Just re read your post. How fit are you? Try doing a 20 mile then 30 then 40 ride, and see how it feels. You could drive/bike part way to start if you need to build up, or catch the train there and cycle home.

Id consider either driving half way or riding in one morning and getting the train or driving home, then the opposite the next day. That’s what I do for a 45 mile commute, tend to find I’m not hugely effective at work if I do both, and I’m reasonably fit!

I’m reasonably fit, and average 15 to 16 mph on my c20 mile commute from near MH above to Nottingham, which I do once or twice a week. Also average similar speeds on longer rides. Big swing factors are traffic and wind. Can make 10 mins on a 1:10 ride.

I’d also recommend driving part way. Sheffield to Derby will take a big chunk of time out of the day

I’d agree with MH on the time taken.

I started about a year ago, and last August is still my fastest time in

My commute is 34 miles and I tend to drive in with kit and cycle home in the evening and ride back in the morning. That works fairly well although I’m a fair weather commuter.

Wind is the biggest factor as the entire route can be a headwind.

Agree, you become very aware of the wind with a reasonable commute! When I drive halfway mine’s about 22 miles in a dead straight line, so it’s horrible when it’s windy!

Like this

40 miles each way is quite a big commute.
You’d need to be pretty fit and well used to riding a road bike if you’re thinking of doing that every day.
My commute is 15 miles each way and at the end of the week I can really feel it in my legs.

I’m inclined to agree with the suggestions to drive part of the way – a 40 miles each way commute is pretty steep. When my commute was 40 miles (north of Sheffield) I drove to Wakefield and left the car in a quiet lay-by.
Don’t underestimate the chunk of time out of your day – my combined drive/ride commute added up to 3hrs and then there’s the showering twice a day etc

Good luck if you do it! 8)

I think 15 each way is about the limit, mayube 20 if you’re semi-pro fit!

A serious training week would be 14 hours, so 15-20 each way is 10 hours/week, so you’re one weekend ride away from being pro!

I used to do 15miles each way, it took about 3 months before I could do it comfortably and still ride for enjoyment at the weekend.

On that route I’d probably ride to Chesterfield and get the train for the first few months then swap and ride from Chesterfield to Derby. then maybe if you feel upto it do the whole thing a couple of days a week. Maybe ask if flexible hours are an option so you can do 3x 9h hour days and 2x 6h20min hour days and do the long commute those days? don’t think I could do 80miles and a ful days work!

I do 20 miles each way most days but 40 would be a monster. Of course it can be done but you woul be better starting off doing half that and see how it goes.

That’d be one hell of a commute. I’d do as suggested above and drive/train in then ride home, riding back the next morning. I’m from just outside Chesterfield and have done that when working in Derby, Sheffield and now Nottingham.
Back from Derby-Sheff is going to be hard whichever route you take. It’ll generally be a head/crosswind on the way to Sheff and the last section (Matlock/Chezzy onwards) will take a lot out of you.
To get out of Sheffield I’d go up through Dore to Owler Bar, Baslow, Chatsworth, Rowsley and then either down the A6 or over Winster, Longcliffe to Carsington and over to Kedleston. May as well make it a nice ride!

15 each way for me as well and it’s very rare that I do it 5 days a week, it just wrecks me for the weekend then. I’m pretty fit but just don’t cope well with the drudgery of it, it spoils weekend riding for me by that point.

As others have mentioned, I’d consider driving half way or doing train/bike (train in, bike home or vice versa depending on wind direction!).

It’s OK in summer when you’ve got nice long evenings and decent weather but come winter time when the whole ride will be in the dark and you’ll hate it!

It’ll probably do wonders for your fitness though!

I used to do a commute of about 25 miles each way but it was only occasional – I only worked at that site 1 or 2 days a week at most so never got fed up with it and it was almost all on lovely country roads with very little traffic.

To get out of Sheffield I’d go up through Dore to Owler Bar, Baslow, Chatsworth, Rowsley and then either down the A6 or over Winster, Longcliffe to Carsington and over to Kedleston. May as well make it a nice ride!

Alternatively from Owler Bar turn left at the Curbar cross road and take the back route around Chatsworth Estate and onto Beeley Moor. From there follow the ridge to the Top of Slack Hill and on to either Lea or Crich and down to the A6 (I used to go on from here to Whatstandwell and up Longway Bank to Wirksworth but thats a bit off route for you)

That’s a hell of a commute old chap! One way would be fine, but 80 miles a day everyday…

Although I assume you’d look to try it out once a week?

And to think, you laughed when I got a road bike 😉

Route wise: Dore – Holmesfield – Barlow – Chesterfield – A61 to Clay Cross – Ripley – Little Eaton – Derby

Alternatively from Owler Bar turn left at the Curbar cross road and take the back route around Chatsworth Estate and onto Beeley Moor. From there follow the ridge to the Top of Slack Hill and on to either Lea or Crich and down to the A6 (I used to go on from here to Whatstandwell and up Longway Bank to Wirksworth but thats a bit off route for you).

Yes that’d be a good route in summer. I wouldn’t fancy dodging the ice after Curbar x-roads to Gladwin’s Mark from November onwards though 🙂

Long long way there and back on a bike.

I always found even for shorter commutes (c. 8 miles each way) the ride there was ok but the thought of the ride home often filled me with dread – particularly on a cold wet night after a hard day in the office.

You’ll be fit as a butchers dog if you do it though…

Cheers

Danny B

electric assist? have a watch of this:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9htbMQSGcE&feature=player_embedded[/video]

Well never thought of it just get going along the street at 30 miles and then return to place well it all depends on your own way of looking thing around you and judging which one is the best for you

An 80 mile round trip commute on any kind of transport is madness. That is all I have to say 🙂

An 80 mile round trip commute on any kind of transport is madness. That is all I have to say

surprisingly common though…

You ridden to work yet then 😉