I've been talking about it for long enough. Just finished some jobs at work that meant a 6:00am start, so back to normal hours.
13 miles either way, might try it for a couple of days a week and then see how we go from there.
I'm assuming I should see a decent increase in fitness within the next few weeks, am I right?
you most certainly are. how could it not, eh?
Thing to watch out for is how you then feel at the weekend. On a very similar distance, I found it could actually decrease my weekend fitness. Might be worth laying off the commuting for a couple of days before any epic trips.
Expect it to hurt and feel hard for a few weeks - then it will become easier. give yourself plenty of time especially to get in to work. Its not a training run - its a destressing commute
yeah once you are over the shock!!
Go slowish on the way in unless you have showers or until you are used to it.
Eat loads at dinner time
I often get on the bike for the ride home and feel tired but really enjoy it once I am on the bike.
Just think one day you could be as fit as me 😯
EDIT: Good point /excuse Druidh but I think you might have a point
A level I can only aspire to at the moment Johnnie. 🙂
will my cake making skills be better as well?
Mine's a similar distance and [i]never[/i] gets easy! Whenever it does start to feel good, I get injured/ill and go back to the pain again.
Don't forget to eat soon after you arrive.
lets hope your riding skills stay better
no hope on the cake front
I've been commuting for a few years, on a SS, and it will increase your fitness.
Remeber to start easy say 2 days a week with a rest day between the 2, work your way up to more days/and or more miles and expect the fitness improvement to take a while if you want a long term benefit.
I've gone from 8.5 miles each way 2 days a week to riding 6 days a week (including my weekend & weekly night offroad ride) and on a hard week I ride 200 miles and on an easy week about 130.
I do try and make sure I listen to my body though, if I've done a hard week and I feel fatiqued I take it easy for a couple of days or even take 2 - 3 days off riding.
If you want to get really fit either find a fit riding partner or join a club, trying to keep with a fitter rider dags your fitness up!
Judging by the scone i've just scoffed, as long as Mrs Vortex stays with me my cake making will not be required.
She really is a bloody good cook.
I just wish she could service shocks/forks, and suck a golf ball through a hose pipe, then I would be the luckiest guy on earth!!
Judging by the scone i've just scoffed, as long as Mrs Vortex stays with me my cake making will not be required.
She really is a bloody good cook.
I just wish she could service shocks/forks, and suck a golf ball through a hose pipe, then I would be the luckiest guy on earth!!
Bloody computers!!!
wow 13 miles to work... sounds perfect !!
I once tried cycling to work when my job was 25 miles away, but i started work at 7.30am and finished at 5pm so it made it a realy long day so it was back to the car after only a couple of goes.
but back in january i was made redundant so i now ride the red route in dalby (24 miles) twice a week that has done the trick !!
so my advice is to ditch the job and ride ride ride 😆
as mentioned above, make sure you have rest days. My commute is 6 miles going in, 10 iles going home and I do three days per week on the bike, tues weds and fri. At one point I did about a month were I was riding in four or even five days a week and on my last commute of the week I always felt dog tired and limped home knackered, kind of put me off riding at the weekends too. I reckon I've got the balance about sorted for me now. Mind you I do hammer it on the bike, I don't seem to be able to cruise 🙁
Yep I do a similar distance, good for fitness but remember to have a rest day before any big rides. Commuting after a big ride is up to you, sometimes I take it [b]really[/b] easy as a recovery ride or I just jump on the train instead 🙂
Mine is 15 miles each way. At best I can only manage 2 times a week as I am out of the office quite a lot, plus I never commute when I am riding the MTB at night.
Even 1 commute a week really helped me with fitness though. However the real benefit is smugly riding through traffic or over it like here :-
[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y6f8jo&outx=1024&quality=70 [/img]
There is no finer way to start or finish a working day IMO.
This makes me laugh. People riding under 10 miles each way and talking about having to take rest days and the like. FFS its only 1/2 an hour on your bike!
Both t'missus and me have in the past had regular commutes 5 days a week of 7-9 miles. You just get on your bike and ride it! We had no alternative so just rode the miles. Normal clothes, knackerd old bikes. Just ****ing ride.
Just got in to work, was actually 11 miles on the bike computer.
Distance to work from home is actually 25 miles, but i drove to my mates in Penwortham with the bike on the rack and cycled from there.
Only took 1/2 hour, and a nice morning for it to.
Might set myself a target of cycling from and to home (50 miles)in a couple of weeks, but will leave that for a Friday I think.
Cycling in the rush hour is definitely more dangerous than anything i've done on a MTB - FACT!
Oh my very word, I'm agreeing with TJ.
Any regular cyclist should be able to do a 30 mile round trip each day, especially with 7.5 hours, food and drink in between.
it is true, i do mine, as posted above, every day and have done for about 4 years. every work day, every season. some days i don't feel as energetic as others, but i just go a bit slower on those days!
edit - just going to post the link to it again, as the nokia sports tracker thing is new to me and it's totally amazing. 🙂
http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=1265952
oh ok, ill click it......
....thats quite groovey flat boy.
theflatboy, how does that work then?
What TJ and barca said.
well, i'm glad you asked. 🙂
i've got a nokia phone, with gps builtin. you download the sports tracker application for it, and then when you activate a new workout when you set off, it tracks your speed and route until you turn it off. it's synced with the profile on that link so when you finish the ride you select upload to profile. then the info that's on there gets stored.
amazing stuff, if you drag the sliders on the graph on the right, you can zoom in on the map and then select points on the graph and see what speed you were doing at exact points on the ride, so i can see where i had to slow down for buses and things! amazing.
This makes me laugh. People riding under 10 miles each way and talking about having to take rest days and the like. FFS its only 1/2 an hour on your bike!
Depends on the base level of fitness folks are starting with though TJ. An awful lot of people would struggle to do ten miles full stop, let alone ten miles in half an hour.
Yes, for those of us who are lucky enough to be able to cycle every day, it's a breeze, but that's fewer and fewer of us these days, unfortunately.
This makes me laugh. People riding under 10 miles each way and talking about having to take rest days and the like. FFS its only 1/2 an hour on your bike!
Any regular cyclist should be able to do a 30 mile round trip each day, especially with 7.5 hours, food and drink in between.
LOL. Some folk may ride faster than you two lunchtime heroes! (an average of 20mph TJ, who are you kidding, I've seen you ride)...on hillier commutes...with harder work in between...and more demands on home life etc.
Oh and FWIW OP I would echo the sesible advice, tke it easy and work up to it, it's easy to do too much too soon, particularly if work is demanding and you ride at weekends too.
Dr rad - for both of us it was following a period of years of not riding bikes at all. No great level of fitness at all. Its purely a mental thing. Just take your time. Bikes are very efficient machines
Cynic al - I was refering to a 7 mile commute in 1/2 an hour or so - and thats my point - take your time and its easy. Demanding physical job with unsocial hours as well.
TJ. Bollox.
I do a 5 mile commute in 20-25 minutes with a sweat, you would do it faster? 🙄
"lunch time hero"
Hardly mate, I just ride my bike.
23 minutes for 6 miles, consistently, after 8 months of commuting. I get in to work sweating like <someone very sweaty who has a reason to sweat a lot>. Yes, I could do it every day, but like I said, when I tried it, it affected my enjoyment of other (non-commuting) riding. I know Barca's packed in riding a few times due to overdoing it. I don't want to get to that point thanks. You might be different, you;re obviously a better person than me
Depends on the base level of fitness folks are starting with though TJ. An awful lot of people would struggle to do ten miles full stop, let alone ten miles in half an hour.
But would people who ride MTBs and post here struggle to do ten miles on the road? I'd hope not.
Yes, for those of us who are lucky enough to be able to cycle every day, it's a breeze, but that's fewer and fewer of us these days, unfortunately.
Anyone who lives ten miles from work has the option to ride ten miles to work each day, then ride back. The perception that it's really hard puts people off doing it, and this is one reason why people don't cycle to work/school.
Could we just encourage the OP and offer practical advice without arguing?
Just a thought 🙄
you learn to live with the traffic.
I'm doing 17 miles a day here and to be honest it does pretty much nothing for me apart from burn off lunch time cake, I'm now supplementing with two evening rides in the week plus rides at the weekend.
26 might be enough to feel a difference, but 17 miles a day I don't tend to feel unless I do it fixed on a road bike it's pretty much effortless...
Yes you will get a lot fitter. I started commuting by bike a few years ago. Usually doing 3 days a week but 5 days a week now and again in the first year. By the Friday I was knackered. I have a long climb of 3 miles on my ride home and I used to have to break this up mentally to get through it. Noticed a big difference in fitness last year and even more gains this year and got to a stage when I really enjoy that 3 mile climb.
When you start out then rest days are important but when your body gets used to the effort riding every day becomes fairly easy and you should still have energy for a weekend ride. Commuting 5 days a week for you is 130 miles so it's not exactly a big deal. Take it easy some days and just enjoy it. I'm fitter now than I've ever been in my life.
Junkyard - Member
Could we just encourage the OP and offer practical advice without arguing?
Where's the fun in that?
[b]Over[/b] 10 miles each way was the OP TJ, 13 almost double yours, yes still not a marathon by any stretch but enough to take it's toll. I can do my 25mile commute all week but I'm tired by weekend and any ride I do on saturday would be slower/shorter and sorry but my commute just isn't that interesting even the offroad version, I'd rather save myself for proper rides (plus I have a quick easy train commute alternative)
Hilly 13 mile commute each way, 2-3 times a week (though a bit irregular depending on how much riding I'm doing weekends/evenings).
Took me 1hr 15m the first time but over a period of 6 months or so I've got it down to a fairly consistent 52-53 minutes in and 58-59 back (uphill).
So yes, it gets you fitter but you have to listen to your body and not overdo it or you go backwards (though not literally...)
Donk - I was not passing comment on the OPs 13 miles but on other folk who were talking about similar commutes to the one I used to do. I agree with you that 13 miles is a distinctly different proposition and is more than I would do comfortably
Al - my 7 mile commute used to take 30-45 mins depending on route, bike, direction ( one way uphill), wind direction and also my state of mind.
My point simply was if you treat it as a commute not as a race or as a training ride it need not take a physical toll. Take it easy and take your time and it doesn't take much effort.
I had no car - so it was my only way to get to work.
I've taken sabaticals with regard to mountain biking NBT but not cycling completely. I get fed up with the faff and muck of mountain biking and having done the Sarn Helen in three days last week, I'm taking a short off road break this week (but I can't ignore that lovely hardtail in the garage for much longer) I've always had a road bike and I've not owned my own car for over 10 years. I remember the first mountain bike ride I did with you lot and the derision when I asked if anybody fancied a road ride 😳
Speaking of which, I come home from Manchester through Parrs Wood and then Cheadle each day now. Fancy an extended homeward commute ride one evening?
Vortex... just ride in and forget you ever posted here. 🙄
See you Wednesday mate.
post up in a year about how you completed the etape just based on your commute training 😉
Not see you weds ribs killing me rest healing well but massive facial bruise developing as well
If it rains = rest day
Out for beers = rest day
ie you dont have to do it both ways every day, 25 miles is a pretty long commute to work, mine is only 6 miles (on SS) but if its nice weather and I do it both ways for a couple of weeks I often really cant be arsed and take the bus instead.
hah theflatboy lives near me and works near me!
that route's not my normal one, mcboo - i generally go the shorter route down upper street and on from there. what bike do you ride in on?
Tandemjeremy
People riding under 10 miles each way and talking about having to take rest days and the like. FFS its only 1/2 an hour on your bike!
Tandemjeremy
Cynic al - I was refering to a 7 mile commute in 1/2 an hour or so
Tandemjeremy
Al - my 7 mile commute used to take 30-45 mins
Erm...average speeds of 20, 14 & 10-14mph ❓
Please mke your mind up 🙄
Feeling argumentative al?
Note the use of [i]under ten miles[/i]
half an hour [i]or so[/i]
all very approximate. I was simply trying to make a simple point that commutes under ten miles are not that knackering if you treat it as a commute not as a training ride or race.
My 13 miles takes around 50 mins on the SS without being a knob in traffic (I value my life, skin, bones and blood too much). Could probably shave 10-15 mins off it if the traffic wasn't there, I pushed myself and the lights were in my favour. That said I can do it without being too tired at either end and it gets miles on the legs.
Quite how I'd manage the SS without gears if there were hills on the commute I can't tell you 😛
what bike do you ride in on?
Lemond Filmore, Crouch End to Berkeley Square via Camden Town and Regents Park......you?
Mix it up, ride further some days, ride faster (chase other bikes, cars and sprint 200 yards every 5 minutes) on others.
SS is good as it means you have to work hard up hills but have to spin and rest on the downs, my mtb climbing has really benefited from this even if my overall speed hasn't much.
ah, i'm on my pompino but sounds like we go different routes. wondered if you were one of the many upper street riders, a few of whom i recognise from years and years of the same route!
I've recently started commuting also, came out of the car scheme at work, took the allowance/lump sum and have started riding.
Reasonably fit already, mine is 9.8 miles each way, which I do in anything between 29 & 33 minutes traffic/lights/weather dependant on mostly undulating country roads with a killer hill each end.
I would say its definately improved my fitness, i'm into week 7 now, having gone from trying every day, along with evening exercise on top (gym/squash etc) to realising right now thats not a good idea, so dropping the commute when playing squash.
Listen to your body, if you're tired and aching, take a day off, you will feel much better for it! Thats my best bit of advise.
wondered if you were one of the many upper street riders
I sometimes take a detour via Islington when I need to stock up on gluten free hummus and fairtrade recreational pharmacuticals.
8)
haha, sounds about right!
TandemJeremy - Member
Feeling argumentative al?
Only as much as you 😀
Seriously though there is a HUGE difference from commuting 10 miles at 20mph (which I'd say is impossible in city traffic and anythign even close would be a race) to 7 miles at 10mph, would you not agree?
My point is that you still change the goalposts as you go along (intentional or not) and can't concede that this is what you are doing....making you/your argument lose all credibilty.
I jumped straight into a 17 mile (each way) commute.
5 days a week, no rest days. It's been fine.
theflatboy - your route in is insane!
Seriously though there is a HUGE difference from commuting 10 miles at 20mph (which I'd say is impossible in city traffic and anythign even close would be a race)...
Depends if you're talking average speed for the journey, or average riding speed.
theflatboy's link earlier demonstrates him at an average of 17.8mph over 8.79 miles, and that'll be including waiting at lights and stuff. Probably pretty easily a riding speed of 20mph.
I am takling average speed, in a city EDIT with proper hills 😉
When I started my current job I didn't have any choice as to whether I cycled in or not as I didn't have a car, and with it being a 15 mile each way commute I found it very hard at first, but it did get easier. The problem as has been said before on this thread was that it left me at the weekends really not feeling like going out on the mountain bike, which for me pretty much killed the main reason for me commuting by bike... to get fitter to ride the MTB more...
I then swung completely the other way once I got a car and didn't ride the bike in for ages... only now am I getting back into riding into work once again...
theflatboy - your route in is insane!
well i realise it isn't the most direct! i had a bit of spare time this morning, doing that route is about 9 miles, the quickest way is about 6.5.
theflatboy's link earlier demonstrates him at an average of 17.8mph over 8.79 miles
yeah that's right - i was going quite hard but was held up at a few junctions and in traffic at points. probably added on a few minutes over the whole journey.