It's a 150 km round trip for me, so no chance.
The ex and i used to do it one way or the other fairly regularly before the divorce, as she works not far from where i do.
So a lift in and a ride home works well. A ride in and a lift home, less good. Especially about lunchtime when you're ready to hit the sofa for an hour!
Doesn't work now with different working hours and childcare arrangements. Even though we're still working within about a km of each other!
Mine's a 35-40 mile round trip which I've been doing 3-4 times a week for 3 years, in all weathers - snow, rain, hail, ice, wind and the occasional bit of sun on a gravel bike with full guards, racks and lights.
I carry two fully loaded panniers once every two weeks with clothes, food, etc and cycle home with them fully loaded with dirty clothes, etc on the same day. This means I'm baggage free for most of my miles. My journey takes about 110mins in the winter (dark, wet and windy both ways) to about 90mins in the summer. Visibility, wind and slimy roads really slow you down.
It takes a toll. On a windy week, I'm pretty damn tired by the weekend and the last thing I want to do is more miles. So a balance must be struck. generally - I like it, it keeps me fit, allows me to eat what I want and removed the need to use the car or a gym.
Just try doing it, see what happens.
I now start my working days at home so I go out for up to 1.5hrs most mornings before I start - much more civilized! Although I realised I'd become a wimp and wasn't going out when the weather was bad, so I went out last week in the rain and remembered why it's nice not to be committed to commuting!!
Just try doing it, see what happens.
Without over-analysing everything, and worrying about which tyre?!? Where's the fun...
😬 that’s a decent commute!
Yeah I'm not doing it regularly 🙂
Jumbo seat pack, à la lightweight bike packing setup
No rack mounts on my endurance roadie. Also, laptop. I do have a spare though.. hmm.
I used to do 20 miles each way day in day out all year so I think 35miles each way would be easily doable one day a week if you work up to it.
As others have said, I’d take in as much as possible on day when you’re in the ar so you don’t have to carry much of anything when you’re on the bike.
Sounds like it’d be nice tbf, I use to enjoy my long ride to work, and extended it when I could but it was a slog by the end of the week and when I was under time pressure to get home it could be a misery, especially in the winter
I used one of the giant seat packs for King Alfred’s Way. Can easily get overnight kit in there and then some.
I did not like out of saddle waggle though, but you tune in to it
There’re a couple of (maybe irrational?) reasons I’ve shied away from giant seat-packs vs a lightweight rear rack + drybag
- waggle
- faffy strappage
- prefer to carry weight lower/nearer to midsection of bike
- ease of access to stuff
- relative cost vs versatility
My commute is only 18k but I did run it a few times when I was fitter (took me nearly 2 hours so similar time). Only did one way and train home. Cycling is or was more regular and both ways.
The main thing I found was how hungry you get! Going to need at least one extra sarnie for lunchtime (the regular lunch will have evaporated by 11) and easy desk breakfast is to have a bowl shaped tupperware box full of museli or cereal waiting at work. Stays fresh and just add milk.
You may still find yourself detouring for snacks from mid afternoon or en route home.
Food planning is as important as clothes and bike logistics.
Re. The waggle, as I mentioned you do weirdly tune in to it.
I remember the first ride I did on my gravel bike when I took all the bags off. I nearly fell off the thing as the weight shifting wasn’t there but I was still overcompensating
Just sat at work stuffing a bit of food before 20 miles home 🙂
Speed is nice but above all else you need reliability. So with glass and hedge cuttings for me that is Marathon plus tyres in a suitably comfy size - fast tyres are fun but punctures are miserable and make you late. Hub dynamo light so it it is always there, always on and never flat. Mudguards because my route is filthy. Alfine, disc brakes and Shimano UN5x square taper bb so I'm not eating mechanical bits too quickly (because of the filth). Currently backpack but probably moving to a panniers.
Speed is nice but above all else you need reliability. So with glass and hedge cuttings for me that is Marathon plus tyres in a suitably comfy size – fast tyres are fun but punctures are miserable and make you late.
I used to do a 25 mile each way commute 1-2 times per week, before covid and WFH
After a recommendation on here, when it came to replacing tyres, I swapped to Marathon Pluses. It added about 15 mins to each direction, so 30 mins per day.
I stuck with them for about 6 months, so around 40 return trips. 20 hours additional commute time. That is a lot of time Vs a 10 mins fix of a very rare puncture.
I found a good middle ground was a Schwalbe Durano, or Conti GP4000.
That is a lot of time Vs a 10 mins fix of a very rare puncture.
This. With a long commute I would only ever consider tyres of that type on an e-bike (I run conti contact plus on mine). I would lose the will to live very quickly using them on anything else. For a shorter commute they make some sense.
I found a good middle ground was a Schwalbe Durano
I find Marathon Supreme (folding) to be quick with decent protection/weight compromise
Actually, I've just remembered that I ditched the contact plus on my ebike for something lighter and nicer to ride but still with decent puncture protection - Conti Urban. Went up from 37c to 42c and still saved 900g!
They look good ^
The Supremes comes in fairly light (just slightly lighter than the Urbans)
32-622: 380g
37-622: 440g
42-622: 490g
50-622: 640g
I bought a used bike around four years ago which came with a new pair of Supremes in 38c. I had never heard of them before. Was instantly converted and ditched old favourites (Marathon Racers) in favour. They also come in 29x2.0
An unsung tyre, I think.
