Commuting distances

I’ve dealt comfortably with a 6 mile commute for a while, not far but does take in 2 big hills, and my road bike does the job beautifully (albeit it can be bumpy and I don’t go out when it’s icy!).

My question to you is, if we were to move house, how far is the max. realistic for a daily commute? I reckon I could double what I do but take out the hills, perhaps make 15 miles. Although I’m obviously totally nails, I don’t want to burn out after 2 days 😀

he he, prepare to eat thy words foolish mortal.

Not from me though, mines about 17 each way, when it’s nice I’ll make the return leg about 20. I know there’s lots who do much more than that though.

I bet if we ask how many of them do it fixed and offroad the number’ll come down significantly mind.

I only do 9 miles each way but do go over the Malverns so wouldn’t want to do much more… I don’t do it offroad though, or fixed 😳

but might go for some offroad routes come the summer 😀

I do 15-16km each way and I’m happy with that. The main constraint isn’t distance, it’s time. I leave the shop around 18:30. Add in a bit of traffic and an uphill/headwind all the way home and that’s 50 minutes. Any further/later and I’d not really be home in time for a family dinner. I’m sure if I finished earlier, I’d consider a longer commute though.

Mine is only four miles!!

My option is to sprint the four miles home arriving home in an ‘orrible mess!!!!!

currently got a 3min pedal to work

used to ride a 7.5mile each way which was enough on 12+hour shifts and i miss the “therapy”

gonna have a 10miler soon, but with 05:45 starts on 12+ hour shifts its gonna take some commitment

I currently ride 12km to work SS, on road through central London.

It’s going to change though as I need a new place to live.

wooobob: I’m in exactly the same position as you – same distances involved and everything. I reckon I’ll just get sick of the longer commute. Any comments?

I ride 17 miles each way, now the ice has gone I’m riding five days a week again.
Nice contouring ride through the cumbrian hills.

Sometimes isn’t the most appealing prospect on cold dark mornings but I love riding home, nice to unwind at the end of the day.

9 miles each way on road fixed. There’s a couple of hills – but it’s the traffic that will one day kill me.

8 miles each way, undulating 40mins to get there, 45 to get back on a fat tyred mtb, fitted cx tyres to make it a big quicker

Last year my commute went from an 8 mile road commute to a 12 mile road commute into the edge of the city centre. Time wise it went from 30 minutes, allowing for hills and traffic to 45 minutes. I got narked when I got stuck in the extra traffic, nearly got killed a couple of times trying to sneak through the traffic, and was getting really grumpy at the extra time getting home to the family each night.

Then the light went on when I realised that my house is just over a country mile from a sustrans cycle path, and the office is about 50 yards from a canal towpath that can be linked to it in various creative ways. Spent the winter doing what is now a flat 12 mile commute which takes an hour on the cheap hybrid I bought to do it on, but only involves a third on road. Happily taking the hit on the time to enjoy the wildlife on the new route.

Works for me – looking forward to those early summer mornings when the light wakes you up stupidly early and I can do a longer, pretty much completely off road route along the full towpath and through Attenborough Nature Reserve.

I’m usually only a few miles now but the longest I’ve done was 11 miles each way. I reckon I’d go to 15 but after that it would depend on the circumstances really- getting on for an hour each way is a bit much for a commute as far as I’m concerned.

It’s time for me. I don’t like much than an hour each way. How far that gets me depends on the traffic and topology.

Usually 11 miles in, 35-40 minutes, however long I fancy on the way home, at least 15, often 20-25. Nice way to get the miles in, looking forward to summer when the 4 o clock finishes will mean some nice long rides home in the sun!

Realistic everyday commute distance I think 10/15 miles each way would be good. Anymore than that and you just wont want to do it everyday.

Last year my commute was 37 miles each way, only did it once a week though as the last thing you can be bothered do do at 6/7pm is bike home after a 9/10 hour day 😆

I did 15 miles each way daily for a couple of years. My commute is now 28 miles each way, not that I’ve done it recently. Really must start riding again. When I am riding, I do that commute 1-4 times a week. It’s good for fitness 🙂

Mine is 15 miles each way, 5 days a week.

The key is to take your time initially to let you legs catchup with the increase in regular mileage, and to increase your energy intake so that you don’t burn out by Wednesday.

6.5 miles each way, about 25 mins, nice distance for mornings when my 3 yr old can soon make you miss your ideal departure time! homeward bound can be extended with a nice 20 mile road route on the road bike or 10 mile ish off road route on MTB, beats the rat race car commute any day.

I do 13 miles each way 4 days a week into centre of Nottingham been doing it about 2 years, I find the bad bit the traffic and motivation after a full day at work. Been knocked of once guy just pulled out, I was fine just made a right mess of his BMW 😉

25miles each way about twice a week in summer.

Trying to get into 12 miles each way 3 times a week in winter but failing miserably at the moment 😳

17miles each way is a minimum..

2 morning i will do 40miles on the way in.. Occasionally bunk an afternoon to put in a longer ride on way home to… 60-80miles generally 3-4.5hours.

Mine is 17.5 miles each way, it’s a fraction shorter if I do the off-road version (although that takes at least 20 mins longer) and there’s various different ways I can combine the options open to me – half on and half off road is a viable route.

It’s a fraction too far to do every day though – I have done it 5 days a week in the past and it just leaves me wrecked over the weekend, I don’t want to look at a bike!

When I worked 12hr shifts I had a nice 8 mile rie which was about as far as I’d want to do on that shift pattern.

I’ve also done occasional days working at a site 24 miles away and that was a beautiful commute along country lanes, hardly any traffic and in good weather it was stunning – agian far too far to do every day but on the odd day a week I worked at that site I used to really look forward to the commute, I’d be upset if the weather was too crap to ride.

As for the OP question, I’d say about 12-15 miles is perfect for an every day ride – much more than that and it starts to wear you down. Being able to vary the route makes it a lot more bearable.

Thanks all. 37 and 28 – wahey 😆

I’d love the 12 miler with the sustrans canal route. If I lived and worked back oop north that would be an option, but I’m pretty much looking at drawing a circle of eg 12-15 mile radius around central London. Although TfL do (or did) do some good maps which has helped produce more interesting and less hazardous runs in the past.

mine is 15 miles each way from 1 side of bristol to the other taking in 2 big hills with lots o little ones and 2 dual carridgeways i do in roughley 45-50 mins depending how i feel thats on a 26″ slicked mtb at the mo i try and do atleast 1 day a week but when the wether improves il be uping to 3 days hopefully

I’m about 23 miles each way, but like the other longer folk up there ^^ can’t really do it much more than once or twice a week (and still enjoy the weekend riding). I’ve not done it over the winter, which I do miss, and am actually plannng on starting again this Thursday.

I can take a sustrans route for a large chunk of it, and miss pretty much all the towns en route out, with minimal main roads. I’m still lit up like a christmas tree though.

Looking forward to thursday now even more! 🙂

My commute is 15 miles each way crossing into Devon from Cornwall. It has more downhill on the way in & of course more uphill on the way back. My best times are 45mins in & 57mins home but it really depends on the wind direction to get the better times. I ride a HT with slick tyres.

Living in a rural area the nearest street lights are 9 miles away therefore I only commute in BST when it is lighter & I can be clearly seen. I try to commute 3 times a week & after a while I vary the route home to take in a bigger home leg of 28 miles which I have managed to do in 2hrs 🙂

The more often I commute the fitter I get & the more I eat but there are times after multiple days that I find it hard to get on the bike to ride home – weird – once I’m riding I’m OK but just getting on the bike can be a mental struggle, not sure if any other regular commuters have had this?

My ride is only 4mi each way, and this is normally done in just a tad under 10 mins. Flat all the way!

Used to ride 17mi each way to my old job.

I am planning on doing a 36 mile each way commute when the mornings get alot lighter (probably around early April) as a way of improving fitness and also training for triathlons & sportive’s. Planning on starting at once a week then building up to probably three times per week if i can manage it. I also do quite a bit of riding at the weekend so don’t want to be burnt out. It’s gonna be an early start but after a couple of months i’m hoping to be doing the ride in two hours or less! The route is fairly flat, but i can add in a few extra hills and miles on the way home to extend the ride.

Currently 15 miles on road with only one hill.Used to be 10 miles on road or 12 off road…… but with 480m of climbing!Nice dh singletrack on the way home tho!

15ish miles here, I’d say about 80% off road, with the last mile or 2 on tarmaced paths.

Although I haven’t done it since just before Christmas.

Starting again next week with the good old drive-cycle-cycle-drive-drive-cycle-cycle-drive-drive-cycle.

Only issue then is my car ends up at work over the weekend….. I am sure it’ll be fine.

One miilllllllllllllllllllllion miles. And then home again.

14miles each way, but along a canal towpath with just one short steep hill at a 5 rise locks. I have no problems with arriving tired, infact I find it’s a good way to feel totally awake at work. I also often do what drdom does, car bike bike car train bike train bike bike car car train bike etc etc etc depending on weather, work rotas, whether I can be bothered etc.

I take it you guys have good shower access etc at work? I’m moving jobs in April abd it looks as if i’ll have myself a nice 15 mile road commute through a mountain pass in north lincolnshire…

Mine is roughly 13.5 miles each way with a few different options. Mostly on cycle paths. Usually 4-5 times a week, but aiming to do over 4000 commuting miles this year.

commute through a mountain pass in north lincolnshire…

Which one is that?

Me, about 13 miles each way, last year did it over 50%.

This thread is quite heartening, since the new year I’ve been building up towards doing my commute every day and have peaked at doing it four times in a week but this really tired me out so I’ve dropped back to three until the clicks change. The ride is 15 road miles each way in/out of London village and takes anywhere between 55 mins and 1 hour and 5 mins on a cx bike. I was beginning to think that I wasnt going well, I’ve started eating much more and doing the recovery drink thing to keep me awake on an evening… The only thing that pees me off is you guys with a short commute sprinting past! Lol. Not really, gives me something to chase, or at least try and chase!

Between 13/15 miles each way, usually extending to about 25 on the way home a couple of times a week. Once the clocks go forward I’ll be able to start mixing it up over the South Downs again. (West Sussex).

Agree that mornings can be tough, especially in the middle of winter, but it only takes 5 mins to put the smile on your face. Trip home over the downs into a setting sun is very nice for the soul 🙂

richmars – Member

commute through a mountain pass in north lincolnshire…

Which one is that?

The A15 😉 Although i’ve identified a nice quiet back lane that runs parrallel to it, so i’ll be using that to avoid the unbelieveable traffic on the A road.

The area is as flat as a fart, especially seeing as i’ve spent the last 4 years mountain biking in the south west…

60 mile commute in the car each way (or thereabouts).
Last year I did get into a routine of taking bike in the car & unloading in a village to do the last 12.5miles commute by bike.

Struggling to get back into the routine of it again, especially since we had that bad spell of weather.
Gonna try and do it from next Monday. Once the weather gets a bit better, I will probably extend the cycle home to get more miles in my legs, time permitting.