Would you do it?

[j.silvs]

Ok question for the "keen" or regular cyclist.

I am thinking of trying to cycle to work twice a week to save a bit of mullah and also for a bit of cardio. The problem is that it's around 16miles each way and most cycle route planners say it will take 1 hour, 25minutes.

Am I being optimistic thinking this will be a good idea?

Have cycled before but no way a pro. Good base fitness but not anything over 70% MHR. (I'm sure some cyclists will understand that)

What you think?

[defblade]

Try it on a weekend and see how long it takes you.

I used to do a 11.5 mile commute, took 42 mins riding, but there's always extra time needed for getting out of sweaty bike stuff, quick wash and into work clothes, so needed to add an extra 20 mins really. I managed 4 days a week (took 4 clean shirts in on Monday in the car - I needed the car Mondays anyway for after work stuff, so it worked out well).
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Honda Varadero 125cc => Suzuki Bandit 650 33bhp => 77bhp =>
BMW K1200R Sport 163bhp => Aprilia Shiver GT 750 95bhp

[D O G]

Depending on how nasty the 16 miles are it is definitely achievable. However, I would strongly recommend a road bike, or at the bare minimum slick tyres on your MTB/hybrid.

Decent road pace would see that done in less than an hour, but if you are starting from a low base then 12-13mph average speed is not unreasonable.

I wouldn't like to do it every day, mostly because you will probably get pissed off with it (especially when raining), but a couple of times a week should be fine.

[UnknownStuntm...]

[stinkwheel]

[drbaig]

There are upsides and downsides to commuting on a bicycle.

16 miles each way is a bit long so commute, but I know some guys who do 25 each way.

It can be done, if you have a road bike (a lot quicker). Depends how heavy of a bike you will be pushing and how much weight you are carrying. Plus you need to have some extra clothes at your work place because you will arrive sweaty and wet most of the times.

Start with 2 days a week with rest in between and increases slowly. You should see improvement in your fitness in 4 weeks.

Cycling never gets easier, you only get faster.
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yzf 600r

[j.silvs]

haha ok cheers all.

I am a lecturer and have shower facilities at work. Always get in at 9am but first lesson doesn't start till 10.30am anyway so wont be much of an issue getting changed etc.

No hills but am trying to work out how to afford the A roads so may be a longer route?!

But as I said will only try it once a week. May get a single speed if theres not much hills just for the maintenance side of things

[UnknownStuntm...]

[drbaig]

[Glen]

My commute is between 17.0 and 20.00 miles each way over mildly hilly terrain and takes me just over an hour door to door. It's absolutely fine in terms of distance for anyone with a decent base fitness, a roadworthy bike and a shower at work, although I always struggle more on the way home (a porridge at 4pm works wonders).

Given the time of year i'd spend a bit of money on making sure you're both properly clothed (warmth, visibility) and look at a set of decent mudguards and lights as you'll be out is some pretty murky weather.

Here's my commute FWIW https://www.strava.com/activities/79654029

[G]

I'm kind envious of people with the option to cycle a reasonable distance (and then get a shower) - good excuse to get fit and often doesn't that that much longer if there's a lot of traffic.
I'd have thought you could get 16 miles done in an hour when you get in to it.

Oh and of course they don't use miles - just like running. "Did a quick 5k sounds a bit better than '3 miles'". Did like it driving in Europe on a timescale recently - as the numbers tick down a good chunk faster, even though there's more of them in the first place.

[Glen]

as I don't drive to work it takes me over an hour to navigate the two buses and a train to work so factoring in time to shower at the office it's break-even.

[defblade]

[mudcow007]

[stevo as b4]

I'd have a go on a quiet day, but If doing a physical job I'd not want to then cycle 32 miles a day, you'll end up eating like a horse every night!

I used to work evenings in a warehouse, and did 9miles on a fairly crap mountain bike each way to work. It used to take 30mins there, and about 35-40min back (uphill). I only had to do it twice a week, and though I got fitter, I would have struggled to maintain it every day.

I currently work 18miles from home in Birmingham, and I have tried riding home after work on decent sunny days. I don't care how long it takes to get home, and I do it in around an hour normally, but a fair bit of the route is downhill.

If you have to cycle in the city centre, and don't mind using the pavements whenever you can, and hopping off your bike to cross junctions etc, then it's not too bad. Stuck in the gutter on narrow two lane routes, or on fast dual carriageways is nasty and dangerous though IMO.

I wouldn't do my commute daily in bad weather and or in the dark on a pushbike. I can use the train for part or all of the route, but if I stay on the train end to end I have less than 800m to ride so it's pointless. I can however get off on the way home 5miles away, and ride the last 5miles mainly on the footway.

Maybe show us your route and what the roads are like, as that might help you decide on if it's realistic. I've never been one for cycling on busy A-roads, but if you have down the quiet back lanes option like I did when I did the 9mile commute, it's quite pleasurable.

[JonB]

[G]

Also, thinking "whoa, it's not only really cold BUT it's got dark REALLY early", I realised today that actually the clocks had gone back...
So I'd definitely be investing in one of the REALLY bright cheap chinese lights available these days. Or a few of them.

[mudcow007]

[AndyB1989]

Ordered several of those cheap chinese lights and tested them back to back with a One23 1000 lumen light the chinese ones claiming to be 3000 lumens were as bright however the battery life was about 45 mins compared to the 3 hours on the One23 version ...

the 3000 lumen version was £40 on ebay and the One23 1000 lumen one was 79.99 rrp but on sale in my lbs for £60 id pay the extra £20 for over triple the burn time and more light even if it has a smaller number on the box

[smegballs]

I was strictly adhering to No.7 this summer whilst touring in portugal. Looked fucking funny when I took a shower.

[G]

I've gone one of the linked lights in a head torch - on flash it does the job very nicely. A bit rude, but when signs 300m away are flashing vividly, people do look around to see where it's coming from!

Note that you can easily get better batteries for the cheap lights.

In some cases you can also get better drivers which can improve them a fair bit.

I've tested my 12x T6 torch against various vehicle headlights and it's definitely brighter, though not quite as wide angle.
It probably only makes barely more light than tht 5/7 LED versions.

[mudcow007]

the problem i have found with the chinese lights is the beam.

they are basically like a light sabre, ive tried the lenses you can get too but just through the beam all over the place

so i ended up just running a magicshine micky mouse (mj816) on full beam with a moon xpower 300 on techno trippy dance flash

[G]

Maybe a bit questionable with other vehicles, I really like the beam pattern on my own, where it puts the intense light where I want it; far away! So riding down a lane, walking the dog etc - you're not blinded by the foreground and the bit where you're heading is decently illuminated.

More LEDS tends to disperse it a bit.