40 mile commute...

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Hacienda71

Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
Hello there.

Very interested in your commute. Recently started job 20 miles one way and am determined to ride all week. So far its tough. Yes there are showers. Its a great and varied route, with hills, descents and some technical. Yes its quite a distance for no spring chicken. Yes it has its dangers (doesn't riding anywhere have this now?) Never seem to have enough food. Starting off two days a week to build from there. Have a decent bike, kit, lights and attitude. Everyone I know is saying its not possible which makes me want ot do this all the more.
Any hints or tips?
@Origamist commutes that sort of distance and I am sure will give you a few pointers. Not sure if I would want to do that distance every day, but in the summer months when the light is better I regularly extend my commute to 20 to 30 miles on the way home.
 

Origamist

Legendary Member
Hello there.

Very interested in your commute. Recently started job 20 miles one way and am determined to ride all week. So far its tough. Yes there are showers. Its a great and varied route, with hills, descents and some technical. Yes its quite a distance for no spring chicken. Yes it has its dangers (doesn't riding anywhere have this now?) Never seem to have enough food. Starting off two days a week to build from there. Have a decent bike, kit, lights and attitude. Everyone I know is saying its not possible which makes me want ot do this all the more.
Any hints or tips?

Build up gradually. The weather is improving and by summer I'm sure you will be doing 4/5 days a week.

Keep your bike properly maintained.
Look at the weather forecast and check outside your front door and then select your kit for the day.
Hydrate yourself properly at work and eat!
Bring food and water with you. In summer, I have a couple of emergency gels and 750ml of water.
Make sure you have tools and can do at least basic bike maintenance.
I'm fortunate that I can cut my ride short if the weather is horrible and get a train - do you have a bail out option?
I'd go for mudguards for long distance commuting.
I let the bike carry my gear and don't use rucksacks.
Try to travel light – obviously preferable.
If it's icy, do you have ice tyres? If not, I'd consider not riding.
Can you vary your route - I like a change now and again.
It might be worth reading Cyclecraft if you've not riden for a while.
Enjoy the ride.
 
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Siclo

Veteran
Spare bike is helpful, nothing worse than coming to the bike in the morning to find you picked up a slow flat the night before, Murphy's law states it will always be when you're already running late.
 

Tin Pot

Guru
Hello there.

Very interested in your commute. Recently started job 20 miles one way and am determined to ride all week. So far its tough. Yes there are showers. Its a great and varied route, with hills, descents and some technical. Yes its quite a distance for no spring chicken. Yes it has its dangers (doesn't riding anywhere have this now?) Never seem to have enough food. Starting off two days a week to build from there. Have a decent bike, kit, lights and attitude. Everyone I know is saying its not possible which makes me want ot do this all the more.
Any hints or tips?

Here's my thread on my long commute:

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/long-commutes.190513/

And my bike maintenance:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/tps-commuter-maintenance.194176/

Prepare!
 
I'm trying to build up my 20mile each way commute to more than 2 days a week. The biggest hindrance I find to doing it is maintaining balance once I get home. Having meals prepared in advance so I can eat quickly when I get in really helps me get ready to do it again.
 
I have a 16-18 commute each way (depending on route) but I have struggled to do that more than twice a week. Its better now it lighter but still hard especially coming home into a westerly wind. What has helped is having some protein (shake or bar) straight after the ride in. Just helps recover.

I may try and it do it 3 times a week once the clocks change, but the same route does get a bit boring at times.
 

speccy1

Guest
I'll be doing it every day but only one way - I'll be getting the train in the evenings. (so 40 miles in the morning and then like 5 miles from the station in the evening)

I have tried the route out, it took me 2hrs 15 and that included a bit of getting lost so hopefully it'll be a few minutes quicker than that.
My commute is 30 miles/day, and by the latter part of the week I`m knackered, good luck!!
 

wheresthetorch

Dreaming of Celeste
Location
West Sussex
My commute is 30 miles/day, and by the latter part of the week I`m knackered, good luck!!

Looks like he started in 2009, so the 'good luck' is a bit late!
 

dog_film

Member
45 miles a day, 5 days a week should be fine but, as it's 40 in one hit you may have to look at food intake. I commuted 20 miles each way and didn't need to breakfast first in the morning. But I would flag after 30 miles without food and fluid intake.

Personally I've set my commuting limit at 30 miles each way and not sure I could do that for 5 days. I base the 30 on what I can do without bonking and also keeping it to a 2 hour trip.

If I was to choose an ideal commute then I'd say 15-18 miles each way would be it. Gives you a good work out but not far enough to be demoralising in bad weather.

Very interested in your mileage as is exactly what I am doing now.
Are you still?
Its not as bad as I thought and I have lost a hell of a lot of weight.
Food is the problem. Don't seem to ever eat enough, lol.
 

Karlt

Well-Known Member
Problem I have with a commute which isn't that long but I'm no athlete - 15 miles each way - is that it does mean that nearly all the cycling you do is the same old collection of routes to work and back, because when I get home at half past six the last thing on my mind is going out for another ride.
 
Just had a relief road open up that can cut my commute to 33 miles for the round trip. Not sure I'll do that in summer but might be good in winter!
 
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