Average commute speed…

[brokenbetty]

Car: 20mins each way - total around 40 mins. Let's say 50mins to be generous.
Cycling: 35mins each way. Locking/Unlocking bike: 5mins. 20mins extra shower (at work). Packing bags in morning (extra clothing, etc) 10mins. Getting changed at work to go home - 10mins. Weekly half hour of bike maintenance (5mins per day). Total: 120mins. Over double.
It's the health benefits that I'm mainly chasing, and the fun and challenge of keeping it going.

MG

Do you not shower when you drive then?

Unless you shower before you leave as well, showering at work isn't extra time, just a block that happens after travel instead of before.

You'll probably find bag packing gets a lot faster as you get used to it as well - for me it's about 1 minute the night before to decide what to wear, locate clean underwear and lay it out on the sofa, then another minute the next morning to roll it in a clean towel and bung it in a bag. And I'm a girl!

 

[adds21]

I did my first commute with an average speed of > 20 mph this morning, however that was mostly on downhill A Roads. I usually go a less direct (but nicer) route, where my average is between 16 and 17.

The commute home is a different story though! I'm lucky to get a 13 mph average in the evening.

 

[jimboalee]

After six months of travelling to work on a bike, I decided 'minute pinching' was the fastest route to an accident.
So for the last 32.5 years, I set my alarm early, get up, bide my time and have a relaxed ride to work.

If all goes well, as I've said before, I slow down on the two mile run-in to the bike shed.

 

[MacB]

I did my first commute with an average speed of > 20 mph this morning, however that was mostly on downhill A Roads. I usually go a less direct (but nicer) route, where my average is between 16 and 17.

The commute home is a different story though! I'm lucky to get a 13 mph average in the evening.

That's why you should always take the round trip figure

Agree with Jimbo there as well, 'minute pinching' can be irresistable, especially in the early days but it can also be destructive, physically and mentally.

 

[mgarl10024]

Car: 20mins each way - total around 40 mins. Let's say 50mins to be generous.
Cycling: 35mins each way. Locking/Unlocking bike: 5mins. 20mins extra shower (at work). Packing bags in morning (extra clothing, etc) 10mins. Getting changed at
MG

Do you not shower when you drive then?

hehe.

If driving, then I'll likely have a single shower every 24hrs - most likely in the morning before I leave for work.
If cycling, I read that it was important to shower soon after (if not just for the sake of your colleagues, but because bacteria can build up and can cause issues especially in the saddle area). So, I shower after I get to work, and then in the evening after commuting home. That's an extra shower, and an extra 20mins.

(For those of a geeky nature, and at a real risk of diverting the thread) I did even work out that if this extra shower was done using an electric shower powered by a coal-fired power station for more than 7 minutes, that my cycling would actually make more CO2 that if I just drove in. Details available on request....).

 

[Hacienda71]

(For those of a geeky nature, and at a real risk of diverting the thread) I did even work out that if this extra shower was done using an electric shower powered by a coal-fired power station for more than 7 minutes, that my cycling would actually make more CO2 that if I just drove in. Details available on request....).

Cold shower. Character building

 

[brokenbetty]

hehe.

If driving, then I'll likely have a single shower every 24hrs - most likely in the morning before I leave for work.
If cycling, I read that it was important to shower soon after (if not just for the sake of your colleagues, but because bacteria can build up and can cause issues especially in the saddle area). So, I shower after I get to work, and then in the evening after commuting home. That's an extra shower, and an extra 20mins.

(For those of a geeky nature, and at a real risk of diverting the thread) I did even work out that if this extra shower was done using an electric shower powered by a coal-fired power station for more than 7 minutes, that my cycling would actually make more CO2 that if I just drove in. Details available on request....).

Fair enough - I go a little less than you (5.5 miles) but I take it slow so I don't need an evening shower - I barely raise a sweat so I just cool down a bit then get changed and let the kit air.

 

[CharlieB]

Buses would be a lot faster if there weren't so many idiots thinking it's a good idea to crawl into the city in their private cars.

+1

 

[JoysOfSight]

If driving, then I'll likely have a single shower every 24hrs - most likely in the morning before I leave for work.
If cycling, I read that it was important to shower soon after (if not just for the sake of your colleagues, but because bacteria can build up and can cause issues especially in the saddle area). So, I shower after I get to work, and then in the evening after commuting home. That's an extra shower, and an extra 20mins.

(For those of a geeky nature, and at a real risk of diverting the thread) I did even work out that if this extra shower was done using an electric shower powered by a coal-fired power station for more than 7 minutes, that my cycling would actually make more CO2 that if I just drove in. Details available on request....).

YMMV, but if I didn't ride to work I would also need to hit the gym for some exercise. Not only would this involve the same extra shower as the bike commute, but I'd also be driving to the gym (by definition) so making two further car journeys anyway.

The only way to put driving above cycling (and even then, some of the sums are quite dubious) is to assume that a sedentary lifestyle has no penalties over a healthy one.

 

[theFire]

My average is around 14-16mph over 6 mile journey.... the journey in the morning takes me longer than driving normally but the journey home is normally quicker..... oh how I love sailing past all those queuing cars!

 

[ianrauk]

My average is around 14-16mph over 6 mile journey.... the journey in the morning takes me longer than driving normally but the journey home is normally quicker..... oh how I love sailing past all those queuing cars!

Oh yes indeed... apart from this week as it's half term.

 

[theFire]

Oh yes indeed... apart from this week as it's half term.

Ah but I have to pass a theme park and school holidays normally make traffic there worse on the way home!

 

[Tammytroot]

Length of commute 7.5 miles. Usually takes about 45-50 mins. Interestingly time doesn't change much whether I'm trying hard or just pooling along. Probably has more to do with traffic lights, junctions and behaviour of other road users.

 

[totallyfixed]

To those that average over 16mph -

and those over 18mph -

And over 20mph -

 

[leemo]

A slightly sluggish 12-13 mph given Im on a spesh sirrus (going through london zone 2.)

Just as quick as public transport though and give me my exercise.