I might start a 36 miles round commute...

[automatic_jon]

I've been doing a 22 mile each way commute for the last couple of months that included 4 sharp 6 - 10% climbs each way and I can confirm that you do indeed get used to them. It becomes, as has already been said, a normal part of the route. Also when people find out you cycle "all that way in every day" they either treat you like you're mad or some sort of superhuman.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

That looks like awesome commute and I am very jealous - no hills whatsoever around here. I would say that it looks rather hard for a new cycle commuter though, and that's probably on the high end of the distance range that most of us would do, even without the elevation. That shouldn't put you off though. Where is it BTW?

 

[BrumJim]

On the positive side you have a nice 6-mile warm up before the hill really starts to hit. And after the hill you have a good 10 miles or more to recover. And looks fairly similar on the way back, other than a really good speed down the back of the hill.

On the negative side, 18 miles each way each day with a killer hill in the middle is going to be hard work.

Don't do it every day to start. Try it once, and see how long it takes to recover.

 

[rockyraccoon]

I planning on doing it this week on my day off... will report back later this week.

thanks for all the tips!

 

[ColinJ]

It shouldn't be a problem doing it there-and-back once, but doing it every day would be a different matter, especially in the winter!

A very fit mate of mine had a 16.5 mile commute with a couple of long hills adding up to a little more than your one and he used to get pretty tired come Friday. In the summer he could motivate himself to add distance on to his ride home but he struggled to do the commute every day in the winter, riding both ways in the dark and being cut up by impatient drivers. He only used to average 3 days a week on the bike in the winter.

He had a physical job so he was on his feet at least half of every work day which meant his legs didn't get a proper chance to rest. What kind of work do you do? If you sit in front of a computer all day, it might be easier for you.

If you did that commute every working day, you'd be doing over 8,000 miles a year. You'd certainly be pretty damn fit if you kept that up, but I reckon you wouldn't want to be doing many long rides at the weekends...

 

[campbellab]

I miss my cycle commute, contemplating Swindon to Reading (40 miles) but think it's a bit unrealistic

 

[400bhp]

Do it once a week.

Or once every 2 weeks.

Or cycle there and train back.

Where there's a will there's a way.

 

[campbellab]

Yeah I might go for a once a week attempt, will have to see how many hours it's going to set me back!

Train fare from Swindon to Reading is completely bonkers despite being 2 stops away and only 30 mins - £58 peak return! Its over £100 to London

 

[davefb]

Yeah I might go for a once a week attempt, will have to see how many hours it's going to set me back!

Train fare from Swindon to Reading is completely bonkers despite being 2 stops away and only 30 mins - £58 peak return! Its over £100 to London

mate who regularly did bolton<>warrington moved job to liverpool.... he's done it once,, basically by taking the bike by car to work, cycling home, then cycling back in again next morning ( after a nice rest).

hasnt done it again yet, since the morning run was against the wind all the way .. obviously you have to be happy with where you left your car .. i suppose the problem with using the train would be that singles i bet are no cheaper than returns! 58 quid, blimey i'm not happy with 6 quid bolton to manchester

 

[3narf]

obviously you have to be happy with where you left your car ..

What are you saying?! Surely you're not implying Liverpool isn't safe...

 

[Chekmx]

This may be sacrelidge but have you consider getting an electric assist. Something like a cytronex would allow you to pedal most of the way under your own steam but flatten the hills a bit.

 

[Moodyman]

but have you consider getting an electric assist.

This is a cycling forum. I think you meant to post this on a motorbike forum.