I might start a 36 miles round commute...

[rockyraccoon]

I am new to cycling but quite fit person. I just need to get used to the long distances.

I am thinking about cycling to work. It is a 36 mile round trip. I am using MapMyRide to find out more about the elevation.

Due to my lack of experience in cycling I'm little concerned about those hills. Are they as bad as they look?

What do you think about it? Would I be able to tackle those hills?

 

[noelmg]

Not sure about the first half, but the second half looks fun

My climb is a total of 150 feet on my journey to work, but that climb is mostly in 2 x really short, sharp, uphills. They about kill me but the rest of the ride is pretty straightforward (and as I do it more often they are nowhere near as bad these days). I'm sure you'd get used to it, why not try it on a weekend and see how it goes? At least you can bale out if you need to

 

[Andrew_P]

+1 on trying it on a Saturday, I ride 15 each way and I would say I am unfit 45 and overweight. I do mine in anything from 55mins to 1.08

I have fairly similar climbs but not as steep as the red one but more of them

 

[3narf]

Mine is 17.5 each way, very similar distance, but mainly downhill going/uphill on return run. I'm doing it for the first time today; not particularly looking forward to the 892ft of ascent on the way home!

I'm 43, a bit overweight and using a mountain bike...

 

[400bhp]

Are you on a racing bike?

You just need to get used to it (the ride). Perhaps start with 1 day per week for the first few weeks, then add an extra day when you are feeling up to it. Always the best way IMO. With most exercise activities if you over do it at first you'll hate it and be less likely to continue.

 

[Andrew_P]

Yeah thats good advice, I am lucky enough that I can leave my car at Work, so I have been building up since July. This week I have done a full 10 picked the bike up Sunday from work left the car, in and out everyday and will go home in the Car this afternoon. First time for the full 10 154 miles.

The way I have done it leaving the Car at work means the difficult one mentally (morning) has to be done as I do not have a choice! If you can do the same I would say this is the best way of building up.

 

[DrSquirrel]

17mile is a lot for a newbie to start commuting, although there are many people here whom do that - question is, how will you cope in the deteriorating weather? That should be your concern for the coming months.

Elevation not too bad, fresh legs to get up it, nice high average into work and hopefully let you warm down a bit more genetly. These graphs never really work out as a "long decent" can still have short climbs in them.

+453 to trying it on a non work day.

Ride it on a weekend (or even on a work day when you have a day off to get a jist of traffic if any) and get yourself a baseline time, then move on to doing it once or twice a week at first and see how it goes.

 

[rockyraccoon]

Thanks! Very good advices there. Yes, that route would be on a road bike. I find quite difficult to interpret that graph.

3narf, how did it go? Is the ascent within short distance, sharp as that one?

 

[2Loose]

That ride looks ok, the 7% bit will soon become a 'normal' part of the ride. Just relax, take it easy and spin up it, don't rush or you will burn out

I have a similiar ride on the way home to the first half of your ride, it gets slowly and progressively steeper until it flattens out at the top.
Go easy (maybe save a sprint for when it is nearly flattened out at the top!) and you will get there, use the downhill to rest your legs but keep them rotating.

 

[Andrew_P]

The other factor you wil quickly learn is the prevailing wind. For the first time ever the last 7 days mine has been round the wrong way, my hardest ride (home) has also had a head wind. Now that is demoralising

 

[3narf]

3narf, how did it go? Is the ascent within short distance, sharp as that one?

It's kind of a steady climb all the way home rather than one massive hill. Not much in the way of downhills to give me a bit of respite... Setting off in about an hour, will report tomorrow. Thanks for the interest & sorry for hijacking this thread!

 

[jonny jeez]

Hi Rocky

That's one tough ride. Either way you cut it you'll have approximatley 9 miles to climb from the start. and its a big climb. My route is 40 mile round, and I climb a 204 foot hill at the end (after 20 miles the last 3 or 4 of which are a shallow climb)...its nothing compared to yours. The largest hill around my parts is 400 odd feet, so climbing over 700 would be a marathon event for me.

Do you do a lot of hill climbing on your bike already? (you mention you are fit) if so, then maybe this isnt too big a deal. Plus the second half of the ride will offer a great warm down and the chance to really recover so you'll feel great at the end.

But...my first impressions....blimey!

 

[3narf]

Well, it was fine! Not really a steady climb apart from up High Lane then New Mills - Hayfield. Plenty of slight downhills to stop me getting demoralised. Took an hour & 20 mins, but I did stop at all the lights.

 

[Jel]

Used to do 25 each way but added a couple of train rides one day/week if I was feeling run down. As long as you give yourself time you can do pretty much any distance. Make sure you leave yourself lea way for inevitable mechanicals/punctures.

 

[jimboalee]

That IS a fair distance for a new cyclist.

Map the route and find some safe parking places. Seven or eight miles away should be a nice distance to start, and then stretch it out until you can do the whole distance.