Long commutes

[Charlie Crocker]

I am at Uni at Portsmouth, but I live in Eastleigh. At the moment I am getting the train to Uni but I'm thinking, maybe there is some way of cycling it.

Its only 25 miles, but I am guessing (from past experience of cycle commuting - shorter distances though), that it would probably take about 2 hours each way , but thats time (even as a student) I dont have (dissertations to write etc).

Would it be possible? Whats the longest distance anyone commutes?

 

[Flyingfox]

I'm only 8.5 miles from work but it's very much a city commute (loads of traffic, lights and roadworks) so takes me 40 mins. Can you do part train, part cycle - look into the different scenarios. Might be worth having 'station bike' (not worth a lot of money) that you leave at a nearby station which will cut your costs.

 

[DJ]

I agree with flying Fox , try and split the journey by using the train, or perhaps you could cycle in the mornings and get the train home to start with until you get accustomed to it , then you can start building up the mileage.
Unless you are very fit, I would'nt try and do the whole commute you will only put yourself off the whol;e idea.

Good time of year to start commuting by bike though. The cooler weather is actualy good as you wont over heat as much.
Make sure the bike is well serviced and that you have plenty of lights.

Good Luck.

 

[dudi]

+1 to all the above info.

I'm going to need a new job in the new year, and I think 25 miles each way would be about tops for me to commute every single day... but I reckon i'd enjoy it!

 

[jimboalee]

I enjoy my 24 mile commute in the summer, but drive half way in the winter.
The 24 miles takes me just over 1 ½ hours. Using the car half way only cuts 15 minutes off the journey time. A full drive in the car is my contingency plan.

I'm glad you have the Train as a contingency plan, because as a student, there will be evenings when you will be invited to a party.

 

[Too fat for lycra]

Every summer I see a guy cycling from Newbury to Andover, which is about 16 miles.
He must have balls as this is such a dodgy road - very quick and narrow - with three VERY steep hills ( steep for round here ). He's also bloody quick!!! I'm sure he does it in 45-55 mins. Would take me at least an hour and a half.

 

[atbman]

+1 on pretty much all of the above. Bear in mind that a 5-day week (do students do such a thing?) amounts to a 250 mile total which is a pretty respectable racing cyclist training mileage during term time.

After 12 months you could be a competitive rider in the various BUSA championships. Try the train/bike combination and do the full thing on a Friday when you've got the weekend to recover

 

[Mr Phoebus]

At 25 miles the biggest problem would be having the discipline to keep on doing it.
Especially with the weather now being so inclement.

 

[ghitchen]

My commute is 24 (non-hilly) miles each way. I have only done both ways on five consecutive days twice in two years. It is possible but needs good fuelling and plenty of sleep. Typically I try and work from home on a Wednesday so my max is normally 4 days in summer. In winter (because of the dark, not the cold) I use a train for 15 of the inward miles, but always cycle all the way home. Journey times (excluding stopping for red lights) vary between 65 and 100 minutes depending on wind strength and direction. In case it is relevant, it is nearly 30 years since I was a student.

 

[4F]

At 25 miles the biggest problem would be having the discipline to keep on doing it.
Especially with the weather now being so inclement.

Yeah I agree. Much easier in the summer with light mornings and evenings but in the dark when it is blowing a hoolie and raining ummmm

I will often extend my commute in to 22 miles (normally 14.5 each way) depending on what time I get up but not sure I would want to do that every day

 

[Nigeyy]

My commute is 24 miles each way, with a couple of good hills, but mostly flattish. I don't do it everyday, but end up parking the car half way most days and cycling the rest. Usually I do the full commute only one day a week; on Fridays to avoid the really bad traffic. Of course I am in my early forties and overweight, so I'm guessing that doesn't help -but I'd still think it would take a lot out of you and I'd think just one week of full commuting for me would take its toll. Another thing to consider is the weather -when it gets really wet and cold that 25 miles might not have the same pizazz as when you first started.

Don't want to put you off, but I do reckon 25 miles each way is a long distance to commute. Aside from trying to split the commute (i.e. leaving a bike at a station about halfway and using that) another thought is cycle the full distance in one day, leave the bike in a secure area if you can, and get the train back. Next day get the train in, then retrieve the bike and cycle back..... rinse and repeat.

For what it's worth, I've often thought a 10-12 mile commute is the perfect distance for me. Just got to find a job that will let me do that!

 

[mr_cellophane]

Its only 25 miles

Mine is 20 miles all town traffic. Too far for me each day, and the getting up an hour earlier has something to do with it as well. I manage it at the weekends when I don't have a 7:00 start then I just do the home run. We are moving offices soon so that will cut it down to 15 miles which I did in a leisurely 1:30 on Saturday.

 

[malkie]

I am lucky that my commute drops into the "perfect" 10 -12 mile bracket .

However my mate at work who got me back cycling commutes 21 miles each way 5 days out of 7 and does this week in week out ... so it is do-able . He does it in about 1 hr and the first half isn`t exactly flat .

On the way home I always make a point of rubbing it in when I turn off after 11miles , just as he faces a 3.5 miles incline ... into a headwind

Would I fancy it ... well not every day I don`t think but he says he feels like he is losing condition when he misses more than a day .

 

[Origamist]

I did a 50 mile roundtrip for 3 months when I was on my student hols (Plympton to Totnes for any tourists or Devonians out there). I was only working part time and did the journey three times a week.

I loved putting in the base miles at the time (I would eat like a horse and sleep like a baby), but as it was the summer and I was fitter, lighter, younger and racing at the time, my experience is prob going to be different from yours.

I'd give it a go and see how you feel.

 

[malkie]

I perhaps ought to add that my mate says he was 4 stone overweight when he first went back to his 21 mile commute ... 12 months ago butb has lost it since .
He was taking about 1hr 20 to start with .

Malkie