long distance commute

[RANDOR]

i have a 20km each way (ie 40 round trip) ride.
i do it in about an hour
looking for tips to go faster , and also regarding luggage!
and also regarding how to balance it with rest of life , since adding the shower and changing clothes it adds up to 1.5 hrs each way , and my legs are always tired , so not sure how to optimise / improve...
i have started getting off the bike to run with it on some up hills just to have some variety!

 

[Sharky]

An hour each way is a good commute. One that you can comfortably repeat each day of the week.

But riding everyday, dulls speed. You can knock off 5 to 10 mins, in a couple of months, but after that, times are more dependent on weather conditions.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Tyres with lower rolling resistance, see https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/

Reasonably tight cycling kit.

Depending on route elevation, an ebike, a legal one can give assistance under 25kph.

Road bike more aero than gravel, hybrid or mountain bike.

If hilly, lighter bike will help.

Bend your elbows, hold bars around brake hoods or on the drops, to make your torso more aero.

Most time gains are usually made by more effort on hills and into a headwind, less effort on descents and middle of two on the flat.

Riding your commute like a time trial everyday each way is a recipe for overtraining.

 

[Drago]

Crack cocaine.

 

[Alex321]

i have a 20km each way (ie 40 round trip) ride.
i do it in about an hour
looking for tips to go faster , and also regarding luggage!
and also regarding how to balance it with rest of life , since adding the shower and changing clothes it adds up to 1.5 hrs each way , and my legs are always tired , so not sure how to optimise / improve...
i have started getting off the bike to run with it on some up hills just to have some variety!

I have a slightly longer commute than that, although I only do it twice a week (I only work 3 days a week now, and one of those from home).

I leave shoes, shampoo & shower gel and a spare keyboard & mouse permanently in the office. My laptop & work clothes go in a 25L rucksack on my back.

My commute is just over 15 miles (25km) each way, and it usually takes between an hour and 65 minutes. Which means I'm riding a little faster than you, but not very much.

 

[oxoman]

I was doing 13 miles each way the ride in was always quicker due to it being earlier with no traffic. I put my gear in a SQR Caradice bag on a roadbike. My workwear along with towel / was kit was transferred to work on my first day so slower and transferred back home on my last day. I did sometimes use the car to do 1st and last trips if I'd got to much to carry. I used to push myself on the hills and that helped build fitness and speed. The last 2 miles each way I treated as a cool down. I started at 60 mins each way but ended up at 45 mins after a bit. That isn't allowing for bad weather though. Make sure you eat properly and drink enough. It's a great way to de-stress after a crap shift at work. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

When I used to commute by bike I always used to take it easy on the way in so I would arrive fresher and less sweety

I did find that after a while the whole route became a lot easier - especially the hill on the way
I started off needing to change down to the smaller chain ring and still took a long time to get up it

After a few months I found I was getting up it in the larger chain ring with no problems and less effort

muscles build up over time if you are doing it consistently

and is fast necessary - maybe get used to a slightly slower speed on teh way in and relax ready for the day

then look for speed records etc on the way home when you have time to shower and recover when you get there

 

[fossyant]

What are you using now. When I was doing five days a week in the office I was using a fixed gear road bike. Fast tyres, panniers and did keep heavy stuff like shoes at work. I used to extend the ride home if the weather was nice.

I'm now only three days in office doing 21 miles (34km) but I'm on an old 90's MTB with knobbly tyres. That's hard work but my commute is partly off road.

 

[EckyH]

Looking for tips to go faster and also regarding luggage!

My commute is just over 25km one way, so it's basically comparable.

Depending on weather conditions (in particular the wind direction) I need between 1:15h and 1:25h. Because showering at work isn't possible, I have to ride slow so that I don't sweat. Therefore I use the commute to get two zone 2 trainings that day without having extra time effort. It is helpful for me to use a heart rate monitor to stay in that zone.
Because I don't need to shower after the commutes, it is "faster" in the grand scheme of things.

Using a pannier is much better than a backpack for rides that long, at least in my experience: less stress on the upper body, lower center of gravity, much better ventilation on the back.

I've optimised the route over time to avoid traffic as much as possible and have something to watch on the way: kestrels, storks, herons, deer. Edit: Admittedly, mostly there are only horses and fools.
That makes the commute more diverting.

E.

 

[Dogtrousers]

e-bike?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Crack cocaine.

Don't you find speed works better?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

30 mins to change and shower is a lot of time. Are the showers a long way from where you park bike at work?

 

[oxoman]

Just a heads up over clothing. Lycra wears pretty well on saddles, jeans and trousers doesn't. Also rucksacks other than causing sweaty backs can also rub the shoulders on whatever your wearing, I wrecked a couple of decent jerseys till I converted to a carradice bag.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

e-bike?

I was going to say that (well I would, wouldn't I)

but it sounds like he is looking for a way to improve using what he has got rather than spend money on a new bike

but that would be a possible alternative - especially as It can help you get to work with less effort and therefore less sweet

 

[Dogtrousers]

I was going to say that (well I would, wouldn't I)

but it sounds like he is looking for a way to improve using what he has got rather than spend money on a new bike

but that would be a possible alternative - especially as It can help you get to work with less effort and therefore less sweet

Yeah, it depends whether it's primarily a commuting question (how can I get to work quicker?) or a cycling question (how can I ride my bike to work quicker?).