So how long have you been commuting?

[runner]

I was made redundant in 2004 at the age of 49 in a job that involved a lot of driving...which I hated....in 2005 I took on a lowly paid job of court usher primarily because it gave me the opportunity to ride to work and indulge my fantasy of owning some bikes via the C2W scheme. I started cycling proper the following year 2006 and have only ever once had to stop and take the bus!! yuk this year during the heavy snow. So I have now been cycling some 4+ years on mostly my Giant Defy 1 (love it ) and when the weather is really bad my Genesis Ridgeback. Each day I cycle up to 20miles depending on my mood and the cycling has helped me keep fit enough to cut down my running activity but still run enough to compete in the odd 10k/half marathon etc throughout the year. I truly love cycling..it is such an injury free activity and the good news is we have another C2W scheme starting in October....and you've guessed it...I wouldn't mind another bike

 

[hackbike 666]

Since 1981...Cycled Barkingside to Hainult....then Barkingside to Chadwell Heath....Stratford to Seven Kings in 1982 till 1984..
Stratford to Chingford in 1985 then was based in Stratford between 1986 and July 1988 (still commuting but it used to take about 15 minutes)...Stratford to Seven Kings in 1988 for a second stint (and training)...Transferred to Waterloo in Feb 1989 and have been commuting there ever since.

It is just over a year ago when I suffered a slump in my cycling performance (which went on for over two years) I was forever run down...although I didn't know what was wrong my fitness was very poor and I thought my cycling career was over...Cut the booze right out and haven't touched a drop in five months (although I started this when I became ill after a long stint in Dec 2008)...My cycling fitness has improved dramatically...I was actually blaming my poor fitness on other things.I also eat more all bran.My cycling is just that important to me.

So now I just drink when I go away on holiday or for the odd special occasions.

Since Jan 1994 from Leyton - Waterloo...almost 20 miles round trip.

 

[Domeo]

I started in 1991 to avoid using the Central line from from Stratford into the City and despite first moving to Forest Gate and Chingford 13 years ago still commute into the City. Apart from a break of 2 years after my daughter was born have commuted almost daily. However, the mainline around the corner allows me to get the train if I'm injured or ill. The shortest route that I take is a round trip of about 23 miles but I can go a high as 65 miles.

PS I've been commuting on a fixed for the last 10 years and the last 6 on a custom built fixed Mercian.

 

[fossyant]

Started doing it from 16 as part of my training - had a car too, and was car sharing for many years. At about 20 I moved jobs 20 miles away, so rode in 3-4 days a week (depending upon how the legs felt with a racing schedule at weekends).

Carried on until I moved jobs some 30 odd miles away that involved alot of driving, so had a break of about 7 years, and was back to cycle commuting about 3 years ago following a job move (deliberate to get back cycle commuting - sick of driving).

 

[Chamfus Flange]

From six to twenty-one. I used to cycle everywhere: school, holidays, work. Then I put my "sensible head" on and stopped when working for a large company. Restarted, and wished I hadn't stopped, in 2001. This year has been bad though injury and family issues but I'm still going.

 

[martint235]

About 16 years. Moved to London in 91, had had enough of commuting by public transport by '94. Took a couple of years off around 2000 as I just didn't feel up to but the pounds came on and anxiety got worse so started it up again. Always commuted from around SE London to Waterloo/Whitehall area.

Since joining this forum, also got back into weekend riding and started doing what I consider long distances (35 miles used to be my norm), did my first 100 and 150 miles on successive weekends and now looking forward to Whitstable. Hope the bike can take it.....

 

[mgarl10024]

Hi runner,

I started in March, having been bullied encouraged by colleagues. The first 10-20 times were a real challenge, but as my fitness has improved I'm finding that I am enjoying it a lot more. I'm now up to just over 50 commutes and wouldn't want to give it up!

MG

 

[gemsno4]

Since 2006 when I returned to the UK and realised cycling in a city would never be as scary as in Vietnam/Cambodia/Chile where I had cycled as fair bit on a gap year. Started on a £100 mountain bike from Halfords doing around 8 miles return in Birmingham. My aim was to do 3 days a week in the summer and 2 in the winter. Soon was full time when I realised it was so much quicker and more pleasant than the bus. Progressed to a nicer raleigh shopper style (RIP- stolen from my back garden) then the best birthday present ever a pashley sonnet

Still only cycle for commuting and occassionally pub trips but love it. The only thing I miss is reading time - 45 minutes on the bus everyday was great for that.

 

[Moodyman]

Coming up to a couple of years.

Mrs M was learning to drive and I thought when she passes, she'll need car for school run. Either I have to get second car or back to public transport. Neither appealed and then cycling came up. Spent about 3 months umming & arring, before doing a dummy run on a weekend. Not looked back since.

Defied doubting colleagues and now commute 120 miles a week, sometimes more.

Really enjoy it - apart from days like yesterday. Some chavs threw eggs at me on my homeward commute - bike got hit by two - spent an hour cleaning drivetrain and disk brakes.

B8rstads.

 

[2Loose]

Since '89 with 6yrs off from '99 for Uni and motorbike, then back on again.

 

[Jezston]

Oh dear. Only about 18 months! Started off as a plan to get fit on my Dad's awful old mountain bike, and it really wasn't fun. Stopped doing it for a few months before finding out about the Cycle to Work scheme, posted on here for advice, got a decent hybrid, and here I am.

No idea why I didn't start doing it sooner to be honest, although in my previous job it would have been impossible as the industrial estate my company was based on was only accessable via the motorway Should have been doing when I was in London, but as I've pretty much always travelled around London by tube, I have very little idea of the roads and actual distances! Had friends at my old job back there who cycled in - no idea why the thought of it never even crossed my mind, guess I just ruled it out as too far to consider.

 

[potsy]

17 months for me,bought the bike as an aid to getting fit/losing weight,didn't know if I would commute on it at first,19+ miles a day seemed too far,now it's just right and I ride in at least 4 days a week and more often 5.
Best thing i ever did,and I've got to know more people at work because of it,there's quite a little 'club' building up now.

 

[swee'pea99]

Seven or eight years. Now nothing stops me short of ice/packed snow on the roads.

 

[Hockeynut]

17 months for me,bought the bike as an aid to getting fit/losing weight,didn't know if I would commute on it at first,19+ miles a day seemed too far,now it's just right and I ride in at least 4 days a week and more often 5.
Best thing i ever did,and I've got to know more people at work because of it,there's quite a little 'club' building up now.

Only managed it once so far, lol.

But as Potsy, this was the reason I got a bike, to get fit. As work commute is approx 20miles round trip, I doubted I'd ever manage that once, let alone regularly. Then I thought, why not try a commute in, I might just like it... and it'll save some pennies! Hoping to slowly increase the regularity as my fitness and recovery time improves.

 

[HJ]

The clue in the sig line...