So how long have you been commuting?

[Wobblers]

I had you down as longer than that. How many miles have you done in a year then ?

I could simply walk to work until I moved in July last year: it was as quick as cycling, I was so close to the university.

The bike computer on the Yukon's just rolled over the 2000 mile mark - I've had that just over a year. Most of my commuter and utility miles are done on the Galaxy (it's happier with loaded panniers) which comes to at least 1500 - 2000 miles, at a guess - I don't have a computer on it. So I've probably done in the region of 4000 miles over the last year, 2700 of them this year.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I think we have covered this before? I came back to cycling about 1979/80 and have been cycling to and from work ever since. In the early to mid sixties I was riding to and from school, and in the mid to late sixties I was riding to and from work. I joined the navy then discovered motorbikes that's why I did no cycling in the seventies.

 

[potsy]

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.

It gets very addictive once you start commuting Hockeynut,I hate the odd day when I take the car now,always see the cyclists on the way home and wish I was on mine.
Take it easy to start,give yourself plenty of time to get to work,use the way home for training

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I've been commuting since about the time I started Primary School. But I guess you meant cycle commuting, didn't ya?

Well that's been since Primary School too, oddly enough; I got given my first bike at age 8, and I vividly recall using it to get to school and back, although probably not every day. Same in Secondary School and then University. I've probably had a few years off here and there, though. My most consistent commuting so far is when I moved to Melbourne in Nov '08. Last year, I missed perhaps 10 days cycle commuting the whole year, and this year I've missed 0.

 

[jimboalee]

Since 1978.

8 miles to and from work on a track bike.
Through the winter I had a tiny dim Eveready lamp on a bracket which was held by the front wheel tracknut.

 

[primalgeek]

Since late April of this year.


~30 miles round trip between Livingston and Edinburgh on my new "shiny shiny" Croix de Fer. I hadn't cycled since I was a kid but just decided to give it a go mainly for fitness. The reason quickly change because it's just better than driving. On the way into work I'm only 10 mins slower than taking the car (far slower on the way home as I take a different route)

Had a chuckle to myself on the commute in this morning when I managed to keep up with a Honda Civic Type R on Slateford Road before eventually passing him because he was having to go too slowly because of traffic

 

[hackbike 666]

Since 1978.

8 miles to and from work on a track bike.
Through the winter I had a tiny dim Eveready lamp on a bracket which was held by the front wheel tracknut.

Good god those lights in the olden days were awful...How did we ever manage?

Also we actually made the effort to fit lights unlike today's rabble.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Started end of June 2009, to date I have done just over 7,900 miles, which I am very pleased about.

 

[hambones]

Just over 2 years here - since starting work at a place in Tottenham. 8 miles each way for me from Waltham Abbey.
Since the New Year I have sold the car and now do the full 10 trips (previously I drove in with the bike on Monday and took it back home Friday, or very rainy days because I could wimp out!).
Tonight's journey home was a bit of a landmark ride as I rolled through 6,000 miles for the year to date.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Good god those lights in the olden days were awful...How did we ever manage?

Also we actually made the effort to fit lights unlike today's rabble.

I remember! Pifco, Ever ready and Wonder Lights are three I can remember. Wonder Lights, flat white things that ran off a doorbell battery, the plastic bracket would go brittle and shatter after a bit of use, I'd have been better of with a candle on the front of the bike. To think I used to hurtle around pitch black country lanes winter training by the light these things gave out, must have been crazy. I also remember a bottle dynamo I had, ran of the tyre, with a halogen front light, lit up the road for miles, but went out when I stopped and knocked five miles an hour of my top speed.

 

[Cyclist33]

Bought a Hardrock in 2002 and commuted 3 miles each way for 3 years on that, then moved to Southampton and commuted 9 miles each way. Moved back to Oxford and commuted 12 miles each way on a CB Levante in 2006. Moved to Sheffield in 2007 and commuted 4 miles each way on the Levante until 2008. Bought a Felt Q720 in 2008 but it got nicked a month later. Went back to commuting on the CB until 2010, when I bought a Norco VFR Disc 4. Took it back to the shop after a week as it was faulty. Bought a GT Avalanche and alternated my commutes on that and the Levante. Moved to Warrington and commuted 2 miles each way, whichever bike took my fancy a-mornings.

Sold them both last week and bought a Marin Bobcat which is now my sole bike. Haven't commuted on it yet!

Best commutes would be A) the trog from So'ton to Colden Common on absolutely freezing winter mornings on the Hardrock with Panaracer Fire XC tires. Invariably hungover, desperately pedalling through the worn chain and teeth, beautiful southern Hampshire scenery and a whopping hill over Bishopstoke towards the end of the trip. And B) a 16 mile desperate plunge from Oxford to Wallingford through a thunderstorm on the Levante, clad in me shorts and a lycra tee-shirt, A Roads most of the way and finishing with a 3 mile burn through picture-postcard south Oxfordshire hamlets while the heavens emptied buckets over me and the fat grey clouds racketed thunder and lightning all around. I was a (respected) laughing-stock in the office for that.

A potted history of my commuting!

Cheers, and nice thread.

Stu

 

[dondare]

30 years or so.
But I missed a couple of years 'cos of a knee injury.

 

[ComedyPilot]

On and off since 1984

 

[laertes]

I finally got over all my worries and logistical headaches and started commuting last January, doing 3-4 days a week, 28 mile round trip. Used to bring my week's clothes in on Monday on the train, cycle 3 days then bring them back on Friday. Then figured I could bring clothes in for 2 weeks and cycle 8 days in between. That lasted 3 months until the project finished

I'm a management consultant, so I often swap projects every couple of months. After the commute above I had projects (i) in an office with nowhere to change (I work in suit & tie usually) in central London in the middle of summer, so that was no good (ii) Gloucester, 130 miles away (iii) at home and (iv) Birmingham.

FInally I am on a year long project with nice changing rooms and somewhere to leave suits hanging and get shirts laundered. So I am doing 5 days a week, 27 miles round trip into central London, apart from the occasional day at another office. On a Trek hybrid. I love it, the rides are the best part of my working day.

 

[jimboalee]

I remember! Pifco, Ever ready and Wonder Lights are three I can remember. Wonder Lights, flat white things that ran off a doorbell battery, the plastic bracket would go brittle and shatter after a bit of use, I'd have been better of with a candle on the front of the bike. To think I used to hurtle around pitch black country lanes winter training by the light these things gave out, must have been crazy. I also remember a bottle dynamo I had, ran of the tyre, with a halogen front light, lit up the road for miles, but went out when I stopped and knocked five miles an hour of my top speed.

My BSA 20 has a Sturmey Dynohub. The front lamp is on a steel bracket clamped in the front brake mechanism. It is floating above the front mudguard about 2 foot above the tarmac and has a 0.7 Watt vacuum filament bulb NEVER REPLACED since 1974 and still works.
The rear is a 1 1/4" round Sturmey Std issue from way back. It is mounted behind a black luggage box so is constantly 'Hi-contrast'.

That bike has been used for some commuting.