The Golden Distance

[PatrickPending]

indeed a short route can be extended, it also depends on the roads etc. My previous commute to loughborough was horrible in comparison to my current commute to coventry - which is 20 odd Km longer. Takes me about 30 mins longer than by car and in the summertime its great.

to answer the quesion 20km would be ideal but most days i dont mind the fact that mine's 36km each way.

 

[magnatom]

My commute distance is a bit embarrassing. Only just under 5 miles. However, it is pretty hilly (the Clyde tunnel drops a fair amount below the Clyde!) and I do try and put some welly into it!

However, at the moment I wouldn't intentionally extend it. I've got two young kids, and although they can be hard work at times (we were up 8 times last night as our youngest caught that I've just started nursery so I've come home with a nasty fever bug!) I like spending as much of my time at home with them.

Awwwww!

(A blatent excuse to post a picture! )

 

[Aperitif]

You're well poor in Scotland magnatom - making your bairns sleep in a cardboard box...no wonder they are getting the 'fevers'!

I spend about an hour each way on the bike - depending on red lights etc and all weathers. 27mk in each direction - a perfect commute.(For me)
Strangely enough, the wind at the moment seems to be in my face in both directions!

 

[magnatom]

You're well poor in Scotland magnatom - making your bairns sleep in a cardboard box...no wonder they are getting the 'fevers'!

Not poor. I just like spending money only where it is important. Notice the home cinema kit in the background....

 

[GrahamG]

Mmm. 10 miles is perfect. 45mins if you're not in a rush, try for 30mins if you're feeling frisky of a morn.

Any longer and it's biting into real life time and that is not acceptable.

Crack on!

 

[GrahamG]

My commute distance is a bit embarrassing. Only just under 5 miles. However, it is pretty hilly (the Clyde tunnel drops a fair amount below the Clyde!) and I do try and put some welly into it!

However, at the moment I wouldn't intentionally extend it. I've got two young kids, and although they can be hard work at times (we were up 8 times last night as our youngest caught that I've just started nursery so I've come home with a nasty fever bug!) I like spending as much of my time at home with them.

Awwwww!

(A blatent excuse to post a picture! )

You know, I've only seen you as a reflection in that taxi driver's window - but I swear the older one looks just like you!

 

[magnatom]

You know, I've only seen you as a reflection in that taxi driver's window - but I swear the older one looks just like you!

My photo is on cyclechat if you know where to look!

He is a good looking kid isn't he!

 

[simon_adams_uk]

My commute is 23miles - I'm always getting bored/tired/etc after about 17miles and the last 6 can often be murder. So my 'golden distance' is 17 - equates to someone else earlier saying about an hour.

S

 

[Aperitif]

I believe it depends on your level of fitness, the terrain, your bike(s) and personal taste.

I have commuted comfortably here in Columbus, Ohio, USA (relatively flat) on a 10-12 mile round trip with a variety of cheap old bikes. When we moved closer, I had a 6-mile round trip. Eventually, I began to walk more often than ride. I enjoy walking for its own sake, and the bike ride wasn't enough to count as exercise.

Right now, I'm on hold for commuting due to being between jobs. For me, though, about 10 miles (30 minutes each way; I'm slow) is ideal.

Big "Hi" foothillbilly by the way. Why not get yourself over to the café - it is full of people between jobs...as in "I'll just post on this thread before I do a bit of work for five minutes..."

Good luck.

 

[BentMikey]

I'm currently loving my 42mile round trip, though I sometimes chicken out and take the train.

 

[arranandy]

My commute is just over 13 miles and takes between 50 minutes and an hour. I start work at 6.30am so the days I cycle in I leave the house at about 5.20. Therefore its more a time issue than a distance issue for me. A longer distance wouldn't bother me but the fact I would have to et up even earlier would be the deciding factor

 

[simonali]

I am always puzzled by people who say their commute isn't long enough so they don't cycle

I don't cycle to work on really cold days, as it's only just over 2 miles by bike and I don't get warmed up in the time it takes to do that distance.

Going further isn't an option as I'd rather just stay in bed longer than get up earlier and do a longer ride!

 

[gambatte]

I'm feeling in good company here, about 14 miles, 53-59 mins (apart from the one time with the headwind 1hour 5...)

 

[PrettyboyTim]

My commute distance is a bit embarrassing. Only just under 5 miles. However, it is pretty hilly (the Clyde tunnel drops a fair amount below the Clyde!) and I do try and put some welly into it!

However, at the moment I wouldn't intentionally extend it. I've got two young kids, and although they can be hard work at times (we were up 8 times last night as our youngest caught that I've just started nursery so I've come home with a nasty fever bug!) I like spending as much of my time at home with them.

Awwwww!

(A blatent excuse to post a picture! )

I'm with you on that one, Magna - I wouldn't want to spend any longer travelling per day that I do at the moment. The distance / timing of my commute (7 miles each way - about 35 minutes cycling) means that I can drop my youngest off at nursery in the morning and be home in time to see him fed, bathed and have a story read to. The older ones go to bed later so I have a bit more time to see them.

As it turns out cycling in take pretty much the same amount of time as it used to take me to walk/tube it in. The actual cycling takes less time but there's more faff at each end (getting changed, getting the bike in and out of the garage at work etc) which makes it even out.

 

[buggi]

I do 34 miles round trip but i don't do it everyday, about 3 times a week. if it was about 10 miles each way i'd do it everyday so i reckon that would be the perfect distance for me.