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It's a combination of bridleway, road, towpath, etc. 30 miles there, 30 miles back.
Takes me about 2.5 to 3 hrs on a gravel bike. This is too much for me due to time and the sheer effort.
Could an e-bike make it feasible? I still figure it would be at least 2 hrs 15 mins because even with a speed of 15 mph there are many places where you have to stop or navigate around dog walkers, pedestrians or gates etc. This stopping or slowing will kill the average speed.
My feeling is that it's a little too far. 20 miles would be my a priori max range commuting on an e-bike. 15 miles is what I'm comfortable with on a non-electric bike. Having said that I've never ridden an e-bike. If only the max speed was 20 mph or something not the paltry 15 mph!
4.5 hours commuting on top of a working day? Nah, screw that.
ebikes speed up commutes if they are in hilly terrain. They just make it easier on flat
I am back to doing a 7 mile commute with 1000ftish of climbing into work and 100 ft on the way back. Its also thru a city with dozens of traffic lights. Non e bike - 45 mins in, 35 home. e bike - 30 mins in, 30 home with almost a 5 min variable for traffic lights
Too much. I’m planning doing my 25 new journey to work on a bike ‘some’ days a week. On good v quiet roads though - a lot faster than bridleways and towpaths. I’m also contemplating some sort of bike in, drive back, drive in, bike back combo.
Doable 2, maybe 3 days a week, I did it for a few years. You’ll be shattered come the weekend mind you. Doing fewer days also means you can carry less as you can take clothes on in the non-cycling days.
Any more than that and you’ll be stuffed.
I do as convert suggests - drive in with bike, ride home, ride back next morning then drive home. 25miles each way, so 4 journeys a week. On a road bike on country roads I might add. 1hr 15mins on ave for the ride. Wouldn’t want to do more though, it’s about my limit to have enough energy for the weekend riding!
Yup, one way or a couple of days a week. doable you might get sick of the washing sooner if it's off road!
It's doable if you have a fixed hours job and no real commitments outside of work, i.e. school runs, pick ups, shopping trips, etc, you'll also have to work the logic for getting clean stuff in, deal with the weather, deal with illness, windy days, etc, etc.
Otherwise it's a good once in a while trip, an ebike would be good, it would assist you on those days you're not 100%, give you the confidence that there's a back up to your leg power and so on, but it's a big old commitment to spend 5 hours a day on the bike, then hope to have anything left for the weekend.
Twenty miles each way on road is just over an hour (it’s a flat ride), but on gravel, canal and river paths it’s nearer two and really knackering.
Either way in lock down it was only 2 or three times a week. Looking back I don’t know why I didn’t do it more.
My commute is 26miles each way and I do it on a CX bike to let me cut out some of the worst roads. But its still mostly road or pavement.
I dont do it every day (partially because I'm "underemployed") but it is doable, just has to be treated as an easy ride, if I push it then I feel it for days as there's no opportunity to recover. The difference between a quick ride and an easy one would only be 10 minute max anyway.
Considered an e-bike, but it's doable without so couldn't justify it. It'd be usefull if it was any longer.
tthew
Subscriber
4.5 hours commuting on top of a working day? Nah, screw that.
In my case 4 hours on the bike Vs an hour each way on the M4, deduct a few gym sessions a week and its all riding so deduct some mid week riding and its almost paid for itself time wise (plus £200 a month in petrol and much less stress).
Depends what you want to get out of your commute.
If you just enjoy the time on the bike then yes, an ebike would be great.
If you're after massively increased fitness then an ebike is a waste of time for you - do the one-way commute on a not-motorized bike and feel the sensible level of burn.
Yes it’s doable.
But, you’ll get sick of riding, and be so ****ed at the weekend that you won’t be arsed about doing anything.
I’d say, do the drive in ride back thing.
Or do it 2 days a week.
Used to have a 30 miles there, 30 miles back commute. Did it for three years. Usually drove 15 there, got the bike out of the car and cycled in the rest. Reverse procedure to go home, obvs. On a good day it *only* took up 3hrs of my day, but I really didn't feel like riding for fun at the weekend. In the summer I tried to ride it all at least once a week, but it was a longer ride cos I zig-zagged through much quieter country lanes rather than take the more direct A-roads.
Can't say as I ever enjoyed it.
I've a 20 mile commute which I am lucky enough to be able to take my bike on the train if I wish, doesn't really make it any faster but I always end up doing this in the mornings because it's easier. I've done it both ways for a couple weeks at a time before but it always leaves me knackered and not wanting to do anything at the weekend.
I occasionally did a 30 miler each way. Road bike, so commute was hour 45 each way. Add in showering and changing you add a fair amount onto the day. If you aren't doing it every day then its fine. Not a load of fun for that distance in hissing rain.
Before I got my spine broke I was doing 26 to 40 miles a day, all weathers. Lived 10 miles from work but went a quiet route, but if needing to be in or home quick could take the direct route.
I've just changed jobs and miss the cycle commute the most. Used to do 12 miles in 8 miles home usually.
New place is ~26 miles drive. Coupled with 12hr shifts I don't fancy a there and back. Might try riding in and blagging a lift home when I'm on nights.
I do a 62.5km each way commute once a week and used to do a 25km each way commute three times a week.
The 25km at three times a week was perfect for leaving juice in the tank for weekend riding. I'd sometimes only do it twice in the week and be 2+ mins faster.
The 62km commute is tough, out at 6am and home 12 hours later. I can only do it on a Friday (short hours) in the summer and I'm lucky that nearly half is on a virtually abandoned main road (next to the motorway that replaced it). Makes up for the time lost in town at lights. Wind distance makes a massive difference and you definitely need a shower when you get in.
I reckon I could do it twice a week but would take a few weeks until I'd start to enjoy the weekends cycling again.
Prior to Covid my commute was 15 miles each way with 1000ft of climbing. Used to do it there days a week. Did it every day for a week a couple of times and didn't want to see the bike at the weekend. So don't overdo it or you'll miss the enjoyment of riding a bike.
Used to have a 45 mile commute, my regular cycle fix was drive to a village about 12 miles away and cycle from there. Just pick your spot and don't leave the car in anyone's way (once had angry letters package-taped to four windows in Warwick, residential area, parked away from dropped kerbs, but still clearly annoying to someone 🙂 ).
I used to do 16 miles each way per day I used to drive 5-10miles then park up and ride the rest.
I had the ride down to 50mins through the suburbs and into central London.
Worth a look.