Gus Riley

I thought it would be interesting to have a thread where commuters might post the results of their daily commute.

So far we've had three days of commuting. They're 30 to 33 miles in length. All three days we have had head winds. I rode my single one day in the reverse direction....figured I'd out smart the wind....nope, it had changed direction overnight just for me. Then in the afternoon (bike was on top the car for the ride home...there was no wind)! :confused:

Hmmm, I think I have it figured out.....if I want no wind all I have to do is purchase a kite!

AndrewP

I rode Tues and Thurs this week (rain forecast for the other days). 28km each way.

Tues mist/low morning slight tail wind. Evening temp 27C, strong headwind and had a flat in the front tire.

Thurs went in the middle of the morning because I had worked late Wed evening, no traffic. Evening slight headwind reasonable temperature.

IowaParamedic

I did my first commute on Thursday!

Headwind of 15 mph most of the way. Still averaged 13 mph, and was motivated by a storm cloud and sprinkles of rain.
I work an overnight shift, and the commute home was difficult, probably due to being tired.

It is so nice to have a 12 mile ride done before the day starts.

The Rob

Congratulations! :thumbup:

I rode to work yesterday. Chilly but dry, and I made excellent time (for me, anyway -- no onboard computer and no interest in one). I have an easy commute, a straight shot with only three turns. Unfortunately a change in dinner plans with a friend necessitated my wife picking me up after work, so regretably Tank Jr. had to be lashed to the rack for the trip home. Rats! I'm making it up on the trail today and then some.

-Rob

PaulH

Had an interesting day in Arlington, VA yesterday. About 25C/68F on the morning trip to work, humid, light winds from the south. I left my jacket at the ofice and rode in slacks, short sleeve shirt, and tie -- with my rain togs on the back rack. Cool and comfy.

A bit after 2, a thunderstorm blew into the area. I work in a corner office in a high-rise, and the subsequent special effects were about like being inside a flashcube. Lightning struck a power pole just across the street. The transformer glowed briefly, then poured out smoke. Power and phone were shot, so I let everyone out of the office at 3:30.

When I started home, the rain had mostly stopped. I left my rain pants on the rack and wore my raincoat for just the first few miles. Broken branches and standing water had brought auto traffic to a halt on part of the route, so I made quite good time.

Paul

The Rob

I miss a good thunderstorm. The missus and I spent most of our lives in Texas and so saw some real bangers over the years. Here in Portland we're protected to the east and west by mountain ranges. We've heard a handful of rumbles in the nearly 11 years we've been here. Bah!

Not that I'd relish being on the bike in the middle of a real frog-floater!

-Rob

Rich Clark

Thursday was surreal. Thunderstorms came into the area during evening rush, and for whatever reason I wasn't prepared -- no rain gear, and I'd ridden my lightweight, no-fenders bike.

I set out anyway, of course, and incredibly I never got hit with more than a few drops during the entire 13 miles home. There was lightning to my left, thunder to my right, pitch-black sky in my mirror, big puddles and wet roads in front of me, every vehicle passing me from every direction was dripping... but somehow I was always where the rain wasn't. It was fabulous. I felt like a ghost.

Friday I rode Rainbike. The morning commute was one of those perfect rides -- cool air, sunny skies, gentle breeze. In the evening I got stuck finishing an edit and didn't get out until after 8pm. Again it had rained, but this time it was all over by the time I hit the road. It was chilly, though. I was glad I had socks.

RichC

Dutchy

I rode in 3 days last week Mon, Tues, Thurs, clear blue sky's no wind, about 10ºC/50F warming up to 25ºC/77F during the day. I ride along the foreshore as there is very little traffic and the roads are nice and wide, plenty of people walking, running and riding.
It's 40.5km/25.3ml one way then I get a lift home, traffic too busy at night, and too dark also.
Normally takes about (elapsed time) 1hr13min, best of 1hr9min, worst of 1hr25min, on a road bike with no luggage. If I was to ride the direct way to work it would be 32km/20ml RT, so I would rather have a longer ride once instead of two shorter rides.

It's the best option for my considering I work full time and that daylight savings has now ended.

CHEERS.

Mark.

Juha

This morning (Monday) was my second commute this year. Great weather, although somewhat chilly. +4C when I left home, but dry and sunshine and a slight tail wind. A pleasant ride (16kms / 10 miles). I usually don't have any extra time during my morning commutes so I'm pretty much limited to the straightest route. This morning I did not mind, as the route follows the sea shore for about 5 kms. I thoroughly enjoyed the magnificent views during the trip. What a way to start the week! I'll remember this morning when I struggle with the strong headwinds and chilly rains later this summer.

--J

nathank

well i commute 10km by bike to work almost every day, maybe twice a month riding the subway instead.

yesterday i had a big MTB race (50km, 1000m vertical - i placed 124th from about 400 in the general age group 20-40) and my legs are sore and i decided today would be a rest day and i would ride the subway...

but then i looked out the window - sunny and warm - maybe 18C/65F and just had to RIDE. so i kept it in lo low gear and did spinning soas not to strain my muscles... wow, what a great beautiful day! took me about 5 minutes longer than usual but who cares...

Tom_The_Bikeman

So far this April missed a day's commute due to a day off (won't count Easter Monday) but I've had the full gamut of cycling weather: downpour (only one thank goodness) hail (I hate hail) and mostly cold, but dry.

This morning, after replacing a front tube, I had a wonderful, warm (8C) fast ride in to work. It's days like this that make up for days like last Friday (got home 5 mins down on time, and totally soaked)

The best part is, it looks like beautiful weather for the beginning of the week! Yea!

ride safely,
tt

chewa

Commuted every day last week (130 ish miles) but not this morning as was blowing a gale and rainy. (I'm getting over a chest infection so felt a bit poorly ...........Violins please)

Allister

It's beautiful weather here as always, although it did take a bit longer to warm up this morning now there's a bit of a chill in the air early in the AM. Still, good ride both ways today. I broke my record each way wide open today. Going in I averaged a smidge under 33km/h. Coming home I did the just over 19km in 32m46s, averaging 34.8km/h. That's about a minute and a half better than my previous best time, and I had a tailwind on that day. I usually average in the high 20s or 31 at most.

I'm feeling pretty stuffed now though.

kobyj

My commute today was so-so.

Saturday I started my new training program. It has me running 45 miles a week now and working my way up to 80 miles per week by July. That wore my legs out a little (I took a few weeks off of running...not good).

Yesterday I participated in a bike race. My legs are still a little sore and tired from that experience.

Today, I had a nice headwind for my entire trip.

Hopefully by Wednesday or Thursday I will have full strength in my legs. Until then, I'll have to just do what my legs feel comfortable doing during my commutes.

aturley

Last week I only did 2 days, 15 miles round trip. I was having trouble convincing myself to ride my commuter after having spent the weekend on my fun, light fixed gear. I actually did the first commute on the fixed gear since I left my lunch at the office the day before. Going in was great, coming home was fine until I hit the wind. Two miles into the wind, one of them uphill. It probably doesn't sound bad to some people, but for me it was a little tiring. The next day was basically the same ride, only on my commuter bike.

andy

Richard D

Bright sunny morning, and warm enough for a short sleeved jersey and bib-knickers. I took a slightly roundabout route to go past some apple orchards, that are in full blossom. Many of the coppices and woods I passed were carpeted in bluebells, sometimes mixed with pink campion, or white queen anne's lace. The hedgerows are packed with wildflowers at the moment, many of which I can't name.

I don't pass much pasture on the route I took this morning, but there are still a few lambs about. The first nine miles of the commute were very pleasant.

One I reached the main road, the ride is a little dull until I get to the outskirts of Canterbury - Thanington-Without to be precise. Traffic here was stop start and at that annoying speed where it hardly seems worth overtaking, but is still slowing you down.

Canterbury traffic was busy, so I came off the ring-road temporarily cutting round the side of the bus-station (cyclists, Taxis and buses only) and rejoining at the next roundabout.

Not a bad commute.

Richard

Gus Riley

I rode a lot in Korea both in 1983-84 and later in 1998-99. Those years of riding were extremely rewarding to me. I lived in England from 1979-82, unfortunately I wasn't riding then. I did have a sports car and enjoyed the driving. My commute to work everyday was about 40 miles from Fakenham (East Anglia) to RAF Lakenheath. A good portion of it was over some backcountry roads. In retrospect, I think it would have been fantastic to have ridden some parts of that commute in those years.

I read the posts from you’ all from England, Scotland, Europe and Australia and they really set me to thinking about your everyday rides. I would love to experience your commutes.

We do plan to visit N. Ireland in a year or so, and we'll have our tandem in tow then. We're looking forward to that.

IowaParamedic

I left a little later from work this morning to return to home following my overnight shift. The traffic was less. I kept feeling disappointed because there weren't lines of cars to breeze past. That makes me smile knowing I am free on my bike and they are stuck in the cage.

Dutchy

Hey Allister, from memory you ride an MTB, that's an impressive speed, you must have had some serious aggression just waiting to be expelled. I just love those days when you go absolutely flat-out for the whole ride, feeling invincible. Of course that feeling ends when you stop and try to walk after the ride.

I'm glad we don't ride the same route, you would be impossible to drop.

CHEERS.

Mark

Allister

Hehe. It wasn't so much aggression as ambition. I'd had a fast ride in, so I figured it was the right day to go for the record.

I've dropped back to my more typical speed since then, averaging about 29-31km/h. Yes I do ride an MTB, but it is a reasonably light Cannondale, with 1.25" slicks pumped to 100psi. My top gear is about 104 gear inches. I'm not sure I'd be much faster on a road bike, although I'd love to try.

Actually right up until about 2 kay from home when I hit a couple of small hills, my average was sitting on 35.7, and it was still over 35 right up until I decellerated to stop at my house. I was playing a little game that I sometimes play with myself where I try to keep that little comparator arrow pointing upwards as much as possible ie. always ride at above the average speed. Of course as you go, the average gets higher, and it gets tougher to keep it in the positive, but that's part of the game. It certainly makes for fast riding, but I made it especially hard for myself on Monday by hitting 61km/h within the first couple of kay of the ride, which put the average up pretty high right off the bat.

Dutchy

I also have a Cannondale MTB with 1.5" slicks, no suspension, and it is <10% slower than my road bike, so I will usually ride it on longer rides because it is a bit more comfortable, takes more of a beating on bumpy country roads and is less susceptible to flats. I just love this bike, it is a large size frame so I can ride in a more stretched out position than an upright position.

My next road bike will be a Cannondale also, just have to convince Anna that a bike is more important than fencing, landscaping, pergola etc.

CHEERS.

Mark

chewa

My commute today was lovely. Average 14 mph fine Scottish spring morning (sunny but not warm!)

Might be a bit windy going home though.

Juha

I've only commuted for three days now, but I'm starting to get the pieces together: I felt a bit chilly during Mon-Tue commutes so I wore a more windproof coat Tuesday evening as well as this morning. Much better!

The saddle of my new commute bike and my backside are getting to know each other surprisingly fast. I expected a couple of weeks of agony there, but that doesn't seem to happen. I don't mind.

My metabolism also seems to get a boost, as I'm ravenously hungry most of the time. The plan is to lose some weight ("some" = 10kgs or so in my case), so I try to watch what I eat. Normal home food, mostly, but only reasonable amounts of it.

Allister: your speed is awesame from my point of view. I don't have a shower here at work, so I have to be a bit conservative in the mornings. My net average currently hovers somewhere around 24km/h. Riding back home I've averaged 29-30 km/h, but it would be very difficult for me to do anything remotely productive for an hour or so after such a ride.

--J

Matadon

You guys aren't helping my frustration; it's been windy around here recently, and my commuter has a very upright riding position, giving me the full force of whatever headwind I happen to be facing. My average speed last October was around 30-33 km/h, and now I'm around 22-25 km/h, and feeling like a squished toad.

(Probably doesn't help that I've added a rack, trunk, panniers, heavier tires, and Slime liners since then, too...)

Today's commute was great; warm-ish morning, no traffic, and I found a much more pleasant route to work. That, and of all things, I had a *tailwind* today! I haven't had one of those in a long time...

IowaParamedic

I had a big 20+ mph tailwind today. I got to fly past 5 blocks of cars backed up at a stop light (for no apparent reason). The bike lane was clear. I guess an bike lane has some advantages.

Headwind for the way home tomorrow.