Cyclists - how far do you commute to work?

[Maccy]

There's no way I'd commute by bicycle in London. Motorbike, yes. Cycle, no chance.

I wouldn't want to do either, being in a car is bad enough!

 

[Shadowness]

Everytime I visit London, I'm amazed how many stupid tourists step cross the road on red, to be almost taken out by a bike (or motorbike)

 

[Diddums]

There's no way I'd commute by bicycle in London. Motorbike, yes. Cycle, no chance.

Pretty sure you need a bike that works for that.

 

[Dup]

I used to cycle 20 miles each way. I now run 3 miles each way (or more if I fancy adding some on, did a half marathon before work the other week).

 

[Shadowness]

I'll start running home every Friday (or maybe every other Friday) soon. I need to to be at the stage where a half marathon is a piece of cake, so a 15 mile run home will get me in the right direction.

 

[Spuj]

I don't do it regularly at all but it''s 10 miles each way. Work is actually at a higher elevation than home so it takes me 10 minutes longer to get in then it does to get home!

I'm going to try and do at least 1 day a week this year starting next month until the late autumn!

 

[TallPaul_S]

Pretty sure you need a bike that works for that.

Ooh, burn!

If I was doing a london commute I'd get something like the VFR again.

 

[Orionaut]

I had a colleague back in 2003 who started to cycle to work to get fitter.

2 weeks in he got knocked off and broke his arm and ankle I kid you not. Don’t think he ended up feeling much fitter.

I began 6 years ago and I've had 5x A&E attendances featuring 4 dislocated shoulders (2 each), 5 broken ribs and a fractured right elbow.
Four of them were black ice but I've got Ice Spikers on now

My sister had a colleague back around 2003-2004 who started cycling to work to get fitter - went under a lorry :|

These days especially there is no way I'd cycle to work unless there was cycle paths the whole way - used to do it when I was a student.

Guy at work got his hip and femur broken. Bed bound for months.

Now back cycling, 6 months(ish) later.

Proof Positive that anybody who actually chooses to cycle on the public highway meets the criteria for sectioning under the terms of the mental health act!

 

[BoyceyLDN]

I do 20 miles each way, it's tough to begin with but your body adapts quickly, I'm now skinny and can eat pretty much whatever I want, feel fit and get sick less often.

For me it has been win win.

How much weight did you end up losing? What was your starting weight? When did you start cycling this commute?

 

[Shadowness]

I'm sure the money I save in fuel is offset by the extra food I eat by being more hungry all the time from exercising more!

 

[Meaker]

Mine is a hybrid, I cycle to the station (5 minutes) then cycle from the destination to work (12 minutes) so about 34 minutes of cycling a day.

 

[bimbleuk]

For me it was to combine exercise with saving some money. Great feeling to arrive home after a decent commute knowing all I had to do was eat and relax!

I'd been static cycling/rowing before this for years but just got bored of it. Now with Smart trainers and Zwift indoor exercise is interesting again so I can do that in the colder months avoiding the cold & dark rides to and from work.

 

[Marky]

I'm looking into getting a bike and cycling into work - It'll be around 10 miles each way.

Want to do it for fitness rather than anything else - If I could teleport to work I would

 

[SDK^]

I used to ride to work 20 miles each way during Spring to Autumn, then I had a child and couldn't continue this

 

[matthab]

2 miles down hill through forest and common land, so much fun on my hard tail. However I have to go up the same hill all the way home, not so much fun.

 

[Ranger07]

How much weight did you end up losing? What was your starting weight? When did you start cycling this commute?

I've been cycling for 3 years now, started at 81-82kg now I'm always between 70-73kg @ 183cm. It's more than just commuting though I'm quite into cycling now and enter the odd event and do long distances when I have free time.

I should probably add I live in a rural area and I'm lucky to only pass about 3-4 cars each way on empty country roads.

 

[SeatIbiza]

I used to do circa 8 miels each way. Wimbledon Common, Putney Hill, Fulham, Queen's Gate, through Hyde Park and end up in Paddington. Did that every day for 5/6 years and it was FAR better than the tube. I splashed out on a bike justifying it against not have £120 a month travel card and off I went. Still ahve said bike, a Boardman Hybrid Pro and I still use it now but my commute is less than 2 miles return!

I recommend it, but London is getting worse and worse with more and more cyclists, a lot of whom don't have a clue and don't wear helmets etc.

 

[Gixer]

Mine is currently 6.5miles each way which is a nice distance. I've also had commutes of 11 miles each way in the past and did that 5 days a week too in any weather for a couple of years, bicycle was my only transport. I still cycle in any weather now, it's just about having the right clothing to wear.

You could do three days a week for the first two weeks then on the third week on cycle every day. That might ease you into it a little easier. If you get sore sit bones that's perfectly normal. It'll hurt for a few days but once your butt has hardened up you won't get it again unless you have a big lay off cycling.

 

['Wes]

13 miles each way.

 

[FishFluff]

3 miles each way. I get to feel pretty smug in a segregated cycle lane as I glide past car drivers stuck in jams most of the way.