43 mile comute?
BY: DaveL on 2011-05-18 12:33 PM

Starting a new job on Monday and its 43 miles away which puts in the range of a good ride. I dont know that I could hack it every day but does anyone else bike these sort of distances as a commute? The ride home might be a real challenge but I think its doable plus I would have time on my side. I would probably start doing it 1 day a week and may be add another day later on.

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: AndrewMT on 2011-05-18 12:43 PM

That's 2 hours to work and 2 hours home!  As great as it would be to have that kind of time, I don't think I could do a 2 hour commute, work for 10+ hrs then ride home 2 hrs and still expect to have time for any other responsibilities!

Once and a while though, it could be a good workout if you're having a hard time getting bike mileage in otherwise. 

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-Andrew

"Triathlon is a winter sport that is just contested in the summer." --newbz

"I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine." --John Galt

"What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence." -- Christopher Hitchens

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: wgraves7582 on 2011-05-18 12:54 PM

Have to agree with Andrew.  Mine is 40 roughly r/t and I would not be too happy having to do 80 a day with the hills I encounter on the way home.  Is it flat or hilly?  That would be the final deciding factor for me.

Can you ride to light rail/bus station 1/2 way or so and still avoid driving?

1x a week I could see it working but you better have some fuel hanging around the office for the ride home.  I eat a ton with just 20 to get home!

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: FoggyGoggles on 2011-05-18 12:57 PM

Yep... I'd drive to a point close to half way and ride the rest. I have this concern with weather liking to change its mind without warning.

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: Av8rTx on 2011-05-18 12:58 PM

It's been done and is doable-even if 2-3 days a week. Takes a bit of planning and a "mind set" but worth a try.
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Sin dolor no hay gloria

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: BigDH on 2011-05-18 1:01 PM

That would be tough. I think an option would be to drive to work with the bike one day, ride home, then ride to work the next morning. If you can do it the same day though, I mean, do it.
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Darren
---The Circle Has No End---
The only thing going long makes me want to do is go LONGER. A little slower, a lot longer.

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: KathyG on 2011-05-18 1:05 PM

This is what I'd suggest unless you have lots of free time before and after work.

Doing this would allow your car can be your bike stuff storage and you can bring the clothes for day 2 to work.

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Dream Big, Train Consistently, Find joy in the journey

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: DaveL on 2011-05-18 1:05 PM

I have no intention of doing it everyday and I can certainly have food at the office. The route has some hills but they are fairly short. Elevation change is approximatly 650feet but overall its a little bit down hill to work. I have rode the route before but I went further to about 60miles and felt perfectly fine afterwards.

I have done 500miles in a month on a trainer and I have a HIM in Spetember so thats the motivation. The issue I have is that I am a student and worked part time so had time during the week to fit in some good rides. With this job Im on a straight 9-5 so I dont see where I will get my biking time in.

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: DaveL on 2011-05-18 1:08 PM

 

Thats a good idea plus give a little more recovery time, I might give that a shot first.

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: bradaskins on 2011-05-18 1:10 PM

Would the commuting be for training or just a ride?

I can't imagine doing a hard ride in the morning for training before work. Then hoping on my bike and riding to work, for that matter doing a run or swim then riding that far to work. I've been toying with working out before work then riding in and I'm only 17 miles from work, 34 round trip. I balk at that.

I think that's a lot of saddle time for commuting but that's me

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Brad
"Train with joy or not at all" -Scott Jones http://www.imjcoaching.com/
Never shake the hand of a distance runner with one sock" - Av8rTx
http://bradaskins.blogspot.com/

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: GLC1968 on 2011-05-18 1:20 PM

X3 

My commute is 21 miles each way and this is the only way I can find the time to do it.  It's particularly helpful for motivation in the early (and often dark) morning when I have no choice but to get up and bike in since my car is already at work!   Having a place to store stuff at work (in the car) is also helpful if you don't have an office or lockers or whatever.

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"We dwarfs are natural sprinters - very dangerous over short distances!" ~Gimli

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: rayd on 2011-05-18 1:20 PM

My commute to work is not quite that far but close...35-miles one way.  I work 10-hour days so it's not something that I can do often but last year I think I commuted by bike at least 10x.  I leave the house about 400am and there are showers at my office.  So I can usually be done with the commute, showered and at my desk by 630am.  If I leave work at 500 and have a tailwind I might be home by 700.  But usually it's closer to 730.  I have a family so that impacts on if I can ride or not as well.  Kids will be out of school soon so that might help me schedule a ride to/from work. For various reasons I have not made the commute yet in 2011.  Maybe this Friday?

As far as leaving the car at work and riding home and then back in the next day.  I've done that but my body seems to enjoy it more when I do the commute to/from better on the same day.  Also, I consider my work commute a training ride...at least portions of it.

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: DaveL on 2011-05-18 1:24 PM

I would certainly look at it as my long z2 training ride so not max intensity but not crusing on the beach either. I would still have a short bike/run, 3 runs and 2 swims to round out the week.

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: SoberTriGuy on 2011-05-18 1:31 PM

My Commute is only about 5 miles, so I throw an 18-19 mile ride in almost every morning, then go home, get the kids off to school, then bike to work (2-3 times per week).

I like the idea of leaving your car at work....

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Minnetonka, MN

Jesus does hand farts when he prays for me.

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: wgraves7582 on 2011-05-18 1:40 PM

You would be waking up awfully early to ride so you could always do your training ride at home, shower, and then drive into work.  If I didn't have to be in until 9 I might contemplate this but I can get in at 7:00 and leave after 8 hours so it makes that decision easier.

I wasn't doubting your ability.  I just know how I feel at times after working all day and having to ride home still.  Trust me if the car was in the ramp I would drive too many times to count.  Getting to work is never an issue on the other hand.  Must be because coming into work is all downhill and going home is all uphill (with a general headwind 90% of the time!)

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: DaveL on 2011-05-18 1:57 PM

thanks for the advice, Im sure it wont be a walk in the park but thats kind of the point. I think I will drive in with the bike on the car and bike home then bike back in the next morning. The weather will be a factor as I would rather not have to do it in the rain. I will be sure to update to let you know of the disaster ride.

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: wgraves7582 on 2011-05-18 2:03 PM

Keep us posted and get ready for weird looks from co-workers.  I am an alien and it is only 20 miles.  They would commit me if it were double that!  Be safe on the roads my friend!!

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: spudone on 2011-05-18 2:19 PM

Where I live, you can put your bike on a rack on a city bus.  If my commute was that far, I'd probably take the bus to work.  That way I wouldn't have to worry about changing, shower, etc.  Then make the ride home.

RE: 43 mile comute?
BY: trix on 2011-05-18 3:27 PM

i am sure there would be some benefit to this but how hard are you really going to ride this?  i doubt it will be a hard effort because you have to work, do you have a shower? 

40 miles = 2 hrs at 20 mph if there are lights or traffic it will slow you down significantly.

quality over quantity.