[jeepwithnoname]

Just curious... what are some of the distances you guys travel on your bike commute? How often? How long does it take? Do you leave one town or city and go to another? If so... what are the names and states of said cities or towns? What about bad weather?

People have been talking me out of commuting on my bike to and from work because it is too far or too dangerous. Just want some input.

Thanks

[BigDumbBear]

My old commute was only a couple miles and I spent a lot of that time in parking lots. I recently got transferred to a new store so my commute has changed to more like 8 miles from Elizabethtown, KY to Radcliff, KY. I mostly ride on the emergency lane of the main 4-lane highway. I have no real worries about the ride. I do suggest a mirror on the helmet or the bike that your can keep an eye on traffic taking the turn lane and wide load trucks that may hang over. My ride can be done in less than half an hour but does require a little time to cool down and change clothes before work. I suggest giving yourself plenty of time to fix a flat if needed and make sure you have the tools and such to do so. I say go for it. I've heard of guys that make a 45 mile commute each way, 5 days a week. One guy would drive in one day with the bike on the rack, ride the bike home that night, then back in the morning. That afternoon, he would drive back home. Another option would be to drive halfway there and ride in the remainder. You may try making the ride on your day off to see how bad it is and not have to worry about making it in on time.

[camilo]

12.5 miles one way. Hilly, but trend downhill and flat in the morning, an uphill slog for the last 7 miles on the return.

[SUX VR40 Rider]

I have 2 route options. One is about 11.75 miles and takes 45 min. to an hour, but is all flat. The other is only about 6 miles, takes about 30 min and is hilly.

[jeepwithnoname]

Keep em comin.... I am started to get fired up about it. My commute is 17 miles each way and mostly flat the whole way. I see a guy doing it everyday and it is inspiring.

[BajaScout]

Mine is about 18 miles one way. Mostly flat, but there is a hill at the very end each way. My average time is 80 minutes each way. There is a bike path for about 50% of the ride. Only one section is a little dangerous and that is only for about 2 blocks due to traffic. The morning trip is in the dark, but traffic is light then. If your route is safe, go for it. I would never go back to commuting in a car unless I had no choice.

[TxCyclist]

It's 2.8 miles round trip plus I do about another mile riding around town for lunch, errands, etc.

To work it's all downhill, I barely have to pedal at all. Coming back home it's all uphill and it's a climb!

[vassago]

the fun way is 16 miles one way, that includes cuttign through a state park's easier mountain bike trails. i use my road-mutter

[Reesh]

My commute is 12 miles each way, a mix of rolling steep hills and long, gradual inclines through downtown St. Louis and the suburbs. It takes about an hour each way with all the stop signs and stop lights. At 5:30 AM, it's nice to own the road

[CTD50]

I only live 2 miles from work, but it's pretty rare that I ride less than 5 miles to work. There's a selection of routes I can take, that pretty much all end up with the last 2-3 miles of MUP, that stretch from the above-mentioned 5 miles to a fun 9+.

Available time, weather, and mood determine which route gets the prize for the day....