How fast do folks commute?

dgk said:

Today was a very good day on my fairly new commute. 14.887 miles in
1:15:39, average 11.8. Usually it takes me around 1:25 @ 10.6 or so
but I clearly had the wind for this one. I'll likely pay for that on
the way home tonight.

I do tend to sort of lazy along most of the time and don't keep track
of cadence, plus my knee has been acting up for the last few months
and I've been trying not to push it hard. I just started physical
therapy to work on building up the other muscles and learning proper
exercises. Apparently just biking alot isn't necessarily a good thing
at my advancing (54) years.

After such a (relatively) blistering pace this morning I was wondering
what other folks do for a commute?

I have a very short commute, just 3.25 miles one way. Hardly enough to
even warm up the muscles. But I average about 10.5 or so on my general
purpose / commute bike.

Ken
--
A bicycle does get you there and more.... And there is always the thin
edge of danger to keep you alert and comfortably apprehensive. Dogs
become dogs again and snap at your raincoat; potholes become personal.
And getting there is all the fun. ~Bill Emerson, "On Bicycling,"
Saturday Evening Post, 29 July 1967

Homepage: http://www.bikesandmoreonline.com/

"dgk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Today was a very good day on my fairly new commute. 14.887 miles in
1:15:39, average 11.8. Usually it takes me around 1:25 @ 10.6 or so
but I clearly had the wind for this one. I'll likely pay for that on
the way home tonight.

Quoted message said:

After such a (relatively) blistering pace this morning I was wondering
what other folks do for a commute?

My commute's a mile or two longer (longer in the winter, I take a route with
more street lighting, less traffic and ice) with about the same total time,
about an hour and ten. It's longer on the way home because that's the more
uphilly direction, more like an hour and twenty. I think my typical average
is ~12.5 mph which sounds pathetic to me.

The fastest I ever did it was with my husband, when we were chasing a guy I
later learned went by "Mando". We were just riding a long, and we saw Mando
off in the distance. My husband looked at me and said, "Let's get him!" When
then took off and informally raced Mando all the way in to work. I remember
running through the swamp at 16+, probably nothing to Dane, but for me,
blazingly fast. I think I got in to work a few strokes over an hour.

On a later commute, I met Mando more formally, and rode in with him in to
work many times. Then he had kids and he and his wife bought a house
someplace else. I saw him at the Tenino rest stop on STP once. Then a few
years alter I saw him wave to me from the window of his mini-van, me on the
bike. I haven't seen him since.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

Claire Petersky wrote:

::
:: The fastest I ever did it was with my husband, when we were chasing
:: a guy I later learned went by "Mando". We were just riding a long,
:: and we saw Mando off in the distance. My husband looked at me and
:: said, "Let's get him!" When then took off and informally raced Mando
:: all the way in to work. I remember running through the swamp at 16+,
:: probably nothing to Dane, but for me, blazingly fast. I think I got
:: in to work a few strokes over an hour.

It think it's a lot of fun to "informally race" someone. Especially if they
are much faster than I.

Roger Zoul said:

It think it's a lot of fun to "informally race" someone. Especially if they
are much faster than I.

Mine's kind of a corollary to that: I can beat a whole bunch of people
.... if they don't know we're racing ;-)

dgk said:

After such a (relatively) blistering pace this morning I was wondering
what other folks do for a commute?

My commute is about 7 miles and is primarily country roads. My average
speed depends on the bike, whether you are counting to or from work,
and the load I'm hauling, but ranges from about 14.5 to 17mph. The low
end is on the converted mountain bike hauling the child's trailer
(a.k.a. the parachute) while going to work and the high end is on my
road bike while going home. As you can tell, there is more climbing
involved going to work.

You mention the advantage of the wind - I matched my overall record
last month. It was first set taking advantage of a tailwind while
riding my road bike. I matched it while taking advantage of an even
better tailwind on my mountain bike!

-Buck

Neil Brooks said:

Roger Zoul said:

It think it's a lot of fun to "informally race" someone. Especially if they
are much faster than I.

Mine's kind of a corollary to that: I can beat a whole bunch of people
... if they don't know we're racing ;-)

That happens a lot on the 59th Street Bridge. I see folks in the
mirror and they're catching up so I have to go faster to keep ahead. I
held one off today pretty well. But lots of them are messengers with
fixies and they tend to blow past me. With the bad knee I have no
chance, and little chance even if I were young and healhy. Those guys
are fast.

Claire Petersky said:

My commute's a mile or two longer (longer in the winter, I take a route with
more street lighting, less traffic and ice) with about the same total time,
about an hour and ten. It's longer on the way home because that's the more
uphilly direction, more like an hour and twenty. I think my typical average
is ~12.5 mph which sounds pathetic to me.

12.5 does sound pathetic unless you're the person doing it. Then you
realize that you're moving along pretty well. I always look at 10.6
and think, wow that's slow!

I like to think that I'm just keeping it down so that I don't stink at
work, although I have no actual evidence linking speed to smell.

dgk said:

... I see folks in the
mirror and they're catching up so I have to go faster to keep ahead. I
held one off today pretty well. But lots of them are messengers with
fixies and they tend to blow past me. With the bad knee I have no
chance, and little chance even if I were young and healhy. Those guys
are fast.

That's a good time to ease up to take a drink, or pull over to tweak your
rear derailleur or "answer your cellphone".

:-D

Quoted message said:

After such a (relatively) blistering pace this morning I was wondering
what other folks do for a commute?

My typical commute is 14 miles each way. Much of it is on bike path,
but the last 5 miles are on city streets (Cambridge, MA). If the
traffic lights cooperate, I do it in ~45 minutes. If the traffic
lights conspire against me, it can take more like an hour.

Josh

Neil Brooks wrote:
:: On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 11:18:35 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
:: <[email hidden]> wrote:
::
::: It think it's a lot of fun to "informally race" someone.
::: Especially if they are much faster than I.
::
:: Mine's kind of a corollary to that: I can beat a whole bunch of
:: people ... if they don't know we're racing ;-)

Well, I've tried that and more times than not, it doesn't work. But my
speed always picks up if I get dropped by a shapely girl. Don't know
why.....

Sorni wrote:
:: dgk wrote:
::
::: ... I see folks in the
::: mirror and they're catching up so I have to go faster to keep
::: ahead. I held one off today pretty well. But lots of them are
::: messengers with fixies and they tend to blow past me. With the bad
::: knee I have no chance, and little chance even if I were young and
::: healhy. Those guys are fast.
::
:: That's a good time to ease up to take a drink, or pull over to tweak
:: your rear derailleur or "answer your cellphone".
::
:: :-D

🙂

Roger Zoul said:

Neil Brooks wrote:
:: On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 11:18:35 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
:: <[email hidden]> wrote:
::
::: It think it's a lot of fun to "informally race" someone.
::: Especially if they are much faster than I.
::
:: Mine's kind of a corollary to that: I can beat a whole bunch of
:: people ... if they don't know we're racing ;-)

Well, I've tried that and more times than not, it doesn't work. But my
speed always picks up if I get dropped by a shapely girl. Don't know
why.....

I dunno' about *winning* that one. I guess I'm all about the *really
close* second ;-)

dgk said:

Today was a very good day on my fairly new commute. 14.887 miles in
1:15:39, average 11.8. Usually it takes me around 1:25 @ 10.6 or so
but I clearly had the wind for this one. I'll likely pay for that on
the way home tonight.

....

Quoted message said:

After such a (relatively) blistering pace this morning I was wondering
what other folks do for a commute?

I've got a few different routes, but the little box usually says the
average is 13.5-14 mph when I get done. By the end of the summer, it
may be up to 15, but tights knock it down quickly when cooler weather hits.

Pat

"dgk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Today was a very good day on my fairly new commute. 14.887 miles in
1:15:39, average 11.8. Usually it takes me around 1:25 @ 10.6 or so
but I clearly had the wind for this one. I'll likely pay for that on
the way home tonight.

I do tend to sort of lazy along most of the time and don't keep track
of cadence, plus my knee has been acting up for the last few months
and I've been trying not to push it hard. I just started physical
therapy to work on building up the other muscles and learning proper
exercises. Apparently just biking alot isn't necessarily a good thing
at my advancing (54) years.

After such a (relatively) blistering pace this morning I was wondering
what other folks do for a commute?

I have an 18 mile commute. It's uphill on the way in, so I do it in an hour
and ten minutes. I'm usually home in 50 minutes. That, of course, is unless
Mother Nature decides to give me a headwind both ways. Gotta love the Gulf
Coast.

Gooserider said:

"dgk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Today was a very good day on my fairly new commute. 14.887 miles in
1:15:39, average 11.8. Usually it takes me around 1:25 @ 10.6 or so
but I clearly had the wind for this one. I'll likely pay for that on
the way home tonight.

I do tend to sort of lazy along most of the time and don't keep track
of cadence, plus my knee has been acting up for the last few months
and I've been trying not to push it hard. I just started physical
therapy to work on building up the other muscles and learning proper
exercises. Apparently just biking alot isn't necessarily a good thing
at my advancing (54) years.

After such a (relatively) blistering pace this morning I was wondering
what other folks do for a commute?

I have an 18 mile commute. It's uphill on the way in, so I do it in an hour
and ten minutes. I'm usually home in 50 minutes. That, of course, is unless
Mother Nature decides to give me a headwind both ways. Gotta love the Gulf
Coast.

AH yes, thats one thing about the wind along the gulf, it often changes
directions about once and hour! Here in south Florida it is usually out
of the east in the morning and the west in the afternoon and evening.

Ken
--
A bicycle does get you there and more.... And there is always the thin
edge of danger to keep you alert and comfortably apprehensive. Dogs
become dogs again and snap at your raincoat; potholes become personal.
And getting there is all the fun. ~Bill Emerson, "On Bicycling,"
Saturday Evening Post, 29 July 1967

Homepage: http://www.bikesandmoreonline.com/

dgk said:

Today was a very good day on my fairly new commute. 14.887 miles in
1:15:39, average 11.8. Usually it takes me around 1:25 @ 10.6 or so
but I clearly had the wind for this one. I'll likely pay for that on
the way home tonight.

I do tend to sort of lazy along most of the time and don't keep track
of cadence, plus my knee has been acting up for the last few months
and I've been trying not to push it hard. I just started physical
therapy to work on building up the other muscles and learning proper
exercises. Apparently just biking alot isn't necessarily a good thing
at my advancing (54) years.

After such a (relatively) blistering pace this morning I was wondering
what other folks do for a commute?

Whether you do 8 MPH or 18 doesn't matter just so you get a little
exercise and don't waste a car on it. You may be doing 10.6 or 11.8 but
you may soon find yourself doing 13, 14, 15, or even more without really
noticing the extra effort. I have you beat at 57 and go through a yearly
cycle of getting out of shape in the winter (I hate rain) and back in
shape starting in the spring. I usually start at about 12 and work back
up to 15 to 16 at what seems to be the same amount of effort.
As far as just biking, you are correct there. If you have any hills you
can walk or hike that would be a good thing. Another thing that I used
to do is take my boat out without the motor and row about 5 miles, both
pull rowing and then push rowing from the other seat. I was lucky then
since I had a house on a lake, but if you have the chance to even rent a
boat it is great to be outdoors and getting a workout. Gyms are just so
boring.
Sum; Any exercise is good exercise.
Bill Baka

"dgk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Today was a very good day on my fairly new commute. 14.887 miles in
1:15:39, average 11.8. Usually it takes me around 1:25 @ 10.6 or so
but I clearly had the wind for this one. I'll likely pay for that on
the way home tonight.

I do tend to sort of lazy along most of the time and don't keep track
of cadence, plus my knee has been acting up for the last few months
and I've been trying not to push it hard. I just started physical
therapy to work on building up the other muscles and learning proper
exercises. Apparently just biking alot isn't necessarily a good thing
at my advancing (54) years.

After such a (relatively) blistering pace this morning I was wondering
what other folks do for a commute?

I have a 23 mile one way commute. But a lot of factors come into play.
So it typically takes me from about 1 hr and 30 min to over 2 hours on some
days. Those stiff head winds can slow you way down.
I have been averaging around 13.6 to 14.5 most of the time. On a good day I
did 16.29 for a average going home once when I was pretty frisky and had a
tailwind too..
But when I have to fight the headwinds I have averaged around 12.6 mph.
My commute route has hills, some overpasses, traffic, stop lights, good
roads and bad roads.
Plus I ride a steel framed touring bike with fenders, lights, racks and
panniers along with a hydration backpack. So I am fairly weighted down too.
But when I ride my stripped down lightweight road bike, it sure feels
great.🙂
There is nothing wrong with stopping to "smell the roses" along the way.
Nothing says you have to kill yourself to get from point a to point b.
When I first tried this commute it always took me 2 hours to do it. It was
tough, but I perservered and over time it got easier.
Now if I stay around 14mph for a average, after the ride in thirty minutes I
almost feel like I didn't do it at all.🙂

dgk <[email hidden]> wrote in news:fl5742d26fso9lju3aq8gtgmcqd809u33a@
4ax.com:

Quoted message said:

After such a (relatively) blistering pace this morning I was wondering
what other folks do for a commute?

My target, going to work, is 3.6 miles in 15 minutes (14.4 mph.) I usually
meet it or come within two minutes of it. This beats a cab by 10 minutes,
the subway by 12 to 15, and forget about a bus.

Coming home, I take the "long way around." The centerpiec of the homeward
leg is a 5 mile sprint down the Hudson River Greenway; my target is 15
minutes, and I occasionally make it.

My weekend "commute" is the trip out to the beach: 30 miles in 2:35 or
2:40 or so. That's when all my yuppie friends and neighbors are jammed
like sardines in the LIRR or crawling along the Montauk Highway.

--ag

dgk said:

After such a (relatively) blistering pace this morning I was wondering
what other folks do for a commute?

My normal route is 6.9 miles each way, with work being down in the
river valley (well, up the other side a bit) and home being uphill.

It would normally take me half an hour each way. I ride in slowly to
minimize sweating (since I ride in business casual work clothes). It
takes much more effort, but it's a point of pride to make it home in
half an hour, traffic lights and all.

Well, it _used_ to be a point of pride. I had a depressingly inactive
winter, so I'm overweight, out of shape, and "more mature" than ever
before. Lately my _riding_ time has been just under 30 minutes; my
_total_ time has been about 32 minutes.

And being more mature, I'm working on finding a way to accept that.
<sigh>

- Frank Krygowski