Question for those 5 day a week + commuters

[Gooner Mad Dog]

I do 22 miles a day, I'm 48 and enjoy the odd day I dont cycle which is when Arsenal are playing at home or am going on a beer mission, I think a long and very warm bath on a Wed or Thurs eve helps though.

 

[gb155]

I'm doing 37miles a day at the moment and riding on the weekend. is that close enough?

A lot of comments are from people who are close to the op's distance

 

[Melonfish]

i'm not doing anywhere near your mileage but i have recently upped my commute its now 7.5miles each way
i've noticed that i am tired at night, legs ache but not so bad that i can't walk the next day. i sometimes work saturdays and sundays so i'll cycle them too. 2 days for me is usually enough to recover a fair bit, but then i've been cycling a while.
if i do a really long ride say 25-50 miles it'll take me a day or so to recover from that, perhaps a recovery ride the day after then rest the next

 

[bushy]

I used to commute 72-75 miles a day, that was too much, all i did was eat sleep cycle or work. Moved closer to work and now do 31-35 miles a day and that's much more sensible!
Most important thing is sleep, any less than 8 hours a night and I feel it on the bike, other thing is food, eat plenty of good food, particularly at work, don't just rely on a sandwich, it won't be enough! Also make sure you drink plenty of water, easy to get dehydrated at work if you're not careful.
Another thing to consider is the quality of the bike you're riding.
I've just bought a new Trek FX7.5 Hybrid which has cut my journey time by a good 10 minutes each way, 20 minutes a day. I'm also finding it less tiring. Old bike was a Carrera hybrid, big heavy and far from the greatest but did a job and clocked up about 6000 miles on it before it started completely falling to bits . This week though, first week on the new bike and really wishing I'd changed a year ago.

 

[400bhp]

I used to commute 72-75 miles a day, that was too much, all i did was eat sleep cycle or work. Moved closer to work and now do 31-35 miles a day and that's much more sensible!
Most important thing is sleep, any less than 8 hours a night and I feel it on the bike, other thing is food, eat plenty of good food, particularly at work, don't just rely on a sandwich, it won't be enough! Also make sure you drink plenty of water, easy to get dehydrated at work if you're not careful.
Another thing to consider is the quality of the bike you're riding.
I've just bought a new Trek FX7.5 Hybrid which has cut my journey time by a good 10 minutes each way, 20 minutes a day. I'm also finding it less tiring. Old bike was a Carrera hybrid, big heavy and far from the greatest but did a job and clocked up about 6000 miles on it before it started completely falling to bits . This week though, first week on the new bike and really wishing I'd changed a year ago.

Do I have this right.

You commuted 5 days a week, 75 miles a day, on a Carrera Subway?

 

[BSRU]

been doing it since nov last year. not sure if it should get better



thanks eat like a horse at lunch and at home have 2 protien shakes a day as well clean lube bike fully every weekend much to misses anoyence "its just a bike it doesnt need that much attention"

thanks all for the advice think i will try take every other wed "off" see if that help thou it £30 a day train fair

As well as protein shakes maybe you should electrolyte replacement drinks as well, from what I have been reading replacing them after exercise is quite important in order to aid recovery.
You could always try an ice cold bath when you return home

 

[bushy]

Do I have this right.

You commuted 5 days a week, 75 miles a day, on a Carrera Subway?

Not sure if it was a carrera subway, was a halfords bike that said carrera on it, fairly rubbish, very heavy but cost me £35 second hand. was not used for long on my long commute but has been used daily since last september to the tune of 5000 miles.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

I have Friday legs on Monday.

Or Wednesday,next week it will be Monday.

 

[MichaelO]

(Newbie alert!). Having just done a 45 mile commute (into London from the "wrong" side of the North Downs!) for the first time, and only restarted cycling earlier this year after 15+ years away, the idea of doing that more than twice a week makes me feel weak! Or, weaker than I do now, if that's possible!

Friday legs until Monday, methinks!

 

[Crankarm]

Not sure if it was a carrera subway, was a halfords bike that said carrera on it, fairly rubbish, very heavy but cost me £35 second hand. was not used for long on my long commute but has been used daily since last september to the tune of 5000 miles.

• 75 miles a day, 5 days a week = 375 miles a week, 19,500 miles a year.

• Doing this since last september = 10 months = 42 weeks = 375 x 42 = 15,750 miles.

• You say you have ridden 5,000 miles on your Carrera Subway since last september.

Something doesn't add up?

 

[Crankarm]

been doing it since nov last year. not sure if it should get better



thanks eat like a horse at lunch and at home have 2 protien shakes a day as well clean lube bike fully every weekend much to misses anoyence "its just a bike it doesnt need that much attention"

thanks all for the advice think i will try take every other wed "off" see if that help thou it £30 a day train fair

Errrr ............... hay?

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

(Newbie alert!). Having just done a 45 mile commute (into London from the "wrong" side of the North Downs!) for the first time, and only restarted cycling earlier this year after 15+ years away, the idea of doing that more than twice a week makes me feel weak! Or, weaker than I do now, if that's possible!

Friday legs until Monday, methinks!

Well done,that's awesome.Is that one way or return?

 

[MichaelO]

That's 22-23 miles each way. Going to do twice a week for now (if I can), and build up from there. Hoping to avoid some of the Olympic travel chaos at London Bridge

 

[Crankarm]

That's 22-23 miles each way. Going to do twice a week for now (if I can), and build up from there. Hoping to avoid some of the Olympic travel chaos at London Bridge

So you have just ridden into work once so far as you say you are going to do it twice a week if you can?

Is this a commute or just a one off ride?

Commuting is pretty much every day travelling to and from one's daily work. If you have not done much or any cycling for 15 years it would be surprising if you could do more than just a one off ride with a good few days rest to recover before attempting it again. Is your ride hilly? How long did it take you?

 

[subaqua]

I only live 6 miles away but my commit is now 16 miles each way, the only barrier is your imagination

Edit for clarity :not aimed at BSRU but at people who think they live too close to work

I used to live 1.5 Miles from work, the only time i ever did that short was if there was a pressing need to get home quickly or it was proper bad weather.

as you said, imagination (and energy sometimes if its been a gruelling day in work) is your only barrier.

currently doing a nice 8-9 miler direct (ish) route from new site to home. have added extra miles in occasionally . I do have a good rest on a saturday and sunday morning though. I am up at 05.00 but thats going to move to 05.30 after my summer holiday