Author Topic: Help me prolong my commute  (Read 6373 times)

Hoerwolle

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Help me prolong my commute
« on: January 15, 2014, 03:09:04 AM »
Hello Fellow Mustachians!

This is a bit tongue in cheek and humblebragging, but I still would like to hear your ideas. The situation is this: last autumn my employer moved and my lazy commute of 1.5km grew to 5.5km (one way). The track is marvellous, passing gardens, a stream, meadows and fields.

And when the move was announced, I was happy: about one hour of free workout on my bike every day! Thinking of all the muscles I'd gain and all the weight I would lose!

Now, four months later, exactly this happend: I lost some weight and gained some more muscles (and was able to get a much better bike for very little money, but that's another story). But my commuting time dropped severely through my newly improved fitness. When I started biking this distance, it took me 35m there and 25m back - 60m per day err'day. Today I am down to 20-25m there and 15-20m back - barely more than half an hour workout! And even the steep hill that forced me to shove my bike at the beginning I now manage to climb properly.

Any ideas to make my commute longer? Any fun challenges I could add or ideas to make interesting detours I could do more or less every day?

This_Is_My_Username

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Re: Help me prolong my commute
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2014, 04:11:10 AM »
ride to the top of the nearest peak/lookout.

join the local road cycling club.  many have bunch rides that start and finish before normal office working hours.  e.g. 6am - 7.30am.

GuitarStv

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Re: Help me prolong my commute
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2014, 06:19:57 AM »
There are plenty of ways to lengthen your commute:
- Adjust your seat too low.
- Use only one gear.
- Adjust the brakes poorly so that they're rubbing on your rims.
- Get a trailer and tow around some cinder blocks.

 . . . but those all suck.


I like to run errands after work on my bike . . . visit the library, pick up/drop off mail at the post office, get some groceries, pick up stuff from the hardware store, etc.  Depending on how far away these are from your house this can lengthen your cycling time significantly.

golfer44

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Re: Help me prolong my commute
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2014, 07:39:41 AM »
How about bike there, bike halfway back, turn around and go back again?

prodarwin

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Re: Help me prolong my commute
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2014, 07:45:53 AM »
On the way back, stop and do 20 burpees every km.  Same with the way there, if you can shower when you arrive.

aj_yooper

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Re: Help me prolong my commute
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2014, 07:56:24 AM »
It's OK to take the long way home.

Cromacster

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Re: Help me prolong my commute
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2014, 08:51:36 AM »
Start running/jogging to work.  Eventually, once you reach the level of elite runners you will run this distance in 13 mins.  When that no longer does it for you, start bear crawling it.  Once you become as fit as a bear, you will cover this distance in about 12 mins.  At this point you should be ready to do one of two things.....Retire or hibernate.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Help me prolong my commute
« Reply #7 on: January 15, 2014, 08:57:46 AM »
On your non-work days, ride a loop in the same area. You'll quickly find new paths you could add in. I add ~2 extra miles to my return commute to get a longer ride (and also to avoid an intersection that it's really difficult to make a left-turn on a bike).

Don't make your commute in longer. Make your return commute longer.

Hoerwolle

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Re: Help me prolong my commute
« Reply #8 on: January 15, 2014, 09:47:29 AM »
Thanks for your ideas so far! :)

I think I will try neither the bike-pooling nor the bear-crawling, although I am tempted! But I think I will do some exploring in the area and look for alternative routes or vistas I could regularly visit.

The errand running is already included - I recently checked it on G'maps and if I ride home through the town, visiting all the necessary stores, I add only 1km to the trip.

aclarridge

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Re: Help me prolong my commute
« Reply #9 on: January 15, 2014, 09:55:08 AM »
Go home for lunch.

HayMaker

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Re: Help me prolong my commute
« Reply #10 on: January 15, 2014, 10:14:39 AM »
Switch to a unicycle.

Jamesqf

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Re: Help me prolong my commute
« Reply #11 on: January 15, 2014, 12:36:35 PM »
Assuming you've got a bike computer (if not, they're cheap), Pick a set number of minutes you're going to ride.  So if you want a half hour workout, but you get to work in 20 minutes, ride 5 minutes past work, then back.

Eric

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Re: Help me prolong my commute
« Reply #12 on: January 15, 2014, 12:49:32 PM »
Start running/jogging to work.  Eventually, once you reach the level of elite runners you will run this distance in 13 mins.  When that no longer does it for you, start bear crawling it.  Once you become as fit as a bear, you will cover this distance in about 12 mins.  At this point you should be ready to do one of two things.....Retire or hibernate.

Hahahhahaa  awesome!