40 mile commute possible ?

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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Mick F
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by Mick F »

[XAP]Bob wrote:After all in theory they are getting a fitter, healthier, more productive work force.
Oh I agree! Deffo!

The trouble is, if electric bikes, and cars for that matter, become popular and plentiful, someone somewhere is gong to kick up stink about their increased electricity bills.

The temptation to plug one's bike (or car) into a three-pin socket at work may be too much to resist ........... until the boss gets his bill!

It's one thing to charge your rechargeable bike lights - like I used to do - but propulsion batteries could be a step too far.
Mick F. Cornwall
Mark R
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by Mark R »

Very rough calculation:

Uk average price per kw/hr: 15 pence

Electricity req'd to charge an average E-bike battery: 0.5 kw/hr - so 7.5 pence per charge.

So 5 charges at work will cost them 37.5 pence. (probably much less, as commercial electricity is cheaper)

I think if you brought some biscuits or a cake to work once a week, everyone would be happy :D
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Mick F
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by Mick F »

Yes, but what if all the production line of workers did the same?
Mick F. Cornwall
Mark R
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by Mark R »

Then presumably the boss would be ecstatic; he could sell the car park, or use it for something far more productive :wink:
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Mick F wrote:Yes, but what if all the production line of workers did the same?


40p per week - 200 workers:
£80 per week - less than the cost of one sick day probably...

Annual cost per worker ~ 7.5p*250days is less than £20.
Any office that kicks up much fuss at that cost isn't worth working for (if avoidable).
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
aprildavy
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by aprildavy »

I'm commuting once a week 25 miles there and back. Get up at 5am, leave at 6pm, stop at 7am for a few minutes to have a drink and something to eat, average about 14-15 mph, sometimes a bit less on a Dawes Galaxy. Country roads, dual carriage way, quite busy roads through a town, plus 6 miles on a cycle path, fairly flattish. I plan to do it twice a week when I get fitter if I can. At the moment it's pretty much in darkness all the time. I bought a Schmidt dyno hub and edelux light which is fantastic, too bright for the dog walkers I encounter who keep complaning it is too bright si it is working.

I only go if the weather is near perfect - I'm not prepared to risk the traffic on bad weather days.

It's a great experience seeing the stars, the wildlife etc. You can always stop at a garage and get a cup of coffee nowdays!

I used to cycle a bit when younger, started more in earnest a year or so ago - 51 years old now. I basically got fitter by tackling a lot of hills here in Dorset. Yes it is possible but I found the first few return trips hard, dead muscles, long recovery time. Now recovery time is much faster. In fact I find the work much easier on the days I cycle because I'm thinking about the cycling most of the time!

I'd encourage your partner to try it after doing a similar sort of distance in one day, or an afternoon at a weekend. If you can do it okay at the weekend then it should be ok on the commute. He/She will know if they are up to it by knowing how they feel after a similar run at the weekends. I would try to get fittish before trying the commute, because on my 49th mile I still need to be alert, and be able to put the foot down in traffic if need be.

Go for it!
iviehoff
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by iviehoff »

When I lived in Chesham (NW of London, 6 miles outside M25), I told my doctor I cycled daily. She asked if I cycled the whole way to central London, which would have been about 25 miles each way - and rather hilly at the country end. I expressed astonishment anyone would do that, but she told me one of her patients did.

When I lived between Coulsdon and Banstead, I cycled into London during a few rail strikes, which was about 17 miles each way. It took me about 1h20 in the morning, which was only about 15 mins slower than my usual commute by train and bus. But going home in the evening it was more like 1h40, mainly due to tiredness/hunger. I thought about doing it regularly, on the view that I would surely get quicker/fitter with practice. But I didn't stay there much longer.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by [XAP]Bob »

iviehoff wrote:When I lived in Chesham (NW of London, 6 miles outside M25), I told my doctor I cycled daily. She asked if I cycled the whole way to central London, which would have been about 25 miles each way - and rather hilly at the country end. I expressed astonishment anyone would do that, but she told me one of her patients did.

When I lived between Coulsdon and Banstead, I cycled into London during a few rail strikes, which was about 17 miles each way. It took me about 1h20 in the morning, which was only about 15 mins slower than my usual commute by train and bus. But going home in the evening it was more like 1h40, mainly due to tiredness/hunger. I thought about doing it regularly, on the view that I would surely get quicker/fitter with practice. But I didn't stay there much longer.


Speed increases with practise, extra food will deal with the hunger :)
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Robzere31
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by Robzere31 »

My commute was a round trip of 50 miles (Dudley to Redditch) which I did 3 - 4 days a week, depending on how I felt through the week.
To start with it was a killer, but a couple of months in I found it quite managable.
Average time in was 1h 30mins, home run was a little longer at around 1h 45mins, but I have since moved to Redditch so my commute is now only 8 miles a day.

Have to make up the distance with a good weekend blast, or a long route home. :D
PH
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by PH »

Mark R wrote:Then presumably the boss would be ecstatic; he could sell the car park, or use it for something far more productive :wink:


Indeed, the Dft estimate the average cost of providing a workplace parking space is £400 pa.
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Mick F
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by Mick F »

I think it is pie in the sky to think a whole workforce could go over the electric bikes. Perhaps some staff could, but most would still want cars, even though they could be electric. Car parking would have to stay.

I take the point about the cheapness of charging electric bikes, but wouldn't cars be much more expensive?
Mick F. Cornwall
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NUKe
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by NUKe »

My employer has charging points in the bike shed specifically for electric bikes. A car parking space is worth about 400 per anum here so every one encouraged out of there cars is a saving for the company, even if the company has to provide electricty, the company also produces its own electricity with a small CHP plant on site.

It also provides charging points for electric cars for staff and visitors. Site maintenance now use electric vehichles for heating engineers plumbers etc.
NUKe
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Mark R
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by Mark R »

I take the point about the cheapness of charging electric bikes, but wouldn't cars be much more expensive?


Yes they certainly would, in my estimation 20 times more expensive:

The latest, most efficient electric cars consume around 200 - 300 watt-hours/mile so 40 miles worth of electric would cost something like £1.50 vs 7.5 pence for the electric bike.

Actually the comparison between the electric bicycle and the electric car probably favours the bike even more because the above figures assume that :

1, The elctric bike rider won't put in that much effort.

2, The electric car driver will drive efficiently, for example; not accelerating towards red lights and then braking etc, etc.
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Robert
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by Robert »

iviehoff wrote:When I lived between Coulsdon and Banstead........... going home in the evening it was more like 1h40, mainly due to tiredness/hunger.


Both those places are quite a bit uphill from Central London. I used to commute from Carshalton Beeches three or four days a week - about 11 miles. When I first started I found the last mile a struggle.


P-pitstop,
If he wants and excuse for N+1, what about a nice folder like an Airnimal. He could ride in and bring it home on the train.
BigTim
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Re: 40 mile commute possible ?

Post by BigTim »

:idea: About a year ago I had a (rare) brainwave whilst trying to figure out how to squeeze in more cycling around a demanding job that involved a lot of driving.

In a nutshell, I cover six counties managing staff and doing sales and consultancy work for clients. I would usually cover one county at a time over approximately one week and then work in another area the following week. My idea was to put my bike in the car, drive to my first appointment, ask if I could leave my car there for the day and travel to my remaining 3 or 4 appointments by bike, returning at the end of the day and driving home.

Once I had got my head round some of the practical aspects of doing this such as timing the length of appointments and the riding distance between them and clothing etc, I found it was relatively easy to do. It is hugely enjoyable and my fitness has increased dramatically and arriving by bike attracts a lot of positive comments from the people I meet during the day.

It isn't something I can manage every day but certainly every second day is do-able.

Could this be something other companies could encourage their staff to do - sales reps etc?

Some of the people I work with are already giving it a try. :D
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
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