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My work place is 16km away from my home and the route I am traveling has traffic round the clock.

I am planning to get a Kross K- 40 26T Multi Speed Bicycle to travel but I weigh 80kg and I am not fit (have both high and low blood pressure). My friend is scaring me that with this weight and health condition I can't ride 32km per day.

andy256
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Judy Roche
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  • 32km is 20 miles -- 10 miles out and 10 back. This is about the distance I traveled (on rural/suburban roads with moderate traffic) when I first started commuting. The first 3-4 times I made it to work OK but was so sore and tired I had my wife come and haul me home. After that I was able to do the round trip most days (though only every 2-3 days to start). I've never been the picture of health. – Daniel R Hicks Jun 21 '15 at 11:51
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    You can do this if you build up to it. I used to do 25k and I am not particularly fit. My main concern is... do they have a shower at work? I certainly needed it. – Level River St Jun 21 '15 at 13:05
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    Talk to your doctor -- voting to close under medical advice. – Batman Jun 21 '15 at 19:18
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    The bike is a 18.5kg BSO. It is very heavy. It is cheap. Its has a very inefficient riding position. Its the wrong kind of bike for what you want to do. 32km on that would require as much effort as 50km or more on a better suited bike. – mattnz Jun 22 '15 at 04:16
  • For a person in good health, a 16km ride is perfectly reasonable. Doing so again later in the day could prove difficult if not accustomed to cycling. And given your stated medical conditions, this question would be better asked of a medical professional. – jimchristie Jun 22 '15 at 05:35
  • Barring medical advice to the contrary, I would say that it could be a perfectly reasonable goal. Some of the other questions would be: how hilly is the terrain, how flexible is your schedule, will you be able to able to get refreshed when you get to work (take a shower or whatever) or does that matter to you, are you willing to work up to it, do you think you'd like commuting by bike. I think I was in a situation pretty similar to your's it took me a while to get there but now 32 KM feels like fun, 16 is very doable. – dlu Jun 22 '15 at 21:16

5 Answers5

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32km per day is a lot for some one who is out of shape.

I added the [commuter] tag to your post. If you click on it, you'll see hundreds of posts about commuting. Some are like this one, so your question may get closed if it's a duplicate.

Since you know you have health issues, the conservative advice is to discuss your plan with your doctor.

If it's medically ok to go ahead, then start by riding to work one day, then ride home the next day, twice per week. You will need to store your bike somewhere. Gradually build up, until you can ride both ways every day.

So, I agree with your friend, but you can build up to it.

Here is a similar (but not really duplicate) question: First time commuter needs advice. A couple of different answers will be helpful.

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andy256
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    I would even start out by building up slowly to get to 16 km bike rides in the weekend, so your body gets used to it before you add it to the stress of a day at work. – Willeke Jun 21 '15 at 09:02
  • While it is a lot to start with, I don't think you need more than a single month of riding to be fit enough to do it easily. – Davor Jun 21 '15 at 16:19
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I don't know your body condition: so ... "maybe"? Or, "maybe not now, but maybe soon"?

I did 36 km per day (18 km each way): my body is male, aged 50+, weight 75 kg, height 182 cm, but with normal BP.

For the first month or two, I didn't do 5 days/week. Some alternatives for you might include:

  • Fewer days/week
  • Only do it one-way somehow (e.g. cycle there, bus back)
  • Only do it part-way somehow (e.g. cycle-then-bus there, bus-then-cycle back)

Good news is that you can (in theory: your mileage may vary) become fitter: for example if you commute like that for 18 months then you'll have cycled more than 10,000 km and (in my experience, even at my age) your body ought to have adapted.

If you have a medical condition though you should probably talk with your doctor. High blood pressure sounds to me like a risk of stroke, low blood pressure like a risk of fainting, neither of which are healthy while you're cycling in traffic. On the other hand, it's possible that cycling is (if it's good for your health) therefore less of a health-risk than not cycling would be.

I don't entirely like the look of your bike, I'm sorry to say. When I got a new job 18 km away I thought to myself, "I'm going to need to find myself a new apartment, closer to my new work ... or, find myself a better bike." Because I already had a bike for like a 6 km commute, but it wasn't a good bike. A better bike goes much faster much more easily. Things I notice and don't like about your bike include:

  • Full suspension, front and back
  • Knobbly (like mountain-bike-style) tires

If you're "planning to get" this bike, that might be not the right plan: depending on the road conditions, and assuming it is a road, a bike without suspension and with 'slicker' tires might well be better for you.

ChrisW
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  • I agree, though I have to add that 2x16km is really not that much. With proper clothing, proper seating and a comfortable pace everyone should be able to do it. Even if it takes you an hour one-way. I’ve done 2x20km myself in every condition with studded tires and snowstorms in the winter.

    To emphasize your remarks about the bicycle: It’s completly unsuited in my opinion. Something „randonneur“ style (road bike with lights and fenders) would probably be best. Or at least a bicycle with slick tires and no rear suspension.

     – Michael Jun 21 '15 at 16:35
  • It took me an hour each way and I seemed to be relatively fast (i.e. not being overtaken by other bikes). Maybe cycling "in traffic" (e.g. when you stop for traffic lights and stop signs etc.) makes for a slower average speed than you're used to being able to manage on a road bike? Or maybe a road bike is, somehow, notably faster than a hard-tail hybrid with slick but puncture-resistant touring tires? – ChrisW Jun 21 '15 at 16:43
  • Of course traffic and traffic lights have an effect. My route went over hilly country roads or tracks and had only one traffic light and one stop sign. I usually planned 45 minutes for the ride. I carried my work clothes (including heavy safety boots) in rear panniers (Ortlieb Backroller). A road bike doesn’t necessarily have to be much faster than a hardtail. You can have an aggressive, aerodynamic seating position on a hardtail and high-end hardtails tend to be pretty lightweight. – Michael Jun 21 '15 at 17:49
  • So "an hour one-way" might be a minimum rather than a maximum time, if "the route I am traveling has traffic round the clock". – ChrisW Jun 21 '15 at 17:57
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Adding to the answer by @andy256 (especially the need to discuss with a doctor)- 32km / day from cold is almost certainly too much, doing it 5 days in row definitely too much, but something that you (baring health problems other than blood pressure) should be able to build up to. You friend is probably right - unless he is saying you will never be able to do it.

Start out with a few trial runs in the weekends - plan a 16k loop rather than out an back so that you can bail out early if needed - remember that once you decide you need to bail, you still need the reserves to get home. What's your 'makeup' - do you have the ability (mental and physical) to "dig deep" and push though barriers? If not, take it very easy.

16km is a long way for someone completely out of shape, until you have some miles under your belt, make sure you can get home - ride out heading into the wind or up the hill means the home leg is easier if you find you need to turn around early.

Do not start by riding into work till you have a good idea of your comfortable pace over 16km. Last thing you want is to arrive late at work, red faced and exhausted because you had to push it. Budget for flat tires and breakdowns or just 'off' days where you are slower than normal - how flexible is your start time? Give yourself plenty of time once you arrive to be ready to work.

Cascabel
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mattnz
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You might be capable to do this, but not immediately.

Endurance is an ability which can be trained very well. Except for people with serious health conditions or disabilities, everyone should be able to train themselves to a level where they can ride 2x16km a day comfortably. But wanting too much too early can be counter-productive. I would recommend you to ride shorter distances first until you no longer feel exhausted and then increase the daily distance gradually.

When you go to work using public transportation, you could substitute the first stations of your commute with a bike ride and leave your bike at the station during work (invest in a good lock and get an insurance: public transportation stations are very popular with bike thieves). Gradually skip more and more stations until you can comfortably ride the whole distance by bike.

When you go to work by car, you could put the bike into the car, drive half-way to work, park it somewhere, and go the rest of the distance by bike. Use parking spots which are further and further away from work until you feel comfortable leaving your car at home.

You should still consult with your doctor about how your blood pressure condition might be a problem, but I am quite certain that your doctor will encourage you to do this. Any kind of physical exercise is usually very recommendable to both stabilize blood pressure and reduce weight.

Philipp
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Everyone is different (apart from physical condition, there's also tolerance of discomfort, strength of will, etc.), so I would suggest to simply borrow a bike from someone and try (carefully) for yourself...

Anyway I agree with other answers that if you have no "blocking" medical conditions, you should be able to train yourself for this.

zaantar
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