I came from a cycling family, so cycling everywhere was just what we did, never called it commuting.
Primary school was close enough to walk, but from about 8 years old I was riding solo to swimming lessons in Kettering after school (down and back up Pytchley Hill) or to stay with my Nan in Wellingborough (up and down Orlingbury Hill).
I rode to High School in Kettering in the 1950/early 60s. I often made time to lift my bike over the back gate into Wicksteeds and do a few laps of the track. Not many girls used bikes, but the boys in the adjacent Grammar School did, and several were in the same cycling club as me. They were my friends rather than the girls, as we had much more interests in common. I had to ride in full school uniform, including woollen gymslip and blazer. My satchel sat on top of my saddlebag, held on by the strap, and my uniform pork-pie hat perched on top of that. Because the school bus wouldn't pick me up from the High School, Mum shamed the council into giving me a bike grant- just a small amount for maintenance - which was a moral victory. Another victory was biking in through the snow without falling off every day of the 1962/3 winter, when the bus often didn't get through!
After O-levels, I worked Saturdays and holidays at Woolworths. Usually Kettering, but several weeks riding to and fro Northampton on what is now the A43. It was just the normal thing for me to do, but there were not many other cyclists by then.
Never had to worry about a bike being stolen or about other road users. It was an area and time when all drivers would have ridden a bike when younger. We had "tickometers" and I would check mileages when touring, but didn't record more than the first couple of weeks in the chart that came in Cycling Mag every New Year.
Newcastle Uni was a horrible shock. I took a bike with me on the assumption I would bike in. But N/C Uni was hopeless at looking after it's students, and a lot of first years were allocated grotty off-season B&B accommodation at the coast. The coast road was horrible, no cycle infrastructure in those days. And the uni didn't have lockers so everything I needed (heavy text books, lab coat and equipment, gym kit for lunchtime circuits, food etc) had to be carried to and fro every day. And there was nowhere to park a bike at uni. I did try a few times, until my locked to a fence bike was stolen.
That wasn't the only thing that stopped me cycling: At Fresher's week, I found the University Cycling Club stall, and chirpily asked "Do you have a Ladies Team?" He looked at me like something from outer space. Speechless. Then "well some of the girlfriends come along to make the tea and sandwiches".
I joined the Folk Dance Group and ranted my way round Northumberland for the next 5 years.
Apart from uni holidays, when I mostly worked in Youth Hostels and explored most of North Wales, I didn't use a bike.
Early jobs were in schools where a commute by bike was not realistic, then I escaped to self employment and worked from home, so I have never commuted to work!
I had discovered orienteering and that was my main sport/activity until it juddered to a halt in 2001 (Foot and Mouth year), and I resorted to a bike to try and keep a bit of fitness.
By then I had retired, so I'm definitely off topic now.