a.m. or p.m. rides?

[cyclingmama]

I ride early in the morning, because that's when I can (I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old, and a full time job.) I've been heading out by 5:30 for about 2 weeks now, I'm still turning my blinkies on when I leave but its pretty much full daylight before 6am. I get home between 6:45 and 7, and then get myself and the kids ready to start the day.

I do like it because I get my rides in without much adjusting to my schedule. In terms of your day being shot productivity-wise, I think you get used to it after a while. I've been going to the gym at 5:30 three days a week since January, and at first I was really tired at work and had a hard time getting going, but it has improved a lot. With morning rides, I do have to plan my route to allow for a longer warm-up; i.e., no big hills in the first several miles. And I have to make a concerted effort to go to bed earlier. My ideal is 10pm the night before a morning ride or work-out; realistically its usually closer to 11pm. Also, I have a banana and a small glass of milk before I head out, which seems to help with the energy levels.

I also check weather.com religously, using their hour-by-hour feature. The daily forecast has no bearing on the weather for an early morning ride, esp this time of year. We have had lots of sunny 70-degree days the past few weeks where it was in the high 30s at 6am.

[Zen]

I am not a morning person. Unless you count 1a.m.
Maybe I need a good light

For road rides I like to ride from about 1-4 and during the week, i.e. when everyone's at work and the roads are empty.

Come to think of it that's when I like to ride the canal too

[Crankin]

Well, when I commute (about 6 weeks out of the year) I leave as soon as the sun is up some, first at 5:45 and now at 5:30. It's about 14 miles, with only one hill, right at the end. But, it's a lot of false flats and rollers and believe me, my speed is about 2 mph slower than the trip home. Now, I have been exercising at the gym at 5-5:30 AM for almost 30 years and I never felt this bad in the morning. Right now, it's still in the 40s at that time, maybe 50s/low 60s by the end of school. I think the temperature plays into it, too.
In the summer, I'll ride (for fitness) at 5:30 AM on days when it is going to be in the 90s and humid. I don't feel as bad then.
I eat a small bowl of cereal with yogurt and fruit before I go. Then I eat a Luna bar or half a soy nut butter sandwich when I get there. I eat a slightly bigger lunch on the days I commute home. I also have more carbs the night before.
My best time to ride is from 10 AM to 3 PM.

[CarbonCandy]

Every morning (except sleeping in on sundays) last summer, I was up by 6:45am, grabbed a sugar filled cereal bar, and was out the door by 7, doing about 12 miles. Took about 45 minutes or less. I find keeping something routine is easy to do when its first thing. Afternoon ride are nice, but I've always got something conflicting going on.

[KathiCville]

In the summer I mix it up a little by doing crack-o'dawn rides a couple of mornings, and evening rides the rest of the week. I *love* my dawn jaunts, particularly if I can get myself up and to my starting point before it begins to get light out. I love having the road to myself and hearing the birds wake up. I have two wonderfully-quiet country roads that are favorites for early morning rides. If it's a workday, I don't push too hard on my ride, because otherwise I'll be ready to nap by 10 a.m.!.....On the flipside, evening rides are great, too, as the sun is disappearing and the air cools down. I recently bought a good Dinotte headlight so I can be out on my bike past sunset with no worries about the route getting too dark, too quickly. I'm planning to do a few 'sunset' rides up on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive this summer. Can't beat the scenery!

[ny biker]

I am so not a morning person. I go to the gym in the evenings, usually getting there around 8 pm. (Then I have dinner around 10:30 and I sleep like a rock. Go figure.)

On the other hand, hot summer days totally suck the energy out of me. So for temps under 80 or so, like we had had last weekend and are expecting again this weekend, I will ride in the afternoon or evening. Once summer hits I will get up early on weekends and ride in the morning, because if I'm out there in mid-afternoon when the sun is highest I will literally wind up on the side of the road with my head between my knees and ripping my helmet off so I can pour water over my head. But I will still ride in the evenings on weekdays even in the hottest part of the summer.

[lauraelmore1033]

group rides always seem to happen fairly early in the morning 8-10 am, but if I'm going to ride by myself, I tend to want to ride later. There is the consideration of weather around here; lately, it's usually crappy until about 2-3 pm, but that's what I get for living in a convergence zone...

Some times I justiy waiting by saying that traffic won't be as bad after every one goes off to work, but there's hardly ever a time when traffic isn't crazy bad here.