When do you ride?

[shadon]

I'm really struggling with finding enough time to ride. I can get a quick spin in after work, but that will dimminish as the days get shorter...so I can ride on the weekends, but that's not gonna get me in shape for the Cinderella Classic, or the AIDSlifecyle Ride after that.

Help!

[RoadRaven]

Winter here in NZ and its really tough... I have been jumping on the trainer every evening and watching the Tour highlights while I spin for 30-45 minutes
But its difficult when the days are short, work is a half hour away when driving and I am tied to being a taxi to and from school

I try and do some spinning on Saturday morning
I usually go for a Sunday afternoon jaunt - about 40 kms (about 28 miles)

In Autumn and Spring when there is a bit more daylight, I try and ride to work twice a week (Mondays and Fridays) - more when I don't have a class to teach first thing on the "middle" mornings (just over 25km- nearly 16 miles) - on summer and autumn days when there is plenty of light I like to ride home as well

Otherwise, when there is still evening light I try and do a spin or interval session for a little while after work

[singletrackmind]

My favorite time to begin a ride is 5am, before most motorists are on the road. I have lights and a blinky butt for until the sun comes up.

Other than that it's whenever the heck I can get out of the house (kids)! We have trails around here I can pull a trailer on and take kids and decent roads and I have lights for when it's dark and I'm on my own.

[cruziegirl]

If you work outside the home, that is. Commuting to work is the way I took up cycling again about 12 years ago and found that it was perfect. I couldn't woose out at the end of the day because I *had* to go home sometime and the bike was the only transportation I had. But if commuting isn't an option for you first thing in the morning seems to work best.

[betagirl]

I get my longest rides in by starting by 6am, which I do on Saturdays. During the week I ride around 6:00 til I run out of daylight. I work from home so it's hard to not hop on the bike for my "lunch break"

[KSH]

Well, I typically only ride Saturday and Sunday.

There has been a Wednesday night I picked up this last week too. Which is harder for me to do... since I have to run home at lunch to walk my dog... and then I don't get home until 8:30 PM (bed at 11:30).

I think each person has to find what works for them. Due to the fact that I am single, with no kids, I have and easier time of it... but I still find it a struggle.

Oh... do you think you can ride early in the morning on the weekends? You didn't say if you had kids/hubby/etc... so not sure what your restraints are. But maybe you can find a babysitter for certain days/times so you can ride?

[shadon]

Well, I typically only ride Saturday and Sunday.

There has been a Wednesday night I picked up this last week too. Which is harder for me to do... since I have to run home at lunch to walk my dog... and then I don't get home until 8:30 PM (bed at 11:30).

I think each person has to find what works for them. Due to the fact that I am single, with no kids, I have and easier time of it... but I still find it a struggle.

Oh... do you think you can ride early in the morning on the weekends? You didn't say if you had kids/hubby/etc... so not sure what your restraints are. But maybe you can find a babysitter for certain days/times so you can ride?

You just about described me to a tee! No kids but I work for the most uncreative comapny in the world and have an iron clad 8-5 schedule. I walk a friends' dog after work so that ads an hour at the end of the day.

No kids, so that issue is moot.

I may try and get out for a ride around 5:30 am, since the sun is up by then. I might be able to get an hour in there.

Thank you all! for your suggestions! I may invest in a trainer so that I can ride a bit in the evenings.

Wow! I love this place!

[KSH]

You just about described me to a tee! No kids but I work for the most uncreative comapny in the world and have an iron clad 8-5 schedule. I walk a friends' dog after work so that ads an hour at the end of the day.

No kids, so that issue is moot.

I may try and get out for a ride around 5:30 am, since the sun is up by then. I might be able to get an hour in there.

Thank you all! for your suggestions! I may invest in a trainer so that I can ride a bit in the evenings.

Wow! I love this place!

Well, I work 8:30 to 5:00 M-F.

Do you think someone else could walk your friends dog? Or maybe you could go during lunch so you could ride after work? Or could you ride and then go walk the dog?

What about weekends? If you ride 2 days a week... that would be good.

Without kids or a family, we have more flexibility. Good luck on finding what works for you!

[Veronica]

I'm really struggling with finding enough time to ride. I can get a quick spin in after work, but that will dimminish as the days get shorter...so I can ride on the weekends, but that's not gonna get me in shape for the Cinderella Classic, or the AIDSlifecyle Ride after that.

Help!

Lights on your bike can add hours to your day! In the Bay Area, the weather is decent enough year round that we can ride, even in the dark with lights.

V.

[shadon]

Lights on your bike can add hours to your day! In the Bay Area, the weather is decent enough year round that we can ride, even in the dark with lights.

V.

I'm thinking I may get some good lights...that'll give me a little more time to ride.

My task this week is to find a slightly longer ride than the one I did last week...it's time to start pushing it a bit!

[RoadRaven]

*blushes... a little embarrassed*

I won't put a light on my bike... its too pretty without one

Road - just call me vain - Raven

[Grog]

I have the most flexible work schedule so right now I ride too much. (No kids an no family and... recently no boyfriend so I'm pretty free to ride. I know I'm lucky from a cycling point of view, and appreciate it.) I usually ride after work sometime around 5pm to 8, about twice a week, and longer rides on the weekend if the weather allows it. I accomodate my riding friends' schedule too. I wish I could get back in the discipline of going to bed earlier and go ride when the sun rises (at about 5:30 these days in here) because it's not as warm and I love it when there's nobody but passionate roadies on the path by the river...

QUESTION:
I know there are a couple of grad students around here. As I'll become one again in September, I'm curious to know how you manage your schedule (depending on what part of your degree you are in - coursework, research, writing up... and whether you also work or not). How do you do it?

Thanks!

[DeniseGoldberg]

This is my good riding time of year - summer with longer days. I try to ride at least 5 days a week during the summer - definitely decent length rides both weekend days. Plus I try to commute to work 2 or 3 days, and I ride after work 1 or 2 days (non-commuting days). During the winter off-season I pretty much only ride on the weekends, although if I know a day is going to be great I may bring a bike with me to the office and grab a ride mid-day.

While I know there are good lights available, as we start to lose the daylight the temperatures here (Massachusetts) also seem to start to slide. And to be honest, a lot of the drivers here are a bit nuts, and riding in minimal (or no) daylight conditions scares me. (OK, I know, I'm a baby...).

--- Denise

[singletrackmind]

*blushes... a little embarrassed*

I won't put a light on my bike... its too pretty without one

Road - just call me vain - Raven

There are lights for your helmet and your back end!! I prefer them on the helmet anyway, since you turn your head in the direction you are headed before you turn the handlebars. I loosely zip-tie the cord to the back of my helmet so it doesn't droop down into my face and put the battery pack either on the top tube or in my camelback. My DH slips his pack into his jersey pocket. I clip the taillight to the top of my shorts where it's visible to drivers when I am bent over the bike. If I put it on the camelback clip they can't see it from my normal riding position.

I love the freedom having the lights give me-I don't have to worry about being home by dusk and I don't have to wait for dawn, either. I keep the light mount on the helmet (it's very lightweight) and the light in my camelback. When it's time it takes only a few seconds to slip the cord through the zip-tie and the light into its mount.

That's me, singletrack christmas tree!

Speaking of those, when I was commuting I bought a string of those battery-pack cristmas tree lights and did string those on my bike so I could be seen from the side!
'Course, I kind of enjoy looking ridiculous....

[nicolezoie]

New here, supercool site.

The majority of my riding is done after work, but I really prefer riding in the early mornings OR after the morning traffic has died down. I'm not overfond of playing dodge-car.

Regardless, I commute to and from work. My work commute is about 12 1/2 miles round trip, and that is *not* enough to satisfy my love of seeing the world from the seat of a bike. ...nor is it enough to get a good workout, even with all the hills around where I live. As part of my ride home, I also ride extra after work, and 1 day a week, extra miles early in the morning on my way into work.