Bike Safety - riding at night or alone on trails

[jyyanks]

Update: Ok I decided to take a chance and ended up riding at a local school which was well lighted and had a couple of cars in the lot (most likely the cleaning crew). I got about 25 minutes in and it felt good.

I still have to buy a light and reflective tape before I can ride on any public roadways but at least it was a start.

I also looked into 2 gyms. The prices were a little outrageous so I am going to try and see if I can continue riding around the school. If I do this again, I will need something to cover my ears. My ears were the only part of me that were cold!

[tulip]

I don't know if you have any YMCAs near you, but their rates are pretty reasonable. They also don't have any long-term contracts. I can use any Y in my metro area, which is great since I live about equidistant from three of them.

I spent the last two winters telling myself I would ride outside daily, but I rarely did. I paid for it in fitness. This year, I'm sucking it up and going to the Y for spin classes and some weight training. If I had a commute, I would commute by bike, but I don't since I work from home. It is surprisingly difficult to get up and away from work to go for a bike ride in the middle of the day even when it's technically possible.

[jyyanks]

I don't know if you have any YMCAs near you, but their rates are pretty reasonable. They also don't have any long-term contracts. I can use any Y in my metro area, which is great since I live about equidistant from three of them.

I spent the last two winters telling myself I would ride outside daily, but I rarely did. I paid for it in fitness. This year, I'm sucking it up and going to the Y for spin classes and some weight training. If I had a commute, I would commute by bike, but I don't since I work from home. It is surprisingly difficult to get up and away from work to go for a bike ride in the middle of the day even when it's technically possible.

I don't have a Y near me but there is a planet fitness and they have stationary bikes. I'm trying to determine if I will be motivated enough to actually ride a stationary bike without an instructor and a group motivating me. To be honest, last winter, I gained 10 pounds and I don't want that to happen again so I definitely have to do something!

I totally know what you mean about not being able to go for a bike ride in the middle of the day when you work from home. I actually work from home on Fridays (in the city the rest of the week) and I can barely get away for lunch, much less a bike ride. I find it much easier to leave for 30 minutes when I am physically in the office then when I am at home.

However, I did find that if I ride in the morning (after the kids get on the bus and before I start my work day), I am more apt get out. The key is getting out before I start my day.

[marni]

I don't have a Y near me but there is a planet fitness and they have stationary bikes. I'm trying to determine if I will be motivated enough to actually ride a stationary bike without an instructor and a group motivating me. To be honest, last winter, I gained 10 pounds and I don't want that to happen again so I definitely have to do something!


However, I did find that if I ride in the morning (after the kids get on the bus and before I start my work day), I am more apt get out. The key is getting out before I start my day.

biking and running interval podcasts are your friend. I highly recommend motiontraxx.com, getcyced.com, and podrunner.com.( plain and interval training) Get yourself an i pod shuffle or the like, download a bunch plug yourself in and ride like the wind. Get cyced has several hill climb ers that are fun.

marni

[Cynedra]

I would absolutely cry without my trainer. If I'm alone with the boys they can play with something and I can ride with them there. Until we took the training wheels off their bike we had a homemade trainer for their bikes as well. It is really something to consider if you have problems getting out. I still prefer real rides but it is better than nothing.

[jyyanks]

I would absolutely cry without my trainer. If I'm alone with the boys they can play with something and I can ride with them there. Until we took the training wheels off their bike we had a homemade trainer for their bikes as well. It is really something to consider if you have problems getting out. I still prefer real rides but it is better than nothing.

Hey Cynedra = what kind of trainer do you have?