Early morning or late night leisure rides?
Discussion
I am struggling to find the time to get out on the bike during daylight hours and have been averaging once a week for the past couple of months.
I want to up my mileage and have decided I need to start getting out in the evening, when the kids are in bed - say 8.30/9.00PM or early in the morning (would need to be back home by 7.30-8.00 for school runs).
Does anyone else do similar?
I want to up my mileage and have decided I need to start getting out in the evening, when the kids are in bed - say 8.30/9.00PM or early in the morning (would need to be back home by 7.30-8.00 for school runs).
Does anyone else do similar?
I get 20-30km on the bike or do a 10km run either a weekday evening (8-9pm start) or a weekend morning ( leaving at 6am).
i prefer it as the roads are quieter and you feel like you have achieved something before even starting your day or in the case of the evening its be active or watch crap telly.
i prefer it as the roads are quieter and you feel like you have achieved something before even starting your day or in the case of the evening its be active or watch crap telly.
Morning's are brilliant at this time of year, the light is stunning. I've been getting up around half 5 on Thursday's and doing extended commutes on the Downs. I think the bugs are less of an issue in the mornings than the evenings too. Plus you know you aren't going to get caught out as the light fades if you have a mechanical.
I do like riding in the dark, but no more than 90-120 minutes.
I do like riding in the dark, but no more than 90-120 minutes.
Daveyraveygravey said:
Morning's are brilliant at this time of year, the light is stunning. I've been getting up around half 5 on Thursday's and doing extended commutes on the Downs. I think the bugs are less of an issue in the mornings than the evenings too. Plus you know you aren't going to get caught out as the light fades if you have a mechanical.
I do like riding in the dark, but no more than 90-120 minutes.
I'd agree that mornings are great. There's a particularly special smugness that goes with being back for breakfast with the family on a Saturday to Sunday with 60-70km under your belt, having ridden empty roads and seen the sun rising. I do like riding in the dark, but no more than 90-120 minutes.
lauda said:
I'd agree that mornings are great. There's a particularly special smugness that goes with being back for breakfast with the family on a Saturday to Sunday with 60-70km under your belt, having ridden empty roads and seen the sun rising.
I like (?!) walking past the smokers having their pre-work puff outside my office, covered in mud and sweat, grinning from ear to ear!I leave the house at 7am to drop the kid at nursery before work. Often not back before 7pm and have to wait for the wife to get home, circa 8pm before being able to leave for a ride. Impossible to then do much in the evenings as I'm hungry.
My last 2 strava rides started at 5am. Only way I can fit in 20km and still have time for breakfast etc. Does mean I'm ready for bed by 9.30pm.
My last 2 strava rides started at 5am. Only way I can fit in 20km and still have time for breakfast etc. Does mean I'm ready for bed by 9.30pm.
I think I prefer early morning. Especially in spring where you see the sun come up etc.
Also means you can get a decent mileage done then get home and still have a day to do other things. I find it can actually wake you up nicely too.
In summer I do a few evening rides but find there are more idiots on the road compared to morning.
Also means you can get a decent mileage done then get home and still have a day to do other things. I find it can actually wake you up nicely too.
In summer I do a few evening rides but find there are more idiots on the road compared to morning.
Evenings for me, as I'm really not a "morning person".
Off out for a 100km ride after dinner a few times recently. Not always planned, I have to say, sometimes I intend on doing an hour or two but just enjoy it so much I stay out to complete the 100km distance.
Quieter, generally, and perhaps counter-intuitively I feel 'safer' on rural roads because of my lights standing out better than they (or I) do in daylight.
Great for wildlife too. (Except for the fox cub I ran over a while back
) There's just something special about being out between around 8pm and 10pm, the way the light is constantly changing, the accompaniment of wildlife, the lack of busy people in a hurry to get places. This, despite the fact that I'm not working and have all day to go out cycling most days.
Started as a habit when I commuted by bike. 3 miles in, 30 miles back a few days a week. Then I was marooned without my family on a posting (7 years!) and rode most nights after work, even in the winter. Owls, bats, badgers, etc as company, and you also concentrate more on the road, I find. It feels so much more involved than blatting about in daylight. It's cooler too, in the hotter summer weather. I can't think of much negative to say about it, except for missing out on US TV dramas on catch-up TV all night...?
Off out for a 100km ride after dinner a few times recently. Not always planned, I have to say, sometimes I intend on doing an hour or two but just enjoy it so much I stay out to complete the 100km distance.
Quieter, generally, and perhaps counter-intuitively I feel 'safer' on rural roads because of my lights standing out better than they (or I) do in daylight.
Great for wildlife too. (Except for the fox cub I ran over a while back
) There's just something special about being out between around 8pm and 10pm, the way the light is constantly changing, the accompaniment of wildlife, the lack of busy people in a hurry to get places. This, despite the fact that I'm not working and have all day to go out cycling most days. Started as a habit when I commuted by bike. 3 miles in, 30 miles back a few days a week. Then I was marooned without my family on a posting (7 years!) and rode most nights after work, even in the winter. Owls, bats, badgers, etc as company, and you also concentrate more on the road, I find. It feels so much more involved than blatting about in daylight. It's cooler too, in the hotter summer weather. I can't think of much negative to say about it, except for missing out on US TV dramas on catch-up TV all night...?
These long summer evenings are great for a post work blat in the countryside when the kids are finally in bed. Getting back at half nine at night still in some light is great and there is loads of animal activity to keep you on your toes (ignoring a cat I almost killed on Tuesday night)!
This thread isn't a good advert for having kids 
.
That said, I don't have any so my only restriction is work ... June is the easiest month of the year to ride with the longest days. If I had a restriction, I'd be out at sunsrise so maybe 5am to 7am before you take the kids to school? I've done this before, its a great feeling knowing you're up before most and have done your days exercise and can relax (or collapse!) on an evening.
I had to see a client last night so didn't get home till 8pm. Managed to get on the bike by 8:12pm ... was still 20 degrees, the roads were dead. As I knew I only had just over an hour, I rode at threshold on a hilly route, job done with 107 TSS.
. That said, I don't have any so my only restriction is work ... June is the easiest month of the year to ride with the longest days. If I had a restriction, I'd be out at sunsrise so maybe 5am to 7am before you take the kids to school? I've done this before, its a great feeling knowing you're up before most and have done your days exercise and can relax (or collapse!) on an evening.
I had to see a client last night so didn't get home till 8pm. Managed to get on the bike by 8:12pm ... was still 20 degrees, the roads were dead. As I knew I only had just over an hour, I rode at threshold on a hilly route, job done with 107 TSS.
Evening/night riding for me.!
With the available light we have now possible to get home from work at half 5, have a quick snack and then get a good few hours on the bike. Some days I'll just hit the roads on the my old hardtail with semi slicks and do a lap around the surrounding villages, other days I jump on the full suspension and set silly challenges of getting to certain places by using minimal roads and straying off into the fields/woods.
With the available light we have now possible to get home from work at half 5, have a quick snack and then get a good few hours on the bike. Some days I'll just hit the roads on the my old hardtail with semi slicks and do a lap around the surrounding villages, other days I jump on the full suspension and set silly challenges of getting to certain places by using minimal roads and straying off into the fields/woods.
I also like to go out early and for example I was up at 4.30am this morning and out and on the road by 5am.
50 miles later and back by 8am just in time for a sausage sandwich and cup of tea
No cars, lorrys or in fact anything to worry about (albeit over 70% of my regular route are quiet country roads and very quiet anyway)
Bloody brilliant and I still have all day to spend with the rug rats etc.
50 miles later and back by 8am just in time for a sausage sandwich and cup of tea
No cars, lorrys or in fact anything to worry about (albeit over 70% of my regular route are quiet country roads and very quiet anyway)
Bloody brilliant and I still have all day to spend with the rug rats etc.
Ealry morning can be nice, but it's a PITA for clothes. Start with lots because it's brass, end with few on but struggle to pack on bike. Cars also more aggressive, because they're invariably on the way to work.
Evenings are great. Warm, nice, by the time it gets cold just work harder. Only issue (for me) is that if I ride late, I can't sleep until late. Used to manage 30 miles in a evening easy pre kids, now it's 10 or 20. Once did 100k on the (4 mile) commute from work to home - that was mint, but would be totally on the list now with bairns =(
Evenings are great. Warm, nice, by the time it gets cold just work harder. Only issue (for me) is that if I ride late, I can't sleep until late. Used to manage 30 miles in a evening easy pre kids, now it's 10 or 20. Once did 100k on the (4 mile) commute from work to home - that was mint, but would be totally on the list now with bairns =(
I'm very much in the AM camp. Get up at 6am in the weekends and normally do a 2hr or so ride, getting back just as the wife and kids are having breakfast. Evenings just wouldn't work at all for a long ride, although I quite often go for a 30 minute run immediately after my ride home from work.
I have two young kids, so I have the choice of getting up at 530am and having breakfast with them when I'm back or being on the road after they have gone to bed.
I enjoy the evening rides more, I find the light is better and more interesting, I also find I'm stronger on the evening rides. However, I find it more disruptive to life at home. The Mrs will either eat alone or wait for me to get back and eat very late. So whilst I prefer the evening, I tend to do the morning more as it means I don't miss out on family life as much.
I enjoy the evening rides more, I find the light is better and more interesting, I also find I'm stronger on the evening rides. However, I find it more disruptive to life at home. The Mrs will either eat alone or wait for me to get back and eat very late. So whilst I prefer the evening, I tend to do the morning more as it means I don't miss out on family life as much.
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