Maximum Faff

oldgit

Got ready for my 20 mile commute to work this morning. By the time I had dragged myself from my pit, got my sh*t together, packed everything that needed to be packed into my rucksack, put on my winter riding wardrobe and actually sat my arse on the saddle it was nearly time to come home again. God, it's such a faff. Let's not even go into the rigmarole at the other end when I crawl into work.

Am I just a big gaylord, or does everyone go through this - from the alarm going off to actually being on your bike and heading off, how long does it take you? And 10 minute rides, avec trouser clips, don't count.

Le Commentateur

I've just finished breakfast!

oldgit

Breakfast is for wimps.

CHRISNOIR

It takes me on average about 20 - 30 minutes to get ready for a ride, especially in winter when many layers are required. By the time I've finished pumping tyres, got dressed, got undressed, had a wee, got re-dressed, annointed b*llocks with chamois cream, cleaned water bottle, filled water bottle, grappled with overshoes, overturned house to find multi-tool, it's gone dark.

claash

Winter drives me batty because of exactly that... :evil:
Just when you really want to stay tucked up beneath the covers because it is sooooo cold and dark, you have to get up even earlier to don all the kit just to avoid hypothermia etc!! :roll:

Roll on the longer days and warmer weather (I will take anything above 10 degrees!!)

oldgit

...and let's not forget leaving work security pass on trousers at bottom of rucsack.

morite

Sounds like my daily routine.

Alarms goes off at 5am, snooze until 5:30ish - should really be leaving now but just out of bed.
Get dressed in winter gear
go downstairs and put on shoes,gloves,overshoes, etc
Pack lunch into rucksack
get bike out of shed
Lock up house
turn on all lights (6)
Start riding around 5:45-5:50 (22.5 miles)
arrive at work and have hot shower - everything seems worth it (except this morning when I hit the deck!)

Repeat in reverse for coming home

addicted to Langbar

I got all ready to cycle in this morning 'til I got a call from work asking me to pick up half a dozen bags of grit on my way in. Decided that they wouldn't fit into my panniers and got changed.

boybiker

Avoid the Faff, ride nekkid
except the shoes of course you need the clippy shoes.

il_principe

boybiker wrote:

Avoid the Faff, ride nekkid
except the shoes of course you need the clippy shoes.

Unless you've evolved clipless feet...

BUICK

It's just you





Gaylord
:twisted:

itboffin

11:00 by the time I got out of the house and very little sign of the winter sun, go metoffice, you rule.

Even with tights & 3/4 shorts it was still too cold.

Not Another Hill

Only takes me a couple of minutes: shades, shorts, short sleeve shirt. When the cold weather kicks in, I may bob on some fingerless gloves.

STEFANOS4784

I got cheapo DHB merston tights, a long sleeved jersey, waterproof coat, sealskin gloves, super cheapo over-shoes from ebay and a tube thing from the pound shop which i put over my ears/face and end up sweating like a pig and taking the gloves and tube thing off :? (you may have guessed i'm poor)

STEFANOS4784

STEFANOS4784 wrote:

I got cheapo DHB merston tights, a long sleeved jersey, waterproof coat, sealskin gloves, super cheapo over-shoes from ebay and a tube thing from the pound shop which i put over my ears/face and end up sweating like a pig and taking the gloves and tube thing off :? (you may have guessed i'm poor)

Oh yes, takes about 10 mins tops 8)

iain_j

I wonder sometimes about all the time and effort at both ends of the journey to work, especially in winter - it's only 3-4 miles and its way faster on bike than the bus, but add in the time to put all my kit on at home then shower and change into work gear, it's just as long.

But give me the bike anyday.

STEFANOS4784

If i only went 3-4 miles, especially in the city i think i'd be tempted by flats and normal clothes 8) :roll:

iain_j

I've wondered that. But I'm amazed how wet I can get in that short distance, and proper cycling kit dries out a lot faster than normal clothes. Plus I sometimes go the scenic way on the way home.

rustynuts

What sort of reaction do you get off the missus, when you scramble around the house layering up before heading into the wild dark yonder? I always get the same 'why? - its dark and cold look' :roll: which sort of confirms what I'm thinking but once I'm out the door there's nothing better than a frosty morning....then I have the same reaction from the guys at work.

STEFANOS4784

How about waterproof trousers, used to keep me dry on my paper-round :oops:


Might be a bit sweaty for the scenic route though :?

iain_j

rustynuts wrote:

What sort of reaction do you get off the missus, when you scramble around the house layering up before heading into the wild dark yonder? I always get the same 'why? - its dark and cold look' :roll: which sort of confirms what I'm thinking but once I'm out the door there's nothing better than a frosty morning....then I have the same reaction from the guys at work.

It seems like unless its bright, sunny warm, and not a breath of wind, the reaction in work is "you CYCLED in today? in this weather? You must be MAD". In fact even when the weather's fine they still say it.

STEFANOS4784 wrote:

How about waterproof trousers, used to keep me dry on my paper-round

Never got on well with overtrousers on the bike. Too baggy, too sweaty, even for short journeys.

oldgit

Got it down to 10 minutes this morning - took the car instead.

thedaffodilfish

Getting up and on the bike doesn't take too long - it's getting everything together at the work end that takes forever. Luckily our office has quite good shower facilities and storage space for suit & shirts etc, but it can take me 40 mins to get showered and changed and be at my desk. Part of that is probably me delaying the inevitable

Leaving work is the same. By the time I've finished, and it's so dark this time of year, I just think god can I really be arsed with all that rigmarole. Totally fine once I'm changed and on the bike though!

thedaffodilfish

rustynuts wrote:

What sort of reaction do you get off the missus, when you scramble around the house layering up before heading into the wild dark yonder? I always get the same 'why? - its dark and cold look' :roll: which sort of confirms what I'm thinking but once I'm out the door there's nothing better than a frosty morning....then I have the same reaction from the guys at work.

I only have a 3 mile direct route to work, but I try to get up early to put some decent miles in. If getting up at 6am I have been warned, on pain of death, to have all my kit laid out in the living room the night before. There's been a couple of time when I've had to scrabble around in the dark looking for socks etc and narrowly missed getting my spokes kicked in!

pottssteve

Sorry Guys,
But it hasn't dropped below 15 degrees here so far this winter...
Now, where's my short sleeved jersey and lightweight jacket.....


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The good doctor

I must admit to finding the faff factor a real pain at this time of year. Getting up to leaving the house is a 40 min affair but a few minutes on the road and I'm happier. The biggest bugbear is the work end side of things. From locking up the bike in the bike shed to circumnavigating the building to get in via the swipe thingy to the now coded locker room and showers and hanging up all the gear and eventually getting to the desk is up to half hour on slow day
On a late shift just the thought of the rigarmarole (sp) of gettting off the site sucks, if only I could just "be on the bike".
On the plus side the facilities are excellent and the benefits of the ride are immeasurable, physically and mentally.

dbb

i work from home :roll:


last time i rode to work, i was living in Australia. i used to hate those cold winter mornings. it could get down to 5-6 degrees where i lived! :twisted:

having said that - really miss riding to work. there's no better way to start and finish they day.

pottssteve

Up to 21 degrees C today, although a bit colder when I was about this morning. Bright sunshine, a bit of high cloud, and my washing was dry by the time I got back.