Motivation

johngti

Does anyone else find it really hard to get up and out on the bike on these miserable, dark mornings? Not ridden in all week, just can't seem to motivate myself.

essex-commuter

Yes but always glad I did once out on the road. Even better feeling when I'm at work knowing I can ride home.

5.45am starter.

gingaman

It can be hard to get out of bed in the mornings, but when cycling to work is the only option, you have to make do. I find it is more due to lack of sleep than lack of motivation. Also, I use my phone alarm and place it on the other side of the room, so have to get out of bed to turn it off.

essex-commuter wrote:

Yes but always glad I did once out on the road. Even better feeling when I'm at work knowing I can ride home.

+1

markhewitt1978

johngti wrote:

Does anyone else find it really hard to get up and out on the bike on these miserable, dark mornings? Not ridden in all week, just can't seem to motivate myself.

Yes. IMO the most difficult part of cycling is getting out of the front door.

rick_chasey

Leave your kit out ready by your bed and just get into it before you think to much.

Kid yourself you still don't have to ride even if your kit is on. Only, once it's on, you'll feel obliged to.

I can count the number of rides I regretted on one hand. You very very rarely regret being on the bike.

johngti

Thanks all! Its definitely tiredness I think - tends to give me migraines and when I feel this wrecked, the idea of dicing with SE London drivers never seems appealing at 6.30 on a dark morning

Next week I'll get back on. My last ride was on the 28th December so starting to feel it now!

keyser__soze

johngti wrote:

Does anyone else find it really hard to get up and out on the bike on these miserable, dark mornings?

Used to before I moved. Now the alternative is the Northern line and a significantly longer door-door time I find I don't have the same problem.

Green Brompton

Nope, for me I have to get a bus and then train and then a 15 minute walk, so it's much easier to just get on the bike. I actually think it's the lazier/better option!

tgotb

When I started riding to work I made a conscious point, just before arriving at the office, of thinking whether I'd rather have taken the train; the answer was always no, and this fact made it far easier to motivate myself the next time.

Four and a half years on, and on the very rare occasions I have to take the train I actively dread it, particularly if it's raining, the windows are all closed, and the air inside the carriage is at 100% humidity...

warreng

I'm really struggling with it at the moment. I get up at 6 to take the dog out, then take my wife to the station then the kids to breakfast club at 7.30. I get so confused by the hectic start to the day that I'll probably end up dropping the dog at breakfast club at some point. By then, the thought of changing into cycling gear especially when it's dark, is almost painful. I've resolved not to give any money to SW Trains this month so I'm doing it to spite them

Edit - I've only been cycling to work for 2 years, before that I was driving to Slough from Epsom, and my experiences of trains in the rush hour is absolutely horrific. I fully expected each time I arrived at Waterloo for a SW trains employee to be handing out cash refunds due to their appalling service. Fellow members of the public were disgusting neanderthals, coughing and spluttering, spilling coffee, picking noses, shouting "can you move down please! Theirs people trying to get on" (as if we didn't know). So cycling is better

And breathe.......

essex-commuter

I don't really have a PT option so it's the bike or the car. A warm car isn't a bad option when it's dark and freezing out.

So...

I always lay my cycling clothing out the night before and pack my pannier ready. It's a load of hassle (and wakes the Mrs up) if I have to get work clothes out of the wardrobe and then unload everything from the pannier and put it in my laptop bag at 5.30am. Once everything is ready it's much simpler just to go by bike anyway.

daxplusplus

My alternative is the motorbike .. in this weather if I take it out then that is at least an hour or so cleaning it at the weekend (also would have to suffer the lurking dread of all the road salt eating it while it sits around during the week)

So, me being lazy, I take the push bike instead.

essex-commuter

WarrenG wrote:

I get so confused by the hectic start to the day that I'll probably end up dropping the dog at breakfast club at some point.

tgotb

WarrenG wrote:

By then, the thought of changing into cycling gear especially when it's dark, is almost painful.

This is what you're doing wrong. Unless there's a strict dress code for the kids' breakfast club, put the cycling kit straight on when you get out of bed...

warreng

TGOTB wrote:

WarrenG wrote:

By then, the thought of changing into cycling gear especially when it's dark, is almost painful.

This is what you're doing wrong. Unless there's a strict dress code for the kids' breakfast club, put the cycling kit straight on when you get out of bed...

I'm normally do but if it's chucking down I don't fancy wandering around Epsom Common with the dog getting soaked before I even start off. Plus, I have a spaniel which just rummages in the undergrowth therefore invisible to other dog-walkers - hence all they see is a middle-aged man walking around in lycra carrying a warm bag of dog poo. Which makes exchanging a cheery "Good Morning!" a little difficult

gingaman

WarrenG wrote:

all they see is a middle-aged man walking around in lycra carrying a warm bag of dog poo. Which makes exchanging a cheery "Good Morning!" a little difficult

hahahaha!

j_mcd

Definitely have more recently, I think it's a combination of the weather and the fact that I've recently moved.

I've now got a 2.5 mile journey to the station down a horrible, pot hole festooned road in the dark (6:45am) just to get to the station (it's the A281 from Shalford to Guildford for anyone that knows it). However, once I'm off at Surbiton and up into Richmond Park, the crappyness just disappears and I love it again.

Like everyone else has said, get prepped the night before and just get out the front door! It'll all be better after that!

Gallywomack

johngti wrote:

Thanks all! Its definitely tiredness I think - tends to give me migraines and when I feel this wrecked, the idea of dicing with SE London drivers never seems appealing at 6.30 on a dark morning

Get up later? Works for me

TBH, what keeps me at it day after day is the fact that, through fairly longstanding force of habit, I find it much less hassle to get ready to get on the bike than I do to get ready to look presentable on a train amongst members of the public and get out the front door in time to catch a train that'll get me to work on time. It's not as if I particularly hate PT, rubbish though it is, or enjoy the ride in that much* (SE road surfaces and traffic just seem to get worse and worse), but waking up and thinking 'hmmm, don't fancy the bike, I'll get the train' simply wouldn't be possible - by the time I'd done all the necessary ablutions and found my trousers, coat etc, I'd be late.

That's no use to you of course, but as others have said, you can make conscious efforts to recreate this scenario by ensuring that you do as much as possible the night before to make cycling the easy option.

*I do still always feel glad I've done it, mind.

arthur_scrimshaw

johngti wrote:

Does anyone else find it really hard to get up and out on the bike on these miserable, dark mornings? Not ridden in all week, just can't seem to motivate myself.

Nope, don't even think about it and have to walk past two unused cars to get the bike out so plenty of opportunities to wimp out!
After 4 years it's just part of my routine and I used to be a fatty so still plenty of incentive as don't want to go back to that and on the odd occasion I do use the car I get withdrawal symptoms as soon as I hit the first traffic queue.
Best thing is to have the gear to deal with all conditions, decent clothing and kit not only makes it bearable but even enjoyable?
Right now I'm hoping for snow and ice so I can stick the studded tyres onto the MTB!

edit.. also it can get boring going the same way so try to create a different route, I found a new one the back end of last year. I'm a bit lucky as it's mainly a rural commute, not sure if I'd cope so well in London but sure that has it's own attractions?

jzed

1 hour 15 minutes using public transport. 40 minutes if I go direct to work. Thats enough motivation for me. And I'm guaranteed a seat. Oh and its £2,200 for a season ticket.

daveski12

I some times get demotivated cycling to work so I just end up going slower or not bothering.

That motivation returns when I'm stuck in a traffic jam though.

bigmat

No issues with motivation for me, its just become habit. I'm usually kitted up before I've had a cup of tea and by then, even if its freezing and wet outside its easier to just brave it then to go and have a shower, get changed etc etc to catch the train.

Definitely been feeling tired this week though - couldn't find the motivation (or the legs) for my 3 x 10 session at the gym this morning. Hoping I'm sufficiently recovered to do it after work...

markhewitt1978

daveski12 wrote:

I some times get demotivated cycling to work so I just end up going slower or not bothering.

I'm currently applying for a job where I could cycle to work. I reckon the key is to make alternative methods of getting there so inconvenient that taking the bike even when you don't feel like it is still the easiest option.

CiB

I'd lost a bit of enthusiasm for getting up at 6:40 to ride 20+ miles in the cold dark wet winter mornings, but surprise surprise that old trick of driving halfway and riding the rest is working a treat. 10 miles, about 35-40 mins, it's close to daylight by the time the bike takes over. Is that an option for you? It used to strike me as utter madness to drive somewhere, dump the car and then ride the rest of the way.

johngti

CiB wrote:

I'd lost a bit of enthusiasm for getting up at 6:40 to ride 20+ miles in the cold dark wet winter mornings, but surprise surprise that old trick of driving halfway and riding the rest is working a treat. 10 miles, about 35-40 mins, it's close to daylight by the time the bike takes over. Is that an option for you? It used to strike me as utter madness to drive somewhere, dump the car and then ride the rest of the way.

Not for me - good idea though! My commute is 8-10 miles depending on which way I go so just far enough to justify wearing the "gear". The other idea that popped up (getting up later) wouldn't work as I'm a teacher so I have to be at work in time to clean up, change and be ready to teach! Although a big motivator now is that I need to lose the Xmas weight

wandsworth

There are many motivators for me, positive and negative. On the plus side, I can see that I am losing weight and getting fitter so I want to keep up with that. Also, once I'm warmed up I enjoy the ride, and despite the occasional traffic frustrations, always arrive feeling better for the ride (and buzzing with endorphins). In fact, although my basic commute is about 9 miles, if I have time I take a detour to extend it to 15 or 18 miles. (Once the mornings get lighter I plan to get up earlier and throw in an occasional lap of Richmond Park, which would take it to about 25 miles.)

On the avoiding negatives side, this:

TGOTB wrote:

When I started riding to work I made a conscious point, just before arriving at the office, of thinking whether I'd rather have taken the train; the answer was always no, and this fact made it far easier to motivate myself the next time.

Four and a half years on, and on the very rare occasions I have to take the train I actively dread it, particularly if it's raining, the windows are all closed, and the air inside the carriage is at 100% humidity...

However bad the weather - and it's sucked pretty badly recently - I have never wished that I was on public transport.

rolf_f

The only time I would consider public transport is when the weather is really disgusting. And then I remember what public transport is like when the weather gets bad and so I get on my bike!

lockstock666

Struggling at the moment too. My last commute was interrupted by two punctures. There's nothing like two punctures in the cold rain to really p*ss on your motivation for the next day or in my case couple of weeks. (Be sure to properly check that tyre for glass the first time, next time)

I think I need to find a new route but the options are limited. It's either mostly traffic free but full of glass and schoolchildren, or slow and busy, followed by fast and busy.

I also think it was a big mistake not putting mudguards on my bike when I got it last summer - the slightest hint of rain and I'm imagining the wet dirty mark on my back. I used to love riding in the rain - because I used to have mudguards. To be fair the rain has been pretty sh*te and if I didn't have the car option I would of had to ride in it regardless.

That settles it, I'm riding tomorrow and so I need to prepare to ride tonight:

Pump tyres with new trackpump I got for xmas.
Pack new puncture repair kit I got for xmas.
Lay out Clothes for the morning. New jersey & jacket I got for xmas :oops:
De-clutter bag and pack with work gear and lunch. Ham cooked at the weekend left over from x- yeah you get the idea.

menthel

I motivated myself by getting the train for a week last week after having some back trouble. It was bloody miserable! So glad to be back on the bike.

Ian.B

WarrenG wrote:

I'm normally do but if it's chucking down I don't fancy wandering around Epsom Common with the dog getting soaked before I even start off.

You could always put your coat on?

Plus, I have a spaniel which just rummages in the undergrowth therefore invisible to other dog-walkers - hence all they see is a middle-aged man walking around in lycra carrying a warm bag of dog poo. Which makes exchanging a cheery "Good Morning!" a little difficult

Hang on, maybe bare legs under a mac isn't such a good look in the circumstances...

e999sam

I get up at 0430 and do a 20m comute 4 days a week. On Thursday I go in the car so I can do the local chain gang in the evening.
If I miss a morning because I can't be bothered I get realy annoyed with my self.
The more often I comute the more I'm motivated to get up because I don't want to waste what I have already done.