Faffing time

surrey_commuter
surrey_commuter Posts: 18,867
edited September 2014 in Commuting chat
I am 4 months into commuting by bike and having looked at all the options for cutting my door to door time. I have come to the startling realisation that my average time between my official clocking off time and getting on the bike is 20-25 minutes. If I was on PT I would have reached Waterloo from Canary Wharf so logic tells me I really should be able to shave 10 minutes off this time.

I obviously need to MTFU but does anybody else have the same issue? should I be putting myself on the clock so I have PRs to aim at?
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Comments

  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    Faffing time doubles in the winter as well. You'd be better off walking.
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • surrey_commuter
    surrey_commuter Posts: 18,867
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    Faffing time doubles in the winter as well. You'd be better off walking.

    LOl - it is 20 miles and I can't bring myself to walk the 0.3kms across Putney Bridge
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    what you faffing with?
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • surrey_commuter
    surrey_commuter Posts: 18,867
    2 mins walk to shower/changing room
    lift to garage 2 mins
    walk to bike 1 min

    that still means I lose 20 odd minutes getting my stuff together and getting changed!!!

    is it just me?
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Surrey Commuter wrote:
    2 mins walk to shower/changing room
    lift to garage 2 mins
    walk to bike 1 min

    that still means I lose 20 odd minutes getting my stuff together and getting changed!!!

    is it just me?

    Well - it's not me ...

    because of the additional clothing faff 20 minutes is my winter get out the door time (bike is in my office) - in summer it's more ~10 minutes although I've never timed it - but I don't have to worry about locks, lights or removing anything else off my bike.

    I can cut down on getting changed by removing my shoes & swapping socks before going to get changed.
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    On of the advantages of living close(ish) to work and type of work. I don't need to change so fathing time is limited to putting lights on, and unlocking bike.
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    Slowbike wrote:
    I can cut down on getting changed by removing my shoes & swapping socks before going to get changed.
    :?
    By that logic, you could cut down even more by putting on all your cycling kit before going to get changed...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    Faff time is essential. Gets the mind ready, like a boxer walking up to the ring.
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    Smokey Bacon wrote:
    Faff time is essential. Gets the mind ready, like a boxer walking up to the ring.

    I even have "Simply the Best" playing full-blast as I walk down to the bike shed wearing a satin robe.
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • surrey_commuter
    surrey_commuter Posts: 18,867
    Smokey Bacon wrote:
    Faff time is essential. Gets the mind ready, like a boxer walking up to the ring.

    hmmm!!! so I may have too little faff time

    do Wiggle sell silk robes and dry ice machines?
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    So the real question here is what music is playing in your head when you're walking to your bike.

    UndercoverElephant: Simply the Best
    EKE: Harder Than You Think
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    Gun's N Roses - Welcome to the Jungle.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,490
    Desk to rolling - 10 minutes.
    It must be you.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    It takes me almost as long to get on the bike, as it does the ride home.
    Finish at 16:35 - 10 min's quick wash and change, 10 min's walk to bike compound ( 0.5 mile - a car plant is a big place and I work at the ar$e end of nowhere) 5 min's to unlock and pack away keys and security pass in my bag.
    25-30 min's ride home

    :?
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    Andy9964 wrote:
    It takes me almost as long to get on the bike, as it does the ride home.
    Finish at 16:35 - 10 min's quick wash and change, 10 min's walk to bike compound ( 0.5 mile - a car plant is a big place and I work at the ar$e end of nowhere) 5 min's to unlock and pack away keys and security pass in my bag.
    25-30 min's ride home

    :?
    You wash before getting on the bike? You know the bike doesn't mind?
    Rose Xeon CW Disc
    CAAD12 Disc
    Condor Tempo
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    dhope wrote:
    Andy9964 wrote:
    It takes me almost as long to get on the bike, as it does the ride home.
    Finish at 16:35 - 10 min's quick wash and change, 10 min's walk to bike compound ( 0.5 mile - a car plant is a big place and I work at the ar$e end of nowhere) 5 min's to unlock and pack away keys and security pass in my bag.
    25-30 min's ride home

    :?
    You wash before getting on the bike? You know the bike doesn't mind?

    yeah i've been meaning to talk to you about that :lol:

    oh and for me its up at 5:45,

    shower + clean teeth
    roll + pack work trousers & shirt etc
    coffee 1
    faff with weather and weather related kit options
    release various family pets back into the house
    coffee 1.5 whilst preparing coffee 2
    final weather / kit check and go
    go go go 6:25 out of the door

    (then discover i'm wearing totally the wrong kit and have left something important behind)

    too late now the race is on
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    There's nothing worse on winter morning than being fully kitted up (including bib tights, overshoes, jacket, glasses, lid, gloves etc etc) and ready to go only to realise that you really DO need to visit the throne before you set off.... :oops: :roll: :D
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,386
    meanredspider wrote:
    There's nothing worse on winter morning than being fully kitted up (including bib tights, overshoes, jacket, glasses, lid, gloves etc etc) and ready to go only to realise that you really DO need to visit the throne before you set off.... :oops: :roll: :D
    Its the second pint of coffee that does it.

    At least in Scotland there's ample scope for outdoor, naturally ventilated, self-composting eco thrones en route.

    A wee is all I've ever needed in an emergency mind you.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    meanredspider wrote:
    There's nothing worse on winter morning than being fully kitted up (including bib tights, overshoes, jacket, glasses, lid, gloves etc etc) and ready to go only to realise that you really DO need to visit the throne before you set off.... :oops: :roll: :D

    oh god i dont even want to get into that one, those that know me know i'm a three before i leave man
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    If I'm on the road in around four minutes after clocking off I'm happy, that includes putting front light on bike and connecting the battery in the pannier, unlocking bike and donning helmet. Gloves are usually put on waiting for the Kronos machine to slowly tick over to 10pm.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    So the real question here is what music is playing in your head when you're walking to your bike.

    UndercoverElephant: Simply the Best
    EKE: Harder Than You Think
    rubertoe: Show me the way to go home
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    TGOTB wrote:
    Slowbike wrote:
    I can cut down on getting changed by removing my shoes & swapping socks before going to get changed.
    :?
    By that logic, you could cut down even more by putting on all your cycling kit before going to get changed...

    How's that going to work? I have to take off my normal kit first ... bare feet is just about acceptable in the office - a bare chest or worse, arse certainly wouldn't be!
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    Slowbike wrote:
    TGOTB wrote:
    Slowbike wrote:
    I can cut down on getting changed by removing my shoes & swapping socks before going to get changed.
    :?
    By that logic, you could cut down even more by putting on all your cycling kit before going to get changed...

    How's that going to work? I have to take off my normal kit first ... bare feet is just about acceptable in the office - a bare chest or worse, ars* certainly wouldn't be!
    My point is that you're not really cutting down the amount of time you spend getting changed, you're just cutting down how much of it you measure...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    From leaving my desk to mounting the bike takes me 10 minutes exactly. That includes descending 5 flights of stairs, a 1 minute walk in the basement to the changing rooms, a 2 minute walk to the bike, taking off 2 locks and fitting 2 lights and a pannier.

    Some people just faff, that's how it is.
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    TGOTB wrote:
    My point is that you're not really cutting down the amount of time you spend getting changed, you're just increasing how much of it you are getting paid for...
    ftfy
    Rose Xeon CW Disc
    CAAD12 Disc
    Condor Tempo
  • surrey_commuter
    surrey_commuter Posts: 18,867
    essex-commuter wrote:
    From leaving my desk to mounting the bike takes me 10 minutes exactly. That includes descending 5 flights of stairs, a 1 minute walk in the basement to the changing rooms, a 2 minute walk to the bike, taking off 2 locks and fitting 2 lights and a pannier.

    Some people just faff, that's how it is.

    now I am concerned that I am going to become a faffer in all aspects or my life
  • walkingbootweather
    walkingbootweather Posts: 2,443
    essex-commuter wrote:
    Some people just faff, that's how it is.

    Tell me about it. Mrs WBW can take 2 hours getting ready to go out. And she doesn't even ride a bike.
    Nobody told me we had a communication problem
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    TGOTB wrote:
    My point is that you're not really cutting down the amount of time you spend getting changed, you're just cutting down how much of it you measure...
    but I don't measure it ... I do what's convenient rather than just the quickest ... it's convenient to not have to carry shoes back so I don't - and as I can work and change socks at the same time I'm also saving my time ....
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    dhope wrote:
    TGOTB wrote:
    My point is that you're not really cutting down the amount of time you spend getting changed, you're just increasing how much of it you are getting paid for...
    ftfy

    yer - wish that was true, but I'm not hourly paid ... I don't start dot on office start time or finish dot on end time - I work until I've done what I need to do ...
  • thepeopleschamp
    thepeopleschamp Posts: 94
    Getting as much done whilst on the clock as possible is the key.
    For me I need to empty my bowels before a ride (bowel disease) or I run the risk of crapping my pants on the way home. I head off to the throne at 5pm every day to have a proper clean out, that wipes me out so I spend the rest of my day at my desk eating a banana and getting my strength back.
    I start sorting my bag out then, packing up my USB chargers for my lights, garmin etc.. then 5 mins before I'm due to leave I'm back to the khazi to get changed.
    Then bang on time I return to my desk to pick up my laptop and I'm done. Saves about 30mins of time.

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