Anybody set off really early for leisure rides?

mugensi

I do this too during summer months, up at 6am,on the road by 6:30am, home by 8:30am and in work by 9:30am. It means I have evenings to do what I want with the family/kids etc

On many mornings, today for example, I didn't meet a single car until near 7:30am.

lakesluddite

Well if we're counting commuting as 'leisure rides' - then 6am every time. All year round. Which is probably why if I do go for a 'proper' leisure ride (ie the weekend), it won't be until after 10am. I need at least one lie-in a week!

chris_bass

DaveP1 wrote:

plymouthsteve wrote:

I do a 100 miler once or twice per year and like to get out at 6am for the same reasons, albeit never back in time for a 2nd breakfast!
I find that you really lose perspective of time as it seems early all the way through. Nice in summer when it starts off chilly and ends up hot.

+1 on the time thing, I have to remind myself to say good afternoon after noon...

I love getting out early, apart from anything else the quality of the light is better, and you're more likely to see interesting wildlife.

Just say Hello, it nicely avoids the problem!

david7m

Is that like calling everyone mate at work when you cant remember names

kingstongraham

Webboo wrote:

I go out as soon as I’ve got up, most days this about lunchtime.

parklife

chris_bass

david7m wrote:

Is that like calling everyone mate at work when you cant remember names

yes mate

gt8374uh9jiodpo

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

I love the evenings through May and June, set off 7pm, quiet roads til 9-10pm
I struggle to get to sleep afterwards though

This does appeal to me, just wary of the dozy drivers late in the evening.
As it heads towards sunset what do you wear? fluro? or just rely on your lights?

Matthewfalle

gt8374uh9jiodpo wrote:

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

I love the evenings through May and June, set off 7pm, quiet roads til 9-10pm
I struggle to get to sleep afterwards though

This does appeal to me, just wary of the dozy drivers late in the evening.
As it heads towards sunset what do you wear? fluro? or just rely on your lights?

whats with the crazy forum name?

Wayne Plunger

I set off at 4.30 am the other morning, did 60 miles, back in time to cook breakfast for the family then drop the kids off at school. Then I went to work for a 12 hour shift, came home cooked the evening meal, artexed a ceiling, built a cocktail cabinet and then made supper.

Obviously after a 60 mile ride when I got back I also had to totally strip the bike down, clean and grease, then rebuild.

During my 60 mile early morning ride I stopped off at a local dogging site and spent an hour with Maureen from Much Wenlock.

Tomorrow I will be drawing up plans for a trans Africa canal.

chris_bass

Wayne Plunger wrote:

I set off at 4.30 am the other morning, did 60 miles, back in time to cook breakfast for the family then drop the kids off at school. Then I went to work for a 12 hour shift, came home cooked the evening meal, artexed a ceiling, built a cocktail cabinet and then made supper.

Obviously after a 60 mile ride when I got back I also had to totally strip the bike down, clean and grease, then rebuild.

During my 60 mile early morning ride I stopped off at a local dogging site and spent an hour with Maureen from Much Wenlock.

Tomorrow I will be drawing up plans for a trans Africa canal.

4.30? why so late? and only 60 miles i don't even class anything below 100 as a ride, you slacker.

tonight i'll be ready to ride as soon as the clock ticks past 12 midnight.

Wayne Plunger

Chris Bass wrote:

Wayne Plunger wrote:

I set off at 4.30 am the other morning, did 60 miles, back in time to cook breakfast for the family then drop the kids off at school. Then I went to work for a 12 hour shift, came home cooked the evening meal, artexed a ceiling, built a cocktail cabinet and then made supper.

Obviously after a 60 mile ride when I got back I also had to totally strip the bike down, clean and grease, then rebuild.

During my 60 mile early morning ride I stopped off at a local dogging site and spent an hour with Maureen from Much Wenlock.

Tomorrow I will be drawing up plans for a trans Africa canal.

4.30? why so late? and only 60 miles i don't even class anything below 100 as a ride, you slacker.

tonight i'll be ready to ride as soon as the clock ticks past 12 midnight.

I was going to go at 3 am but I needed to rebuild a dwarf wall at the front of the house!

I assume we can still can them dwarf walls or are they now to be termed as "vertically challenged walls"

StillGoing

Definitely early starts. Back in time to enjoy the weekend with the family.

ovi

Matthewfalle wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

no one on this site is a PRO so every ride they do is a leisure ride.

Er - how do you know?

and is commuting a leisure ride?

Matthewfalle wrote:

and yes, 6:30/7 am starts - best part of the day for riding

that's a bit late ...

1. because apart from PokerFace they are.

2. Yes. The rubbish part only starts when you get to work. i actually really enjoy my communting ride.

3. its because i'm old and can't function before then

#oldcreakingbones

PokerFace had announced he was retiring ;-)

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Given I commute at ~0600/0630 on different work days, you'd expect it to be easy to get out early for leisure rides on days off... But I'm absolutely useless in doing so, I think I've managed it less than a dozen times in the last ~27 months of doing frequent non-commute rides!

I expect it's down to fatigue, not only from my postie job, but also suffering from SAD in the winter and being extremely sensitive to light with the early sunrise and late sunsets in winter.

The crazy thing is that when I do get out early, it really helps wake me up, but it's having breakfast and then getting ready to head out before the rush hour starts at ~0730 that is the struggle.

tonysj

I'm not sure about others but any start time before 8am is a problem as my bowels open at 8:30am as regular as clockwork lol..

surfercyclist

TonySJ wrote:

I'm not sure about others but any start time before 8am is a problem as my bowels open at 8:30am as regular as clockwork lol..

Just do a Dumoulin.

chris_bass

Wayne Plunger wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

Wayne Plunger wrote:

I set off at 4.30 am the other morning, did 60 miles, back in time to cook breakfast for the family then drop the kids off at school. Then I went to work for a 12 hour shift, came home cooked the evening meal, artexed a ceiling, built a cocktail cabinet and then made supper.

Obviously after a 60 mile ride when I got back I also had to totally strip the bike down, clean and grease, then rebuild.

During my 60 mile early morning ride I stopped off at a local dogging site and spent an hour with Maureen from Much Wenlock.

Tomorrow I will be drawing up plans for a trans Africa canal.

4.30? why so late? and only 60 miles i don't even class anything below 100 as a ride, you slacker.

tonight i'll be ready to ride as soon as the clock ticks past 12 midnight.

I was going to go at 3 am but I needed to rebuild a dwarf wall at the front of the house!

I assume we can still can them dwarf walls or are they now to be termed as "vertically challenged walls"

An hour and a half delay for anything short of a giant wall is just unacceptable, you disgust me!

shimanobottombracket

gt8374uh9jiodpo wrote:

Mrs gt8374uh9jiodpo thinks im bonkers, but I like bike riding really early at the weekend. setting off about 06:30.
I am looking to gradually increase the miles and prefer riding when the air is fresh and the roads are mostly clear, so I as the days get lighter early I am considering getting out there at 05:30 on the weekend and getting the miles in, after an early night of course. Does anybody else do this? What are your experiences like?

I sometimes cycle at night, on one occasion at 3am. I work nights so my body clock is different. I still try to cycle in daylight but I'm usually sleeping during the day.

orraloon

PBlakeney wrote:

First Aspect wrote:

Are you the sort of people who mow your lawn at 8.00am on Sundays, so that you can be sanctimonious for the rest of the day and say things about things like early birds and worms?

When the neighbours have had a BBQ last until 3:00 am with full blast karaoke, you betcha!

Too much dew and wet grass for a mow at 8am. Chainsaw and log cutting? Now you're talking.

daniel_b

I'm being a lazy @rse tomorrow, and leaving the house at 06:30.

pblakeney

orraloon wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

First Aspect wrote:

Are you the sort of people who mow your lawn at 8.00am on Sundays, so that you can be sanctimonious for the rest of the day and say things about things like early birds and worms?

When the neighbours have had a BBQ last until 3:00 am with full blast karaoke, you betcha!

Too much dew and wet grass for a mow at 8am. Chainsaw and log cutting? Now you're talking.

The grass doesn't get a second thought. It might be drier second time around? :twisted:
PS- 06:00 this morning, 88km with 1460m of climbing this morning and back for the wife finishing breakfast.

Alejandrosdog

I had a leisure ride this morning about 2.30 am, it was just a quick one then I had to get home before the wife woke up.

Wayne Plunger

Thursday.

homers_double

My mid week pre work loop starts around 6.15/6.30 and I'm usually instructed to go out early on a weekend ride to be back to do stuff. But you can't beat getting home around 5 after work and riding in shorts and a thin top in the evening sunshine.

pastryboy

My earliest was 4:11 to head to the Ride London start.

Most rides (and runs) are before 6 to make the most of the quiet.

awavey

early for me is setting off before lunchtime, and even then I dont manage it that often, one of the reasons Ive generally never bothered of thinking joining a cycling club is Id never make it to the club run for 9am Im just not a morning person, it takes me 2 cups of coffee and a good hour of general getting readyness and hunting round for kit (why is it you can never find matching arm warmers and the like straight away) before I even contemplate setting foot out the door.

at least in the winter it means all the ice has usually gone, even if it does curtail the amount of time/distance you can do

andyh01

Thanks op, reading this inspired me to get up early
I originally planned to do so on the bank holiday Sunday after speaking to Mrs, I checked with her again before setting off but Mrs talked me out of it, as she was still half asleep.
So last Saturday i just got up 530 out the door by 6am and back at 815 just as Mrs and kids were waking up
I really enjoyed it but it made the day feel long I just need to get used to it I guess

homers_double

Longer days are better, you just need to get used to going to bed early. That's my issue becacuse we eat late as we're a busy family I just cant get into bed 30 minutes after a meal.

andyh01

Yeah that's the issue late night so.least get bit of time just us two way n evening, at weekend maybe up til 23:30 so getting up at 530 exercising, running round after kids and another late night...
Especially now summer though hoping to do it again

pblakeney

AndyH01 wrote:

Yeah that's the issue late night so.least get bit of time just us two way n evening, at weekend maybe up til 23:30 so getting up at 530 exercising, running round after kids and another late night...
Especially now summer though hoping to do it again

The secret is to readjust your hours. I noticed while on holiday in NZ that everyone there outside large cities went to be early and got up early. I tried it and now wonder why people stay up so late. Past bedtime now.....