a funny thing happened to me!

[gavroche]

Since my 41 miles ride last sunday, I feel that riding my usual 10 miles is just like going for a walk round the block!
I want longer rides but the problem is time. Long rides take hours and I feel guilty if I leave my wife on her own at the week-end for many hours. She doesn't like cycling so she can't come with me.
There must be a way round it?

 

[Gary E]

A bottle of wine, a box of chocolates and a chic-flick buys you a good 3-4 hours

 

[CopperCyclist]

Do your usual ten miles, and push for speed. I mean really push. Aim to keep a cadence significantly higher than your normal, so that at no point are you in a comfort zone, but balance it so you aren't actually killing yourself either. A short but hard ride can do the same as a longer slower one - that's if fitness is your goal!

If its sheer riding pleasure, then yeah, chocolates are the best option!

 

[derrick]

There's no substitute for longer rides, just divorce her.

The last bit of advice is a joke, thought i had better explain for those with no sense of humour.

 

[Arjimlad]

I plan to get up early on a Saturday morning. It's the only way to get out & get some hours in, whilst being around for the family too. I've done it for other hobbies, so no reason why I won't be able to do it for cycling trips too. Sometimes I come home at about 9.30 and they are hardly awake, just had breakfast and settling into whatever they want to do. I just come home, brief shower & a piece of toast, then I'm with the family & getting into whatever they are up to. It's a nice feeling to have had some "me" time without missing out on what everyone else is up to.

If you get up with the sun, then you will be able to have a meaningful couple of hours on the bike before you're really missed. When the clocks change it will be even earlier. Ok, so you need to go to bed on time on Friday night, and you'll sleep well on Saturday night, but what's wrong with that ?

 

[tyred]

Cycle faster, that way you'll pack more miles into your allocated time slot.

Or buy a motorcycle...

 

[smokeysmoo]

+1 for an early start. I tend to go out early on Sundays for the same reasons as Arjimlad does on his Saturdays. Time is the one main thing that's always stopped me joining a club if I'm honest.
I need to be out, done and back to keep a happy family balance, not spending all day at it with a cafe stop thrown in. While this obviously suits many it'd probably see me in the divorce courts quick sticks.


Note to self, must get Mrs S out on her Spesh Dolce Elite so she can see what all the fuss about.

 

[400bhp]

Another one here for early starts. Works for me - with the current sunrise at 6:30 ish I try and get out by 7am. Can be done by 12.

 

[VamP]

I am trying to get 15 hours of saddle time per week. Weekends are rarely available, and when they are I tend to use them for racing, so wasting passes on training is generally no go. What to do?

Can you commute? I get 95% of my saddle time commuting, once you're in the habit, it's relatively straightforward to adjust route length to suit the amount of riding you want to do, and the time that you have available. Today I was up at 5, took longer way in and have 27 miles under my belt. GF is out tonight, so there is no time pressure, and on the way home I will take a detour via Surrey Hills and squeeze in perhaps another 50 - 70 miles. Without weekend riding I am managing 200 - 250 miles per week at the moment.

 

[Kiwiavenger]

i need to start getting up earlier! watching the sun rise on a ride out was great through the winter but now its up before i leave! might set a 6am start as normal so when my new shifts kick in i'll have 2 1/2 hours before work to ride!

 

[jayonabike]

Get the Mrs to cook a roast dinner. That will take her a couple of hours, she'll be happy doing womens stuff in the kitchen and you get a couple of hours on the bike and then a full on roast after your ride, everyones happy. That's what I do.

 

[biggs682]

i keep saying lighter mornings , i will get up early for a bike ride so far 1 ride in 10 days before the commute , so must try harder

 

[jdtate101]

This is why I love summer so much, and hate winter. In summer you can get up stupidly early, whilst she indoors is still asleep, put in 3-4hrs of riding, and still be back in time for breakfast and a whole day together.

Summer weekends start at 6am out the door for me, back for 10am, having done 60-70miles.

Now if I could only convice my kids not to get up until 10am my world would be complete

 

[screenman]

My wife is up at 5 every day of the week, so getting up before her would be difficult, beside that who would get my coffee and breakfast for me.