Weekend cycling after five days commuting

[DougieAB]

I commute to work Monday to Friday, 25 miles per day, over a fairly hilly route to and from Edinburgh. Problem is, by the end of the week I'm knackered and my road bike stays stuck in the shed. Bought the Specialized Allez Sport specifically to do longer weekend runs but can count on one hand the number of times I have managed to get out on it. You know what its like when you commute, you hate to miss a day! Keep saying I will get out on a Sunday and drive to work Monday, but it never happens. On holiday tomorrow (Monday) so no excuse, need to get out on the Allez before the winter sets in.

 

[Moodyman]

Don't worry - My commute is similar length and terrain to yours and I just can't be bothered to ride on a weekend.

So I ride when I'm off work for a few days.

 

[Hip Priest]

I commute all week, have a long ride on Saturday, then rest on Sunday. My commute is only 10 miles a day though.

 

[Easytigers]

I'm the same...used to love the weekend rides before I commuted. Now just feel too knackered by the end of the week. I also keep saying that I'll have a day (or two) off but hate the drive into work and just don't feel the same buzz as I get when cycling in...it really sets me up of the day

 

[BlackPanther]

I commute to work Monday to Friday, 25 miles per day, over a fairly hilly route to and from Edinburgh. Problem is, by the end of the week I'm knackered and my road bike stays stuck in the shed. Bought the Specialized Allez Sport specifically to do longer weekend runs but can count on one hand the number of times I have managed to get out on it. You know what its like when you commute, you hate to miss a day! Keep saying I will get out on a Sunday and drive to work Monday, but it never happens. On holiday tomorrow (Monday) so no excuse, need to get out on the Allez before the winter sets in.

I too cycle every day (Allez 16). I've been doing it for around 18 months, 23 miles per day. I reckon it was around the 1 year mark at least when I realised that no matter how hard I rode home, I never felt tired/sore the next day. I guess it takes each person a different length of time to reach 'optimal' leg strength.....how long have you been commuting in?

You mention that your ride is fairly hilly. Maybe if you had a steady ride home on the Friday you'd be more eager to go for a weekend ride?

 

[cyberknight]

Took me a couple of years of commuting to get to a stage where i was ready for longer runs at the weekend as well.

Are you pushing to hard in the week? I find if i take it slightly easier i only takes a couple of minutes more for the commute which leaves me fresher for the weekend.

My commmute is 20 miles a day over hilly terain.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

My commute is only a 13 mile round trip, I have been doing regular Sunday rides for years, I normally have Saturday as a rest day and don't do every Sunday, normally two or three Sundays a month, stops me over doing it and getting tired and stale. It may be better to take the Friday off instead of riding Sunday then having Monday off. cyberknights advise about taking it easy on the commute is good, I normally ride easy on my commute, I'm commuting in ordinary clothes.

 

[Maz]

weekend riding? you must be joking. i dont know how people find the time.
family, jobs in and around the house, ferrying kids here n here, shopping, guests, etc...cycling's out of the question.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

weekend riding? you must be joking. i dont know how people find the time.
family, jobs in and around the house, ferrying kids here n here, shopping, guests, etc...cycling's out of the question.

We build it into our normal routine.

 

[jonny jeez]

weekend riding? you must be joking. i dont know how people find the time.
family, jobs in and around the house, ferrying kids here n here, shopping, guests, etc...cycling's out of the question.

+1.

one of the reasons I choose to cycle to work was that I have almost no time at weekends for anything else, I've only managed one "friendly cyclechat" ride on a sunday in the 3 years I've commuted and even that was a bit last minute.

By contrast I had a 1-3 hour drive to work (followed by the same on the return) each day, so I had plenty of time there to cycle instread (cycling takes 1.05- 1.20 max).

 

[jonny jeez]

I too cycle every day (Allez 16). I've been doing it for around 18 months, 23 miles per day. I reckon it was around the 1 year mark at least when I realised that no matter how hard I rode home, I never felt tired/sore the next day. I guess it takes each person a different length of time to reach 'optimal' leg strength.....how long have you been commuting in?

You mention that your ride is fairly hilly. Maybe if you had a steady ride home on the Friday you'd be more eager to go for a weekend ride?

I've just invested in an Allez Elite (and retired my old faithfull MTB) and have been riding in and out every day, last week was my first full week of commuting by pushbike in over 3 years of trying. My route is a 40 mile return so its a little longer overall but I have to say that I felt ok on saturday, my thighs feel...well they just feel... as in I can feel them working as I walk about, where I couldnt before.

I am sure that the set up of the new bike is the biggest factor, I dont ache anywhere near as much as I did on the older bike and I get no lower back pain, both of which would usually put me out of business after about 3 days of commuting before.

 

[Arsen Gere]

Why not take a Friday off cycling one week when the weekend weather forecast is good. Then get out and see how you feel.
You never regret going out, only staying in.

Once you get used to that the weekends fit in naturally.

I sometimes take a Friday off if I have a weekend race, it makes me a bit keener and I get time to recover.

 

[jig-sore]

same here, commute 5 days a week (no other options). 50 mile average ride at weekends and then tried to do TTs as well

could really feel it taking its toll so now i've bought a 125 motorbike for the commute, i can still use the cycle if im in the mood and i can now start enjoying the pleasure riding again.

nothing to feel bad about. we are only human

 

[DougieAB]

I think I might try and do as was suggested in a couple of the posts and take it slow and easy on my way home on Fiday. Not easy as the majority of steep hills I encounter are on my way home, so always have to put a fair bit of effort into the journey. I did venture out on the road bike yesterday (holiday!) and managed 36.5 miles from home (Gorebridge) to Haddington and back on the minor roads. Did enjoy the run (even against a headwind on the way home) so just need to keep it up.

 

[StuartG]

Lucky you!

I no longer commute so weekend riding is all I get. Pleasurable but hardly useful (well except to keep me fit). Utility cycling is real cycling. Getting from A to B in the fastest/cheapest/greenest way is what it should be all about.

The rest is just show/ego. Save your road bike for holidays/retirement. Take a rest weekends and find another life/real people.