What's your preparation routine

[Crackle]

I realized mine was rather complicated really if I needed to write it down but actually rather efficient in getting me out but see what you think.

I head up to the third floor to get changed lobbing essential keys and phone on the bed to take back down. Head back down grab Garmin from computer and bike if it's on the turbo. Leave bike in hall, head to kitchen, collect helmet, shoes, gloves, outside jacket. Fill water bottle, load pockets with keys, phone and snacks if needed and then collect bike from hall, unless the bike is in the garage which means leaving via the back door and undoing three padlocks to get to the bike. And a U lock if it's the mtn bike.

I've not timed it but short of setting up some sort of Wallace and Gromit contraption I don't think I could do it quicker. Actually the mtn bike requires a slightly different procedure due to using flats and boots and a different jacket. That requires a visit to the porch on the way down, which I always forget.

Could I do it better: What's your routine?

 

[cosmicbike]

My routine is random, and frequently involves some swearing, return visits up and downstairs, not to mention returning after the first mile to pick up the water bottle left on the kitchen sideboard.
Then I'm on my way, unless I forgot my glasses or tool bag.

 

[Spinney]

Collect keys, purse, phone from office (i.e. bedroom where I work). Put on cycling clothing. Go downstairs to utility room, collecting non-reading glasses on the way, collect pannier (containing tool kit, lights, lock etc, left packed), garmin, drink bottle. Through kitchen - fill up drink bottle, collect keys and any snacks. Back porch - put on jacket, helmet, shoes. Go out, lock back door, get bike out of garage, ride.

 

[Crackle]

Mine is pretty much the same as Crax's, but I always factor in checking tyre pressures. My bikes are mostly inside in the spare bedroom so I dont have to undo huge numbers of locks......just set the house alarm and lock up as I go out.

Ah yes. Every third ride I pump the tyres up or about every five days and a quick squeeze prior to leaving. Forgot that.

 

[hopless500]

Charge phone. Get changed. Hunt down Haribo and fill water bottle. Find appropriate bike bag. Decant all the neccesaries from a different bag into the one of choice. Realise I have the wrong inner tube. Hunt for the right one. Track down gloves. Go to put bag on bike. Realise the bit that it goes on isn't there. Hunt down and fit. Add bag. Find baby pannier that holds essential haribo and tissues. Forget water bottle. Go back, get it, stick it on bike. Forget phone. Go back and fetch. Dither over which jacket to take. Find a glove has disappeared. Remember I've not checked tyres so give them a cursory prod with forefinger. Forgotten sunglasses... retrieve. Ditto money.
Then off I go

 

[davidphilips]

depends, for a quick run down to shops just walk out to garage put on helmet get run around bike and go, for long runs get changed into cycling clothing put on helmet glasses and gloves, fit lights onto selected bike check tyres make sure pump fitted and go.

 

[Noru]

Pop Garmin on & on the windowsill to find satellites while I get ready. Walk to kitchen to put on shoes, helmet & gloves and grab the bike. Carry it through the lounge to the front door picking up the Garmin as I pass. Turn on the lights & I'm off.

It's always left with the pannier on when indoors fully stocked with tubes/locks/waterproofs/pump etc. I just throw in my lunch & a shirt if commuting.

Future Mrs Noru wasn't happy that the bicycle lived in the kitchen when she moved in but after explaining it was probably worth twice as much as my car these days at around a grand she agreed the shed wasn't the best place for it. Though when we move I'm sure I'll no longer get away with keeping in the kitchen.

 

[Sea of vapours]

1. Design route based on forecasts and time available. Transfer this to GPS watch. (Make final coffee and drink during points 2-4.)

2. Make bike ready:
- check tyre pressures
- fit saddle wedge bag containing tools and spares
- make up water bottles, one water one protein/carb mix, and place in cages
- fit Ass Saver mudguard if necessary
- fit lights if necessary

3. Put all the things which go either in jersey pockets or on me at the last moment by the bike:
- food
- 'emergency' gel
- any spare clothes if necessary, such as a gilet
- GPS watch (activate route and recording mode and leave it in 'just press start' state)
- gloves / mitts / helmet / skull cap / glasses / shoes / shoe covers

4. Gather clothes together, including HR monitor strap, and get dressed.

5. Add point 2 items to me and walk out of door with bike.

6. Start GPS recording and depart.

Hmmm...... that's a long list. No wonder it takes a good 10-15 minutes to get out of the door!

 

[screenman]

Dressed in cycle clothing up stairs, down to office for shoe's, overshoe's, gloves, helmet, buff, phone and Garmin. Out to garage to decide on which bike to ride. All done in five minutes max, I do not like wasting time.

 

[Vantage]

Check the time. If there's less than 3 hours actual ride time I'll rarely bother.
Hobble upstairs and put the lycra and shoes on. Hobble downstairs and put overshoes and jacket on. Go back upstairs and grab the cycling glasses I forgot previously. Back downstairs and put dog in the kitchen. Fill waterbottle and put it on the bike. Put wallet and phone in back pockets. Put mp3 player in side pockets. Put cycling glasses on and look for keys. Realise keys are in kitchen and go for them. Watch dog escape having pee'd and pooped right next to the door. Clean pee and poop. Chase, catch and re-imprison dog.
Bounce the bike down the 18 steps, plug in earphones, turn GPS and camera on, put gloves on, ride away.

 

[ColinJ]

For longer outings such as forum rides, there would be elaborate preparations involving route plotting, charging of GPS batteries, route uploading, DIY carbo-drink making, and so on ...

For shorter local rides ... check forecast, don appropriate cycle kit, set off on bike!

Today's shorter ride became more complicated when I discovered at the last possible moment that my front tyre was flat ... I swapped the front wheel in off another bike so I was only delayed by a minute or two. (Which reminds me ... I must fix the puncture!)

 

[Salty seadog]

haphazard to say the least but as @User14044 says check tyres. If I'm riding multiple days I'll pump on the first and just squeeze 'em the next couple. Always check which keys I've got as one time I just gropped round the corner and grabbed them. Got back home to find I'd grabbed the back door key. Good job the neighbors were in so I slung myself over the fence and got in. I could so easily have grabbed a padlock key or key to the parents house off the hooks and it'd have been a whole other ball game.

 

[rivers]

Glance at weather report, find appropriate cycling clothes and put them out, make sure the garmin is charged, put various sundries going into pockets on the table so I don't forget, and eventually go to bed. Next day, stumble blindly around the house until I'm showered and dressed, get bike out of garage or off the turbo, check tyre pressure and chain, go for a ride. I might check the chain and tyres the night before if I remember.

 

[slowmotion]

For my commute, it's mainly searching for keys and the stuff I need to take to work.

At the weekend, I prepare by searching for my keys and having a couple of cans of lager.

 

[freiston]

The following is an approximation. I keep my handlebar bag in my bedroom so I usually throw stuff into that (keys, phone, wallet, snacks, sunglasses/plain safety glasses, camera or whatever). Dress - trousers or cycling tights, usually non-cycling specific long-sleeved t-shirt (I wear these all the time except for work), cycling socks and shoes (my regular socks are too thick for my cycling shoes) and a jacket according to the weather. If I'm going for a really short round trip, I usually bung my phone, keys and wallet in my jacket pocket and not bother with the handlebar bag. If I'm going further or need to lock my bike, I take my QR rack-top bag with toolkit and bike lock. Panniers are for more luggage or shopping only.

The water bottles get filled (usually one with water, the other with squash) for rides long enough to warrant them. The bike comes out of the 'lean-to' out-house directly into the kitchen, where I give it a quick check/pump-up, attach the bags and bottles, and wheel it out to the front of the house.

I like to plan my circular rides so that I keep to small country lanes as much as possible, so I sometimes create a 'turn list' using maps and google earth that I keep in a document holder on my bar bag to follow.