What's your preparation routine

[summerdays]

It depends on where I'm going....

Local stretch my legs ride:
Check if my phone is in my pocket, hunt down some keys, whether it's mine or the spare set by the back door, walk to the back door grabbing the bike as I pass it, lock up if I'm the last one out.
(I don't take tools, water etc, as I can always walk back.)

Commute:
Get dressed, grab, phone, powerbank, head downstairs, start my porridge going, then make Summerlings and my lunch, collect porridge and carry on eaching it whilst getting ready.... (so tend to grab a mouthful whilst going to fill a water bottle etc), also look out window and consider if I need waterproofs, layers, sunglasses, sunscreen chucked in the pannier. Final check that I've got my phone, keys and purse. I assume I've got everything already in the pannier such as pump, pump, spare gloves, buff etc. Every now and again I clear out the pannier as I realise there are at least 5 pairs of gloves in there etc.

A specific ride:
Think about what I need in advance and clear out the pannier of all the unnecessary stuff.

 

[Dave 123]

It depends on which bike....

Me on a solo- Water, phone Garmin. Repair stuff is already on the bike.

Tandem- This can be very complicated! (though it would be wrong of me to name names)

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Fill water bottle
Turn on pc
Get naked
Put on shorts + jersey
Load zwift
Put on shoes
Turn on my old phone which is mounted like a garmin
Select course in zwift
Turn fan on

Ride

 

[Jody]

Depends really.

Local. Look out of window, if its raining text people saying I'm not coming out to play. If things look good, get kit on, check phone for battery, fill water, start strava, if solo grab the headphones , do the obligatory bounce of shocks/test brakes, pull a wheelie and ride. Every now and then give tyres a squeeze to see what pressure is in them.

Anywhere other than local do the same but put bike in the car and get a bit more kit/spares/food.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I spend a lot of time faffing the night before. Lay out clothes on floor in a person shape. Socks, gloves, buff and helmet complete the illusion. Prepare food. Fill bar bag with food, spare batteries, charge tank, keys, wallet, money. Replace batteries in lights, put old ones on charge (or in the "to charge" box). Make porridge. Faff around with route on PC. Download to GPS. Fret about weather forecast. Replace batteries in GPS (x2). Fill bottle. Put lights on bike. GPSs next to bike. Check tyre pressures. Give bike once-over.

In the morning at stupid o'clock. Shower. Put clothes on. Make coffee. Eat porridge. Drink coffee. Calibrate altimeters on GPSs. Set off. Wonder why I'm doing this.

 

[Globalti]

Pump tyres. Change. Fill bottle. Take bike out of garage, collect cycling glasses and gas cylinder as I pass through the utility room. Ride. I often don't bother with a phone.

 

[Crackle]

Fill water bottle
Turn on pc
Get naked
Put on shorts + jersey
Load zwift
Put on shoes
Turn on my old phone which is mounted like a garmin
Select course in zwift
Turn fan on

Ride

What temperature brings you out of hibernation, Netty?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

What temperature brings you out of hibernation, Netty?

Consistent double figures ⛄ and daylight. No club activity during the week to join

 

[mustang1]

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.

Mine is similar and j hate it. I'm sure I carry too much stuff and really wanna trim down what intake with me. Quite often I just figure that I can't be bothered to go back home to pick up the forgotten item and that I'll just buy another one if I need to along the ride.

 

[nickyboy]

Check weather forecast and try to decide a route that will be tailwind home. If it's complicated I'll plot it and upload to the Garmin
Put on cycling clothes except shoes, helmet and gloves
Get bike out of conservatory and put it in the hall
Load up bottles and grab something to eat for the pockets
Wheel bike to porch. Switch on Garmin. Put on shoes, helmet,gloves
Out to garage and check the tyre pressures the we're off

 

[gaijintendo]

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.

This is similar to my routine, minus any number of earlier steps, which I add to the end, after the "Lock back door" section.
I will then unlock the door, resolve one of the missed steps, lock the back door again, and repeat until I have only completely forgotten steps left on the list.

 

[Spinney]

This is similar to my routine, minus any number of earlier steps, which I add to the end, after the "Lock back door" section.
I will then unlock the door, resolve one of the missed steps, lock the back door again, and repeat until I have only completely forgotten steps left on the list.

I left those bits out!!
(the usual one is still wearing my reading glasses!)

 

[booze and cake]

Sometimes I'm amazed I actually get to leave the house. You know those random reports that say over the average lifetime you will spend X amount of time on the loo, picking you nose, waiting at traffic lights etc, I know for me I'll have spent literally years faffing about checking I've got everything. Looking for keys alone must have costs me years worth of time I could have used for something more interesting.

My normal routine is:

Cup of tea, always tea first, never coffee. Then a coffee. This is the way of things and is not to be mesed with.
Check phone is charged.
Check weather for chance of rain and wind direction and assess need for extra clothes (though the Beeb's forecast record over the last 18 months has been crap so this may get sacked off soon!)
Check MP3 player is charged and load up new tunes for the day. I cycle everywhere with music and feel naked without it.
Check I've got cash card.
Check for house keys.
Always fill water bottle, only take food for rides over 30-40 miles.
If on long rides into unknown territories I'll spend ages like Colin recce'ing routes, using Google Streetview to check some junctions so I'm familiar, and scrawl down route notes on cut up Tunnocks tea cakes boxes, in my own crazy personal shorthand that looks like the ramblings of a madman.
Decide which jersey I am going to rock the world with today, obviously making sure it does'nt clash with the bike I'm riding for the day.
In winter extra clothes are needed so an extra few mins checking I've got all that.
Pack in spare tube, scabz patches, tool, pump and levers into jersey. When out on my singlespeed I have to ensure I've always got my axle spanner which I don't need with my geared bikes as they've got quick releases. I regularly forget one of these! Last month I had to repair a puncture after forgetting my tyre levers. I went full Bear Grylls looking for sturdy twigs, fail, they all too 'snappy'. Amazingly I managed to get my 25c tyres off, replace tube, and tyres back on using just an allen key and my pump, which felt like a heroic Apollo 13 lifesaving moment at the time.
Check I have cash card.
Where's my sunglasses?
Where's my gloves?
Where's my bloody keys? I had them a minute ago, grr I've put them down somewhere (spends 5 mins hunting for keys)
I have 5 bikes but only one set of lights, so have to ensure I've removed them and put on the bike for the day if I'm going to be out after dark.
Empty bladder and bowels, the coffee has worked its magic!
Select chariot of choice.
Quick squeeze of tyres to check pressure.
If chariot looks particularly dirty as I invariably did'nt wipe it down after the last ride, I will give it a cursory wipe with 'the bike flannel' (you better hope you never accidentally use this on yourself when staying at mine!)
Clop down flight of stairs carrying bike to leave flat, having to lock all 3 lock internal door locks.
Clop down 2 more flights of stairs. Leave front door, looking 2 locks (5 separate keys to get into the flat is a right hassle-you better not be in dire need of a wee on your return)
Sudden thoughts of did I turn the heating off? Did I properly close that dripping tap in the bathroom? Have I got everything, it feels like I've forgotten something......
Suddenly realise I have forgotten one of the above, offer up some loud and varied swearing (my neighbours must think I've got Tourette's as this happens a lot)
Re-open all 5 locks and clamber up stairs for the forgotten item.
Re-lock all 5 locks again.
Its now nearly dark anyway so you better make sure you've got those lights?
Start GPS.
Ride.

 

[GuyBoden]

Sudden thoughts of did I turn the heating off? Did I properly close that dripping tap in the bathroom? Have I got everything, it feels like I've forgotten something......
Suddenly realise I have forgotten one of the above, offer up some loud and varied swearing (my neighbours must think I've got Tourette's as this happens a lot).

Not uncommon, I'm slightly OCD, I've set off on a ride many times and ridden back home 5mins later to check: that I've locked the house doors, or is the gas stove off, or are the windows closed etc. It's completely wasting my time I know, but at least we've checked, no harm done really......................

 

[captain nemo1701]

Morning:
Get dressed in cycling gear (clothes left in work), brekkie, coffee, contemplate taking a sickie (sunny days), keys??.. (frantic searching for 5 mins), check doors & windows, (last minute wee if I need one), set alarm, leave, get bike out of shed, ride along railway path to work remembering to smile nicely at all the Daily Mail-reading car drivers stuck in jams, change in loo at office, coffee, if early, fart around a bit online before boss gets in. Try to be sympathetic and understanding to other staff members who moan about getting stuck in traffic (the ones who say "Oooooh!..you must be freezing on that bike" or "roads are too dangerous for me to cycle" etc). I have perfected the art of pretending I care.

Evening:
Change in loo, get bike out of works shed, ride home( smiling at same Daily Mail readers fuming in traffic jams), pop into local shop occasionally, put bike back in shed, eat food in front of telly etc. Spend way too long on cyclechat..and Youtube. Go to bed, repeat 5 times per week.