Road Cycling - Biking in the Morning.....

So far this season I've been riding my mountain bike for the
most part. About 400 miles or thereabouts.

But for kicks, last sunday I took out the road machine and it
was amazing - it was so fast I'd forgotten. I literally went
about 12 miles in 34 minutes. Zoom!

So in the mornings before work, I've been getting up at
about 5:30 to go riding for as long as I can before I have
to go back to get ready for work.

It seems that the roadie is a better use of my time because
I can go faster/farther and thus get a more intense workout.
The mountain bike is better for evenings and when I have
time on the weekends to go to a good trail and work out
that way.

I still love the mountain bike but I've re-evaluated the road
machine and will definetely be riding it more in the future.

Anyone else experience an epiphany like that?

I think early mornings are the king of the world for riding. Less traffic/pollution, and it's always cooler then, too. At the moment my MTB is the only bike I own, so I've just been riding that lately.

Chris

ditto on the morning... I love it. Its cooler, the road is all mine and everything is so peaceful.

I do my tours early Saturdays and Sunday and stick to the laps (sprints) during the week.

All I used to ride was a MTB. I would alternate from dirt to road tires based on the ride at hand.

One day my mother in law brought over an old road bike of my wifes' and I raised the seat, slapped on my pedals and fell in love.

The bike was too small and too heavy but compared to the MTB it was a rocket. I couldn't beleive what I'd been missing. I'd always told myself that I would never become that tight pants guy all tucked down and smooth.

I've since bought a road bike much lighter and much faster.

I know what you mean.

Mornings get my vote...especially this time of the year. Cool summer mornings in Kansas mean 85 degrees versus 105 in the afternoon. You tend to see more wildlife as well (animals, not college kids).

Mornings also work great if you have a spouse and kids. My wife and I alternate days so we both can work out. Of course my rotation gives me Saturday so I can get a big ride in once a week.

It also makes it so you can't cop out at the end of the day with "something better to do" or the old favorite "I'm too tired."

Like Kansas, Dallas is pretty hot during the summer so it helps there too.

I agree mornings are a great time to ride, its peacful, calm, cool. Here in houston that is important. I ride at 0530 too on Tues and Thurs, saturdays I start at 0630. This morning I even saw two othe bikers too, but they turned and went home. I usually get in aboiut 10 miles. I ride a road bike almost all the time now but I miss the MTB too. It needs extensive repairs so until then I have to wait. I'll think of you guys in the morning.

The morning AND road bikes rock! I don't have to be in to work 7 miles from home untill 9 AM. But, I am up at 6, and as soon as it is light enough, I am out the door on one of my road bikes! (Boy, that sounds cool! "One of my road bikes!" I've only had two for a week!!) Being new to this biking thing, I am still amazed at the responsivness of the road bike. If I can muster up a little extra strength, I know that the bikes are more than equal to the task! If I am going to do some interval training or anything, I do it in the morning, as when I get off, the temps might be in the 100s, so then I just spin easy on the way home.

I've never even been on a mountain bike...but Patty at the LBS has already told me that she has a loaner for me to use on the trail rides that they do starting in September! It will be interesting, but somehow I don't think it will replace the thrill of the road bikes!

How do you guys do it? How do you wake up so early, train hard as hell, and manage to stay awake fo teh rest of the day? I really want to go riding inthe morning, but I find it hard to stay awake teh rest of teh day. Any tips? BTW, work for me starts at 7:30-8 am, and I am 22 years old.

Altwegg,

The key to maintaining your energy level during the day is nutrition, you have to eat very soon after your ride, and several times during the day. But no donuts, twinkies and the like, they will only make you more fatigued. My job starts at 0730 and runs until at least 5:00, I get up at 0500 to workout. When I first started I was tired in the afternoons, but when I adjusted the diet things got better. In particular you have stay away from refined sugars, and certain types of carbohydrates, as they will make your insulin levels spike. Also you have to go to bed fairly early. When I was 22 I did not live the same way I do now, but then again because of that I have to work pretty hard now to stay in shape.

I actually go to be relatively early when I can. I just don't spend hours sitting in front of the crap referred to as 'television' and get my sleep then. It makes waking up early much easier.

Chris

Hey thanks DonTx. I'll 'try' to stay away fro donuts and other sugary stuff. What kids of food containing 'certain' were you pertaining to?

I'd really like to start riding in the morning. Night rides are freakin dangerous!

Altwegg,

I was referring to the glycemic index of carbohydrates. Some Carbos burn faster than others, in general the more processing it has the faster it burns, white rice and brown rice are good examples, your body uses white rice faster than brown, therefore you run out of energy faster after eating white rice. Same is true for breads whole wheat vs enriched wheat flour, you want the whole wheat. It is not very easy to get the information on glycemic indexes of foods as it is not on the packaging. I learned about it from a book called "Body for Life" by Bill Phillips. I am sure there are other sources too. If you are going to start riding in the morning, take a look at your normal daily schedule, you may find that if you speed some things up a bit you can find an extra 15-30 minutes without having to get up earlier.

Good Luck

Thanks! I'll read up on glycemic index and such.

Mornings ARE good. My mountain bike feels like an orphan
Ride skinny
pat

I concur with the above posts. Morning is the best time to ride. It's cooler , less traffic and the animals are still active. I am a morning guy. Been getting up at 5 am for as long as I can remember. I like to hit the road at daylight.

Something else I like to do is ride up into the mountains in pre-dawn darkness, overlooking the lights of the Gold Coast below, then I watch the sun come up and ride back home in daylight. That's heaps of fun. :D

Chris

Yes, Early Mornings are the best!!!

Just one problem.

they dont last long enough.

Riding in the morning??? Gosh, what time do you people go to bed? School, lab, and tons of other activities force me to go to bed around 3-4 a.m., and I always struggle to get up by 9 a.m. My bike has never experienced the sweet smell of sunrise... maybe 10 years from now...

You must be in Med School to be going to bed that late!

I do have to say that some of us just are not morning people and never will be. In my case, "not a morning person" doesn't even begin to cover it. That's part of the reason I'll probably never join a club- all the club rides I've heard about start at some unGodly hour like 6am. If I ever have to be up at 6am, there may be a body moving, but I can assure you, I'm not in there animating it. :sleep:

On the otherhand, i can think of no ride sweeter than riding at sunset and pulling into home just as the evening slips into purple twilight. Ah, yes, that's the good stuff. :)

Gee, I consider getting up at 6am to be "sleeping in" :D

Chris

Altwegg, it seems as I age I need less sleep. I usually stay up till 10.30/11pm and wake at 4.50am for my 50km commute.
I can also go to bed fairly late (1or2am) and wake at 4.50! But every few weeks I need an 8pm night.
So one day you will be able to burn the candle at both ends :D
Mind you, if you intend to race/train then my sleep isn't enough!

regards.

When you do your morning rides do you eat anything before you head out or do you wait until you get home? I suppose you could bring a nutritional bar with you as well for the ride.

I have tried the morning rides and runs a few times and it feels great but I have to wake up in the mood which doesn't happen very often. My best time of day is always just before supper.

I would like to ride in the mornings because it would be more convenient but what's the trick to waking up and not feeling so stiff? I would have to stretch for 30 minutes just to feel like I wasn't going to snap in half on the ride.

Thanks

Mike
:sleep:

Yeah, I know what y'all mean...

I ride about 14 miles into work in the morning. It's definitely much cooler! And the traffic is much lighter, too. Overall, a more pleasant experience, except I am late for work occasionally, so I have to push my speed a bit. :rolleyes:

Good eating after the ride and good rest beforehand is essential.
Also, when I start losing power or speed on a given day, I will ease up and allow myself to recover.

Biking in the morning...I wouldn't have it any other way! (Then I get to ride home easily in the afternoon, though I often find myself going faster again, when I see those "land-locked" cars jamming up the streets. I just can't resist rubbing it in...) ;)

Originally posted by mccubbin
When you do your morning rides do you eat anything before you head out or do you wait until you get home? I suppose you could bring a nutritional bar with you as well for the ride.


Depends on the length and type of ride. Basically, if it's an easy ride and I'm going to be back in time to have breakfast at a reasonable time, I don't bother. On the other hand, if it's a longer ride or a commute, I have breakfast first (and give it time to settle while I apply sunscreen, which I need on long rides all year round).


Originally posted by mccubbin

I would like to ride in the mornings because it would be more convenient but what's the trick to waking up and not feeling so stiff? I would have to stretch for 30 minutes just to feel like I wasn't going to snap in half on the ride.


I sometimes wake up like that. The trick is to start at a slower pace on those days. You'd be surprised just how quickly a ride can get rid of that feeling.

Chris

Originally posted by Chris L


I sometimes wake up like that. The trick is to start at a slower pace on those days. You'd be surprised just how quickly a ride can get rid of that feeling.

Chris


even with a hangover. I've even started out with a hangover and within 4 or 5 miles I't gone and I'm feelin' better than ever.

Wonder why that is?

I'll try and explain my schedule...

If I'm going to take a morning off, I get up at 6, eat shower
dress and go to work and I'm in by 8 a.m. I leave around 5
and take a bus back home again. End of story. I'll usually
do an evening ride if I don't get up early to ride.

If I do get up to ride, I get up at 5:15 and it usually takes a
few minutes to get my garb on and the bike out of the basement
and I'm on my way. Around 6:30, I start heading back and am
usually home by 20 to 7, shower, eat and head for the bus
stop.

My road bike is in the shop currently (I should have it back
tomorrow or the next day) so I've been riding the mountain
bike.

DonTX and Air5head,
Like you, I ride in the early mornings during the week. I like the traffic break and that it's cooler (Don - I'm in Baytown). Also Air5, I too have wife and kid and have child duties and or meetings in the evening so I HAVE to ride mornings. I also try to get a long ride every Sat. morn. It's tough to get up (0400) early enough to get some miles and still make it to the office by 0800 but, it's a great feeling to have accomplished the miles so early.

How do you guys do it? How do you wake up so early, train hard as hell, and manage to stay awake for the rest of the day?

I get up every morning between 4 and 4:30. During the week I am driving to work by 5am. when I get there I ride my bike for an hour or so, then start work by 7:30. This way I drive in the dark and ride bike in the light (but early morning).

On weekends I am riding by 6am (it would be earlier but the sun won’t cooperate). I can go 25 miles before the rest of the family gets up. If I want to skip breakfast with the family, I can do 50+ miles and still be back in time to make the wife and kids happy.

How do I do it? I'm sleepy by 8:30 pm and usually in bed by 9 pm. My little kid tucks dad into bed at night. I have more energy and I am more awake now than when I didn't exercise in the morning.

I'm a bit p*ssed off with having to go to late university lectures at the moment which keep me up until 10 or 11pm most nights. That's just not me. :cry:

Chris