I'm contemplating waking up at 4am to get in a good 1.5 hours of riding before I go to work. I realize how insane this sounds, but I'm too tired after work to ride.

Anybody else get up that early to ride?

Yes I get up at 4:00 and commute to work

I get up at 5, on the bike by about 5:45, at work by around 7, shower and change, then at my desk usually at quarter til 8.

If you ride at 4, be sure to dress warmly and have lots of lights!

Also, depending on your schedule and what type of lights you have, make sure you bring your charger to work! My commute is 18-24 miles one way so I need my charger to charge for the way home.

-Barry-

My alarm is for 4:30, but my wake up time varies. I try to be out the door by 5:30. It's usually a little after that, but I get to work around a quarter after six. Takes me a few minutes to dry off and shed the bike gear.

As you can see, I'm very concerned about punctuality.

It usually doesn't take much convincing to get out there. Sometimes the night before I'll be dreading it, but by the time morning comes around I'm usually ready to ride. If not, then by the time I've pedaled a few strokes I'm at home, and then if I'm still hating it after that, I'm too far to turn around a pick up the car and get to work on time.

Those early morning rides before the rest of the world has even come to I find to be very peace impressing. Always by the time I am at work, I feel great. Even if the ride was soaking wet and cold.

I think it'll be even more fun for you since you're just riding and not commuting. I'm usually bogged down with 15-20 pounds of stuff for work. On days when it's just me and bike, I feel like lightning.

I'm contemplating waking up at 4am to get in a good 1.5 hours of riding before I go to work. I realize how insane this sounds, but I'm too tired after work to ride.

Anybody else get up that early to ride?

Not insane at all...as you see, many of us commute at that hour. I'm just getting off work at 4.30 am, so I'm a reverse of everyone else, but it's a quiet peaceful time. It's actually quite lovely in the spring and summer.

East Hill

Looks like we're in good company here. I usually get up at 430 so I can commute to work. Like leftsneaky I find the peaceful of the AM ride soothing. I am also alert and ready for work when I arrive. You might find that this will also give you the energy to ride after work.

Why was I elected as the person to tell you that you're all crazy?

Usually I'm out the door by 6:30 am if I'm on my bike...today I overslept and I didn't get out the door til' 7, it was actually getting light during my commute. I was forgetting what it was like to ride in the light. You all ought to try it some time. There is this thing called "scenery" that is sort of nice to enjoy while you're riding.

Riding in the dark is great fun, and best when there are no cars around. I simply like the change in the visibility of the riding surface. It looks like you're going wicked fast at really slow speeds, and shadows play games with your mind. And, all those bumps I usually hate during the day make me laugh (sometimes out loud) when I forget they are there and accidentally ride over them----surprise!

when I ride to work, I'm up at 3:30am and out the door by 4:00am.

I enjoy the scenery on the way home when it's light, however I like the lack of cars in the morning more than I like the scenery in the afternoon.

Sunlight and scenery are myths promoted by those who would also have us believe that there are such things as tires that don't go flat, drivers who watch out for us. and lights that have road sensors that can actually pick up a bike. Don't be fooled. These people are just trying to get you to sleep in so they can come and take your jobs! Then you won't have any money and the prices of the cool toys and gear will fall because supply will far exceed demand. This may sound like a good thing, but remember...you're the one out of a job! You can't buy this bling, and because you believed all the lies, you'll still be in the dark, with a flat tire, waiting forever for that light to change!

I am out the door by 4:30 most mornings on my way to work (19 miles). not sure if i would want to just go out and "get a ride in" that early and then come back home tho... i do it to get to work and the ride is a secondary bonus :).

It usually doesn't take much convincing to get out there. Sometimes the night before I'll be dreading it, but by the time morning comes around I'm usually ready to ride. If not, then by the time I've pedaled a few strokes I'm at home, and then if I'm still hating it after that, I'm too far to turn around a pick up the car and get to work on time.
:roflmao: I totally agree. I wish I could get to sleep earlier, and get up earlier, but 6:30 is the limit for me now.

i'm up at 4:30 and out the door by 5:30. I pedal downtown and i'm at my desk by 7.

at that time of the morning it is very peacful and very cold this time of year but nice
i have commuted at that time, not that crazy

4? AM? They have one of those in the morning too?

Holy crap! ;)

I get up at 8:40AM, get ready by 8:55, and make it to work by 9 AM.

Since I get up late, I go to bed very late, and have tried cycling after midnight several times. Yes it is cool. There are no cars. But once I fall asleep there's no way in hell any force short of a major earthquake will get me out of bed before 8 AM.

I've been getting up at 4:30 to ride 12 miles (one hour) to work and 50 minutes on the return.

I'm contemplating waking up at 4am to get in a good 1.5 hours of riding before I go to work. I realize how insane this sounds, but I'm too tired after work to ride.

Anybody else get up that early to ride?

I would contend that the world is much more sane at 4am, with the better part of humanity soundly sleeping. I do appreciate having a helmet mounted light to shine directly at those drivers that may still be a little groggy.

Before we retired 13 years ago, we'd be out the door just before daybreak (in the summer time) on our tandem with a headlight/flasher. Got in our usual 20 miles. Get home, grab a 2nd mini-breakfast, hop on single bike and commuted towork.
Wintertime, we'd reverse the process. Commute to work, come home ride 20 miles on the tandem in the afternoon (a bit warmer then).
Living in Southern Arizona, summers can be a bit brutal so early morning tandem rides were the norm. Winters, we have cool, but seldom cold, temps and we'd pedal TWOgether after work.
Now that we are retired (yeah!!!) we ride whatever time we feel like . . . usually 5 days a week on the tandem and one day on single racing bike.
At ages 75/72 we still manage 100+ miles a week. Growing old is not for sissies!

I'm up at 4:30 to jog a mile or so with the dog before I get ready for my 7.5 mile commute to work. Out the door (on the bike) by 5:30am to be showered and ready to work a little bit before 7am.

But if it works for you, great!
I've tried it from time to time. There is less traffic then than at any other time. But it's coldest, too.

Iget up at 4:00 am,on the trainer by 4:30 am for a w/o of 1.5hr to 2hrs .

Mond/tues/wed/thurs/sat.

I only get up that early when I am bike commuting.

I am up at 4 am ..Stretch,shower,shave,etc...on the road by 5am
That is my commute...some days its great, some not so...Isn't that life?

Well, I suppose I asked to see how many get up that early to just ride, not commute.

Well, I suppose I asked to see how many get up that early to just ride, not commute.

We're trying to convert you :p !

East Hill

My commute is my workout - that's part of the reason I get excited about leaving before sunrise to ride. With my previous job, however, I had a 1 mile flat commute - so I had to find time to ride. I found that the morning was the way to go so I could still spend time with my wife after work in the evenings.

I definitely enjoy riding around town between 4am - 5am more than in the afternoon - hardly any cars on the road, good streetlights, and lots of green lights. The country would be a different story - I'd still prefer open roads and daylight to open roads and streetlights.