Notices
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) Looking to lose that spare tire? Ideal weight 200+? Frustrated being a large cyclist in a sport geared for the ultra-light? Learn about the bikes and parts that can take the abuse of a heavier cyclist, how to keep your body going while losing the weight, and get support from others who've been successful.

Time change woes

Old 11-05-13, 07:02 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: N.J.
Posts: 214

Bikes: 2001 Trek 5900, Trek Madone 3.1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Time change woes

Man the time change is really cramping my style. After a few years off the bike and starting a family I decided to get back into this year. Rode a lot in 2013 and over the last 18 months I've dropped about 50 pounds. Now it's dark at 5;15 making it hard to ride during the week after work. Time to get on the trainer. It's hard to fit it in after work. I walk in the door and the boys are real happy to see me and we spend a lot of time together. Then dinner. It seems my only time is around 8:30. Tough to keep motivated but I am determined to keep at it.
BoJaffa is offline  
Old 11-05-13, 07:30 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
brianmcg123's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: TN
Posts: 1,286

Bikes: 2013 Trek Madone; 2008 Surly Long Haul Trucker

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 361 Post(s)
Liked 59 Times in 35 Posts
I love the time change. I work second shift. Now its sunny and warming up at 9:00am. Yay!
brianmcg123 is offline  
Old 11-05-13, 07:56 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
bbbean's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,689

Bikes: Giant Propel, Cannondale SuperX, Univega Alpina Ultima

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 672 Post(s)
Liked 413 Times in 246 Posts
I'm with you. I hate losing my afternoon/evening rides.
__________________

Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton

bbbean is offline  
Old 11-05-13, 09:28 PM
  #4  
SuperGimp
 
TrojanHorse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Whittier, CA
Posts: 13,346

Bikes: Specialized Roubaix

Mentioned: 147 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1106 Post(s)
Liked 64 Times in 47 Posts
I don't understand why you need to lose them - headlights are fantastic in 2013.

having said that I left the house today at 3:30 and was wishing I had them with me at 5pm. Stupid flat!
TrojanHorse is offline  
Old 11-05-13, 09:48 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 126
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I normally don't ride at night, but started riding good the last few weeks, so i invested in some headlights and taillights and i am planning on still riding each night, just sticking to the bike trails and trying to stay off main roads when dark. We will see how it goes
Roadrash3 is offline  
Old 11-05-13, 10:33 PM
  #6  
got the climbing bug
 
jsigone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Diego
Posts: 10,204

Bikes: one for everything

Mentioned: 81 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 632 Post(s)
Liked 908 Times in 273 Posts
I haven't touched my bike since the time changed.....I'm horrible
__________________
Rule #10 // It never gets easier, you just go faster.
jsigone is offline  
Old 11-05-13, 10:52 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 184
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Roadrash3
I normally don't ride at night, but started riding good the last few weeks, so i invested in some headlights and taillights and i am planning on still riding each night, just sticking to the bike trails and trying to stay off main roads when dark. We will see how it goes
I was thinking of riding my bike on a MUP at night but it only takes one person jumping out of the bushes, wrecks you and then rob you. When you're legs are tired from riding, I don't know if I have the strength to defend myself or run away. Yea, I can just join a group that rides at night but I can't because I don't know if I can keep up with the group. I just started riding two months ago and last thing I want to do is to get dropped in the middle of the ride.
NoviceJohn is offline  
Old 11-05-13, 10:53 PM
  #8  
just pedal
 
donalson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 979

Bikes: Surly Disc Trucker, trek 560

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
lights are great and you can get some stuff that is amazing for $25... I was using mine in the summer when it was 105+ heat index in the day...
donalson is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 01:12 AM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
tunavic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Coachella Valley, CA
Posts: 1,122

Bikes: '12 BMC Road Racer, Pinarello KOBH

Mentioned: 75 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 181 Post(s)
Liked 21 Times in 15 Posts
It's now only $20. You can't go wrong with one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Lumen-Bicycle-...ree+bike+light
tunavic is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 04:23 AM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North DFW Metroplex
Posts: 122
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
U

Originally Posted by tunavic
It's now only $20. You can't go wrong with one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Lumen-Bicycle-...ree+bike+light
Add this: https://amzn.com/B00435IPFK

I've been using on my rides for a year. No big issues. Swapped setup to one of our tandems for the time change and going to soccer practice. My 10 year old had so much fun riding in the dark, I just bought another setup for a second bike.

I've had cars stop in alleys and get out of the way. Two nights ago, teenagers playing ball in the street quickly got out of the way. As we passed (on the tandem), one said, 'It's just someone on a bike."

Total per bike....about $50-60 (more expensive last year). Fun factor.... Awesome.

Last edited by hartphoto; 11-06-13 at 04:28 AM.
hartphoto is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 05:32 AM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Lancashire, UK
Posts: 107

Bikes: 1992 Dave Yates Diabolo MTB, Steel winter roadie upgraded to full 11 speed 105 and Hunt wheels. 2016 Giant Defy Advanced two with Hunt wheels.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Just get some decent lights. I'm pretty much resigned now to all my weekday rides being after work in the dark.
GuyWood is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 07:16 AM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
indyfabz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,063
Mentioned: 210 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18322 Post(s)
Liked 15,303 Times in 7,232 Posts
Can you ride to work? Or like the others say, simply ride outside in the dark.
indyfabz is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 09:57 AM
  #13  
Senior Member
 
JerrySTL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Near St. Louis, Missouri
Posts: 1,471

Bikes: Giant Defy Advanced, Breezer Doppler Team, Schwinn Twinn Tandem, Windsor Tourist, 1954 JC Higgens

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 36 Post(s)
Liked 9 Times in 7 Posts
Originally Posted by donalson
lights are great and you can get some stuff that is amazing for $25... I was using mine in the summer when it was 105+ heat index in the day...
Good point. I started getting up before dawn to get in a ride before work this summer when it got very hot.

I have a 6.5 loop on very nice roads with little traffic. It gets kind of boring doing laps of it; however, riding in the dark livens things up a lot.

LED lights are amazing both in the amount of light produced and how long the batteries last. I usually ride with two headlights (one on the bars and another on the helmet) and at least 2 tail lights. Nice to have some redundancy if one fails.

I have one bike set up for night riding with all the nerdy reflectors and plan on getting tires with reflective sidewalls when the tires need changing.

I don't mind the dark. Rather it's the cold that gets to me. I'm a wimp at temps below 40°F and hit the gym then.
JerrySTL is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 10:20 AM
  #14  
Shredding Grandma!
 
Pamestique's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: So Cal
Posts: 4,803

Bikes: I don't own any bikes

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 46 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
LIGHTS! Best thing going... I discovered riding with lights last year and now really look forward to the time change. Just a suggestion: you do need a decent light for the front of the bike. If you are riding in urban areas, you don't need alot of wattage but if out in the country or on trail you will need more. I run two Nightrider 700 on my mountain bike (out on dirt trails) and one 350 on my road bike. The little blinky tail lights are cheap. Buy several, use one on the bike and one up higher - the more the merrier. I purchased a headlamp from Target - spent $15. It has a front light and a blinking tail light and I wear it on my helmet. Its not for seeing but to be seen.

Now I am very fortunate to have a great bike path system to ride. I try avoiding the actual street but if so, stay in residential or industry areas.

There is something magical (and alittle scary) about riding at night... give it a try...
__________________
______________________________________________________________

Private docent led mountain bike rides through Limestone Canyon. Go to letsgooutside.org and register today! Also available: hikes, equestrian rides and family events as well as trail maintenance and science study.
Pamestique is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 11:57 AM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
mlander's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 241

Bikes: 2014 Scattante CFR

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by NoviceJohn
it only takes one person jumping out of the bushes, wrecks you and then rob you.
Really!? The world is not as dangerous as the news would have you believe. Don't live in fear.
mlander is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 12:49 PM
  #16  
Senior Member
 
WebFootFreak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Marion, AR (Memphis)
Posts: 363

Bikes: Modified Denali

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Liked 30 Times in 17 Posts
Over half of my riding is done in the dark since my free time is early morning before work. All I have at the moment is a cheap Bell headlamp and blinky out back, and belive it or not, it puts out more than enough light for me to see. To go any distance I need to either get on the highway to the west of me, or get to the I55 service road west of me. Both are quite busy, so I wear a lovely orange reflective vest (also run with it in the dark) and my helmet has a red blinky on the strap. Unfortunately the closest trails to me are in Memphis across the river.


Originally Posted by Pamestique
There is something magical (and alittle scary) about riding at night... give it a try...
The first Sunday morning I went out with my lights was heavy fog. It was quite eerie. The bad part is that I could hear the cars before I would see their headlamps...
WebFootFreak is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 04:42 PM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
MikeRides's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SE Kentucky
Posts: 1,276

Bikes: Trek 1.1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 39 Post(s)
Liked 6 Times in 5 Posts
I've got lights and bright colored clothing but my only fitness route is a rural highway, some parts without a shoulder! Even well lit and reflective, I don't trust riding in the dark among cars going 60-70 mph. I've braved it out a few times (accidentally once without any lights last week ) but if its not the darkness that makes me unmotivated its the cooler temperatures.

I was extremely disappointed today, the temps were in the high 50s (unusually high for this time of the year in this region) and I was stuck working or driving when I should've been riding the bike! When I finally got home and got the bike ready, it was 5:00 and getting dark by the second. The temps were mid to high 40s by now, which is still decent, I decided to turn the lights on and go for a quick 5 mile ride anyway(wanted to ride further but my rear blinking light seemed to be really dim)

Can anyone recommend a rather cheap but bright rear light? My cheap Bell rear light isn't worth crap
MikeRides is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 05:29 PM
  #18  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North DFW Metroplex
Posts: 122
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by MikeRides
Can anyone recommend a rather cheap but bright rear light? My cheap Bell rear light isn't worth crap
Post #10 ....linked to Portland Design Works Danger Zone Tail Lite. Showing $24.42 delivered.
hartphoto is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 05:33 PM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
Drew Eckhardt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mountain View, CA USA and Golden, CO USA
Posts: 6,341

Bikes: 97 Litespeed, 50-39-30x13-26 10 cogs, Campagnolo Ultrashift, retroreflective rims on SON28/PowerTap hubs

Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 550 Post(s)
Liked 325 Times in 226 Posts
Originally Posted by BoJaffa
Man the time change is really cramping my style. After a few years off the bike and starting a family I decided to get back into this year. Rode a lot in 2013 and over the last 18 months I've dropped about 50 pounds. Now it's dark at 5;15 making it hard to ride during the week after work. Time to get on the trainer. It's hard to fit it in after work. I walk in the door and the boys are real happy to see me and we spend a lot of time together. Then dinner. It seems my only time is around 8:30. Tough to keep motivated but I am determined to keep at it.
$30 buys you a lithium-ion powered LED light bright enough cars will mistake you for a motorcycle
$30 also gets you a bright flashing light for the rear
Drew Eckhardt is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 05:44 PM
  #20  
Just Plain Slow
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Santa Clarita, CA
Posts: 6,038

Bikes: Lynskey R230

Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 297 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Originally Posted by MikeRides
Can anyone recommend a rather cheap but bright rear light? My cheap Bell rear light isn't worth crap
https://www.amazon.com/Cygolite-Hotsh...words=cygolite

My favorite, hands down.
PhotoJoe is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 07:47 PM
  #21  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: N.J.
Posts: 214

Bikes: 2001 Trek 5900, Trek Madone 3.1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Maybe I'll give night riding a shot.. Most of the roads around here are country with some moderate to light traffic depending on route chosen. It would certainly be a different experience, don't see to many roadies at night. It would be nice to do once in awhile to change things up.
BoJaffa is offline  
Old 11-06-13, 07:51 PM
  #22  
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
 
genejockey's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 17,663

Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace

Mentioned: 41 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10248 Post(s)
Liked 11,601 Times in 5,946 Posts
I've switched my midweek rides from after work to before work. Today I rediscovered that it's COLD! in the morning! Sure, 50 degrees isn't really that cold, but when you're used to riding in the afternoon at 65+, it's quite a shocker!

I'm going to have to rediscover how to dress for cold, because it's been a few years since I road much in the late fall/winter/early spring. And I used to be so hardcore!
__________________
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."

"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
genejockey is online now  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Alfster
Fifty Plus (50+)
33
01-27-19 06:27 PM
Kactus
Fifty Plus (50+)
53
06-29-13 03:40 PM
jethro56
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
27
04-27-12 06:40 AM
natbla
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
55
04-04-11 12:50 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.