jazzy_cyclist

It depends on what's preventing you from riding more -

My immediate family is my wife and 5 cats. The wife rides with me when she can and the cats sleep; no problem there.

Work. Goes in cycles. When I can, I try to influence it so that crunch time is in winter months, although I don't really hold much sway. My hours can "flex" to some extent.

Daylight/Cold/Snow&Ice. These are the killers for me. If the roads don't have ice on them, then they're full of sand in the winter. This winter has been relatively warm, but 20 degrees with a bone-chilling wind doesn't usually inspire me. And early spring and late fall daylight is short. I may try some lights this season, although I'm generally not a fan of night time riding.

In the warm seasons, I get up at dawn and ride, or after work. Long rides on the weekend. Life is good.

SteveE

Get your family on bikes.

stapfam

That juggling of time meant that yesterday was Gardening day. Temp of only about 38F but kept warm with all the jobs to be done- Final (Hopefully) collecting of leaves, rotavating the area that the Swimming pool will be put onto, Building yet another compost heap for all the Leaves and other garden green waste.

Today was ride day- Late start at 9pm and out offroad again. Temperature has not gone up but it was a bit brighter but every intention of a gentle ride thanks to the aching body-Side effect of not enough riding and too much house work to do. Gentle ride of 20 miles to breakfast, but yet another effect of the gardening is that I could have eaten more. Then another 15 miles of hard terrain to work off the breakfast. Took a different route today from normal and saw some of of the trails we take from across the other side of the valleys. We Climb Those Hills? They don't arf look steep when viewed from a distance.
That gentle ride took on a few extra miles today because for the first time in months- The sun came out. Didn't warm anything up though, it was still only 38F maximum but it felt so much more pleasant. All I have to wait for now is the change of the clocks so that some of the Weekend jobs can get done in the Evenings. That will leave saturdays for the better things in life like watching the 6 nations Rugby, checking the bike a bit more fully as we had an annoying squeek today that I did not find what was at fault till washing the bike down after the ride, and relaxing in the swimming pool that is going to take a lot of hard work to move- Hence cutting down riding time, and finally getting an extra ride in to tone the muscles for the Sunday rides.

HiYoSilver

Handicapped, wife supports my riding, but can't ride. If she had a scooter, I couldn't keep up. Sometimes go riding with kids when we're together, but they are not around much any more.

For most people, though this should work.

cc_rider

That's what I thought when I was starting my own company. But the needs of the projects and the clients often come first.

One of the reasons I gave up fencing for cycling is that it gives me more flexibility to pick my exercise time.

Work days are long and weekends aren't much better than weekdays. When the daylight hours are longer I try to keep one weekend day with no client meetings, start early, get a 50 to 60 mile ride, and spend the afternoon and evening with the family. A few times I've arranged my ride to go by a job site I need to visit (hardhat strapped to the back of the bike) combining a little work-break with my fun.
On weekend days that I work, I try to bike instead of drive. Stretch the 5 miles commute to 30 of 40 on the way to the office, but usually about 10 miles coming home.
Weekdays are iffy. I keep the bike in the car with my gear, but most weeks I'm lucky to get in one short late ride.

HiYoSilver

Again, thank you all for the detailed examples of how you do this. I think I'll try a change when spring comes and it's more fun to add the distance.

roccobike

That's my answer. Once the warm weather starts, the kids will have time between soccer games. I just ask them to go mountain biking. It works about 50% of the time. My wife can't ride due to a disability, but she supports my riding since this is my form of excercise. So there is lots of encouragement from her.
During the winter, when we have warm weekends, I just stop what I'm doing and grab the bike and head to a trail. With daylight lasting a little longer now, I watch the weather report. When it's nice, I pack the bike in my Jeep and drive myself to work instead of taking the commuter van. Then I stop at one of the trail along my commute home.

jimshapiro

Good question. I bought clothing to ride in very cold weather, so the temperature is never a factor (but rain, snow and high winds are quite another matter). Then I cut out 1 work day a week (soon to be 2). I consult, so my work hours are up to me, but I eat a light lunch while working. Having done all that, year round I:

1. Ride the 4 work days a week at lunch time, usually with my son.
2. Plan a nice 2 hour, usually solo, ride on Wednesday, my day off, sometimes on my fixed gear bike. If you haven't ridden a fixed gear, believe me, that's a lot of exercise.
3. Sunday mornings I am up with the chickens for an hour or two ride. I have a riding companion who is much younger and stronger than me, so, even though it's not solo, I have to work pretty hard. The stop at the coffee shop at the end is a real joy.

That's 6 days a week. I don't keep track of miles or anything else, but it makes for a wonderful experience almost every week.

capejohn

I made it a point to make time. My health and fitness is obtained through biking and training for biking. It is too important not to make the time. (unless you are using another way to keep fit and biking is for fun).

Especially thank goodness for TIVO to tape the Premiership matches.

mollusk

This is how I do it. I get up before dawn every Sunday morning and take off for a long ride just after sunrise. I can usually get 60 to 70 miles in and arrive home in the late morning, just as everybody else is rising. I commute by bike every day, but I don't have far to go: about 30 miles per week. I do juggle my schedule around so that I can carve out a free 2 hour block at least once per week for a ride. In the warm months I do this early in the morning and arrive at my office around 10 AM and in the cold months I do it so I leave work around 3. No big deal; just a fringe benefit of the job. It balances out the fact that I bring home work every night and every weekend.

stapfam

Bike riding for me is going to be difficult for the next 3 months. Patio doors have to fitted this coming weekend- The new area for the pool has to be prepared, but at least that can wait for a couple of months but there is still the ground preparation to do whenever the weather permits. Then on top of that the new workshop arrived today. That is going to take at least 3 weekends- digging out the base- laying the base and then erecting the shed. I reckon it is going to be Easter before I can get out on the bike as often and whenever I want. In the meantime- the Sunday ride is going to be hard with the previous day having been spent working, and the midweek ride will have to take place- whatever the weather is going to throw at me. Then on top of that I have to get fit for my annual pilgrimage to see what the other end of Sussex looks like on May 20th

The patio doors have to be fitted- the workshop can wait a little while, and the pool only gets desperate when the temperature gets above 70f. One thing is certain-- Biking comes first.

Radiographer

Of course, you've already precluded commuting time, but I started commuting 32 mi/day round trip on my 63rd birthday 5 months ago. I have the distinct advantage of a rail-to-trail route practically all the way from home to work, and it's virtually flat the whole way. I hadn't bicycled to speak of for 35 years before that. I've lost 15 pounds (actually, lost 25 pounds of fat and gained ten pounds of muscle), and my blood pressure is lower than it's been in ten years. I ain't never goin' back!

Bearbig

Once the weather warms and the road smeg is gone I am able to get 1-2 hrs in before the little woman
gets home ( I work till 3 pm). Durring the weekends I usually go out early. I like to get at least 100 mi/wk
in.

trackhub

I've been night riding for years now. (Side note: It's amazing how far designs and technology have come, in terms of battery powered headlamps.)

I ride evenings, from April until around the first week of October. I love being on my fixie on a hot, humid night. You get the fun of riding in the warm weather, without the need for sun screen, or worrying about sun exposure. Traffic is lighter as well.

Commuting's Ok, but not really "relaxing ride time", at least not in the Boston area, or any urban area for that matter.

Sadly, I've learned that as I age, my tolerance for biting cold winters is declining.

Monoborracho

Instead of lunch dates I try for at least twice or maybe three times a week to do the bike. Am fortunate to be able to take some 2 to 2-1/2 hours lunches. I try to be on the road by 11:30 and back and showered by 1PM. I live in small town and can get home in minutes....yes, I have car. Bike is all aired and watered the night before. Change clothes and off I go. Usually 10 but sometimes 20 miles (was 21mi on rural roads today, 73 degrees outside, only 5 mph winds). I try to get in a longer ride on the weekend. The goal is 60 to 100 miles per week. But its only a goal...the wind was so bad last week I didn't ride. I have about 250 miles since Jan 1 this year.

Don't get stressed. That takes the fun out of it.

Deanster04

Get a Trainer and mix road and spin time. You can watch FB games and spin. That way the family is right there. You can spin hard and work up a great sweat for an intense workout. And you can mix this with short rides out in the air that are more for rexlation. I had a book stand setup on the front of my trainer and I am sure you can do some keyboard time as well. Mix it up and be consistant with your rides.

urban rider

I commute to work during the week by bike and on the weekends I get up before my family for an early morning ride. My bike has replaced my car so I manage to get a few miles in each week.

GrannyGear

You get to be pretty light on your feet and you simply let some things go, set priorities, and stay flexible...sometimes that ride you'd planned just isn't going to happen because of other things that impinge. Sometimes a quick 45mins. on the trainer has to take the place of that lovely 2 hour loop you'd planned. You really can't be rigid and inflexible about a training schedule, but then neither can you be overly limp and undisciplined. There are days I come home blown out from work, but make myself climb on the bike trusting I'll feel better after 10 miles.... and usually I come back feeling physically tired but mentally re-invigorated. Or maybe I'll get off the bike and fall asleep while taking off my cleats--LOL.

Man, its about compromising sometimes and not at others. Or being DeeGee who works from home but at what nobody is exactly sure. Or being retired like Dnvr who leads a life of genteel ease riding and lunching with his wife between vacations.

For the rest of us, back to the daily grind, dude.

Monoborracho

I try to ride early AM (5 AM or so) two mornings per week during the week. Its on lights for the first hour or so. I like it because the traffic is light, there's got to be fewer drunks, and I like the mornings. This is particularly true during the summer when it is so bloomin hot. I can do 25 miles and still get to the office before 8 AM, but then I live in a small town.

Occasionally I ride at lunch, from 11:30 to 2 PM or so. A long lunch, but doable. I try to get one long ride on the weekend also.

I will sometimes ride in late evening, for an hour or so before dark. I don't ride on Friday evenings or Saturday after about 3 PM, and I avoid all the roads that lead to the big lake during the summer. Drunks scare me.

I am what you might call semi-self employed, and can be pretty flexible with my time.

Gus Riley

I am retired and have been so for the past 6 years...I am busier now then when I worked and have trouble finding time to ride! I have to back off of some of the volunteer stuff I do.

trmcgeehan

If your area permits it, use your bike to run erands. The mileage adds up. Yesterday, I rode round trip to the dentist, to the bank, to the post office and to the store to pick up a gallon of milk. 12 total miles. That's half a gallon of gas, so I saved $1.50 and got in my exercise.

Monoborracho

Now cc_rider you and I both know when you are self employed you only have to work half the time.........and it doesn't matter which 12 hours a day you choose.

chromedome

Gene James was right: get an early start on days off, and by the time you get home, everybody else is getting up and making breakfast. Fewre cars, better air. You can also strtch you commute ride home by doing an extra loop or an out and back past your neighbor.

Why do the people in Washington State want to kill their TVs and not their computors?

redden

Commute by bike.

ken cummings

Before we even met my wife and I knew there were too many things we wanted to do to be able to spend enough time raising a family. A perfect match that way. Not having kids frees up a whole lot of time.