SaabFan

I'm considering taking rides at lunch a few times a week to supplement my in-the-saddle time, which basically consists of commuting and not much else.

Anyone else do this? Technically, I get an hour lunch break - I figure that's good for 5 minutes to get ready, 20 minutes of hard riding, 20 minutes to shower and dress, and 15 minutes for other tasks (maybe even eating a bite or two!)

Share your experiences if you do this on a regular basis.

HardyWeinberg

I run errands at lunch all the time, but just in my regular work clothes. Have wondered about trying to blast for 40 min (out to a great burrito bus and back, but not sure if that would be self-defeating)

GTcommuter

I usually ride to lunch, but it's pretty chill in my work clothes. Sometimes I'll get ambitious and try to run errands, which can be a pretty good workout depending on how far away. But not really any training riding.

* jack *

I ride back home for lunch (and to take care of my pups) every day.

Helps to add some miles to my fairly short commute.

Not what you'd call a 'lunch ride' but it's close enough.

ryanparrish

All my errands hapen to be in one buisness district so walking gets everything done food post office bank is the one that ride to but I hardly go to the bank

pinkrobe

I'm on BikeForums all lunch hour!

ryanparrish

I browse BF after I get my work done which is like all the time which usually means I get sent out on errands some of which they will let me ride my bike for or I have to take the company cage to the next town

AlmostTrick

I like to go out for short rides on lunch on the days I didn't ride in. I keep a CSA AutoBike that I picked up for free at work for this. I also use it to make deliveries to our other building which is only a half mile away. Everyone else drives to do this!

Allen

I ride to get lunch every day. My studio is in the same building as a dentist office, every Wednesday they have a staff meeting at 1:00 (I eat at noon) and I usually pick up food for everyone (they buy my lunch for the trouble) and bring it back.

--A

Flimflam

Haha, another one here..

Maybe when my wrist cast is taken off I'll try a lunch run.

mikancic

I would say I ride during my lunch hour at least twice a week. Not training rides, though. Sometimes I eat a quick lunch and then go for a ride, other times I ride back home for lunch (2.5mi one way, not too long of a commute). I work at an insurance company that has its headquarters out in the country so my lunch rides are very scenic. If you bring your lunch with you, you can usualy scarf it down quickly and than have almost a whole hour to devote to riding. I also don't change into cycling clothes but rather take a slower pace.

dskunk

A group of us used to ride three or four times a week at lunchtime. We had some scrap land behind work with some huge piles of dirt and a little bit of forest. There was enough space to put in about 3 - 4 km of singletrack mountain bike trails. Not exciting stuff but our skill level shot up and our fitness levels as well. We managed to stay ouside for 50 -55 min of our 1 hour lunch, but we were pushing it a bit I think.
This was on top of my daily commute as well.
That land has been bulldozed under and the group of guys that I used to ride with has been split up to different divisions, so now I too just surf the net and drink coffee. But while it lasted (which was about three or four years), it was heaven.
Cheers, Dave

SaabFan

Well, for those who care, I blasted out 6 or 7 miles at lunch today. It was great.

Kind of a hassle to add yet another shower to my day, but I think I'll plan to do it at least a few times a week. It was nice to be able to just hammer for a few minutes and explore side streets.

For those that can do this, I'd highly reccomend it! Talk about getting rid of the usual mid-afternoon slouch.

bmclaughlin807

I usually ride to go get lunch, either just for myself, or for myself and co-workers. Usually ends up being about 3 miles each way, for a nice little 6 mile ride.

jyossarian

I've done a few lunch time rides, but otherwise I'm on BF at lunch.

awunder

I do, I do!
But to echo * jack * it's to make up for a pretty short (1.5 mile) commute. With back and forth it guarentees me a minimum 6 whole miles a day! Woo Hoo!
I've even varied my route to get more milage (and a big hill) into the commute. This gets me to 7 miles (and a big hill) a day - provided I take the short route at lunch, which I inevitably do, so I can come home and write about it on bikeforums.
Also saves money on buying lunch.

cooperwx

I often ride at lunch when I have to drive to work. I saved a map of the area around my work, and I'm hoping to eventually ride every strip of pavement in a 3 mile radius. I do about 20-25 minutes per lunch trip, staying in dress slacks and shoes, but throwing on a t-shirt for the ride.

Artkansas 

Lunch is as long as it takes me to eat a sandwich at my desk. If I'm really frustrated at work, I take out my Giant Stiletto and pedal around the industrial park for a little while.

vrkelley

Great stress breaker. When I tell my team lead that I'm going out for a ride, he knows I'm maxed out. I come back in a better mood and the afternoon seems to slip by...or is that cuz I'm resting up for the return ride

eaglevii

There is a MWF bike ride where I work... folks know the route and the timing, and come from all different facilities to meet up for a training ride. The ride is 20 miles, takes about 1 hour, and I block out my calendar for an hour and a half to be safe. Fortunately, my company has a very generous flextime policy.

PaulH

I've started riding for lunch. It greatly expands the range of available restaurants.

Paul

JohnBrooking

I enjoy riding to get lunch out, but for economic reasons I only do that on Fridays. Most other days I'm browsing BF or doing other personal stuff at my desk while eating the lunch I brought from home. Also, I work near a mall, which is great for having lots of restaurants and take-out places around, but doesn't have any nice riding without going through at least 1/2 mile of heavy traffic first. Sometimes I do it anyway, for lunch or mid-afternoon stress break, usually just 20 minutes or so at modest speed in a residential area on the other side of the heavy traffic.

Sometimes I'll also take a trip or two around the mall perimeter, which is actually almost exactly a mile! And believe it or not, this is more relaxing than it sounds. People are driving slowly anyway, so you have plenty of time to react and negotiate, making it very good practice for being in traffic without as much risk as the normal road.

YamacrawJ

2 or 3 of us go on Friday bike picnics, allowing 1.5 hours. This is casual riding. From downtown Minneapolis, we stop for sandwiches, then go to destinations like Nicollet Island (on the Mississippi River), Lake Calhoun, or One-on-One Bike Café that serves food and sells and services bikes. I invite about 12 people, but a die-hard 2 or 3 of us actually show up. It's an indescribably great break from work.

jimmuter

I ride almost every day at lunch. I bring a big lunch to work, snack on it in the late morning, take my full hour lunch break which usually consists of changing clothes and getting ready (10 min), riding (45 mins), changing and showering (15 mins). OK, I know that's 70 minutes, but nobody has said anything yet. I make it up by working late. I usually ride between 9 and 10 miles depending upon how fast I can get down to the trail. I then eat a snack a while after I get back too.

awunder

Sorry. MWF?