chefisaac

I bikes all 5 days this week for work and today, Friday, was tiring when it came to pedaling. I do a lot of riding on the weekend too.

How do you guys do it all the time? Beginning of the week I am pumped up (unless I rode a lot of distance the day before) and midweek, it is routine and the last day of the week, my legs are tired.

And for the folks who say I will get used to it..... I have done it since November of last year. I should be getting over that period!

Dahon.Steve

Incredible. Good for you!

However, Car-Free does not mean bike dependant for the majority of the population. In fact, I suspect 95% of those who do not own cars are not bicycle commuters. Those in this forum are the exception and probaby the 2% that do bike commute. Many on this forum are car-lite and they only own one and not two cars. I actually fall into the 95% that are bus and train commuter.

wahoonc

You have to give your body a rest somewhere along the way. Riding to work 5 days a week then riding on the weekend doesn't give you any recovery time. When I was racing back in the 1970's we were supposed to stay off the bike at least one day a week. On my "off" days I would walk the 3 miles to work. Another possibility might be to use a completely different style of bicycle, but I suspect you still need to take a day off.

Aaron

krobinson103

I haven't had a day when didn't ride at least one of my bikes this month. In the weekend I've put in some serious distance - 200km+ and the next day my rides are limited to shopping if that. I have found that my muscles do get really sore after 20 days or so of non stop riding. Its not impossible, but some days you just have to suffer through the day. This morning it was cold, rainy, and 3am when I headed out for my morning ride. I just couldn't motivate myself to ride fast at all.... but at least I got the ride in.

Some days are good, some days are bad, some plain exhausting, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger so I just keep turning the pedals.

I-Like-To-Bike

Remember that riding to/from work does NOT have to be a "training" exercise or pseudo race event. Pain is NOT gain, except for masochists.

You could perhaps ride at a more relaxed rate and may even save time by not needing time for extensive cool down/clean up. You may not wear out, may arrive in a more relaxed state and might even enjoy the ride more. The above is based on an assumption that you are "racing" to/from work, if not forget it.

Roody

+1. o
fr at least 5 years I took maybe 10 days off from riding. IOW, I rode about 363 days a year, well into my 50s. I only get tired in the summer, during periods when I ride more than 20 or 30 miles a day at fairly fast speeds. I agree with wahoonc that sometimes a "rest day" is needed--but the rest can be just riding the bare minimum miles, at a slower pace than usual. If a bike is your main transportation, it's harder to go a whole day without riding at all.

wolfchild

+1 Excellent advice !

Smallwheels

If I'm tired and don't have to go anywhere I stay home. My body tells me to rest and I listen. My mind is definitely in charge but it knows from experience that resting the body makes the mind feel better too.

CbadRider

This thread got derailed so I had to delete some posts to bring it back on course.

Please take the diet and nutrition discussion to the Training and Nutrition forum. Thank you.

Scheherezade 

Live close to where you need to be every day. It's much easier to live without a car when you travel 5-10 miles a day than 30-50 miles.

gerv 

Yep... that's my takeaway. The side effect of this lesson is that more and more transportational-type cyclists are wanting to move into the city center. It just makes sense.

longhaulblue

+1

The commute home especially at the end of a work week...it's tough. So, I take it easy. I'm not racing anyone. I'm not even trying to race myself. So it takes 50 instead of 40 minutes. On Fridays, I look forward to opening a bottle of wine and fixing myself a good dinner to go with it.

mtbikerinpa

As much as I would like to go car-free I am still car-lite. The two cars we own are not yet fully replaceable in the big picture, but reducing to 1 day a week and riding the other 5-6 has saved a lot. As was stated, the only thing on a commute that matters is being at work on time and civilized. If you feel down, gear down and factor the leadout time if it is the morning or do something to change it up in the evening. Sometimes a different route or stopping by a bike shop/restaurant on the way home can break up the mental side.

A factor not to be overlooked is your pack-load. A 5 lb difference in your pack can make a huge difference on a 10 mi commute(mine is each way) if you have hills. If I feel really tired and don't want to use the car I will sometimes leave most of the pack goods at home(not the necessities but the spare clothes etc).

A good electrolyte replenishment drink and multivitamin are huge. You won't need a ton of energy drinks, but there is still sweat and muscles can get crampy without replenishment.

gerv 

To anyone who's heard me say this before, sorry... but A journey of 1000 miles starts with the first step

The main thing is that you are on the right road. Just watch out for detours.

SPECELIZEDRIDER

Yeah imagine the awesome shape you will be in.

Commodus

Don't applaud me man, I'm just lazy. There's no way I'm willing to go through all the hassle of owning a car, dealing with the maintenance, throwing away hours of my working day to pay for it, waiting to get gas, talking to insurance people should someone scratch it....blah blah blah blech.

I just took the easy way out - my bike sets me free of all that nonsense.

My advice? Just pedal slower. Wherever you're going will still be there...it's amazing how far you can go if you just go slow.

gerv 

Commodus, I think you've figured it out! You've discovered the Holy Grail!