I'm going to start working on my bedtime. I find that early rising is much harder when I do it inconsistently; even on non-working days, relaxing sleep time boundaries too much has a ripple effect.

When I used to do my 5:30 a.m. summer rides, I was riding without lights on an old MTB. But now I have some DiNotte lights which should make me harder to ignore. I'll still be vigilant.

I leave for my morning commute at about 5-515am, I have some water prior to the ride and often a little raisin bran or a granola bar, I get my coffee when I get to the office. I can only ride about 2x a week in the morn, but it's a nice ride in, about 16mi each way and mostly on the MUP now so it keeps me out of traffic though I occasionally take a road route which is about 13mi each way (but I only take that route when time is short and I have my riding partner with me). When I take the MUP route I only have to navigate about 2mi of road thru very low traffic subdivisions so I will do that route solo. Its also more peaceful and wifey feels more comfy when I take that route too.

Ah yes, I used to go to a church up in Bath.
I live very close to the velodrome in Trexlertown. I mostly cycle more south than you - Kempton, Topton, Mertztown, Kutztown, etc.
Hey, if you haven't already done so - check out the pro races at the velodrome on Friday nights! It's pretty cool and something different. :thumb:

I've been doing it so long now I find myself naturally waking up at obnoxiously early times whether or not I ride.

Agreed. A DiNotte rear light certainly should get anyone's attention.

I used to head out at the crack of dawn to do my runs. Loved the empty streets and paths. Sublime, really. Riding on an empty road is cool too, though I am concerned about inattentive, sleep-deprived drivers at this hour, which is something I didn't worry about while running.

Last Saturday, 121 miles started 12:45AM

Tuesday, 104 miles started 4:08AM

Today, 104.98 miles started 3:24AM

The key to the early morning ride is to make it foolproof: bike checked and ready, lights charged and mounted, all clothing laid out (don't forget socks and glasses), coffee machine ready, breakfast thought about and laid out etc. This makes it much easier. Also, then you're more motivated to get up.

This is really liberating apart from cycling.

To have everything ready frees the mind from having to think about it in the morning.

It makes waking up much more peaceful.


-Tim-

Not quite that early. Most days I leave the house at 6:30, ride downtown, drop off my backpack at the office, meet my buddy at 7:15. We ride for an hour, hour 15, and I am back at the office at 8:30. Shower, change, and at my desk by 9am.

If it's going to be super hot and it's not one of our workout days, I will leave at 5:45 or 6.

Impressive. I've looked at your Strava profile, very impressive.

I'm not interested in RAAM, just trying to find a good way to hold on to the little bit of fitness I've rebuilt over the last few months. I know that some runners will head out for a quick run to keep fitness alive, and I'm hoping to do the same.

As an aside, I have a coworker who does night riding exclusively; I can't figure out when he sleeps, but he's on the bike several nights each week after 11:00 p.m. He says it's great, no cars, and the LEOs all know him and so on. But I wake as soon as even a tiny bit of light comes through the blinds, and once the house is stirring-- kids goofing on each other, and their noisy grab-@ss-- sleep is impossible, so as hard as it is to keep a disciplined bed time, I gotta do it.

Just out of curiosity, what was your sleep schedule like before heading out for 100+ miles at 1:00 a.m.?

This is good advice.

The cold-extracted coffee goes in the refrigerator, so I just pour some in a glass. I think I still get a net hydration from it, but it does save some time (if I drink hot coffee it is pour-over, one cup at a time, and >10 min to make), and I get my necessary infusion. Plus, for 45~60 minutes of riding, I don't need a huge amount of food. Dehydration is the main thing in the morning for me-- blood pressure meds have a diuretic component-- so I really need to hydrate and get some easy carbs like toast or something. Then I can fire up the guads and drope the hamer (shout-out to RyanF, we miss you over here at BF).

Ever since I crashed in 2011 with C6 and rt clavicle fracture plus compression with slippage of C5-C6-C7 resulting in nerve damaged I don't sleep too well. A good night is 4 hours uninterrupted a rare is 5 hours and usual is 2.5 to 3 hours then up and awake for hours before getting tired again. Last night I hit the couch around 9:45PM and was up shortly before midnight but didn't get my act together until my 3:24AM departure. Had EVERYTHING READY but just wasn't in the mood for a 2AM out the door start.

My 67th birthday ride is planned for July 8th, actually 2 days early. Go to bed around 8/9 then up to get out 12:01 to 12:30AM to start 150+ miler. Really want to do another 200 miler but I'll go with the flow. I take a break for shower and kit change since the humidity can be high along with temps even in the early hours.

You early rising coffee drinkers should consider a keurig.

thats not even real coffee...

Yeah, no.

The Republic of Offthebackistan

Married to a cuban, we have a bunch of caffeteras like that.

We still use the keurig for the convenience and speed.

That's 10 minutes you could have slept, ridden, or whatever else.

Kirkland extra bold is dark enough.

Well, peripheral to the thread, but in point of fact it is generally lower-grade well-oxidized coffee.

There are folks who find boxed wine to be plenty fine, or who greatly enjoy a few White Owl cigars now and again, too. But in the same way, there's nothing wrong if a person roasts their own coffee and knows the joy of a cup made from freshly roasted beans. Coffee is an affordable luxury; fresh roasted good coffee is a first-world affordable luxury. Kirkland bold (and Starbucks, et al.) roast dark purely for consistency; they want you tasting the roast, not the bean.

If you've never tried cold extraction (a.k.a. coffee toddy), it's not bad at all. Low acid, and can be delicious straight up (black, right out of the refrigerator).

Back on-topic, I do find that I sleep less when riding more. I've considered riding to work-- it would be about 40 miles/day-- but there are many impediments, not the least of which are some of the dangerous roads on the way there. So, before-crack-of-dawn seems to be the path of least resistance.

Night riding is the best, other than the middle day of a three-day weekend. (Everyone around here drives out to the coast or up into the mountains on 3-day weekends, so the roads are empty; we need more holidays imo.) Head out after the drunks land and before the crazy commuters get going (ever narrower window) and all is good, especially with Dinotte lights.

then you're done for :D reading BF can help me motivate to ride, but NOT get out the door quickly. a key for a quick getaway in the am is, no media, or maybe some mindless TV w coffee & a small breakfast

Nespresso.

Mindless TV is a very appealing distraction to leaving early on a bike ride. :innocent:

I'd be out there right now riding if it wasnt raining today. I normally work at 5 or 6am, so getting up super early to ride on days off isnt difficult for me. I like the quiet as well, as my day rides can be hairy with all the cars in the areas I ride.

I love this time of year because I can sleep in and don't have to beat the school traffic. When school is in, I wake up at 5:30 and start my ride at 6. Now, I can wake up at 6 and leave out around 6:30. I usually drink a cup of coffee and take a dump before the morning ride. Work is at 8am weekdays, so I only ride about 30-40 minutes/8-10 miles. Good enough for me.. and I have plenty of time to take a shower, eat breakfast, watch news and weather, etc.... before work.