What do you do to get ready?
 

Serious cycling requires preparation. I must stress that my stomach is full of food. Before I leave on my daily 51 mile ride there are things I do to get ready. Here they are: 1) Charge the computer and put it on bike 2) Get the bike and stand it up 3) Get the hand pump 4) Top off the tire pressure to 115 psi 5) Wash and clean the mirror and computer face 6) Fill 3 insulated water bottles with ice cubes and bottled water (never use tap water) 7) Put two bottles on bike 8) Check quick releases and chain 9) Clean eye glasses and overfitting sunglasses with mild soap and water (bike done) 10) Get bib shorts and cycling jersey (Lay out on coffee table) 11) Get socks and sweat band (lay out on coffee table) 12) Get helmet, gloves, shoes and portable hand pump (lay out on coffee table)13) Get tube of triple antibiotic ,cortisone and jar of Vaseline (lay out on coffee table) 14) Get two tablets of Pepcid to prevent reflux (lay out on coffee table) 15) To help prevent fire-foot swamp thin layer of Vaseline on bottom of feet. 16) Put on socks 17) Apply triple antibiotic mixed with cortisone cream on saddle sores covered with thin layer of Vaseline 18) Wipe hands with paper towel 19) Put on bib shorts 20) Put on Jersey 21) Go outside and apply spray sunscreen to arms, legs and back of neck 22) Come back inside and apply cream sunscreen to face and cover nose completely 23) Wipe hands 24) Get single strip of paper towel and fold it to fit under sweat band 25) Put on sweat band 26) Put on cycling shoes 27) Put cell phone, third water bottle, Pepcid, mini pump and extra glass wipes in back of shirt 28) Put on glasses and overfitting sunglasses 29) Put on gloves 30) Start computer and ride31) Note: in cold weather there is more to do.

Your helmet is still on the coffee table.

32) Send text to riding buddies "Gonna be late again."

I can only assume that there's something funny hidden in that wall of text that the OP (rightly) assumes that we won't see because tl;dr.

LOL well played!

Seriously? In most places, tap water is as good or better than bottled water as it has far more strict regulations. If you really don't want tap water, get a filter. Much cheaper in the long run and better for the environment.

:roflmao: Every time. And god forbid I carry my Road ID inside or the hat that's in current rotation. Turns into multiple trips.

For my weekend rides, Wake up, eat, fart around on the computer and have a couple of cups of coffee, bathroom, change into riding clothes, put whatever the days foods are in the right and left pockets, cell phone in the center. Go out to the garage, turn on the Garmin that's supposed to be in the up front mount, put on the Road ID that should be hanging on the handlebars, sunglasses, cap, helmet, load up 2 water bottles, put on the shoes and go ride. Oh, and last thing on the list is to turn on the Road ID app just before riding off.

Weekdays I just change and go ride.

He couldn't even manage to incorporate something funny.

Sad. I'm extra glad that I didn't read it, then.

What's this thread about?

For longer weekend rides, it's a lengthy process to get prepared and I don't have the will or motivation to go into detail. Riding prep during the week before work is minimal... most things are ready to go the night before.

Is this a commute?

If yes, then why all that to ride 25 miles to the office?

If no, then why do the same ride every day?


Taking a dump is key on my preparation list.

"Wash hands" woulda been nice after the saddle sores bit.

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I won't touch bottled water, for health reasons.

I must not be a serious cyclist. Most of my regular ride days start at 6am and are only about 30 miles. Most of the time I lie in bed, hang with the wife until 5:35, hit the john, grab my bottles from the fridge (fridge water through whatever filter it uses), get dressed, grab keys to the gate and garage door opener and leave by 5:50.

I was just remembering how it used to be when I was younger, I just decided to go and I hopped on the bike and went. Now I have a rigamarole routine too, no quite as bad as the OPs bit bad e enough.

I have to get drugged up before launch, no, not what you think. A quick bite to eat and then a couple of ibuprofen prophilacticy. Then a Allavert so the pollen doesn't crust up my eyes . The water bottles, the snacks and all the equipment, sunscreen and bug spray don my helmet and I'm off. And more than once make a U turn to come back for something i forgot.

And after engaging in any excretory activities.

1. Groggily wake up and stumble to shower.
2. After shower, stumble back to my bedroom and look for the pile of lycra put out the night before. Apply chamois cream and get dressed
3. Stumble to kitchen to make coffee.
4. Drink coffee. I might be able to stop stumbling now
5. Grab bike off the wall, fill water bottles with drink of the day, attach computer.
6. Pack pockets with food/gels put on table night before.
7. Grab helmet, shoes, and gloves from cycling cubby hole next to the door and put them on.
8. Grab sunnies and bike, go for a ride.
9. Finally finish waking up about 10 miles in

The "air tires to 115 psi" bit was kind of funny. Not funny ha ha. Funny sad.

Assuming serious, with all this, no spinning wheels to ensure not rubbing on rim or disc brake?

fify

Coulda done without the saddle sore discussion.

:lol: I also found the "115 psi" thing a bit odd...as well as the "no tap water" rule.
But it was nice to see that I'm not the only one that endures the hassle of getting ready for a ride. Seriously, sometimes it seems like thinking about all the stuff I have to do to go on a ride is almost enough to keep me from going.
I mean, the ride itself is simple enough. But it's planning for all the possible "disasters" that becomes a burden - like hunger, fuel, drinks, flat tire repair, sunburn, charged cell phone, etc.

:lol:

I used to run my tires at 130psi. Everyone did back in 80's. If a layman says tap water is safe he doesn't know what he's talking about. If an expert say's it's safe he's lying. I wrote the op in list form in a word program and it came out in one paragraph on this site.