furiousferret

It is depressing when I read some of these posts where everyone posts their mileages because mine is low for the year. I swore I was going to break 150 miles for the week but real life got in the way. Between working full time, being on-call (to which I get called in to work about 6-7 times a week) and two summer college classes I've been getting killed. Case in point, on the 4th, I worked/studied non stop from 9am to 10pm.

I'm not sure how everyone here finds the time to put in 100+ miles every week, but I envy you guys.

SoonerBent

Anyone else have difficulty finding time to ride?

Always

Granny

I used to, then I quit working. It's much easier now.

Priorities...

derath

Let's see.

Wife, full time job, 3yo daughter, 10 week old son.

Yea my riding mileage has been abysmal.

Today was a beautiful day, but I didn't get to ride. But I did get to spread 8 yards of mulch. Was a good workout anyway.

-D

OrionKhan

Bah...I've got an eleven month old son and a 3 week old son. At least your getting sleep!

Bizurke

I work full time and go to school full time. I commute to work and school so that gives me a steady amount of miles, though not that much (3mi to work and 10mi to school). Basiclly I just spend every last second I can riding. Sometimes it cuts in to my sleep but that's something I can live with. You just have to have the drive to ride ALL THE TIME if you really want to get in the miles. I still only get in maybe 100 miles a week that isn't commuting but I try to make sure I always get that. This week though, I'm at 6mi and it's saturday :-( I hate having my bike in the shop.

roadfix

I don't have difficulty finding time to ride. I have difficulty finding time to do multi-day tours.

kk4df

I just set my alarm to go off about 2 hours before I have to leave for work. Morning, pre-dawn rides are nice and quiet.

55/Rad

Work, wife, kids, mortgage, bills, kid activities, animals, coaching baseball, industry events - plus aging parents and their issues. Only the tip of the iceberg...

You don't find time to ride - you make it. For some of us, it's how we keep our sanity - so we make it a higher priority.

I found commuting to be a great way to get saddle time.

55/Rad

furiousferret

At least I dont have kids, I guess I'm not the one in the worst position here.

derath

True, although I am often up till midnight or so getting caught up on work.

Well said. I have found I have to be diligent and creative. I am getting back to a better riding schedule. I have a friend to ride with wednesdays. We both duck out of work early.

Tomorrow I am going to start riding home from church. 16 mile mostly uphill ride.

I ride to family events (picnics, etc) when I can.

When the weather is nice I keep my bike in my car. If I can steal away durning "lunch" I will literally pull off on the side of the road and go ride.

My job does not work well with bike commuting.

-D

georgiaboy

One reason commuting to work is beneficial. You can get your ride in as you meet the days responsibilities.

bccycleguy

I try and often succeed in riding 160 km (100 miles) per week on my Lemond. On the weekends I do two 50 - 60 km rides, and I try to fit in three 20km rides during the week. It's not a big problem doing this in the summer but is definitely hard to do in the spring and fall because of the weather.

I also commute (5 km each way) on my hybrid when the weather is good, but I'm not counting that since I end up cutting through parks, go on the sidewalk, etc. where ever it is safest and the traffic is lightest.

My wife is supportive about my riding, but not about the time I spend on BF. She goes to a gym, I ride. It's all about your health. I think it's almost impossible if you have small kids to ride a lot regularly, but by the time they are teenagers you get your own life back.

1slowbastard

Don't waste much time, do ya.

DrPete 

Truer words have never been spoken. As a resident who works 80+ hours a week (shh... don't tell) I can say if you don't make a conscious effort it won't happen.

DrPete

OrionKhan

Its been tough. But being out on paternity leave has allowed me to get some riding in. Plus, I've been up at 5:30am to watch the live coverage of the tour. I don't know what I'm going to do when I go back to work in a week.

DataJunkie

I have the opposite issue. Freakin long ass commute of 28 miles each way.
I ride a bus half the way back. 45 miles 4 days a week and a nice long weekend ride. We have one car and my wife is usually driving it. I'm so sick of cars that I'm one hair's breath away from being completely car free.

I have to make excuses not to ride.

Machka 

Yes, working 52-60 hours a week really eats into the cycling time.

How I long for a normal 40-45 hour work week!!!

SDRider

Yes, but I do it anyway. I commute to work twice a week and I get in a couple 30-40 mile rides every weekend. That's about the max I can do with my family obligations.

Brandy

Let's see. I'm a stay at home mom with very limited childcare options and a husband that works 6 days a week, at least 10 hour shifts with an hour+ commute each way. I was having a very hard time finding the time to ride until I decided to cut out my late night computer habit and start going to bed with the kids so I can set the alarm to get up early and ride while everyone is still sleeping. Like someone else said, it's not about finding the time, it's about making it!

FormerFF

Let's see, one full time job + two small children + one overly large suburban house = not much saddle time. It's gotten a little better for me since my kids are now 4 and 6. When they were younger, they wanted to go everywhere I did. I still don't get to ride during the week, and some weekends are gone as well, so I'm not on the bike very much.

I did get a Burley Piccolo, so now riding is a father-daughter activity. Downside is there are many weeks that the only riding is pulling that thing. Upside is that it's a family activity, plus when I do get out on my own, do I feel fast!

Not to change the subject, but am I the only one who thinks this (relatively) big house and yard in the suburbs is seriously overrated? When I was single I always lived in townhouses, and had my weekends free for what I wanted to do. Now it seems all I do is yardwork, repairs, and home improvement.

celticfrost

If you can't make the quantity of miles then aim for quality miles -- a sprint day, a hill day, a LSD (Long, Steady, Distance) day. Also, due to hills, 50 miles in Redlands is probably like 100 miles in many places.

Machka 

YES!! I was just discussing that sort of thing with someone today.

Personally, I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in buying a house (or condo, or townhouse, or whatever). I've had brief moments where I have thought it might be nice to have my own place, but those moments are very, very brief. Personally, I prefer renting a smallish apartment.

I have no yardwork to do ... my rent goes toward the caretaker's wage to take care of all that.

If something largish goes wrong with the place (stove quits working, hotwater heater goes, etc.) ... my rent goes toward the caretaker's wage (and any professionals he/she has to call in) to take care of all that.

If the place needs repainting or the landlord decides it's time for new carpets, or tile, or a whole new bathroom, or a kitchen renovation ........

I don't even have to be there when all this goes on!! I just have to give my OK to have it done.


And the place is small enough that housecleaning takes no time at all ... a place for everything and everything in its place.

chromedome

Like the others said, make the time. And the time you do make needs to be used wisely.

DataJunkie

I own a house and am currently remodeling a bathroom.
I also work 30 miles away and we own 1 car.
I put in between 40-50+ hrs a week.
My wife works part time at night and on the weekend.
Plus, I have 1 dog and a cat. Did I forget my 2 year old son?
...and I ride 200-250 miles a week.
No wonder I periodically burn out every other month.
Anyhow, the remodel is coming to a close in the next month and I am pondering working from home more often. Holy crap. I need to lighten my load a bit.