The Time is Now!

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
...to start riding early. Sunrise today is around 5:45, which means it is starting to get light out between 5:00- 5:15 and we still have another month of adding more light each morning. If you have trouble getting out other times of the day or life gets further in the way the longer the day goes, One way to almost guarantee saddle time is riding when you wake up. I do 80% of my riding before 7am, all year round and starting doing so 8 years ago. The only thing preventing a longer ride is getting up even earlier. You will go through a 2-4 week adjusted period but after that it will just be normal.
In any case, if it is even remotely an option, do it now when you don't need lights and riding motivation is easy to come by. The trails are empty, the roads are clear, it is just you, your bike and whatever woodland creatures are around.

This is around 5:30 this morning, that ridge is Baldpate. I saw a bald eagle 2 min from here today.
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You can sleep when you are dead.

DO IT!
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
You're right. I was out the door at 4:30 last Friday to commute to work and it was a beautiful morning. A bit chilly but dressing well helps that. Early or late, you can make it work if you want to ride bad enough.
 

Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
You're right. I was out the door at 4:30 last Friday to commute to work and it was a beautiful morning. A bit chilly but dressing well helps that. Early or late, you can make it work if you want to ride bad enough.
Getting up at 4:30 to work in newark at 6 does not allow this. The commute is min 38 miles with 75% sketchy roads/areas. I live and hazlet and work in north newark. It is nice getting out at 3:30 however.
 

jShort

2018 Fantasy Football Toilet Bowl Lead Technician
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Yes, hopefully the temps in the morning start warming up.


It helps to do as much prep work the night before as possible. Get your kit, helmets, shoes, bottles, bike , tires pumped, etc.

This saves valuable minutes
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
Was talking about your morning rides with someone here recently
are you sleeping 4-5 hrs a night to get up that early? I'm thinking of going that route but need more sleep than that
 

Paul H

Fearless OOS Poser
I only ride on weekends but I'm out the door as soon as there is sufficient light. Air is better and less car traffic to deal with.
 

clarkenstein

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
ive done early rides - not as half as many as stb222. i get streaky with it. main thing is to layout everything the night before, and go to bed before 10. i even layout something to eat the night before i ride.
 

Mountain Bike Mike

Well-Known Member
Definitely worth it. Listening to Kev's advice, I started doing this consistently last summer. maybe earlier... can't remember..

Some of the best riding and adventures were early AM rides. Some of the bests were riding Water Co, Baldpate, Six Mile before the sun came up.

@jShort - regarding the night before prep, it's takes roughly 5-10 minutes to check the AM weather, lay out a kit, put GPS and bottles on the bike and have everything lined up to hit the road right off the driveway. If I planned on MTB, It required more prep time as I would go straight to work after riding. So I would pack work clothes and food for the day.. Roughly 30 minute prep time total.

Wake up, hit the head, down a coffee while getting ready and out the door...

Heading in to the Sourlands..
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Popping out of the Neshaminy trails to see the sun rise over the high school...
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Heading back to the car after riding the blue side of Mercer...
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Passed his bedtime
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Roadie sunrises never disappoint
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MadisonDan

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Early morning rides are great, I have trouble getting to bed early enough. I need to be out the door by 5am sharp or I'm late for work. Actually, the 6:38 train I take every day gets me to work late, but F it. Riding that time of day on empty roads is awesome.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
Agree with @jShort, most stuff is ready the night before. It is easier in warm weather because it is always shorts and short sleeves. Winter is more of a wild card because every 5-10 agrees is a slightly different kit.

I am typically asleep by 10:45. 10:15 is early, 11:00 is late. Alarm is set for 4:05 and I usually snooze it a few and am on bike around 5. All I do between getting up and on bike is brush teeth and get dressed. I was bumping it earlier by skipping the snooze but 4:30 is ruff but I was consistency 4:45-4:50 for a few weeks. Ride until 6:50, shower, change, out door by 7:15.
 
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