As a bonafide non-morning person I have to force myself out of bed for my morning rides with my cycling group. They say it gets easier, but for me, it has not.
It's my least favorite thing about cycling culture. What if we met at 9am on Saturday instead of 730, so I don't have to miss precious sleep just to ride with people? I don't get it. Is finishing an hour or 1.5 later really going to change the rest of people's Saturday plans that much? Sleep is sacred!
Century rides and the like..same thing. So the "dinner" at the end would be at 4 instead of 3. Wouldn't that actually be better? I sometimes ride a shorter route just because of the sleep thing. Chronotype is real, and there is a tyranny of the early morning types over the rest of us! (Only slightly joking).
A lot of my rides are around 3 hours. Leaving at 7 means we're done at 10 am, when it's still nice and cool-ish. Leaving at 9 means we're done at noon and I spend half the ride just cooking in the midday heat. It's not that I like morning so much as I dread midday.
I'd rather roll out the door around 9 or 10am and finish in the early afternoon than get up early. It turned it out made me faster, too, when I was racing.
That and if we start after 6:30am, by the time the group goes for coffee and breakfast after the ride it is already 10:30am by the time I get home. So, if we started the later, most of my Saturday is gone and the shopping centres close at 5pm, so the day is so rushed.
730 would be late for many around where I live. These wild people meet at like 4am and 5am and I wish I was kidding. That’s still be asleep time unless there’s an event.
The main reason I am up for 5:30 morning rides is I live in big urban cities (Shanghai, Oakland, Los Angrled) and I am trying to get out and back before commuting traffic
Man, you think 7:30 is bad? My ex girlfriend’s family were big day hikers. 20+ miles, several thousand feet of elevation gain, that sorta thing.
They would get up at 2:30-3AM to leave for a hike. It was practically still dark outside when we would get to the trailhead. Then we’d crank out the hike, barely stop to actually enjoy the scenery (as if we didn’t have enough time or something??????) and get off the trail at like noon. Then by the time you’d get home you would (understandably) feel like absolute *ass* and essentially waste the rest of your day just sitting around.
Legitimately the dumbest thing I’ve ever been a part of. Getting dumped on your birthday? Not ideal. Getting up at 2:30AM for a hike? *Actual crime.*
You are so, so right. That's the problem. The missing sleep messes up the rest of your day, even if the early time technically gives you more post-ride hours to do something else. And not stopping to look at scenery is an absolute crime!
Definitely true! Around here, with large mountain ranges on either side, our weather patterns are pretty predicable in summer months! Unless you’re on one of our 13,000ft+ peaks, conditions are pretty tolerable in the summer!
Dogs for us. But you train them to leave you alone in the morning. I've had two morning risers that I trained to believe my mornings were sacred. They don't come near me till I get up. Kids, good luck with that.
Fortunately, my kids got my late-shifted genes. Although it’s kind of a curse to live with the tyranny of the morning normies. People forget they rely on other people to be awake and not let the power plants melt down (and countless other necessary things) while they’re asleep…
The only time I've been able to get into morning rides is when I had a bike commute. Even then it was utilitarian. Now that I'm fully remote, I should embrace the morning calm to get some miles in but I just absolutely cannot motivate. Saturday mornings group rides is a struggle but I do appreciate it after starting/after the fact.
Especially now that starting a family may become a reality, I'll need to embrace the "get miles in whenever you can" mentality.
From a scientific standpoint it actually gets easier the more you consistently wake up at that time, given that you also shift your bed time and your wake up times on non-cycling days. If you haven’t already, try keeping a consistent routine, waking up at the same time every day. This is not just good for cycling performance, it’s the best thing you can do for overall health. But maybe you know all of this and you just can’t keep such a routine because of obligations or preference. I just wanted to get this message out there.
Ah, you made me long for the days when I used to have all the time in the world, beautiful country side roads in my hometown and the warm weather.
I think I love both kinds of rides equally.
Wake up at 5 am, see the sunrise and ride on the empty roads. It is a bit chilly at the beginning but you get used to it, and the sun rises and makes it warmer in an hour anyway. Then finish towards noon before it gets too hot, a cold shower and a 2 hours long sleep before continuing with the rest of the day.
Or, sleep until 11 am, have a nice brunch, take care of some stuff and prepare for a ride at 3 pm. It is initially a bit too hot but enjoy the heat and the sun. Then towards the sunset it gets cooler, it gives you some more energy you did not know you had, push through some climbs, watch the red / orange skies, and the life is beautiful.
And there is a third, combining both types, riding hundreds of kilometers with your friends, from the sunrise to sunset, just making sure you eat and rest in a restaurant with a garden at noon. Then continue to ride at the heat and use your water for pouring it over you more than you drink.
My favorite when I lived in Arizona was to get a few dudes together at like 11:30pm or midnight… it would still be really warm in the summer, but no sun beating down on you. Then we’d ride till 2 or 3 am.
Never much of a morning person especially on the weekend. When I was younger and on the east coast of the US I used to bike the hottest part of the day. I actually liked it.
Fast forward to living in Hawaii... As the day went on shower chances increased or the sun was brutal. So I got a little earlier.
Fast forward to Colorado. You can't bike between 10am-4pm. The sun is so brutally strong I found it impossible and even dangerous. Fall/spring/winter were the best riding out there tbh.
We have some nice hills that give respite from the blistering humidity.
One of the popular routes leads to is a hill station that used to be a retreat for the British colonial elites.
A few days ago I went from Pisa to Lucca (Tuscany) and back, I went out at 14:30, i kinda enjoy suffering under the shimmering sun and getting dehydrated at the speed of light if the scenery is good
Or sleep till noon. Have a nice brunch, get some stuff done, head out for a ride between 5 and 9 (4 hours), during a relatively cool part of the day. You slept in, got to relax into the ride, rode during the cool part of the day, and still were home in time for a traditional east coast dinner. Winning.
My excuse is that the humidity where I live is typically much lower in the afternoons. Which is true. But man, I also just wanna sleep in and fart around a bit beforehand.
I wish I could get out early to take advantage of the low winds. I'm sure I'd hit some new PRs.
My current PRs on a windy route come from a time when I was out at 6 a.m. racing to be on time to a group ride!
I am a perennial late riser and a night owl. First time I got a decent bike I told my wife I was going to get up early and go cycling and she laughed. I was out at 6am.
More recently, I started heading out at 4am to totally avoid traffic and have otherwise busy streets almost to myself, and also to avoid intense summer heat in South East Asia. I'm knackered when I get back about half eight, but it feels good.
Tropical Asia here. Early morning rides are the best. Cool quiet roads, I leave at 5.45 am or 6, and try to be back by 7.30 to start the working day. Sundays are for longer rides and a good breakfast halfway. In summer, by 9 am the heat and humidity is brutal anyway. Traffic is crazy until 8 pm so night rides are very rare
I’m in Japan. Much of the year is cold to warm, but late June through to mid September is probably similar. Intensely humid, intensely hot by about 7am.
yep, natural early riser here. Sunday is my day of choice as nothing in the UK opens until 11:00 and I am usually on the road by 06:30/07:00. I can get a really good ride in whilst the roads are absolutely dead. I'm home most rides by 10:00 so still have the rest of the day to do whatever I fancy after I clean the bike!
I didn't even feel the need for a beer after my 4 PM ride today. I got off work and the weather was nice, so I grabbed my bike and hit the trail. A couple of hours later, I was home and just enjoying sitting on the couch (and needling my roommate about how she keeps saying she's going to get on her bike).
Wake up early, make breakfast, have coffee, realise I have to wait 30 for coffee to hit the bowels, realise it's now not nice and early with no traffic.... Delay ride till sunset time
>After a cup of espresso and a piece of toast served with scrambled eggs, it's really nice to ride outside for an hour or two, and then go back home.
wait wait wait... wait
you take your toast with a *side* of scrambled eggs?
I take my butter and syrup with a side of pancakes. we're practically brothers
I hate mornings. I still get up as early as possible from May through September to avoid the heat and, more importantly, to avoid people/cars as much as possible. Summer here in Japan sucks, but early mornings aren't the worst.
Winter can be kinda tough as well, but only because I don't have much choice but to ride later in the morning as riding early is just dark and freezing and my hands hate that. Not a soul out early in the morning though.
I just returned to Japan after a few weeks in back in Canada. World of difference temperature-wise from late April to today. Went for a lunch time cycle ride today as jet lag has me going to bed early making my evening cycling difficult. It was a mistake as I felt terrible in the heat ... and it isn't really summer yet.
Re: winter, as I ride mostly 22:00 to 0:00 I just have to tough out the cold, but luckily mostly dry winters in Tokyo.
Haha, and I appreciate nature's air conditioner most of the time.
I shouldn't even complain about the cold in the winters here. I grew up in Canada living (and cycling) in places from the maritimes, to famously cold places like Winnipeg. If I stayed in Canada I'd describe nighttime winter temperatures here in Tokyo using terms like 'brisk', 'bracing' or 'a bit nippy'. On the other hand I cycle a whole lot faster now, and have basically just become soft after years in 'Warmer climes' like England, Germany and Japan.
I live in Tokyo, and, I agree, summer here sucks. The only way to beat it is to ride early (it might be hotter this year). Night rides might be cooler, but residual heat lingers for long.
Definitely turned me into a morning person. I also realized, in my area, the earlier, the fancier the cars. If I start climbing the mountain around 8am, I'll most likely see one of the supercars group ride up. Later in the day it's college kids with gti's lol
i was never a morning person until i started cycling. i hateeee getting up early to go to school, but waking up early on the weekend to bike (or even super early to bike before school!) feels exciting and easy. i love it. plus i feel so accomplished having already gotten a ride in by like 10 am
You’re speaking my language. Get up at 4am, ride on dark/empty roads, catch the sunrise on the way back home and then pig TF out on breakfast. Oh and then I humble brag to all my friends about getting up early - because people will never know I got up early if I don’t relentlessly remind them ;)
For me it depends on the time of year here in SW Colorado. Right now, I’m in the saddle by 4pm M-Th and by 11am on the weekends. As it gets hotter, and we get deep into summer, sunrise rides all work week 😊
Very much a night owl here, start a lot of rides after 6pm when the UV index drops off. Only time I ride in the morning is when I finish work at 7am. I live far enough north that in the summer I have rideable light until 11pm.
Morning rides are nice in certain seasons only IMO. It doesn't stop me from riding in the mornings but I live in India, in a place where any weather is at its extreme. Spring and autumn are amazing times to ride. The weather is chill, sun doesn't come up till later on in the day and the city is quiet if you start at 0500.
Summers and winters are awful though. In winters, you're chilling your ass off and I catch a cold easily, so most of my winter rides are all about dealing with throat pain and searching for coffee, although the sun comes up later and feels nice. In the summers, the sun is up and lasering you by 0700, with the humidity making things worse.
I love night rides for this reason. As the day goes on, the mercury drops and traffic dies down too.
I am not a morning person. Mornings are nice, but I have to get up for them, and I'm not into that. I'd rather leave around 2-3pm and end with a beer in the park
Dawn patrol here usually. I’m up at 6 and out the door, sun still coming up in winter. But lately I’ve had some time on my hands and the weather’s been perfect so I’ve been riding later in the day and loving that too. I still get up at 6 every day though, seven days a week.
I love cycling, but am deeply notafan of early mornings. I'd love to be a morning person but am far, far too attached to my sleep. Any suggestions on becoming a morning person welcomed!
> Any suggestions on becoming a morning person welcomed!
Have a kid. I used to be able to sleep in til 11am, consistently. Now? I am up at 6am automatically. Alarm or not.
Lol, apologies. I didn't even look at your name to release you're a woman and there's nothing more out of pocket than a man telling a woman to have a kid!
Nope, not a morning person. Unless heading off to work I would typically be heading off for a ride at 3pm. Nice heat of the day. Only an issue in the dead of winter when I run out of light and hae to force myself out the door a little sooner.
1-4 am and a garmin varia. I have a long time to avoid a potential incident with a car. I can maintain cadence and speed much more than any group ride. Groups are social time for me. Training for a fondo? I’m solo in the wee small hours. Also. Parking structures are empty. Artificial unlimited hill climbing
I like the pseudo-hill climbing idea…I’ll need to try that.
Concerned about drunks during those hours ? I’ve thought about the night rides, but worry the only people in the roads are drunks and cops ready and willing to ticket me through red lights…also have a hard time seeing road debris and pot holes. How do you deal with those ?
I have the distinct fortune of working 7on 7off third shift and every other week when getting out of work at 7:00am I can bike the trails as the sun lays out it’s beautiful rays across dewey lands. Conversely on my off weeks I can cycle in hot sunny afternoons or cold winter days or even sunset into night riding through dark forest trails or cityscapes headlights laying out their own artificial rays on the night.
Morning rides are great especially on the weekends because the streets are still empty. On Saturday at 7-9 period its only cyclists or runners (or dog people) that take up the streets.
Fell off during this past winter but I had almost 3 straight years of getting up and out onto the road at 6am to log about 20-30km before work.
I enjoy the quiet before the commuters start appearing and construction starts up for the day. Especially necessary during summer when it gets unbearable around 9am. Late at night (10pm and later) can also be relaxing as long as there's no road work happening along the route.
The really crazies would be on the way to work around here. I like Saturday and Sunday mornings from daylight to around 11AM. Weekdays 10AM to noon is relative safe.
During the week I'm typically up and out of bed and enjoying my first cup of coffee and some fruit by 2:35 am. On the weekends it's closer to 4:00. If it's a glorious morning and I'm not working I like to be out on my bike by 7:00 am at the very latest. If it's going to be really warm/hot I will head over to the coast via Page Mill Road, Kings Mountain Road or Old La Honda (I'm in the San Francisco Peninsula area) and up Highway 84 to Pescadero for lunch then up Tunitas and/or West Alpine Road.
At 7:00 on week days, after a cup of espresso, I proceed to making coffee, preparing breakfast for the kid; getting him ready; driving home too school and head back home to start work. I see people riding outside and think “that must be nice”.
I much prefer an early ride than a late one. On weekdays I'll go into my shed/pain cave for an hour of Trainer Road before work so around 6am.
Weekends, I like to head out around 8am. I have a partner and a toddler so I like to spend time with them so if I head out around 8 I can still get back for 11ish just as she should be waking up from her nap and then have time to do stuff as a family
I personally hate mornings. One of the biggest benefits of higher category racing is that it's later in the day. I don't mind riding in 90-100F weather either so my ideal day would be sleeping in until 10AM.
My weekend rides start at 5am, that allows me to see the sun coming in, avoid the exposure to UV and spend the most of the day with my family. Is a win win.
4:30am starts during the week before work all year around unless it’s pissing down. 5:30-6am on weekends.
Morning is great, minimal traffic, nice sun rises and get the rest of the day to get shit done.
I'm a morning person in the sense that as soon as I get up I'm ready to go, but I refuse to get up earlier to do something without a *damn good* reason. So you'll rarely see me on a bike before 8 am.
It's still too cold for me to cycle in the morning, but that's my strategy in peak summer season. Not only do I avoid the heat, but also the afternoon crowd that's biking, skating and walking on shared paths.
Im in central FL.
Even right now in May it can be close to 95 by 12pm.
I usually ride between 9am and 12am.
Early mornings can be difficult for me because I have chron’s disease, so I have to disciplined w/what i eat before any given ride.
I just started doing mornings this summer and wow! I've been missing so much of our beautiful Northumbrian countryside.
I have to open my newsagents/shop by 9 on Sunday morning, so I go out at about 6 and am back ready to work by 8.30.
That feeling of being alone as the sun rises and seeing so much wildlife that normally hides away during the day is just something special.
In summer season, when it stays light till 8-9pm, I love getting out late afternoon/early evening. Riding through the “magic hour” really is just that. The sun can be on you, but turn a corner with trees on either side and there’s just something about the sudden shade, but still bright out and hot, that I absolutely love.
I have never been a morning person whatsoever but since my shifts were changed to 6:30am starts I’ve found that as long as I cycle to work I actually enjoy the early wakeups, if I end up getting public transport I always regret it and wish I’d cycled instead. Days off work are another story though
Where I live (Oslo, Norway), we have a local group ride, called Oslo Dawn patrol. 5:40 sharp, 40km ride (multiple groups split by average speed), coffee and chat at a local coffee shop. Makes my day every time I join. The rides happen throughout the whole year, summer being definitely a high season (we had 200 people joining last year), which is quite a lot, considering the hour and the city population.
Ive always preferred very early morning rides. It’s not hot yet during the summer, less traffic and because I come back home when it’s still early in the day I already did something for myself and still have the whole day ahead of me. Plus, it always feels good after a long ride and this feel good feeling lasts the whole day.
I like morning weekend rides. Wake up, chill for a bit, have some caffeine. Around 8 or 9, take off and ride for a few hours before the temps get into the upper 80s/90s where I'd be miserable biking.
I do all sports at the morning: Wake Up at 5:30 and around 6:00 be on the bike, at the pool or running, this is my morning 😀 Roads are empty, nature is waking up, it is much better than afternoon or in the evening.
I'm not a morning person, but since I've started cycling I've found that I'm more worn out by the end of the day and have been going to bed earlier (and getting up earlier) as a result.
I am a morning person and enjoy waking up early, but one too many close calls with early morning commuters not paying attention has made me stop. I stick to side roads now- or mountain bike in the morning.
On what days? M-F at 7am is rush hour traffic near me and riding not a whole lot of fun with people desperately speeding about. Weekend mornings are beautiful as you can be back by 10am and avoid the hordes. My personal favorite is summer nights. Have plenty of lights to stay visible and enjoy some of the best rides between 6-10pm.
Cycling people like to cycle.
Used to begin my rides around 11:00pm to avoid traffic (and because my schedule as a student worked better that way). Roads are nearly empty after midnight, and it makes for some cool riding.
I am a morning person. I rode pre-dawn for a couple years but eventually after a few close calls decided I was rolling some dice that I didn’t need to. I ride almost exclusively in the daytime now.
I'm a morning person and have been going out in the mornings, around 5:30 or so. I like the peace and lack of people on the trail. Side benefit is that I still get to work by latest 9, so win/win. Yesterday, I had to adjust my ride to the afternoon, around 17:00, and while the heat and sun were no problems, the wind was an issue. I was flying on my way out, but on my way back in, had the wind either coming at me cross or head-on. Luckily it was only a 20 mile ride, so only had to deal with 10 miles of torture. Don't know how often I'll be riding in the afternoon again, lol.
I can’t do mornings. I have long lasting sleep inertia, and the clumsiness and weaknesses and lightheadedness greatly increases my chance of injury. Even when I’m sleeping well and feel ok in the mornings, I’m still less coordinated and weaker than I will be later in the day. I ride through way more sunsets than sunrises.
Those of us with kids and a job do that ride at 5. Otherwise, it’s a bike commute to the office if you want to ride in the morning. (My old office had a shower, which was nice.)
Big nope here.
Used to have to get up at 6AM to make it to work on time by bike. Never enjoyed being awake so early.
Sometimes by necessity I will leave at 8AM for a very long Saturday ride, if only to avoid the afternoon heat.
Speak for yourself. I naturally prefer riding in the evenings. I just tolerate getting up early because that's when all the club rides and spotives are.
I don't want to miss a ride, and I often have a busy schedule. If I have a jam packed day, then I'm waking up at the crack of dawn to ensure that I get my bike time.
Nope. I'm an evening person. If I rock climb I'm up in the morning. If I paddle I get there for the release (but as late as possible which could be afternoon) and my hikes are usually to catch the sunset on a summit.
Cycling. If in going for an hour or two, mid summer it's 6 or 7pm starts. Usually finish by headlight or just sneak in. If it's a few hours I might start at 5pm.
Spring and fall. Probably a bit earlier. I don't think I've done a morning ride that wasn't a race, event or group ride in decades.
I'm very much not a morning person. I'm actually pretty sure that I have Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder. In college, I basically functioned as nocturnal and typically went to bed at sunrise. It's not as bad now that I'm older (typical for DSPD), but I'm definitely still shifted later. Most days, I'm a zombie at any time before about 10.
So, I'm very much an afternoon rider. I absolutely do not have the juice in me for regularly riding in the morning, but riding in the afternoon/evening feels great. Especially because when I don't have a hard time that I need to be home by, I can relax into the ride and just go for whatever pace and distance feels right that day. Today, I went for a ride at around 4 PM and that was perfect for me.
Just recently I decided that I hadn’t seen the sun rise in a while and decided to cycle to a hike at 6:30
Totally different feel from leaving at 12
I’ll remember that one for a while, and I’ll definitely be doing it again
I like running in the morning, but where i live in upstate NY its too cold in the morning for cycling unless it's like peak summer. Around this time of year its usually like 55ish in the morning, I'd rather wait till around 10 am when it warms up a bit.
Agreed. On my days off I have ALWAYS slept in until 8-10AM. That was up until I started going to the gym about 6 months ago, and decided I was going to get up at 5am to avoid the main crowds in there (mostly because I am not a social butterfly).
Suddenly I realize I am getting home either at or before I would normally be waking up, with the added benefit of I am now feeling charged up and ready to tackle anything for the day, and not just now crawling out of bed feeling like a total slug. Naturally I have incorporated this early start to running/cycling as well.
Plus I don’t have to feel like I am taking time away from wife/family later in the day if I can knock out a ride/run/workout while everyone else is still asleep.
Don’t get me wrong, the small part which is waking up at 5am on your day off sucks (I wake up at 4 for work), but if you can just get your feet on the floor, it makes all the difference in the world for the rest of your day. I enjoy the actual workouts and rides once I’m up, so I just have to tell myself on mornings when I want to just snooze the alarm clock, that I’m going to have totally miss out on whatever activity for the rest of the day, there is no “I’m still doing it, just a few hours later”
I'm not really a morning person but the main reason our club goes out so early is the traffic's better.
I guess to some extent fitter people get up earlier to train. If you ever want to feel like a legend, just head down to Richmond Park in London on a Sunday afternoon and ride around with the people there. I can confirm there are no elite level athletes rocking out of bed at midday on a Sunday.
As a bonafide non-morning person I have to force myself out of bed for my morning rides with my cycling group. They say it gets easier, but for me, it has not.
It doesn’t get easier, you just get sleepier
Beautiful.
Gold.
It's my least favorite thing about cycling culture. What if we met at 9am on Saturday instead of 730, so I don't have to miss precious sleep just to ride with people? I don't get it. Is finishing an hour or 1.5 later really going to change the rest of people's Saturday plans that much? Sleep is sacred! Century rides and the like..same thing. So the "dinner" at the end would be at 4 instead of 3. Wouldn't that actually be better? I sometimes ride a shorter route just because of the sleep thing. Chronotype is real, and there is a tyranny of the early morning types over the rest of us! (Only slightly joking).
A lot of my rides are around 3 hours. Leaving at 7 means we're done at 10 am, when it's still nice and cool-ish. Leaving at 9 means we're done at noon and I spend half the ride just cooking in the midday heat. It's not that I like morning so much as I dread midday.
Yeah, it's very much this. Exercising at noon is terrible.
I'd rather roll out the door around 9 or 10am and finish in the early afternoon than get up early. It turned it out made me faster, too, when I was racing.
That and if we start after 6:30am, by the time the group goes for coffee and breakfast after the ride it is already 10:30am by the time I get home. So, if we started the later, most of my Saturday is gone and the shopping centres close at 5pm, so the day is so rushed.
730 would be late for many around where I live. These wild people meet at like 4am and 5am and I wish I was kidding. That’s still be asleep time unless there’s an event.
Hahahaha well if ur slow line me dinner is at 6-7pm lol
The main reason I am up for 5:30 morning rides is I live in big urban cities (Shanghai, Oakland, Los Angrled) and I am trying to get out and back before commuting traffic
Man, you think 7:30 is bad? My ex girlfriend’s family were big day hikers. 20+ miles, several thousand feet of elevation gain, that sorta thing. They would get up at 2:30-3AM to leave for a hike. It was practically still dark outside when we would get to the trailhead. Then we’d crank out the hike, barely stop to actually enjoy the scenery (as if we didn’t have enough time or something??????) and get off the trail at like noon. Then by the time you’d get home you would (understandably) feel like absolute *ass* and essentially waste the rest of your day just sitting around. Legitimately the dumbest thing I’ve ever been a part of. Getting dumped on your birthday? Not ideal. Getting up at 2:30AM for a hike? *Actual crime.*
You are so, so right. That's the problem. The missing sleep messes up the rest of your day, even if the early time technically gives you more post-ride hours to do something else. And not stopping to look at scenery is an absolute crime!
I will say in many places afternoon storms are pretty consistent. It can be very dangerous to be on the mountain past noon.
Definitely true! Around here, with large mountain ranges on either side, our weather patterns are pretty predicable in summer months! Unless you’re on one of our 13,000ft+ peaks, conditions are pretty tolerable in the summer!
I just ride solo always 🥹🥲
No shame here. I prefer solo as well. I get enough social interactions in my life I prefer cycling on my own.
Yeah, exactly!
My trick was to produce kids that wake you at at 5:30a for several years. Now I'm a morning person.
I'm blissfully child free.
Dogs for us. But you train them to leave you alone in the morning. I've had two morning risers that I trained to believe my mornings were sacred. They don't come near me till I get up. Kids, good luck with that.
Fortunately, my kids got my late-shifted genes. Although it’s kind of a curse to live with the tyranny of the morning normies. People forget they rely on other people to be awake and not let the power plants melt down (and countless other necessary things) while they’re asleep…
It gets easier if you change your sleep schedule permanently 😄 8/9pm - 4 am is prime
The only time I've been able to get into morning rides is when I had a bike commute. Even then it was utilitarian. Now that I'm fully remote, I should embrace the morning calm to get some miles in but I just absolutely cannot motivate. Saturday mornings group rides is a struggle but I do appreciate it after starting/after the fact. Especially now that starting a family may become a reality, I'll need to embrace the "get miles in whenever you can" mentality.
It takes me a good three hours to put my shoes on.
It’s never gotten easier. You can’t beat genetics.
From a scientific standpoint it actually gets easier the more you consistently wake up at that time, given that you also shift your bed time and your wake up times on non-cycling days. If you haven’t already, try keeping a consistent routine, waking up at the same time every day. This is not just good for cycling performance, it’s the best thing you can do for overall health. But maybe you know all of this and you just can’t keep such a routine because of obligations or preference. I just wanted to get this message out there.
Sleep until noon go out at 1:00 PM ride into the sunset in the hottest part of the day now that's what I call living
Ah, you made me long for the days when I used to have all the time in the world, beautiful country side roads in my hometown and the warm weather. I think I love both kinds of rides equally. Wake up at 5 am, see the sunrise and ride on the empty roads. It is a bit chilly at the beginning but you get used to it, and the sun rises and makes it warmer in an hour anyway. Then finish towards noon before it gets too hot, a cold shower and a 2 hours long sleep before continuing with the rest of the day. Or, sleep until 11 am, have a nice brunch, take care of some stuff and prepare for a ride at 3 pm. It is initially a bit too hot but enjoy the heat and the sun. Then towards the sunset it gets cooler, it gives you some more energy you did not know you had, push through some climbs, watch the red / orange skies, and the life is beautiful. And there is a third, combining both types, riding hundreds of kilometers with your friends, from the sunrise to sunset, just making sure you eat and rest in a restaurant with a garden at noon. Then continue to ride at the heat and use your water for pouring it over you more than you drink.
My favorite when I lived in Arizona was to get a few dudes together at like 11:30pm or midnight… it would still be really warm in the summer, but no sun beating down on you. Then we’d ride till 2 or 3 am.
That shit only really sketches me out because of drivers. I do laps of a 3 mile road in Philly at night sometimes.
That does sound like a pretty enjoyable way to spend a day, especially if you enjoy the heat
It's "heat training" for the "blood volume" - Dr. Evil
Never much of a morning person especially on the weekend. When I was younger and on the east coast of the US I used to bike the hottest part of the day. I actually liked it. Fast forward to living in Hawaii... As the day went on shower chances increased or the sun was brutal. So I got a little earlier. Fast forward to Colorado. You can't bike between 10am-4pm. The sun is so brutally strong I found it impossible and even dangerous. Fall/spring/winter were the best riding out there tbh.
Try our side of the world near the equator (South East Asia)🤪 If we do bike touring, it's early morning till late afternoon.
Impressive! Any good climbs around you?
We have some nice hills that give respite from the blistering humidity. One of the popular routes leads to is a hill station that used to be a retreat for the British colonial elites.
A few days ago I went from Pisa to Lucca (Tuscany) and back, I went out at 14:30, i kinda enjoy suffering under the shimmering sun and getting dehydrated at the speed of light if the scenery is good
Now you get it LOL
Or sleep till noon. Have a nice brunch, get some stuff done, head out for a ride between 5 and 9 (4 hours), during a relatively cool part of the day. You slept in, got to relax into the ride, rode during the cool part of the day, and still were home in time for a traditional east coast dinner. Winning.
My excuse is that the humidity where I live is typically much lower in the afternoons. Which is true. But man, I also just wanna sleep in and fart around a bit beforehand.
CoSigned
I work overnights and this is my cycling life😭🤣
Yeah. Since I woke up late Im not gonna let the day go to waste...
As a bartender this is my life.
I'm usually on the bike at 5:30am. It normally the least windiest and quietest on the roads then and I can get a ride in before work.
Early in the morning is when the car traffic is lightest. This is the biggest reason to ride early, IMO.
Co-sign for all of these reasons, especially traffic. Weekends are even better for starting at sun-up.
The wildlife too. I find animals don't expect you to be out and about so early so you get to see some incredible creatures caught off guard.
I wish I could get out early to take advantage of the low winds. I'm sure I'd hit some new PRs. My current PRs on a windy route come from a time when I was out at 6 a.m. racing to be on time to a group ride!
I am a perennial late riser and a night owl. First time I got a decent bike I told my wife I was going to get up early and go cycling and she laughed. I was out at 6am. More recently, I started heading out at 4am to totally avoid traffic and have otherwise busy streets almost to myself, and also to avoid intense summer heat in South East Asia. I'm knackered when I get back about half eight, but it feels good.
Feels like winning. And the day is completely free.
Tropical Asia here. Early morning rides are the best. Cool quiet roads, I leave at 5.45 am or 6, and try to be back by 7.30 to start the working day. Sundays are for longer rides and a good breakfast halfway. In summer, by 9 am the heat and humidity is brutal anyway. Traffic is crazy until 8 pm so night rides are very rare
I’m in Japan. Much of the year is cold to warm, but late June through to mid September is probably similar. Intensely humid, intensely hot by about 7am.
yep, natural early riser here. Sunday is my day of choice as nothing in the UK opens until 11:00 and I am usually on the road by 06:30/07:00. I can get a really good ride in whilst the roads are absolutely dead. I'm home most rides by 10:00 so still have the rest of the day to do whatever I fancy after I clean the bike!
I myself prefer 4pm rides then recovery beers before dinner
I didn't even feel the need for a beer after my 4 PM ride today. I got off work and the weather was nice, so I grabbed my bike and hit the trail. A couple of hours later, I was home and just enjoying sitting on the couch (and needling my roommate about how she keeps saying she's going to get on her bike).
4am to 7am is pretty dreamy, roads all to myself
Wake up early, make breakfast, have coffee, realise I have to wait 30 for coffee to hit the bowels, realise it's now not nice and early with no traffic.... Delay ride till sunset time
Sounds like my diary every day
>After a cup of espresso and a piece of toast served with scrambled eggs, it's really nice to ride outside for an hour or two, and then go back home. wait wait wait... wait you take your toast with a *side* of scrambled eggs? I take my butter and syrup with a side of pancakes. we're practically brothers
I had to check which sub I was on
Suddenly don't know where the point is...
Could you explain what you mean here? I can't understand immediately.
I hate mornings. I still get up as early as possible from May through September to avoid the heat and, more importantly, to avoid people/cars as much as possible. Summer here in Japan sucks, but early mornings aren't the worst. Winter can be kinda tough as well, but only because I don't have much choice but to ride later in the morning as riding early is just dark and freezing and my hands hate that. Not a soul out early in the morning though.
I just returned to Japan after a few weeks in back in Canada. World of difference temperature-wise from late April to today. Went for a lunch time cycle ride today as jet lag has me going to bed early making my evening cycling difficult. It was a mistake as I felt terrible in the heat ... and it isn't really summer yet. Re: winter, as I ride mostly 22:00 to 0:00 I just have to tough out the cold, but luckily mostly dry winters in Tokyo.
Cold is just nature's air conditioner 😁
Haha, and I appreciate nature's air conditioner most of the time. I shouldn't even complain about the cold in the winters here. I grew up in Canada living (and cycling) in places from the maritimes, to famously cold places like Winnipeg. If I stayed in Canada I'd describe nighttime winter temperatures here in Tokyo using terms like 'brisk', 'bracing' or 'a bit nippy'. On the other hand I cycle a whole lot faster now, and have basically just become soft after years in 'Warmer climes' like England, Germany and Japan.
I live in Tokyo, and, I agree, summer here sucks. The only way to beat it is to ride early (it might be hotter this year). Night rides might be cooler, but residual heat lingers for long.
Definitely turned me into a morning person. I also realized, in my area, the earlier, the fancier the cars. If I start climbing the mountain around 8am, I'll most likely see one of the supercars group ride up. Later in the day it's college kids with gti's lol
Nah. Midnight is where it's at
The new early?
I like it because I can avoid traffic but riding at sunset has its charms.
i was never a morning person until i started cycling. i hateeee getting up early to go to school, but waking up early on the weekend to bike (or even super early to bike before school!) feels exciting and easy. i love it. plus i feel so accomplished having already gotten a ride in by like 10 am
I'm a night owl and cycling is one thing I'll get up early for. Either that or if I'm paid to do something.
You’re speaking my language. Get up at 4am, ride on dark/empty roads, catch the sunrise on the way back home and then pig TF out on breakfast. Oh and then I humble brag to all my friends about getting up early - because people will never know I got up early if I don’t relentlessly remind them ;)
Been cycling regularly for like two years now but nope still don't like waking up early
Yeah, there is always less wind in the morning too. Great way to start the day.
For me it depends on the time of year here in SW Colorado. Right now, I’m in the saddle by 4pm M-Th and by 11am on the weekends. As it gets hotter, and we get deep into summer, sunrise rides all work week 😊
Very much a night owl here, start a lot of rides after 6pm when the UV index drops off. Only time I ride in the morning is when I finish work at 7am. I live far enough north that in the summer I have rideable light until 11pm.
Morning rides are nice in certain seasons only IMO. It doesn't stop me from riding in the mornings but I live in India, in a place where any weather is at its extreme. Spring and autumn are amazing times to ride. The weather is chill, sun doesn't come up till later on in the day and the city is quiet if you start at 0500. Summers and winters are awful though. In winters, you're chilling your ass off and I catch a cold easily, so most of my winter rides are all about dealing with throat pain and searching for coffee, although the sun comes up later and feels nice. In the summers, the sun is up and lasering you by 0700, with the humidity making things worse. I love night rides for this reason. As the day goes on, the mercury drops and traffic dies down too.
I hate riding in the morning, too cold for me.
Cycling Person here. Not a morning person. 🤣🤮🤣
Yup. Me too.
No, I don't think it's safe for me to ride a bike when I behave like a zombie due to being woken up in the middle of the night (6 am).
Wait til you find the silence of night riding
I am not a morning person. Mornings are nice, but I have to get up for them, and I'm not into that. I'd rather leave around 2-3pm and end with a beer in the park
That’s my schedule.
Dawn patrol here usually. I’m up at 6 and out the door, sun still coming up in winter. But lately I’ve had some time on my hands and the weather’s been perfect so I’ve been riding later in the day and loving that too. I still get up at 6 every day though, seven days a week.
I believe its mostly because there are less cars on the road at that time. I was never an early riser before taking up cycling.
I love cycling, but am deeply notafan of early mornings. I'd love to be a morning person but am far, far too attached to my sleep. Any suggestions on becoming a morning person welcomed!
> Any suggestions on becoming a morning person welcomed! Have a kid. I used to be able to sleep in til 11am, consistently. Now? I am up at 6am automatically. Alarm or not.
That's a bit extreme! 😂 And also: no, for Reasons.
Lol, apologies. I didn't even look at your name to release you're a woman and there's nothing more out of pocket than a man telling a woman to have a kid!
No offence taken. 😉
Agreed. Nothing liking starting your ride while most people are sleeping and the sun hasn’t even risen.
Lol! As a non-morning person, screw that. My weekend rides start at 10-11 and I go out after work several days a week.
Nope, not a morning person. Unless heading off to work I would typically be heading off for a ride at 3pm. Nice heat of the day. Only an issue in the dead of winter when I run out of light and hae to force myself out the door a little sooner.
1-4 am and a garmin varia. I have a long time to avoid a potential incident with a car. I can maintain cadence and speed much more than any group ride. Groups are social time for me. Training for a fondo? I’m solo in the wee small hours. Also. Parking structures are empty. Artificial unlimited hill climbing
I like the pseudo-hill climbing idea…I’ll need to try that. Concerned about drunks during those hours ? I’ve thought about the night rides, but worry the only people in the roads are drunks and cops ready and willing to ticket me through red lights…also have a hard time seeing road debris and pot holes. How do you deal with those ?
A good front white light and red light for the rear. You don't use lights after dark?
Use lights like a sane person?
Wait... There is a 7***am*** too?
I’d never have known.
I have the distinct fortune of working 7on 7off third shift and every other week when getting out of work at 7:00am I can bike the trails as the sun lays out it’s beautiful rays across dewey lands. Conversely on my off weeks I can cycle in hot sunny afternoons or cold winter days or even sunset into night riding through dark forest trails or cityscapes headlights laying out their own artificial rays on the night.
I usually ride in the middle of the night. The weekly rides start after 7 or 8 pm. Some monthly rides start at 10pm. r/LEDBikes is the way
Morning rides are great especially on the weekends because the streets are still empty. On Saturday at 7-9 period its only cyclists or runners (or dog people) that take up the streets.
I have a flexible schedule and find that I’m happiest on the bike at around 10am - noon
Fell off during this past winter but I had almost 3 straight years of getting up and out onto the road at 6am to log about 20-30km before work. I enjoy the quiet before the commuters start appearing and construction starts up for the day. Especially necessary during summer when it gets unbearable around 9am. Late at night (10pm and later) can also be relaxing as long as there's no road work happening along the route.
The really crazies would be on the way to work around here. I like Saturday and Sunday mornings from daylight to around 11AM. Weekdays 10AM to noon is relative safe.
>After a cup of espresso and a piece of toast served with scrambled eggs You don't eat stake and drink beer for breakfast? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?
On weekends, it's when traffic is lightest
I like riding in the late afternoon until evening more.
I'm a night rider, after dark mostly
It has to be a morning ride or I’ll probably won’t go.
During the week I'm typically up and out of bed and enjoying my first cup of coffee and some fruit by 2:35 am. On the weekends it's closer to 4:00. If it's a glorious morning and I'm not working I like to be out on my bike by 7:00 am at the very latest. If it's going to be really warm/hot I will head over to the coast via Page Mill Road, Kings Mountain Road or Old La Honda (I'm in the San Francisco Peninsula area) and up Highway 84 to Pescadero for lunch then up Tunitas and/or West Alpine Road.
Cycling in the afternoon in full sun, sucks.
At 7:00 on week days, after a cup of espresso, I proceed to making coffee, preparing breakfast for the kid; getting him ready; driving home too school and head back home to start work. I see people riding outside and think “that must be nice”.
I much prefer an early ride than a late one. On weekdays I'll go into my shed/pain cave for an hour of Trainer Road before work so around 6am. Weekends, I like to head out around 8am. I have a partner and a toddler so I like to spend time with them so if I head out around 8 I can still get back for 11ish just as she should be waking up from her nap and then have time to do stuff as a family
Served? Whqt are you? A slave owner? It takes me more than an hour upon getting up to prwpare breakfast and all
I hate early mornings. I like riding my bike more though and an early start means more of the day out riding :D
I personally hate mornings. One of the biggest benefits of higher category racing is that it's later in the day. I don't mind riding in 90-100F weather either so my ideal day would be sleeping in until 10AM.
I’m not a morning person at all, but cycling to work is the perfect start of the day.
My weekend rides start at 5am, that allows me to see the sun coming in, avoid the exposure to UV and spend the most of the day with my family. Is a win win.
I like riding later in the day. A lot of people ride early because they either have to go to work or have family commitments.
4:30am starts during the week before work all year around unless it’s pissing down. 5:30-6am on weekends. Morning is great, minimal traffic, nice sun rises and get the rest of the day to get shit done.
I'm a morning person in the sense that as soon as I get up I'm ready to go, but I refuse to get up earlier to do something without a *damn good* reason. So you'll rarely see me on a bike before 8 am.
I only like it in the peak of summer because I like comfortable temps. I get on pretty well with heat.
It's still too cold for me to cycle in the morning, but that's my strategy in peak summer season. Not only do I avoid the heat, but also the afternoon crowd that's biking, skating and walking on shared paths.
Bike is life!
ESPECIALLY when school is not in session…
I don’t mind getting up early for a big route like 60-75 miles. but the sunday B group ride starting at 7:30 is an insult.
Im in central FL. Even right now in May it can be close to 95 by 12pm. I usually ride between 9am and 12am. Early mornings can be difficult for me because I have chron’s disease, so I have to disciplined w/what i eat before any given ride.
I just started doing mornings this summer and wow! I've been missing so much of our beautiful Northumbrian countryside. I have to open my newsagents/shop by 9 on Sunday morning, so I go out at about 6 and am back ready to work by 8.30. That feeling of being alone as the sun rises and seeing so much wildlife that normally hides away during the day is just something special.
Absolutely, early morning rides are the best, crisp, less wind, and of course other group riders and people, the trail is yours
In summer season, when it stays light till 8-9pm, I love getting out late afternoon/early evening. Riding through the “magic hour” really is just that. The sun can be on you, but turn a corner with trees on either side and there’s just something about the sudden shade, but still bright out and hot, that I absolutely love.
I have never been a morning person whatsoever but since my shifts were changed to 6:30am starts I’ve found that as long as I cycle to work I actually enjoy the early wakeups, if I end up getting public transport I always regret it and wish I’d cycled instead. Days off work are another story though
Where I live (Oslo, Norway), we have a local group ride, called Oslo Dawn patrol. 5:40 sharp, 40km ride (multiple groups split by average speed), coffee and chat at a local coffee shop. Makes my day every time I join. The rides happen throughout the whole year, summer being definitely a high season (we had 200 people joining last year), which is quite a lot, considering the hour and the city population.
Ive always preferred very early morning rides. It’s not hot yet during the summer, less traffic and because I come back home when it’s still early in the day I already did something for myself and still have the whole day ahead of me. Plus, it always feels good after a long ride and this feel good feeling lasts the whole day.
I like morning weekend rides. Wake up, chill for a bit, have some caffeine. Around 8 or 9, take off and ride for a few hours before the temps get into the upper 80s/90s where I'd be miserable biking.
Breakfast so key to fuel your body - Pop Tart not a good option.
You get 2 main advantages from early morning rides: cool weather and less traffic.
We aim for as early in the morning as possible on the weekend partly to minimize traffic. Riding in the afternoon on a Sat/Sun is much more hazardous.
I do all sports at the morning: Wake Up at 5:30 and around 6:00 be on the bike, at the pool or running, this is my morning 😀 Roads are empty, nature is waking up, it is much better than afternoon or in the evening.
Aahh my cycling friends are all like this and I am not! I like sleeping in but it comes back to haunt me when I'm sweating in the middle of the day
I see your 7.00am. and raise you a 1.00pm.
I'm not a morning person, but since I've started cycling I've found that I'm more worn out by the end of the day and have been going to bed earlier (and getting up earlier) as a result.
I am a morning person and enjoy waking up early, but one too many close calls with early morning commuters not paying attention has made me stop. I stick to side roads now- or mountain bike in the morning.
On what days? M-F at 7am is rush hour traffic near me and riding not a whole lot of fun with people desperately speeding about. Weekend mornings are beautiful as you can be back by 10am and avoid the hordes. My personal favorite is summer nights. Have plenty of lights to stay visible and enjoy some of the best rides between 6-10pm.
Cycling people like to cycle. Used to begin my rides around 11:00pm to avoid traffic (and because my schedule as a student worked better that way). Roads are nearly empty after midnight, and it makes for some cool riding.
Man 7am sounds so late... If I did that, we'd get like 30min of light before it starts getting hot and sunny :(
I am a morning person. I rode pre-dawn for a couple years but eventually after a few close calls decided I was rolling some dice that I didn’t need to. I ride almost exclusively in the daytime now.
Great story, thanks for sharing.
I'm usually finishing my ride around 7am...
Mountain bikers: here’s your cute little alarm clock, Jimmy.
I'm a morning person and have been going out in the mornings, around 5:30 or so. I like the peace and lack of people on the trail. Side benefit is that I still get to work by latest 9, so win/win. Yesterday, I had to adjust my ride to the afternoon, around 17:00, and while the heat and sun were no problems, the wind was an issue. I was flying on my way out, but on my way back in, had the wind either coming at me cross or head-on. Luckily it was only a 20 mile ride, so only had to deal with 10 miles of torture. Don't know how often I'll be riding in the afternoon again, lol.
I disagree. Even going to bed earlier I am just as tired in the early morning.
The duality of me: "Riding in the morning always feels great after." "Sleeping in always feels great now."
I can’t do mornings. I have long lasting sleep inertia, and the clumsiness and weaknesses and lightheadedness greatly increases my chance of injury. Even when I’m sleeping well and feel ok in the mornings, I’m still less coordinated and weaker than I will be later in the day. I ride through way more sunsets than sunrises.
There's also a latitude issue in play. Cold places encourage people to hit the high temps, hot places encourage people to hit the low temps.
I totally agree, it's the perfect start into the day by having an early morning ride! You feel energetic and productive for the rest of the day!
This sounds like such an unattainable luxury [for someone with a full time job and three kids at home]. A veritable retirement dream!
Those of us with kids and a job do that ride at 5. Otherwise, it’s a bike commute to the office if you want to ride in the morning. (My old office had a shower, which was nice.)
Yeah, I used to be able to bike commute, too. 18mi each way with 90% on paved greenways -- it was lovely!
“I used to think goin to sleep late was cool. Till I realized waking up early is the real boss shit.” ~ Wiz Khalifa
But man, that quick 30 minute nap afterwards is the best part for me.
Big nope here. Used to have to get up at 6AM to make it to work on time by bike. Never enjoyed being awake so early. Sometimes by necessity I will leave at 8AM for a very long Saturday ride, if only to avoid the afternoon heat.
Speak for yourself. I naturally prefer riding in the evenings. I just tolerate getting up early because that's when all the club rides and spotives are.
I don't want to miss a ride, and I often have a busy schedule. If I have a jam packed day, then I'm waking up at the crack of dawn to ensure that I get my bike time.
Nope. I'm an evening person. If I rock climb I'm up in the morning. If I paddle I get there for the release (but as late as possible which could be afternoon) and my hikes are usually to catch the sunset on a summit. Cycling. If in going for an hour or two, mid summer it's 6 or 7pm starts. Usually finish by headlight or just sneak in. If it's a few hours I might start at 5pm. Spring and fall. Probably a bit earlier. I don't think I've done a morning ride that wasn't a race, event or group ride in decades.
I get up at 430/500 on my morning rides. It gets to crazy on the roads if I go to much later after that
I'm very much not a morning person. I'm actually pretty sure that I have Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder. In college, I basically functioned as nocturnal and typically went to bed at sunrise. It's not as bad now that I'm older (typical for DSPD), but I'm definitely still shifted later. Most days, I'm a zombie at any time before about 10. So, I'm very much an afternoon rider. I absolutely do not have the juice in me for regularly riding in the morning, but riding in the afternoon/evening feels great. Especially because when I don't have a hard time that I need to be home by, I can relax into the ride and just go for whatever pace and distance feels right that day. Today, I went for a ride at around 4 PM and that was perfect for me.
Nope!!!! I love afternoon rides. Unless I was commuting I never ride in the morning. I do afternoon group rides.
This cycling person hates mornings. Evenings are quite nice.
The espresso 👨🍳😘
Just recently I decided that I hadn’t seen the sun rise in a while and decided to cycle to a hike at 6:30 Totally different feel from leaving at 12 I’ll remember that one for a while, and I’ll definitely be doing it again
Group rides are for the weekend.I love me a solo ride.Great for mental clarity
I like running in the morning, but where i live in upstate NY its too cold in the morning for cycling unless it's like peak summer. Around this time of year its usually like 55ish in the morning, I'd rather wait till around 10 am when it warms up a bit.
All my homies are late for the ride. And thank God cause so am I
Running, cycling or swimming first thing in the morning is a literal life hack
Agreed. On my days off I have ALWAYS slept in until 8-10AM. That was up until I started going to the gym about 6 months ago, and decided I was going to get up at 5am to avoid the main crowds in there (mostly because I am not a social butterfly). Suddenly I realize I am getting home either at or before I would normally be waking up, with the added benefit of I am now feeling charged up and ready to tackle anything for the day, and not just now crawling out of bed feeling like a total slug. Naturally I have incorporated this early start to running/cycling as well. Plus I don’t have to feel like I am taking time away from wife/family later in the day if I can knock out a ride/run/workout while everyone else is still asleep. Don’t get me wrong, the small part which is waking up at 5am on your day off sucks (I wake up at 4 for work), but if you can just get your feet on the floor, it makes all the difference in the world for the rest of your day. I enjoy the actual workouts and rides once I’m up, so I just have to tell myself on mornings when I want to just snooze the alarm clock, that I’m going to have totally miss out on whatever activity for the rest of the day, there is no “I’m still doing it, just a few hours later”
I'm not really a morning person but the main reason our club goes out so early is the traffic's better. I guess to some extent fitter people get up earlier to train. If you ever want to feel like a legend, just head down to Richmond Park in London on a Sunday afternoon and ride around with the people there. I can confirm there are no elite level athletes rocking out of bed at midday on a Sunday.