It is challenging to find time to ride your bike. As much as you may love cycling, sometimes it can be hard to squeeze in some time to ride your bike during your busy day or week. Some people ride because they want to achieve some goals while others ride for relaxation. However, everyone faces the challenge of creating time for riding.
Family commitments, full time work together with cycling can lead to a busy life. You need to schedule your 24 hours well by using time-budget techniques.
The following tips will help you to accommodate your riding:
Be prepared
The best way of managing to get out and ride your bike is to prepare early. You can be less motived when you wake up to finding the right clothes, checking the weather, pumping your tires and retrieving your bike from the garage.
It is good to get ready the night before your ride so that you do not forget things like your water bottle. Check if everything is all there; helmet, clothing and shoes and put them in one place. Ensure the lights are charged and on the bike.
Prepare your water bottle and any food that you may need. Oil your chain and pump your tires up while you get you tools or spares ready. With all these preparations, you will be ready to roll within 10 minutes of waking up.
When is the best time to ride your bike?
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While commuting
Cycling to school or work and back can be an excellent way to create your cycling time. When you use your bike to commute, time that could have been spent sitting in a car is used productively for training purposes.
It takes about 30 minutes to finish an eight-mile trip to work or school. You can lengthen your time when getting back from work or school depending on your energy time and daylight.
Another importance of riding is that you will get to school or work alert and refreshed. It gives you a mental and physical lift. When riding back home, cycling will help you blow away your job frustrations and gets you refreshed for your evening responsibilities.
Commuting logistics
Use a backpack to carry your lunch, papers or clothes. The waist wrap will help your back not to sway or bounce while riding.
Keep some shoes at work so that you do not have extra weight in the pack. You can also take your clothes for the week to work on Monday and bring them back on Friday. This will ease your daily cycling.
Once you get to work, get refreshed in the washroom with a soapy washcloth. Meanwhile, get your fellow workers to be interested in this or lobby the boss to install a shower. Dress in the restroom, storage or your office if it has a door.
Play on the way home. Take a longer route and ride longer if your time and commitments can allow you. This will help you as you work out.
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Getting out early
The best way to get a ride within a working day is either before or after work. It is easier during summer times where there are enough light and warmth as an enticing prospect. It is hard to convince yourself during winter to get out in the gloom.
Always get everything ready the night before and you will find enough time to cycle, get back and get ready for Work. Depending on your speed, take two or shorter routes than the one you are used to.Going for early rides is great because you will be surprised by the wildlife that is out busy with their work while humans are still stirring.
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Lunch break
Lunch break is an excellent time to set for your riding activity. However, it needs a little preparation. Find a place to ride, for example, a Local Park when you are in the city.
Alternatively, if you work in a suburban or rural setting, find some back roads with long stretches to ride. Be a quick-change artist in the restroom and try going out to cycle. Soon you may get hooked to it.
The midday ride refreshes your energy; improves your mood as well as boosting your productivity for the rest of the day.
The common challenge for midday riding is cleanup. You are lucky if your office has a shower and a locker room. However, you do not necessarily need a shower. You can just use some baby wipes to do a quick clean up to get refreshed.
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After work
When you cannot wake up early for your ride, then it is possible to do it after work. This also gives a different scenario for winter and summer.
Summer evenings are the ideal time to go out as you can cycle through the quiet lanes before the sunsets.
During winter, warm clothing and strong lights are ideal and ensure that your lights are well charged. However, you could be slower than it would have been during daylight.
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During weekends
It is amazing when you have worked for the whole week and have the whole weekend for your ride. However, commitment to family or friends can make it hard to find time for cycling.
Therefore, it is important to plan. Pick the best time to go out by checking the weather and make sure it is all right with your partner.
As mentioned before, get everything ready the night before so that you can be out by the time everyone is awake. You could be out and able to cycle several hours before the house has stirred, especially if your household involves young people.
Alternatively, you can organize a family cycling trip or meet with your friends for a ride, it is fun when you get everyone involved.
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Book an off-day
The most fulfilling way of making time for cycling is by taking a day off at work. The greatest feeling about this is when you know most of the world is at your desk, even if it’s just for a moment.
If you can get a friend or two to ride along, it can help to make it an occasion and bring motivation for getting out and doing the ride. Perhaps you want to try a new route or there is a cyclists’ café you have not checked on because of the distance.
A planned day can work perfectly as an occasional way of having a long ride. However, this has a limit of how many times to take in a year but why should you preserve them for a trip to a doctor or waiting for a delivery at home? You can as well have fun.
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When you miss a ride
If you get to Friday and still cannot manage to go for your ride do not be agitated yet. Riding your bike should be fun and you do not need to get anxious because you have or have not been out for a ride. Plan for the next week and look forward to it.
Get off the internet
When you minimize the time spent on your computer or phone, it allows you to go out and ride your bike. You can write down the time you spend on the internet every day and you will realize it is time you could use for riding.
Make your riding a workout
If you want to cycle frequently, making riding a workout is great for you. Using your bike to run errands can also help you to create more time for cycling. Additionally, riding helps you to cut down the carbon emissions and reduce the money you could have spent on the gas.
Involve your family
Getting people to cycle with you can help you combine exercise time with family time. Encourage your spouse or your kids to ride with you when you back home from work.
By making cycling a family activity or something to do with friends, it will slowly be incorporated into your life frequently. Cycling, in the long run, does not only make you happy by participating in something you enjoy, but it also helps you relieve stress and tone your muscles.
Make bike riding a priority
It is difficult to find time for friends, family, work and other necessary commitments. However, squeezing riding time into your schedule is worthwhile. The above suggestions give you a chance to discover more opportunities for your riding time or to be able to incorporate riding into your daily life.
In summary, the following are key factors to put in place to have a good time for your ride:
Be prepared
Keep all your essential gears such as shoes, clothes including your cycling jersey and helmet organized and together before your ride. This will help you get ready quickly and save you time.
Have a plan
To make the most out of your cycling time, roll out with a plan. Whether you want a real ride or just short rides, planning will help to keep you in check and squeeze in time for riding even in a very busy schedule.