# Early Morning bike ride



## JerB (Jul 10, 2012)

Hi guys

I was wondering do you guys ever get up early before sunset and head out on a couple hours bike ride? I was thinking about maybe doing that some time this week. Get up early at around 4:00am and have some breakfast and head out around town or maybe down to the walking trails beside the river and take a bike ride. Seems like it will be a relaxing time of the day to do this.

Only problem is we have a lot of petty crime around here ( stolen bikes fall in this category ) So I dont want the cops to try to give me the business about why Im out riding a bike so early? but last time I checked it wasn't illegal to ride a bike at any time of the day:thumbsup:

Jeremy


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## digthemlows (Feb 5, 2012)

I get up at 4:30am and am out the door by 5:15am for a bike ride every Tuesday and Thursday.......gotta drive 20 mins to the spot then me, and sometimes others if they wanna meet will do 13 miles with 1000ft of climbing / desending and I'm back home and showered in time to get to work by 8:00 ..............it's what I gotta do when I have a wife and kids......


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## erudition12000 (Apr 16, 2012)

I'm a Sunday at 6:00am rider; get up, two hours on the bike from my driveway to wherever the road leads and back home for coffee and breakfast at 8:00. Riding during the week doesn't really happen unless: a) I bike to work, which is rare. or b) I take my daughter for a ride with the cart.


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## car_nut (Apr 5, 2010)

I ride early morning pretty much exclusively. Up at 4:30 and drive to work, on the bike at 5:45. That's after sunrise now, but fall/spring is night riding. Weekends I'm usually out the door and on the bike by 5:15. That gives me 90 minutes of riding followed by a cup of coffee before the kids appear downstairs looking for breakfast.


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## jaycastlerock (Jul 31, 2009)

There is the FIFO group here on the front range of Colorado. We ride M-W-F, wheels down and rolling at 5:00. It's a blast.


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## desert guy (May 12, 2012)

digthemlows said:


> I get up at 4:30am and am out the door by 5:15am for a bike ride every Tuesday and Thursday.......gotta drive 20 mins to the spot then me, and sometimes others if they wanna meet will do 13 miles with 1000ft of climbing / desending and I'm back home and showered in time to get to work by 8:00 ..............it's what I gotta do when I have a wife and kids......


This is exactly what I've been thinking about doing. I'm just worried I'll run out of steam at work. Do you feel more our less energetic during the day when you ride mornings?

Right now, I get out of bed at 5:30am on Sundays, hit the trail by 6, and get home by 9:30 to 10am. If I ride during the week, its at night around 8:30 to 9pm after baby #2 is in bed. Baby #1 is easy, she is 4 and goes to bed a bit later. Then I'm home by 11pm (12 if I got lost on the trail in the dark, lol).

This is what you have to do if you are married with children, especially small children, if you don't want your biking to interfere with family time.


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## digthemlows (Feb 5, 2012)

desert guy said:


> This is exactly what I've been thinking about doing. I'm just worried I'll run out of steam at work. Do you feel more our less energetic during the day when you ride mornings?
> 
> Right now, I get out of bed at 5:30am on Sundays, hit the trail by 6, and get home by 9:30 to 10am. If I ride during the week, its at night around 8:30 to 9pm after baby #2 is in bed. Baby #1 is easy, she is 4 and goes to bed a bit later. Then I'm home by 11pm (12 if I got lost on the trail in the dark, lol).
> 
> This is what you have to do if you are married with children, especially small children, if you don't want your biking to interfere with family time.


My Daughter is 21 months old and I have a baby boy due in Sept ........... I actually feel energized after the ride..............it's my little bit of time.................It's the BEST!


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## 77charger (Dec 3, 2011)

I prefer to ride early and the weekends are the only time,Winter its dark when we start at 6 am our normal ride is about 6-7 miles.The first half is climbing so dark aint an issue and about1/2 way the light comes out and it was normally 37-45 degrees
lately we have been starting at 7 am so i can sleep in esp after working 50-60 hours a week m-s.I hate crowds and the hikers really start coming in after 7am


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## desert guy (May 12, 2012)

digthemlows said:


> My Daughter is 21 months old and I have a baby boy due in Sept ........... I actually feel energized after the ride..............it's my little bit of time.................It's the BEST!


Yeah, I hear you bro. Gotta squeeze time in to ride when you can, and its hard when you have little ones. I think I'm going to try this weekday before work morning thing sometime.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

Do it! I'm definitely more energized after a morning ride than when I miss it.


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## Hutch3637 (Jul 1, 2011)

It's definitely relaxing and well worth the trip. Here is a thread I posted awhile back on a morning ride. Just to give you an idea.

http://forums.mtbr.com/passion/early-bird-gets-worm-781806.html


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## digthemlows (Feb 5, 2012)

It's 4:42am and I'm getting ready to head out! 

 ....


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## rmb_flare2010 (Jul 21, 2011)

usually up by about 4:15 or so, feed the dogs and my self, then out the door and on my bike by 4:45 or 5, then at work about 5:45-6, start work at 630, definitely worth it.


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## Josh_SL2 (Mar 30, 2012)

I love morning rides! I'm a 5:30am'er most of the time. I'd go out earlier but I need some lighting first.


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## wintersolstice (Feb 26, 2012)

I love morning rides, and hit the trail by 6 or 7 all summer (AZ).

Riding before work isn't doable for me because I start work *early*, so I sometimes will squeeze in an evening ride if possible.


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## Mtn-Rider (May 21, 2010)

Early mornings are the best during the summer months. You get cool temps, you can hit city bike paths and lands with almost no traffic, and finish the ride before most people even wake up.

You can't find the early quiet hours of dawn any other way, lately I've been out the door around between 4 and 4:30 for some very enjoyable riding in the city.

The motionless atmosphere let me capture some really nice reflection shots like this one.


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## GPRider08 (Aug 22, 2008)

Don't really have any experience. The major injuries I had were pre-biking. I just want to say good luck and I hope you have a speedy recovery. Oh, and "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."


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## Posterchild66 (May 24, 2012)

I do 5AM rides because of the desert heat, however the sun comes up here around 420! The insane drivers are also still sleeping for the most part, and the heat is usually lower, as is the humidity. I really like it. The city is waking up, and I am home before the family is stirring. 

I am having a problem deciding if I should do that before work on workdays. I am not a morning person, and usually my 5AM days have naps in them!


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## desert guy (May 12, 2012)

Hutch3637 said:


> It's definitely relaxing and well worth the trip. Here is a thread I posted awhile back on a morning ride. Just to give you an idea.
> 
> http://forums.mtbr.com/passion/early-bird-gets-worm-781806.html


You're, right early morning/night rides are cool. It is different than riding during the day.


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

I get up for work every morning at 4am. Howeve on Saturdays I get up at 4am and leave the house by 5:15am to hit the trails at 5:30am. (light by 5am and sun up by 5:30) I ride for 2 to 3 hrs and get home not too long after the wife and kid get up for the day. So the time is perfect and the weather is as good as it gets in the Arizona desert. I still have yet do a ride over 85F all summer.


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## GPRider08 (Aug 22, 2008)

I want to apologize for my previous post. It was supposed to go in the thread about being down for 6 months, and some how wound up here.


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## singletrack-sam (May 30, 2012)

Wow you guys wake up early... I sometimes hope that it rained so I can sleep more when I go to wake up at 7:30...


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## akaHector (Apr 30, 2012)

Nothing like the early morning ride! Love the quiet, cool trails, the feeling of being connected with something more than just you and your bike. I'm energized for the day, although I think that maybe due to just being able to have some "me" time (Like others, married with lots of little ones at home, too!)

I'm usually up at 0500, at the trail about 0530-0545. I've been getting there earlier and earlier hoping to be able to make the loop twice before work! Try it - you'll love it!


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## gnewcomer (Jul 2, 2011)

JerB said:


> Hi guys
> 
> I was wondering do you guys ever get up early before sunset and head out on a couple hours bike ride?
> 
> Jeremy


I love getting up before the butt-crack of dawn is showing and going for a ride.

However, I've learned never, never again to be the first one down a trail around here.

#%#%@%*& spider webs everywhere.

Not my favorite thing

gnewcomer aka OldMtnGoat


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## BCTJ (Aug 22, 2011)

When I wake up that early, I always feel groggy the rest of the day. I gotta have my eight hours.


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## jaycastlerock (Jul 31, 2009)

Here is a ride I did yesterday.





Ridgeline FIFO from Jay Spence on Vimeo.


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## car_nut (Apr 5, 2010)

singletrack-sam said:


> Wow you guys wake up early... I sometimes hope that it rained so I can sleep more when I go to wake up at 7:30...


As others have said, when you have young kids your options for ride time are slim. I can ride after 8:30pm and skip out on time with my wife or wake up early and ride before work.

I also ride close to where I work, so my drive in at 5:00 is free of traffic and saves me 15 minutes/day.


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## GPRider08 (Aug 22, 2008)

I'm fortunate in that my wife and kid don't get home until nearly 8 on the nights she works and I get off at 5. So once my bike is up and going, I plan to hit quick loops while she's working. We've also agreed I get a little time on the weekends to ride. I might get up early and get out for a few hours ever few Saturdays.


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## JMP0323 (Mar 29, 2012)

On Sundays I am up by 6AM, and out the door by 6:30AM. I have been trying to get up earlier, but my excuse to not rise too early is I do not have a light yet.


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## jaycastlerock (Jul 31, 2009)

JMP0323 said:


> On Sundays I am up by 6AM, and out the door by 6:30AM. I have been trying to get up earlier, but my excuse to not rise too early is I do not have a light yet.


Amoeba - The simplest "light" form 
Best light I've been able to find for the money.


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## JMP0323 (Mar 29, 2012)

Thanks!



jaycastlerock said:


> Amoeba - The simplest "light" form
> Best light I've been able to find for the money.


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## JerB (Jul 10, 2012)

cool to see others enjoy riding early, I dont have kids so that makes it easier. I just tell the wife im heading out. I was hoping to go out tomorrow or friday but there calling for some heavy rain which is fine by me as we need it here, would be cool to bike in a downpour....


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## Backwoodsguy (Aug 29, 2010)

During the summer I get up at 4:30 every morning every other day and do 8.5 mile ride on my own trail. On the weekend I do a 25 mile ride on back country roads or travel to a local trail. Love it.


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## ymduhh (Aug 30, 2008)

This thread has really motivated me to get up early in the mornings to do a ride. Def. going to try it out this Saturday and ride to the local river shore and hit some fishing spots and ride back. Awesome thread


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## JerB (Jul 10, 2012)

I was out the door today by 5:10 am and was another quiet ride, very relaxing. Id love to hit the trails that early but its very dark by them.

Are there lights that can be attached to my bike somehow? like a bright LED to use on the trails?


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## jaycastlerock (Jul 31, 2009)

*light*



JerB said:


> I was out the door today by 5:10 am and was another quiet ride, very relaxing. Id love to hit the trails that early but its very dark by them.
> 
> Are there lights that can be attached to my bike somehow? like a bright LED to use on the trails?


Best light I've been able to find for the money. Super bright, super small, and very lite.
Amoeba - The simplest "light" form


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## JerB (Jul 10, 2012)

Thanks for the link jaycastlerock


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## telemike (Jun 20, 2011)

*Early morning? I guess.*

When I ride or hike the chapparal in the local coast mountains early in the day (or around sunset) I have an uncomfortable feeling that something hungry is watching and hoping. That thing is puma concolor and I've seen them exactly twice. How many times have they seen me?


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## erudition12000 (Apr 16, 2012)

telemike said:


> That thing is puma concolor and I've seen them exactly twice. How many times have they seen me?


Not too many puma's in the northeast, but plenty of cottontail rabbits and usually a dear or two in the early morning.


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## JerB (Jul 10, 2012)

had a interesting ride this morning,lol. I posted a new thread


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## PdlPwr (Nov 16, 2010)

My hat's off to you guys that get up at 4 am, that's nuts. I'd be dead by noon.


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## Mtn-Rider (May 21, 2010)

PdlPwr said:


> My hat's off to you guys that get up at 4 am, that's nuts. I'd be dead by noon.


I used to think that way, and had a really hard time getting my buddies to drag me out for a 5am ride.

It gets really easy to get up early when you realize it's the only time of day you'll be able ride at all before it gets too hot & humid. Some days, any riding is unbearable by the time the sun pops over the horizon.

Lately I've gotten up at 3:30 to be out the door by 4am and back by 6am. It's a no-ride day if I don't do that and that would be major suck.


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## desert guy (May 12, 2012)

Mtn-Rider said:


> I used to think that way, and had a really hard time getting my buddies to drag me out for a 5am ride.
> 
> It gets really easy to get up early when you realize it's the only time of day you'll be able ride at all before it gets too hot & humid. Some days, any riding is unbearable by the time the sun pops over the horizon.
> 
> Lately I've gotten up at 3:30 to be out the door by 4am and back by 6am. It's a no-ride day if I don't do that and that would be major suck.


Damn! 3:30 in the am! Now that's dedication!


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## scar (Jun 2, 2005)

*Yep, early morning guy here.....*

I wake up at 2:30am so I can drive 30 miles to drop off my work computer at work and then meet my friends at the trail head at 5:00 am, M-W-F. Then it is off to work an 8 hr day, then home to deal with the family. The hardest part is getting to bed at a descent time! :thumbsup:










There is nothing like it once you get used to it

****


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## desert guy (May 12, 2012)

scar said:


> I wake up at 2:30am so I can drive 30 miles to drop off my work computer at work and then meet my friends at the trail head at 5:00 am, M-W-F. Then it is off to work an 8 hr day, then home to deal with the family. The hardest part is getting to bed at a descent time! :thumbsup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Man, I don't think I could get used to that. Possibly when my kids get older.


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## jaycastlerock (Jul 31, 2009)

FIFO Ride at white ranch this morning. Constant 60 degrees, warm breeze, overlooking the whole city sleeping. 5 am wheels down and rolling, back at the car 7am. I have to admit, I've got it pretty good.


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## digthemlows (Feb 5, 2012)

yeah, yesterday hit the ground rolling at 5:40am and 15 minutes later the daylight started and the full moon looked amazing!!


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## Low Pressure (Nov 27, 2006)

digthemlows said:


> My Daughter is 21 months old and I have a baby boy due in Sept ........... I actually feel energized after the ride..............it's my little bit of time.................It's the BEST!


That's also how my early AM bike rides started. Wake up 4 to 5ish and take baby to mom for a feeding. Both pass back out and I get to go for a ride!

Still out the door everyday between 5-6am and my youngest is now 18.
It's a cliche, but it really is the best time of the day!


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## zoro (Mar 14, 2007)

Bumping this thing as I dragged my ass early and enjoyed some BEAUTIFUL riding! Will do it again soon!! Thanks for the motivation guys!


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## Gundam168 (Dec 19, 2012)

Just avoid creating a predictable early morning ride routine that some petty criminal elements may anticipate you and possibly do harm to you. Change your route every two days and have several routes and destinations that you can rotate throughout the week in order not to establish a certain routine or pattern. 

Where I am, 4am is a relatively safe time of the day to bike as far as criminal elements operate. It's usually drunk drivers that I'm worried about especially during weekends.


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