Rajflyboy

How do you find time to ride and balance life? Kids/family/work/activities?

Hokiedad4

I didn't take up cycling seriously until my younger child went off to college. Yes, it's tough.

rumrunn6

JUSTIFY

meaning: ppl know I ride on my 1 day off a week. might have to do other stuff but I'm determined to get out

wirides

I fought this same battle for years. Eventually I resigned to the fact that if I don't get my workouts is the first thing, before the family is awake they don't happen. That means getting up and out at 4:30am. I do lots of miles in the dark which I don't mind.

BobbyG

I bike commute.

Koyote

Everyone's work/family/life/priorities are different. What works for me likely won't work for you. You'll need to figure this out on your own.

rydabent

That is what is so great about retirement.

How ever when I was working, I always made time on the weekends to ride with my 3 sons. It was a good thing, since I was alone with the boys and could try to instill some of my morals and beliefs on them. It also gave my wife some time alone to herself where she could do what she wanted to without the kids under foot.

debade

And if you feel your commute is too far, drive part of the way, park, and finish the ride on your bike.
If your place of employment does not have a shower, look for a place nearby. Some facilities will have a shower rate.

randallr

+1 Bike commuting is time efficient: use time you'd be spending in the gas burner and at the gym on your bike. I know the gas burner might be a bit shorter commute time across a week, but still you're getting some of that riding time for free, so to speak.

ironwood

I'm retired so finding time isn't a problem, But I used to commute on a bike. Now I use my bike for shopping or other utilitarian purposes and just going to places within a reasonable radius.

Rajflyboy

I need to retire. 😜

Getting up early is probably a great option for me. I’m an early bird anyway.

Koyote

Run a headlight and two taillights - one steady, one flashing. We don't want to lose you to some sleepy motorist.

spelger

Kids and family always come first for me. I can always find some time to ride but family and especially the kids... it can be hard to get that time back.

In the winter I zwift early starting about 4:15 am so I can be at work by 6:30.

Its tough but you can find time here and there.

indyfabz

No kids. No long work hours and no weekends. No family obligations. Five weeks of paid vacation. Finding time is not an issue, except for cat care.

john m flores 

And utility biking and multi-modal travel. I recently got a folding bike for multi-modal trips to/from Washington DC and I'm surprised how often I use it to run errands and stuff locally. It's just so small and easy and non-serious. I've even thrown it in the trunk of a car for some bike exploration of a small town I visited for work.

mstateglfr 

My life doesnt exist to serve my kids or wife. Similarily, my wife doesnt exist to serve our kids or me.
We choose to set up a family schedule that allows all of us to pursue interests. I only ride a couple times a week on average because of family responsibilities and other interests- work, making dinner, shuttling kids to activities, helping with homework, being home so my wife can live too, volleyball, etc.


Simple answer- I find time by using a calendar and communicating. Pretty simple.

Rajflyboy

Family first. You have great priorities in life

delbiker1 

That really is up to you. Taking care of the others in your life is, of course, very important. No less important, is taking care of yourself. That is the best way to enable you to do the taking care of others long term. Looking at it form that aspect may be helpful to you.

duffer1960

Yep. I live close enough now to bike from home. When I lived farther, I did the freeway leg by car & parked in the carpool/bus park-n-ride lot. Biked the city miles on a safe route, not the same one I'd use if driving.

Ghazmh

Wake up early, invest in a good headlight. It’s money well spent that will enable you to ride when before you couldn’t.

Ride after preparing dinner and cleaning up. Eat lightly so your still at the table with the kids and not bogged down.

can you ride for 45 minutes during your lunch break?

ride for 2-3 hours early Saturday morning. You can be home by 9:00 AM and have the rest of the day for the family, chores, etc.

BobbyG

I did a little less bike commuting when we had the kids at home and kids needed to be picked up, and errands needed to be run. Those that could be done by bike I did, otherwise I drove that day. And when there were family medical issues I would give up riding for as many days as necessary. Family comes first for me. I have just been fortunate for the past few years to beable to bike commute most days.

Rajflyboy

absolutely

and small kids absolutely are dependent on someone to help them (at some age depending on each child they start being able to take care of themselves).

Theypeedonmyrug

Raj, you have hit the nail on the head. You need to retire. Also, I have found that it is most helpful to make sure your wife keeps working. With much more time to ride, you will want to buy a lot more bike paraphernalia.

kingston 

Early morning is the only way I can fit it in. When my kids were younger I would go out super early on the weekends so I could get a long ride in and still be home by a reasonable time. Like leave at 3-4 so I could be back by 9 or 10 kind of thing. My kids are older now so I don't have to leave as early on the weekends, but I still have to get up early to exercise during the work-week. My goal is 5-6 days a week, and I'm able to hit it most of the time. I'm also into randonneuring so I have to negotiate for a few pretty big chunks of time away from home during the warmer months, and I didn't do anything longer than a 600k until my youngest was in high school. If you want it bad enough you just find a way to fit it into your schedule. Can't wait until I retire, but that's still several years off for me.

alexihnen 

Wait until they're all asleep and ride Zwift.