gthomson

Just going on week 2 since the clocks went back to EST and the evenings are dark as pitch by the time you leave your desk and head for the door. Add in some cold, wet weather and all those months I enjoyed a post work bike ride are gone. Now I can just wander out to the garage to bring out the recycling and have a look at my 2 wheeled darlings and wish for Spring again.

What has me bothered is I don't remember being affected by the sudden changes in the seasons as much as I am lately. Is this something common with getting older? I get this feeling like I'm now condemned to my house and have only one bike option, that being the trainer and Zwift.

I normally enjoy winter and participate in a number of winter activities like skiing, hockey, etc... but there's no ice or snow for that yet. Hopefully it's just an adjustment period and I get over it in time to start enjoying the holiday vibes.

Classtime 

Build a dyno hub front wheel, get some nice german lights, put some fenders on one of your bikes, or move. Mexico might be nicer than here. I got pretty chilled on my 20 mile commute this morning since it was in the high 40s. BRRRRRR

79pmooney

In my bike commuter days I didn't mind the time change. Yes, fully dark going home but no sun in driver's eyes. And with a 9-5 job, it was now light going in. (Nothing was all that different after the time change when I was working 6-2:30. Great bike commute hours! Ride in was a silent treat. No angry drivers coming home.)

Chuck Naill

Dusk occurs at 4:30 PM here.

CliffordK

Are we still on track for permanent daylight savings time next year?

Iride01 

My F-I-L's birthday is Dec 22. Since that's the day or there 'bouts, that the daylight hours start lengthening, I'm always looking forward to his birthday with great anticipation.

March 12, 2023 will be another momentous occasion! But not a birthday of anyone I know.

Biker395 

I'm convinced that the raison d'etre for most of the fall/winter holidays is to dull the blow of the increasing dark and coldness.

jon c. 

I've always found it depressing and I think that's gotten worse with age.

gthomson

There's truth to that and though these traditions that have gone on for centuries, our current celebrations include loads of lights covering our houses, our buildings and trees to brighten up an otherwise very dull and dark time. I find it helps and distracts me from the melancholy of the seasonal change.

But then what happens when January hits!

freeranger

Always has taken a while for my "internal clock" to adjust to the time change, but seems worse this year than in the past. By the clock, I"m waking up an hour earlier, and falling asleep an hour earlier than before the time change. Hoping I adjust before the time changes back!

staehpj1

I have found it to be a non issue since I retired since I am not tied to a work schedule and don't mind getting up in the dark or even getting out and riding before the sun is up. Even when I was still working, I tended to use the morning hours to ride when possible. Driving to work in the dark, getting a ride in and showering at work was an option for me for some of my life. For some of my life that didn't work because my work hours started from the crack of dawn and I had a long commute. At other times I just commuted by bike, dark or not. So my solution was different at different times in my working life.

Mtl01

I always found November to be a bit gloomy and depressing. Long winter ahead.

However, we just got our 1st real snow of the season and everything is covered in a white blanket which helps lighten the mood.

Being retired helps too, lol.

Really wish they'd deep six the time change. Don't like the "Fall back" time change...

rumrunn6

just a few short weeks before days start getting longer again

pdlamb

or did we learn the lesson the last time that was tried? Traipsing to the school in the dark was no fun -- I think both my parents wrote three letters to congresscritters each (two senators and one representative) demanding a stop to the nonsense; only time I can remember that happening.

Polaris OBark

I've heard the duration of jet lag can be calculated by taking the number of time zones (or the difference in clock time between two points) and multiplying by days, so, for example, Los Angeles vs. London would take 8 days to adjust fully.

Based on that approach, it should take a day to adjust to the time change.

The rest is simply psychological. It gets dark at 5pm instead of 6pm, or gets light at 6am instead of 7am. That annoys people, but there is a simple solution: don't look at the clock. Shift your working hours, meals, and bed time, if possible.

gthomson

I admire the riders like classtime above that just roll with it when the season changes - put on more bike lights and clothes and get out and ride. I did try winter riding a few years back when COVID first hit because there was nothing else to do and really wanted to give it a go but it just didn't do it for me.

Got loads of great advice from forum users on tires, lights, how to adjust my riding form and what to wear but I just didn't really enjoy it that much. Maybe the conditions weren't ideal - in my locale there was either no snow and rain or loads of snow and ice which was treacherous. Combine that with living in a built up area and the drives are maniacs at the best of time, never mind not being able to see me as well or stop in time, it was just easier (and safer) to jump on Zwift.

IcySwan1 

The sun set yesterday in the town in Alaska formerly known as Barrow. It won’t rise again for 65 days. Serious darkness.

Mike

indyfabz

I am on EST. I leave work at 3 p.m. Home well before dark. And now it's getting light when I leave the house around 6:45 a.m.

zandoval 

I agree... But really if ya think about it 12:00 O'Clock should be the time when the sun is directly overhead. Hummmm... Then there is GMT, UTC, ZULU, Hours, AM-PM, not to mention Day Light Savings and what of that International Date Line. I guess time takes on different meanings as we go along. Such as 10-2 and 4, Dawn and Dusk, and Noon and High Noon.

Oh... Lets not forget 4:20 PM...

What was I talking about?

Jimriides

You don’t have to stop riding just because it is Dark out. With todays Hi Tech Clothes and LED Lighting, you can forge out into the Cool Darkness and own the nearly empty Streets and Trails. It is really beautiful at night.

indyfabz

The first night of my last tour out west I camped in MT, somewhat close to the ID border. The border is where you go from MDT to PDT. The second night I camped in ID. The sun rose an hour earlier than the night before but set an hour earlier. The third day I rode from ID into MT then back into ID. Had to keep accounting for the time change.

Flip Flop Rider

and if not working you can just ride in the daytime