Do you fuss... ???

[Francois_Dumas]

Or am I the only one !!??

 

Somehow my 'art' of preparing for a safe ride includes a LONG preparation phase.

Nina says I am fussing..... as if I am staling to get on the bike. Perhaps I am.... am I!?

 

First I go upstairs to get my riding gear.. trousers and jacket, and documents.

I get into my trousers, don one or other long sleeved sweater or shirt.... then go down and put all my stuff 'at the ready' in my office:

Bottle of water, ear plugs, gloves, helmet, boots, jacket, scarf, documents, keys, cap, maps (sometimes), CAMERA, something to nibble on, second pair of glasses, sunglasses.... Nina starts giggling at this point..... my whole desk is full !

 

Then I go out to take the cover off the bike and put it in the shed, unlock the disk lock, store it, and push the bike off its center stand and forward on the 'parking', ready to 'load' it.

 

Next is to put all the stuff from my desk in the little tank locker and top case, and some in my jacket pockets.

 

OOPS, forgot my mobile phone.....

 

Then it is time to get the boots on, scarf when its cold, carry the remaining things such as helmet and gloves outside.

 

Then I check the bike... tires, lights, fuel, oil.... nah, already did that when I stored it

 

OOPS, forgot the key of the garden gate.... get it and unlock it.....

 

Almost ready now.... put on my jacket....

 

I am already half an hour busy now........ no rush, really getting into the idea of riding, enjoying the anticipatin already almost....

 

So am I fussing too much !!??? Do you fuss ?? Just curious...

 

Francois

[Aluminum_Butt]

For a day-long ride, my preparation is not all that different. By the time I get everything packed, check the tires and oil, and get ATGATT'd, it probably takes me a half hour.

 

I think Nina's being a little unfair. When you pack a bike, you can't just toss the stuff you're carrying in the back seat or trunk. It usually has to be arranged in order for it to fit. I'm lucky if I check the tires and oil in the car once a month...but it's every time for the bike (though I worry much less about oil now that I ride a K! ). And getting all the gear on takes a little time.

 

Perhaps the only thing I do differently is that most of the things (gear, helmet, documentation) are generally on or near the bike - I don't have to do too much gathering of stuff before a ride.

 

I say...enjoy the anticipation!

[Francois_Dumas]

Heheh.. the 'gathering' is due to lack of dedicated space to store near the bike, unfortunately. I am sure Marty will have interesting stories to tell in a few weeks too... *grin* !

[Firefight911]

Suddenly, I don't feel so bad as I do the same. Most of my gear is with/next to the bike but otherwise, I tend to be quite systematic and methodic in how I go about launching for a ride.

 

My wife says it is my 'A' type personality and the fact that I tend to be black and white with things. She giggles as well, but, I also know that she appreciates my being that way as it is always from a "safety first" stand point.

 

'Wife heard giggling in background'

[Boffin]

You may have noticed Steve and George refering to 'The Tardis' on my bike. That is my 48 litre Kappa top box. In this I keep on a permanent basis:

First Aid Kit

Spare Bulb Kit

Oil

Puncture kit

Electric Pump

Camera

Tripod

Plexus

Cloths

Map

Spare batteries for camera

Mars Bar (candy)

 

I keep my documents, keys and spare glasses in my bike jacket.

 

I just don my trousers and boots, put on my jacket, pick up my helmet with gloves. Remove and stow the bike cover, start the bike. Don helmet and gloves and ride off.

Oil and tyres are checked on return - the bike is ridden almost every day.

I can be out on the bike in under 5 minutes.

 

Andy

[Francois_Dumas]

A Speedy Boffin no less !!

[Bud]

More like methodical. Nothing wrong with it and it can be an enjoyable part of the ride.

[BereIsland]

Nope, I have the bike turned round ready to roll, helmet on the seat and gloves on the tank, I get up 1/2 hour before I need to leave in the morning, have my breakfast, visit the loo, and be on the road.

 

Steve Carter

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Daily trip, I don't own a cage, takes me about 10 minutes to prepare. Work laptop lives in its case, helmet is in the tour trunk. Grab laptop, go downstairs exchange laptop for helmet and I'm off. I don't wear riding pants or boots on my short 4.5 mile communte (gasp).

 

Weekend ride or sub 500 mile day trip, I add the pants and boots. Also a tank bag. Rain gear is already in the trunk. I never unpack my packing cube with 2 days worth of gear in it, including a duplicate toilet kit. So laptop and the like into the trunk and I'm off.

 

Longer trips require the side bags and I prepack them the night before so it is still the same thing. Lug down the saddle bags and put them on the bike. Second trip for tankbag and laptop and I'm off.

 

I doubt I would call this fussing, just simple planning. I check air pressure about once a week and oil level about the same, my bikes don't consume any so I could skip that and not worry. The Blackbird gets a chain lube and adjustment every Saturday morning or at the end of every day when on the road. Adds maybe 5 minutes to the work load.

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

My daily commute is easy...soft briefcase in the top case, misc gloves live in the left case, sunglasses and misc small things live in the glove box, so rolling is donning `stitch & boots, helmet on, hit garage opener and off I go. Day trips are a tiny bit more involved, mainly adding camera and snacks/water, tankbag and V1. Longer trips are more involved still, but not nearly as streamlined as Ed.

[wilsons]

If im going to work nah, i check on weekends

 

or long rides.

[rdfrantz]

I don't know if that's "fussing", Francois, but it sure seems very busy to me.

 

I guess I don't acutally do many fewer things, but I get them all completely done. Then I dress and go ride with a clear mind.

 

I always leave my bikes in ready to go state, and/or get them that way the night before Riding.

 

Whether off to cross the continent, head for Torrey, or down to see a dear friend, either the night before or in the morning before departure, I pack - in the house, and set all the stuff by the door. That will virtually always be the top case which gets carried out at departure, and possibly my Dry Bag with clothes etc.

 

When it's time to leave I go out with the top case (and perhaps Dry Bag), remove the bike cover, install the top case (and strap on the Dry Bag), start it to warm up, stow the locks, and then stow the cover. Back inside I complete or finish dressing, having perhaps in cold weather put on pants and jacket liner before going out to the bike.

 

I make a last mental check of what I'm going to do versus what I recall packing, put on my helmet, get the proper glasses on, and go out to get on the bike.

 

When I approach the bike I do another "walk around", get on, plug my electronics in, set settings, and as I don my gloves, again focus my attention on what the ride's about, and how I'll do that. Then I'm off.

 

So, again, perhaps I don't do less, but I think I do much less in those 10 minutes before departure - because I compartment the many tasks into just a small group of things to do right then. I like how that leaves my mind more free to ride well right off the bat.

 

Best wishes.

[gfountain]

I don't view it as fussing. I think getting prepared is part of the fun and insures a trouble free, comfortable ride. I make a point of keeping routine accessories on the bike and I put things back in order after I return from a ride. My bike rests in the garage so that makes some things easier. Fill up a water bottle and check tires the night before and be off in the morning!

[Francois_Dumas]

Terrific answers from all of you .. thank you !!!

 

I see a bit of a pattern emerging here.... difference between those of you who 'ride all the time' and the likes of me who do it 'just once every week' (if lucky)..... AND some difference between those with proper (inside) space and those having to store the bike outside and stuff elsewhere.

 

The former I can't change.... as much as I would like to.

The latter is a good reminder of what our next house should include.... proper garage space and a 'prep room'

 

With more time will come more routine, too, I suppose.... still on my meagre 11.500 km's so far.... So each ride is almost like every flight I make (once or twice a year).... making sure, sure and sure I am fully prepared. THEN hit the road..... and yes, by then with a clear mind and focussing on riding and traffic and roads...

 

Have a great weekend all !!!

 

Francois

[BWS]

Nope.

 

My bikes live in a climate controlled eviron.70 degrees @ 60% humidity.Leathers/helmets are in a specific dressing area.Takes all of 5 minutes to get geared,bike warmed,gameface on..........gone.

[Jerry_75_Guy]

A Speedy Boffin no less !!

 

Well..then again he does have a 'Tardis' at his disposal to help create the relative appearance that he's getting things done quickly

 

I used to 'fuss' for quite a while before riding, but it was driving me crazy, kind of like the dreams where the hallway becomes longer the further you walk down it so you never quite reach the goal?

 

Since then I've made a conscious effort to be more efficient with my preparations, and I can usually get rolling in 5 mins, give or take.

 

preping for multipule day trips is another story

[philbytx]

Francois,

It doesn't matter how long you take to prepare for a ride....provided that when you throw your leg over and fire 'er up, you are a calm soul

 

I am fairly anal...checking tire pressures, oil and doing my "walk around" before every ride. Most of my normal "stuff" (maps, sunstick, black duct tape, tire gauge etc) is already in my BigMak tank bag. My keys, wallet, phone, glasses and sunglasses are always in the same box on my dresser. We have one closet dedicated to our riding gear so I simply check the weather and we just take the right jacket/pants off the rack with the appropriate undershirt/shorts (see, I AM anal!!)

 

As far as improving your methodology goes, perhaps it is as simple as putting together a pre-take off checklist for yourself

[Miriam]

As you know Francois, our bikes don’t have the luxury of a storage space either, and living in a large city it wasn’t easy getting the bikes properly insured without lots of conditions, such as many locks. So it takes a while to get ready for a ride. I think it only becomes ‘fussing’ when you do your preparations in a illogical, unhandy, or nervous run-around manner.