We’re morning riders around here, and when we say morning, we mean early morning. Already, five and six a.m. adventures before work have been darker, and darker, and darker. It’s time to get ready for fall.
While the true autumnal equinox isn’t until near the end of September, fall loses thirty minutes of day on either end, with the sunrise going from 7:05 to 7:39, while the sun will set by 7:23 by the end of the month. That can put a serious crimp in your riding time, but you can save seconds and extend miles by getting organized and being prepared.
Lights. Lights are completely useless if they aren’t charged. Get your lights their own dedicated outlet near your bike and get in the habit of removing them from the rig and getting them on the cord at least every other ride. We tend to use the Mini Box to organize the cords, power blocks, and lights and mount it with a Wall Flower as close as we safely can to the outlet. Keep everything in one spot to avoid running around the house looking for a fully charged light as you try to head out of the door.
Last Layers. September and October are also some of the toughest times of year to dress for. Cold starts that turn into scorchers and beautiful days that turn into rainy slogs; fall is all about having the right gear on hand. We use the Fiver to keep at least one rain shell, one vest, one set of arm warmers, and one set of knee warmers near the bike for a last minute grab based on a look out the window or at the weather app.
The Daily Driver. Got a bike you know you’re riding? Keep it ready to roll and even easier to nab with the Workstation. Part storage mount, part bike stand, you can save a lot of time and daylight by being up to tweak, lube, and pump up tires in one spot. The Workstation tends to be the spot our favorite bike of the season gets perched. With fall coming, our mountain bikes are slowly getting more and more love as the weather changes.
Does the changing of the season change your ride time? Let us know in the comments!