For the dads out there

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flag kinlodesigns
Posted: Sep 14, 2017 at 10:13 Quote
For all the dads out there with 1 or more kids.. do you find time to ride? if so how?

I'm thinking of getting a set of good lights so i can go riding at odd times of day..
flag mk87
Posted: Sep 14, 2017 at 10:28 Quote
I have a 9 month old at home, and for riding this year it's been tough to get out. However, with that being said, I've worked it out with my wife that I need to get out riding at least once a week (this would be about an hour to 2 hour ride) and once a month get out for a day trip somewhere. We plan our week out and then we agree on which day/evening works for my biking and which day/evening works for her outings. We work together and basically we know that both of us need our "me" time and allow that time for one another.

If you don't plan it, it won't happen.
flag Dr-YTMTB
Posted: Sep 14, 2017 at 11:12 Quote
I've got 4 kids. I'm also a physician, so time is not something that I have a lot of.

I make it a priority to get out riding 1-2 times per week. But when I'm not at work and not on a ride, I'm 100% home with the kids and my wife.

And similarly to the guy above me, I try to get my wife out on her own (or with friends) whenever I can.
flag Pablo16v
Posted: Sep 14, 2017 at 13:56 Quote
A 3 and a 7 year old. I just ride when I can, which sometimes means a 5 or 6 am start on a Sat or Sun morning, so I can squeeze in a couple of hours before breakfast, or I've found myself heading out after 8pm when they're both in bed. The one thing I never did though was stop riding. Thankfully my wife also understands that mountain biking is part of who I am, and that helps enormously.
flag dbnickles
Posted: Sep 14, 2017 at 16:10 Quote
I have 11 year old, 1 1/2 year old and one on the way... I get at least 3 - 4 rides a week, I don't have a life outside work, riding & kids and I'm fine with that...My key is to let her sleep in as much as possible, I get up with the kids most days to let her get that extra time, this helps with her letting me out with out to much fuss
flag beater32
Posted: Sep 14, 2017 at 17:30 Quote
Up at 6am is the only way for me. Evenings over summer, I cook tea before going. Helps !! Plus if she has her own interests, encourage that she does it an you have the kids.
flag thekragle
Posted: Sep 14, 2017 at 20:29 Quote
hard to answer... my son is 7, and me my wife and him all ride whistler bike park together and have the best time. The hardest part is getting him to pedal into our local trails, even though he loves it when he gets there. I do still need those early morning rides... for me.
flag lewiscraik
O+ FL
Posted: Sep 27, 2017 at 5:55 Quote
mk87 wrote:
I have a 9 month old at home, and for riding this year it's been tough to get out. However, with that being said, I've worked it out with my wife that I need to get out riding at least once a week (this would be about an hour to 2 hour ride) and once a month get out for a day trip somewhere. We plan our week out and then we agree on which day/evening works for my biking and which day/evening works for her outings. We work together and basically we know that both of us need our "me" time and allow that time for one another.

If you don't plan it, it won't happen.

Pretty much the same here. My wife runs on saturday mornings and I get out for a ride sunday mornings, usually with a bigger all day trip once a month. I also try to get out after work at least once a week.
flag Tokum23
Posted: Sep 27, 2017 at 7:22 Quote
I've got a 6 and 3 year old. My wife and I both are into biking and thankfully we can ride from our house. We just switch rides, we both know that its important for each of us to get out. I usually get 2-4 rides in a week.
flag robito
Posted: Sep 27, 2017 at 8:10 Quote
4 and a 3 week old. Definitely not riding the way I was when childless. Fortunately I have a set up jumps at my parents house so I get to ride/build a couple of hours on the weekends. I also take the family on a summer vaca out west with the in laws which gives me a solid week+ of riding the DH. I definitely wish I had more DH time but I just came off a bunch of broken bones (frame snapped in half) and I need to be able to hold the newborn and be fair to the wife. It's tough but I guess that's what happens when you are a 40 yr old with a family.
flag Turboduck01
Posted: Sep 27, 2017 at 8:37 Quote
3 year old and 1 year old.

When it was just the one kid-o, i was able to ride more because my wife didn't feel overwhelmed. That meant I could go out for a 3 hour ride no problem, or take a day to travel to go to the bike park.

With kid-o #2, that all changed. My wife was outnumbered and found it rough to watch a baby and toddler for multiple hours while I was out having fun. The hard part was/is, she doesn't want her own time to herself (self pressure to be super mom) that she was upset with how often i wanted my own time to ride my bike. That was the biggest challenge with the baby and toddler. Understand, I was ALWAYS willing to watch the kids for her to get out of the house and do her own thing on the weekends. You can lead a horse to water....

Anyways, now with my son being 1 year old and my daughter 3, I have effectively communicated that I absolutely need biking time for my sanity and to continue to be a happy, good father. Saturday mornings are mine from about 0500 to 0800. I go on a ride with another dad of young ones and we joke and cry about how much we use to ride, hahahah.

I fit in rides at lunch while at work, but admittedly, that's hard to do with time constraints. I was also able to carve out a 3 day weekend to go on an epic trip with my buddies for spring 2018.

Long story short, it's about compromise. I pretty much just day dream about which trails i will ride the next opportunity I get to, while changing diapers and playing with my kids Smile
flag MKR1
Posted: Sep 29, 2017 at 5:54 Quote
I do a lot of this:

photo

And much like the rest of the people who have responded, I ride less than I did before kids and I ride whenever an opportunity presents itself, which often results in solo night rides. I'm lucky to be close enough to the trails that if I have an hour I can ride for 45 minutes. My wife is pretty tolerant but I go out of my way to make sure my riding isn't negatively impacting her. She's less inclined to take a bit of time for herself than I am but encourage her to do that whenever she wants. My kids are 5 and 8 so they are beginning to require a lot less effort to manage than they did when they were smaller. I'm also indoctrinating them. I take them DH skiing in the winter and I'm now bringing my 8 year old son on some singletrack rides. He loves it. Will be doing the same with my daughter starting in the spring.
flag mk87
Posted: Sep 29, 2017 at 7:30 Quote
I have a feeling I will also be doing some night riding soon. I just need to get lights that don't cost a kidney haha.
flag PMac16
Posted: Sep 29, 2017 at 9:40 Quote
Love this thread! I have a 2 year old and my strategy is similar to a lot of you. During the late spring through early fall I get up early and hit the trailer at first light before work. I can get out a ton during that time because it's too damn early to bother anyone lol. Rest of the year I try and get out once a week after work or go the head lamp option.

Finding that balance is always tough, great to hear your routines.
flag dannyfag
Posted: Oct 1, 2017 at 13:43 Quote
I have a 4 month year old and ride early.... Always ridden Saturday mornings with friends at 6.30am, back before 9am.

All my friends have up to 3 kids, so for many years we ride every Wednesday evening at 7pm...

Not everyone rides each week, but you know it will happen.... Also wife`s expect you to do it, so its a given... No hassles because I have done this for over 20 years.
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