how do you time?

[Paul_L]

Started commuting to work about a month ago and commute times have dropped from 56 mins to 50mins for a 14mile journey as i get a bit faster / fitter

I keep a log of distances and times and myself, i use my ride time from my computer as opposed to total time.

Was just wondering, is this what others do?

 

[Arch]

Ride time from the computer for me.

Apart from anything else, I'd never remember to check my watch as the start and end of each ride, or I'd forget when I started by the end, etc

And you know what? It doesn't actually matter, if it's for your interest, as long as you're consistent.

Unless you are having half hour rests every five minutes or anything...

 

[amnesia]

My Garmin 500 stops the clock when you stop moving, so I use ride time.
It can also calculate average time from total time, or moving time, which is useful.

 

[gaz]

Total time, i have over 100 sets of traffic lights on my commute, if i hit them all perfect then the time difference will be large in total time when compared to a bad day, but ride time it might only be seconds. It gives a better representation of your journey time.

 

[HLaB]

I usually take the time from my computer, which is ride time but as I don't like to stop this is usually my total ride time too (give or take the time stopped at junctions, etc).

Actual ride time is something which is more controllable by you and is a measure of your fitness, whereas Total ride time can be beyond your control and not comparable from day today, ie one day the lights were all red but they were all green on a second day but you might have been faster cycling wise and not time wise the first day

 

[ianrauk]

Ride time from the computer

 

[BrumJim]

Ride time. Its shorter, so my average is harder, and everyone thinks I am faster than I really am.

And my computer automatically does ride time, and doesn't do manual start. I have enough problems remembering my work trousers and all other clobber I need when cycling to remember to start my stopwatch on my wrist watch.

 

[rosscbrown]

Ride time, as it is the easiest to record. I just wish my cycle computer would ignore speeds from 0 > 3mph. I'm still jumping off a lot in the city - need to gain some confidence in filtering etc...

 

[jimboalee]

When you are commuting with all the traffic, ride as fast as the conditions allow.

You will find as weeks go by that you can ride faster WHEN THE CONDITIONS ALLOW.

Do not be concerned about timing to the second. There will always be someone who will spoil you PB attempt, WHICH SHOULD NOT BE DONE anyway.

Your number one priority is to get home safely.

 

[Paul_L]

When you are commuting with all the traffic, ride as fast as the conditions allow.

You will find as weeks go by that you can ride faster WHEN THE CONDITIONS ALLOW.

Do not be concerned about timing to the second. There will always be someone who will spoil you PB attempt, WHICH SHOULD NOT BE DONE anyway.

Your number one priority is to get home safely.

Agree with all that. I leave home at about 5.45am so the roads are dead quiet. It's only on the run into work i try and shift it, but onlly when conditions allow, and i would never comprimise my safety for time. On the way home it's a different ball game all together and it takes a good 10mins more.

 

[jig-sore]

on my commute i dont stop (to rest) so i record the time from the computer. on weekend rides i run my stopwatch as well and record both times.

the difference between the two is my rest time (usually stop to eat fruit as its cleaner and safer). hopefully i will notice a drop in my rest times over a while but to be honest i dont get to worried about it, just do it to keep a record.

 

[mcshroom]

Ride time off the computer for me

However I usually don't need to stop from start to finish (rural commute) so the times are almost identical