Anyone in the building trades?

[matthewhelmuth]

Wondering what kind of representation the building trades have on the paceline. I was a mechanic for a number of years, but kids prompted me to get a real job and I became an electrical apprentice. I’ve worked in commercial and industrial but no residential. Those of you who are or have been in the trades, how do you balance work and recreation? Wearing bags and asking my body to do awkwardly strenuous things all day has been a serious downer on my desire to exercise after the fact. Tricks of the trade(s) are welcome!

[Tandem Rider]

Commercial and industrial HVACR here, mostly service, some construction, since 1978. It was a lot easier when I was younger, 20's and 30's. I raced until my early 50's, fortunately, Masters races are a lot shorter than P12 races. Now, I don't really have a schedule, I fix stuff when it's broke, but I generally start around 7, and end when the calls are done. I mostly doing Supermarkets and it's summer, so I get home around 7 - 8 in the evenings. That makes an early am ride easier to manage than after work for both time and energy. I try to get in an hour, that leaves plenty in the tank for work, consistency is the key. Weekends I can usually sneak in 2 to 3 hours during the day.

[2metalhips]

I'm retired now but I would try to ride in the AM before work. Lights, less traffic, more energy.

[dvs cycles]

Retired from IBEW since 2003. When I was working I would do a couple rides after work when there was light and trainer when not. Having weekends off always got in good rides when not a race to go to.
The physical work made it harder to train after work but added to my fitness all around.
Had a bunch of times in the 90's of long stretches of unemployment and got in the best shape of my life. Physically not financially.

[biker72]

My son is a self employed cabinet maker. During the pandemic his business has almost doubled so he doesn't have a lot of time to ride.

The heat doesn't seem to bother him so he rides somewhere between 6-8pm.

[Velocipede]

My family used to own a construction company. I helped out a bit but never rode there. My buddy is a tool and die maker. Until he retired he rode to and from work every day. He worked 3rd shift and rode 30 miles each way. He was also a form state and national champ road/crit racer. So riding for him was easy. Helped him decompress from his family troubles.

[gbcoupe]

23 years in coax cable as a field tech. Mostly commercial, but now have some residential thrown in again. The physical part hasn't changed, but the hoops I have to jump through to show that I've done my work are ridiculous. Lots of stress, self imposed and otherwise.

I don't get home as early and as often to get a ride in after work. Mostly weekend rides for me now.

Long story short, don't sit down when you get home. If you have home responsibilities, of course take care of them. Otherwise, suit up and hit road straight away. If you sit down to chill, game over. You won't get out. This worked for me for years.

[Peter P.]

... don't sit down when you get home.

I'll second this.

While I'm not in the building trades, my work can be physical. Even when it isn't, if I don't make getting on the bike/trainer a priority when I get home from work, there's a good chance it won't happen at all.

Even a short, easy ride/trainer session is better than the regret of not doing anything.

[PaMtbRider]

One of, if not the main reason my wife and I work 2nd shift , is so we can ride in the mornings while we both feel fresh and rested. I would rather go to work tired from a ride than go for a ride tired from work.

[Louis]

No matter how bad or tired I feel before a ride, I don't think I've regretted going on one. If I can manage to get out on the road everything seems to take care of itself and work out, even if it rains, or whatever.

One thing is to prepare the night before and make it as easy as possible to hop on the bike and go when you get home from work. Don't leave yourself little tasks like lubing the chain or changing a flat. The fewer obstacles there are to riding, the more likely it is that you'll go, even if you aren't quite feeling up to it.

[Tandem Rider]

No matter how bad or tired I feel before a ride, I don't think I've regretted going on one. If I can manage to get out on the road everything seems to take care of itself and work out, even if it rains, or whatever.

One thing is to prepare the night before and make it as easy as possible to hop on the bike and go when you get home from work. Don't leave yourself little tasks like lubing the chain or changing a flat. The fewer obstacles there are to riding, the more likely it is that you'll go, even if you aren't quite feeling up to it.

This is key for me. Like nearly everyone here, I have several rideable bikes at any given moment. I make sure tires are pumped and at least 2 are ready to roll out the door. That way, if I come out a 5:15am and one has a surprise flat, I can still ride.

[redir]

In my college years I did construction summer jobs and I don't know how anyone coudl feel like doing anything else after a hard days work like that. Kudoz to anyone who can.

I'll second this.

While I'm not in the building trades, my work can be physical. Even when it isn't, if I don't make getting on the bike/trainer a priority when I get home from work, there's a good chance it won't happen at all.

Even a short, easy ride/trainer session is better than the regret of not doing anything.

Still till this day some 30 years later I remember talking to the construction foreman as he was talking about getting work done around the house when he gets home and he said, "just don't ever stop..." And it's true. It was such a huge piece of advice given to that then young man.

[mnoble485]

I spent the last 30 years in construction with the last 20 as a project superintendent so I’m sure some of you will say I never really “worked”. Being on the job site at 6:30 to open up (or earlier if a concrete day) meant to bed early and up even earlier. I was never able to convince myself to get up even earlier to ride and by the time I got home from 10 to 12 hours on my feet...

Mostly rode on weekends.

Mike

[azrider]

I think DeadMan owns his own roofing company.

If I could have a "do over".........I would have tried to do what it takes to own a trucking company. Not necessarily building 'trade', but I would've provided y'all with the material you need :)

[paredown]

I'm still semi-employed in construction/carpentry, and have been renovating my own house forever.

I have not found it easy to get on the bike if I put in a full day now--and I can feel the effects of a hard's work (say a lot of ladder work, or last week it was laying tile) in my legs when I ride the next day...

I started hopping on my bike last summer just wearing street clothes, and just doing a little blast around the nabe--kept my blood flowing, and was doable. Some day I will have a cruiser/flat pedal bike for such rides...

[Plum Hill]

Thirty five years as an electrician (IBEW). I rode in the evening after work since there was only a finite amount of daylight available. Riding also worked as a great stress reducer. Weekend rides when time allowed. Some of my cohorts would go to the gym before work. If I exercised before work, I was shot for the day.
Been retired for ten years and ride much less these days: (a) there’s always tomorrow and (b) my body is shot from those thirty five years as an electrician (as a great many of my contemporaries are experiencing, too).

[Hilltopperny]

I am a GC and was a laborer for many years before that. I used to to do a morning group ride and commute to and from work in my late 20’s. Now I try to get in rides whenever I can. Usually weekends and short rides during the week.


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[skiezo]

I have been a united association member for 30+ years, union pipefitter and welder.
If I'm working local I ride after work, try to do about 1.5 hour rides and weekends are 50 to 60 milers.
I only try to work 8 to 9 months a year so when I'm in lay off mode I do plenty of riding. If I'm working stupid hours on a shutdown it's just work n sleep.
Presently working 11 miles from the house so ride to work 3 days a week.

[matthewhelmuth]

Thanks for all the feedback! It’s good to hear that the building trades are well represented in the cycling world. “Don’t stop” has certainly been the key for me since beginning the apprenticeship. Class two nights a week and 3/6 year old kids though somewhat limit saddle time. Thanks again for all the input!

[proxient]

i work in carpentry / fabrication. we try to keep 9am-5pm hours but last week did a few 12-14 hour days.

I've been trying to get out as much as possible since covid insanity, most often do an extended commute of 10ish miles in the am, then do an extra long ride home of 30 to 50 miles. then on the weekend I do something stupid and ride all day for at least one of them. main exception is when theres a nyc heatwave going on, then i just give up on life until it cools off.

[onsight512]

I’m an entertainment rigger (IATSE) in Los Angeles. With the hours & schedules we usually work I found that the easiest way for me to get the miles in was by commuting. I build an old Kogswell up with front and rear racks. With all of my gear it weighs eighty pounds, but it rides nicely. If I’m going to be on site for multiple days, I leave my stuff there and ride another bike until the last day when I take the Kogswell and bring everything home.