My very unscientific survey

From time to time I ride out to the Northern Beaches and do the loop around Church Point.

Because I am a pansy, I like to gradually climb to the top of Church Point, via the northern end of the Wakehurst Parkway, then along Forest Way. That way I get to hit the nice descent from the National Park down to Church Point, rather than getting to the bottom and bashing up against the hills for 4 km. In the end it is the same vertical climb, and Forest Way isn't particulary pleasant, but it doesn't hurt my legs/brain as much.

Sometimes I will do this ride at 6.00am with a mate who is a keen cyclist and has a family so can't get away later. Other times I am on my own and it is a Sunday afternoon 2.00pm job.

What I have noticed is that early in the morning you get lots of single cyclists, and cyclists riding in big groups.

If you go the afternoon route, you seem to see lots of couples riding together who look like boyfriend/girlfriend, or husband/wife.

My theory on the difference is that if your significant other is not a cyclist, you are often forced to get up at 6.00am to go for your ride so that you are not taking up valuable weekend together time.

If you are lucky enough to be in a relationship with another roadie, you both want to get out there for a couple of hours and ride anyway - why do it at such an uncivilised time - why not sleep in, have a nice breakfast with the Sunday papers and then go for a spin in the afternoon?

Especially in Winter, the early afternoon ride is quite pleasant, while the 6.00am alarm is quite miserable.

Of course, the aforementioned family screws up at least 50% of my theory, and platonic male/female riding partners another 25%, but I am sticking with it.