Have i lost interest in road biking? inspiration badly neede

Felix-da-house-mouse

hi guys,

i'm getting really worried that i've lost interest in road cycling, i love watching it on tv etc but i havent been on my bikes for about 3 weeks and that was only a quick 10 miles. is it just because its winter/ dark nights? does anyone else get this? how to do i fix it? and i hate the turbo it bores me to death.


thanks

redddraggon

Group rides? Do you do any?

Felix-da-house-mouse

no, the guy up the road reckons i'm too slow to go on club runs he's really helpful and has been great but i got kinda disheartened when i was told that. even just to pair up with someone to give me motivation to beat them etc.

Campy King

I may be interested in the power meter you were buying if you are giving up cycling?

Shadowduck

I seldom feel like going out on the bike until I'm actually out there, especially at this time of year. Once I force myself to go out I rarely want to stop! The hardest part of the ride is from the sofa to the end of the street...

milese

Enter something that you have to train for.

Shadowduck

Milese wrote:

Enter something that you have to train for.

Even better if you get sponsored for it... Then you pretty much have to do it!

woody-som

I use to go out every sunday on my own or with the club, but the last month since injuring my hand when I came off, I've not rode since, and to be honest, not missing the bike. It will be at least a few more weeks before getting back, but not even sure that I can be really bothered any more, so you are not alone.

Bronzie

Felix-da-house-mouse wrote:

no, the guy up the road reckons i'm too slow to go on club runs

You don't know until you try of course! We all have to start somewhere, so find a local club that has a "beginners ride" or similar. If you try a ride with them and you really aren't comfortable with the pace, you can either train alone to get the necessary fitness or look at something like a CTC run - they really are generally pretty slow rides.

C'mon Felix - the evenings are getting lighter, the weather is (slowly) improving - time to get yourself out there before the nights start drawing back in again! :x

If the weather is really getting you down, book yourself on a flight to somewhere warm and get some miles in!

fto-si

With something as sweet as Lucy to ride you should be out there every day!

I have to force myself at times to get on the bike but a few miles down the road and I am loving it!

The longer you keep of the bike the harder it will be to get back on it.

oldwelshman

I love the people who always put people off
You have two legs and a bike so your no different to the others so I would be surprised if there was not a group ride you could go with, maybe not the local chain gang, but I have been on some sunday rides "recoverring after night out" with a different group than the usual group I go with and freewheeled and used brakes most of the time
As one of the other posters said, once your out its easy, getting up, dressed in gear ready is the hard part in this weather.
I did two weeks of 250 miles, then none last week !!! So tonight I read your post just as I am getting dressed to go out to catch up a bit tonight
This weather is always worse, makes you lethargic.
Wait till the clocks change, you will be raring to go again.
Do not read the magazines and race reports because that makes you feel worse IMO is is still too early to race and do fast rides, but then again I feel the cold more now I am 46 so looking forward to the warm

Felix-da-house-mouse

Campy King wrote:

I may be interested in the power meter you were buying if you are giving up cycling?

gee cheers, anyone wanna buy lucy as well?

see my problem is i'm a beginner who's fitness level is pretty poor (not that i'm a fat shyte or owt) but i think its poor and i kinda struggle on the bike at times. so i dont know whether i think psychologically that i'm not making any progress so why bother? i'm a member at a gym that i've to twice in the past month? y i dunno? think i may go on a fitness phase and work on my mind set today and tommorrow. Going to Ireland in 2 weeks to see the family so might try and sneek the bike in the boot of dads shaguar!!! :twisted:

NWLondoner

Don't give up.

I too consider myself unfit.

I have only just started to ride in the last 2 months after 8 years or more not riding

I have not rode for 4 weeks (weather and illness) but could not wait to get out on Saturday to do 18 miles. I was knackered but still enjoyed it.

I will "force" myself to do 25 miles this Saturday. I ride for myself and don't give a damn what others my think. i.e too slow etc.

I am aiming to do 30/35 mile rides everyday during my week off work in late April :shock:

The bonus is that their is some hot totty riding around Hyde Park/Mayfair on Saturday mornings :twisted:

AntLockyer

Go out on a club ride. You have to be fitter than I was.

wastelander

C'mon Felix - there's a whole bunch of roads out there with your name on 'em. Sure, the weather may be pants and it's dark when you get home but that's no reason to stop - it's just a reason to enjoy yourself in a different way.

Night rides can be great fun and let's be honest, with a few exceptions the weather is never really as bad you first thought once you're out there and there's a certain innocence about riding a bike in the rain...almost like you're a kid again.

As for pace - I always ride on my own so I have no idea how I fare against others except for comparing average speeds so look to your own times over your own courses to measure improvements no matter how small they may seem. Use something like a Garmin Edge 305 with a 'virtual training partner' to chase down your best times and performances.

After 6 weeks lay-off with a couple of injuries I was dying to get back onto the bike...you just need to remind yourself what it is about the bike that you enjoy, to find the positives not dwell on the negatives. Find your happy place and you'll soon be back in the saddle eating up the miles again.

Nuggs

Keep going Felix.

I've only just started and my base fitness is piss poor. I struggled to complete a 10 mile ride a couple of weeks ago, but I am determined to do a 50+ in the Summer and rather than let my disappointing 10 miler put me off, it really fired me up. So much so that I got out the neext weekend and had a great ride that I'm still dining out on.

What goals do you have? Do you have a regular route where you could 'race' your previous times? I reckon that, especially early on, fitness will increase exponentially - having a way to monitor those gains will undoubtedly put more fire in your belly.

And if all else fails - think of those lovely Spring mornings, Summer days and balmy evenings that are (hopefully) just around the corner.

Campy King wrote:

I may be interested in the power meter you were buying if you are giving up cycling?

Wost post. Ever.

:roll:

Doobz

3 weeks is quite a while to not have been on your bike.. I wish I could tell you a story to make you want to get your bike now and go ride till you cant ride no more..
I think its all down to how much you love riding and the feeling it gives you.. If I close my eyes now and I think of riding I feel butterflies in my stomach and I imagine I am flying.
Its a cool feeling.

Search for something you love about riding. If its the pain of going up a hill or the feeling of climbing the hill and knowing your in control or the feeling of being on a 15 mile flat stretch and your doing 25mph and you feel like its just you and the road.

A lot of people who ride only ride because they must have a "fancy" bike and they have to have all the best gear etc.

All I can say dude is maybe rethink what you want out of riding. When you say your too slow to do clubs runs what exactly do you mean too slow? it may just be fitness and that's not gonna get any better if you don't get out on your bike.

I just do it because I want to achieve my full potential if its riding on my own or riding with a group - do it because you love it

Riding is Life the rest is Details

gkerr4

cheer up mate - we al get a bit put off things every once in a while.


it could be worse - I have proper f@cked my knee - lord know what on - awaiting an MRI scan next tuesday but haven't been on the bike for three weeks either - it just makes it swell up and seize.

is killking me as I can see my new roubaix hanging up in the conservatory...

peanut

I know what you mean Felix . I haven't been out on my bike since Cristmas !

I joined the local gym and have been going to spinning classes and using the gyms exercise bikes instead and at least it has kept some cardio-vascular fitness .

I have been spending my time planning my next bike upgrade from 8 spd to 10 spd and buying lots of bits on ebay.

I reckon you need someone to ride with. Someone that will call on you which will give you some motivation. It is so easy to say no when its cold windy and wet out . The next time its even easier

johnnyc71

Felix - make a list of all the things you enjoy about riding your bike vs reasons why you don't want to. It can be easy to become disheartened, but the fact is, you'll never improve if you don't ride the bike.

Do you have a target number of miles to cycle this year?

I started cycling again Jan 07 - I was 21 stone and 6'4'' tall. I'm now 18st and still 6'4'' tall, and I love cycing.

feel

Felix you need a more stressful job - then you'll ride more - i can't stop

seriously though pick a decent day (weatherwise) and just get out there.

markos1963

Don't give up, I started up again after a 20 year lay off on a 30 quid mountain bike and was crap. 40 minutes to do 6 miles! Just been out today on my 40 quid steel framed winter hack and done 40 miles in 2hours 20 minutes. Cant wait for my new bike to get me fired up for the season. The fitness does come eventually, you have to set different goals and don't worry if you miss a few days. Don't listen to the know alls saying your not good enough. Why don't you get a mate whos new to cycling and train together? You could start your own newbies club!!!

matthewbradford

You need some training buddies. I'm always more motivated when meeting up with friends for a ride. Why don't you look for a riding companion on here. Whereabouts in the country are you?

fizz

I think everybody goes through a period like this I know I do. Some good advice in here, especially about entering an event / sportive to give you a goal to aim for.

Its really difficult keeping your motivation up through the dark wet winter months. If you feel like having a break then do so, dont beat yourself up about it, cycling is supposed to be fun, try and keep the fun in it, explore new routes / roads places to go and maybe vary your routine if you have one.

I didnt ride for about two months in November and December I just got totally fedup with it. So I didnt ride I recharged my batteries got back out there again in January, I love it again now and I get cranky when I dont ride.

Chin up, dont give up.

david 142

Bad weather can be offputting, and its not necessarily wimpiness. Personally I like crisp clear mornings, but if its just a little bit too chilly, my knees ache. I dont like riding in the rain. I dont mind getting wet, but I wear specs and when I cant see - well there's just no joy in it.
If your not keen at the moment make it an official break. Dont take the bike to Ireland. Hopefully by the time you return it wont be long before we start to see bright sunny mornings. Never mind speed and sporty considerations. Just enjoy the magic of getting out there at dawn with the birds singing etc. etc. Thats the time to ask yourself what its all about...

PostieJohn

A lot here aren't going to like this, but my advise Felix is:-

Completely walk away.

I did my 1st ever 100 miles, last Sept. It damn near killled me (I loved it) but other than a few little rides I didn't do much else for the rest of the year.
When the guilt set in, I even stopped visiting here and wiggle Prendas etc.
Eventually this turned around, and even then I held off (weather) so by the time I was back on my bike, I was like a dog with 2 tails, and more importantly, have been ever since.

Listen to your body.

turkeytickler

1. Club Rides - depending on where you live you should be able to take your pick from at least 1/2 clubs - many clubs split their sunday rides into groups of similar ability - the slower one in my club being average around 16mph - which in a bunch is pretty much freewheel! Go find out for yourself is my advice.

2. Clothes - have you got decent winter gear? E.g. bibtights, jacket,gloves, overshoes. If not, get some because riding in the winter without them can be miserable...

Campy King

Felix-da-house-mouse wrote:

Campy King wrote:

I may be interested in the power meter you were buying if you are giving up cycling?

gee cheers, anyone wanna buy lucy as well?

see my problem is i'm a beginner who's fitness level is pretty poor (not that i'm a fat shyte or owt) but i think its poor and i kinda struggle on the bike at times. so i dont know whether i think psychologically that i'm not making any progress so why bother? i'm a member at a gym that i've to twice in the past month? y i dunno? think i may go on a fitness phase and work on my mind set today and tommorrow. Going to Ireland in 2 weeks to see the family so might try and sneek the bike in the boot of dads shaguar!!! :twisted:

If you get the chance, take the bike on hols, it is the perfect chance to get back on the bike. Enjoy!

sloboy

CTC rides will be a lot slower than any club ride, and if they get you out in the fresh air and pleasnat surroundings, with a level of exercise that starts the pleasure hormones, then you have most of the ingredients.

That's how we all started right ? Going slow but thinking, I reckonn this would be even more fun if I went faster.

For most of us, this is the key - ride to maximise fun and that may mean re-identifying what that means each year, depending on what's going on in your life. But the great thing about cycling is that there's a hundred ways to do it, and you can still be cranking away at 70 and beyond.

I think an event to train for or be sponsored for is an excellent plan.

rossbarney2003

I seem to have this problem too.....I feel like I can't be bothered, but when I just make myself go out, the first wee bit is kinda awkward, but then I just want to keep going.

I wish it was possible to record feelings, because once I have passed the awkward stage I really love being out on my bike, but the next time I plan on going out I have the same problem of having to push myself to go out.

At the moment it isn't so bad since I just got a turbo trainer and actually love training in my room when it looks kinda harsh outside. I'm sure when it gets warmer I won't have a problem going out.

Nuggs

Actually Felix, last week I got some real motivation from an unexpected source...

I was out for some client drinks, and took a moment to look around the room. The volume of middle aged spread was significant. It made me want to cycle till my legs fell off...