Motivation, Fear and f**king helmets (sorry)

airbag

Hi all,

I've been letting cycling slip this year. Maybe I just don't get the dopamine buzz some do, I'll never be a racing snake, but a) playing around with machinery and b) getting some exercise on the way to work have appealed. I had a couple of near misses in the summer but nothing particularly traumatic.

That said, I just don't seem to have enough motivation to take the risk. And I'm sorry, but bloody helmets come in to this. I've got quite a nice one (fnarr), but still, I really don't believe anyone wants to wear them, so that must mean people think they have to, regardless of how "totes not inconvenient" they say they find it. And that implies a level of risk to the rest of me I don't want to accept. People do NOT wear PPE they don't think they have to.

Cutting out cycling is a bit of a PITA but I can manage it, I can't manage lying on the road with a fractured spine knowing the only thing people will give a shit about is if I was wearing a dorky plastic hat or not. Or whether I was wearing hi-vis, in the daytime, or some other bullshit.

I really hope someone can explain why that's wrong, but I doubt it. I really miss the days I could just wear dorky stuff, or not, and it didn't matter to anyone but me, and maybe those days will return if I stay off the internet, but for now they're gone, the niggling doubts in my head are here to stay.

So it looks like running for me as the only outdoorsy thing now. Any tips?

Oh, and if someone tells you helmets don't put people off please tell them to fuck themselves. Roughly.

dhope

A helmet probably wont protect you from a fractured spine.
There's risks involved whether you're wearing one or not. The jury is out on whether a helmet ends up doing much in many cases. Personally I don't find it much of a faff wearing one, so I do. Obviously it's slightly inconvenient - about the same level as having to put on trainers when I go for a run, or a jacket when I walk to the shops.

The risk is small enough and I prefer dodging cars to dodging commuters armpits on the train. If you don't get the buzz then go for running. You've probably got as much chance of doing yourself an injury though.

Any tips? For running? Yeah, it's hard work and much slower than cycling. Also fewer cake stops. And you can't enjoy the downhills.

I know that didn't help much, but I didn't get the impression you were really expecting anything new from the thread

meanredspider

Maybe you just need to read up on how much longer cyclists live on average. Yes, there are some risks (which some people choose to (try to) mitigate with a lid, hi viz, bright flashing lights etc) but they are probably heavily outweighed by the risks of not cycling. It's really just how you choose to perceive risk.

pblakeney

Do what you like (legally). Ignore everyone else's opinion.
Enjoy life.
Get back on the bike doing as you please.

You can also ignore this opinion. Obviously.

Kieran_Burns

Sounds more like you lack motivation and have found something (else) to blame...

airbag

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Sounds more like you lack motivation and have found something (else) to blame...

Maybe I am. But then I've done running before, I've done hiking before, I've done assault courses in the pouring rain, walked and driven to work and none of those required this much f**king "motivation". None required me to maintain an absurd belief that everything will be okay - so long as I don the magic robes. Or "just ignore" it, which is like telling a depressive to "just be happy".

It isn't okay, whatever out-of-context statistics about gardening say, it's not going to be fixed, and that belief is part of the reason why. I hope one day I'll be proven wrong, but yes, I don't expect to be. This is a sad realisation for me but at least I'm not deluded any more. I'll probably keep some of the bits and bobs but for now the bike's added to the pile of post-christmas ebaying.

bendertherobot

What are your doubts?

If you don't want to wear one, don't. Worst case, you get hit and, when you make your claim, the other party will allege contributory negligence. Your compensation may be reduced if it's a head injury you suffered, a helmet would have prevented it and you were going slower than 12 mph. As yet there is still no legal precedent for this, just some off the cuff remarks of one Judge who other lawyers think is just wrong.

Or, you can wear one and the above niggle goes away.

The helmet argument is, broadly, just words. The niggles aren't really real world at all. Just get out and ride. I tend to agree with Kieran that it's your motivation that's gone. Why not, well, just wear a helmet?

ugo.santalucia

Take the car... if you don't have one, get a car, they're great... 8)

bendertherobot

Especially little Red Alfa's. Little Red Alfa's are really cool.

bikes`n`guns

I sometimes wear a helmet.

I wear mine cause the pro`s do and they look great, so I must look great with mine on as well.

ugo.santalucia

bendertherobot wrote:

Especially little Red Alfa's. Little Red Alfa's are really cool.

I think I just bought a black Focus 1.6 Zetec... that's me, boring... however, it is somewhat exciting!

bendertherobot

ugo.santalucia wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Especially little Red Alfa's. Little Red Alfa's are really cool.

I think I just bought a black Focus 1.6 Zetec... that's me, boring... however, it is somewhat exciting!

Tidy little car that. Lovely to drive. You will need a high vis jacket for it though, just in case.

ugo.santalucia

bendertherobot wrote:

Tidy little car that. Lovely to drive. You will need a high vis jacket for it though, just in case.

I've never owned a Focus, but over the years I have rented many and always loved them... an hour of hard negotiations at the Ford dealer got me what I wanted for the money I could afford...

meanredspider

bendertherobot wrote:

Especially little Red Alfa's. Little Red Alfa's are really cool.

+1 I've had more than a couple (partly where my username comes from - that and the Muddy Waters song)

iPete

I think that if it wasn't for enjoying the cycle commute into central London far more than getting the train, I probably wouldn't cycle very much, not unless I lived near a velodrome or trail center.

I'm yet to cross this bridge but faced with having to self motivate to do all my riding of its own accord, I'd likely have similar dilemmas.

p.s. it's all about small blue french cars :twisted:

meanredspider

iPete wrote:

I've come to terms with the fact that, if it wasn't for enjoying the cycle commute into central London far more than getting the train, I probably wouldn't cycle very much, not unless I lived near a velodrome or trail center.

I was thinking that my cycling mileage had probably dropped this year because I no longer do the long commutes (I swapped 50km for 8km) but I was surprised to see that my total for the year is similar to last year and I don't record my commutes so I've actually done more cycling.

meanredspider

iPete wrote:

p.s. it's all about small blue french cars :twisted:

It's never been about small blue French cars - not since the proper era of Bugatti at least

iPete

That's good, I wish I could separate my ride types but at a guess I'd say around 90% of this years 8k is commuting.

ugo.santalucia

French cars have terrible gearboxes...

rick_chasey

Focus on putting on your Lycra and keeping your bike in order.

Once it's on you'll feel obliged to ride. It's never as bad as it feels before you start and you never regret a ride.


The trick is getting out. Once you're out you're golden.

tangled_metal

I have motivation issues at times. Mornings where I look out to another wet ride in and think car. There are two big motivators for me, one my partner has the car and I've missed the last bus and last train that would get more into work on time. The second motivator is that once dried, changed and warmed up with a brew in the office I start to appreciate the ride in. Now I don't push myself, I'm not fast, I no longer try to get faster times and I don't use Strava. I do however feel great after my ride in. I'm often to be found grinning from ear to ear on commute by bike days. It is only the getting out on my bike that is the uphill or difficult bit for me.

Back in the day when single I tried to start commuting in by bike. I had the car to fall back on so motivation was a big problem. I started in early summer, about May when it was great weather. Less than 2 months later we had almost 2 or 3 straight weeks of rain. I stopped riding in on those days and never got back into the saddle. I even took hill other activities so my bike got used maybe twice in 2 years.

My advice is to keep trying if you can, or take a break until better weather the try again. If you can't motivate then doing other things is no big deal. Running is great, if your knees can take it off course, so do that. Main thing is your exercising. The benefits attributed to cycling in an earlier post also applies to running. Perhaps try doing challenge walks too. Look up long distance walkers association. You said you did hiking so perhaps challenge walks might interest you. Just got don't blame me if you do get into it and find yourself halfway into a 100 miler! Try doing ultras. They're long distance running races. Fell running too. Try that mountain bike version of orienteering for a different bike activity that might give you motivation.

rjsterry

I think it helps to think of a cycling helmet as more something to save you from relatively minor but still pretty uncomfortable bumps and scrapes, in a similar way to a decent pair of gloves protecting your hands, rather than something in the same category as a motorcycle helmet or a hard hat on a building site. Don't invest it with too much significance.

As for running, you should see what that did to Greg66

rick_chasey

meanredspider wrote:

iPete wrote:

I've come to terms with the fact that, if it wasn't for enjoying the cycle commute into central London far more than getting the train, I probably wouldn't cycle very much, not unless I lived near a velodrome or trail center.

I was thinking that my cycling mileage had probably dropped this year because I no longer do the long commutes (I swapped 50km for 8km) but I was surprised to see that my total for the year is similar to last year and I don't record my commutes so I've actually done more cycling.

Show off.

meanredspider

Rick Chasey wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

iPete wrote:

I've come to terms with the fact that, if it wasn't for enjoying the cycle commute into central London far more than getting the train, I probably wouldn't cycle very much, not unless I lived near a velodrome or trail center.

I was thinking that my cycling mileage had probably dropped this year because I no longer do the long commutes (I swapped 50km for 8km) but I was surprised to see that my total for the year is similar to last year and I don't record my commutes so I've actually done more cycling.

Show off.

Ha - I just wanted to show that there is life after long-distance commuting

rick_chasey

What, living in (what Rick thinks is) utopia is also great for enjoying the bike away from the commute?

My heart is bleeding. Honest

meanredspider

Rick Chasey wrote:

What, living in (what Rick thinks is) utopia is also great for enjoying the bike away from the commute?

My heart is bleeding. Honest

PMSL. I was a little worried that the change of job and commute would mess up my cycling but it's probably given it a new lease of life. I'm certainly enjoying Scotland a lot more because I don't have to cycle and I can explore new routes.

redbikejohn

I used a mtb for year and never wore a helmet and laughed at the as they looked for crap but getting into road cycling for a personal challenge ie commute 25 miles each way to work - I decided to wear a helmet as on the hills I was getting up to 40 mph! Didn't fancy falling off at that speed without one. Now that I've had it on for several months it doesn't feel right without one on.
My problem with motivation is the rain - just hate riding in the rain. Problem is I've lose most of the fat I needed to lose so motivation has dropped and I have a motorcycle to fall back on for commute into London.

meanredspider

What is it you dislike about rain? I've always found the prospect of riding in the rain far worse than the reality. Having the right clothes (for me, those that keep you warm rather than dry) makes an enormous difference too.

redbikejohn

Rain takes the enjoyment out of it for me. Glasses misting, wet and cold all over.
Just got some winter shoes so now I'll have warm feet - hopefully.
I sweat a lot so resist wearing waterproofs. Top is OK I suppose (nothing fancy like gortex just a cheapy lightweight top) . Bottoms I find too restrictive. But in the end its just the enjoyment factor - to me cycling in rain = not enjoying myself ........

meanredspider

That makes sense. Dont bother trying to stay dry - just warm. A windproof jacket with a good baselayer - merino works well - will keep you warm. Then some Roubaix tights and some overshoes (again for insulation and wind protection rather than dryness). Some lobster gloves over the top of your regular ones.

Specs is a harder problem. I used some diving goggle visor treatment off the net which works well -£5 and the little pot is going strong a couple of years later. A cycling cap helps keep the rain off the front

iPete

meanredspider wrote:

iPete wrote:

p.s. it's all about small blue french cars :twisted:

It's never been about small blue French cars - not since the proper era of Bugatti at least

I can all but bow to your car knowledge, I do however need to get my baby blue toy rocket Clio 182 onto a track to drive in anger.

ugo.santalucia wrote:

French cars have terrible gearboxes...

But it gives my left leg a solid workout every time I change gear!