How do you motivate yourself to cycle again?

rumbataz

I've pretty much wasted the summer months and only cycled twice in three months. I just haven't felt like it, and the miserable weather hasn't helped either.

I did manage a bike ride last weekend which I enjoyed, but was hard work so I took it easy.

So, how do you motivate yourself to get back in the saddle?

meanredspider

New/different bike - make it interesting again.

rick_chasey

Think about it less and just do it.

Sometimes putting your kit on as soon as you get out of bed helps.

Arranging rides with other people, so if you're a no show you let them down.

Plan a route with bail out options to make it not seem so bad.

It's never so bad once you're on the bike.

Also, re-asses your objectives.

Maybe just going out and enjoying moving through the world under your own steam is enough. Don't worry about speed etc if that gets you down.

Matthewfalle

Do what I did this morning - head out, realize how much fitness you've lost because you've been injured/doing something else/can't be fagged then decide to get finger out and just do it.

sloppyschleckonds

rumbataz wrote:

I've pretty much wasted the summer months

You sound perfectly motivated to me

fat daddy

I don't motivate myself to ride ..... I WANT to ride ... if I didn't want to, then I wouldn't, I would go find something I enjoyed.

hopkinb

Commute on your bike if that's a practical option? Best parts of my day. At this time of year, you could extend the ride home pretty easily to up your distance.

cgfw201

Set a goal. Doesn't matter what it is.

And just ride. If you don't want to, don't.

rumbataz

I work from home at the moment and get frustrated that I'm not out and about. Then when the working day is over (usually around 4.30pm as I start work at 7.30am) I just feel exhausted!

I've just started doing long evening walks again and that may help me to get cycling again. I've spent hours upon hours tweaking and cleaning my bikes over the summer, but I just haven't actually used them.

I ride only for leisure and get a real buzz from cycling. It's just the hurdle of getting changed, donning my helmet and getting on the bike that I'm finding a struggle at the moment. Once I'm pedalling, I love it!

apreading

Just remember - you might work from home but you can still commute and your commute can be as long as you like!

One thing that made a difference to me a few years ago was realising that my 5 mile commute was just a MINIMUM - my commute could actually be whatever distance I chose.

Dont expect walks to help you get cycling - its cycling that will do it. Sometimes I dont feel the drive but force myself out and sometimes I cant get into it for the first 10-15 miles but then suddenly I realise I started to enjoy it along the way. Stop overthinking it and just get out there - no excuses.

dinyull

fat daddy wrote:

I don't motivate myself to ride ..... I WANT to ride ... if I didn't want to, then I wouldn't, I would go find something I enjoyed.

Yeah, funny that isn't it.

Life's too short to do something you pretend to like.

cgfw201

rumbataz wrote:

I work from home at the moment and get frustrated that I'm not out and about. Then when the working day is over (usually around 4.30pm as I start work at 7.30am) I just feel exhausted!

I've just started doing long evening walks again and that may help me to get cycling again. I've spent hours upon hours tweaking and cleaning my bikes over the summer, but I just haven't actually used them.

I ride only for leisure and get a real buzz from cycling. It's just the hurdle of getting changed, donning my helmet and getting on the bike that I'm finding a struggle at the moment. Once I'm pedalling, I love it!

15 hours a day where you're not working, no shortage of time for a lot of riding if you want to.

StillGoing

Surely you want to do it or you don't? If you don't, why bother doing it? Find something else to do rather than do something that doesn't grab your enthusiasm. The more you force yourself to do something that you don't enjoy, the more you'll detest it. What's your motive for cycling; do you want to compete, get fit, participate in an event or just recreation? Gear your riding around what your goal is rather than endless plodding miles doing the same route with no imagination. Vary what you do too. Get some rollers and enjoy riding them. Do some turbo work, forest trails, ride with the kids (if you have them), do some 10mile TTs etc etc. If its just because its what everyone else around you is doing, I wouldn't consider that a valid reason for cycling.

fat daddy

rumbataz wrote:

I've just started doing long evening walks again

:? why didn't you take your bike .... you don't "need" to get dressed up for it, bikes still work without bibshorts, the correct length socks and pockets full of gel.

put helmet and soes on, get on bike and go for a spin .. bunny hop some drain covers

keef66

If you're exhausted after your work day, could you ride before 7:30 or fit in a lunchtime spin?

Sometimes in spite of the weather being good and having the time to ride, I just don't feel like it. So I don't. I too will often rather faff unnecessarily with the bikes rather than ride them.

I also find I'm sometimes bored with riding the same routes. I can ask the Garmin to suggest some round trip routes, which is often interesting / challenging because of it's idiosyncrasies. Or I'll look at the weather forecast and plot a ride out directly into the wind so that determines where I go, and I get a wind assisted return leg.
Other times I'll decide on a specific destination; a pub, a cafe or a bike shop, or I'll find others' routes or those of sportives etc and try those.
Some days I'll just kit up and head out, not knowing where I'll go or how long I'll be. Usually once I warm up and start to feel good, I'll end up going further than I initially thought I might.

But if you're not enjoying it to the point where you're really struggling for motivation to get on the thing, don't bother. Just don't beat yourself up about it. Do something else instead.

rumbataz

I think the same old route might be part of the issue - I've only really done one route since I started cycling again a few years ago. Perhaps I need to just go onto some random roads and explore my neighbourhood? We still have at least two good months of summer left so all is not lost to enjoy the rides.

keef66

In which case I can thoroughly recommend the Garmin Touring. I've discovered some delightful roads I've never cycled before, despite being less than 20 miles from home. And I've done some unintended cyclocross...

Marvinman

It'll come back. I've spent the last 6-9 months in the wilderness and am now starting to feel the hunger again. As others have said:

- Set a goal. I find its always useful to have something to ride for. It does not have to be grand but just something to target;
- Find new routes. Sometimes the head thinks about the same old route and talks you out of riding because you know the hard parts. New routes give new experiences;
- Alter your riding to find something fun. I've swapped the road bike for a gravel bike which gives me best of both road and singletrack/trails etc... Its been a revelation and I am now thinking of cyclocross in the autumn as something new.

58585

2 obvious ways which don't have to be much work:
Join a club - having a fixed time to meet up and knowing you will be riding with others makes you get out on the bike. You might even enjoy it

Sign up for a race (or a sportive) and tell your friends/family - give yourself a goal to train for and a bit of pressure

DeVlaeminck

fat daddy wrote:

I don't motivate myself to ride ..... I WANT to ride ... if I didn't want to, then I wouldn't, I would go find something I enjoyed.

Sometimes you can enjoy doing something but not feel like doing it.

I can empathise with the OP - after 15 years of doing 5-7k miles a year until this Summer the last 12 months I'd done less than a couple of hundred. A short break turned into months and I started wondering if I was now an ex cyclist. I forced myself out and I've enjoyed it, only been riding on my own mostly 25-30 miles with a few longer (although mixed terrain so averaging 14mph) but I am starting to get my mojo back a bit, to the extent having been ill the last few days I'm annoyed I can't get out.

What worked for me is taking a heavy gravel bike out - it's so slow there is no pressure to be fast, I can roll along paths as well as roads and explore places. A month in and I have put a few efforts in - the legs are starting to feel better and I've lost a few pounds.

lettingthedaysgoby

I think about how much money I've spent on cycling kit and how much the wife would kill me if she found out.

Ben6899

rumbataz wrote:

I think the same old route might be part of the issue - I've only really done one route since I started cycling again a few years ago. Perhaps I need to just go onto some random roads and explore my neighbourhood? We still have at least two good months of summer left so all is not lost to enjoy the rides.

Turn left instead of right at that first junction... get lost a bit.

de_sisti

Over the past two years playing a musical instrument and joining a local orchestra has meant
my focus has been on my artistic endeavour and not riding my bike. At this point in the calendar
year I have only just passed the 800 mile mark (whereas in the past 3,000 would have been in my
legs by now). Not having a big cycle event this year to look forward to this year has also contributed
to the demise of my cycling.

I have now decided that I will enter the week-long 2018 Semaine Federale cycle festival in August
that year; and as a prelude to that, take part in the Nove Colli in Cesenatico, Italy in May. My training
(well, not training really; just riding my bike a lot more) started on two days ago.

cgfw201

The VeloViewer Explorer score (google it) is a great way of motivating you to get out and ride new roads.

rumbataz

DeVlaeminck wrote:

What worked for me is taking a heavy gravel bike out - it's so slow there is no pressure to be fast, I can roll along paths as well as roads and explore places. A month in and I have put a few efforts in - the legs are starting to feel better and I've lost a few pounds.

This, I think will work for me. I love my long walks and just seeing the world go by. Both of my bikes are 'effort' bikes in that you are hunched over to a greater or lesser extent and are focused on power delivery. I enjoyed this a while back but would like to sit up and just enjoy the world go by. I'm ordering a cruiser bike right now!

In terms of kit I've got tons of stuff including a Garmin Edge 1000, heart-rate monitor straps, speed sensors, cadence sensors, etc, etc, etc. Right now I just want to waft along without a care in the world.

6wheels

rumbataz wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

What worked for me is taking a heavy gravel bike out - it's so slow there is no pressure to be fast, I can roll along paths as well as roads and explore places. A month in and I have put a few efforts in - the legs are starting to feel better and I've lost a few pounds.

This, I think will work for me. I love my long walks and just seeing the world go by. Both of my bikes are 'effort' bikes in that you are hunched over to a greater or lesser extent and are focused on power delivery. I enjoyed this a while back but would like to sit up and just enjoy the world go by. I'm ordering a cruiser bike right now!

In terms of kit I've got tons of stuff including a Garmin Edge 1000, heart-rate monitor straps, speed sensors, cadence sensors, etc, etc, etc. Right now I just want to waft along without a care in the world.

If you just want to waft along , why don't you buy a cheap E-bike, that's what I'm going to do.

cld531c

Wafting along sounds perfect.
I got my cycling mojo back by getting my old bike changed to fixed gear.
Something new and different is ususally all it takes....enjoy!

ugo.santalucia

Maybe you don't actually like cycling... maybe you just like the idea of cycling and fettling with bikes... maybe you should keep a blog with porn-like photos of bicycle parts instead of cycling.

You don't have to cycle and if you can't motivate yourself to do it... then don't cycle, simple... :-)

Midlands Grimpeur

Ask yourself why you ride, I know you say you love it when you are out on a bike but what in particular? As has been alluded to, making a commitment to anything requires a dedication to it or love for it. If that's missing you are always going to be searching around for motivation and any enthusiasm you find, new bike, new route etc. will quickly wane if you don't have something that gives you real commitment underpinning it.

cld531c

I would guess the OP has been putting too much pressure on him/herself which has made it more of a chore than a hobby. I tend to do that with things I enjoy, go into them gung-ho, set myself ever-increasing targets (for cycling say increase average speed, weekly/monthly miles etc etc) then get fed up if i don't feel like 'performing'. I would get out there, ditch the computer, go somewhere new, stop to appreciate a nice view and try and remember what you enjoy about cycling (increased fitness, freedom , me-time). If the enjoyment is still not there, sack it off. No harm in not liking something (but I suspect you do).

rick_chasey

Ah look, go easy on the guy.

Cycling is slightly annoying in that it's most enjoyable when you're fit, and so there's a constant slog against becoming unfit in order to be able to enjoy the rides when you do fancy it.

I get it, it happens.

Just keep plugging away at it, don't feel you're railroaded; there's a temptation that I suffer from a lot, which is to get into a rut and do the same route or smash it all the time or whatever.

Best advice I know of it just to keep at it, since it's always better once you're on a bike, don't do anything you don't want to do, and don't put too much pressure on yourself to do anything.

If in doubt, go for the ride. You can always turn around and go home if it's really sh!t.