How do you motivate to get out and ride?

[reohn2]

ukdodger
I just love the roadsters

[james01]

I too can suffer with the lack of motivation for "going out for a ride" without a specific aim.
What works for me is to get the bike into my life as a means to an end :
1. All routine food shopping (for family of 4) is done by me on the bike.
2. A favourite Indian takeaway is a 12 mile round trip. My (non-cycling) family encourage me to treat them a couple of times per month, I "reluctantly" oblige them (I use an insulated box on the carrier, works well).
2. I socialise at pubs which are up to a 20 mile round trip, perfect for an evening ride. I either meet friends, or take something to read while I enjoy a beer alone.
3. I combine cycling with other interests, eg museum visits, swimming, country walks, a library in a different town, visiting alternative shops etc.
4. Most important, I NEVER drive if I can possibly avoid it, it's amazing how much you can achieve with the bike, and you find you're clocking up the miles without even trying.

[ukdodger]

I too can suffer with the lack of motivation for "going out for a ride" without a specific aim.
What works for me is to get the bike into my life as a means to an end :
1. All routine food shopping (for family of 4) is done by me on the bike.
2. A favourite Indian takeaway is a 12 mile round trip. My (non-cycling) family encourage me to treat them a couple of times per month, I "reluctantly" oblige them (I use an insulated box on the carrier, works well).
2. I socialise at pubs which are up to a 20 mile round trip, perfect for an evening ride. I either meet friends, or take something to read while I enjoy a beer alone.
3. I combine cycling with other interests, eg museum visits, swimming, country walks, a library in a different town, visiting alternative shops etc.
4. Most important, I NEVER drive if I can possibly avoid it, it's amazing how much you can achieve with the bike, and you find you're clocking up the miles without even trying.

I applaud you James. If everyone did that think how much pollution it would clear up. My car hasnt been out of the garage for months. Last year I put less than 500m on it. I NEVER use it if I can cycle and you'd be amazed at what I've carried on my bike. Like 9' lengths of copper tube for instance (not to be advised actually as it's probably illegal). Nothing annoys me more than someone saying 'I have to shop for a family how can I get it all on a bike' before jumping into their 4x4. Well easy you just do more than one trip.

[ukdodger]

ukdodger
I just love the roadsters

Me too. I've got a seventies girls bike in like condition complete with handlbar basket as well. Not that I ride that one.

[gilesjuk]

It's important to invest in the best clothing you can afford. We have some pretty grim weather at times and a decent jacket, gloves etc makes it possible to do more miles in the wet and cold.

I finished building a bike in december and spend much of xmas over the woods when it was rather cold.

[Tim Holman]

I find I have an imp on each shoulder. one tells me to get out and enjoy a ride and keep fit and thin and strong; the other one says "go on have a rest, you've earned it, who wants to get wet and smelly riding that bike, have a lie down on the sofa. And so on. As I get older the lazy imp has more influence and I think it's a combination of feeling the cold and wet more keenly and longing for those warm summer rides we all have had in the past. Decent clothing helps, of course but when it comes down to it you have to listen to your demons and decide which one you are going to go with, but it can be tough!

Keep it up,

Tim

[ukdodger]

It's important to invest in the best clothing you can afford. We have some pretty grim weather at times and a decent jacket, gloves etc makes it possible to do more miles in the wet and cold.

I finished building a bike in december and spend much of xmas over the woods when it was rather cold.

Hi Giles. I'm interested in your bike build. What did you do exactly?

[vernon]

Does no one just go for a ride?
Or does a ride have to involve some kind of computerism?
The ride is the ride is the ride?
Let the route unfold itself.

The journey is the reward!

Quite true but I like to know where I'm going and I also enjoy the element of orienteering in following a route.

I can understand that in unfamiliar terrain but I think we're talking about just going out from home for a ride.
I think I can find my way (as I think most people could)within atleast a 50mile radius of where I live,its just matter of which lanes/roads to use.

It just seems as if some folks can't leave the house unless there is some sort of computer related gizmo telling them which turn to take next,perhaps its a childhood of computer related games etc, I dunno.

I do take your point reohn2 and I admit to an element of 'playing' with stuff associated with cycling. Why do I need to know how far we've cycled each weekend for instance. But we all trip our bike computers before we set off knowing full well the approximate milage anyway. But there is a serious side for me at least. Next year I'm planning the LEJOG and I want to practise working out and following a route using distance travelled along with a written 'turn right, turn left, straight on' log. Also anything that adds to the pleasure of cycling is to me worth it.

Nahhhhhhh doing LEJOG/JOGLE involves deciding which end you are starting at and setting off in the general direction of the other end

I have the luxury of being able to have a flexible time slot in the summer holidays so there was never any need to determine the end point of each and every day's ride in advance.

My navigation was determined by colouring in a 'route corridor' on pages torn out of a road atlas. Writing down detailed directions was too organised for my liking

[vernon]

I have a real problem in this respect. I love it when I'm out, it's just overcoming my initial reluctance. That, and looking for any feeble excuse (rain, wind etc...). Used to go out with a mate once or twice a week, but he stopped. Need someone to push this 54 year old. How do you do it?

Andy

I went out for the first time in a moth this weekend to do a 100km Audax. I delayed setting off in torrential rain and basically put off the inevitable - I had to to the ride to get some miles into my legs to ready myself for a hilly Audax next weekend.

I set off in the rain around 13:00 on Sunday afternoon. Six and bit hours and seventy one miles later it was all done and dusted. Now ready for next weekend's ride from Hebden Bridge to Keighley and back.

I try to have every Sunday 'booked out' for an Audax ride either a calendered event or a DIY 100km Audax ride. It worked well last year when I got in thirty Audax rides. I've only got eight rides in this year but I have been busy doing other things including celbrating a half century.

It also helps to focus the mind to put on cycling clothes when you get out of bed on the day you intend to ride.