Approaching cycling with the wrong mentality

[LeetleGreyCells]

I cycle because I enjoy it. Whether pootling along with the kids or proving to myself I can cycle just that little bit further. Today was I’m aching after yesterday’s ride. So I’ll take it easy this week. Simples.

 

[Johnno260]

cycling is my "me" time also I wanted to keep fit and healthy so it's a plus there, I did go from a hybrid to a drop bar but I had the cash after saving for close to a year and I didn't go crazy I got last years colours as the new model of the bike I wanted was literally just a paint finish difference.

Strava I use, many of my mates have it and get super competitive but I don't look at others times I just care about self improvement, also after an off the wife likes it for the Beacon feature.

 

[rugby bloke]

Hi.
It was not so long ago that I took up cycling again after many years away from it.
Initially I started because my change in personal circumstances had left me feeling somewhat depressed and having way to much free time on my hands with the departure of my wife. To begin with ,everything was bought on the cheap. A £70 road bike and the cheapest gear I could lay my hands on. 10 mile bike rides felt like epic journeys and would come back home feeling completely knackered after it.
Ever night after work I would get out and cycle, and I was amazed by how the simplicity of a bike was starting to transform my downbeat mood. The weight started to drop off and I started to feel good about the way I looked again. In 3 years I've manage to lose 3 stone in weight..
As the month's flew by ,my rides slowly increased in mileage terms. From doing 10s they slowly went up to regular 20s and then 30 miles a night. Last year I tackled and managed to complete a land mark 100 mile ride. It was really hard going and felt knackered for a few days after, but it was well worth it , just for the feel good factor and the experience of seeing so much of our great land.
This year has been even more intense in cycling terms. I've done countless 70 mile rides in the saddle and feel really good physically after them.
All this cycling is obviously a positive way to go ,but it's not been of plain sailing. As my hunger for cycling has grown, so has my ambitions to want to go faster and invest in more expensive equipment. Strava is the devils work for me unfortunately. I started using it just to see how well I'm getting on against my self ,but I found myself, self obsessing on and trying to compete against others who where well out of my league. As much as I tried to adopt an attitude to not do this, I would always ultimately end up racing around and putting myself in the red on each ride.
Rides were now not much fun ,and was really feeling the after affects the following days. Another obsessive desire was to wanting that better/lighter bike and the expensive accessories that go with them. There's me on my cheap steel framed 80s Peugeot with a cheap computer and cycle clothing whilst virtually everybody else I know rides expensive machines equipped with pricey garmin computers and the latest clothing.
Within three years of taking up cycling ,I have felt my approach to my cycling mentality really did need a reality check. The last few months I've reigned in all this nonsense of thinking I'm going to be the next Chris Froome, and have ditched the addictive strava and stopped the yearning for that expensive carbon fibre bike I could ill afford.I've come to the conclusion ,the only thing I need to continue to enjoy cycling is my health and to keep things as simple as possible. It often makes me wonder if others may of gone through this silly phase just like I have ,on over thinking to much on bike tech/ personal stats such as strava, and aspirations to buy the best bike they could afford a,nd then lose the whole reason as why they took up cycling in the first place..
Hopefully this phase in cycling has now moved on, and i can just simply get on with what I wanted out of cycling in the first place ,which is untimely to enjoy, un wind and stay fit :-) :-)
All the best.

Excellent post. I think many of us can identify with this journey. I started road riding 4 years ago after getting a charity place for RideLondon. The initial improvement gives you a real rush - each ride is quicker and further, you acquire more kit and a better bike. Over the years I have found I have been obsessing over the numbers and not enjoying the riding, it has felt like riding for the sake of it, just to get miles done. This year I have relaxed, just ridden as far as I felt. I also now I have reached a plateau - I am not going to get any quicker, I know my natural speed - between 15 and 16 mph. I can push myself if I need to - my Spain trip was 5 days in the Hurt Locker, but most of the time i just ride for the fun if it. On Saturday morning I did a test ride of a 100 km route foe a cycling event I am helping to organise. A gentle pootle, a nice coffee and cake stop, got home with a smile before the heat got too bad. That's what cycling is for me.
Keep those wheels turning and keep smiling !

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I am a hybridisation of almost all the above.

Activism, environmental, financial, convenience, quality time with my kids, touring, discovery, love of the machine, social aspect, friendships and health.

I am no cyclist by any means either but I love tracking my stats and I love building on my distance and performance. I like the pain I experience. I like watching my fitness, form, stamina and bike handling improve.

I love cycling and I love bikes.

 

[bluenotebob]

Spot on @rugby bloke - recognising when you've plateau'd seems to be the key. Pushing beyond that point appears (in my case, at least) to have led to a succession of physical problems, mental suffering and emotional wear and tear. I'm not scrapping my weekly, monthly & annual targets - but I'm now paying much less attention to them.

I think the difficulty lies in realising when you've hit the plateau. Another thread ...?? "how do you know when..?"

Someone on here said "smiles before miles" and that is a simple and elegant way of expressing a healthy approach to cycling. Not for all maybe but it'll do for me

 

[confusedcyclist]

Cutting the fancy tech from my riding was the best thing I did to improve my own cycling experience, I push myself every now and then, and get a bit competitive when riding with friends, but I ride very much for utility now, not exercise for the sake of it, it made sense 4 years ago when I first started out, but now the fitness is there, all my riding is point to point, not pointless loops! Don't get me wrong, I get plenty of cardio on the local hills, but I don't care much for carbon race bikes or garmins. There's a lot to be said for practical and dependable steel frames. If I had the money to burn, my next bike would be a cargo bike/trike not a super light racer.

As a result of lugging around heavy steel bikes everyday, put me on a carbon racer, and I'll out sprint my carbon reliant mates any day.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I started again for health and touring, continued due to a need of transportation and financial crisis, then returned to doing cycling for health and fun. I never lose the urge to get out there and cycle, but it's the only exercise I can do well, and I've been into cycling and formerly running since I was a little 'un, encouraged by parents and extended family. My cousins always had the nicest cycling equipment (and still do, in their 60's-70's) so I learned right off what a difference the proper bike, and more importantly fit, can make. That has helped out a good deal, and saved me some rawhide in the early stages of my return to cycling in my mid 40's.

 

[mustang1]

I suppose if you do cycling mainly as a sport, to keep fit, the statement above makes sense.
I cycle mainly for transport: once I was told "ah, you need to challenge yourself on the bike sometimes ..."
Eh?! I aim to get places on the flattest, safest route possible, with enough breath left to enjoy whatever I'm gonna be doing once I get there

Manager: why didn't you come to work today?
Me: I was in jail.
Manager: whatever for!?
Me: I was driving like a lunatic.
Manager: well you deserve it then.
Me: you told my guys we have to get out of our comfort zones.
Manager: you misunderstood me. I was talking about work.
Me: oh yeah, and I pulled the plug on your web server. That should get you outta your comfort zone. Look, I see the IT director coming over...
Manager: oh &-&+&&_....

 

[Blue Hills]

bot my basic model Garmin about 4 years ago, for my first CC forum ride, I wanted it in case I got dropped and lost:

You don't want to be riding with any jerks that would drop you without ensuring that you knew your way to a station.

Edit _ surprised that the prude robot accepted by first typing of jerk alternative. Will save the knowledge.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

You don't want to be riding with any jerks that would drop you without ensuring that you knew your way to a station.

Edit _ surprised that the prude robot accepted by first typing of jerk alternative. Will save the knowledge.

I didn't know then that the CC Ecosse posse are ace, no way they would have left me.
I still won't go out on a new route without it being in my Garmin if I don't know the group though: this has served me well on occasion, I'm sticking by it.

 

[johnnyb47]

Thanks for all the posts on this subject. It's been really interesting reading them all ,and of the great diversity. Tonight's ride was really enjoyable. The weather was somewhat a little cooler but still nice and dry with wall to wall sunshine. Over the thirty odd miles, I did take note of all the different kinds of cyclists out on the road. Families taking there kids out ,to a group of roadies flying past me ,and a scattering of touring cyclists with fully laden planners. It dawned on me that cycling means so many different things to different walks of life. Whether your a Strava hunting kom monster ,or a long distance sight seeing tourer, it was great to see so many people out there doing what they want out of cycling.
It's all about finding what's right for you ,and gives you the most pleasure to keep you going back out for that next ride out.
Finding "what floats your boat"is often easier said than done, and can take quite a while before you find what your looking for with it all..
For me ,I think my mistake was that I starting turning my cycling into a science instead of enjoying the world around me.Average speeds, how many calories I was burning, and miles per month were over shadowing what I really wanted out of cycling ,which is freedom and escapism from the daily grind of work and life in general.
I hope this all makes some sort of sense ,and that it may be of use to any newbies thinking of taking up cycling.
All the very best,
Johnny.

 

[nickAKA]

After starting riding 'properly' following 4/5 years of playing at it I *think* I've achieved what I set out to do - I'm much fitter, I lost a pile of weight and I've found something sporting I'm OK at and can do at my age... I've spent loads of money unnecessarily, I know that, but I've been buying into the whole culture of cycling and enjoying the ride (scuse the awful pun).
I like the social aspect of strava, I love to see what my mates are up to, how they're progressing, where they've been etc. I ride out with a couple of different groups of mates and enjoy the banter & camaraderie, and without the cycling I probably wouldn't maintain those relationships which would be a shame.
I did the Manchester - Blackpool ride (and back) at weekend with said mates as my first century ride, but what I realised as I was tapering in the week before was that cruising along at 16mph is actually enjoyable. OK, you're not doing much to improve your FTP, but it's just nice to amble along, smell the flowers and not give a toss about that kinda stuff. Couldn't resist hitting a couple of local segments that I'm normally too knackered to go at when i'm nearly home, but that's OK... so I'm with you, brother...

(ADDENDUM) We raised a couple of grand for charity on the Blackpool ride too so everyone's a winner.

 

[johnnyb47]

After starting riding 'properly' following 4/5 years of playing at it I *think* I've achieved what I set out to do - I'm much fitter, I lost a pile of weight and I've found something sporting I'm OK at and can do at my age... I've spent loads of money unnecessarily, I know that, but I've been buying into the whole culture of cycling and enjoying the ride (scuse the awful pun).
I like the social aspect of strava, I love to see what my mates are up to, how they're progressing, where they've been etc. I ride out with a couple of different groups of mates and enjoy the banter & camaraderie, and without the cycling I probably wouldn't maintain those relationships which would be a shame.
I did the Manchester - Blackpool ride (and back) at weekend with said mates as my first century ride, but what I realised as I was tapering in the week before was that cruising along at 16mph is actually enjoyable. OK, you're not doing much to improve your FTP, but it's just nice to amble along, smell the flowers and not give a toss about that kinda stuff. Couldn't resist hitting a couple of local segments that I'm normally too knackered to go at when i'm nearly home, but that's OK... so I'm with you, brother...

(ADDENDUM) We raised a couple of grand for charity on the Blackpool ride too so everyone's a winner.

Well done @nickAKA. That was a great post and well pleased for you buddy :-)

 

[OneArmedBandit]

Got to say I'm not a fan of thinking you need a cycling mentality. To encourage more people into cycling there needs to be the infrastructure to make cycling the sensible option.

My wife doesn't have a "driving mentality" but she drives everywhere because the cycling infrastructure is rubbish and there is free parking everywhere. She stopped cycling to work because they treat cyclists like inconvenient pariahs but have a huge car park.

Especially in this lovely weather cycling is a more pleasant way to travel than a hot sticky car. But still I choose to cycle because I really like cycling, and don't care for driving. If I was nonplussed about either there is nothing to not make cycling a clearly unloved second class option.

That's not to have a go at the OP, it's great if people get sucked in. But I've realised it is slightly pointless trying to convince colleagues to cycle at the moment when it remains objectively a less pleasant way to travel.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Cycling infrastructure improves with advocacy.