Happy Days

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sidevalve

Über Member
Looking through the posts and it seems cyclists are a miserable lot constantly in mortal danger on unreliable untrustworthy machines that need the equipment of a bike shop and the skills of at least two mechanics to keep moving at all. Same if you check out U Tube, death and disaster in all directions.It aint true and we all know it. For every ride where the weathers crap, you get two punctures and the chain snaps there are dozens where all is fine. For every commute where someone cuts you up how many times do you get to work feeling, well pretty chuffed really, or ride home and do a few extra miles just for the fun of it ?
At least one newcomer has already commented on haw scary some of this can seem, are we in danger of focusing too much on the bad bits. Are we falling into the trap of the newspapers [not in the sheer lies obviously] just by concentrating on the bad ?
Of course bike problems, crap driving, s--t weather etc needs to be discussed. All I'm suggesting is a thread covering "good" rides, planned or not, long or short,days that began lousy but turned out brilliant.
Most of us cycle because we like it and it's fun [mostly]. How about some more happy stories ?
 

gary in derby

Well-Known Member
Location
Derby
Looking through the posts and it seems cyclists are a miserable lot constantly in mortal danger on unreliable untrustworthy machines that need the equipment of a bike shop and the skills of at least two mechanics to keep moving at all. Same if you check out U Tube, death and disaster in all directions.It aint true and we all know it. For every ride where the weathers crap, you get two punctures and the chain snaps there are dozens where all is fine. For every commute where someone cuts you up how many times do you get to work feeling, well pretty chuffed really, or ride home and do a few extra miles just for the fun of it ?
At least one newcomer has already commented on haw scary some of this can seem, are we in danger of focusing too much on the bad bits. Are we falling into the trap of the newspapers [not in the sheer lies obviously] just by concentrating on the bad ?
Of course bike problems, crap driving, s--t weather etc needs to be discussed. All I'm suggesting is a thread covering "good" rides, planned or not, long or short,days that began lousy but turned out brilliant.
Most of us cycle because we like it and it's fun [mostly]. How about some more happy stories ?
Hooray, at last someone with a sunny side. just back from two weeks in the sun, oh yes its still up there. 42c in the shade. got totally dumped on saturday on my first ride after getting home but didnt care was quite refreshing, i was just glad to be out in the fresh air doing something i enjoy.
 

Friz

The more you ride, the less your ass will hurt.
Location
Ireland
They say a problem shared is a problem halved. Balls to that. Problem sharing just makes everyone miserable.

Went out yesterday for 4 and a half hours yesterday. Weather was great. Got a puncture. T'was a brilliant spin.
My commute this morning consisted of monsoons and fresh slurry. T'was a brilliant spin.

I love riding my bike
 

IanT

http://www.sprocketwaffle.co.uk
For every commute where someone cuts you up how many times do you get to work feeling, well pretty chuffed really, or ride home and do a few extra miles just for the fun of it ?

Completely agree with that. Even through the awful weather we've been having and a summer of punctures, the good has always outweighed the bad for me. It's like anything, I guess; your glass can be half full or half empty. I'm with the half full crowd myself. Even if I get a puncture, I just look at it as an enforced break, a chance to build up the thumb muscles and justification for buying the Co2 inflator!!!

Don't know about you but if I've been out in real rule #9 conditions (which we've had a lot of lately) I actually get a greater sense of acheivement. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy sunny days and traffic free roads - but it does mean you enjoy that combination more when it actually does happen.

As someone once said, things remain precious as long as they're rare.
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
I was expecting a thread on this?

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D

Deleted member 1258

Guest
99% of my commuting is totally uneventful. My Sunday rides are enjoyable mornings out on the bike, and, yes you guessed it, mostly uneventful.
 

redcard

Veteran
Location
Paisley
sidevalve, it appears you have elected to focus on a very small number of posts from a very small number of people, in an atttempt to make some sort of point.

Are you the guy in the street that tells complete strangers "cheer up mate, it'll never happen" in an attempt to somehow.involve yourself in someone else's business?

You little ray of sunshine!
 

HovR

Über Member
Location
Plymouth
I think I see the problem here.. Every "negative" post gets its own thread, making the number of negative events seem much larger than it really is.

Every "positive" post about someone enjoying their ride goes in the "Your ride today" thread, giving the appearance that we have loads of negative threads, and very few positive ones.

My solution? What if "Riders Tales" had a "Ride Report" sub forum? This subforum wouldn't require the long creative works that "Riders Tales" does, but would give users a place to post a few pictures from their ride and a short description of (hopefully!) how well it went.

Opinions? :smile:
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
I can only assume that sidevalve cycles in a land devoid of vehicles. Being put in mortal danger countless times a day is not fun. As regards the other stuff, I rarely get punctures, never had a chain snap, but broke a spoke last month but still got home and commuted for a few days on the wheel. If the weather is really awful I drive, there is no point suffering for the sake of it. Each to their own.
 

Dan B

Disengaged member
Good news is no news. Don't make it more complicated than that, that is the entirety of the explanation you need for the phenomenon described
 

Accy cyclist

Legendary Member
Here's a kind of happy/positive story. Well not a story but a fact. I've had 4 punctures this er hum! summer?. I'd gleefully like to express that 3 of them have been delayed punctures where i've been safely sat at home in front of the fire(summer ppff!)then i've heard that 3 second loud gush of air indicating another puncture, but hey who cares, i'm not 20 miles from home!:sun:The other puncture by the way was outside...but only 15 yards from home, as i was about to set off.:wahhey:The puncture gods(bless 'em) are looking over me and have decided that i have suffered enough over the years!:angel:
 

Dave 123

Legendary Member
After watching the TDF last evening, where a nice British chap is spanking the dirty foreigners I went out on my very expensive, 2 month old bike with new fangled electronic gizmos. I only went for a quick, local 8 mile loop, but it was all most enjoyable. Quiet roads, flowers, a bit of sunshine and a slight breeze. I came home, cleaned my bike and then had a nice hot shower.

Perfectly dull, and perfectly nice!:hello:
 

Melonfish

Evil Genius in training.
Location
Warrington, UK
Sunday, Monday - Happy days!
Tuesday, Wednesday - Happy days!
Thursday, friday - Crippling depression...


Na the point is we're all using the forum as a vent, its natural like a mothers meeting you all start bitching about issues and problems but don't overly talk about how amazing things are.
we're british, we moan. nuff said.
also like dave123 said, happy rides are dull, we want action, intrigue and shock!
Pete
 
OP
OP
sidevalve

sidevalve

Über Member
In answer to Redcard no I do not focus on a small no of posts. Try reading the commuting topic look up a few U tube vids, picture yourself as a new cyclist who's thinking of riding to work and it aint a pretty picture.
As to Crankarm, there are plenty of vehicles where I ride but I do not feel in mortal peril on every moment of every ride and I'm pleased that you don't suffer many punctures, but that's not really my point.
HovR hits it really, and to some extent so does Dan B, bad news does fill "column inches" as do problems and mechanical failures. I'm a member of several classic m/cycle forums too and they also have the same difficulty. I know cycling is fun and so do [most] of you [as proved by most of the posts above] we just need to try and reflect that a bit.
PS , if saying "cheer up mate" is a crime then yes I'm guilty, I don't give a damn about your business but wearing a black cloud won't improve it. Ignoring [or avoiding] other people misery has led to some of the saddest moments in history [and lost me a friend - suicide]. Have a nice day.
 

Sandra6

Veteran
Location
Cumbria
We're a nation of whingers though aren't we?!
If you have a good ride, which will probably be an uneventful one, you don't feel the need to tell anyone. If something bad happens then you want the world to know.
Or is that just me?
I've been cycling for a year now and I've never had a puncture or a snapped chain. Yay me!
 
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