How do you feel when cycling?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
I had to go back to click like on @Ming the Merciless' for forum etiquette :becool: because ... I don't feel any of that stuff when I'm riding my bike :laugh:
I'm not prone to introspection, as you can see lol
I ride my bike because I want or need to go places. I love riding my bike because it gives me freedom to go places.
Freedom makes me feel great!
The only time ever I had similar thoughts to Ming's was once on tour, on a particularly hard bit.
I did speak (in my mind) to some folks in my past that kept telling me I didn't amount to much, saying to them "Ha! Look what I can do, I can ride a bike to the top of hills! You would have never even let me try this!"
Apart from that occasion, I normally think about what I'm going to eat next :laugh:
I used to do a long commute, 23 miles each way, much to the amazement of many of my colleagues.
On more than a few commutes, I must have gone into some kind of "auto pilot". I would get to a certain point on the route and wouldn't have any recollection of the earlier part of the route.
Normal, I think.
I'm the same on a familiar route, typically the commute to work.
This is true in that I never cycle with any useful purpose to fulfil. I'm not trying to get somewhere for a reason. So what am I doing? I must be exercising.
Or maybe looking for adventure?
I remember cycle touring in Scotland, grinding up a hill against a howling gale and pissing rain, chanting a mantra of 'you will NOT beat me'... and laughing at the silliness of it all. I was SO alive!
Oh, yes, I had my worse on a very steep hill coming out of the ferry on Isla.
What I was thinking was "Oh sugar, I cannae see a thing in front of me for this rain, hopefully I won't get squashed!"
I don’t think there’s been a Safeways for a very long time.
Here it has morphed into Morrissons for at least 20 years.
 

Ianonabike

Regular
Freedom makes me feel great!
This! Though I've had my ups and downs, it's been mostly ups. Ultimately there's nothing like it.
 

presta

Legendary Member
I used to feel like that fellwalking at times, but not cycling.

Cycling, I never really escaped the feeling that I wasn't seeing anything I couldn't see by car, which I think is probably why my main motivation/satisfaction came from the feeling that I was getting from A to B under my own steam, that being the main difference between car and bike. It's also the reason why an EAPC would have been completely self-defeating.
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
I forgot to say, apart from the feeling of freedom on my bike, there's the feeling of being proud.
Proud on cycling home with a large chicken in my panniers, or a big plant reduced to half price, or transporting my home baked Christmas log on a box attached on top of my bike rack.
Tomorrow I'm riding to work at just before 7am with 8 home baked muffins in my panniers: you can bet I'll do it even if it's raining!
I do get free buses, but I'd rather ride my bike.
I do have a driving license, but I'd rather spend the money saved in not running a car on other stuff ^_^
For me, it's a lifestyle choice too: I only apply for job locations I can cycle to (well, I'm on my last job now, won't be long till retirement) and I picked my home to be within a few miles radius to hospitals, dentist, town centre, food shops, and a good vet for my cats.
 

tyred

Squire
Location
Ireland
I remember cycle touring in Scotland, grinding up a hill against a howling gale and pissing rain, chanting a mantra of 'you will NOT beat me'... and laughing at the silliness of it all. I was SO alive!

To be honest, it's those sort of rides are often the ones I remember with fondness. I feel I achieved something and overcome the elements!

I remember being blown of my bike on the top of the Connor pass as it was so stormy. I remember arriving at a hostel on Achill island so wet that there was a pool of water around my feet at the reception desk by the time I'd checked in, paid, etc, and I found myself apologising and offering to mop up!
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
I don't think that I've ever come home after any bike ride feeling angry or grumpy. That's worth quite a bit.
 

figbat

Former slippery scientist
It varies. Sometimes I resent being out on my bike. I go out of a perceived obligation, either to the group I often ride with or to my self-imposed weekly and annual mileage targets. The thing is, I know what motivates me and having a target is a strong one, so I go out anyway.

Sometimes that resentment lasts the whole ride but often it dissolves quickly and is replaced by being happy to have got out and overcome the original reluctance.

Usually I look forward to going out, especially if I have a particularly favourite route or destination planned. Mostly these rides are very positive but occasionally descend into a drag, stubbornly grinding out the miles; I’ve started so I’ll finish.

Mostly the whole process from planning to execution is a positive experience; I enjoy the exercise, I enjoy the countryside, I like seeing the wildlife (almost all of my riding is off-road around the North Wessex Downs), I also enjoy the camaraderie when out with my friend group.

Regardless of the feelings before and during a ride though, I am ALWAYS glad I went out. I have never regretted or resented a ride once finished.
 

Dogtrousers

Lefty tighty. Get it righty.
Regardless of the feelings before and during a ride though, I am ALWAYS glad I went out. I have never regretted or resented a ride once finished.

Very much this. There are some segments of some rides that cam be an exercise in misery-tolerance. No oneness with the universe, just two pedals that you have to repeatedly press in the knowledge that it will eventually end. Thaes ofereode, thisses swa maeg. (That passed, so may this)

The reward for all that comes afterwards.

Although I must say that retiring from regular 100 milers has significantly reduced my amount of riding in the misery zone. It's mainly weather induced these days.
 

Alex321

Guru
Location
South Wales
Although I must say that retiring from regular 100 milers has significantly reduced my amount of riding in the misery zone. It's mainly weather induced these days.

Yes. This morning's commute was a mistake to do bare-legged.

I normally tend to go for leg warmers below about 6C. The forecast was for 8, but it is often a couple of degrees colder through Peterstone. It was actually down to 4C there, and even got down to 3 through St Fagans. My legs were NOT happy.

Though even then, I wasn't exactly miserable.
 
That hill off the Isla ferry is a good one that's for sure. We got the ferry across in ok weather with no indication it was going to get worse. On the ferry across we bumped into a couple staying in the hotel near the ferry. He was there to do some work for something over there. He said it looks like the weather is going to come in. Sure enough it was dreich when we rolled off the ferry on our bikes.

We consisted of a sub 10 to, my partner and I on our annual summer cycle tour. We had nowhere booked to stay, intending to cycle a bit and find somewhere sneaky to camp. Great planning for weather like that

We sheltered where we could near the ferry while we considered our options. We saw this guy on a bike touring too who told us his plan was similar. He rode over to the hotel over the road. We thought what a great idea, no matter what the cost!

So we went in and got the last room there! We put our bags in the entrance and got taken to a dry shed for our bikes. Once in the room we dried off, changed and chilled out before going for dinner.

In the pub we saw the other cyclist and chatted. Seems he checked on the room, went across the road to the shop then came back to find the room had gone! We didn't say it was us that took it! Glad he didn't book it when he first went in. The guy was eating and drinking then he had to go out into the weather, cycle up that hill in a storm and find a wildcamp spot for the night. That would have been us so I've got no regrets taking his room!!!!
 
Top Bottom