I'm really not interested in going faster; OK?!!

[hopless500]

I'd like to be a bit faster as it does get a bit urgh watching people disappearing over the horizon... and having the joy of eventually catching up and they're off again having had a nice 10 minute breather. But it ain't gonna happen so I prefer mainly cycling by myself.

 

[screenman]

Big likes^^^^^

 

[Vantage]

Agreed completely. As much as I enjoy pootling around, I do want to be much fitter. I plan on a 200ish mile round trip to visit my dad in Wales next summer and in the condition I am now I've no chance of getting the bike up even the smallest of inclines fully loaded. I'm actually considering saving for a (pardon my language) turbo trainer so that I can push hard without the risk of a diabetic hypo landing me under the wheels of a local tipper truck.

 

[Brandane]

I suspect a fair number of the "I'm just happy to pootle along" contributors on the thread are actually - like me - not entirely happy and would love to be a bit quicker. But we're just too darn lazy to actually train, or ride more, or lose weight, or do what's necessary to speed up.

Yes, it would be nice to be super-fit and to have the choice to go a bit faster if I wanted... However, I suspect that many of the "I'm just happy to pootle along" brigade might be in the same boat as myself. It's got nothing to do with laziness or whatever. Some of us have medical conditions which restrict our physical performance; in my case it's a side effect of the medication for an abnormal heart rhythm. Far from being lazy, it's actually quite an achievement that I manage to maintain the level of fitness that I do. When I last visited hospital for my periodical ECG and check-up, they were amazed that I had cycled to my appointment. The hospital is only 15 miles away!

That is beside the point though; other people can probably point to other reasons for being happy to pootle. Maybe cycling is not a big deal to them? Good on them anyway for maintaining some level of physical activity on a bike. Some cycling is better than none, and perhaps we should be more encouraging of that rather than shooting them down in flames for not being fast enough.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I used to race so I've done the speed thing, now I ride just for the sake of riding a bike and genuinely don't care about how far or how fast I go. I measure my rides now by the time I'm out and not distance or speed.

 

[Brandane]

As I said I was just speaking for myself.

Apart from the "I suspect a fair number of the "I'm just happy to pootle along" contributors...." bit .
No problem, I know what you meant. I just felt the need to point out that it might not be down to laziness. Life and it's little complications can often get in the way of what we would all LIKE to do in a perfect world.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I suspect a fair number of the "I'm just happy to pootle along" contributors on the thread are actually - like me - not entirely happy and would love to be a bit quicker. But we're just too darn lazy to actually train, or ride more, or lose weight, or do what's necessary to speed up.

Well, I never said I was entirely happy to be slow
In my case, what you said is true: if I committed to do more hills and if I lost a couple of stones I would certainly get a few mph faster.

 

[DCBassman]

Me too...

 

[Bobby Mhor]

Yes, it would be nice to be super-fit and to have the choice to go a bit faster if I wanted... However, I suspect that many of the "I'm just happy to pootle along" brigade might be in the same boat as myself. It's got nothing to do with laziness or whatever. Some of us have medical conditions which restrict our physical performance; in my case it's a side effect of the medication for an abnormal heart rhythm. Far from being lazy, it's actually quite an achievement that I manage to maintain the level of fitness that I do. When I last visited hospital for my periodical ECG and check-up, they were amazed that I had cycled to my appointment. The hospital is only 15 miles away!

That is beside the point though; other people can probably point to other reasons for being happy to pootle. Maybe cycling is not a big deal to them? Good on them anyway for maintaining some level of physical activity on a bike. Some cycling is better than none, and perhaps we should be more encouraging of that rather than shooting them down in flames for not being fast enough.

Wow, same hospital, same condition..
I don't get a rain cloud, do I?

 

[hopless500]

This is my feeling too. I do sometimes ride with quicker people. I surprise myself that I can keep up. But it's such blooming hard work!

I suspect a fair number of the "I'm just happy to pootle along" contributors on the thread are actually - like me - not entirely happy and would love to be a bit quicker. But we're just too darn lazy to actually train, or ride more, or lose weight, or do what's necessary to speed up.

I speak for myself here, not @hopless500

Yeah. I just physically can't do any more. My back and my legs aren't on good speaking terms.

Edited to add... I might be bloomin' slow but normally can get the miles in.

 

[Milzy]

I understand that some people are motivated by the need for speed when cycling, and that their style is head down and go for it. That's all good but I wish my mate would leave me to ride a bike in the style that motivates ME - that is going out for leisurely paced rides, which for me means 13/15 mph, taking in the sights, sounds and smells that mother nature provides us with while exploring new places with plenty of stops. It's not like I don't do reasonable distances.

I'm really not interested in repeating the same old local routes day after day trying to beat my Strava PB's., so stop trying to convince me that that's the way forward. If I'm in a hurry I have a bike with an 800cc engine!

I'm just getting a bit tired coming up with excuses for NOT coming out for a ride and trying to keep up with people going at a much faster pace. Yes I know it's the best way to get faster but at 56 years old I'm just not interested; I'm happy doing what I do. I've tried it and didn't like it.

“It’s all about performance”.

 

[Tin Pot]

I understand that some people are motivated by the need for speed when cycling, and that their style is head down and go for it. That's all good but I wish my mate would leave me to ride a bike in the style that motivates ME - that is going out for leisurely paced rides, which for me means 13/15 mph, taking in the sights, sounds and smells that mother nature provides us with while exploring new places with plenty of stops. It's not like I don't do reasonable distances.

I'm really not interested in repeating the same old local routes day after day trying to beat my Strava PB's., so stop trying to convince me that that's the way forward. If I'm in a hurry I have a bike with an 800cc engine!

I'm just getting a bit tired coming up with excuses for NOT coming out for a ride and trying to keep up with people going at a much faster pace. Yes I know it's the best way to get faster but at 56 years old I'm just not interested; I'm happy doing what I do. I've tried it and didn't like it.

Stop whinging and just hurry up at the back will you? We all just want to get home now.

 

[Brandane]

Stop whinging and just hurry up at the back will you? We all just want to get home now.

Worry not; you won't catch me riding in a group - so unlikely to be holding anyone up!

 

[Brandane]

same condition..

AF??

 

[Bobby Mhor]