Lost my love of cycling, how to get it back?

[Irishrich]

I took up cycling as a hobby and to get fit 4 years ago, since then I've been out on my road bike almost every week 2-3 times clocking up around 100 miles each week. I loved cycling either on my own for 30-40 miles or with my club on longer rides. I was getting so into it that I had every piece of kit and spent thousands on bikes, clothing, wheels, turbo trainer and alot more which is a major investment when you're an average joe. Since the start of the summer something must have clicked in my head and I just couldn't be bothered going out cycling at the weekend after a long week at work. It used to be my release but now I can't push myself to get up early, put on my kit and go out for a couple of hours. This has lead to a deterioration in my health, weight gain and low self esteem. There probably isn't much anyone can suggest except get back out on the bike but I wanted to know if anyone else had given up cycling for a while and managed to get back their mojo??

 

[bikeman66]

I took up cycling as a hobby and to get fit 4 years ago, since then I've been out on my road bike almost every week 2-3 times clocking up around 100 miles each week. I loved cycling either on my own for 30-40 miles or with my club on longer rides. I was getting so into it that I had every piece of kit and spent thousands on bikes, clothing, wheels, turbo trainer and alot more which is a major investment when you're an average joe. Since the start of the summer something must have clicked in my head and I just couldn't be bothered going out cycling at the weekend after a long week at work. It used to be my release but now I can't push myself to get up early, put on my kit and go out for a couple of hours. This has lead to a deterioration in my health, weight gain and low self esteem. There probably isn't much anyone can suggest except get back out on the bike but I wanted to know if anyone else had given up cycling for a while and managed to get back their mojo??

Sorry to hear about your situation my friend.

I guess the main thing that should encourage you to get back on the bike is the fact that you have identified a deterioration in your health, but..........if you're just not "feeling it" then perhaps another route needs to be taken, quite literally!

Have you considered a slight change in cycling discipline. Perhaps road cycling has just gone a bit stale at the moment, so maybe give mountain biking a try. Years ago, MTB's rekindled my love of cycling, and I stayed on them for the next 15 years, entering races and various events, and built up a really good base of friends through the sport. Things turned full circle last year when I bought my first road bike in nearly 30 years. Although I now regularly ride both bikes, I'm sure the initial change to mountain biking all those years ago actually kept me from packing it up altogether.

Good luck in finding a way back on to two wheels and try to let us know how things are going.

 

[screenman]

Just go out for 15 minutes and no more, then see what you feel like.

 

[Gatters]

It's strange isn't it, I'm old enough for that to have happened many times over, just keep the bike and you can get back into it any time, I've been back for about a year now and loving it, been away for many years. I think the very fact that you have really enjoyed it and have happy memories of it will mean that you'll be back one day ...why shouldn't it?

 

[kiriyama]

As said above, try a different disiplin. Don't fancy a mtb? Try a cyclocross/gravel bike. Explore some new paths. Maybe at the weekend go further afield and ride somewhere new.

I find if I commute every weekday I can't be bothered to go out for a fun ride at the weekend. But every time I see another cyclist whizz past my house I get jealous and wish I was out.

 

[JohnClimber]

1) Don't stress about it
2) Buy and ride a Fat Bike

 

[Irishrich]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I think I know most of the reasons behind staying off the bike which include having more stress at work and my wife being pregnant and all the worries that go with that as she's tired alot and understandably wants to see me more after i'm away all week at work. When we're out for a stroll along the coast and I see people out for a leisurely ride on their mountain bike with kids I get jealous and would love to be out on a bike doing the same thing. Maybe I'm just not committed to the long distance, tough rides on the roadie that were part of my weekly routine for the past 4 years. The mountain bike idea sounds great but I fear that the only place to get on a MTB here is on a dedicated course that is full of hardened MTBers and I would look very stupid there.

 

[Gatters]

..............The mountain bike idea sounds great but I fear that the only place to get on a MTB here is on a dedicated course that is full of hardened MTBers and I would look very stupid there.

That's almost certainly not true, there will be many routes around where you live that you can do some off roading, you'll see some beautiful places a lot more accessible than walking...no need to think that dedicated mtb trails are the only way in.

 

[Drago]

Try cycling naked while playing Gary Glitter hits through a loudspeaker. Guaranteed to liven up every ride.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

....Maybe I'm just not committed to the long distance, tough rides on the roadie that were part of my weekly routine for the past 4 years.

Possibly you've summed it up just there? Maybe try some more leisurely rides for a bit. Don't think about getting in a certain time or distance, just ride somewhere you like the scenery.

The mountain bike idea sounds great but I fear that the only place to get on a MTB here is on a dedicated course that is full of hardened MTBers and I would look very stupid there.

I shouldn't think so. MTB has a fairly broad spectrum of riders. Like most cycling really.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I think I know most of the reasons behind staying off the bike which include having more stress at work and my wife being pregnant and all the worries that go with that as she's tired alot and understandably wants to see me more after i'm away all week at work. When we're out for a stroll along the coast and I see people out for a leisurely ride on their mountain bike with kids I get jealous and would love to be out on a bike doing the same thing. Maybe I'm just not committed to the long distance, tough rides on the roadie that were part of my weekly routine for the past 4 years. The mountain bike idea sounds great but I fear that the only place to get on a MTB here is on a dedicated course that is full of hardened MTBers and I would look very stupid there.

Cut the distance/ride down. For some reason it is easier to put off a planned long ride than a planned short one.

 

[Irishrich]

Will go out for a non-determined length of time tomorrow, could be 5 minutes, could be 50 minutes, will see how I feel. Cheers

 

[snorri]

and my wife being pregnant and all the worries that go with that as she's tired alot and understandably wants to see me more after i'm away all week at work..

I would think the majority of guys ease back on their sport/hobby during this period in their lives.
It's a time of change in lifestyle, a time to reconsider priorities, enjoy the new calls on your time .
Life goes on and in due course you will find time and inclination to get back on the bike.

 

[kiriyama]

Even when i lived in London there were places to go off road. Nothing as spectacular as here, but i found plenty of places i would have never found otherwise. Canals, disused railways etc.


I have to agree though that kids and pregnant partners do take away a lot of your free time, but you have to find time for yourself occasionally or you will go mad. I try and get up early at the weekend and go out for 2 hours before they all wake up. Easier in summer though!

 

[theloafer]

Possibly you've summed it up just there? Maybe try some more leisurely rides for a bit. Don't think about getting in a certain time or distance, just ride somewhere you like the scenery..

this worked for me .. after been off the bike the last two years (eye surgery) when I restarted back in April this year ...used to plan the ride on a night ..wake up and thought sod that ..then just went out and turned each junction on a whim before long ii was getting 40-60 miles in as there was no pressure