Motivation flagging / weather rant

[goosander]

Anyone else having trouble motivating themselves to cycle this year?

The last two years were fine but this year has been a bit of a struggle, mostly due to the weather - I think this is the worst summer I can remember.

Don't know about elsewhere but here (Fife) the weather has been crap for ages - usual dreary (albeit fairly mild) Scottish winter, followed by a couple of months of high winds early in the year and now a miserable summer. Can't remember a summer with so much rain and so little sun light. If it isn't raining, its overcast - I think so far there have only been a few days where the temperature has actually cracked 20 C, and only two or three that could be considered nice summer days.

 

[goosander]

So do I, but of late the car has seemed like the easier (drier) option especially as my body still seems to be in winter mode, so I tend to get up late and struggle to get in to work for 10am. At that time of day the traffic is usually light enough to make driving much quicker than cycling, especially if you factor in time to get showered & changed.

 

[Plax]

I'm having withdrawal symptoms myself. Haven't cycled for 7 days! I'm itching to get out on the bike, but I've been ill. Thankfully it appears to be clearing up, and it doesn't seem to be on my chest anymore (the cough that is!). Weather forecast for tomorrow is shoot though. Still tempted to don all my waterproofs and take a trip out. I'd rather boil in the bag than risk getting cold and making my cold worse.

 

[CopperBrompton]

I went out in the rain today (admittedly waiting until the heavier rain had passed) and it was really enjoyable. Must remember not to let a bit of rain deter me.

 

[hackbike 6]

I haven't got a car so unless I want to catch the tube/bus then it's the bike for me.Some of the time I feel like krap and slow but I am still doing it.It would take a lot for me to abandon the bike.

I suppose 5 and a half years commute by bike since my last week off (sick and commute by train) says it all.Then again perhaps our weather down south isn't as much harsh.

 

[Keith Oates]

Looking at the rain and wind puts most people off from going out on the bike. However I've found, like many others, that the hardest part is forcing yourself out of the door, once out there is rarely a time that I've regretted going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[goosander]

I guess easy car availability is a factor. A couple of years ago I had a soft top sports car that was kept nicely polished and lived in a small garage when not in use. It always seemed more trouble than it was worth to get it out of the garage for a short journey like my commute. Now I've got a normal car that sits on the drive, so its temptingly easy to just jump in if the weather is poor.

 

[Amanda P]

Ah: you need to lose the keys, goosander.

If you have a spouse or partner, I find they can usually be relied on to do this for you without much prompting!

The other thing is dressing for the job. Assuming for the moment that you don't commute in your work clothes, then what you must do is make sure the night before that your work clothes are packed up ready to go or left at work. In the bedroom, leave out your cycling clothes, so that you put them on as soon as you get up.

Then, it seems like too much trouble to get out a fresh set of work clothes or to unpack them and put them on, and less hassle just to wear the cycling gear and get on the bike.

(It works for me, and my neighbours have got used to seeing me walk the dog in cycling shorts, yellow jacket and wellies...)

 

[snorri]

The last two years were fine but this year has been a bit of a struggle, mostly due to the weather - I think this is the worst summer I can remember.

By the middle of July I had done more miles on the bike than in the whole of last year. I had been putting this done in part to the fine Scottish weather this year.

 

[Mr Pig]

Anyone else having trouble motivating themselves to cycle this year?

Totally. I've hardly been out, mainly because of the weather. I was out on the hills this morning, hoped to dodge the rain, but got soaked! ;0)

It's not just cycling. This summer has been so bad that you're not getting into doing anything summery. You keep waiting for the summer to start, and it's just about over!

 

[goo_mason]

I'm on holiday but at home 'cos I can't afford to go away. I was hoping to get out on the bike and just head wherever the fancy took me - riding for pleasure for once instead of simply commuting.

Sadly, one week in and the weather has been awful. It's been raining solidly on any of the days I had nothing planned for except cycling.

Not much hope for next week either as I have a few Fringe shows lined up and now I have to go and collect the tickets for each one the day before the show due to their computer system 'problems'. Wonder if they'll ever refund the postage charges I paid for them ? (I can hear oinking from the sky above as I type this..)

An utterly miserable summer even as the usual rotten summers here go. We had more of a summer back in March/April/May.

 

[515mm]

Been utterly awful here for the last fortnight - if it ain't p*ssing it down, it's been really windy.
I don't mind riding in the rain, or getting wet, as long as I'm warm, but trying to dry my kit out at work, or drying it overnight for the next day is a pain in the arse.

Pulling on damp, cold, kit at 7am - Urrrghhh!

 

[hackbike 6]

Just started to rain as i got to work so i just dodged it.bit of wind as well,but the luckiest escape i had was my rucksack strap snapping as i walked up the stairs at work.lucky it didnt happen on the commute in.

 

[goosander]

After a typically grim Christmas last year (not just down to the weather), I decided I wasn't going to have a repeat this year so booked 4 weeks of cycling in the sun. Actually looking forward to winter now - roll on December.

 

[hackbike 6]

So where you going?Scotland?