New cyclists that give up after a few weeks

[Julia9054]

Don't know about bikes but i have a large stack of second hand jerseys and jackets from eBay aat very reasonable prices. They are in excellent condition and can hardly have been worn.

 

[tyred]

People start and stop new hobbies all the time

 

[Accy cyclist]

I think quite a few see these light weight carbon fibre bikes costing thousands and think for that price they must pedal themselves. When they find out you have to put quite a bit of effort in yourself they become disillusioned and jack it in.

 

[stalagmike]

It's the same as when I was a kid and sales of tennis racquets would soar for the two weeks that Wimbledon was on. Only to be put away for a year as soon as it was over.

 

[screenman]

How do you know if you like something with your trying it. I would never knock somebody for trying and packing.

 

[HertzvanRental]

I think that many people take up cycling because they see, or have been told, of the merits regarding weight loss, health benefits and general well being.
But, fundamentally, , I think that to continue you have to ENJOY cycling , and many find that they don't!

 

[Mo1959]

Good post and my own circumstances sound very similar.

Loved the build up to fitness and seeing the speed picking up, then went through a phase of doing lots of miles and climbing for these daft Strava challenges and sickened myself a bit. Then after a bad fall, I never got back to where I was for some reason and got a bit demoralised and could easily have packed it in. Now, I just get out and ride at whatever speed the body feels up to and try and enjoy my lovely countryside.

I have seen a few riders around here that did seem to disappear for a while but return after a couple of years so maybe just peoples circumstances and priorities change for a while. Suppose if you keep the bike in good condition and tuck it away, it is easy enough to pick back up again.

 

[mustang1]

I knew eventually my rides wouldn't be as enjoyable when i moved from leisure rides to commuting. With commuting, i need to get to work in the shortest time, the shortest route. Occasionally I try different routes but then end result is always the same: getting to work.

So now i don't even think about work, just get it outta my head and enjoy the ride for what it is. I don't even consider it to be commuting, it's just a bike ride.

People tell me i need a commuter bike, fat tires, mudguards and rack, panniers and a dynamo light. You gotta be kidding! I want to enjoy the ride, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, but always safe and enjoyable. And that's why i roll with a carbon frame and racing tires, a messenger bag and a sweaty back!

Because you're worth it.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I think a lot of people, not knowing if they will like cycling, get a cheap bike from a mass retailer and find they don't like cycling. I didn't care too much for riding a crap bike either. When I got old enough, my dad explained to me where my enjoyment of cycling was going wrong, and that it was probably time I got a better bicycle. That made all the difference. Many folks don't have that sort of guidance and examples in their family, and a lot of others find that their spouse has issues with them riding when they should be spending every waking moment at home, etc. I've always been lucky enough to have people supportive of cycling around me, but i can easily see how others have it. I now also live in a town quite committed to cycling, where I grew up, and the period in which I grew up, not so much. Even now not great, but far improved.

 

[GlenBen]

Ive known a few people who watched the tour de france once, thought they too could breeze up a mountain at 20kph, only to realise its much harder than the pros make it look promptly give up and go to the pub, never to try again.

 

[jonny jeez]

I keep at it because I look so perky in Lycra.

Bloody spellcheck

 

[Profpointy]

I can guess at few reasons quite apart from the "new hobby then moving on to summat else" thing.

1. Cheap crap bikes or more charitably buying a mountain bike for road or path use. Thus much harder work than necessary

2. Poor bike fit or bad saddle makes the whole thing far less comfortable than it could be

3. Get a fright on the road - without the experience and bloody mindedness to take the lane, ignore cycle lanes etc frights are far more likely for the beginers who are most wary.

4. "racing" bikes geared far to high for normal mortals never mind beginners. This compounded by no mudguards and trying to carry a rucksack rather than panniers.

 

[overmind]

What got me hooked was the following.

Somebody I knew did the LEJOG ride and wrote a blog about it. One of his training rides consisted of cycling from Reading to Southampton. I looked into the route he took using a combination of Google Streetview and Google maps.

While investigating I found a great ride from Southampton to Portsmouth (and back) along the coast by Southampton water. I took the day off work and got the early train to Southampton. I had planned the route and had a series of printouts which I followed. In planning the most direct route you discover all sorts of little details (like having to take a ferry to cross the river Hamble + the Gosport Ferry) which add to the enjoyment.

Anyway, I had a great time and have been planning routes ever since. I have not done an overnighter yet but will in July when I travel from Bristol to Reading (2 days) with some colleagues from work. I go fast at some points but I also take stops when I find something interesting. It's like travelling the world but on a kind of micro scale.

 

[I like Skol]

Yes, I've noticed a lot of bikes for sale, hardly used and a certain brand or brands sold by a popular national bike chain which participates in the C2W scheme. Examples being Boardmans and Carreras, often sold on the basis that used only handful of times or never used in the rain.

Yes, here's another one..... www.cyclechat.net/threads/for-sale-2016-boardman-hybrid-pro.216009

 

[gbb]

Here's my recipe for a nice 'Leisure ride'

1. Find a nice pub about 2-5 miles from home.
2. Now plot a 30 or so mile route to get there
3. 

On the flip side, a friend had been badgering me to do a ride with him for a while but we ride completely different bikes, different fitness.
We optimistically set off for maybe a 50 miler, take all day if needed.
We did around 6 pubs but only managed less than 20 miles in the day

Damn good day though. I wobbled home