Struggling to get on the bike

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mustang1

Guru
Location
London, UK
I feel so tired when I log off from work that I don't feel like going out.

Correction: I go out in the car as I just need to get out but I'm too tired to ride. Along with the dark skies and windy rainny weather, and my weight is piling on. On top of that Im eating more comfort food.

Ive made a point to get out on Sunday mornings though but that's only due to lockdown stopping the kids activities this giving me the time to get out.
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
You do a 100km ride every weekend!?!? :ohmy:
yes normal routine is commute to work mon -fri gives me 95 + miles total then a sunday club ride is 6.5 miles to meeting point , we do around 30 to a cake stop the another 20+ back then 6.5 again home so i normally do around 63-64 , a 100 k is just over 62 .
 
D

Deleted member 1258

Guest
yes normal routine is commute to work mon -fri gives me 95 + miles total then a sunday club ride is 6.5 miles to meeting point , we do around 30 to a cake stop the another 20+ back then 6.5 again home so i normally do around 63-64 , a 100 k is just over 62 .

Thats very similar to what my routine was when I was working, commuting Monday to Friday then out for a 50-60 miler on a Sunday, now I'm retired its just a couple of 50-60 milers a week.
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Thats very similar to what my routine was when I was working, commuting Monday to Friday then out for a 50-60 miler on a Sunday, now I'm retired its just a couple of 50-60 milers a week.
last 3 weekends no rides as mrs ck work has changed her hours when she used to do mon/ wed/ sat 13 hours in total they had her doing wed /sat/ sun so even if the rides were on ( not due to lockdown) i couldn't ride as i wouldnt be back in time and the weather has been uniformly crap and with my reynauds i dont do cold and wet for fun
 

bladesman73

Über Member
Really! I reckon I probably only get rained on maybe 1 in 10 commutes and only get really drenched maybe 1 in 10 of those times. Fear of the rain is much worse than the reality.
EDIT: And I live in Manchester, the home of rain.....
Well down here in essex its rained almost every bloody day for weeks. Still cycle to work though.
 

bladesman73

Über Member
Cafes here are still open and I suspect need cyclists more than ever. You just can't go in. Tomorrow is espresso from the waffle stand day! :hyper:


1. Rain always looks worse looking out at it from indoors.
2. Get better clothes? Waterproof over padded jacket over merino over base layer will keep me dry and warm most of winter. Too warm, most of it.
Trust me i have all of the wet weather gear right down to waterproof overshoes. I just hate the rain, always have done. Dont mind wind or cold, but rain can eff off.
 
I havn't been out since the 10th November, wife has been in hospital since the 12th and just doesn't seem right to ride. Both kids and wife say go but, think I'm going for a run instead. Doesn't help the only way out of the village is narrow lanes covered in mud, major gas works causing chaos on main road exit. Took me as long to clean the bike last week as the ride itself. Wouldn't normally bother me.
 

wafter

I like steel bikes and I cannot lie..
Location
Oxford
Yeah, really struggling currently. Today is realistically the last day I'll get for a "proper" ride on the gravel bike around the city before I have to pack up my life and move back in with my mum, however I feel zero motivation and would rather curl up on the sofa and die tbh :sad:

I've not ridden the gravel bike for maybe 2-3wks; although that doesn't tell the whole story as I've been doing a 5-mile-each-way commute most weekdays on the Raleigh, which has been really enjoyable for the most part (occasional cold, wind and wet notwithstanding). Were it not for this necessity I'd probably have been out very little though out of choice. Sadly this opportunity will end this week unless I'm prepared to do five times the distance per day; which sadly is highly unlikely as a 6hr working day with 40 mins commuting has really knocked the stuffing out of me :sad:

Granted we all have specific circumstances to deal with but these excepted the outside is hardly an enticing proposition currently; especially off the back of such a nice summer (although it's clearly not as cold as it "should" be yet).

I fully expect this winter to be a crushingly bleak and miserable experience and suspect I'm not alone in this - hibernation has never seemed like a more appealing prospect tbh :rolleyes:

I say this from a position of complete resignation and weakness, but try to stay strong folks!
 

vickster

Legendary Member
I had to cycle up to my parents today, only 5 miles if that but all uphill. Not steep, draggy
Last did in July, it felt very different today at 10deg, windy and grey on the hybrid!
 
Location
España
Yeah, really struggling currently. Today is realistically the last day I'll get for a "proper" ride on the gravel bike around the city before I have to pack up my life and move back in with my mum, however I feel zero motivation and would rather curl up on the sofa and die tbh :sad:

I've not ridden the gravel bike for maybe 2-3wks; although that doesn't tell the whole story as I've been doing a 5-mile-each-way commute most weekdays on the Raleigh, which has been really enjoyable for the most part (occasional cold, wind and wet notwithstanding). Were it not for this necessity I'd probably have been out very little though out of choice. Sadly this opportunity will end this week unless I'm prepared to do five times the distance per day; which sadly is highly unlikely as a 6hr working day with 40 mins commuting has really knocked the stuffing out of me :sad:

Granted we all have specific circumstances to deal with but these excepted the outside is hardly an enticing proposition currently; especially off the back of such a nice summer (although it's clearly not as cold as it "should" be yet).

I fully expect this winter to be a crushingly bleak and miserable experience and suspect I'm not alone in this - hibernation has never seemed like a more appealing prospect tbh :rolleyes:

I say this from a position of complete resignation and weakness, but try to stay strong folks!
While a long commute is far from ideal at this time of the year, I worked up to my commute from using the bike 1-2 days per week until I was doing it every day. Admittedly, that was spring/summer time and some days I really had to drag myself onto the bike.
However, I came to love the dark winter mornings. So quiet. So still.
Best of luck in your new situation
 

wafter

I like steel bikes and I cannot lie..
Location
Oxford
While a long commute is far from ideal at this time of the year, I worked up to my commute from using the bike 1-2 days per week until I was doing it every day. Admittedly, that was spring/summer time and some days I really had to drag myself onto the bike.
However, I came to love the dark winter mornings. So quiet. So still.
Best of luck in your new situation
Thanks for your support :smile:

How far were you doing? Tbh if it was maybe 10, perhaps even 15 miles I'd crack on, but 25 miles each way on less than favourable country roads in the cold, wet, mud and dark is probably too much of an ask for me personally. In the summer I might have considered it but don't think I can stomach it as it stands.
 
Location
España
Thanks for your support :smile:

How far were you doing? Tbh if it was maybe 10, perhaps even 15 miles I'd crack on, but 25 miles each way on less than favourable country roads in the cold, wet, mud and dark is probably too much of an ask for me personally. In the summer I might have considered it but don't think I can stomach it as it stands.
Mine was 21 km. And in NL, so excellent cycling. I'd often take the long way home, though. A shift pattern meant that at this time of the year I'd have 5 days of darkness free cycling every 3 weeks.

I couldn't believe the positive effect it had on me, though, physically and mentally. My work was fairly physical and I'd often be shattered when getting home - but it was a very contended shattered.

All I can suggest is to explore any opportunities that might give you the chance to try it. In one day, home another? Ebike?

New start, new mindset?

Best of luck
 

wafter

I like steel bikes and I cannot lie..
Location
Oxford
Mine was 21 km. And in NL, so excellent cycling. I'd often take the long way home, though. A shift pattern meant that at this time of the year I'd have 5 days of darkness free cycling every 3 weeks.

I couldn't believe the positive effect it had on me, though, physically and mentally. My work was fairly physical and I'd often be shattered when getting home - but it was a very contended shattered.

All I can suggest is to explore any opportunities that might give you the chance to try it. In one day, home another? Ebike?

New start, new mindset?

Best of luck
Thanks - bit of a gamechanger then being in NL; tbh I'd jump at the chance of 15 miles on their excellent infrastructure and having enjoyed it first hand in the past, once more makes me sad to think about the utterly contemptuous shite we have to endure over here :sad:

The work I've been doing's not so exerting (although does require a fair bit of moving about) and I totally agree about the exhaustion; good to actually feel physically tired and as if you've done a decent day's physical come bedtime! I'm the first to extol the virtues of cycling for mental and physical health, and would far prefer to use the bike over the car (in my soon-to-be-previous life I was probably doing double, triple or more the miles on the bike than I was doing in the car) but sadly it just doesn't work well when out in the sticks. Even a supermarket trip will be a 12 mile round trip on nasty, fast roads or 18 miles on a quieter more pleasant route - however this once or twice per week is far more likely than 50 miles daily!

Unfortunately an ebike's off the menu as I can't justify the cost, will struggle to store my existing bikes when I move home and tbh I'm not a huge fan from the perspective of maintenance / longevity / sustainability. Also to job's most likely finite so will only likely last for another month or so.

I could potentially do in one day and out the other (have done this ride many times in the opposite direction; going home for a day and coming back the next) - I'm working for a mate and he's very kindly offered to put me up, although tbh I think he has enough of me during the day and I'm very allergic to his dog so probably not a good idea. Plus this puts a certain weight of expectation on the weather remaining decent and I don't currently own any wet weather gear. Less a problem on a 5 mile commute, not fun if caught in a downpour at the beginning of a 25 mile one!

I'm trying to remain positive about my new situation but tbh the only thing I can come up with currently is the chance for escape at the soonest possible opportunity!

As for today's ride; it's practically dark outside, I ache all over and am thoroughly miserable; so I think the best it's going to get is a 2/3rds mile round trip to the shop to trawl for reduced comfort food before setting in for a night of Scotch and self pity on the sofa :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
Location
España
I'm trying to remain positive about my new situation but tbh the only thing I can come up with currently is the chance for escape at the soonest possible opportunity!

As for today's ride; it's practically dark outside, I ache all over and am thoroughly miserable; so I think the best it's going to get is a 2/3rds mile round trip to the shop to trawl for reduced comfort food before setting in for a night of Scotch and self pity on the sofa :rolleyes:
Don't forget, you also have a friend looking out for you!

Yes, 50 miles is a bit much every day^_^

There is an app, Windyapp that has pretty accurate radar for showing rain. I used buienradar in NL and it was unbelievably precise for my commute.

It's probably heresy on a biking forum but relatively recently I did a major clearout of all my stuff and once the initial stress and anxiety was gone the effect was ....... liberating. Very liberating. There are good prices being paid for bikes, I believe. :becool:

If I recall correctly you were thinking of maybe working from home in your new setup? A roundtrip commute in the morning could be a great way to start the day!

I've no idea of your attitudes, but when I go looking for a job again a decent bike commute will be a significant part of my search criteria.

I may be a bit odd, but I see nothing wrong with the occasional self indulgent night with a beverage of choice - cheap Spanish red wine for me. So long as it's occasional - otherwise it can get problematic. However, I'll throw on some music and look up inspiration for cycle tours. A bit of self care, a bit of inspiration, a bit of learning, a bit of dreaming, a reminder what I'm working towards and if the opportunity comes along, I can grab it with both hands.

Best of luck.....and sláinte!
 

wafter

I like steel bikes and I cannot lie..
Location
Oxford
Don't forget, you also have a friend looking out for you!

Yes, 50 miles is a bit much every day^_^

There is an app, Windyapp that has pretty accurate radar for showing rain. I used buienradar in NL and it was unbelievably precise for my commute.

It's probably heresy on a biking forum but relatively recently I did a major clearout of all my stuff and once the initial stress and anxiety was gone the effect was ....... liberating. Very liberating. There are good prices being paid for bikes, I believe. :becool:

If I recall correctly you were thinking of maybe working from home in your new setup? A roundtrip commute in the morning could be a great way to start the day!

I've no idea of your attitudes, but when I go looking for a job again a decent bike commute will be a significant part of my search criteria.

I may be a bit odd, but I see nothing wrong with the occasional self indulgent night with a beverage of choice - cheap Spanish red wine for me. So long as it's occasional - otherwise it can get problematic. However, I'll throw on some music and look up inspiration for cycle tours. A bit of self care, a bit of inspiration, a bit of learning, a bit of dreaming, a reminder what I'm working towards and if the opportunity comes along, I can grab it with both hands.

Best of luck.....and sláinte!
Thanks :smile:

I have done that ride in a day a couple of times before, but with work and crappy weather thrown in, for multiple days per week it'd be a bit much! Ta for the app recommendation; since cycling more I've certainly become far more attentive to the weather forecasts so I'll check it out... providing one of my achaic devices can access it :laugh:

I plan to work from the family home eventually, however that in itself is a huge bone of contention as I'll probably have to take the scumbag builders to court to get any progress on the building I need and in any case I don't plan to live there when I'm doing it, ideally. Best case I'll live in the city and commute back to work, stay for a few days and return; a model that could work with cycling - at least in the summer. Chances are in the meantime I'll need to get a job of some sort to secure a mortgage, which would most likely be some low-stress minimum wage effort in the local town, which could be cycle-able, potentially.

I think I'll struggle to live up to your lofty ideal for an evening in; mine's looking more like getting mildly wankered while stuffing my face with munchie food and shitposting on the internet, but I guess whatever it takes to get you through :tongue:
 
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