What is cycling to you?

[SpokeyDokey]

Cycling is just one of my five main exercise routines - bike, turbo, treadmill, multigym & hiking.

I am not in love with, or obsessed with, any of them.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Just sitting on the bike and peddling somewhere for the pleasure of it I suppose. The act of riding the bike for nothing more than the satisfaction of it.

I use my bike for other things like I do commute on bike occasionally, but i call that commuting I just happen to be on a bike. Same as if I ride to the shops, I'm having a quick ride but I mostly think of it as going shopping.

So cycling is any time I'm peddling my bike for no reason other than I want to sit on my bike and have a ride 🚴

 

[YMFB]

it’s exercise and I commute when possible.
Allows me to eat far more than I could otherwise
like skiing and motorcycling it takes my mind off work

 

[Paulus]

Slight extension to the topic

but do people ride "the right bike for the ride"
or just jump on their favourite ( or only ) bike - and use that for everything?

Mine (as said before!) is a Raleigh Motus ebike (UK legal and not fiddled with

and I just jumped on it when I got it and rode it

I ride it everywhere and on tyres that "are not ideal" for the tracks and tow-paths I ride on
but stuff it


I grew up with a Peugeot bike with drops and flat pedals and rode all over the Wirral and Nottingham on whatever track/path turned up
rough or not


I never even changed the saddle - although it is getting a bit knackered now

what do otehrs ride?

Over the years I have had several what could be called racing bikes, two of which I still have, a Condor Italia and a Condor Classico. A Dawes Audax for that purpose and my old 1975 Galaxy, also its replacement Galaxy from 1985. A Brompton for when I have you use a train or bus. Plus a couple of other stragglers I have picked up along the way. A Falcon Black Diamond from 1979 and a Raleigh Royal I rebuilt 6 years back. They all get used on a weekly or monthly basis.

 

[sevenfourate]

Allows me to eat far more than I could otherwise

Yes !

I’m convinced ‘most’ Cyclists / Runners etc aren’t in love with their sport. But are obsessed with cake. And biscuits, sausage rolls, bags of chips, apple pies………..

 

[Ian H]

For me, it's everything. Commuting. Leisure. Utility and Touring. I would honestly be lost without cycling.

This kind of thing. I was never a regular commuter, but I can add in time-trials and road-racing, club-runs and pub-runs. Plus all the bike maintenance and committee stuff.

 

[cyberknight]

Stress relief .

 

[Big John]

A bit of all of the above with the exception of commuting. I did that for 35 years but now, thank god, I'm retired so I don't need to dress like an Eskimo first thing on a winters morning. I can laze in bed reading forum posts in a morning now 🥳

 

[chriswoody]

My happiness machine and I in our happy place.

Cycling is also way to get to work or transport for picking things up, It's a de-stress machine and a means to go beyond the horizon and explore.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Throughout my twenties and thirties and into my forties, club cycling was my whole life. Which is why, in my sixties, I find it so disappointing that clubs have no place for the likes of me now.

 

[Dirtyhanz2]

Everything
love bicycles when not riding literally thinking about where am going to ride next
I can sit for hours just looking at my bikes
To me bicycles are art and love

 

[oxoman]

Throughout my twenties and thirties and into my forties, club cycling was my whole life. Which is why, in my sixties, I find it so disappointing that clubs have no place for the likes of me now.

That's sad, luckily in some areas new more social riding groups are forming. There's a fair few clubs that do have a more social side rather than just the go faster brigade. Might be worth looking around a bit. Personally never been a club rider but a new more social group is opening nearby and im thinking about it.

 

[gavroche]

I cycle alone 99% of the time and love it. I enjoy the freedom, fresh air and also when I pass cyclists much younger than me who walk up a steep hill.

 

[simongt]

Cycling is my primary method of getting about locally with walking a close second.
If I want to simply 'get lost; somewhere, it's my tourer I use.
Already had to have two months of non cycling due to an aneurysm op and in January, after my planned hernia op, it'll be at least another three weeks of non cycling. Grrr - !
But at least after this wee lot, it'll be back to 'normal' with the Spring & Summer ahead - !

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I’ve been cycling for over 90% of my years now, without break. Been a constant presence since I learnt to ride. Rode to primary school, rode to secondary school, rode to work etc etc. Ride for pleasure. Ride for utility.

I think now I’d call it my meditative time; the mind stills, you become attuned to nature around you, with senses heightened.