What is it about riding a bike that feels so good?

[Slioch]

You enjoy the pleasure of a well crafted machine in which all the parts work perfectly together, and if you tinker, a lot of that perfection is on you.
Your machine is so perfectly adjusted to your body and requirements that you are not aware its there, but rather feel it to be an extension of yourself.

I think @12boy nailed it there for me.

Yes, I love the freedom/health/beautiful countryside side of things, but to have a perfectly fettled piece of machinery purring away underneath me, with flawless gear changes etc really gives me a buzz.

 

[Andy in Germany]

And you feel so nimble compared to the big hulking cars that squash themselves grumpily into never-ending lines.

I think there comes a point where cars just look impractically big for the gaps they're trying to fit through. A bicycle seems an appropriate size for a town.

 

[united4ever]

all the above plus.... heightens the senses, feel the seasons with more intensity. it's a nice speed too on a bike fast enough to see the details but not too slow to be boring.

 

[pjd57]

It's hard to explain.

I love heading along the canal. No traffic ,no worries, just me and my bike.
But I enjoy cycling in Glasgow as well. Seeing the lines of cars waiting at lights while I plod along the bus lane and get to my destination before them always pleases me.

 

[Quadratica]

For me: (I rarely ride more than 20km in a single journey)

Faster than walking
good exercise
cheap
door-to-door
no getting stuck in traffic
often the mode of conveyance requiring least effort.

 

[Gunk]

For me, it’s still being able to pull a decent wheelie at the age of 54!

 

[Moodyman]

I think cycling is a bit counter culture. It's my way of giving a two finger salute to the established norm. It allows me to get round town quicker and cheaper than cars and allows me to park wherever I like.

As is often said, it runs on lbs not £.

 

[HLaB]

Its mostly been said but for me, its the positive endorphins, sense of freedom and touchwood reliability. I could probably add to that list though

 

[Drzdave58]

For me it’s a feeling of freedom and any worries in life just vanish...it’s very satisfying to propel yourself along with your own power and to go as far as u like...I also get to see a city much better on a bike and meet a lot of interesting people along the way...I definitely get a high out of it..

 

[ColinJ]

For me, it’s still being able to pull a decent wheelie at the age of 54!

I'm 63 and haven't yet tried doing a wheelie*** but I will have a go one day before I get too old! (I will probably end up flat on my back, in which case I clearly didn't get round to it in time! )





*** I have almost done accidental wheelies a few times on 25+% climbs when using very low gears - it is so easy to lift the front of the bike without even trying to!

 

[Brandane]

Some days, absolutely nothing about it feels good, it's utterly sh!te.
On days like today when conditions are ideal (cold but dry, sunny, no wind, quiet country roads and nice scenery) it's hard to put into words just how good it is!

 

[Ian H]

A bike is the most energy-efficient way of travelling, and at the about the right speed to divert for anything of interest. I know I can set off and manage a couple of 100 miles in a day, or I can pootle and explore.

 

[sheddy]

The option of being able to stop anywhere and sit/shop/eat/drink or just gawp at the surroundings.

 

[Reynard]

I think cycling is a bit counter culture. It's my way of giving a two finger salute to the established norm. It allows me to get round town quicker and cheaper than cars and allows me to park wherever I like.

As is often said, it runs on lbs not £.

This too.

 

[overmind]

3 reasons:
1. Endorphins
2. It saves me an absolute fortune on psychiatry bills.
3. Because I don't want to be a candidate for Vietnam or Watergate ...