any one else got the riding blues. january an feb was out on the bike stright after work with the lights in freezing conditions was enjoying it after a miserable xmas with chest infection and getting back to fitness. since end of march have completely lost the will 2 ride. had a new steel hardtail end of last year to get the enthusiasm going but cant. Im 48 and do a lot of swimming but as for going out on the bike and with the crap weather were having every weekend seems to be peeing it down im turning into a fair weather biker and cant be arsed . need to get fit and lose a stone. any one else having the same prob. or what do people do to get there enthusiasm back.the few times ive got out ive enjoyed it just cant get back into a regular thing.

Im 48

…you’re not going to get any younger, or any thinner, or any faster by sitting about moping.

Either do it or don’t.

It’s up to you.

Trev, I think we’ve all had spells where we haven’t been feeling it. Force yourself out on the bike a couple of times and it won’t be long before the buzz is back – guarantee it.

true need to get the fire back one of my neighbours is in his 80,s and sods off to france for 2 weeks every year on his bike goes by train he puts me to shame.
il do it got to change my way of thinking live in the midlands so some fantastic trails i need ti use em again.

I got my nice shiny new bike and am refusing to go off road until it dries up. I am doing an 8 mile road ride every day though to get me out the house or I get bored stiff.

Sort out 1 night a week with a couple of mates and comit to going no matter the weather, try a local’ish different loop every week.

Just been out again. In grotty, grotty mucky weather.

Once you’re wet, you cant get any wetter.
If you’re filthy, just hose yourself down after the ride.

But TBH the main reason I go out to ride is that I end up at my local for a catch up with the crowd and the landlord doesnt mind me turning up looking like the swampthing. As long as I dont sit down.

I ride 3-6 times a week depending on other obligations. I dont even mind if I have a shit ride, as long as Ive had a bit of exercise, some space to think, and a pint at the end, Im happy.

As for the get-up-and-go, I find having the SS ready to grab and go, and my clothes just there I can be dressed and on the bike in 5 minutes, long before Ive tried to talk myself out of it. I guess this might not apply if you have to drive to your favourite trail head, but I can ride from the door.

i have a shortish ride in the clent hills by me takes about 4 miles to get to the stones at the top which is a killer but once there there are loads of loops an when you bale out all downhill to home. so i have no excuse really I must admit i dont want to get my bike dirty as it was bloody expensive and nephew has taken my old one so ive no winter bike. which isnt an excuse i know need to get me arse in gear

We all get like that at some point. I think the trick is to lower expectations, get a single speed, some decent clothing and adopt the right attitude.

It’s not a punishment, this weather won’t last for ever, just treat it as time to clear your head.

But, most importantly, find a route that works for you.

And as for this business of being 48 – it’s a number, that’s all. 😉

+1 for SS ready to go, that’s what I ride, always kept handy in the cellar kitchen.

Oh, and I try to enter a few races each year, much easier to get out there is there’s an “Alex racing” in the calendar a few weeks hence.

APF

I was feeling the same way but now I’ve got hooked on Strava and it’s been just the incentive I needed to get me out riding again, I’ll never be the fastest on there but no way am I going to be the slowest. 🙂

I’ve been thinking about starting a similar thread, but from the opposite perspective.

Two guys on the Wiggle Enduro 6 thread said they might not turn up if the weather was bad.
Mrs MTG has been in hospital for over a month, will be in a chair for a couple of months when she gets home and on crutches for months after that.
It could be a year before she rides a bike again.
If I phone or visit her and she asks where I’ve been on the bike that day, I’m not going to say I stayed at home because it looked a bit wet outside.

Join the STW Endomondo challenge.
We’re already part way through the month, so you’ll be at the bottom as everyone else has got a head start.
The only way is up from there.

I’ve been finding it hard to get motivated to ride the last two months, was also riding 3-4 times a week from December to the beginning of march but recently work and family has been a lot busier.
I did manage to get out yesterday in the rain to a local route I hadn’t been before so hoping to get back into it now.

This wet weather doesnt help!
I got a road bike a year or so ago to avoid the gloopy trails when we have such weather.

It certainly helped.

Gloopy slow mtb trails dont entice me anymore.

I’m finding it really hard to get motivated at the moment, knowing that the trails will be really grim. And what’s more, when I get home covered in mud, I then can’t use the hose or jetwash to clean everything, which is particularly galling. 🙁

It’s the steel hardtail that’s the problem 😉

Btw, wet weather? 😕

I’ve just taken a week off work ‘cos i’ve been so tired. Just letting my bacon butties go down then i’m off out 🙂
My riding had become a chore and i was doing more road riding (100 miles last week) because i couldn’t face the boggy trails.
I’m going up to Cragg and Lee Quarries to work on my (ahem) skills and have some solo time. Because like most of us i have limited time to ride i tend to focus on distance and amount of climbing and forget that just playing can be cathartic.

Right, now can someone teach me to manual…?

youtube that danny macaskill video…that song funeral by band of horses almost physically propells me out the door

buy something – anything

well got in from work last night was dry so got me kit on went out just for a quick spin was a chore to start but did enjoy it so its a start. just gotta keep it going till the dark nights roll in again.

Sit and relax doing nothing for 20 mins, or lie somewhere quietly and just let all the shit from the day sort it’s self out.

Then once you are calm ask yourself what you want to do, if the answer isn’t ride my bike, you’re **** best to except it 😆

my current incentive….the petrol money i save by commuting (about £8 a day) is being put in a tin to pay for my skiing next year 🙂