had a great tour with the mates recently, but not touched the bike since (10 days), and to be honest dont feel like doing so either.

might be cos it isn’t like riding proper, having to use a electric assist bike, but it feels more than that.

anyone else go off riding ever?

it happens, but they just sit in the shed for a short while, and then I drag myself outside and into the mud, and as soon as I get started I’m back in the swing. Motivation for the local trails is always really low, but then they are wet, slippery and straight, with the added bonus of barbed wire and nettles.

Got to love the South Downs!

yes.due to depression,i sometimes don’t ride my bike for weeks.i know though that i will always need a bike of some sort as it is one of the things that i really love. see how you feel after a short break. 🙂

no, never but i accept it can hapen to some people. it’s your leisure time . do what makes you smile

It happens. I went through this for a while last year. I didn’t fret about it, just got on with other stuff. The lurve came back and I’ve done more cycling this year than ever.

there’s been a couple of times when injured that i’ve been guilty of entertaining ‘i could just not ride again’ thoughts. but the moment i’m back on a bike i could squeal like an excited school girl with happiness.

almost kissed my bike whilst riding the other day

as jedi says though, gotta do what makes you happy!

Yes, I use my bike now as transport only. The fun went out of it for me a while ago. I built a new road bike to see if something expensive could get me back out and that has sat doing nothing since I finished it. Becoming a dad filled the gap that cycling was filling for a long time.

Don’t worry about it and don’t try to love something that isn’t what you you want it to be; otherwise, riding the assist is possibly going to remind you of what you’re missing, rather than what you’re managing to do. Don’t dwell on things, keep moving, find new places for the passions to enjoy themselves.

Crazily it happens to me in the summer! I like to drink and smoke a lot when the weather is nice! 8)

That’s some wise fish right there

Found out a while ago that the cure for biking blues is to buy something bike-related for yourself or the bike.

A bit of retail therapy and all that.

usually suffer from post mountain depression and the bike stays in for a few months, no mountain holiday this year means the local trails don’t seem quite as lame as usual 😀

“Becoming a dad filled the gap that cycling was filling for a long time.”

Well that’s good, I think.

Grey skies, darkness, boggy trails are the turn off for me.

Yea, I’ve barely ridden for the past month. I enjoy it when I get out but I don’t feel a particular urge to get out.

I’ve been through it before and come out of the other side keen to ride again, so I’m not bothered. to be fair though I wasn’t bothered first time – your habits and hobbies are allowed to change, you don’t have to be the same person forever, y’know

When the mud is deep and the rain is lashing it can be hard to drag yourself out the door. If you really love it, you’ll still go! If not, give it a rest for a while do something else you love. I count myself as a cyclist rather than a moutainbiker and usually the ride to work is enough to keep things ticking over until the next getaway. 10 days isn’t exactly a long time…

I regularly go off cycling, but two things usually sort it out for me. The first one is decent weather. The second is the appearence of shiny new bike parts.

Since I realised that bikes are THE one thing (rather than person!!) in my life that’s been a constant in whatever I’ve done… Since I worked that out…. No. I’ve Never gone off biking.

BUT

The type of bike changes from time to time…. I make no distinction between motorbikes and cycles. They are both the same to me. I get the same happyness, the same kicks, the same freedom from either. I get tetchy if I spend too long in a car…. I’m more comfortable on 2 wheels.

I like bikes as a sport. I like to watch racing. Road racing. Motorbike racing. MTB racing….. I like to travel on them, commute, tour, bimble, go shopping, whatever. Just travel.
They make me giggle, I get involved with them on a strange level, they develop a character to me. Sometimes they scare me shitless, sometimes they infuriate me, sometimes I HATE them. I have bad riding days and terrible ones. I’ve have good ones and sublime ones. I’ve cried in the sunshine and laughed in the pissing rain, been drenched to the skin and sunburned and covered in nettle stings. I’ve crashed them and jumped them, I’ve mended them and snapped them. I’ve had cheap ones that made me giggle like a child and expensive ones that were never quite right.

But it doesn’t matter if I’m in lycra or leather (Ooo-err missus!) I never, ever EVER get tired of it.

A bike is for life, and a life is for a bike.

Well done Richard.

I am ‘lucky’ in that I have some problems with my eustacian tubes and mountain biking (and squash) is one of the only exercises that helps because of the heavy panting !

Running is not much good, and no-exercise is inconceivable.

Yes, I use my bike now as transport only. The fun went out of it for me a while ago.

That happened to me too. Becoming a dad twice in 18 months and not having much help from family meant that cycling became a function not a pleasure. Everything’s calmed down after a few years now and I’m getting back into riding for fun again. Went out on Sunday at dawn for a 50 miler on the road and had the best time on 2 wheels for years.

I can relate to this, although slightly different for me.
I got into the bike thing about five years ago, bought all the latest kit, really went for it probably spent the best part of 15K over the years on bikes and stuff. I couldn’t wait to ride my bikes and due to the constant updates I always had something new to try-out. I was out

Lately I have reached saturation point, buying new kit doesn’t give the kick it used to.

I think I have reached my level now, I only replace things if they need replacing. I ride twice a week and enjoy it.

ive only been on the bike twice this year! ime working away from home and last year i caned the ass out of all the south wales trails, night rides mid week and sat n sun afternoons too. however, ive come back down here this yeat and cant even face the trails. cant understand it, however when i get home on wknds off, i really want to ride my local trails with me mates but cos ive been away from the family i need to spend what little time i have with them. however this may change shortly with a new job at home so fingers crossed in finding my life again! and my mojo!!

I fell out of love with my bike at the weekend, but then again I could not stay on the darn thing in all the mud & crud!

Mud tires now fitted, its that time of year again 😉

I’m not into it much at the moment but I put that down to a post summer depression thing happening. Winter has come on quickly and with a fierce vengeance.
I rode almost daily over the summer though.
Its hard to get out in the cold and mud after a great summers worth of riding.
Once I accept winter I’m sure I’ll get out again.

What have you got to sell ?

Only kidding… your mojo will return.

Try doing something different. Say urban rides, rides to am attraction castles whatever. Try a photographic ride 🙂

Just a thought.

not really, from your posts on here I never really got the impression you were actually into riding when you were in better health Ton.

I wouldnt say Ive lost the love of the bike, but my enthusiasm has been up and down over the years, working in the shop can get you a bit cranky at times, but just going for a spin with your own thoughts for company is the best therapy.
or even with a few mates to have a laugh with.

GW, when i am in good health i commute 70 miles a week, ride either saturday or sunday every week, and spend 2 of my 4 weeks holiday a year on cycling holidays.

so i suppose compared to some i am not really into cycling. 😐

usually suffer from post mountain depression and the bike stays in for a few months, no mountain holiday this year means the local trails don’t seem quite as lame as usual

Going to the alps In Early July sure makes the summer here an anti climax.

What you done to yourself t need an electric bike!! Get well soon!

No, but I went off motorbikes… They used to be almost exactly as much a part of my life as pushbikes are now, but very gradually we just kind of drifted apart, and I was only riding for the social side, not for the riding. And then a while after that, I wasn’t even doing that. And most of the time I don’t miss it in the slightest, but 5 years ago I’d have told you I couldn’t see me ever losing the love for bikes.

It does happen… And you can’t force it, maybe some day I’ll take the dustsheet off the bike and want a go, it’d be good if it happens but you can’t put passion back through effort, you just end up killing it even harder.

It happens and I believe it’s a good sign. It means you’ve ridden lots recently, which is good and you’re also getting more and more competent. Leave it alone for a while and read some mags instead and then find a new route. You’ll be ready when you’re ready.

I COMPLETELY! lost my mojo for cycling recently, fatherhood, work and the usual pressure of life were the main reasons…. but sat in my shed was a 4k Ellsworth, all the kit, bike racks and plenty of keen (ish) mates, basically everything that should have motivated me to go out.

My riding had somewhat levelled out to suit my mates abilities, i.e 20k ish rides around calderdale, and in all, pretty benine. I was sick of spending more time getting ready to go out, then cleaning the prissy! bike afterwards than I did in the saddle. I then remembered when I most enjoyed cycling….when I was young,on my 96 CinderCone, stoping at the Stubbing for a half of Trophy “Brewed in the North” Bitter on the way home.

So here I am…back to basics. The Ellsworth is now gone and in its place is my new throw away mucky! Genesis IO ID 11 speed Alfine bike, benine rides are now a bit more interesting on a steel 4″ bike and the steel flex takes me way back!

The mojo, is now somewhat back !

Yup – although it’s generally that I get into something else for a bit – recently have been trying to improve my swimming (I’m a slow learner and it’s take me a lot of effort to get to the point where I’m just slow rather than laughable).

If you’re not enjoying it, do something else. If you’re not enjoying anything then it’s probably time to recruit some help from your friends….

Yep, currently cba’d. Moved area recently and keep getting bloomin’ punctures. Fed up with the weather too.

Think I might put my walking boots on for a change.

Nope – but I do swap between road and mtb,pootle,trail centre, natural rides, mess abouts,lone ride, group rides, long rides , short rides and have lots of beautiful scenery straight from the door .

Becoming a dad filled the gap that cycling was filling for a long time.

Sums things up for me too.

I’ve not done any serious riding for 4+ years now, and I’m not even into double with the number of rides i’ve done this year and none over 20miles. For me riding was all about fitness and speed, but my current home life doesn’t allow for the type of commitment needed to get back to anywhere near the level I was at, and like to be at.

I’m seriously considering getting rid of all my nice kit and building a cheap towpath bike as that’s really all I do now!

I stopped for years. Barely rode my bike between 1997 and 2005 for all sorts of boring reasons. Slowly got back into it and am now out riding two or three times a week. It would be more were it not for the time constraints of running a business and looking after a family. You can leave it for a long, long time, but don’t worry, there will still be bicycles to ride if you decide you want to come back to it.

I enjoy it when I get out but I don’t feel a particular urge to get out.

That’s exactly how I feel. Today for instance, I was only going to the post office (about a mile) and took the 29’er because it hadn’t moved for a while. Ended up doing a 6-7 mile loop which was ace and went back to get helmet/water etc. and took the dogs out instead!

Seriously thinking about selling up and keeping just 2 bikes as I spend more time fettling and swapping bits around than riding 😳

Nice thoughts there PP BTW

sometimes I ride more than others. I always seem to come back to bikes – even if just for transport