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I used to ride a lot on my own but now can't be bothered. The weather is often rubbish and self motivation is low. Riding with others is so much more fun. I joined a club, met some cool people and am now riding more regularly than ever.
Kind of the same problem with me. I used to commute to work on my bike and really looked forward to that part of the day. A couple of nights a week I would break out the full sus and head into the local woods to do the trail there and it was great.
At the start of Covid, I changed jobs and started WFH. That totally took away my commute and with it went my desire to do "proper" biking in the evenings. I still went out on the road bike in the sumer, but winter stops that and, over sommar this year, I was just away from my Stumpy from April until, well, last month. Shit, it took me a month to re-build the back wheel and I _still_ need to get the damn thing professionally trued and it's been on the bike, in the storage, for six months now.
I should get out on my bike more. I miss it.
sharkattack
This is much harder than it sounds. I moved to a new city a few years ago so I only had a small circle of friends anyway. That’s pretty much gone now. No one I could call on for a ride has resurfaced since Covid. At the minute I only have workmates who are fine but I don’t really socialise with and none of them are bike riders.
I literally knew noone in my town other than my immediate neighbours (and a family I'm not allowed to speak tpo because kids mother fell out with them)... most of my previous riding mates were really parents of my kids riding mates and he's given up riding (and anything else other than gaming).
I restarted just randomly with one "can anyone show me around post on FB" and another father of one of my kids school friends. Both then introduced me into some other groups of riders who are pretty local. The level is perhaps a bit slower and less extreme than I'm used to but it's riding all the same.
after years of MTB'ing im finding that i just dont have the motivation to travel to places worth riding, for me living in Kent that means a minimum drive around the M25 to surrey and honestly trying to get around anywhere in the SE anymore is a nightmare.
so enter the gravel bike, kents trails are now interesting and i can get lots of satisfaction from a first place strava time of the day around my local woods and trail centre
if you sell up it might be worth hanging on to at least one bike. interrestingly for me ive bought lots of high end bikes over the years but the ones i ride the most have been the 2k hardtails and not the premium carbon full sussers
I would leave everything in mothballs for a while and do what you can to enjoy the other aspects of your life, or find a new interest. Don't sell anything yet though as you might just need a break.
I used to ride a lot - 150 miles per week commuting and at least a couple of evenings on the MTB, along with trips to Wales, Scotland, Spain. Kids came along and priorities shifted, we moved so the commute reduced, and then I changed jobs and couldn't commute at all. I spent 7-8 years barely riding which was fine as I didn't really miss it. I then spent about 18 months dipping back in and out, until just before lockdown I started riding again properly. Not to the same extent but at least 1 MTB ride per week and 1 road ride, plus some turbo work in the garage. It started as a reason to get fit again and now I'm enjoying it again, so much so that I recently upgraded my MTB.
Maybe you are done with it, maybe not. Don't worry about it or over analyse it, just crack on with your life and see how you feel in 6, 12, 18 months time.
The thing is I used to feel guilty and annoyed with myself for missing rides – I don’t have that feeling anymore…
'Guilty and annoyed' doesn't sound particularly positive, more like it is/was an obligation. Maybe you just need to disentangle the therapeutic side of your riding from the rest of it and see what's left? It may be that you simply don't really want to ride, or that the hassle side of it now outweighs the benefits, which is what - along with the perception of risk - stopped me riding motorbikes eventually. Or you may find it slots into a different part of your life and becomes less of a coping strategy and more of a simple, take it or leave it, sort of thing.
If it were me, I'd probably take a relationship break from riding and see how it feels come the spring, but really only you know. If you sell your bikes, it's not the end of the world either, you can always buy another one.
Do you want you and mountain biking to be done?
Yea I feel your pain OP. Im in a bad place atm though various things and I used to have riding as my head space and general fun. After Ard rock this year I basically threw in the towel for a number of reasons. A couple of stone on, lots of beer, loss of biking buddies and a slight change in weather have given me all the excuses I need not to ride. Ive thought about selling up but as others have said youll get not a lot for all of that expensive kit. Youll get money back on the bikes but the rest isn’t worth much.
The last couple of years have been strange. I cant focus on what was 3 months ago and what was 13 months ago at the moment. Its all very strange. Your not alone though and im sure it will come back. Your just at a low spot at the moment and you’ll eventually pull though. As your clearly doing this as a job rather than just a hobby id say try and focus on that. Get fit, plan some marketing put some time into it? You don’t have to be enjoying it at the moment as it’s a job but when you get the mojo back youll be glad you did.
I joined a club, met some cool people and am now riding more regularly than ever
I'm in a 'club' but it isn't much of a club. A shame, because it can be a great way to get out. Didn't help that most of the rides were 2 hours drive to the Lakes.
Thanks - just to be clear I have stopped doing any MTB for a job - it just wasn't working out.
I'm now back in full time employment in Engineering again.
I always find entering a race gives me kick up the arse I need to get out. Have scarcely ridden this year due to a building project and TBH not missing it that much but I reckon I'll pick out a low key event next year, maybe a team 10/12 hour job and work it into a weekend with the lads.
Not saying this would necessarily work for you but grist for the mill, eh.
I always find entering a race gives me kick up the arse I need to get out
I'd generally agree. Entered a hill race this saturday, done bugger all training. Argh. 🙂
I always find entering a race gives me kick up the arse I need to get out.
Tried that earlier in the year - a wasted entry fee lol
By the time I'd dithered and decided not to do it I missed the window to sell/transfer entry to another rider.
Cannock Chase used to be my local. The hordes all used to gravitate around the FOD and the like, but as soon as you went 'off-piste' it'd be much more chill. I can only imagine what it's like now. Probably loads of people going 'full enduro' or on E-bikes, riding the same trails that we rode on hardtails, single speeds etc 😀
Do you ever do any trail work? I find my 'biking' time pretty evenly split between trail building and biking these days. I get a better sense of achievement building.
Fitness for me is a reason too, but it's a self fulfilling loop... You don't go out because you're not fit and you know it'll be hard work, but because you don't go out your fitness declines further, which means you don't go out because it's hard work...
Fitness is directly related to how enjoyable mountain biking is for me. I remember starting out a few years back and being very unfit which really affected by ability to enjoy the ride.
Anyway, got out today for an hour this afternoon, worth it. The mud is back, the cold air hurts the lungs on the first climb, and yet there's still 5ft high nettles about. Summer is trying to hang on in there but she's fighting a losing battle...
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You’re not alone in feeling like this, man. I’ve been riding for 30+ years and this year I’ve felt less motivated than ever. I can’t seem to find the “right” people to go riding with, that’s a big part of the problem and the fact that I’m as near as dammit 70 doesn’t help.
I’ll never be as fast as in my racing days, I can’t to 10 foot to flat drops or 20 foot gap jumps like all young dudes seem to be able to nowadays, I’m not that interested in boring fireroad rides, miles just for the sake of it either.
I like finding, sessioning and hopefully eventually cleaning tricky, techy sections, either up or down. I can spend a couple of hours faffing around in some small area finding new lines to try, same as I did in my trials riding days. This usually involves a few minor (hopefully) crashes, a fair bit of swearing and cursing but, at the end, a lot of satisfaction.
But a clean ride doesn’t count if there’s nobody to witness it and most folk aren’t bothered about this kind of stuff - but it’s not much fun on your own either.
I’m seriously thinking of going back to trials riding, to be honest.
25 years mtb for me so far. Ive been through loads of peaks and troughs over that time. I’m in a good period right now, really enjoying it again. Time off mtb for road this year to get ready for a tour was great and had me chomping to get back to the mud.
When I’ve gone through low points and not been biking before I’ve always tried not to give myself too hard a time. It’s part of me and always will be so it comes round again. You may be different.
I’m seriously thinking of going back to trials riding, to be honest.
Do it! Got to be better than a gravel bike! (trying to learn trials in my 40s, 3 years in so far). Trials had a bit of a revival in lock down. A good start for seeing what's going on is Trials Riders UK on facebook, and Shindig media on youtube.
I had this a few years back, i'm in the military and went from racing regularly and doing ok, with a bit of help from a local bike shop/team to missing a full UKGE season through being deployed to then missing two summers on the bounce. Rolling from one wet winter into another and losing my racing edge got to me and i ended up spending most of my time home trying to get back up to speed (self induced pressure). A bit of time off turned into me selling all of my bikes and kit and having a full 3 years off riding before finally getting a new hardcore hardtail at the end of last year.
The time away from riding was spent mainly training and competing in crossfit but i managed to get back up to speed and find my confidence again on the big stuff in a fairly short period of time with the carryover of fitness from the gym time helping quite a bit.
I've loved every minute of being back on the bike and wish i had got another sooner.....but a break did do me the world of good. Saying that i have been deployed again on ship since April and about to roll back into another winter in mid december when i return, only this time i can't wait to get my waterproofs on, mud tyres and get amongst it!
In summary - Have some time off and don't beat yourself up about it i say.
If you’re not enjoying something, you can’t force yourself to. But that doesn’t mean the enjoyment won’t naturally come back at some point.
Sometimes the problem isn’t with MTB specifically, it’s something else going on in life limiting capacity for enjoyment overall. You can have the experience of a lifetime but if your head’s not in the right place, you won’t enjoy it.
I generally love riding but have previously abandoned rides after 30 mins and just gone home because I wasn’t enjoying it. Nothing to do with the riding itself, usually because of some stress over work etc. in the background. The fun comes back though. Good luck.
Anyone else in a similar situation?
Yep, completely lost the love for riding bikes for the whole of this summer and it's still not really back.
I used to ride to work and back almost every day (4 day week) and two of my free days would usually be out on the mountain bikes somewhere, either with friends or solo. Any holiday time was usually partially filled with a trip away, either in the UK or abroad. Bikes were my happy place and I went to it as much as I possibly could. Even through the first lockdowns I would get out whenever possible, even if it was just to the shops or local park. I used to get very agitated if I didn't ride a bike for a few days. It was like this for well over 10 years, with the odd injury-enforced break.
Then this year happened and this rings true:
Sometimes the problem isn’t with MTB specifically, it’s something else going on in life limiting capacity for enjoyment overall. You can have the experience of a lifetime but if your head’s not in the right place, you won’t enjoy it.
Having lost my job in late 2020, both my parents being ill and getting old, some friends turning out to not be the friends I thought they were and a few other things meant my whole life has changed. The drive to get out there has completely gone. Even a new bike arriving didn't help, it took me 2 weeks to take it on it's maiden ride. Ever since June I've only really ridden when I've arranged to meet up with riding mates and I haven't really enjoyed the riding, just the company. I used to love a good spannering session too but two of my three bikes are sat there in need of work, the parts are ready to be fitted but I just can't be bothered to fit them. I went for over a month without touching a bike this summer, something I've never done before. Even when injured I've gone for a spin round the block with broken ribs, a destroyed shoulder and a damaged lower back on separate occasions. I even have completely missed my favourite time of year, autumn, this year which has shocked me into getting out on the bikes again the last week or so. Even then it was a real struggle to get the motivation to get out the door. I still don't have any drive to go for a ride outside, occasionally I'll go on Zwift but that's purely a fitness thing.
I don't know when the drive will return either. I have picked up a few new hobbies since the first lockdown, RC cars and a classic car being the main two, but they are totally different to riding bikes so I can't see that affecting anything. I'm putting it down to my life being completely chaotic at the moment. I don't have any permanent work (on the agency merry-go-round) so have no structure to my week, caring for my parents is taking up a lot of my time, hardly see any friends, don't have anything like a big holiday or event to aim for, reluctant to spend any money due to no fixed or steady income and the whole Covid/Brexit shitstorm is just plain depressing. I hope the love for bikes does come back very soon as it's one of the few things that makes winter bearable. I know that I need to get everything else in my life in order and the love of riding will help make things better but right now I really can't find any motivation to get out there.
So in answer to your OP: no, you're not alone in thinking that you're done with MTB. I'm at that tipping point of going either way but deep down I know that once my life regains some normality I'll be back out on the trails. The issue is I don't see normality ever returning!
Dirkpitt74
I’ve had so many weekends recently where I’d planned to go for a ride and the weather was crap that I just looked at it and decided to do DIY instead or take the Mrs shopping.
reluctantjumper
I don’t know when the drive will return either. I have picked up a few new hobbies since the first lockdown, RC cars and a classic car being the main two, but they are totally different to riding bikes so I can’t see that affecting anything. I’m putting it down to my life being completely chaotic at the moment. I don’t have any permanent work (on the agency merry-go-round) so have no structure to my week, caring for my parents is taking up a lot of my time, hardly see any friends, don’t have anything like a big holiday or event to aim for, reluctant to spend any money due to no fixed or steady income and the whole Covid/Brexit shitstorm is just plain depressing.
Neither of these REALLY seem to be about riding or bikes though more that enjoyment of this is a casualty of "lots of shit". (Seems about the best way to put it)
So in answer to your OP: no, you’re not alone in thinking that you’re done with MTB. I’m at that tipping point of going either way but deep down I know that once my life regains some normality I’ll be back out on the trails. The issue is I don’t see normality ever returning!
This just seems to make sense to me... and waiting for some "the return of normality" seems like a never ending thing as reality will move on so after Covid etc. it will be a different reality.
The way I see it is we got into MTB with whatever reality we had at the time and we enjoyed it and kept at it because we enjoyed it but we could have just as easily have enjoyed it in a different reality where we couldn't buy such nice bikes or had the same amount of time.
as said above
Sometimes the problem isn’t with MTB specifically, it’s something else going on in life limiting capacity for enjoyment overall. You can have the experience of a lifetime but if your head’s not in the right place, you won’t enjoy it.
Except in these cases I think it's at least a little bit to giving yourself permission to enjoy it. Turning on armchair phycologist mode ... it seems dirk has a reason to associate his failed business with it's subject (MTB) and no need to repeat what reluctant said. It doesn't seem so much about MTB, it could be anything previously enjoyed that now has some feeling of guilt mixed with things being generally shit? It's just that to some extent MTB sorta requires a bit of getting back into if you've been away from it.
Sometimes the problem isn’t with MTB specifically, it’s something else going on in life limiting capacity for enjoyment overall. You can have the experience of a lifetime but if your head’s not in the right place, you won’t enjoy it.
Wise words.
I still went out on the road bike in the sumer, but winter stops that
You can't ride because the season has changed?
FWIW this thread reads like a load of folk making up excuses for why they can't do something. If you don't want to do it, don't. Find something else to do.
I've ridden with folk who've stopped riding for various reasons - the majority of which are CBA to put the effort in.
Guess what, those folk you use to ride with?
Yep, they've moved on to ride with other folk.
I was always a small group / solo rider, but joining a club has been a massive motivation to me. Whatever the weather there is always someone out, and our club rides 3 days a week - so I can generally make at least one of those.
Having kids pretty much ended my 10 year commitment to MTB. Despite living on the edge of the peak, it just takes too much weekend time up with driving to/from trails, cleaning bike etc. Pretty much 100% road ride now, with the occasional foray onto the trails. Maybe I'll get back into MTB at some point, but everyone I used to ride with now have ebikes.
Lots of people are going to have been in your shoes at some point. Personally I'd try and keep cycling, but reduce the barriers to actually getting a little bit of something done. That means doing stuff that you can do from the door, but luckily that means Cannock for you. It might not be super gnar, but if you can get out for a few mornings each week on the hardtail, even if only for an hour, you'll get the satisfaction of getting something done, you'll get some headspace for yourself and while a lot of mornings will be wet and grim, some will be fantastic.
Thanks all - advice is appreciated.
Suppose I just need to have a word with myself.
I don't want to be done with MTB - I just need some mojo.
I’ve not ridden a bike since Sep/Oct last year. Instead, I’ve done a lot of XC walking and running, and kept at it regularly, probably going out 5 days/week. It’s unusual for me to park my bikes for that length of time but I’m not going to get wrapped up in analysing it. I have 3 bikes (road, MTB and gravel) and enjoy them equally. Historically (since 2001) I’d ride for probably 9 months of the year, sometimes chilling out over winter, other times dipping out at different times. No big issue IMO. I also rode a LOT as a teenager, so I know biking is an important part of my life.
However, I’m always busy - family, self-employed contractor, home improvement, etc - and I think I’ve decided in the last year that I want to head out on more of an ad hoc basis, get a session in, get back, get freshened up, and get on with my day. Walking/running promotes that more easily IME, especially when I bolt it on to the school run, or doing a club drop-off or similar. Most of all, I enjoy it, and I’m not going to beat myself up for doing it on foot as opposed to on a bike.
Sure, I look at my bikes tucked away under wraps, but deep down I know I’ve not lost my mojo and therefore wouldn’t sell any of them. I think I would only do so if I decided to swap out one of them for something like a do-it-all 29er, ie another bike that gave me a different perspective. But that’s a thought for another day. Until then, I’ll keep heading out on foot, get the physical and mental headspace I need, and be grateful for that.
Have I any advice? As others have said, try something else over the winter. Avoid analysing the bike thang and just enjoy whatever you do. Winter always turns to spring, by which time, you might fancy cranking those pedals again.
I went through a period when I just didn't have time for riding. Like OP, I considered selling my bike and just calling it quits. I still needed exercise, though, for all the mental health benefits that others have mentioned in this thread. I figured running would give me that endorphin kick, and be something I could squeeze into a spare hour, with no cleaning or maintenance afterwards. Well, it certainly helped for a while, but after three months of horrendous, soul-destroying plodding, I found myself desperate to get the bike out again. With new motivation to ride, I found myself able to squeeze the extra time from somewhere. So have a break, OP, it could well get you back out on the bike before you know it!
Yep, nothing like a good stint of running to make you appreciate MTBing more.
😉