Bikes should make you smile.

Hannah’s editor newsletter about folk helping each other.

I had a friendly green laning motorbiker stop and ask if I needed any tools as I sat at the edge of the trail with my left crank in my hand on Sunday.

I had the tools required, but would have been very welcome if not

Simply being out on my bike this morning in the sunshine before work made me smile

The other day I was sat resting next to my bike by a fountain in a tiny town and some local mountain bikers gave me a tray of cherries. They were delicious!

When out on our tandem (especially if it's sunny), we get lots of smiles, waves and jolly (she's not pedalling on the back) comments.

I made myself laugh by going over the bars onto a pavement in front of a line of cars last Saturday. Kerb was much bigger than it looked and I had a brain glitch that stopped me pulling the bars up. Grazed knee and almost snapped brake lever off.

I made a commitment to myself to do something with my bike every day in May.
Mostly it was going on a ride, or mucking about trying to learn a skill on the drive. Occasionally it was using the bike to go to the local (ish) cafe instead of having cereal while wfh. A couple of times I didn't go near my bike, but did pick up a shovel at the local trails. One day was a maintenance day

My overall mood was better by the end of the month. Smiles came easier and I was slightly less ill at ease with the world. Bikes are brilliant.

I'm doing it again this month but with slightly expanded scope.

And of course biking doesn't have to be quirky or whimsical to make you smile.

Here I am doing an enduro smile in Kinlochleven last week:

I took a few Scouts out for a bike ride last week. It absolutely shat it down towards the end but they were all smiling when we got back to the hut. That was nice.

When out on our tandem (especially if it’s sunny), we get lots of smiles, waves and jolly (she’s not pedalling on the back) comments.

Are they those 'not quite closed fist' type waves? 😉

I rode my Mk1 Cotic Soul last week for the first time in 6 months.

I may lust after newer, shinier bikes, but the Soul just looks and feels so right, I can't stop smiling

It makes me smile when riding somewhere (obviously) cheeky and am met with a cheery hello from walkers - happy that someone else is enjoying the countryside, regardless of the means they choose to do it with.

Makes up for the miserable sods on multi use trails who think that you are the devil incarnate and nothing matters other than their own existence as they walk 4 abreast

This photo of my wife makes me smile. An hour before this she'd hesitated and gone over the bars and landed in a heap at the bottom. We had some lunch and she said "I'm going up to have another go." It went better the second time 😃

When out on our tandem (especially if it’s sunny), we get lots of smiles, waves and jolly (she’s not pedalling on the back) comments.

Is that because you aren't actually pedalling at the back?

Realising how much quicker and effortless my road bike is after lots of riding my cross bike. It just 'felt' great - definitely made me smile.

Still love the cross bike and mountain bike though.

I've hardly ridden my bike this year. Then I went out at lunch and rode the local trails in sunshine. Everything felt as it should, I smiled for a good while after that.

I've had a strange (first world problems type) few days.

Last night I went out and rode my bike and went to the pub after.  In moments it felt like a huge weight had been removed from my shoulders and a sense of real calm (amongst a lot of huffing and puffing uphill) took it's place.  Nothing but the trail in front and the company seemed to matter. It's almost without fail within a few moments of pushing away on the pedals something seems to change in my brain.  Forget mind altering substances just pass me a bike and a trail to ride it on. Turns that frown upside down. 😉

I love riding bikes, I love the hills and I'm truly grateful for some great people to ride with.

My son has gotten back on the bike in the last month or so and we were up at Laggan on Sunday. We caught up with a family at the top of the slab. Father and mother were not keen to do it but the daughter was considering it. We rode it once then went back round as he wanted another go. I talked them through it and suggested the daughter just follow us down, which she did, with a big cheesy grin.

I'm reading this, sat outside on a (pretty bloody chilly) summer night, halfway through a second pint, at the end of a 2 hour blast through the woods with a mate. I've been riding a Ti HT with a rigid carbon fork and fast, light, sketchy summer tyres, and been giggling to myself about what I've been able to get away with as my mate and I have attempted to tear each other's legs off. Bikes, are indeed, great 👍

Made me smile last night for three reasons

Keeping up with my mate (climbing) who I'd have been blowing out of my arse following a few weeks ago - 52 and fitness is probably now on a par with my early 40's

Riding the steepest section I've ever done - showing -49.5degrees on Strava, could possibly have been more

Setting PR's or closely matching on my HT that I'd previously held on my FS

I am camping in Scotland and cycling bits and pieces in the Great Glen. It's cold and alternates between sunshine and driving rain but the scenery is stunning the deer graze in the evening the campsite is full of rabbits and there are ankle level shallows.

I could even see snow on tops of the Nevis range.

Scotland is truly a beautiful place.

Riding up the hill home with the kids on the back of the cargo bike singing ‘Out of Space’ by prodigy at slightly antisocial volume.

Took my eldest on the pump track at Dalby on Sunday. Took her a while to get confident, but she was smashing it after a few laps.

She also climbed the Adderstone, so it's not just bikes that make you smile!

Sussed out how to use the Blue Bike network after a long day in the office in Brussels, made the effort to have a ride into town and it was simply glorious, EXACTLY what I needed. There was a moment as I rolled down another glorious old boulevard in the sun, listening to some chilled tunes, where it felt unreal, like GTA or something. Lovely way to unwind after work. 🙂

We are in Normandie at the mo, which is nice. Saturday we bumped in approx 100 road bikes following the Libération route, at a feed stop.
There was a chap on a Mason, so I said “nice Mason”, boom our new best friend. A lovely chap, he was from the US married to an English lady and living in Germany. I’m guessing USAF , but we talked bikes.  It was lovely.

KramerFree Member
When out on our tandem (especially if it’s sunny), we get lots of smiles, waves and jolly (she’s not pedalling on the back) comments.
Is that because you aren’t actually pedalling at the back?

Whoops you've sussed me out. :o)

Smiles for miles ebiking with my partner. I've got a lovely photo of her on our very first ride together - she wasn't used to any techy type mtbing and it was still very wet and puddly on the trails. I rode past some big puddles. Stopped up the trail and waited. hm... ah here she is... all soaking wet and muddy! Camelbak completely caked in filth. But the huge smile! "I fell off!" 😀 She just rides through puddles now rather than going for a lie down in them!

Due to health issues mentioned on another thread, I finally got to get on a bike yesterday for the first time in about 9 months. It was only on a cheap turbo trainer in the kitchen but it was a great feeling. Can't wait until I'm allowed out 'for real'...

Hearing about folks helping each other out on the road always makes me happy too, even if it's second-hand through an article.
I was processing information about a cycling event a few weeks ago. It was a charity ride, and there were people of all ages and abilities participating. Seeing everyone riding together, supporting a good cause, and having a blast just filled me with positive vibes. Even the folks who were struggling seemed to be having a good time, encouraging each other along the way.