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My ideal bike ride would probably be a long but but too steep Alpine climb on a road bike, followed by a bike swap at the top from my mechanic in the team car (I did say it was my ideal ride) to a mountain bike for some long swoopy singletrack back to the bottom.
Working hard to earn something valuable is an essential part of the human condition
Protestant work ethic? a totally manmade construct
Human condition is to lie in the sun with easily found food and sex all around you
Protestant work ethic? a totally manmade construct
Human condition is to lie in the sun with easily found food and sex all around you
Well nearly everything is man made but this is an interesting point. The satisfaction of working hard to achieve something isn't manufactured by a European religious sect, it applies across humanity IMO. In terms of physical work, though, our bodies produce endorphins when we do this which is clearly evolved as a way to promote us to exercise a bit.
which is clearly evolved as a way to promote us to exercise a bit
You know nearly all vertebrates release endorphins in their brains, right? Which is why you can't move for giraffe Olympics and tiger workout videos.
TJ is right; the strive for accomplishment thing is made-up bollocks.
why you can’t move for giraffe Olympics and tiger workout videos
Animals have evolved on the basis that excesses of food and sex are not regular occurrences.
Personally I usually don’t clear a technical ascent on the first attempt - the satisfaction comes on clearing it on the second or third attempt, plus the view (if there is one) and the expectation of what follows.
I do like a bit of climbing, but it needs to be on my terms & at my pace. Did a doorstep challenge in last year's lockdown, riding from your door, 50km max, no hill repeats, can only ride a section twice (up & down). I managed 7168' in 28.5 miles, got popped by a guy in Sheffield (I'm Stroud). In a normal local MTB ride the climbings essential to hit good bits of trail, but timewise I spend most of my time climbing.
Depends on the bike, climbing on a light zippy hard tail...it's what they are for.
I love the grind, the pain of it, think it's something to do with age, I get the fear on downhills now.