[Closed] Has anyone just decided one day to quit riding altogether?

Sell two of the bikes and force your missus to maintain hers?

I prefer riding it the wet, it's more entertaining on the downs and comes with a greater sense of adventure and accomplishment.

thought about it 4yrs ago when I got ill.
I bought a ebike to keep riding, it helped at the time, but I decided I would rather suffer a fair bit and ride a proper bike, although very slowly.
I am still suffering and riding slowly........ 8)

Or maybe just sit on it for a bit (hypothetically speaking) - I've never done as much as you but I've long since stopped worrying about having periods of no motivation. Sooner or later, it'll come back. 🙂

Thought you'd jacked it in for good ton?

Don't sell all your bikes though, you will regret it. I can be the same, my interests come in waves. Mountain biking, computer games and academic interests are my main thing. I'll get bored of either one for about 4-6 months and focus on the others and then I'll tire of those for a bit.

Thought you'd jacked it in for good ton?

no mate, tapping out 500 or more miles a month on my tourer. very slowly. but I love it to bits. riding a bike is part of who I am.
hopefully one day I will get fixed and get back to riding mtb.

How about uplift days ton? Become a downhill goon? I'm sure you will ton, advances in cardiac treatment come in leaps and bounds.

Not exactly quit, but there's definitely been a time or two when I just couldn't be bothered for a good few months.

Each time something clicked after a while - had a few beers and my mind turned to that feeling as you nail a particular tricky line, or just wanted to get out and see the trails early in the morning before anyone's up, kind of thing - and it came back.

Not sure if that's quite what you're going through, but it may not be terminal 🙂

Yes, after a mate got paralysed on a ride. Tried riding a couple of weeks afterwards, couldn't get enthusiasm for it. Sold most of my bikes. Didn't ride for 18 months. Slowly getting back into it, although 5 years after the fateful ride.

new challenges always help - i went through a few years of mainly riding trail centres, every weekend, with occasional DH day thrown in for a few years as that was what my bunch of mates did. the riding got like groundhog day tbh, and whilst thats ok for some the predictability got pretty tedious for me, and i found i was losing motivation. last year i went the whole year without riding a single trail centre, but did more rides, covered more miles and rode more new/challenging stuff than any year previously, also met some good folk too (and some randoms!). this year i'm intending to ride more local and get involved with more local clubs/trailbuilding too although a new house we're doing up and baby is kinda holding that up. already paying off found some pretty good natural/BW/cheeky stuff within a few miles of home already

no mate, tapping out 500 or more miles a month on my tourer. very slowly. but I love it to bits. riding a bike is part of who I am.

#Might be slow, but still more miles than I or most on here do. Chapeau for keepin' the faith on any wheels!

how about a week touring? island hopping around the west coast of scotland.

y'know, [i]proper[/i] biking.

there's so much more to biking than mountain bikes.

sell your bikes to buy a shinier car? - you've got it bad haven't you!

yes. currently 5 months since i have ridden a bike.
reason: i have decided to put all my time/energy into career/work for a while so i just dont have the time as i’m working most weekends. totally my choice and i’m happy to do it.
being measured up for a new road bike this week and when that arrives i expect it will be time to get back into riding every weekend and a couple of times during the week. (and losing the 4kg i seem to have acquired)

It's weird as I've been riding all through winter maintaining 4 bikes (3 of mine and one of the Mrs's) and got really fed up with the constant maintenance and cleaning, been itching for some dry weather to get out and ride... now it's here I just can't be bothered.

Ground yourself down, forgotten why you loved riding. Take a break.

I was getting this way with minimal sleep with a newborn, shitty rainy cold rides made me question it all. I decided there and then to only ride when the weather looks good and promised myself that when the weathers amazing I'd milk it to the nth degree.

Thats how you fall in love again.

Gritty, cold rainy rides are for those who start to get bitter IMO.

Plus you've just comeback from lift-assisted fun. You always get the blues after ANY Alps trips 😀

Sad times Paul! Buy a bike that's less maintenance and go get wet! I'm coming out of 2 years of a shit injury so on the opposite scale to you but I did for a long time lose interest. It's funny being back on here actually as I only really come on when I'm bored. Can't wait to take the bike out when I move back to the uk. Get yourself out on a cheap holiday to morzine you can stay at mine for nowt

& what will you do with the shiny car? Drive it to the Garden a Centre every weekend?

& what will you do with the shiny car? Drive it to the Garden a Centre every weekend?

Sometimes driving a great car is joyous.

OP Have ONE bike. One very decent bike- clear out the rest.

I'm quitting tomorrow.

Nah that is never gonna happen

Done it once with motorbikes never again. Getting back into it is so much more difficult - virtually impossible - the second time around

And for a car? Noooooooooooooooo way

Not an overnight decision as such, but due to the breakdown of my marriage and subsequent change of lifestyle and mental health I decided to pretty much knock cycling on the head, this was back in the middle of 2012, since then I've done one 20 mile road ride and Bridgewater to Taunton on the canal towpath.

I can't say I miss it, I took up running instead.

Getting pissed off with having to drive to ride anywhere off road. Combination of small kids, high fuel prices and living nowhere near any hitlls has all but killed me as a 'mountain biker'. Nowadays I just get out for a few hours here and there on my folder. Though I do ride in some capacity at least 4 times a week.

I'd love to ride off road whenever I could and tbh I'm a bit jealous of people who have good riding on their doorstep. Maybe it'll return as the kids get older but I must have ridden my MTB about ten times in the past year.

TBH I go thru phases of riding everyday for months on end riding occaisionally and even not riding for a whole year, i always end up back on the bike at some point though

This is why I'm taking up road riding- straight out of your door and you can be back in 2hours (or more if you like) combined/total.

Start at 6am and your back for breakfast with the family?

Extreme but in summer....that'll be great.

Plus with road riding- helps your off road too. Makes riding off road 'easier'/its all different but if I stopped riding/exercise I'd probably lose my happy-streak and be a nightmare in pubs 😯

I'm not thinking of giving up cycling, but tbh, touring is sounding more appealing than the rough stuff to me these days(still doing it offroad too, but easier tracks and more road friendly tyres for the road sections), will never give up mtb, but I can see there being less of it in the future or atleast flirting in and out of it, My next bike purchase will be some kinda sturdy tourer I've settled on anyhow, would like to start trying to get longer distances..

yes bought a 1972 camper (hence the username - it came with a vanhalen tape in the tape deck) and did it up. still kept a bike but just used it to get about

after a while started riding again and then got more into riding again.

Take a break.

This. Times 1000.

Or, by "break", try a new discipline....

DH bike = not ridden since April-ish last year.
XC bike = one quick 20min spin in 6 months.
Road bike = ridden weekly.
BMX (race) = ridden most of all, even for 20 mile loops!

I just need to finish building a back wheel, and I'll have the DH bike running again - and I'm rather excited by it 😀

I got really ill 3 years ago. I got sectioned a few times due to doing some silly things.
I got diagnosed with severe mental problems. I couldn't look at my bikes.
I was s 10 stone whippet, riding Coed y Brenin 4 times a week and DH uplifts with the likes of Tracey Mosely and others on private DH tracks around North Wales.
Now I'm on heavy shitty medication which makes me put on weight.
Today I'm 15 stone. A 50 percent weight increase in 3 years.
I can't even look at my bike just yet but I know I will get better eventually.

I can totally connect with what you're feeling, today! I sometimes wonder myself if I'll keep it up forever, getting kinda bored of places to ride within reasonable distance of my home - feel like I've explored every nook and cranny. Plus there doesn't seem to be the buzz within the various fragmented groups that I ride with, compared to say five or so years ago. Perhaps I need to move and start all over again

OP would you say you were a lot more time rich and free of commitments when you were more into riding in your Yoof?

Is it perhaps the case that riding has become generally less convenient as you've picked up work and family commitments that eat into the free time that bikes would have had first dibs on previously...

It sounds like bike maintenance (which probably wasn't such a chore before) is now claiming a disproportionate amount of your (reduced) free time too?

Don't quit cycling, you'll only end up regretting it when you're sat in a traffic jam on a sunny day, in the nice car paid for by selling off the bikes...

Instead maybe "Downscale" think about which one or two areas/disciplines you especially enjoy and focus on those, downsize the bike collection to just a couple of, different bikes, maybe just the one, whatever covers the preferred Niche(s) you'll halve the maintenance faff and costs for starters...

I think there just comes a point where cycling has to fit in around your life rather than the other way round... but don't quit, you'd definitely regret it.

I must admit that when people have a 'fleet' of bikes- it becomes expensive to maintain them- i.e. buy the bits that are good enough, storage hassle etc. In the end your maintaining a hobby, you don't have a hobby.

Just bought a Brompton. Its an absolute hoot to ride. Plus it can be taken anywhere. Sure it doesn't rank alongside an MTB on a decent trail but it certainly makes me want to ride it. It'll certainly help me keep cycling until I can get MTBing again.

I must admit that when people have a 'fleet' of bikes- it becomes expensive to maintain them- i.e. buy the bits that are good enough, storage hassle etc. In the end your maintaining a hobby, you don't have a hobby.

Depends on how often the "fleet" gets ridden. If they all get ridden equally, then yes I agree. I haven't used the DH or XC bike in months.

Cheers for the input guys.

Alex.. long time no see! Might just take you up on that at some point 🙂

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. The question about free time etc.. yes I had more time etc years ago, but at the minute if anything my work life balance is at the best its been for the last 4 years.

My wife had a bad crash 6 weeks ago and has only just come off crutches... not sure if that's coincidence or maybe and instigating factor too.

I'll probably sit on the decision for a bit, but I'm also acutely aware of how quick kit depreciates.

Anyone want an absolutely mint 2012 Banshee Spitfire in Medium?

Anyone want an absolutely mint 2012 Banshee Spitfire in Medium?

Which bearings or bushes?

Bushes, it's got brand new uprated ones in with no play whatsoever and no frame wear at all.

I got really ill 3 years ago. I got sectioned a few times due to doing some silly things.
I got diagnosed with severe mental problems. I couldn't look at my bikes.
I was s 10 stone whippet, riding Coed y Brenin 4 times a week and DH uplifts with the likes of Tracey Mosely and others on private DH tracks around North Wales.
Now I'm on heavy shitty medication which makes me put on weight.
Today I'm 15 stone. A 50 percent weight increase in 3 years.
I can't even look at my bike just yet but I know I will get better eventually.

.......wow. 😯

Me. Haven't ridden for at least 3 years but recently decided to start again so havr a pile of bits that will soon be bike shaped in the shed 😉

Happens to us all paul. Just do what i do when i dont feel like riding.

I dont ride. I go do something else. Had a day of last thursday so was thinking of going up the woods. It was pishing down easnt feeling my usual enthusiasm for it so i got out my pen,paper and tools. Designed and built a set of shelves to fit in a specific sized space in the hall.

Dont sell yer bikes. Youll only have to buy another when the mood retakes you.....

Yep.

I basically stopped riding for nearly 2 years after a bad day at Caersws.
Kept the bikes and it came back eventually. Am now out riding loads and loving it.

Just take a break and do something else (mine were climbing and kayaking)

I got sick of bikes when I worked in the trade & didn't ride much, if at all for a couple of years. Just kept building shiny bikes and selling them on after an hour or so of use.
Once I moved on from the bike trade, maybe a year later I started to get the itch to go out again and the last 4 years or so I've been back to loving it.
Sometimes I think you need to remember that you can do other things as well as riding bikes, it doesn't need to be the thing that defines who you are for it to be fun.

Suffered physical disability (chronic rheumatoid arthritis) and the pain and eventual weight gain put me off riding for a few years, unless you count self-propelled wheelchair...but always vowed to get back at it. If anything i just quit MTbing and pootled more on lanes, now getting back into mtb. Extra weight puts one off cycling.

Can't see me ever quitting, even if was riddled with brittle bone disease or somesuch would still ride an offroad recumbent trike. In fact looking for a recumbent style for Mrs Rider as she is compromised in the bone dept. oh ye gods what. did. i. just. say.

Malvern rider- **** A. 🙂 an inspiration to us who are just bloody idle

Yeah, me.

Had an unsatisfactory affair working in bike retail.

Was so devastating I gave up and went working the festivals for three months trying to "find" myself. Not a single bike ride for 92.days.

Then I came home and it's the best, most important part of my life.

Mostly, because it's joy not job.

*waves at al*

I don't have any motivation to ride mtb at the moment, I've been mostly riding road. went on the mtb on Saturday for the first time in about 6 months, can't say i'm in a rush to do it again at the moment so i'll stick to the road.

last weekend I had my first two wheel drift in a longtime. I grinned like a Cheshire cat. Its moments like that, that ocassional spark that keeps me coming back for more.

Maybe these moments in a ride are what you miss?

Been close a couple times. Very close. But all it took was a quality day out with friends and I realised how much I would miss it. I am a little worried about the move to Newcastle and riding opportunities there though.... 😐

You should Paul - here until the end of June! enough space to bring the misses as well!

I forgot to mention whilst recovering from my shoulder operation I did my motorbike license and got a sports bike which is a lot of fun! but it's getting sold again to get something slower as it makes downhilling feel safe!

That banshee frame looks nice!

Yeah, currently not feeling the love for off-road riding. Just happy doing my 12 mile commute. I'm sure It will come back eventually. Not done a great deal since October.

Try a fat bike, no suspension so hardly any maintenance req. can go where you want it doesn't matter if you are faster than anyone else as you will always be going more than 10 smiles an hour. My 29er hasn't used since I bought my fat bike 🙂

chilled76 - Member

...Was wandering if anyone on here just suddenly decided one day to give up riding?..

When you feel like that it's time to decomplicate life.

Get a singlespeed with a moderate gearing and cable disks. It won't cost much or go obsolete if you don't ride it, but it can happily lean against the wall waiting for when the urge takes you, and with moderate gearing you won't be punishing yourself if you've lost some fitness.

With nothing to fix, it won't be a hassle.

You should own your bikes, not them own you.

Variety is the spice of life. Over the years sometimes I can't wait to get out other times I'm not so bothered. In the past I've ridden more in the winter, mid, rain and cold as I've been too busy in the summer. This last year I missed 6 months riding with an injury and have been working gradually back into it. Take a bit of a break, it doesn't hurt.

Keep one.
Have a break.
Come back start again when you want to/ if you want to.

Been ill, raced about 6months ago, did it, didn't do myself any favours in the process.
11 months on from being stuffed in hospital, just trying to get going again, can manage 8-10km on road on a rigid singlespeed on 28c tyres at the moment.
I want to ride again though. I have 2 nice hardtail frames sat here looking at me, and a full susser in bits in box keeping them company.

Been scared to go out. Now unfit and no riding legs. Rigid bike, single speed, spin around town, might try a push uphill ride along and down at the weekend 🙂

Sometimes a change is needed, come back when your ready, keep a "bike" handy for when your ready.

Go to the gym for a bit, you'll be back in no time.

Give up?

How would i get to work?

or to the shops or more important the pub?...

Have never ever trained, raced, Strava-stats etc... or used any type of motovation thing to cycle... no interest or motovtion needed...

Did the trail centre stuff and downhill etc...and just got tired of the same bland Forest Comission scenery, esp when the countrysides seen by country roads and trails is far more interesting, each to there own though...

Ride the bikes that suit where you live and not what magazines are being payed to tell you to ride and you will have a lot more fun 😉

I fell ill 3 years ago, balance gone and all over the place for about 2 weeks, and was told i would likely develop MS, and maybe not walk etc, nevermind work and do stuff like cycling. Things never materialised from that MRI scan result over the following months and i thought all along **** that! i`m not stopping doing what i love doing!

You have one life, so go make the most of it!, there are many people who cannot...

Cycling for myself is A-B transport 90% of the time (I do drive but seldom), so just do hours and hours of cycling, i do not count it in distance-no interest really in that, but enjoy hours time involved with bicycles be it cycling or tinkering or stopped chatting to folk you meet out in the countryside who show interest in what your cycling and are also out enjoying what you are on foot 🙂

My how we all differ, I couldn't cope if I didn't ride my bikes, life at home is low ATM with Mrs C now having palliative treatment, my bikes are an escape, my GP says I need to ride to sustain a good mental health.

Yup me too.

I used to roadie race back in the day, long story short, I'd had enough of pulling on the front for others glory and handed the bike back in to my team after 5 years of it. Didn't touch a bike again until about ten years ago when an ex team mate came to stay and he bought a bike down with him "to encourage me to get back on one" git 😆
It took a while to get back into it, but I did realise that I do love it really, but chose not to race or be competitive again.

I'm just back on a bike after over 18 years off. I did quite a lot of road stuff way back when then just drifted away from it and eventually got much more into fell running/orienteering. After one knackered ankle and one knackered knee, and a hefty dose of life, I bought my first ever mountain bike about two months back and am enjoying trunding around forest roads and bridleways from home, in spite of being overweight, unfit and finding out it's a lot more technical than I ever thought. If it's no fun any more, just give biking a rest for a while.

I had an enforced absence for a year or so - found it harder since then, but absolutely loving it at the moment. Living somewhere with great trails out the door certainly helps - driving to ride on a regular basis is a faff and would quite often stop me bothering.

As above - if you're not loving it take a break, don't force it.

Mojos come and go. Came back from snowboarding trip this year totally bored of it and not planning to go again. My Yamaha R1 is currently SORN, first time in 20+ years I haven't had a road legal bike. Mtb only comes out for weekends away or holidays (Turkey in 2 weeks with Cycleactive). For the last 18 months its all been about the road for me. It started with the non-summer we had, got sick of gloopy riding and constant cleaning and maintenance, now I love being able to get straight out from my door without driving somewhere, and the 'purity' of it.

I may come back from Turkey all enthused with off road and I'm sure my mojo will return at some point.

I got into fell running, its just less hassle than taking the bikes out, plus you can go almost anywhere within reason.

So the bikes have just hung in the garage now for over a year, only get used when there are signs of running injury.

Yep had a lay-off for 6+ months from July last year until Feb this year.
Combination of a house renovation, followed by the death of my younger brother in October just took me away from bikes.

My Mrs bought me a turbo trainer for Christmas, which got me spinning the pedals while the weather was crappy, and I've got quite back into 'proper riding' over the last 6-8 weeks, which is good because I've agreed to ride from London to Mt Snowdon in September!
I'm going to try and ride weekly from now on, as I can totally see the benefits to my mental/physical health.

I've just bought a 29 Inbred frame and plan to sell my full bouncer and road bike and just have the Inbred for everything. Got fed up with maintaining two bikes, getting bored on the road and bashing out the miles just to stay fit enough to keep up with my mates off road. Work and other commitments means I feel like just winding the mileage dial back a bit. Will see how it goes and am looking forward to the "freedom" of riding where I want, when I want, for how long I feel like. This is my idea of a compromise rather than throwing the baby completely out.

Like someone earlier said, much harder to get back into something if you've dropped it completely. I'm vowing not to be a Strava slave from here on in!

Trailrider Jim - Member
I've just bought a 29 Inbred frame...

Get a spare set of wheels and stick 2.35" Big Apples on them, and you will have a reasonably nippy road bike with limousine comfort.

Guarantee you'll love it.

There are times when I think to myself "what am I doing this for?", especially during the winter months when a ride consists of trying not to slip on wet chalk for four hours in the freezing cold.

The fact that the (mountain) bike industry is seemingly mired in a cynical cycle with ridiculous new standards designed to make a two year old bike obsolete doesn't help either...

...and yet I ventured out on Sunday, after a downpour and got caught up in the heady scent of springtime, the vivid colours of blossoms and the sight of lambs dancing soggily on the green grass and it suddenly made sense again.

I stopped riding for about 3 years, just lost interest, besides there are more intersting things in life than riding a bike.

Back in to it again now, but still dont ride that much. I used to almost go out for the sake of it, but now pick and choose when to go and appears to be more enjoyable for it.

Whatever you do, make sure you're doing some regular exercise. It'll keep you healthy and sane and make it easier to get back into riding when you want to.

I mountain bike a bit, but I live in a flat flat place with a perfect car free commute to work daily, I'd be mad not to keep on riding.

Also, you are never closer to that childhood feeling of freedom than when you turn those first couple of cranks and head away from the door. Or when you are bolting along eyes streaming and wind in your hair (or what remains of it).

Bikes are great and I will continue to love them for years to come.

Have a break if you need it - sooner or later though they will call out to you!

Yup

Broke my arm for the third time in November last year, got back commuting a few months ago but "the fear" had arrived and the mojo's gone.

Bought a boat instead. Takes a similar ammount of time, the same feeling of commitment/danger, far more physicaly draining*, costs about the same, and the added bonus of not having muddy kit everywhere.

I'll probably get back into it at some point, but I don't anticipate it getting back to the point where I'd say "I'm a cyclist", just for fun in the evenings maybe. TBH I'm quite looking foreward to it.

*it's an all over feeling rather than just the cardio/tired feeling and dull legs after a long ride.

I've been riding bikes on and off since '97.

Got hooked at 13 and my life and friends revolved around bikes for three years. All of my money was spent on bikes, lunchtimes spent in the library with mates flicking though every bike mag we could get and every waking minute spent riding, even if it was just dicking about in the street manualing curbs nd bunny hopping stuff.

After a few years I got burnt out on it, got a bit older and was distracted by girls, cars, beer and going to gigs etc. Also fell into BMX and skating...both of which I was useless at. Sold my MTB to buy a BMX which was nicked at uni. Not insured and my folks wouldn't let me claim on the house insurance so I was hopeless for the first time in eight years! I then developed a major guitar habit and forgot about bikes.

Until one summer I was sat about in the garden murdering Slayer and Metallica songs on one of my many guitars and I realised that I missed bikes so I bought an FSR and built something up. Once again, bikes were the focus of my life. Riding loads, worked in a shop, alps trips. Crap car and posh bikes. This went on from 2004 through 2009.

I had a fairly chunky pay cut at work (construction industry and the recession wasnt a nice combo). I wasn't riding much so I decided to reduce the fleet to a single bike....a Patriot 66. I'd started to fall out of love with bikes again and I hated this bike so much that it out me off riding and before I knew it, it was broken up and sold to fund car repairs. That was it, I didn't ride for ages.

Then in 2011, I got a Christmas bonus and randomly bought a bike frame. Built it up over a few months and was hooked again before I knew it. Downside was that I was hideously unfit but I felt like my weekends had a purpose again. Before I knew it, I had a fleet of bikes and spent most of last summer riding.

After an epic post, I'd have a break keep your fav bike and see what happens over the next few months. For me, it seems to be a hobby that I can drift away from but it pulls me back eventually. Riding different stuff helps me...last sumer was all about the road bike but I've barely touched it this year although I'm hoping a good ride this weekend will get the spark back.

I see nowt wrong with a nice motor either...I love cars and still get a silly grin on my face listening our 330 redline. It love not cash to have a fun car that I could tinker with.

Getting close to making that decision. Just been diagnosed with a second permanent health condition that questions the wisdom of riding. Thing is, seeing my bikes split for selling would finish me off. 🙁

Life really can be crap sometimes. 😐

I'd have to agree with Hora, bought a flat bar road bike last year (was cheap, and didn't want to go full roadie), can go out, do 20 miles and be back home in no time, no cleaning, just a brief lube/check over, and job done.

Unless it's with a few mates and it's going to be a full day, loading up all the kit to drive to a trail centre just seems unnecessarily expensive and a lot of hassle.

That said, I have the black mountains, hergest ridge/radnor hills and hopton all within 1/2 hour of home.........