How do you bimble?

I built a bike for bimbling about on last year, a discounted Cotic Cascade frameset with some used wheels and pickings from the Chiggle sales. The idea was it would just be for ambling around the local lanes and the likes of the family trail at FoD.

But, it’s now sporting a carbon fork (which has got it down to around 26lb), I’ve sold my gravel bike and I find myself wanting to go ever faster on it. When I’m riding on my own (which is mostly) I always seem to end up pushing the pace. I don’t need, or really want to, It was meant to be a slow bike – so what strategy do you employ to go slower?

Go up one gear (i.e. into a slightly easier/spinnier gear) and let yourself spin easily at your natural ‘cruising’ cadence. And look around.

basket on the front. Ideally full of takeouts from the local.

Ride with other people.

Eat more cake.

Ride with other people.

Oi, you trying to say something? 🙂

It’s in your nature.

I certainly wasn’t a bimbler so when medical issues meant I could no longer be at the pointy-end of a pack or racing with mates I packed in! 🙂

I’d rather go for a walk with the dog than a bimble on a bike.

It’s not the most sensible strategy, but long covid and gaining 15Kg makes everything a relative bimble!

Pre-Oct ’22, I’d either go out on the heavy hybrid Marasa, or I’d head out on the road bike and shift to an easier gear if my power went above ~200W, which back then was comfortably zone 2 (now that’s zone 4).

Ride somewhere new – the need to stop and read a map and the fact you literally don’t know what is around the corner keeps the speed down.

I’m not sure if you were looking for more of a philosophical answer but my trainerroad plan occasionally prescribes zone 2 (easy) rides which I do outside and I use a heart rate monitor to ensure that I am indeed keeping the effort at a low (conversational) pace.

The weird thing is if I do say 2hrs like that at first it seems almost ludicrously slow when I start off, but by the time I’ve done 90mins of it the thought of suddenly upping the pace seems really unpleasant, but that could just be me.

Restrict yourself to breathing through your nose only?

For me, bimbling is a luxury that comes with having time to just go wherever the mood takes me.

My last bimble was around a bunch of the local canals and it was quite nice. I’ve started taking a camera out with me as well and my rides also result in me looking for photo opportunities.

It’s a mindset thing. To bimble effectively I find the actual bike ride needs to be secondary to the places your bike ride takes you.

Come out riding with me. I’m a jedi master at bimbling. I stop regularly to take in the view/ take some photos/contemplate life the universe and everything. I don’t feel the need to get anywhere in particular at all. Apart from the pub at the end, obvs!

Its all just about being out on the bike, so I just head off down the local bridleways and pootle

Oh… and my bimbling/pub bike, which is my old P7 hardtail, recently got a bit of much needed TLC which involved the addition of many totally unneccessary carbon blingy bits, just because… 😀

Maybe you’re just a fast bimbler?

A great man once said, “Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”

If your legs want to go faster why try and stop them?

Could try going for longer rides where keeping something in reserve is wise. If you’re usually doing 2.5 – 3 hr rides, up it to 5-6 hrs

Pack some binoculars and stop every so often to look for interesting nature stuff??

I went for a solo bimble the other day.

The trick is not to bimble all the time, but when your on a relatively “boring” lane or fire road that lacks technical challenge, just sit up, click down to an easier gear, look more at the scenery and let your thoughts wander a wee bit.

Something more engaging will be along eventually and draw you into a bit of hectic effort, but it’s warm and humid this week (at least here it is) so intermittent bimbling actually makes good sense IMO.

Hmm, you appear to be me who struggles with bimbling (i concede defeat on trying) and also bought a Cascade and Chiggle bits over the winter…but then again you’ve actually managed to get yours built up so ahead of me there. Do you go for drops or flat bar? This is causing my procrastination as I’ve never ridden drops so thought I’d just go flat bar as it’s what i know

I stop regularly to take in the view/ take some photos/contemplate life the universe and everything. I don’t feel the need to get anywhere in particular at all. Apart from the pub at the end, obvs!

Its all just about being out on the bike, so I just head off down the local bridleways and pootle

This sounds heavenly and simple, but I’d never manage it, my head is always too busy.  I am genuinely equal parts envious/happy for folks have the time/space/ability to do this.

I agree… Find it hard to ride slow/easy enough that my pulse stays around 130-140.  Any incline sees it rise to 160-170. Hard to find rides that are flat enough where I can bimble for long periods. Going to the Po Valley/Delta next week and it’s pancake flat there. Will try and get in a few long easy rides along the river.

Find walking a better Z2 workout. Much easier to keep my pulse down.

Do you go for drops or flat bar? This is causing my procrastination as I’ve never ridden drops so thought I’d just go flat bar as it’s what i know

I’ve also got a Cascade, and started off with drops (Funn G-wide). I’d previously been riding a planet X london road as a gravel bike and loved it with drops (road drops first then the G-wides), although I’ve never managed to get into the, being in the drops on descents gives better control, thing. I just preferred being on the hoods going down hill. Ultimatley I think the drops I had on the Cascade made it too long or something and I never got the positions sorted, some more compact drops probably would have been better.

I’m now running Sonder Scope bars with 15 degree backsweep and its much nicer IMO. I’ve also got Fox 32’s on mine so its a hardtail rather than a gravel bike now, but I love it.

Thing is it’s an expensive test to see if you like drops, Lots love them though so might be worth giving it a go.

In terms of bimbling, flat bars might lend themselves more….

 I’ve never managed to get into the, being in the drops on descents gives better control, thing.

Cos it’s nonsense. What gives better control is flat bars. If you want additional hand positions, add some *shock!* bar ends.

Ride every day (ie commute) and get older is what led me to bimbling.

Also rise the handle bars so they’re taking little weight.

Take a small child with you.

Either attached to the bike in some way to weigh you down, or unattached and complaining vigorously.

so what strategy do you employ to go slower?

Pubs, my bimbling rides are normally between pubs. One of lifes great pleasures is an offroad bimble between country pubs.

Take a small child with you.

Either attached to the bike in some way to weigh you down, or unattached and complaining vigorously.

Sounds quite stressful to me. Surely part of a bimble is to get away from lifes stresses not bring them with you.

For me it’s getting the mindset right before the ride. If I’m doing a training ride, the preparation is all part of the ride and that includes the mental focus of what I will be doing that ride.

When I’m out on a training ride, that is the focus. My mind concentrates on the ride and me doing what I should be on that ride.

When I know I’m doing a bimble, and that’s quite regular, even during the prep I’m doing it at a slower pace. I’m not thinking about what I need to do, just thinking of how I’m going to enjoy it. I pick routes I do less often, I also don’t take a computer. See a path or a track you want to explore, go for it, might go nowhere might open up a different route. I don’t want to see I’m doing x watts or x mph. I purposefully sit more upright on the bike. Spend time looking around, observing what is happening, enjoy the fact that I can stop at a bench etc. If I see something to watch I will do so.

When I first stopped racing it was incredibly difficult to slow down. I was exactly the same OP. But empty your head of the concept of speed and racing, and be in the moment more (if that makes sense). I love bimbling now, I go out with my missus quite a lot and my primary concern is ensuring she enjoys it as much as I do.

Ultimately though, do what you enjoy. If you’re not ready to bimble, don’t. I strongly recommend you do as I find it really calming,  but hope I’m not sounding preachy!

AirPods in, podcasts on. No helmet or bike clothes. Gravel tracks only. Rigid bikepacking bike.

Have you tried being a bit drunk?

“Pubs, my bimbling rides are normally between pubs. One of lifes great pleasures is an offroad bimble between country pubs.”

This. My rides for the last 10 years have made me consume more calories than I’ve burnt.

*is obese*

Thing is it’s an expensive test to see if you like drops.

Yes, exactly, if i did it I’d likely get decent spec on the expectation i would like them but that’s big money for both brakes and drivetrain

I’m now running Sonder Scope bars with 15 degree backsweep and its much nicer IMO

Good to hear as this was what i was veering towards with jones bars or similar

Nice build on your one…even down to the little btwin pack i also have

My Cascade is an XL with flat bars, currently Stooge Moto, though I’m thinking of going narrower with some Ergon grips/bar ends for an alternate hand position, I already have togs so I can ride thumbs up. I like drops, but the lanes are so rough in my area I was even finding 700 x 37mm+ tyres uncomfortable, and felt like I was dodging potholes half of the time. I do like drops, but if I got another bike with them it would probably be 650b with 50mm+ tyres.

No bike specific clothes is a good one, I do that when it’s not hot – and I’m exclusively on flat pedals now. It’s not worth the hassle from my partner if I don’t wear a helmet…

rigid singlespeed.

i still feel fast but actually i`m going slow. you cant go fast on flat bits. uphill is harder though.

You need rules.

Plan a cafe stop

End at a pub

Take photos

Ride with someone and talk bollocks

Utilise sunshine

The right (wrong) clothes are important. Wear a shirt. A nice one.  A flappy shirt in this weather.

And flip flops if you’re feeling brave/bimble-committed – they should take the speed down!

I like to set some missions like ‘see 3 churches’ ‘find a really old tree’ ‘have a scenic piss’ or whatever I fancy… gets you out of the must-go-fast mindset and forces you too look around a bit more

Bone conduction headphones, kindle, need to disconnect from work before passing my passive aggression on to my better half = bimble.

Interesting advice in this thread.

It is an offence to ride a pedal cycle on a road or other public place whilst being unfit through drink or drugs…

^^ it is in Germany. You can lose your driving licence if caught intoxicated whilst riding your bike. But then, you can even lose your licence for being a drunk pedestrian.