have suffered with long term depression for many years (and have had some great advice from this forum.thank you!) had bought a lovely 2010 giant anthem x2 back in august.the thing is that i haven’t ridden it since the middle of november.i just don’t know whether it is the depression/lost interest in cycling or what,but am thinking about selling it (once i have paid it off in 3 payments time).the thing is that i did the same thing before when i had a lovely 2002 cannondale f800-i hadn’t ridden for 3 months (sold to buy a guitar amp).then regretted it big time afterwards. it is just so annoying not to have the motivation to ride. it doesn’t help that i have ridden most of the places round where i live (don’t have a car) quite a few times,so that is another reason why i put off going out on the bike. to finish off it is the best bike that i have ever owned (as i am unemployed it would be almost impossible to afford a similar bike at present) but have been getting back into trying to play guitar (and needing to buy my own guitar/amp as previous was sold to pay bills) sorry for droning on,but would be interested in any thoughts. thank you for your time 🙂

no

don’t sell it. You don’t get your money back. Keep it until the spring.

Your local riding changes with the seasons anyway. I mostly ride from my front door and am still finding new trails 20 yrs on.

Arrange to meet up with folk? Gives you extra incentive to get out of the house

My view: in 3 months time it’ll be warmer and the ground drier – you may find yourself much more motivated to ride.

Maybe find a local group to ride with – you’ll be surprised how much local stuff there is that you need a guide to find. Riding with others is a good motivator for getting out on your bike too.

Exercise is a good way to ‘battle’ depression – it would be a shame to lose the opportunity to do that on a bike now you have one again.

Don’t sell your bike.You will regret it if you do.
November isn’t that long ago.
Like you ,I lose motivation.I have to force myself out sometimes.
But when I do get out I feel better straight away.

Go out and get covered in mud. 😀

Keep the bike until spring, go for a ride and then decide what to do.
Any train stations near you? lots of new riding options out there….

I’m with everyone else … keep it, think nice summery thoughts, it’ll soon be here.

Have you thought about doing a bit of research with regard to new routes. It’s amazing how much stuff is on your doorstep that you don’t know about (as TJ says). Old / new maps, google earth and the internet in general will all help turn something up you never knew existed … you could even ask on here.

thanks everyone for all the advice (i will definitely keep the bike,as i totally agree with you all that i would seriously regret selling it.)also as you said,that spring is on it’s way,is definitely a great incentive to start riding again. apologies if i do not reply in the near future,but am nearly out of internet credit (3G P.A.Y.G mobile broadband that costs £25 for 7Gb),still have about 150 Mb left though. 🙂

Seconded the advice above.

I haven’t been out since october. I just dont like cold wet muddy dark rides that much. Nothing wrong with that – but a warm summery day with a view when the bodies working well is one of those joys. I live in a flat where its impactical to get the bike too muddy anyway, and much of my riding since I got a bit older and friends got kids ect is just to and from work on my road bike at the dark ends of the days

I find myself monitoring the sunset/sunrise times, and the first “nice” day when I can leave work and it’s still light is one of the best days of the year. A sunday out on my BMX bike to the coast is what I love about bikes, not damp cold rain wind and dark.

I also agree that you shouldn’t sell it.

I have had the same problem as you as a long time sufferer of depression, and I wanted to just sell up and get rid of everything. Thinking about it logically, I’m not sure why. I think it’s when you hit rock bottom and you end up having that “f*ck everything” attitude and just feel it is the right thing to do.

I am still having friends try to convince me not to sell up and to just hang in there.

Stick it out until summer when things will be much better anyway.

I have used biking as a means of escape from my depression. That’s why I am absolutely immersing myself in a custom build I am doing at the moment. It is costing me a fortune and to be quite honest, I can’t really afford it, but it is all that is keeping me from toppling down that slippery slope. It distracts me from reality and how dull and crappy my life is.

DON’T SELL!!! Instead, see if you can get together with some of the forum members and give that bike a damn good thrashing!! 😀

Don’t sell it.
Where do you live? I’ve got an old electric guitar you can have if you want to come and get it.
I’m in the west mids.

keep it. your motivation will come back.

This could be tricky if you’re suffering from a lack of motivation but get a few tools and build some new trails. Fresh air and a bit of physical exercise will do you wonders. There’s a lot of satisfaction, and motivation, to be gained from riding a trail that you built yourself.

Obviously if you sell the bike you’ll have to walk the trail.

What the others have said and use your internet credit to find some riding buddies – good luck!

Keep it mate really would. you wont get your money back and a ride on a sunny day is a great thing to have at your disposal! Motivation wise some one on here once suggested the ten min rule and it works wonders even if you don’t feel up for it get out for ten min if your still not keen head home either way you get twenty min of riding in and I have never turned back yet.

I lose the plot if I don’t ride even to work and back it’s my escape from pressures from work and other life events!

All the best fella, but keep the bike!

thanks again for all the advice everyone.captain_spaulding that is extremely kind of you,but i am fine as i have a borrowed electric guitar to practice on at the moment (no amp unfortunately).once i have saved up the money (probably june/july) i am planning on getting a new vintage v100 afd paradise les paul guitar (they look fantastic for £370) and a vox vt 20+ amp.sorry should have added that i live in devizes wiltshire. if anyone would like to go out for a ride though,would definitely like that.(may not reply though until a week thurs 20/01 as said internet credit/very low) 😀

def keep it and force yourself to ride-it’s a great tool for combatting depression, and as you say you’ve done this before and regretted it.

Its probably for the best because the guitar i have is a proper metal looking axe, you would have had to go out to buy some skin tight pebble washed jeans and white high top trainers to go with it. 😀

I am glad that you have been persuaded not to sell up! It’s a wise decision!

If you find yourself in Cambridgeshire or Norfolk, I would be up for a bit of a bike ride 🙂

Do not sell it, you’ll feel bad once it is gone. Break the cycle and keep it.

Well i will give you a hundred quid for the bike,seing as youve lost intrest in it,so its not worth much to you, i will also come and pick it up for free, so youll save the postage, then when its in the back of my van youll realise what youve done, all the enjoyment youll loose riding in mud, rain and bright sunshine, riding with total strangers across hill and dale,forever thinking i shouldnt have sold it.

Hey but not to worry i wioll have all that pleasure. 😀

Seriously though dont sell it, keep it, wait for warm weather,andsomebody to drop you an email asking you to go for a ride with them, then things will be better.

Oh and best wishes.

Glad to hear you are keeping the bike, the winter months are always the worst for finding motivation to ride. I generally try and keep myself interested by fixing new to me stuff that will go onto my bike in the spring to improve it to re-light my enthusiasm when the weather is good enough to bike again properly. This year i am re-building some Lumicycle halogen lights with some help from Trout and BlackCatTech to hopefully extend my riding season and now can’t wait for some slightly longer days and warmer weather.

Could you pick up a second hand marshall practice amp from eBay in the mean time to tide you over untill you can get all the kit you really want?

One of the guys at work is really into his gitars and has heaps of equipment but says he uses the practice amp most as he can use it anywhere in his flat as he doesn’t diturb the neighbrs with it. And it was one of the cheepest things he got.

again thanks for all the great advice.strangertothelight good luck mate with your fight against the dreaded d,it will not beat us dagnammit!!! have followed all your advice and posted a ride thread on here,as i know that there are some riders from round my way (also if anyone ever visits around here,would be more than happy to go riding with you (although you will kick my arse 😀

raceface – we met at the Wiltshire ride some time ago. I remember you really enjoying that ride and how enthusiastic you were about your riding.

Obviously as everyone else says, don’t sell the bike! I’ve been struggling due to health issues but last weekend I changed my attitude. I had a good look at a map and saw there were tracks that I had never ridden. It was a lovely ride and managed to find a real gem of a descent. You never know what there is out there so go explore. 🙂

Good luck!

hello cinnamon girl.that ride was great (i must admit that i had never ridden that route before/sorry to have held you all up)i hope that you get better soon.do you all still ride around wiltshire?

raceface – I’ve been looking at my maps and can see that unfortunately using the train is not an option. Actually I’m surprised that there isn’t a station between Pewsey and Westbury.

OK, I can see a few options. Firstly you are very close to the Kennet & Avon Canal and although it seems to be a footpath, I can’t imagine it would be that busy. So for example you could depart Devizes via the Canal, leave at All Cannings for the minor road to Etchilhampton. Here you can pick up a byway that leads to Etchilhampton Hill and reservoir and returning to Devizes in a westerly direction.

Another suggestion – head north towards Roundway and pick up a byway at The Plantation leading to Roundway Hill. Continue north, cross minor road by North Wilts Golf Club then you will come to Morgan’s Hill. You could ride along part of The Wansdyke then head south west onto a byway and that will eventually rejoin the long byway that you picked up at Roundway Hill.

Another one – leave Devizes on minor road to Horton, Allington, Stanton St Bernard, Alton Barnes then turn off to Knap Hill heading towards West Woods where there are some bridleways.

Options include Salisbury Plain too, lovely views from the Imber Range perimeter path.

I haven’t ridden around Wiltshire for quite a while. With the high cost of petrol, I tend to stay local.

There’s definitely loads of places for you to ride. The Wansdyke was used for the Forum Ride and it was amazing, although wet grass won’t be easy! The maps you need are the OS Explorer series numbers 130 which covers Salisbury & Stonehenge and 157 which covers Marlborough.

Have fun exploring and do let us know how you get on. 🙂

I’ve actually got a spare copy of map 157 which I’m more than happy to pop in the post to you. E-mail in profile.

Don’t sell your bike.
Mines the one thing that has kept me going over the last ten years. Depression from health issues that haven’t all gone away.
I live for those few hours at the weekend – all that baggage gets left behind. It’s the best part of the week.

cinnamon_girl.thanks for the offer,but have an os map (devizes, Marlborough one)due to laziness haven’t really used it,but will definitely get the map out and check for routes.we used to have a railway station up until dr beeching closed it down (along with hundreds of other railway stations)will take up your suggestions of routes that you described (have ridden salisbury plain,unfortunately it is closed off most of the time due to mod wargames.)the only route that is open is red horn hill to westbury white horse (which is a good one,great views).will let you know when i finally get of my ass and do some riding 🙂 cubed i am glad that you feel better when riding your bike.the ironic thing is that i feel the same (mostly,apart from lack of fitness) but i always find a reason/excuse not to go out (it’s wet,will take ages to clean bike.even though i have a garden hose.cannot afford lubes e.t.c.)the excuses keep coming.it just drives me nuts 😡 if you’ll pardon the expression.

One things for sure, if you don’t have a bike, it won’t matter a toss if you want to ride or not. You’ll remove the option to choose.

Even though I’m pretty keen, I still get jacke off with it from time to time. The best way is to get yourself out and mak yourself stay out for at least the first 10 mins. once that’s out of the way, it’s easier to up with the mojo.

no, its easier and more sensible to keep and even ride just a few times a few a year. you wont get what paid for it. Keep it, buy a cheaper guitar and amp or save up. Most def keep it!!!

When you next ride across to the White Horse have a look in the woods around Erlestoke. There’s lots of great fun singletrack around there.

raceface – Imber Range Perimeter Path I believe is always open. The main track through the middle of the Plain, ie from Redhorn in a Southerly direction, is open when there is no firing so normally at weekends.

You do actually have a lot of places to ride but appreciate the hardest part is getting out the door. Just think of the buzz you will get once those endorphins are released. 🙂

Edit: there is a phone no. for recorded message firing info 01980 674763.

The other option would be to sell your current bike and replace with a cheaper hardtail or even a singlespeed -new/different bike syndrome may get you going again and will free up some cash in teh short term.

Raceface – I’ve come to this post late after a few very good contributions but I felt I should chip in anyway. Don’t whatever you do sell your bike.

I too suffer from depression and having lost my mum to cancer just before Christmas I’ve discovered an all time low. I haven’t been able to get out on my bike much since the start of the year but riding my bike has been the only thing keeping me sane. It doesn’t matter if you just ride familiar trails; on the three rides I’ve had this year I’ve just ridden familiar routes. The weather has been bad and every hill has hurt but the important thing was I was out there, on my bike, experiencing the outside world and finding I was able to concentrate on things that weren’t connected to my grief. I’ve always found that riding my bike is a release. Persevere with it and I’m sure you will as well.

“Life is like riding a bicycle – in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.” Albert Einstein

I nearly did when I was diagnosed with ME and was suffering from depression. I have only managed to ride it properly a handful of times since then but they are some of the occasions that really make life worth living.

I am currently trying to plan a trip to the Pyrenees in summer as the thought of sunny trails and uplift is getting me through the dark and miserable winter!

Everyone is different so it might not work for you but I have also found getting into photography is a good anti-depression tool for me.

sorry for not replying until now,but have finally got some ongoing internet credit hooray (15 gb for £15.99 per month/a lot cheaper than £25 for 7 gb p.a.y.g)thanks for all the comments.i did actually go out on the bike last thursday (to go to bike shop where i am paying off bike).i really enjoyed it (but must have been the slowest person to do 23 miles in history/took about 2 1/2 hours 😳 as soon as it gets warmer,i will be out on the bike with a vengeance 🙂 (the cold got to the back of my throat/wheezing (but not an asthma attack)i am going to plan a route with my marlborough map.will also let you know on here,so if anyone would like to join me they would be most welcome (your map reading skills would be most welcome 😉 firstly would like to do some rides to try and get some fitness back first though (i really am slow at present) again thank you for all your advice much appreciated 😀 😀

When you get fed up of riding, go for a cruise on your bike.

Dress warmly/waterproof and just toddle around the local area on easy routes or somewhere nice. Take a flask for a cuppa. Doesn’t take long to get happy that way.