General Cycling Discussion - What Part?

Whenever I go on a ride(which I haven't done in a few weeks), good or bad, there is always a point during that ride that makes the ride worthwhile. Reaching the top of a hill is what usually does it for me. How about you guys?

I probably go for more immediate rewards. On one of my favourite ride, my aim is to get as far as a lovely coffee-house outside of town where I like to sit down and read for an hour or two. The steep hill is on the way back.

originally posted by Fubar
Whenever I go on a ride(which I haven't done in a few weeks)
Does this mean you're still "bikeless"?

I usually set out with some sort of goal in mind, such as a faster ride time or conquering a hill that I couldn't on my last try. That's what keeps me going.

If I have no goal or if I don't reach the goal, I come home feeling whipped.

I usually get that fuzzy feeling when I discover a new road. However, I'm rapidly running out of new roads within 30 miles of my town. If I'm on a road that I'm familiar with I look for something that I've never noticed before.

Well, let's see....what makes a ride worthwhile? Arriving at work with a big smile on your face and a good attitude; seeing a couple of yearling deer who were as curious about you as you are of them; chasing a red-tail hawk from power pole to power pole; charging up a hill at a higher speed than you have ever done; maintaining a better average speed than you've ever had; having a headwind and getting into the drops and happily grinding away; blasting past a personal goal weeks or months before you thought you could do it; completing your first century ride, and feeling like another 20 would be doable....

Lots of things make riding worthwhile to me!:D

My most recent was a 20 plus mile off road ride with some pretty gnarly hills where I didn't use the granny or have to get off and hoof it to the top. This particular ride has been a goal of mine for quite a while. I'm working toward a single speed and have imposed a gear changing moratorium on my self. At first I thought I would die but now it is cool to see just how far and high I can go. I've become exponentially stronger in what seems like no time at all! It's also fun to see the look on the faces and hear the comments of people when you pass them and they realize what ratios you are using.

Being able to ride
Ride while you can
Pat

Man, everything all you guys said is great!!
My mom and dad are paying me to put up a fence in our back yard, so I should be rollin' again soon.

The feeling after braking a new personal record on my hometrail (100% singletrack), i love it, maybe it`s the endorphine, but i love it :p

There are alot of things that a make a ride great for me. I love looking at the traffic going by me and wonder if the drivers wish they could be riding like me. I love it when I get past the house at the end of Haden Road (at high speed) with the big dog, without him chasing me, or at least without him getting too close. I love pulling my bike in the garage, looking at the computer and seeing more miles this day than the day before and a higher mph than the day before and I love my cool down period a quiet relax moment in which I am proud of myself for accomplishing this ride.

Originally posted by nebill
Well, let's see....what makes a ride worthwhile? Arriving at work with a big smile on your face and a good attitude; seeing a couple of yearling deer who were as curious about you as you are of them; chasing a red-tail hawk from power pole to power pole; charging up a hill at a higher speed than you have ever done; maintaining a better average speed than you've ever had; having a headwind and getting into the drops and happily grinding away; blasting past a personal goal weeks or months before you thought you could do it; completing your first century ride, and feeling like another 20 would be doable....

Lots of things make riding worthwhile to me!:D

Can't add anything to that. You got all of the things (with regional differences) that make it great for me.

Bowling along a well known stretch of road at a faster soeed with less effort than before. . .

The great feeling is then blown when you discover a tail wind has been helping out!

Stew

Recently, on the way into work the smile I get from a Mum whose cycling with her daughter to school. On the way home again, making it all the way without having to stop on a hill! The peacefulness on a carless stretch is lovely, and of course the buzzed and awake feeling when I get somewhere, rather than feeling dazed and low.

No wonder it's addictive!

The moments when a car driver does something stupid and nearly takes you out are the low points, but they do get the heart racing nicely... :o

Hi Elle,

I come from Bournemouth originally..nice place..miss it toooooo much, the sunny summers, the 7 miles of golden sands....

I think the best parts for me are either getting to the top of a steep hill without stopping, or getting to the bottom of a gnarly decent...the inbetween bits are pretty cool too!!! :D

Rich

A very slight descent, a good surface, light winds... on the aerobars - slipping thru the air...effortlessly approaching 30 mph ... feels like flying... neighbors look up from their yardwork a little startled... do bicycles go that fast?

Originally posted by cgonz
... do bicycles go that fast?

Ah that's a good one! Riding in to work today I got passed by a kid on a really tatty 2-stroke 125, So I gave it heaps and kept on his wheel. The look of surprise about a mile later when he came to T and checked his mirrors!

Excellent feeling

Stew