I applaud all of you...excellent work, excellent attitudes and great people....congratulations all and bicycle mag would do well to profile any of ya....

It's not a touring problem. It's a problem of my lacking basic competence on the bike, or my thinking I lack basic competence on the bike, which is practically the same thing. My last ride, with Bike Forums poster "dercola", saw me walking through bollards because I didn't feel I could control the bike well enough to ride through them. If I can't hold a line, what can I hold?

Now I understand completely. Look, I've been there. Last year after I had busted two rear wheels, I about threw in the towel when my frame broke on my Trek FX. I had mentally given up, ready to accept that I was fat, no bike could ever support me, and I was destined to remain fat. Some prodding got me to actually take it to the shop, then to get back on it when it was fixed. I wasn't fully "recovered" mentally from it, as my mileage from that point until the end of the year was pretty lacking.

This year, after I broke spoke after spoke on my "bombproof" LHT the same thing happened. I didn't think I should even bother with trying again, etc. Finally someone snapped me out of my misery, the wheel got fixed, and I've been riding since.

It's all mental, and I understand it 100% my good man. I can't get you back on your bike, only you can, but I sure as heck hope you do. It's going to take time to build confidence back up, and build the skills, but I know you'll be back again.

Encountering road blocks is lifes way of reminder you the you are moving forward. If it were easy everyone would it, so just keep at it.

Now I understand completely. Look, I've been there. Last year after I had busted two rear wheels, I about threw in the towel when my frame broke on my Trek FX. I had mentally given up, ready to accept that I was fat, no bike could ever support me, and I was destined to remain fat. Some prodding got me to actually take it to the shop, then to get back on it when it was fixed. I wasn't fully "recovered" mentally from it, as my mileage from that point until the end of the year was pretty lacking.

This year, after I broke spoke after spoke on my "bombproof" LHT the same thing happened. I didn't think I should even bother with trying again, etc. Finally someone snapped me out of my misery, the wheel got fixed, and I've been riding since.

It's all mental, and I understand it 100% my good man. I can't get you back on your bike, only you can, but I sure as heck hope you do. It's going to take time to build confidence back up, and build the skills, but I know you'll be back again.

I don't have much choice. The adult beginner I'm teaching wants to ride with me tomorrow. He's logged a ten mile ride already, so Lord knows what I am in for.

I don't have much choice. The adult beginner I'm teaching wants to ride with me tomorrow. He's logged a ten mile ride already, so Lord knows what I am in for.

Right now, were you in a vicinty of me, you could hear me yelling "HELL YES!!!"

Spin those cranks, Neil. I'm doing my first century tomorrow and the second I think of quitting, I'll just remember "WWND".

:( i would be very sad if you get off... i was planning on trying to find you in september at the MS150

Good! Get out there and ride. :D

I don't have much choice. The adult beginner I'm teaching wants to ride with me tomorrow. He's logged a ten mile ride already, so Lord knows what I am in for.

Don't forget you owe me a milkshake from Queen City Creamery here in Cumberland when your riding the GAP towards the end of August. So persevere through this down time in your cycling life and get out and ride some be cause I'm looking forward to seeing you here on that tour in 5 weeks.

Trust me, no one is responsible for my decision but myself. However, I have taken advice and comments from others.

Incidentally, please don't disparage my former riding companion. He's someone I look up to and admire. And I'm sure you will find him a nice guy if you ride with him.

I don't understand, To quote you "The recent tour, and my touring companion, taught me just how ill-suited I am to cycling. I don't like doing things I don't perform with at least basic competence." For you to have accomplished what you did, it is obvious that you do perform with more than the basic competence and that you are not ill-suited to cycling. How is it that your former riding companion whom you admire made you feel the way you do. Something is wrong with this picture. From what I gather just about anybody here would be happy to ride with you, myself included.

Right now, were you in a vicinty of me, you could hear me yelling "HELL YES!!!"

Spin those cranks, Neil. I'm doing my first century tomorrow and the second I think of quitting, I'll just remember "WWND".

Which "N"? :)

Neil, I think he means WWTHD...;)

Neil,

I admit i dont know you, i dont know your story. I joined BF in may when i started cycling. I caught the tail-end of your tour and understand you rode 90 miles with broken ribs, thats amazing to me as someone who has had broken ribs, and to someone who understands how tough cycling really can be. I am still in that ultra-giddy stage to be biking, i dont know how long you have been doing it or how proficent you really are, or what you have gone through but i can say that where i am in my cycling adventures cutting cycling out of my life seems absolutely forbidden.

I found this forum and it was one of the BIG (no pun intended) reasons i picked up cycling. Everyone who posts here faces their own specific challenges and trials, weather it be the newb cyclist making his first 5 mile ride (i was there not too long ago), bdinger blowing his wheels up (i popped a spoke last week), someone trying to lose weight and stalling, or the opinons of other riders/non-riders, failed metric/century attempts (done this to) . My point is this forum is a great place for us to get together with other people and work through the problems and set backs. Everyone here cycles becuase its something they love doing, and they do it for themselfs, for no other reason. Its great to post here and get encouragement from everyone but ultimately i ride for me. Nothing is better then the feeling of accomplishment. None of us in this forums are as skilled as we think we should be, we are all striving to gain skills and knowledge, there will ALWAYS be someone out there riding better/faster/straighter then you, but this forum was designed for those of us who might be bigger/slower/weaving but we all share the same passion and get on the bike and ride. You need to think back to when you were where i am at, the love of the sport/hobby. Walking into bike shops and drooling, spending hours online looking at lycra shorts and compareing compenents with your needs. Go on that ride and do it for YOURSELF becuase nobody else can.

Post of the week, Fribley.....

You just said what I've been trying to think of how to say.

Don't forget you owe me a milkshake from Queen City Creamery here in Cumberland when your riding the GAP towards the end of August. So persevere through this down time in your cycling life and get out and ride some be cause I'm looking forward to seeing you here on that tour in 5 weeks.

Tentatively set for August 16-24. Yes, so I'm missing Lancaster. Big fat hairy deal. :)

:( i would be very sad if you get off... i was planning on trying to find you in september at the MS150

I'd already informed Team Clydesdale I wouldn't be riding. I'll see if they will allow me back on the team.

How is it that your former riding companion whom you admire made you feel the way you do.

Ask him.

Encountering road blocks is lifes way of reminder you the you are moving forward. If it were easy everyone would it, so just keep at it.

Very true. Thank you.

Big Scott, I have a man crush on your quads...

+1.

Lost 101 lbs as of last weigh in, took me a year and a half - and eating way more than I did in the past. Starvation is terrible for weightloss, doncha kno.