Road Cycling - My wife asks, "So why do you go?"

Yesterday I had a tough day on the bike. It was cold and windy...49 when I left. The wind would be in my face for the entire second half. So knowing that, and feeling bad on the bike early, I turned around at ten miles and shortened it to 20 miles. My legs were tired and had no drive into the wind....a saddle sore from earlier in the season was starting to rear its ugly head....my hip muscles over my replacement hip had been barking for a couple of days....I was just worn out.

That's why my wife seemed puzzled today when I told her this morning that I was looking forward to trying to get back out there today before work. "Why?, she asked. "You're tired and hurting and felt bad about yesterday so why do you want to go out there again today?"

It was hard to explain because it really makes no sense unless you do it yourself. I went out because I wanted to rid myself of that bad taste in my mouth from yesterday's lackluster effort. Today the sun was out, it was windy, but it was almost 70 degrees out. I rode in shorts and that alone felt better than all the layers I had on yesterday.

Sure my legs were still tired.
Sure that saddle sore is still nagging me.

But somehow, some way I felt better today. I pushed it in some sections of my 26-mile route despite going into stiff headwind and my body responded this time. I was able to complete the ride in an average speed of 17.1 mph. But more importantly, I felt good about riding again....and THAT is what I will try to explain to my wife tonight at the dinner table.

But somehow, some way I felt better today. I pushed it in some sections of my 26-mile route despite going into stiff headwind and my body responded this time. I was able to complete the ride in an average speed of 17.1 mph. But more importantly, I felt good about riding again....and THAT is what I will try to explain to my wife tonight at the dinner table.

I hate to tell you this...but you have to know to know, if you know what I mean...non-roadies, non bike culture people are lost when it comes to understanding the zen of all this.

I believe you may just be right about that zen stuff zen. It apprears you either get it or you don't. I know in the big scheme of things that how I feel about my performance on a bike doesn't make a white rat's behind of difference in the world. Yet at the same time, I feel it makes up a huge part of who I am at this point in my life.

Yesterday I had a tough day on the bike. It was cold and windy...49 when I left. .

No disrespect but that isn't cold. HOnestly if you are putting out quite a bit of effort, 49 F shouldn't even be felt on a bike. IOW, you should feel like you are sitting in your living room if you dress properly. Having ridden through last winter, I can tell you that a lot of it has to do with dressing properly and being mentally prepared. You can't start at ride thinking, "man this is cold", and keep thinking that throughout your ride.

If you are dressed properly, your thoughts will soon return to the normal thoughts you have when you ride. YOu shouldn't be thinking about the cold at 49 F. Obviously you had other ailments that made it a "tough day on the bike" but you really can't consider wind and a temp of 49 F among them.

Hang in there and it will get easier. BTW, how long have you been married? You should know not to listen to your spouse by this point.

Ranger...Here is why weather IS a factor I believe.....
Wind makes you work harder, warm or cold outside. This wind was from the north....the cold direction, so I am sure there was a wind chill to consider as well.

Another factor....I WAS wearing a lot of layers. That's part of what I don't like on a ride, but that's just me. I like it hot out. I know from reading here that many people do not like it hot when they ride.

Another factor....I was wearing booties, which were for some reason not allowing me to clip out properly. Then my foot on the right kept popping out. I finally stopped a third time to take the bootie off and put it in my pocket. Point is...this is another negative thing that happened due to weather. I wouldn't have had to deal with that if it was warm enongh not to be wearing booties.

Weather was just part of it. Like I said earlier....it has been a season of more than 2,500 miles in this 46 year old, hip-replacement body of mine. I think I'm just tiring at bit too.

weather is relative anyway. i've been colder in Arizona when it was 55 degrees than during the middle of winter in New York where it is 10. my ride last night was 48 degrees (the "coldest" this season) and I was freezing. but i'll get used to it as the winter rolls on - it's when seasons change it's hard to acclimate yourself at first.

The reason you got back out there 1 day later is because you have this nagging fear that if you don't, you may start a trend where - like so many other things in your past - it becomes easier to skip or postpone.

And the bottom line is that you love all that is cycling far too much to let that happen.

I'm right on this for me, is this right for you?

55/Rad

A windy 49° _is_ cold when you're used to it being 65-70°+. I rode into work yesterday under sunny skies and 71°. When I left late last night, it was down to 42°. It's only 1.5 miles between home and work, but it was a brisk ride home. And I had layers on too. I'll adapt soon though and 49° will seem balmy. Note, I didn't have wind to deal with.

55/Rad...Agreed. Dead on.

no matter how bad my rides are, i get very antsy if i'm off the bike for too long. i get more irritable and generally not as happy. my gf knows this and makes me ride if i get too crabby. i don't know why, but i can't function properly without regular bike riding.

I go because it hurts, not in spite of it hurting.

Sweet is pleasure after pain. Someone smarter than I said that.

I recently went on a 2 week vacation over seas (japan) where do to our vacation plans I was not able to ride for just over 3 weeks (prep time for vacation and work schedule).

The biggest thing I missed was riding my bike. I felt really off on my first club ride back. I was winded early and my knees hurt the next day.

Now it is getting cold in the mornings but I just got some cool weather riding gear and will get more as it gets colder.

My wife basically asked the same thing. So I bought her a top line Cannondale. Now she gets it!

I've already ridden in 35 F this year. The coldest prior to that since Summer has been in the 50's. I agree that it requires some acclimation but if you dress correctly it shouldn't require much.

I've already ridden in 35 F this year. The coldest prior to that since Summer has been in the 50's. I agree that it requires some acclimation but if you dress correctly it shouldn't require much.

I think the other thing to remember is that different people react to changes in temperature differently. When I left for my ride this morning it was 39 F, sunny, with a 8 mph wind. I rode in shorts and a short sleave jersey ... I was cold for the first 15 minutes but then warmed up just fine (well, in all fairness the thermometer went up a few degrees too, but still). This doesn't mean that everyone should be able to do this (or that I can do what anyone else does). I think learning how to deal with the weather is sort of like finding a bike that fits right ... you just have to try different stuff out until you find what works. For some people this means that minimal adjustment will be needed, and for others it means that even at 50 F they will have to make major adjustments.

John

one word, under armor well two words....

Yup...I tell him "if I had to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand". I think someone first said it about a Harley.