What is your life situation?
I f requently wonder whether or not our most "hard core" riders are in a personal/family situation which allows them more time to pursue riding than I (and perhaps others) do. So, how about you? What is your personal situation, and how does it impact your riding? Come on now, take this poll!!
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Married, great kids, love to ride.
My wife does not ride/can't ride because of severe arthritis. I get in my rides on the way to my 9-5. (7:45-4:15, actually.) It's a lot more of an adventure than you might think. |
If I demand I ride 600-800 miles a month, guess that might be hard core. ? Usually, my fireman like schedule alows me to get in my miles without taking all of the time away from married life. But not now, for time being unfortunately, on day shift.
Getting home about dark, costs me lots of mileage. Because my wife sleeps late on weekends, I can often get back before I am missed. But my mileage for now is not what it usually is or what I demand, in order to get ready for my cross country tour in two years or this fall's tour across Nevada. |
Even though my kids are pretty much on their own I still made time for riding. We used this as a family affair whenver my tour was completed. It kept us close, especially, with my brothers kids! All of us looked foward to the day or nightly ride. I could think of no better way to relax. Now as I am rapidly approaching early retirement you can bet that this is what my main focus and pleasure will be! What could be better than getting up every day and knowing you aren't obligated to work and just ride!!!! Anytime --- Anywhere! Ahhhhh1
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I'm married, no kids. We do have two dogs, three cats and a chihuahua. I ride as much as my job, my house and my wife allow, which, between you and me, is not enough.
My older sister (a cycling fool if there ever was) is planning a cross-country trek, and while I'd love to join her in the experience, I'm doubtful that I'll ever be able to break away from my everyday life enough to train properly, let alone participate.:cry: Don't think of me as a malcontent...I just want to bike more, that's all! |
We do have two dogs, three cats and a chihuahua Marty |
I chose "married," even though we are not legally married and, after 15 years, not likely to be. Under Quebec's Code Civil, we are what's known as conjoint. Fortunately, she is also a cyclist. Cool!
And I think I'm pretty hardcore. I do 450-500 km/week in peak season... |
Although our kids are grown, there are times when they still restrict my riding. Trying to maintain some of the traditional family unit values means that I feel I have a responsibility to let us celebrate holidays at home. So, the week before Christmas, and a few days scattered throughout the year, I don't ride because I'm doing my best to fulfill my maternal duties. My husband just is not very athletic and has an aversion to sweat, so we don't ride together. If you take the year as a whole, family time probably pushes my weekly average milage down to 70 or 80. I think that is moderate, although some of you would consider it casual. Actually, the time off probably keeps me from overdoing it.
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So, what is hardcore?
I bike everyday its not too icey or snowy. I will ride down to 0 F if its nice out--I have only taken the bus 5 times this year. Everyone thinks I'm nuts, though I am usually very comfortable or even too hot. But...I only commute 6 miles a day. Is hardcore diligence or shear volume of miles? |
Another one of these polls added the "commuter" category, which I think is a useful distinction. Is someone who rides 130 miles a week, all commuting, "hardcore?" I don't know. I'm sure anybody who races could beat me without breathing hard.
People who train and race and consider themselves "hardcore" would laugh at me using the same label. And I wouldn't want to use it. Yet my total annual miles, the amount of time and attention I give to cycling, and the state of my cycling skills are really not well described as "moderate," either. Bike commuters are... different. RichC |
I voted, married, moderate and family, which sort of fits.
My step-children are all 18+ but family commitments, both to them and parents does restrict weekend riding. Five cats also require a fair bit of effort ;) Most of my mileage is commuting. Richard |
Hardcore = Live to ride.
I did a little over 9.000 km last year, and I'll probably do about 12,000 km this year. In season. I clear my weekends for 100 km + rides. I don't race right now, but I'm thinking of entering some time trials this summer and cyclocross in the fall. I like going to watch the local crits and, in the off-season I watch a whle lot of race videos. Right now, we're in the middle of the 2000 Paris-Roubaix. I'm an educator, so I get the summers pretty much to myself, and I like it that way. I don't own a car, nor know how to drive one. My ideal vacation would be two weeks cycling in the Costa Blanca at Christmas. My main use for discretionary income is cycling gear. I think that's hardcore. |
Single, and moderate. (maybe casual?) about 70 miles in a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. I have more time to ride then anyone else I bet, with a family it is hard to keep up with something like cycling.
so I guess I could be hardcore if I wanted to (have the time) I just have not made that decision. ;) |
The truth: single, retired, lonely, lazy, "maybe someday I'll get back to cycling regularly."
The acceptable version: single, retired, wise, experienced, just rarin' to cycle. |
I rarely ever go on "leisure" rides, but as a year around commuter, I put 50 miles a week riding to and from work. Along with errands, I ride a total of ~75 miles a week.
In the poll, I voted single (live-in GF), moderate rider. As mentioned earlier in this thread, I would hardly say riding 5 miles to work in 0 degree temps is "moderate", but I certainly don't put big miles on the bike. Who is more "hardcore"? The guy riding his bike to the grocery store in the rain, or the guy heading for the black diamond trailhead with the bike strapped to the car? |
Originally posted by Steele-Bike Who is more "hardcore"? The guy riding his bike to the grocery store in the rain, or the guy heading for the black diamond trailhead with the bike strapped to the car? |
Originally posted by lotek Moose, I always said chihuahuas weren't dogs....... Marty |
I'm married and have two kids. Moderate didn't seem like a strong enough word for the amount of time I spend riding and training so I voted hard core. Velocipedio said hard core=live to ride, and that pretty well sums it up for me.
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Originally posted by Moose To call a chihuahua a dog is an insult to the chihuahua. ;) |
Originally posted by Steele-Bike Who is more "hardcore"? The guy riding his bike to the grocery store in the rain, or the guy heading for the black diamond trailhead with the bike strapped to the car? The way I look at is "I just ride to ride" Long, short, hills, flat, 10 miles or 100 miles, ITS ALL ABOUT THE RIDE... I am single BTW with 2 dogs and a cat! Let me ponder the answer and I will vote later.:thumbup: |
I never saw the voting part of it till just now. Shows how observant I am after about a century on the Bike Forums.
So I voted "moderate" because I don't have a car with a bike rack, so how can I be casual? And I do use my bikes to go to the library, grocery store, lunch, etc. when I'm in riding mode. Or mood. And USED to take longer rides on weekends. But everyday's a weekend now and it's very confusing.... :confused: |
Married almost 29 years, two teenage sons. I do most of my recreational cycling at daybreak on weekend mornings, and most of my transportation cycling at lunchtime or commuting to/from work. I have taken son #1 mountain biking a few times and need to do so more often.
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I miss my weekdays off. They are mine, for my use. I have an overtime day to work on Saturday. Friday I have to wait at the house for appliance service. Of course they will only give you a six hour window, and if you miss you are charged.
I like to get 600 miles and now I will be lucky to get 300. Inside I am fuming. And to think today, Sunday I spent all afternoon working in the yard; only to loose my Friday. That is just life screwing around with my priorities. Sometimes in the past - to think, I was not bothered by car serviceing- mean't I could commute to work. |
I am married and a moderate rider. Usually do most of my riding in the summer and fall. Got a baby boy on the way and look forward to taking him on rides ands teaching him the benefits of riding.
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Hi,
Married, three kiddies, and I ride about 150 km/week. Hopefully, once I get the kiddie boom for our tandem, this will increase, as well as when it quits getting frosty in the mornings! Light in the evenings...what a concept! cheers, tt |
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