Why do you do it?
#1
Eschew Obfuscation
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 3,845
Bikes: 2005 Fuji Professional, 2002 Lemond Zurich, Folders - Strida, Merc, Dahon, Downtube, Recumbent folder
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Why do you do it?
I like cycling as much as the next person on these forums. I have 4 bikes, do my share of perusing bike sites and catalogs. I tinker and fuss with my bikes, they sleep in the house, not the garage. I look forward to my rides. I love the feeling of the wind and the sound of the derailleurs humming.
I am getting ready for a double century in May and my wife asked me a question to which I have no answer: WHY?
Why do you do these long distance, endurance rides? Why isn't 3 or 4 hours on a bike enough? That's what most sporting events run - football, baseball, golf, tennis. What is it about cycling that would compel otherwise reasonably sane people to want to spend 6 or 12 or 24 hours non-stop on a napkin-sized saddle? I honestly don't even know the answer to that question for myself.
Why do you do it?
I am getting ready for a double century in May and my wife asked me a question to which I have no answer: WHY?
Why do you do these long distance, endurance rides? Why isn't 3 or 4 hours on a bike enough? That's what most sporting events run - football, baseball, golf, tennis. What is it about cycling that would compel otherwise reasonably sane people to want to spend 6 or 12 or 24 hours non-stop on a napkin-sized saddle? I honestly don't even know the answer to that question for myself.
Why do you do it?
#2
In Real Life
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,152
Bikes: Lots
Mentioned: 141 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3203 Post(s)
Liked 596 Times
in
329 Posts
I do it .....
-- because of the challenge ... it's easy to do 3-4 hours, it's more of a challenge to spend a day or 3.5 days on the saddle.
-- because it gives me a chance to push my limits both physically and mentally ... most people never reach their limits, and I don't think I've reached mine yet either ... I'm still pushing.
-- because it reduces life down to the basics ... the "rat race" and "keeping up with the Jones'" and all the modern technology which has pervaded our lives don't matter out there ... instead it all comes down to basic bodily functions - finding enough to eat, finding a spot to relieve ourselves, and getting enough sleep to keep moving ... and keeping our very simple transportational method (our bicycles) functioning. The idea of being out in the middle of nowhere with so little to help me out is exhilarating. It's refreshingly primative.
-- because I'm one of the few women in the sport ... it's not something everyone is doing ... it's different.
-- because I get to see the world ... a local or semi-local brevet allows me to travel all sorts of roads I might not normally travel and to explore the province in which I currently live ... more distant randonnees and 24-hour races give me the opportunity to travel around the world. Without randonneuring I might never have gone to Europe, Australia, and eastern USA.
-- because the randonneuring crowd is a great bunch of people! I always look forward to getting together with various ones at the various events.
-- because it seems to take me 120 km just to warm up ... once I'm warmed up, I might as well keep riding!
-- because of the challenge ... it's easy to do 3-4 hours, it's more of a challenge to spend a day or 3.5 days on the saddle.
-- because it gives me a chance to push my limits both physically and mentally ... most people never reach their limits, and I don't think I've reached mine yet either ... I'm still pushing.
-- because it reduces life down to the basics ... the "rat race" and "keeping up with the Jones'" and all the modern technology which has pervaded our lives don't matter out there ... instead it all comes down to basic bodily functions - finding enough to eat, finding a spot to relieve ourselves, and getting enough sleep to keep moving ... and keeping our very simple transportational method (our bicycles) functioning. The idea of being out in the middle of nowhere with so little to help me out is exhilarating. It's refreshingly primative.
-- because I'm one of the few women in the sport ... it's not something everyone is doing ... it's different.
-- because I get to see the world ... a local or semi-local brevet allows me to travel all sorts of roads I might not normally travel and to explore the province in which I currently live ... more distant randonnees and 24-hour races give me the opportunity to travel around the world. Without randonneuring I might never have gone to Europe, Australia, and eastern USA.
-- because the randonneuring crowd is a great bunch of people! I always look forward to getting together with various ones at the various events.
-- because it seems to take me 120 km just to warm up ... once I'm warmed up, I might as well keep riding!
__________________
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
#3
riding once again
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 7,359
Bikes: '06 Cervelo R3, '05 Specialized Allez
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I do long rides (for me, long means 70+ miles or 7000+ vertical feet) because a long day in the saddle is a great way to spend the day. It's fun and it's relaxing, and it keeps my mind off of my work. Long hilly rides are fun. Good hilly century routes are a real treat.
__________________
If you notice this notice then you will notice that this notice is not worth noticing.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,117
Bikes: ANT Club Racer, 2004 Trek 520
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by SesameCrunch
Why do you do these long distance, endurance rides?
* because there's an ineffable joy in travelling through the world on your own power with all five of your senses exposed. it's like going on a long walk through your neighborhood or city, but with a bike you can cover more territory, and you can make it a long ramble through your county or state.
* because there's always one more view from one more hill that needs to be savored or one more blank on the map that needs to be filled in.
the endurance part (this probably overlaps with racing and shorter rides) --
* because my body gets into very frank discussions with my head about what it needs and how it's functioning as I push myself harder. I rediscover my body on every ride that tests my limits, and I find that discovery to be endlessly fascinating.
* because setting challenges for one's life keeps you young.
* because even the DNFs and failures can be enjoyed in hindsight if you learned something about yourself through the experience.
the group part (which you didn't ask for, but plays a significant role for me) --
* because some of the nicest people that I've ever met have been on brevets and charity centuries. It's a wild cast of kind and crazy badasses who are drawn to this sort of thing. Even if we don't turn into BestFriendsForever, just meeting them makes my life feel richer.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Cape Vincent, NY
Posts: 1,392
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac Expert, 2002 TREK 520, Schwinn Mesa WINTER BIKE, Huffy Rock Creek 29er, 1970s-era Ross ten speed. All my bikes are highly modified(except the Tarmac) yet functional, and generally look beat to ****. .
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 68 Post(s)
Liked 88 Times
in
51 Posts
It's the buzz. The endorphins that are released from endurance exercise create a feeling that's not un-like a buzz from drugs and alcohol. Someone who gets high on a regular basis is always trying to find ways to get higher, for a longer period of time. No one likes to come down. In the same way that an experienced "hard partier" will try to stay high for as long as possible before coming down, a long distance cyclist wants to keep going for as long as possible.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Rural Missouri - mostly central and southeastern
Posts: 3,013
Bikes: 2003 LeMond -various other junk bikes
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 78 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 44 Times
in
35 Posts
What is it about cycling that would compel otherwise reasonably sane people to want to spend 6 or 12 or 24 hours non-stop on a napkin-sized saddle?
Now, I've come to appreciate just getting in a good day's work. Seems like 200 miles is just the right distance to challenge. I call 'em "sunrise-sundown rides." Just a good, hard day's worth of work.
#7
CRIKEY!!!!!!!
Join Date: May 2005
Location: all the way down under
Posts: 4,276
Bikes: several
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1589 Post(s)
Liked 687 Times
in
365 Posts
Time away from the wife
__________________
"Surely one can love his own country without becoming hopelessly lost in an all-consuming flame of narrow-minded nationalism" - Fred Birchmore
"Surely one can love his own country without becoming hopelessly lost in an all-consuming flame of narrow-minded nationalism" - Fred Birchmore
#8
seattle based cyclist
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 173
Bikes: Merlin Extralight, Gios Steel, Schwinn Voyageur fixie
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
control. It's one area in life where no one else influences outcome. Just you. Can't blame the boss or co-worker or bad customer. That self-responsibility is awesome.
#9
so whatcha' want?
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 1,709
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
it's the rush!
#10
.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Posts: 3,981
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix Comp, Soma ES
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
For me it's the time I get to spend with my wife. I'm lucky in the respect that my wife loves cycling as much or maybe even more than I do. She keeps signing us up for the damn mountain centuries though.....
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 401
Bikes: Mikado De Champlain, Decathlon Cobra 600, Orbea Enol
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Because I'm addicted...
And also, as Machka said, to see how far I can push my limits (or rather, for the moment, that I can still push my limits further and further...). If you stop at 200 km you'll never know that you can go further... Same for a lot of things in life...
Oh yeah, and also because it's very intense emotionnally. You can go from the most complete despair to total euphory.
And also, as Machka said, to see how far I can push my limits (or rather, for the moment, that I can still push my limits further and further...). If you stop at 200 km you'll never know that you can go further... Same for a lot of things in life...
Oh yeah, and also because it's very intense emotionnally. You can go from the most complete despair to total euphory.
Last edited by claire; 03-27-07 at 04:40 PM.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,009
Bikes: SOMA Grand Randonneur, Gunnar Sport converted to 650B, Rivendell Rambouillet, '82 Trek 728, '84 Trek 610, '85 Trek 500, C'Dale F600, Burley Duet, Lotus Legend
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Because it makes me feel like I'm 12 years old, again, just out riding my bike for fun.
And because I want to know that I can do something hard. My uncle survived a Japanese POW camp, marching and building a railway to who-knows-where. Would I survive? Guess I still don't know, but surviving BMB sure tells me more about myself and my prospects than surviving another day at the office :-)
And because I want to know that I can do something hard. My uncle survived a Japanese POW camp, marching and building a railway to who-knows-where. Would I survive? Guess I still don't know, but surviving BMB sure tells me more about myself and my prospects than surviving another day at the office :-)
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 6,401
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
13 Posts
Honestly, I think that humans -- or at least this one, anyway -- need some suffering in order to fully enjoy life. The high thread count sheets and top grade champagne lose their luster if they are all you ever know. But after a full day on the road, in the mountains, through the rain and wind and dust, even the slightest comforts seem like paradise.
#16
Florida
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Hudson, Florida
Posts: 58
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Six jours
Honestly, I think that humans -- or at least this one, anyway -- need some suffering in order to fully enjoy life. The high thread count sheets and top grade champagne lose their luster if they are all you ever know. But after a full day on the road, in the mountains, through the rain and wind and dust, even the slightest comforts seem like paradise.
Well said...
#17
Eschew Obfuscation
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 3,845
Bikes: 2005 Fuji Professional, 2002 Lemond Zurich, Folders - Strida, Merc, Dahon, Downtube, Recumbent folder
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Boy, I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of these responses. You guys/gals are very inspirational.
(well, may excepting the guy who says he rides to get away from his wife - not as inspirational )
(well, may excepting the guy who says he rides to get away from his wife - not as inspirational )
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: San Francisco!
Posts: 909
Bikes: 2010 Surly LHT (main rider and do-everything bike), 2011 Bike Friday NWT (back-up bike and multi-modal)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Late reply, I guess...but I do it because it proves to me on a tangible level, that a bicycle can go very far. It's all dependent on the engine, of course, but it dispels the myth that a bike is unable to go farther than a mile or so around the block (a very irritating myth that I encounter from almost all of the non-cyclists around me). Plus, it's the feeling of accomplishment...wow, I actually managed to cover that many miles, all under my own power!
#19
totally louche
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: A land that time forgot
Posts: 18,023
Bikes: the ever shifting stable loaded with comfortable road bikes and city and winter bikes
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times
in
9 Posts
I just got back from riding 120 miles round trip for some good slices of pizza.
#20
Don't mince words
Originally Posted by Machka
I do it .....
-- because of the challenge ... it's easy to do 3-4 hours, it's more of a challenge to spend a day or 3.5 days on the saddle.
-- because it gives me a chance to push my limits both physically and mentally ... most people never reach their limits, and I don't think I've reached mine yet either ... I'm still pushing.
-- because it reduces life down to the basics ... the "rat race" and "keeping up with the Jones'" and all the modern technology which has pervaded our lives don't matter out there ... instead it all comes down to basic bodily functions - finding enough to eat, finding a spot to relieve ourselves, and getting enough sleep to keep moving ... and keeping our very simple transportational method (our bicycles) functioning. The idea of being out in the middle of nowhere with so little to help me out is exhilarating. It's refreshingly primative.
-- because I'm one of the few women in the sport ... it's not something everyone is doing ... it's different.
-- because I get to see the world ... a local or semi-local brevet allows me to travel all sorts of roads I might not normally travel and to explore the province in which I currently live ... more distant randonnees and 24-hour races give me the opportunity to travel around the world. Without randonneuring I might never have gone to Europe, Australia, and eastern USA.
-- because the randonneuring crowd is a great bunch of people! I always look forward to getting together with various ones at the various events.
-- because it seems to take me 120 km just to warm up ... once I'm warmed up, I might as well keep riding!
-- because of the challenge ... it's easy to do 3-4 hours, it's more of a challenge to spend a day or 3.5 days on the saddle.
-- because it gives me a chance to push my limits both physically and mentally ... most people never reach their limits, and I don't think I've reached mine yet either ... I'm still pushing.
-- because it reduces life down to the basics ... the "rat race" and "keeping up with the Jones'" and all the modern technology which has pervaded our lives don't matter out there ... instead it all comes down to basic bodily functions - finding enough to eat, finding a spot to relieve ourselves, and getting enough sleep to keep moving ... and keeping our very simple transportational method (our bicycles) functioning. The idea of being out in the middle of nowhere with so little to help me out is exhilarating. It's refreshingly primative.
-- because I'm one of the few women in the sport ... it's not something everyone is doing ... it's different.
-- because I get to see the world ... a local or semi-local brevet allows me to travel all sorts of roads I might not normally travel and to explore the province in which I currently live ... more distant randonnees and 24-hour races give me the opportunity to travel around the world. Without randonneuring I might never have gone to Europe, Australia, and eastern USA.
-- because the randonneuring crowd is a great bunch of people! I always look forward to getting together with various ones at the various events.
-- because it seems to take me 120 km just to warm up ... once I'm warmed up, I might as well keep riding!
Great topic & fascinating replies. Thanks to all for sharing.
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 61
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Started for fitness reasons at shorter distances and just gradually got longer and longer. Makes me feel like I'm 10 again and carefree without a worry in the world when I'm out there.
#22
Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: West of Portland, Oregon
Posts: 33
Bikes: Seven ID8, custom sized
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I do it because I can. Won't be able to do it forever, but I can now, so I will.