CCrew

Tell me it's just me, and STFU and ride

Ever just feel like not riding for a bit? I lay down a lot of miles, and for some reason this week just don't feel like riding. At all. Maybe it's vacation scheduled for next week, but I'm just freaking tired to the bone and just don't feel like it.

Ever feel the same way?

tarwheel 

Maybe you need a break. Nothing wrong with that. I was forced to take a break in early July because I injured my knee in June and kept riding. That made the problem worse. I'm feeling much better since I took a week or so off (and also went to see the doctor and got a cortisone shot in my knee).

Listen to your body. If you don't feel like riding, it could be telling you something. Then again, you might just be a slacker.

SingingSabre 

Sometimes I do want a break. I'll take a few days off, then see some really large person in their car or my back will start to go out and I'll hop back on.

hairnet

I don't ride enough. I've basically reduced my riding to my 15 miles round trip to school every day and 30 miles on the weekend

I gotta get those weekday rides back in. I normally do night time rides so I do feel like I need a break if I'm getting home at 3am too often. If I don't get my sleep I feel like an old man and I become grumpy like one

sometimes it's hard to get myself on the bike in the morning but once I roll off the sidewalk I'm ready to go.

mustang1

i took a break just this week. Hadn't ridden since monday. Today is my first day back on bike.

hairnet

any withdrawals during the week?

Berniebikes

yep, sometimes. Sometimes I take a break, sometimes I force myself to ride. Generally, If I really don't feel like riding I don't

lil brown bat

It's easy to over-analyze this stuff, but if you don't feel like riding, it's probably not a bad idea to quickly check in with yourself and think about why you feel that way. Could be your ride has gotten stale, could be there's something unpleasant happening on your rides, could be you've got a nagging injury, could be you're coming down with a cold...it's never a bad idea to listen to what you're feeling, even if you don't always do what your feeling seems to want you to do.

MNBikeguy

You're thinking too much..
I would assert we need a break from most everything we usually enjoy, at some time or another.
I've been married for 32 years, if you get my drift......

tjspiel

FWIW an article in Bicycling magazine recommends that high mileage racers take a week off mid season and not get on the bike at all. So maybe you just intuitively know what these guys/gals need to be told.

Don't think of it as slacking off. Think of it as doing what's necessary to keep your body in good cycling condition. Sometimes the bike needs a little maintenance and so do your legs.

xtrajack

I wound up taking a break this week myself.Will probably take the bike tonight.

Andy_K 

It's just you. STFU and ride.

ibcrewin

Sometimes I want to take a break from going to work.. You know get there and just keep riding. Maybe slow down a bit and take the scenery in a bit.

I get what you're saying though. Nothing wrong with taking some time off. You're problem my be not taking enough time off.

DataJunkie

Listen to your body and ignore the idiotic STFU and HTFU comments.
A short break frequently results in you coming back stronger. Hence one of the few reasons I do not miss commuting.

DanMach

This happens to me, especially now in the summer.. I find it helps a LOT to switch bikes. I normally ride my MTB into work because I can cut about a mile off if I cut through some dirt lots and the like.. after a while though I find myself just staring at the mountain bike in hatred. I switch to my vitus 979 road bike and its all good again.

That being said.. sometimes I just hate the idea of biking and I've noticed that is normally because of the destination. If your bike is dialed in and comfortable you might just need to get back into the saddle and remind yourself why you like it.

EKW in DC

Could be worse, I suppose - if you really wanted to ride, but couldn't. Happened to me in May. Enjoy your vacay next week and maybe then you'll come back rarin' to go!

lshaped

i took a break this week, - only rode 2 days

sumguy

on a 1 1/2 week break. just bought a new car and been doing a lot of running around. will get back to commuting next week.

DX Rider

+1.

Take a few days off, recover physically and mentally, you'll come back stronger afterwards. Even the TDF schedules days off during the race.

You also don't have to go cold turkey. I cut back for awhile. I was riding 100-150 miles a week, than I went on vacation for 10 days. When I came back, I just wasn't into all the miles and I was also nursing a lingering hamstring problem. It wasn't a severe injury just some tightness and lack of stregnth. So I cut back to 75-120 a week for a few weeks.

It was a good respite and now I'm back to 100-150 miles a week.

jefferee

If I want a break, I take a break.

Usually, one or two days taking longer to get to work on a crowded bus is enough to convince me to get back on the bike.

Doohickie

If you ride your bike for enjoyment and you don't enjoy it, take a break.

CliftonGK1

Sometimes I'll take a few days off the bike. I get bored with my routes, I get tired of riding 20 straight days in the rain, it's 108 degrees at my house, whatever reason...

Usually I'll take that time and throw the bike on the stand for a tear down cleaning.

wunderkind

The avg daytime temp is in the mid-30C. I have now stopped riding since last week. Likely won't until temp drops back to mid-20s. No point in putting myself through this when I have other commuting options. I do look forward to riding again though.

Jude

Mostly just when it rains. Cold weather doesn't scare me but downpours just make riding hell.

CCrew

Thanks all. Nice to know it's not just me. I rode Mon and Tues, but pretty much had to make myself do it. I will say I've taken grief from my co-workers today because of no bike sitting by my desk for two days tho Guess that's what my "hardcore" rep has gotten me!. I ride almost 50 miles a day, but for some reason this week have had *zero* inclination to ride. Rain forecast for tomorrow to boot..