mudpuppy

Do you see training as a means to improving cycling performance as your goal, or do you see cycling as more of a means to achieving a goal of overall fitness.

Carbonfiberboy 

I train my butt off so I can keep up with my buddies. Then we drink beer together. Life is good.

Don't know how that fits into the poll.

caloso

I want to get faster. Specifically in the last 1000 m.

Lamp-Shade

Cycling fitness. Overall fitness is a side benefit, but for me it really comes down to getting better at what I like doing: Riding.

Machka 

I need to ride lots in order to comfortably complete the long distance rides I like to do. I suppose that's an aspect of "cycling performance". And the more I ride, the fitter I get ... which makes riding more easier and more enjoyable ... and makes the long distance rides I like to do more comfortable.

mudpuppy

I should probably clarify my motivation for posting this. Granted, overall fitness and cycling performance go hand-in-hand. I also suspect the which is your primary goal is going to influence how you train. For example, if cycling performance is your goal, you are probably going to place less emphasis on cross training activities that you don't see as contributing to that goal. Those interested in overall fitness may be more willing to spend time on training that doesn't directly contribute to cycling performance. Hope that clears up any confusion.

umd

I ride because I love it.

I train because I want to win.

JoelS

I ride because I enjoy it. I train so I can enjoy it more. No idea how that fits in with your poll.

caloso

Well, actually I just started cross training again (plyometrics mostly) to improve overall power.

Machka 

So, is your question then ... who does other exercise activities besides cycling, and what do you do?

Whether you're training to race or riding to be able to comfortably complete the local century, it's not a bad idea to incorporate a variety of exercise activity. It's good to focus mainly on the one that's most important to you and your goals, but most exercise activities, such as cycling, don't exercise all the muscles in the body and/or don't exercise them in all possible ways.

If you've just been cycling for the past year, and then were to go out and do a 5 or 6 km walk ... or if you did an upper body workout in the gym ..... you'll see what I mean.

mudpuppy

Yes. I also think it's valuable to put training is a context of what your overall goals are. I suspect that even among who are concentrate on cycling performance, there may be differences in training regimes, for example for road biker vs. mountain bikers. Likewise, differences in training for sprinting vs. endurance.

youcoming

I voted for overall fitness as I'm fat and always trying to loose weight. Problem is I eat too much! I do train thou too be able to keep up with all my skinny friends.

Smallguy

i ride because I'm in love with 2 wheels and I train because I want to go faster on those 2 wheels

Arkansan07

I agree overall health is a given when your riding, so i would have to go with performance. I mean its so much fun passing cars.

paulclaude

Both for me. I cycle to keep myself fit and lean. I also cycle to win races!

Cycling also makes you realise the value of the simple pleasures in life.

canam73

I try to stay fit for playing soccer & hockey and started cycling instead of running for a cardio workout that was easy on my knees. But I enjoy it just for the ride, which for me is mostly solo although I do an occasional century or sprint tri.

Carbonfiberboy 

Thanks for clarifying. So I guess my goal is cycling performance, and toward that goal I do quite a bit of cross training. I snowshoe, I ski, I hike and backpack, I work the cross trainers at the gym, I lift weights, I take spin classes. It's all good. But in spring and summer, I focus down on the cycling, though I always try to hike once a week. Great recovery, easy to get in lots of hours, and helps with flexibility, balance, etc.

It's good to be multi-modal, but it's also good to excel in one thing at a time. Climbing, skiing, now cycling. My view.

PAlt

+1 to the first, I'd amend the second to "...because I want to challenge myself to accomplish more and different achievements on the bike.""

Hermes

I ride because it is a lot of fun.

I train to get better at having fun and to race.

I race because I enjoy the competition, camaraderie and accomplishment.