Originally Posted by BobbyG

I missed a year of riding in 2010/2011. The depression (from the injury and other factors) and the pain were overwhelming. After a few months I was able to walk and then jog on the treadmill, and did so with an aim to get back on the bike.

Over the previous 18 years, after returning to bike commuting after time off, usually no more than 2 months, I would allow myself a week of riding listening to music or the radio with headphones, which helped take my mind off the physical discomfort, but left me feeling unsafe, due to not being able to hear traffic (although I have used mirrors for decades).

During my year off I discovered podcasts, and got the idea from some one on bikeforums to listen to spoken word podcasts with one earbud only. And that is what I do almost every commute now. I feel safe, I can hear traffic around me, and on days where it seems to be more of a struggle due to fatigue, headwinds or other factors, being able to listen to other people's voices in my head really helps me get through the discomfort.

On especially nice days or rides, I sometimes turn off the noise and just enjoy the ride.