Originally Posted by
memebag
I'd imagine differently, but maybe I'm projecting. I ride because I enjoy it. Every ride is a joyride. Except maybe the last 30 miles of my last century with the headwind and the shoe failure. Nah, even that was fun.
I hate exercise. The day riding bikes becomes exercise is the day I quit riding bikes.
Originally Posted by
corrado33
Perhaps. I'm sure some people use cycling as a way to get away from responsibilities, kids, family, jobs, etc. I'll admit that when I'm having a bad day I'll force myself to go ride.
However, that doesn't change the fact that for most people, cycling (at least on road bikes) is exercise, and that is the main point.
It's like saying that "Running isn't exercise, I just do it because I like to." Do you REALLY like to run, or do you like the benefits of being in shape, getting an endorphin rush, and being ABLE to run. Do you feel guilty if you DON'T run/ride? If the answer is yes, then both are exercise for you and not just for pleasure.
You could perhaps make the argument that mountain biking is fun on it's own, and exercise is simply a side benefit, but that argument is harder to make for road biking.
I'm not saying that cycling ISN'T fun, I'm just saying that the main point is mostly exercise with commuting coming in a close second.
Yours are opinions not facts. I believe that most people who ride do it for fun. The act of riding a bike is fun, and the sensation of physical activity ("exercise") is fun. That's why kids ride and mostly why adults ride. Same reason people like to hike. Altough I think a lot of people run purely for exercise and/or fitness, a lot - probably most - of the runners I know actually do it because they enjoy it. All of the people I ride and hike with do it purely for the enjoyment, physical activity being part of the enjoyment.
And mountain biking? Yea, it's fun enough, but to me it's "not very". I have to load the bike up and haul it to a trail. I have to fight mosquitoes and get filthy. wet and cold. The machine itself is much more complicated, heavy and expensive requiring more fiddling and cleaning. Road bike: pure pleasure right out the door. Little or no maintenance or cleaning. Easy and comfortable. Backcountry trails? Give me a rucksack and a pair of hiking boots rather than a complicated expensive machine any day.