Is recreational riding ever the same...
#26
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To the OP: I wasn't an serious rec rider before commuting, but did do a ride per weekend or so. That being said my rec riding did drop off after commuting. Between commuting, commuting the "long" way with friends, critical mass rides, and riding to the bar / date night with the wife.... what else do I need? I just don't get the urge anymore...
#27
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I did have this problem when I first started commuting. After a few months, though, I rediscovered the joys of a rambling ride. I don't race or anything like that, so a recreational ride for me is really just an exploratory ride. I discover new streets in my city and how they connect to each other, or a follow a road I've never gone down before to see where I end up. My spouse and I often ride to coffee shops or lunch together. Even a 50 mile ride together normally has a destination, which invariably involves food!
Are you new to commuting? If so, give it time. I'm guessing the joy of the ride that has no purpose but fun will come back to you.
Are you new to commuting? If so, give it time. I'm guessing the joy of the ride that has no purpose but fun will come back to you.
Before health problems I would do rec rides with my boys. Sometimes I would just take the day off before or after. As far as rec rides doesn't include part of my commute ehh I only have so much energy. I will do the occasional errand but most of those are less than 2 miles.
#28
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No, recreational riding is never the same for a commuter as for others. I like a destination, even on long recreational rides I'll pick an historic or particularly scenic destination. The other option is an unfamiliar restaurant to try for lunch. Touring has become a priority over club or charity rides. Club rides can be fun because of the camaraderie, but how adventurous is riding back to your car?
Marc
Marc
#29
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My desire to ride recreationally has all but dwindled away. Let me explain...
It's been a complicated year so far for me. Sold my favorite recreational bikes. Sold my home and moved closer to work, and began full time commuting. Now my two-a-day riding is purposeful, to get in to work on time and to get home. With the new house, we've been pretty busy setting up and fixing things.
I've gone on a handful of non-utility rides since July. None for very long. On the weekends, I don't feel like riding my bike any more than is necessary. I'm getting plenty of riding in as it is. I'm hoping that I'll get the desire back next spring when home projects will have settled down and daylight increased.
I'm not complaining, though. It's just that my priorities seem to have shifted.
It's been a complicated year so far for me. Sold my favorite recreational bikes. Sold my home and moved closer to work, and began full time commuting. Now my two-a-day riding is purposeful, to get in to work on time and to get home. With the new house, we've been pretty busy setting up and fixing things.
I've gone on a handful of non-utility rides since July. None for very long. On the weekends, I don't feel like riding my bike any more than is necessary. I'm getting plenty of riding in as it is. I'm hoping that I'll get the desire back next spring when home projects will have settled down and daylight increased.
I'm not complaining, though. It's just that my priorities seem to have shifted.
#30
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My riding is about half commuting, half recreational. I enjoy both but my recreational riding has definitely tailed off since I started commuting. That is partly due to just needing a rest day on the weekend, but also because I got tired of the whole group riding dynamic -- the obsession with average speeds, riding the same routes all the time, adapting my riding times and distances to others, and cyclists who have no interest in stopping for food, scenery, etc. I seldom ride group rides any more, and most of my recreational rides now consist of tours, greenways and destination rides to restaurants and coffee shops. I've been doing a lot more weekend tours as well as 2-3 longer tours each year, and commuting is great preparation and training for that kind of riding.
#31
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#32
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I like doing recreational riding more than commuting, but I do it less often and riding without commuting gear is enjoyable. Plus, my route to work has very few places to change it up, and adding significant miles on has so far eluded me unless I go completely out of my way. I have some friends I really like riding with, and a couple of training routes I really enjoy. I have purpose - to get some exercise and talk to my friends! It's a different kind of riding.
#33
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My desire to ride recreationally has all but dwindled away. Let me explain...
It's been a complicated year so far for me. Sold my favorite recreational bikes. Sold my home and moved closer to work, and began full time commuting. Now my two-a-day riding is purposeful, to get in to work on time and to get home. With the new house, we've been pretty busy setting up and fixing things.
I've gone on a handful of non-utility rides since July. None for very long. On the weekends, I don't feel like riding my bike any more than is necessary. I'm getting plenty of riding in as it is. I'm hoping that I'll get the desire back next spring when home projects will have settled down and daylight increased.
I'm not complaining, though. It's just that my priorities seem to have shifted.
It's been a complicated year so far for me. Sold my favorite recreational bikes. Sold my home and moved closer to work, and began full time commuting. Now my two-a-day riding is purposeful, to get in to work on time and to get home. With the new house, we've been pretty busy setting up and fixing things.
I've gone on a handful of non-utility rides since July. None for very long. On the weekends, I don't feel like riding my bike any more than is necessary. I'm getting plenty of riding in as it is. I'm hoping that I'll get the desire back next spring when home projects will have settled down and daylight increased.
I'm not complaining, though. It's just that my priorities seem to have shifted.
It's certainly "riding" that still drives me, but more and more I'm finding it's riding "this" bike, or "that" bike that is a motivator for getting out. I now ride my road bike far less than I used to, but I ride significantly more.
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#34
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Usually go for a rec ride on the weekends. Enjoy it a lot. Going to work I need to get there. Going home I start thinking about taking care of things at home. Don't get me wrong I do enjoy my commutes.
For me a weekend ride is an exploration. Pick a destination, loop or whatever. Try different routes getting there and back. Get lost! Have fun!
For me a weekend ride is an exploration. Pick a destination, loop or whatever. Try different routes getting there and back. Get lost! Have fun!
#35
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Began with a bit of rec riding then started commuting by bike, which led to doing some errands. The "purpose" riding got me hooked. I still enjoy some recreational rides. The destination rides are always fun too.
#36
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Commuting doesn't have hill, mountain, country side scenery so rec riding compensates for that. However, since my commuting is kinda long, not doing rec riding is ok with me too. I have other things to do with my free time on the weekend.
#37
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Luckily my recreational rides are with a friend who can leave me in the dust if he wishes. That means I can ride just about any way and I'm good. Recreational means normal riding with him. It has been a very long time since I've gone out and peddled casually with people looking at things. I'm sure it would be fun though.
#38
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Yes. The "Sense of Purpose" (as you call it) that I feel when actually commuting to a destination that most others would have driven to makes the ride more rewarding than just riding around in circles for fun or "training". (ugh) I commute by bike because I want to, not because I have to.
Why not do errands on the bike? It'll give you the same sense of purpose.
Why not do errands on the bike? It'll give you the same sense of purpose.
Because I have to get to work, and my bicycle is the mode I choose most of the time. In my case, I actually am more restrained than a lot of the people on this board. My workplace is in an extremely dense urban area, and even if I were able to get a highly-coveted parking spot in the underground garage, it would cost me $3,000 a year. Which I cannot afford. I do have transit options, but they're much less convenient than riding. My point, though, was that I need to get to work one way or another, I can't just not go cause I don't feel like it that day. I like riding, so I'm glad I can ride to work rather than sit in traffic, but there's no way riding to my damn job, cause The Man says Now It's Working Time, could be more rewarding than being out on my own time, answerable only to my own desires and goals*. It honestly feels a little bit insane to me that anyone could feel that way, but it takes all kinds I guess. Just my opinion.
*Which is why training is WAY more rewarding than commuting, and feels far more purposeful. I train to meet MY goals, set by only me. And if I don't want to train, I can just not do it. Like I said, how anyone feels that riding to their own intrinsic desires is worse than the extrinsic demands of work is beyond me, but whatever.
Last edited by grolby; 10-28-15 at 08:42 AM.
#39
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I have found that my recreation riding is usually attached to a commute. Extra miles either before or after work.
Not as many miles on the mountain bike this year because I feel kind of weird driving to a place to ride when I could just ride somewhere. plus with the extra riding during the week I give more time to the family or 2nd job. I think with the changing light conditions shorter days it might curtail some of the extra riding.
Not as many miles on the mountain bike this year because I feel kind of weird driving to a place to ride when I could just ride somewhere. plus with the extra riding during the week I give more time to the family or 2nd job. I think with the changing light conditions shorter days it might curtail some of the extra riding.
#40
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I have to have some kind of destination, even if it's just a rest stop at a particular place about halfway through a route. Even on some of the club rides lately, I will ride from my house to the ride start (as much as 17 miles away), then do the ride and then ride home. The ride start is the destination for the "commute" to the ride. I've gotten where I despise having to use my car to get to a ride, mainly because I hate dealing with my POS hitch rack.
#41
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I started daily commuting because weekend riding just wasn't enough to scratch the itch.
I've been commuting about eight years, the last four on a heavy-laden touring bike.
As a result, I have less "need" for weekend rides. I love leisure rides mainly for conversation with old friends, but also because it's a chance to ride my modern-ish road bike or a vintage Italian with full Campy components.
And I love being part of a team for an annual MS charity ride.
I've been commuting about eight years, the last four on a heavy-laden touring bike.
As a result, I have less "need" for weekend rides. I love leisure rides mainly for conversation with old friends, but also because it's a chance to ride my modern-ish road bike or a vintage Italian with full Campy components.
And I love being part of a team for an annual MS charity ride.
#42
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Answer is no for me. Maybe it's because I started riding a bike this year and I'm still in my honeymoon phase. Maybe after I become cynical and bitter the answer will change to yes.
I like the group that I go on rides with because the group ride usually includes some kind of tour. I wasn't born in the city i live in now, so there's lots for me to learn about it. I'll be doing a Halloween ride with them, with a ghost-themed tour.
I want to do more solo touring too, and also bike-and-camp.
I like the group that I go on rides with because the group ride usually includes some kind of tour. I wasn't born in the city i live in now, so there's lots for me to learn about it. I'll be doing a Halloween ride with them, with a ghost-themed tour.
I want to do more solo touring too, and also bike-and-camp.
#43
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I enjoy both recreational riding and purposeful rides, but I do admit I probably enjoy riding with a specific destination in mind more rewarding. I find it especially satisfying when I've got errands to run and places to get to in different parts of town and I have to plan my route out with care.
#44
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To the OP: I had the opposite experience. I commuted by bike 365 days a year through all the seasons for two years, and it made recreational riding something I did less often and not as much for fun because I was always on my bike for utilitarian purposes so often. Now that I live in a city with top-notch public transit, I just ride for fun or races mostly about 70 miles a week, and I find that I get more joy out of doing it as a passionate hobby than as just my means of daily transportation. But I can see where you are coming from as well.
#45
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I feel like this idea that riding to work is more rewarding ties into what I consider an unconscious but pernicious belief among middle-class bike commuters that riding a bike because you WANT to is more morally upstanding or even righteous than riding a bike because you have to. I think that's pretty much BS.
"Why" we do it has nothing to do with this.
*Which is why training is WAY more rewarding than commuting, and feels far more purposeful. I train to meet MY goals, set by only me. And if I don't want to train, I can just not do it. Like I said, how anyone feels that riding to their own intrinsic desires is worse than the extrinsic demands of work is beyond me, but whatever.
Last edited by AlmostTrick; 10-28-15 at 08:06 PM.
#46
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*Which is why training is WAY more rewarding than commuting, and feels far more purposeful. I train to meet MY goals, set by only me. And if I don't want to train, I can just not do it. Like I said, how anyone feels that riding to their own intrinsic desires is worse than the extrinsic demands of work is beyond me, but whatever.
#47
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I started commuting by bicycle at the same time I started riding for recreation and fitness. It's always been the same to me.
#48
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I certainly rode more when I relied on a bike for transportation. When I do ride I'll likely put the bike on the car and go somewhere to do it. I always try to tell myself go ride around town like you're bored or on your way to or from someplace. I don't feel it lacks a sense of purpose now just that I should get out more. I like riding just for recreation too because you can go wherever. I could do lots of little trips on it, bank, dentist, wal mart, ice cream all close enough. Then I have to ride down a hill which is ok, it's the coming back up.
#49
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I rode only for training and pleasure for 30 years, and it often deteriorated into a chore I needed to do to build or maintain some level of fitness. This fitness was never consistent or enough.
When I started commuting about 4 years ago, I was able to maintain enough fitness that I could truly ride for recreational purposes on weekends, or skip it. An arrangement I find infinitely more fun.
When I started commuting about 4 years ago, I was able to maintain enough fitness that I could truly ride for recreational purposes on weekends, or skip it. An arrangement I find infinitely more fun.
#50
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Funny, a switch flipped in early September here and we went from endless drought/summer slammed back into exactly normal brisk rainy weather and the 30 mile commute routes I had been stretching out toward (each way!) snapped right back to the 13 mile round trip that is most efficient (not the very shortest but the easiest all things considered). Rec riding is Ovah now that I still need to get to work in the new conditions.
(although I might have a 70 miler in the rain this coming Sunday left in me...)
(although I might have a 70 miler in the rain this coming Sunday left in me...)