I seem to have these periods of not wanting to ride that are, for lack of a better term, psychological. Almost all of my rides are solo and in the 15-40 mi. range. In a good week I'll be out four days. Then I'll have this feeling of not wanting to be on the bike. I realized that it was all because of my "training" as a HS and college athlete. Sounds strange but even at age 65 I often get very competitive with myself. I get into this mindset that each ride has to be faster than the last one. Eventually riding becomes a test instead of fun. Lately I've been dealing with this by stopping myself from this thinking and telling myself that this ride will be about spinning or easy riding and attacking hills. Just wondering if anyone else has some mental thing that gets in their way.

We share some common traits....

Ride mostly solo............check
Ride 15 - 40 miles..........check
Ride 4 days per week......check (on average)
Riding competitive..........check
Waning motivation.........check

For myself, it was important to set clear goals. Mine is to ride faster and lose weight. Except the rides started becoming a test of endurance and definitely not fun. It got bad enough, that a few rides were almost over after riding only 100 feet. The bike started symbolizing work instead of freedom and fun. So I started changing how I ride to bring the romance back.

Here's what I did...

Instead of hammering the pedals over the entire ride, I choose particular locations to work out; hammer a hill, short or long intervals on a flat, maybe high cadence spinning for X miles. Whatever workout I choose, I try to get it over early in the ride. This way, I can enjoy the remaining miles without any guilt or feel the need to challenge myself. At some point, I'll pick one day (or two) to ride hard for extended miles, but for now, the short or mid intervals are working.

I believe having a riding partner or group would also help keep the motivation up. But, I haven't found anyone close, so I'll continue enjoying solo country rides while watching farm life, the animals, changing weather and seasons after the workout is over. The bike is fun again.

Riding comparatively slowly is as much a discipline as doing any other sort of training. It's worth learning.

That's what I try and do at least one ride per week. I look at it as pacing myself. Usually takes longer for the same amount of miles because you are going slower but that's alright just plan on being out on the bike a little longer on those types of rides. All work makes Jack a dull boy but may also leave you less motivated.

Business travel keeps me off my bicycle. I think I will exceed 150 nights away from home this year for business. Over 20 more for leisure travel.

I usually ride solo. Finding somebody who wants to ride slow as a warm-up and then riding faster after a warm-up is difficult.

I normally do my own thing when I ride and it all depends on which bike I take as to what I do. A normal ride for me is a 1 hour, solo ride (15 miles) after work, 4 days a week, on the road bike. The after work ride is usually mixed with intervals and spinning but I don't overdo it with either. After supper, the wife and I will do an 8-10 mile neighborhood ride at a 9-10 mph pace. I always use the hybrid for that ride. Weekends are my fast and/or distance rides, depends on how I feel when I start. I retire at the end of this month so my daily rides will start getting longer but I will also pace myself and enjoy the ride more than trying to outdo myself. I am also 65 and I would much rather ride than race so pacing myself comes rather easy for me.

As usual, odd man (person?) out.

Variety in riding is critical to me. Different places, different purposes, different bicycles,

road bike
mtn bike
recumbent
utility road bike

different times, different lengths, different speeds. Bike simply to stop and talk with other folks on the trail. Bike up my "training route to see if I am doing it more easily. Ride with the wife.

I ride solo 99% of the time, but would join (and have joined) with a like-minded person. Right now, all my "buddies" have moved away or have other issues in their lives. I generally ride 5 - 6 days per week - using the above modalities. Given the above, it is NEVER boring. If it gets boring, I choose another modality.

Also, different physical activities. Bicycling is not the only thing there is in my fitness regime. Swimming, walking, hiking, resistance exercises, stretching - they are all axcellent forms of cross-training, and I try and do 2 - 3 of the selection daily.

Another thing that keeps me going is using the bicycle for utility purposes. Ride to church. Ride to the grocery/hardware store. Meet my wife at a restaurant for lunch. Bike to the swimming pool.

What I would HATE is having a single purpose for bicycling, such as always having to better myself. Ugh!! That is what would keep me off the bike. Always HAVING to get better.

bruce19, Right now I'm off the bike, and pretty much anything else due to a stomach virus.

Brad

All my cycling is for utility, so it is weekends, vacations, and business travel that keep me off the bike.

Paul

As a former athelte, do you realize that you have developed a training plan?

Work, family, sleep, synagogue, household chores...

As far as motivation, I think that I have found that the best tool is enjoying the physical sensations of riding. For me, when I focus too much on what the bike computer is telling me, then riding turns into just more work that has to be scheduled. When I am focussed on enjoying the ride, I am 13 again - and grinning as I ride. I am in the right place when my jaw muscles are as sore as my legs.

When I am in that place, motivation to ride is not an issue. When I am in that place, the motivation to stop riding is the issue - how to convince myself to stop to deal with one of the "work, family, sleep, synagogue, household chores ..." responsibilities. Usually sleep.

I was never any kind of at athlete. By anyone's stretch of the imagination. So our cases are probably very different.

I'm also in this group with the same mix of overall goals, miles traveled and frequency on the bike.

My motivation comes-n-goes a few times a year. It doesn’t bother me much since I know my cycling motivation always returns. I was bumped by a car that caused a harmless fall this spring. It took me a while to get back on the bike. Once I was riding again, I regained my confidence. I have some slight upper-respiratory irritation this week. I decided to stay off the bike and give the body a chance to recuperate. I should be back on the bike by Sunday, after a week off.

This ebb & flow is normal in most parts of my life. People are not robots.

business travel and a fever (cold or flu) are what keep me off the bike. I am very fortunate that I still love to ride

How often do you ride and in retrospect wish you had not?

For me the answer closely approaches zero so I take advantage of the odds and just go out and ride.

Tweaked knee.

Being stuck at work when I'd rather be riding.

+1 Unfortunately, it's something I have to re-learn periodically.

But about the only things that will keep me off the bike are ice, snow and injuries. I just like riding too much. And it's probably a good thing that I never did any sports in my youth and so avoided the "obsessive training" syndrome.

SP
Bend, OR

Today, it's rain and having moved a cord of firewood yesterday. Although that alone would not have deterred me. It just seems like a good day to read in front of the fireplace or take in a movie. Already have 100 miles on the odometer for this week, anyway. Some times when I neglect to ride because of chilly weather I will see some younger riders out there and get envious. It's definitely an incentive...the will to live!

So far (in almost 50 years of riding), once. That was the time 10 years ago that I encountered a pickup truck making an "improper right turn", and ended up with a 3rd degree A-C separation in my left shoulder. Kept me off the bike for a few months.

Else-wise, it's always better to ride than not.

SP
Bend, OR

I also experience motivation problems. For me, the problem is that riding becomes too routine. The same roads and routes, the same scenery, the same weather issues. What I do to combat these disincentives is to add as much variety as I can to my rides. I have three very different bikes to choose from, a tourer, a road bike, and a single speed. Each offers a different kind of ride. In addition, I try as much as possible to ride streets and roads that are a little out of the way. I also vary how I ride, sometimes fast (single speed), sometimes varied terrain (road bike) sometimes just tooling leisurely along (touring bike). I try to ride every other day, but weather here in Montana does not always cooperate. I don't ride when it's very windy or stormy or wet. I also ride alone, which makes it easy for me to satisfy whatever riding whim I might have on a given day. I usually feel great after a a typical ride (20-30 miles), so I tell myself how good I will feel when I'm not in the mood for riding. That sometimes helps. But my love for being on a bicycle is my greatest motivating factor, which I have to keep reminding myself about.

Currently similar issue for you. Issues are: 1- mounting tires, 2- time. Involved in remodeling and needing to select parts and install some of them. Unfortunately it's been months. With so many contractors in and out, it's almost better to not have the bike assembled. Hopefully I can assemble it this weekend, after I install some bathroom faucets as we are down to one working bath in the basement and remove the front door for repainting on this last warm day for a long time.

Reviewing my post, basically just get tired at end of day and spend a hour or two watching TV instead of working on assembling bike and then getting out riding. For my "exercise", I've just done a little walking

Currently similar issue for you. Issues are: 1- mounting tires, 2- time. Involved in remodeling and needing to select parts and install some of them. Unfortunately it's been months. With so many contractors in and out, it's almost better to not have the bike assembled. Hopefully I can assemble it this weekend, after I install some bathroom faucets as we are down to one working bath in the basement and remove the front door for repainting on this last warm day for a long time.

Reviewing my post, basically just get tired at end of day and spend a hour or two watching TV instead of working on assembling bike and then getting out riding. For my "exercise", I've just done a little walking

That describes my situation. I like having a destination. Getting the first ten feet out the door is the hardest part. Will be following this thread fer sure.

Right now the lack of daylight

For me, only one time I can think of. I'd partially herniated a disc in my lower back the day before and decided to see if it hurt to ride. It did. When I finally got home, getting off the bike was not pretty. The rest of the time I've been glad I pushed myself.

Right now, however, we've got a lot of stuff going. I had hoped sending both sons off to college would free up riding time. But M-I-L's health took a downturn and my wife has had to move in with her temporarily till the family sorts things out and other arrangements are made. This has made it more difficult to get out and ride as I'm dealing with a lot of things she would normally take care of.

I do manage to ride when I can. Commuting to work by bike when possible, taking rides with my wife to give her a break from her mom, taking rides with friends from church (10 MPH average speed which was difficult for me at first) and, when I can manage, heading out on my own to crank out some miles at my pace.