dizzy101

Using the following *highly* scientific and sophisticated system, please rank these 'ride parameters' in the order of your preference:

Precipitation (rain vs. no rain)
Temperature (cold vs. warm)
Road surface (rough vs. smooth)
Wind (stormy vs. calm)
Road grade (extremely hilly vs. flat or gently rolling)
Company (solo vs. in a group).

What I'm asking is: What is the relative importance of these factors in the fun-ness of a bike ride?

So, the worst ride would be: a solo ride in a freezing rainstorm on terrible and extremely hilly roads. Yeah.... doesn't sound too good.

And the ideal one would be: a group ride on a calm, sunny and warm day on smooth, mostly flat roads. Sign me up!

My ranking is: Temperature (numb hands&feet is just no fun), Wind (it's a close second), Road Surface, Company, Precipitation (within limits), Road Grade (hilly is OK by me).

10 Wheels

Now I understand your name dizzy.

dizzy101

But.. but... it's for science!

umd

All of the above

RacerOne

Ok, I'll bite.

Temperature
Rain
Wind
Road Surface
Road Grade
Company

I guess that's the order of things that would stop me from riding, though you left off Road Conditions, ie covered with ice and snow, which is pretty much the only thing that stops me anymore.

GP

What about day of the week?

awesomejack

definitely wind sucks the most. If its really windy out, I don't want to ride. I'll tolerate rain, I'll tolerate cold.

I'd say wind condition is the most important in determining my enjoyment, with precipitation right behind it.

Pedaleur

Science. Excellent...

I don't like rain, but I can deal with it. I don't like to start in the rain, though.
Cold sucks. My extremities don't deal well with cold.
Smooth roads with stretches of cobbles are ideal. I really dislike chip seal, but this is low on the scale of importance.
I despise the wind.
I generally love mountains. Well, I would if I lived near any.
Solo v. Group is kind of important, but my actual preference depends on mood, destination, etc.

So, in order (of positives)

Warm
Calm
Dry
Mountainous
Company
Smooth+Cobbles

Holy crap, I need to move away from windy, wet and flat...

bo00on

best ride would be a group ride on a cold wet windy day on a hilly route with a few walls thrown in on chipseal road surface.

worst ride would be a solo ride on a cold wet windy day on a hilly route with a few walls thrown in on chipseal road surface.

zatopek

+1

Braden1550

Temperature (cold vs. warm)
Precipitation (rain vs. no rain)
Having a functioning bike, which I don't because the 3 1/2 month old frame cracked.

Thats all I give a crap about. I'm not especially confident with bike handling in the wet, and not properly equipped for all the cold weather gear. I'm getting there, but it's the middle of summer right now so I've got ages before I need worry.

Andy Somnifac 

Temperature: I won't go out when it's cold. Low 40s is too cold.
Rain: Not a fan of rain. Though if it's just a mist, I'll go out.
Wind: I'm sure there's a point I wouldn't go out, but I've ridden some blustery days.
Road Surface: I always have to go over crap roads to get to good roads.
Company: Don't really care. Will ride solo or in a group.
Road Grade: Road grade? I live in the south east corner of Virginia. We don't even know what "road grade" means if it's not pancake flat.

silversx80

Precipitation (rain vs. no rain)
Temperature (cold vs. warm)

I prefer cool to mildly warm (65-85 degrees F) and dry. I don't mind cold, but I actually enjoy the trainer more than sub-freezing rides. I don't mind warm and wet, but cold and wet sucks hairy donkey balls.


Road surface (rough vs. smooth)

Smooth, of course. I can tolerate rough roads, but don't like them.

Wind (stormy vs. calm)

Hate wind, but deal with whatever is out there.

Road grade (extremely hilly vs. flat or gently rolling)

I despise rollers. They suck your momentum and/or energy and give you no sense of accomplishment. I love mountain climbs, however. Flat is mundane.

Company (solo vs. in a group).

Both. A good group ride is enjoyable and really helps to keep you from getting to mental suffering. I've found that I'll push a little harder in a group. I like my solo rides too. I can really focus on training, or just reflect and zone.



So, my ideal ride would be a mild, dry day, mild wind, on smooth mountain roads and in good company (or a solo effort).

Worst would be wet, cold, windy, cobbles, flat and with a group that is likely to crash in the straights.

Lacking

The only one that matters to me is the wind. I have all the gear to go out in any condition except freezing rain, but the wind disheartens me the most out of everything. I just hate when I'm doing a 90 cadence and only moving 12 mph. Next is cold and wet. but during the summer I don't mind all that much.
Everything else is unimportant to riding. There is always a smoother road that you can ride on so why not do it?

diverguy

Precipitation. I'll ride home if it starts raining but I won't leave if it's already or about to start raining.
Temperature. No fun being cold on a ride.
Wind. Mild is is no problem... 25 mph makes at least one leg of the ride really fun and at least one leg sucks wet, hairy donkey balls.
Road surface.
Road grade ties with company. Company counteracts road grade. A long, steep climb would be better with someone to talk to and help push.

Ideal ride: Solo on a calm, sunny, warm day on smooth, mostly flat or rolling hills roads.

Worst ride: Listening to a group of people complain about a cold, windy, rainy day.

roadiejorge 

Precipitation - I'll ride in the rain if I have to but it's not that much fun and requires clean up, even worse if it snows... BAH.

Road Surface - I like my roads well paved thank you very much. I won't avoid riding if the ride takes me through some bumpy roads but it's not something I'd want to do regularly.

Wind - Winter winds make riding in the cold "interesting"; I don't mind the extra work but could do without the chilling effect.

Temperature - I don't like it too hot or too cold but I always find a time of the day that works well for me so in the summer it's early in the morning and winter mid-morning and the late afternoons.

Road Grade - This doesn't factor much because whether it's flat or hilly you can make it as challenging as you want it to be.

Company - Most of my rides are solo but I do enjoy the group rides on the weekends when I'm able to go.

carpediemracing 

Precipitation (rain vs. no rain)
Temperature (cold vs. warm)
Wind (stormy vs. calm)
Road grade (extremely hilly vs. flat or gently rolling)
Company (solo vs. in a group)
Road surface (rough vs. smooth)

I like this algorithm thing. You listed things in almost exactly the order I'd rank them (in terms of unpleasantness).

If it's raining, I basically call it, except in "training camp" mode. Light snow (or expected light snow) is bonus. Mist is okay but I prefer real rain or no rain.

If it's too cold, I also call it. For me under 30 deg isn't fun. Again, if in training camp mode, I set out.

I don't care about wind nor road grade. I just know that hills kill me, but I'll set out knowing I'll be climbing for 4 hours out of 7.

I really like group rides so I'll go if it's a group ride. I normally can't make them due to schedule etc.

I like bombing around on rougher pavement (dirt etc), and around here you don't have a choice. So that's not a factor.

cdr

beaus pete

Wind
Temperature
Precipitation
Road surface
Company
Grade

I hate the wind but will ride in it because it only makes you stronger...temp. is second below 35ish and I am indoors...otherwise the other areas and not that important.

Doohickie

Those are not binary parameters, and they don't occur in isolation. You can't separate temperature, wind, rain, etc., from each other; they are just weather. Ask me what temperature I prefer, hot or cold? I prefer in between. But if it's windy I might like it a little warmer. Company? I don't know...what kind of a mood am I in? Stormy? That depends on company. I got caught in a thunderstorm once when riding home from work and it was terrible. Another time I got caught in a storm during a group ride and we had a blast trying to beat out the heavy stuff.

In short, you can't pull them apart like you have, and you can't just look at extremes.

khatfull

Precipitation (rain vs. no rain) - I'll ride in it but if pouring I won;t venture out.
Temperature (cold vs. warm) - Couldn't give a @%^&*
Road surface (rough vs. smooth) - Nothing is more pleasureable to be than a nice smooth road. Yum.
Wind (stormy vs. calm) - I live in MN, wind is a fact of life.
Road grade (extremely hilly vs. flat or gently rolling) - I couldn't care.
Company (solo vs. in a group). I like both, each has their place.

In the end, if I picked one to like having nice smooth road makes for an enjoyable ride to me.

Velo Vol 

1. Temperature
2. Precipitation
3. Wind
4. Road grade
5. Road surface (rarely an issue here)
6. Company

nahh

In order to what sucks the most to what sucks the least:
Wind
Temperature
Rain
Road Surface
Company
Road Grade

NiMO189

In order of most to least important:

Road Surface - I'm going to include road conditions here, i.e. ice
Wind - Sucks. wait, blows
Temperature - Doesn't matter much unless combined with...
Precipitation - Feels good if it's hot, otherwise not as welcome
Road Grade - Um, I like to bike?
Solo v. Group - Both, for different reasons

dewaday

Don't mind the rain, unless it's a cold rain.
Don't mind the wind, unless it's a cold wind.
Like the hills, unless the cold freezes the sweat.
Like riding groups and alone, until my water bottle freezes,
Cold sucks, and it's cold here half the year.

joejack951

I can find significant enjoyment in everyone of the parameters listed except for wind. Wind doesn't ruin a ride for me, but I generally prefer that it wasn't there. I've had great fun riding in freezing rain (picture 31 degrees and rain that instantly freezes as it hits the road surface. I'd have been on my butt within 5 feet without studded tires), hail, single digit temps, 110 degree heat indexes, 300 feet of climbing over 60 miles, 10,000 feet of climbing over 100 miles, etc.