I'm still relatively new to road riding, and race only against myself using a chronometer which is one part of my "cycling computer." I ride for the following reasons in this order:

1. Fun - the feeling you get from riding a very efficient, finely tuned, human powered machine is awesome.
2. Escape from reality - thoughts of work and other responsibilities completely disappear while riding.
2. Personal challenge - beating my previous time on a ride is personally very satisfying.
3. Adventure - seeing and experiencing new things, riding to another town just for the hell of it.
4. Physical fitness - sort of a side benefit of riding, it makes you stronger and feel better.

As far as the part about how riding has affected my life, I must assume that you are refering to road riding only since your post is in the "Road Cycling" topic of this forum. I have ridden mountain bikes for years, and ride mountain bikes with my 8 y/o son for slightly different reasons. He does want a road bike like Dad's and when he is old enough, he will get one. As far as myself goes, I have become more physically fit since taking up road riding. Road riding is what you make of it, an easy ride around the neighborhood or a grueling ride to another town and back. These machines were primarily designed for the latter.

Hope this helps with your study. Maybe when your thesis is complete, you can provide us with a link so we can read it. I would be very interested in your findings.

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][FONT=Tahoma]I think I can. I do it because for most but the most fortunately people, our lives have become mundane recycling of our yesterdays. We do the same thing, interact with the same people. Only when I am on a bike do I feel that I have reclaim some sort of control of my life and that my mistakes will directly affect my life. You never cross the same pot-hole on the same route and you never give the finger to the same car (most of the time). You feel alive, all of us have reasons for doing something in life that brings the meaning back to life. Cycling, windsurfing, etc....

Just like the Sunscreen song, "Do one thing everyday that scares you"

Eng

Hmmmmm, I like the feeling of being out on the road with nothing but me and bike, my heart pounding, my legs pumping. There's no stress when on a bike. It's just you and your thoughts.

That's when I ride alone.

When I ride with a group, it's totally the comraderie. A large pack of people all relying on each other to not do something stupid. An entire group of people working in the most efficient manner possible.

And then there's the beer after the ride. Nothing like slamming a few while nice and dehydrated.

It's a workout that isn't mind numbingly tedious like endless reps on one machine or another in a gym. I can have fun and I don't have to concern myself with training, reps, intensity, heart rate, intervals, programs and all the other minutia of excercise programs and I get stronger and healthier anyway.

Either that or I just like getting run off the road by rednecks in pickup trucks.

LOVE TO RIDE
NEED TO RIDE
GOTTA RIDE

When I ride I feel free; I do not worry about the rigors of life and the pain of the world. I ride to see the beauty in the world as it goes by me at 20 mph. Riding gives you time to see what is real and incredible about our world. You go into the backcounty of vermont or utah, or anywhere, and see things that you would never see on a normal day. Life can be a ***** sometimes and its good to have an escepe plan, even for a few hours. I also ride to stay fit and for the challenge of a hard ride. It gives me hope that the world can be a good place and that all people can feel as free as I do when I ride.

Reason A is weight loss. I can ride much longer than I can run so I keep the heart pumping much longer. It is also easier on the body for the most part. I try to run 2 days a week and ride 4-6 days depending on if the weather is good enough to commute or not.

Reason B is the time with the Family. Wife is starting to ride and now that my son has a trailer bike we all go out together. It is a great time.

That's what George Mallory said. I'd paraphrase it: because it turns.

Corsaire

I ride because my desk chair doesn't have gears...

I started cycling to help speed up my recovery from a long illness that nearly sucked the life out of me. The bike is my primary commuting vehicle. Using 75% less gas in the car and calling my insurance agent to down grade my coverage are pleasant side effects.
Then there's that intangable "because it's fun" thing.

I ride so I can enjoy my vices.

It's fun and I'm addicted to it now.

I ride for several reasons some are the usual health, weight blah blah blah. But I really like the way it gives me escape from my daily stress. I love to be on a long climb and all I can hear is my heart pounding in my chest and breath being sucked into my lungs. I love the thrill I get from decending a fast tricky decent it's next best thing to racing my car.

I have never liked working out ie going to the gym and lifting weights and my knees are too thrashed to run. I also think the bicycle is one of the most beautiful and efficient machines man has ever invented. It is simple machine that gives it's user a way to see much of his/her surroundings with little impact on the environment. It's something I can do by myself or in a group and still have a great time either way. In short I love riding my bike!

Why do dogs rub their arse on the ground?

Because it feels good!

I thought it was because they didn't have a line of credit. Without credit, you can't go to the store and scan your toilet paper at the self checkout. You need a credit card to complete the transaction. It may also be because dogs don't wear pants. You also need a pocket to carry a wallet if you have a credit card.

Why do i ride? I think about this one a lot. I usually come of with the idea that it is some form of "escapism." I am a self described loaner and usually prefer the company of myself. You can't get much more alone than being on a bike in the middle of the country, nothing but hills, cows, tall grass, blue sky, etc.

Then there are other times i prefer to incorporate some city route into my ride. I still feel alone, because everyone i see has only a second to say hello and then they are gone. It's hard to talk to someone for very long that is carrying a good cadence on a bike unless you are on one yourself.

I guess i also ride for health, and the joy of bikes etc. but i always think the biggest thing for me is the ability to "escape" everyting in our hectic world if only for an hour or two. And oh yeah, watching the sunrise every morning is pretty cool to. I often think to myself when I see the pink/orange sun light replace the dark of night, "man there are so many people that aren't getting to see this. It never gets old."

We ride because it's all about the ride!

Something I should add. I went through a really nasty divorce in 1989 from my first wife. During the same year I lost both of my parents. I moved from SoCal to San Luis Obispo and discovered cycling. I was pretty depressed at the time and really threw myself into it. Within a year I became obsessed with riding and racing. I rode twice a day every day but Monday. I got up every morning at 4:30 and would do 45-50 mi then I'd get home from work and do another 25-35 mi. For over 3 years I didn't drink any alcohol, eat anything but the best food, no ice cream, pizza, burgers anything. I didn't go out on date or to the movies anything but ride eat and sleep. If for some reason I couldn't ride I got really depressed even if was because of the weather. It's the only thing I've ever been addicted too. During this time I needed something to take my mind off of my personal life but I have to say in retrospect that it was very unhealthy behaviour. I was in awesome physical shape, 180lbs 7-9% body fat, but I was in pretty bad mental shape. Today I'm riding as well as I ever have, even at 42 years old, and if I don't ride it isn't the end of the world.

I guess it all depends on how good the streetlights are in your part of the world. In california street lights dont light up much of anything. Plus you get a good 10w halogen unit on the front of your bike, properly aligned, and that will get pretty much anyone's attention. I got yelled at a few times to "get a dimmer light" by motorists who didnt like it glaring off their rearview mirrors

I find it similar to a dog sticking its head out the window of a car.

It feels good, but in this instance, you're the driver and therefore the power window can't accidentally be rolled up.

Riding away (impulse:rumming away) from my life/stress/kid's teen-age tempers etc....and after some 20 miles, I'm ready to come home again, refreshed.

I can replace 'couch potato' and 'pigging out' with 'recovery' and 'refueling'. Even after overindulging, instead of looking down and seeing a stomach and no toes like I used to see, I see a trim and toned body, there's no beating that!

Heck, guys in lycra are the *best* eye candy. Rear view is very nice. Best legs, better than athletes from other sports, in my opinion. (Is it the shaving?)

And the nice friendly ones smile and wave too, which makes my day.

Because I can.

I ride because I like the look of non-riders when you tell them that you spent the weekend riding 200 miles.

so's I can wear them tight shorts!

seriously, why I ride: I don't wanna win a race. I don't wanna blow the other riders away. I want to feel that intensity and I want to feel free.
And one of my only goals is to make it back safe.



...side perks? get away from people, shed a few pounds, more energy, look cool

Exercise, a challange, stress relief. My bike is my friend. As a child, I could always ride with out a group. Hard to play baseball and football by yourself.

Team sports were great, but I can ride as I please. At 51 football and basket ball are too physically demanding. I tired of the Health Club scene, and spent my member ship dues on a bike.

I can still ride long and hard.