Carbonfiberboy 

I've never been bored riding outside. Sometimes I'll get a little bored on my rollers, but not often. The rollers have a certain zero boredom effect because if you don't stay interested you wind up on the floor. It's rather like that outdoors, too. You want to stay alive, you stay in the present on the bike. There are so many things on which to stay concentrated. It's very hard to do everything right, every second. I hear it's called concentration. It's said that champions are also champions of concentration.

However, if one is not really interested in riding as well as is possible, given one's limitations, and one rides where there is no beauty, I can see where it might be boring. I think it takes a certain amount of drive to do one's best at anything and what one is driven to do well at is totally a personal thing.

rsbob 

It takes me 4 miles just ro get adequately warmed up.

You obviously need a reason to ride if you are bored. When I started it was initially expanding the distance I could ride from 10 ro 20 to 30 and later 100. Then it became increasing average speed which eventually got up to 20 MPH - but now it’s about 16-17. Or you want to participate in a local distance ride, so you need to train for the distance, or do group rides which help pass the time quickly at a certain MPH. Or you want to ride to a certain location which is beyond your current distance.

No one can motivate you but you. You need a goal or a reason to ride. Like enjoying the changing of the scenery with the seasons, or a place to think or something. Just getting on a bike to get on a bike is not enough. If none of the above speak to you, you may need a different pastime.

Maelochs

Question: Does OP like cycling?

Answer: No.

Question: Does OP like trolling?

I bet he can troll for an hour and feel like he's just getting started.

shelbyfv

I'd love to know just how many socks he's worn through the years, Che clearly wasn't the first. Would likely be impressive.

genejockey 

If you're bored within 3 miles, this is the wrong sport for you. I ride the same route pretty much every weekday ride, and the same (different but overlapping) route every Sunday ride. I don't get bored riding them.

Harold74

I sympathize. I love short rides but find long rides utterly tedious. 95% of my riding is under 90 minutes in duration.

There are three things that have improved my experience markedly:

1) I build and maintain my own bikes. Somehow, this makes me enjoy riding those bike much more. I'm constantly evaluating their awesomeness and planning future upgrades.

2) Aftershokz headphones. They are bone conduction headphones so you can hear your audio as well as ambient noise for safety. Sometimes it's rockin' tunes, other times it's interesting podcasts.

3) I deliberately ride where there are no cars and, often, pedestrians. For better or worse, this makes the experience feel faster and more dangerous to me. Slogging away on the highway with vehicles passing me as though I was at a stand still is not for me other than the handful of century's etc that I ride annually where it's more of a social thing.

livedarklions

I dunno, why would I ride if it were boring? If I'm doing it to get somewhere, my strategy would be to focus on getting there.

Geez, you look familiar:

Flip Flop Rider

what would you do if you end your ride early? you have something better to do?

livedarklions

Go on the internets and mock things he doesn't understand.

livedarklions

Basic rule, if riding for distance, make it fun. If you can't make it fun, pick a different activity.

You. sir, have found ways to make it fun!

I'm pretty sure OP would not consider 90 mintes to be a short ride, btw.

indyfabz

He’s vying for the most inane threads started trophy. He’d have it locked up if it existed.

wolfchild

Cycling isn't for you. Go find another hobby. You shouldn't have to force yourself to ride.

GetUpnGo

I can identify with the boredom problem. Where I live, I can go right or left when I exit my driveway and both routes are undesirable. Also, I've biked most of the roads in the area over and over again. Sadly, I find that the only solution to cycling boredom involves a car. The main motivational challenge for me is putting the rack on the car, putting the bike on the rack, and packing food etc. My main biking enjoyment comes from the scenery. There is plenty of that, but I have to drive to it. I find that NOVELTY is a big motivator, as in discovering new places. Another thing that overcomes boredom is combining other activities on a long daytrip---biking plus hiking, visiting a new place, etc. For the OP one solution might be fewer but longer trips that are worth driving to. I have the same problem with hiking and kayaking---going to the same places over and over for decades. I'm seriously wanting to move to another state for this reason.

rsbob 

Bring retired, I have ridden the same roads dozens and dozens of times. To break it up, I put the bike on the car rack and drive it to a new or fun location and ride. Some of my most enjoyable rides have been after driving the bike to a location and then finding new coffee or lunch spots.

Mtracer

I've never been bored riding. I know sometimes I'm doing math calculations in my head. For example, I'll note my power, and speed, and knowing my weight I can get a good number on the gradient I'm currently riding. Sometimes I estimate head or tailwinds on flats given current power and speed and knowing my rolling resistance and CdA. Doing cubes and sometimes cube roots in my head keeps me occupied. Or estimating the time it will take to complete the ride or a segment. That type of thing. Often I'm thinking about how much effort I want to put into the next climb. Of course, always looking out for road hazards, cars etc.

I do make it a point to mix up routes and types of rides. Sometimes 3-4 hours with minimal climbing. Other items a shorter but intense ride with multiple steep climbs.

I know I tend to have a inner narrative going all the time. If I'm really pushing, it's just saying "shut up legs" over and over.

Bald Paul

Next time you're out riding, stop in the middle of a RR crossing. Stay there until you hear a loud horn, which you should ignore until the last possible second. Either your boredom will end, or your ride will. Win-Win!

staehpj1

Maybe you should take up a different sport that you don't find boring. I can't recall ever really being bored when riding. Zoned out maybe, but not bored. I've done tours up to 73 days and days up to 143 miles. Never bored. Same for running. Indoor trainer, yes I've been bored doing that. Treadmill running, unbearable. For some reason I don't get bored on the rowing machine so when stuck inside I row.

zandoval 

Even my little short neighborhood rides are getting more difficult. With my declining strength, conditioning, and proprioception every little ride is a true challenge. I don't get bored. I do get plenty scared though. Like the other day I hit some light gravel just a few millimeters deep on a turn and nearly lost it...

Nope... No time for boredom...

indyfabz

Not riding would mean you would never get bored on a ride. I suggest you give it a try. Report back in six months and prove me wrong.

cellery

Podcasts and legal drugs help to keep my daily rides, which are mostly the same route, from becoming monotonous. And while some may find this statement to be heresy, it's ok to switch up your outdoors activities from time to time. I basically didn't ride at all for like 3 years, after I discovered wilderness backpacking. Hiking is the best way to train for that and cycling does practically nothing for the level of knee & hip strength you need for that. But now I occasionally get bored of hiking. So I switch back to cycling. And then trail running got into the mix on and off the past few years. And then with all this wilderness experience I gained from backpacking - I'm now more into cycling than ever, and am re-engaging with bikepacking currently. Variety is the spice of life and the antidote to boredom. Maybe you just need to switch things up to an activity that you're not so good at, that you can grow into again. Remember when cycling was hard?

shelbyfv

Pretty sure OP doesn't.

philbob57

I agree that boredom is sometimes an enemy of extending distance. I have no doubt of it. I, too, get myself un-bored when appropriate.

Random11

I ride the same roads pretty much every day (so I can start from my house rather than drive my bike somewhere) and I enjoy the ride. I'm like a hamster in a cage who just climbs into that wheel and spins. Or maybe the track athlete that keeps running around that same oval lap after lap. I enjoy the exercise and don't need a change of scenery to make it enjoyable.

Mtracer

I will say that while I never get bored riding outside, indoor rides are extremely boring to me. Even using Zwift and many others I’ve tried.

After 30 minutes, I start hoping a meteor takes me out. I’m lucky my winters are relatively mild, so I can usually keep the number of indoor rides to less than 10 per year. Even then I tend to make them relatively short, high intensity rides.

Random11

I've never used an indoor trainer, thinking just what you said. I envision boredom, and quitting early. Too easy to get off. When riding on the road, I just keep riding until I've finished my route. I don't think I'd have the discipline to keep pedaling if I'm not going anywhere.