After following the BF Road forum now for about a year I've come to a conclusion:

I will never be fast as defined here at BF. I just won't. I'm 45 yo, limited time to train...I'm just not destined to be in the same league as a lot of the riders here. I just have to accept that. I admire (won't go so far as to say envy) you guys who can push so hard it makes me nearly puke just thinkingabout it. I really do.

Up to now, I thought the end game was to be as fast as possible...and maybe for many or most it is. However, after reading this thread and a ride I took on Monday, I've finally come to the conclusion it's not...and I'm fine with that. I think BF has greatly tainted what I think I should be getting out of cycling...and I really don't think I'm alone.

What was special about Monday's ride? It was simply a recovery ride. Sunday evening I did 40 miles in and around my short, steep hill area just running up and down these short steep hills....lots of hard work, felt good, next day I was sore. So on Monday evening I did a flat 20 miles during which I didn't let my HR get above 120. I went out into the farmland here in MN. Late evening, sunset to my right illuminating the storm clouds to my left, corn fields, barns, light to no wind, 75 degrees...simply beautiful.

It was at that moment I figured out why I really do this. Not for speed (although it's certainly fun), not for power meters, not for the intricacies of lateral stability or vertical compliance, not for droping the hammer, or building huge guads, but just to ride. To ride for it's own sake....to enjoy it, savor the time on the bike. It was truly an epiphany for me. In about a year and 3000 miles it's been the single most enjoyable ride I've taken on the bike yet.

While I will still follow BF for the equipment and fit tips, wrenching issues, and of course the humor , I'm not going to let BF define for me why or how I should be cycling. Does that mean I won't try to improve my performance, certainly not...but it will no longer be the driving factor in my mind when I go out into the garage and see the bike hanging, waiting.

Thanks BF, it's been fun, but the honeymoon is over.

You should pitch this story to the television executives at the Lifetime Channel. They love this kind of stuff.

Don't give up hope! There's always the chance you'll be able to start out fresh on your ride and completely humiliate someone who's cooling down after a hilly 70-miler.
Just as every tee-off is a chance at a hole-in-one, every ride I embark on is a fresh chance at this special kind of triumph.

lol

I'm with ya.

although I am in it for distance, and I want to complete a century (organized or not, doesn't matter) I am really not all that concerned with speed. As long as I average over 15mph on the century Im happy.

You should never let a bunch of people on an internet forum define you, or define for you why you love a sport or how you should participate in it. Just be yourself, and enjoy yourself. As you are more than likely aware, the numbers as far as speed, time, and distance here are greatly over-exagerated by some, if not most on here. Why, I have no idea, I guess it makes some feel more important or better to do that. Who knows. Also, there are probably more than a few on here that love to tell others how or why they should be doing something cycling-related, that don't even ride.

Hmmm.

"Slow Cyclist, with Mike Rowe".

yeah, I can see that on Discovery.

I learned the same thing, but quicker (not passing judgement on you with that). The attitude here differs so greatly from everyone I talk to everywhere else that I mostly lurk here to pick up the bits of good knowledge there are. However, it seems like a huge volume of the posts are mostly relevant for people seeking to extract maximum possible speed for the purpose of competition, and frankly, I have other things going on in my life that are always going to be higher priority. I'll never be pro, I'll likely never race in any serious way, and I don't feel the need to be beholden to a power meter. I don't get a swelling of pride when I pass someone on the road. I don't give a hoot when any of the fast people in this town zip past me on my exercise rides. What matters to me is that, after a good two hour ride, I feel the best I ever do.

Amen, brother.

True. Maybe then I could hire a coach and trainer and... Oh, wait.

I wasn't trying to be extra gushy or anything but I guess my point was that I feel like I was getting caught up in the "BF-ness" of it all and losing sight of what the bike really does for me.

Nice golf analogy...I swore off that horrific habit about 15 years ago although you're right...it's the spectre of that one magical round the keeps 90% of golfers coming back.

Me too, and Mike Rowe will narrate/host anything for a buck

To the OP,

This is possible one of the best, most honest posts I've read on this forum.

You have discovered the quintessential truth to why you ride and, as a result, will gain more pure joy from your bicycle that the vast majority of those who post on this forum.

Racers race, Tourist tour, Commuters get where they need to go. All legitimate reasons to ride a bike. you have discovered yours.

Enjoy and post as needed.

Don't cave in this soon. All you'll have left is parking across the street from a group ride and secretly noting their times. It'll eat away at you.

Ah, young grasshopper..."

And it did, but not in the way you're thinking...that whole episode is what really started me down this path...the more I thought about it the more I thought WTF are you doing?! That incident wasn't who I am or want to be...again, I think that's all part of the BF-ness I succumbed to.

I love riding my bike, and do that by myself quite a bit. That 's really fun. I challenge myself to be faster, and that's fun, too.

I also like to ride with my friends, most of whom are faster than me. That's also really fun. I work at being faster also because it makes riding with my friends more fun.

I have no illusions about what I can do on a bike, I only know what feels good at the end of the day.

Sound like somebody got dropped!



(Ride your own ride.)

So you're saying the whole biking thing is fun....

Welcome to my tag line.

Most folks here will never understand the pleasure of a '74 S-10-S (Hi-Ten steel frame) road bike that generally lives in gears 3, 5 and 7. It's posts like this that make reading these forums worthwhile.

Back in my real hardcore motorcycle days, I used to ride very, very fast. Race track speeds in the twisties. Not only did I become a victim of my own stupidity, a few people I knew crashed and never got up. When I switched to SuperMoto and dirt riding, I found that I enjoyed myself much more. It became more about the adventure than outright speed. When I stopped to "smell the roses" riding became a whole new thing for me. I know I'm fast on a motorcycle... but look at all I'm missing!

I have nothing to prove... there's no trophy at the end of the line for me.

I pace along on whatever bike I'm riding. If my area was more suitable, I'd probably have a full on CX bike just because I love nature and scenery so much. If I have my head down, jamming at full pace, I can't enjoy the thing I love about riding - and that's seeing the world. For some people, cycling = speed, but not for this cat!

I get passed all the time, that's because using my riding time to slow things down a bit and enjoy. My life is fast and hectic enough... cycling is a way to get away from that.

I have the athletic ability to train and race as it's in my family, but NAH! Riding is chill and enjoyment time for me.

I ride because I LOVE to ride.

I suffer because I love to suffer.

I try and get faster because that means I'm stronger.

I don't have expectations or compare myself to other riders.

To the OP, good for you.

I may never be fast, but I'll always be as fast as I can. I don't enjoy easy pace riding.

That was a well written post with a mature viewpoint, sounds like you are growing up.

Wait, you're 45?

you say that like we're supposed to be grown up and mature at the age of 45? I've only got 5 years to go, and I already know it's never gonna happen.

I enjoy my rides during my off days.

But if someone passes me I find myself trying to hang on the wheel...

Mods, Ban Khatfull. Such heretical talk of riding for enjoyment, self fufillment, with a balanced approach cannot be allowed to continue on BF.