You love riding bikes, which is different than being in love with riding bikes. It’s like any relationship really. Sometimes it burns with passion; sometimes it’s just a sort of steady companionship. And like all relationships, it requires work. That could be simple acts of faith, throwing a leg over even when you’re not sure a ride is the answer, or showing up to the group ride even when you’d rather be alone. Maybe you just need a little time apart. Maybe you need to explore new territory together. You get my point.
Inspiration and motivation become priceless over time. They’re the things that push the relationship forward, keep it fresh and new.
And so I devote a fair amount of time to seeking fresh inspiration, new ways to think about riding my bike, new reasons to head out the door, and those reasons can take a lot of different forms.
If you’ve paid any attention to our video series, you’ll see a lot of what I’m talking about. I don’t ride BMX, for example, but I get a lot of energy from seeing what people are doing on BMX bikes lately. Groups like Black Girls Do Bike bring TONS of energy to this thing we love. Even a crazy cyclocross race can get me geed up to hit the trails on my gravel bike.
Music, old and new, gets me going. I wouldn’t go near the trainer in the basement without it. But sometimes it’s enough just to have a great song in my head. That alone can push me out the door.
My friends seem unstoppable too, and they get sick of my excuses. That’s a valuable peer pressure, especially this time of year when the New Mud Season presages the old snow season. I told my crew I wasn’t going to make Wednesday’s ride, because I had Covid. The response? “Finally, a good excuse.”
So what’s working for you lately? What’s the weirdest thing you would credit with getting you motivated to ride bikes? What’s the most reliable?
The most reliable thing for getting me out riding is to make plans with some other people. The pressure of not bailing on someone else is enough to consistently get me out the door. The strangest would probably be to prove somebody wrong.
Well, what got me started was a girl …
I’ve been unmotivated to say the least.
I did ride in Florida after Christmas. Hell. It was sunny and 80. That was easy, even if it was an ultra-heavy cruiser bike.
But, riding in the cold, I just haven’t been interested. And I haven’t set the trainer up either. I’m listless. Just floating along.
So, tonight, I signed up for The Farmer’s Daughter GG. ~60 fun gravelly, dirty, miles, in mid-May, in Chatham, NY.
So, now I’ve got the target.
Next is to let it inspire..
Tom, you and I have discussed this. You gotta get moving man. Having said that, I get it. The weather this winter has been conducive with very little.
Meet me in Vermont for some skiing?
That’s an offer! I’m a pretty mediocre skier! Sure!
@Tom – I am also a pretty mediocre skier. Let’s make it happen.