getting motivation to ride?

[redvision95]

Put it on http://www.amazon.co.uk/WSB250-Portable-Bluetooth-Wireless-Rechargeable-Black/dp/B00DR9ZOZ2

Im sure the dog walkers would love to listen to some dubstep and drum and bass in the morning

 

[ChrisV]

Do you get lost a lot?

I have the 'express' route. Mainly fast roads, quite busy. 15 miles.

Then the scenic route. More enjoyable, but longer.

 

[mjr]

Like, A pub?

Works for me, but does rather prevent saving the bus fare.

 

[Lonestar]

My motivation is I don't have to use the tube if I cycle,wins every time.

 

[Captain Slackbladder]

Getting on a bus would motivate me enough to ride each day.

Pretty much this for me. The odd occasion I do get the bus(drinks after work etc) I find the whole experience soul destroying.

 

[mustang1]

Go to sleep earlier.

 

[ColinJ]

Put it on http://www.amazon.co.uk/WSB250-Portable-Bluetooth-Wireless-Rechargeable-Black/dp/B00DR9ZOZ2

Er, no, don't ... It is bad enough having to put up with music from passing cars without having to put up with it from bikes too!

(I am feeling particularly grumpy about noise today because my neighbour locked their yappy mutt in their yard about 3 hours ago and it has only just shut up!)

As for motivation ... it probably won't do any good to remind a 19 year old of the health benefits of cycling, but I found a close encounter with the Grim Reaper to be a wonderful source of cycling motivation!

 

[snorri]

, ive been doing 12 hour shifts 5-6 days a week for the last 6 months.

Depends on the type of work you are doing, but the money you must be making on 12hour shifts.....
Just take the bus to work and do some longer bike runs on your days off.

 

[mjr]

Er, no, don't ... It is bad enough having to put up with music from passing cars without having to put up with it from bikes too!

(I am feeling particularly grumpy about noise today because my neighbour locked their yappy mutt in their yard about 3 hours ago and it has only just shut up!)

Ah well, I mute it while riding through most villages, but when I'm riding alongside the A10 or A149, no-one in a house is going to hear it over all the motor vehicles (and yes, their thumping stereos).

As people keep banging on about not wearing headphones while cycling, there's a heck of a lot of young people riding around here with music playing out of these small speakers now. This was a predictable consequence, wasn't it?

 

[ColinJ]

Ah well, I mute it while riding through most villages, but when I'm riding alongside the A10 or A149, no-one in a house is going to hear it over all the motor vehicles (and yes, their thumping stereos).

It wouldn't bother me as much on busy roads, but I wouldn't like it out on otherwise quiet lanes.

(I don't 'get' listening to music while cycling, but that is a separate issue as long as I don't have it imposed on me.)

 

[mjr]

It wouldn't bother me as much on busy roads, but I wouldn't like it out on otherwise quiet lanes.

(I don't 'get' listening to music while cycling, but that is a separate issue as long as I don't have it imposed on me.)

In general, I often mute when there's anyone around and it's not a busy road... but even if I don't, I'm still quieter than an engine.

A well-chosen tune can be a nice distraction when a new rider's struggling or a veteran rider's doing the A10 or climbing the flaming sawmill hill for the Nth time, plus if it's got a good rhythm then it can help with pacing and motivation. The bicycle waltz, the drink will set you free and easy riding make frequent appearances on my group ride playlists as distraction, along with gimme cake, ignition and don't stop for pacing. I think depends on everyone's mood.

 

[ColinJ]

I prefer to be 'in the moment'. In the countryside that means listening to birdsong, lambs bleating, cows mooing etc.. On busy roads I am listening to the traffic so I get extra warning of what is coming up behind me***.



*** To the cyclist who thought it ok to pass me on a slight downhill at about 30 mph last night, 2 inches from my right elbow ... You should have known better. Please use some of the 10 feet of free space next time - I didn't hear you coming and was about to pull out to avoid a pothole!

 

[mjr]

Moments are what you make them. Some days I like listening to cows and crap. Other days I feel I've been riding among them most my life (which I have) and wish they'd shut up a while. When listening to music on busy roads the traffic is constant and I can hear it over the music anyway. I am mostly on cycle tracks then and there is not a lot I can do if something coming up behind gets it wrong so why worry about it?

And yes, cyclists, gimme five (feet) when overtaking else shout or sound your bell and wait for an OK. I had one pass too close as I was about to pull out yesterday too! I had even signalled the move... not that the close-passer understood signals... or taking litter home...

 

[Simontm]

Haha yeah, im out of shape hence starting cycling, ive been doing 12 hour shifts 5-6 days a week for the last 6 months. I used to have the luxury of borrowing mums car to go to work but she stopped me driving it after a lampost jumped put of nowhere and hit me in a car park

Start off going on bike rides at the weekend. 5 - 10 miles for a month in a nice circle (so you know your heading home just when it starts biting), then increase it to 10-15 miles, again the circle. after a couple of months, do the cycle to work at the weekend. If you still don't like it, just ride at the weekends. If it's raining, or you're off-colour, and you don't fancy a ride, don't. There aren't medals being handed out.

If you start enjoying it, you may not stop.

 

[sbeqs]

I downloaded the Strava app, so I can measure how far I've ridden every trip. I try to set my self a goal of x number of miles per day or week. It's nice to see how far you've travelled and how you measure up to other riders (I'm woefully slow but I don't care)