how do you motivate yourself to go out and ride

[Rob3rt]

Motivation is largely irrelevant, commitment is key!

 

[buggi]

I find that it being time to go to or from work works for me.

same here. 99% of my ride time is commute. By the time the weekend comes i kinda feel like I've done my bit for the week.

 

[ColinJ]

Solo rides in bad weather are often difficult to stir up any enthusiasm for!

I started organising forum rides so I had other people and interesting routes to gee me up. The forecast here for Saturday isn't great, but I have a group of people joining me for a ride up to Wharfedale and back so I will make the effort to get up early and go out.

Motivation is largely irrelevant, commitment is key!

You have performance goals to achieve and commitment is essential for that.

If the goal is mainly to have fun, then it is hard to be committed to getting soaked riding through a big, cold cloud!

 

[Venod]

Start using Strava, try to better your times, and/or increase your weekly totals, use Veloviewer and try to get your score as high as possible.

 

[Adam1965]

Start using Strava, try to better your times, or increase your weekly totals, use Veloviewer and try to get your score as high as possible.

This works for me

 

[MikeW-71]

Have your bike and cycling kit laid out and ready to go. It's so much easier to just get on the bike and ride off than it is to fish out all your stuff, put all the tools back in the bag, check the tyres, etc.

^^ This!

I find that the hardest bit is actually getting out the door. That little chimp in your head will come up with all kinds of excuses, so the key is to be changed and on the bike before it's had time to think any up.

Once I'm 100 yards down the road, all is well.

Summer evenings are joyous for us recreational riders, I had an hour after work today in fact. If I've commuted in, a nice evening means a 20 mile ride home instead of 4.5

 

[MikeG]

My problem isn't motivating myself to go out for a ride. It is much more of a problem of making myself focus on the work I am supposed to be doing, and disregarding the plaintiff "ride-me" calls coming from the bike shed. My one motivation in this regard is the fear that I'll bump into a client when I am out cycling, who will ask me where his drawings are!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

A little cycling miles competition with some pals on here

 

[Giant-Churchy]

You have some of the best roads in the country for riding on and you cannot be bothered, good job you do not live in a major city. I often do not enjoy the ride I do however enjoy the feeling afterwards, what motivates me? well, not wanting to become a fat lazy slob for one thing.

Can you see I have no time for lame excuses. For your information there are hundreds of miles of off road routes in Lincolnshire.

Think you miss understand I said mountain biking. If you can show me a mountain in Lincolnshire your doing better than I am lol. I don't think I can't be bothered cause thatwould mean I wouldn't cycle to work its just a weekend thing when I go swimming or walking the dog instead.

 

[Giant-Churchy]

Solo rides in bad weather are often difficult to stir up any enthusiasm for!

I started organising forum rides so I had other people and interesting routes to gee me up. The forecast here for Saturday isn't great, but I have a group of people joining me for a ride up to Wharfedale and back so I will make the effort to get up early and go out.


You have performance goals to achieve and commitment is essential for that.

If the goal is mainly to have fun, then it is hard to be committed to getting soaked riding through a big, cold cloud!

It's mainly to have fun and keep active.

 

[screenman]

Think you miss understand I said mountain biking. If you can show me a mountain in Lincolnshire your doing better than I am lol. I don't think I can't be bothered cause thatwould mean I wouldn't cycle to work its just a weekend thing when I go swimming or walking the dog instead.

The Wolds are great off road, as for swimming Woodhall has just opened again I may see you there sometime, twice a week there or Horn castle and Wednesday with the Tri club at Cranwell.

 

[Hacienda71]

Everyone loses their mojo occasionaly. I find a nice ride up in the hills (the longer and more climbing the better) allows me to find mine. Although I commute I can find it mundane particularly in the winter months when extending it isn't really an option. So a better quality challenging ride at the weekend helps to give me a boost.

 

[screenman]

Hello all, I'm finding myself not riding as much as I would like to. I believe it's my motivation to be honest. Wondered how you motivate yourself any tricks. Thanks all[/QUOTE

Is this not the same as cannot be bothered?

 

[Giant-Churchy]

Thanks for all your advice, I've spent the last hour setting up a purpose built bag with everything in and changed my wardrobe so I have all cycle clothing and bits easy to hand. I'm also going to move the bike in the house so Ican't wwalk past it to the car this should help with nipping to the shops.

 

[annedonnelly]

It's mainly to have fun and keep active.

Well, what sort of ride is fun for you? Ride to the pub for lunch? Ride to somewhere you haven't been before? If you've just moved there must be loads to explore. If you want to ride fast then set yourself a target of some sort.

To be honest if you want to ride for fun and can't motivate yourself to go out maybe it's just not fun these days. It's not compulsory - if you don't want to ride then do something else for a while.