Why do you ride ?

I ride because it takes me to zen

Behave!

It's fun, relaxing (most of the time), good for you, my commute lets me race myself every day (I normally lose), you meet new people, it's cheap, I love it when you sort of phase out just ride and then realise you've just covered 10 miles in what feels like no time at all...

I don't think I could pin down one single reason why I cycle to work rather than get the train which takes a third of the time, or why I go out to ride for leisure. Lots of my friends think I'm crazy cycling 35 miles a day on a commute and it's nice to be able to shrug and say something like "it's not that far" or "you get used to it" and feel like a smug cunt :)
On second thoughts, maybe I can pin down that one reason...

My colleagues couldn't understand why it was so much fun to play in the traffic on a bike.

Ha, couldn't put it better myself.

I have had my fixie for just over a week now and can not believe how good it is.
All my other bikes seem to be redundant now 'cause it just seems to be perfect for my normal riding.
Early day to day and I am deciding where to ride to ?

I ride because it takes me to zen

A Zen teacher once asked his students why they rode bicycles. One said he rode to carry potatoes. Another cycled to observe the world. A third said it cleared the mind, and a fourth said cycling put him in harmony with all sentient beings. The Zen master was pleased, but when the fifth replied, “I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle,” the teacher sat at the student’s feet and said, “I am your student.”

Zen is a bit wank.

zen is zen.wank is wank.surely.

Fair play.

beginners mind-zen mind.

They're in the book now?

He's got them on speed dial :)

Edited to theropist, which looks wrong to my tired brain.

hehehe, reminds me of a quote from Arrested Development.

" I'm the world first Analyst and Therapist, an Analrapist"

I ride because it takes me to zen

Jason you are soo funny, maybe you do standup.

A Zen teacher once asked his students why they rode bicycles. One said he rode to carry potatoes. Another cycled to observe the world. A third said it cleared the mind, and a fourth said cycling put him in harmony with all sentient beings. The Zen master was pleased, but when the fifth replied, “I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle,” the teacher sat at the student’s feet and said, “I am your student.”

Funny thing is they never tell the other half of the story ......

Said student then told the teacher he was a crap teather and promptly asked for his scholarship fees to be returned .... the other students then realised that they should be studying something useful that would earn them money, like a trade or engineering. Subsequently the teacher went broke and lost his house. Shortly after became a common drunk drinking "Zen Lightening" secretly wishing he bothered studying something useful.

Eventually he died of liver disease and no one cared because he was a old hairy smelly tramp that smelt of poo.

I ride my bike to stop me being and angry, fat, drunk... oh wait..

Anyway, that Zen master is a fucking retard. He should have said "I am myself".

"I am your strudent" PFFFFFT!

Zen FAIL!

I am your strudel?

Mmmm... apple strudel

When are we going to hit the bakerys, Hippy? Bakery ride FTW!

Bakery ride. Need to find some good bakeries first.

Know any that aren't in Australia? :)

Actually... no.

But there must be. Im sure some patriotic poms will weigh in with suggestions. If they dont, we can interpret that as a concession of patisseratorial inferiority.

newwordfuckyeah!

I know loads of good bakeries not in Australia, but I'm not telling.

Tour de Greggs?

I'd laugh if it wasn't so sad. :S

Outside of London I've found the odd cafe that does some nice cakes but not like 'ome.

isnt it all about Patisserie Valerie dahn your way?
still waiting for a Balki vs Hippy Strine thread.....we had 'figures of speech' and all that crap, lets have youre Ozzie slang- could go on for a while........come on you bludgers.

Bakery ride. Need to find some good bakeries first.

Know any that aren't in Australia? :)

Yes, but still no good to you. If your ever around this neck of the woods try "Muffins" great bakery.

to the OP: how far/long was it from Heathrow to westminster?
either you've got (zen) legs of lightening, or a rather flexible lunchtime arrangement....

I do it for the Zen.