Losing your mojo

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  • Work, falling off a couple of times, drinking too often, life stuff, mechanical issues and low funds or time or energy to sort them... There are many reasons why you may lose your cycling mojo.

    I've been struggling to convince myself that I love riding bikes lately. I'm well off fitness for a start. That plus some of the reasons above leave me having a debate with myself about whether I can be arsed to go for a ride or not. This has replaced a rampant appetite for it which was actually interfering with my work. This morning I took my mild hangover for a spin in Essex solo. Thought I'd just head out - no route plan , just enjoy the morning... and I fell off on a fast corner by grabbing too much front brake like a plumb. Second fall in three rides and I limped home like a startled deer. I'd struggled to get out in the first place. Not feeling much velo love at the moment. Am I the only one who suffers from these dips?

    In other news Rubinos can fuck off in winter on greasy corners and my Elbow is not a pretty sight.

  • No,

    I think it's normal to go through phases of wanting to cycle less. I usually cure myself with a couple of bus journeys, a rush hour drive and a visit to a gym. After that, I appreciate cycling a lot more again.

    Heal fast!

  • It's the off season. I've replaced my cycling with drinking. Any excuse to not ride is good enough these days.

    I've just checked what I was doing last year and it was much the same so I'm not feeling too guilty.

  • Winning formula!

  • Yeah, well it worked for me last year :)

    All I need is to find a ped to run into me to lay me up for a few days, a trip to another country with no bikes for a few more and I should reach peak slowness right around the Festive 500 time when I start to bother.

  • I'm still commuting ok. I did 40 miles of work riding yesterday and was glad not to be on the tube. But I am fooked if I can be arsed to go out tarmac kissing in Essex every weekend. The way I'm going my beloved steed will be unridable anyway.

  • My bike is too noisy to ride (or clean) so I'm going to leave it until it has decomposed and I can buy another. That's another good excuse right?

  • I'm still commuting ok. I did 40 miles of work riding yesterday and was glad not to be on the tube. But I am fooked if I can be arsed to go out tarmac kissing in Essex every weekend. The way I'm going my beloved steed will be unridable anyway.

    I really wouldn't worry about it if you're still getting some miles in (and appreciating them.)

    Just chill out, do some different fun things on the weekend and eventually you'll just feel like going for a ride.

  • I really wanted to commute by bike to Chelsea, but everything is against me, so I take the overground and then do a bit of cycling on the folder.
    My stem was stuck. Then the bb was the wrong size. Then I found out that the BB's tread is fucked on one side. Then the ISO/JIS issue which exists despite mdcc saying that it doesn't in this case. Then I found out that the both of the cranks' pedal treads are fucked too.
    The I caught cold.
    Fuck that shit.
    I need more sun.

  • Night. I hate riding in daytime for fun at the moment. It always seems to be better at night. The later the better. Only time I'm actually happy on a bike.

  • Falls will always knock your confidence and ability to enjoy riding. If you've had two in a row your confidence is going to be shaken and then it can affect how you ride if you've got 'the fear', it's only natural.

    Were you on gears? I do think one advantage of riding fixed at this time of year is it makes you go that bit slower and you're not pushing it round the corners. I can't remember now if you ride fixed or not now, I think possible not in which case this point is moot.

    If you did 40 miles yesterday though that's plenty surely?!

    I feel you anyway. I did 40 miles on Sunday after a big period of inactivity, then about 70 miles of commuting/pootling/errands Monday - Thursday. I was knackered by Friday and couldn't be arsed to ride in, so got public transport, which is very unusual for me. I was still tired enough last night to know I wasn't going to get up this morning and enjoy the sunshine, which is a shame, but I'm still tired, so sod it, I'm sat here listening to the radio and posting on here instead :/

  • I was on gears Fox yeah. And you're right about confidence, the reason I crashed this morning is because I didn't take those beautiful bends near Lambourne End like a swooping eagle but nervously grabbed a load of brake and bang... off we go. Falling off solo makes you want your Mum too. No pals to HTFU in front of. I actually tacked extra miles on to my retreat home to try to convince myself I wasn't hating it... But I was and my ripped Wapha was getting all sticky with gore. Bumcakes. I'm going to cook a big ass stew and get drunk with some pals. Might ride to Tesco though ;)

    Might take your advice and get the fixed CX out more at weekends. It will sort my weak hill climbing out too.

  • Sorry to hear about the falling off, never good fun on tarmac with nothing but lycra to protect you. Just sounds like a temporary blip, harder to force yourself out when its cold too.

    I shall briefly engage face punch inducing cringeworthy self help advice and suggest you go out again soon to reinforce the positive experience of cycling to replace the rather uninspiring 'that shit hungover ride in essex when i stacked it and got gravel rash'. You need a ride with high fives, cake other food treats, wonderous wildlife spots, all washed down by some beer consumed by the fireside in a country pub. And whispers occassionally try somewhere other than the bland open plains of essex, coasting down long hills guaranteed to help get the mojo back.

    hmm funny you should mention Rubino's, I put one on the rear of my bike on wednesday and have had one or two moments when its lost traction in corners and skipped a few inches, maybe I'd best get something else for the front.

  • All true words there BF. that's the sugar I need.

  • I've lost mine and I don't even have a decent excuse. Got out of the habit of weekend riding when the winter dragged on and have done barely anything this year bar commuting and touring. Don't feel like I've got the energy to try and force myself back into it now the window of daylight is limited and it's cold, so I'm hibernating till spring.

  • I really wanted to commute by bike to Chelsea, but everything is against me, so I take the overground and then do a bit of cycling on the folder.
    My stem was stuck. Then the bb was the wrong size. Then I found out that the BB's tread is fucked on one side. Then the ISO/JIS issue which exists despite mdcc saying that it doesn't in this case. Then I found out that the both of the cranks' pedal treads are fucked too.
    The I caught cold.
    Fuck that shit.
    I need more sun.

    This can happen, he's not just telling a story.

  • Tricitybendix !!! If you're off the good stuff there's no hope for any of us. Reading your weekend ride reports puts me to shame regularly. Under HTFU there's just a link to you. Glad to hear I'm not alone in losing the love from time to time.

  • I have moved to the top of a brutally steep hill in Sarf London and combined with having a baby I think I might have been out on the bike about 5 times in the last 8 months. It's really killed my mojo because even after a nice ride the climb at the end always leaves me sweaty and busted of lung. Having moved from the hipster spice route where cycling was quick and easy it has really put me off and am even thinking of getting gears.

  • But if you stick with it you'll be mighty!

  • I've lost mine and I don't even have a decent excuse. Got out of the habit of weekend riding when the winter dragged on and have done barely anything this year bar commuting and touring. Don't feel like I've got the energy to try and force myself back into it now the window of daylight is limited and it's cold, so I'm hibernating till spring.

    Channel Eileen again! Seven jumpers, dried fruit, riding down A roads.

  • That's a good shout, reading her autobiography again would probably do the trick...

    I am quite enjoying sitting around in the warm, drinking tea and eating biscuits though :/

  • Join the club, swapping tea for beer and biscuits for kebabs though, obviously.

    Looking at your bike counts as riding it, you know?

  • I've never had any mojo. How can I get some so that I can lose it?

  • Try some other physical pursuit for fun. Hiking/walking, going to the gym, a martial arts class...

    Nothing terrible will happen if you stop cycling for a few months or even a few years. The road will wait for whenever you become bike-curious once more.

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Losing your mojo

Posted by Avatar for Wrongcog @Wrongcog

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