Popular Post Nate Posted February 6, 2014 Popular Post Share #1 Posted February 6, 2014 these days I see a lot of people riding, but everyone seems so serious. You would think that the only way to ride a bike is to do intervals according to some sort of training plan Fuck that Seriously, ....if you are starting to ride bikes, you need to fall in love with riding. Just go and ride. don't let other people be a crutch. You don't need people to ride with. The truth is that out on the road, the most dangerous thing out there is other riders, so riding alone is actually a lot safer and it is much easier to manage traffic alone than with even one other rider. Not that there is anything wrong with riding with groups, but don't get caught thinking that is the only way... remember that a bicycle is freedom. Leave your cell phones at home and enjoy the freedom. Take a repair kit and be ready to solve mechanical problems out on the road yourself. I see perfectly able human beings standing on the side of the road in lycra waiting for their wife to come and rescue them when all they have is a flat tire. Don't be an idiot. Learn to fend for yourself and get some more self confidence. That is what a bicycle is for...freedom and self confidence. The whole world can kiss your ass because you can get out into the middle of nowhere and back again without anybody else at all Go explore your area. Explore yourself. Ride out into the countryside without a stupid GPS and find your way back home. Nothing is more fun than exploring the world on a bicycle Enjoy the scenery....look around when you get out there. You get to see the world in a way that most people never do. You are a part of the scene. Notice how many animals you see. Notice all the dead animals you see run down by cars. That's the difference between you and the rest of those savages in cars. Get out and ride. Ride lots. Enjoy yourself take the computer off your bike that's just wrestling a demon you don't even need to wrestle Tell time by the sun and where you are by seat of the pants navigation sure, its the 21st century, but you don't need 21st century technology to love to ride a bike 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Wheels Posted February 6, 2014 Share #2 Posted February 6, 2014 Nice post Nate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Road Runner Posted February 6, 2014 Share #3 Posted February 6, 2014 I wholeheartedly agree with everything Nate says, except for the part about the bike computer. When I was first starting to ride and even now, I use(d) the bike computer to help me track my mileage and progress. It may only discourage some people, so it might be better for some to ignore the statistics, but for me, personally, the computer motivates me and actually makes riding more fun. But that's just me. I would recommend you use the computer if it helps you stay motivated as it does me, or discard it if it discourages you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted February 6, 2014 Share #4 Posted February 6, 2014 Personally, would never leave my cell phone behind, also always carry it in the saddle bag where it's least likely to be damaged in a crash, and it's the crash that leaves both me and the bike down and either in not in functioning order as to why I carry it. Of course in the middle of a woods, cell phone reception isn't always the best, but it makes the wife happy that I have it still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted February 11, 2014 Share #5 Posted February 11, 2014 take the computer off your bike that's just wrestling a demon you don't even need to wrestle I think we have to agree to disagree. If you aren't tracking your data, you may just be getting slower. And yes, I can be quite serious doing intervals. My fitness and strength are a testament to doing things this way. It works. There are days that I just meander and ride slow. I try not to make it a habit though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted February 18, 2014 yes, agree to disagree. What I am saying is that bike riding is not necessarily all intervals and seriousness when I was racing, hell yes, I did intervals and tracked my ride data but if someone is just trying to get started, it is easy to get the impression that that is what riding is all about, and it really isn't I'm saying that you can enjoy riding for its own sake and the truth is that someone who is a beginner will get better and get stronger no matter what they do, as long as they get on a bike more often. That's why you need to find the love for cycling before you worry about training 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedDemon Posted February 25, 2014 Share #7 Posted February 25, 2014 Nate, I agree that you just need to ride and love it. But the computer is a must. Especially for me, an acknowleged computer geek. I love the ride. I pay some attention to the numbers, but more attention to the horses, fields, etc. But when I get home I like to just geek out with the data from the Garmin. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share #8 Posted February 26, 2014 I have a Garmin, too. Its so old, it doesn't even have maps built into it, but I learned a lot about myself looking at the data That was back when I was racing 2 years ago I was coming back from a problem with the ligaments in my foot. I know every scrap of road around here and I know how fast I usually am riding over what section and so forth. I took the computer off my bike because if I knew how slow I was really going back then, I'd be tempted to ride too hard for where I was in my rehab but even back before I raced, I used to take the computer off from October until March 1 Sometimes not knowing how fast or how far is nice Like I said earlier, most avid cyclists will have their own opinions regarding computers, cell phones, and the relative merits of doing intervals But the love of cycling can be cultivated without any of those things....like when we were kids you know what I really enjoy about no computer? I don't know what time it is. that means that if I am out in the middle of nowhere, there's no other place that I'm supposed to be and in today's world, that is worth the ride 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zealot Posted November 8, 2016 Share #9 Posted November 8, 2016 I no longer have a computer on any of my bikes. I ride mostly to just ride. It is freeing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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