[MoMo]

I'm not sure what the deal is but for the last week or so I haven't wanted to get on my bike and the times I have it hasn't been fun. I used to love to ride and would jump at any opportunity or free time I had to ride. I don't get it.

 

[Impy]

I'm not sure what the deal is but for the last week or so I haven't wanted to get on my bike and the times I have it hasn't been fun. I used to love to ride and would jump at any opportunity or free time I had to ride. I don't get it.

Oh that's simple. .. It's time for a new bike!

 

[verslowrdr]

Maybe it's time to work some other activity in like hiking, swimming, skating, etc. And perhaps try mixing it up on the bike too... try a road ride, a BMX track, take a kid out, head through the drive-through for an ice cream cone, etc.

 

[MoMo]

I wish it were that simple. But I'll give those other suggestions a go. I think some of it is not having a group or even a couple of people who I really really love to ride with. I go on group rides and volunteer for trailwork but I generally don't have a ton of fun with those people.

I should add that while I don't mind riding alone it's still IMO a lot more fun to ride with someone else... I like having someone challenge me to keep my pace up or encouraging me to try a new obstacle and so forth.

And Impy, I'd die for a new bike!! I'd get a nice hard-tail XC race bike and it would have all the bells and whistles ( a girl can dream right?) I love my FS and have gradually made upgrades to it (new bb and crankset, new front wheel, better front fork, new rear shock, pink and gray colored flame decals (scored them from REI) and some cool pink grips with white stars on them) Things I still want to upgrade are switching from XTR to all XO a new rear wheel, new seat post, and I want to run fully inclosed housing on my bike.

 

[weimie]

It happens to everyone. I go through periods where I just don't want to ride, so I go run or hike or do nothing at all. We tend to mix it up though with lots of running during the week, or we go to the bmx track, pump track or dirt jumps. We also don't just ride XC, we get the CX bikes out on a trail or we get the big bikes out and throw ourselves down a mountain. I think mixing it up helps alot.

I used to ride a singlespeed exclusively, but the last year I just haven't wanted to ride it. I really got into riding my geared and love having more travel for bombing down the trail. But recently, I really really want to dust the SS off and torture myself.

Do what your body tells you...if you feel like lying in a hammock or something and doing nothing, then do it! I think we push ourselves to do too much and sometimes our subconscious needs to take over to remind us to slooooow down.

 

[weimie]

I wish it were that simple. But I'll give those other suggestions a go. I think some of it is not having a group or even a couple of people who I really really love to ride with. I go on group rides and volunteer for trailwork but I generally don't have a ton of fun with those people.

I should add that while I don't mind riding alone it's still IMO a lot more fun to ride with someone else... I like having someone challenge me to keep my pace up or encouraging me to try a new obstacle and so forth.

And Impy, I'd die for a new bike!! I'd get a nice hard-tail XC race bike and it would have all the bells and whistles ( a girl can dream right?) I love my FS and have gradually made upgrades to it (new bb and crankset, new front wheel, better front fork, new rear shock, pink and gray colored flame decals (scored them from REI) and some cool pink grips with white stars on them) Things I still want to upgrade are switching from XTR to all XO a new rear wheel, new seat post, and I want to run fully inclosed housing on my bike.

I agree that not having anyone to ride with would not be the greatest. I used to go on group rides all the time, almost everynight and I didn't always like the people or talk to everyone but it was better than being by myself and eventually I did find people that I liked and could hang with and they are still my friends today. I actually met my bf on a group ride! And now I have someone who shares the same passion for riding that I do but we also found that we enjoy doing other things like running and hiking.

Hang in there!

I see that you're from Minnesota....there is a large group of women from Minnesota that ride for Velo Bella. Check out their website www.velobella.org or go to their public forum www.velobellabb.com and see if you can't hook up with some locals....they have a regional section for the Minnesota bella's.

 

[spokey doke]

That happened to me a couple of years ago with skiing. I just didn't like it anymore so I took some time off and tried different things- forgot about for a while. A year or so later I went skiing again with a friend and fell back in love with it all over again. Maybe just give yourself some time off and try something else for a while, then get back on your bike and see how you feel after a break?

-Randi

 

[HuffyMan]

Agreed. don't force it. i go through all sorts of hobby phases. i was into guitar all through high school and college, had a band, and even started a small company designing and building guitar amps! then i got out of college, the band broke up, and i lost literally all urge to play guitar. i hadnt touched my "baby" in like 3 years! but then one day the urge just came back.

Happens to me w/ most everything. I'm also into motorsports, i have a track car, etc. i swing in and out of that too.

I think we get afraid that if we don't do it everyday, we'll lose it and w/ it almost part of ourselves or our identity. Don't stress it, itll always be there waiting for you.

 

[MoMo]

Ah!! What I wouldn't give to find a guy to date that also likes to mountain bike. I got introduced to the sport by my bf at the time (he's my ex now). I have always been athletic, outdorsy, (tomboyish growing up....rode bmx when I was younger), and somewhat of an adrenaline seeker...so trying mountain biking seemed like a fun idea. I was hooked after my first ride. Too bad my ex and I are not on good terms he would be fun to ride with... I've always respected his mountain bike knowledge and the great advice he gave me back then to all my newbie bike questions. Its a shame really b/c despite not really being right for one another in a love - relationship, we probably would have made great plutonic friends as we had alot in common in that regard (or at least I thought we did),

I'm really thinking about moving next spring and hopefully where ever I move I'll find people I enjoy riding with.

 

[connie]

I go through it every summer. It's called HEAT. I hate it. I bike like a madwoman all spring. And then the temperature keeps climbing and it's over 100 for weeks on end. And I end up with migraines and feeling like I'm going to die of heatstroke at some point and then I spend weeks just wanting to sit on the sofa eating ice cream. I want to ride, but it's like I can feel that heat/sun migraine coming on just thinking about it and I get super unmotivated.

It bums me out. About the best solution I've found is for us to plan trips to Brianhead when it's hottest so we can escape the heat a bit, and then just ride when I can and wait it out when the heat grumpiness gets the best of me...

For your situation, I'd say try meeting new people to ride with... I know, easier said than done. But go to all your local shops and ask if they have group rides. Attend any bike camps or maintenance classes and things in your area. Go to the races and meet new people. It sounds like you're already active with trail maintenance and stuff, but I'm sure there are more people out there.

But don't get down on yourself if you just want a break. It's okay, and it happens to everyone once in a while. It'll come back!!

 

[Impy]

And Impy, I'd die for a new bike!!

I was half tongue in cheek with my comment, but a new bike can really get the passion back up! Even if it's an old bike you dust off...

Having said that - I am currently in a bit of a slump - it happens about once a year - for me I just start running or start swimming a bit to mix it up, and that seems to hold me through until I get back on the bike. I try not to worry about it.

Another fun thing to do is to take a newbie on a bike ride - that definitely gets one all re-excited about the sport!

 

[MoMo]

I spend weeks just wanting to sit on the sofa eating ice cream. I want to ride, but it's like I can feel that heat/sun migraine coming on just thinking about it and I get super unmotivated.

I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one who just wants to sit on the sofa and eat ice cream!! I don't feel so bad anymore

 

[Luvz2Ridez]

Oh that's simple. .. It's time for a new bike!

I agree! I was in your spot last winter, then I got my Transition Bottlerocket and it's opened a whole new level of fun!
Where are you Momo?

 

[weimie]

I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one who just wants to sit on the sofa and eat ice cream!! I don't feel so bad anymore

That sounds like good motivation...eating ice cream and then going for a ride to burn it off :thumbsup:

 

[MoMo]

Actually, I'm about to have some noodles and then I'm heading out to a social event (opportunity to meet new people), I'm going to bring along my bike and my biking gear incase I decided to go ride while I'm out and about.

Kim how do you like Bolder? CO is where I'm thinking of moving next spring.

 

[thebigred67]

Going thru that right now myself! I "feel your pain"! hehe

 

[Christine]

Mo, I could've written your post. Since mtb is my #1 passion in life, it's frightening to feel this way. The new track bike (only $350!) has been keeping a bit of a spark going, but trail riding right now just isn't calling me like it normally does. Could be the heat like Connie observed- it's been muggy/hot/humid/rainy here.

This especially sucks since I entered a race next month and need to be training for it!! I'm screwed. I guess that's part of my slump- knowing I should, should, SHOULD be biking.

If you need a roommate in CO, just say the word and I'm there. That's about the only thing that appeals to me right now, riding epic trails. Maybe it's a vacation I need......

 

[weimie]

Actually, I'm about to have some noodles and then I'm heading out to a social event (opportunity to meet new people), I'm going to bring along my bike and my biking gear incase I decided to go ride while I'm out and about.

Kim how do you like Bolder? CO is where I'm thinking of moving next spring.

I actually live about 10 miles outside Boulder right now in Lafayette but I love it here. I commute to work everyday, there are open space trails everywhere to ride, walk or run on, same goes with city paths....they're everywhere. You can be up in the fronge range mountains in about 30 minutes (excellent riding up there btw) or you can go hiking, climbing, canoeing, tubing, dirt jumping, dirt biking, 4 wheeling, oh yeah and skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing in the winter....absolutely anything you want. Boulder, Lyons and Golden have some of the best singletrack I've ever riden and most of the local trails are within 30 - 45 minutes of Boulder and every ride is epic. Plus, the restaurants and nightlife in Boulder are cool (winter time the college kids come back and it's a little annoying but whatever) and you have Denver close by. The mountains are about 1hr away and if you like to DH...there are 3 resorts that now have lift assisted riding!

I can't rave enough about it. And if Minnesota is anything like Michigan (where I grew up) the humidity in the summer is almost null here And we have more sunny days than California, that makes a huge difference during the winter...the winter blues don't happen.

One draw back is that Boulder is expensive....you go a little outside the city and you'll find much cheaper places to live.