Newbie's question: What are you riding for?

[newbiechick]

After reading everyone's comments about their legs ... if this sport can really give me great legs and a great butt, I may never get off my bike!! It's certainly motivation to get me out there more!

[SimpleCycle]

Well, I've always ridden to some extent for transportation, fun and fitness. But my rides were few and far between.

Then we moved to Tucson, and EVERYONE here is on a bike. Lots of commuters, but also lots of recreational riders out on the roads. I bought a bike to commute (WAY faster than walking or the bus), and loved noticing things I didn't notice from the car. So I started riding around on local bike paths for fun. I also started taking Spinning classes, which were fun for exercise, but I sensed I'd be having a lot more fun out on the road.

I work with some roadies, and they got me really hooked. I bought a road bike, and ride with them on weekends, and now I ride because I LOVE it, and for fitness. We moved here a little less than a year ago, and I've seen more places by bike than I ever would have by car, and its way cooler. My favorite part is cresting a hill, and having a beautiful panoramic view. If I'd just driven up the hill, I doubt I'd appreciate the scenery as much.

[SadieKate]

Psychiatric benefits.

[SJCzar]

A few months ago I attended a meeting of a women's organization that I belong to through work. One of the guest speakers was a LBS owner and former Olympian. His overall pure joy talking about anything bike related made me remember all the great times I had twenty years ago when I biked almost everyday. Once I got geeked up about biking again I just had to find the perfect new bike.

Of course I ended up buying a better bike and lots more accessories than I ever anticipated but have no regrets.

I can't believe how much I enjoy being out on the road again. I commuted to work again today for the 3rd time in the past two weeks....30 miles round trip. I hope to get up to 3 commutes per week. I especially love the morning ride, lots of happy cyclists and joggers.

[bcipam]

Mmmmm, I started riding so long ago... even as a little kid, I rode my bike around the neighborhood and beyond. Then as with now, I enjoyed the feeling of freedom. Over the years I've been serious and less than serious. Recently serious again more so for fitness than anything else. I guess I also got into cycling for the personal contact. My best friends right now all cycle, either road or mountain. I've decided since it is so important to me it has to be important to my friends as well. Our adventures are all cycling adventures (although I do get out and hike once in a while). Being actively involved with several cycling groups has help me make many new friends and contacts.

[CorsairMac]

I've been on and off the bike since I was old enough to ride. As kids we rode everywhere coz that was the only way to Get anywhere, as a teenager I rode to get me out of the house, as an adult I rode coz my ex-hubby did but he was a jackazz about riding (which you wonderful TE ladies with your wonderful DHs and SOs have now shown me tyvm! ), so I was off the bike for close to 6 yrs. I took it back up again when my current job moved to offices right off the bike trail. I Love riding, the rush of flying through traffic, the walkers on the bike path every morning on my way to work, even the hills in my city which reward my climb by giving me an Awesome descent usually at speeds over 30 mph! Oh Yeah!! (no speed junkie here! ) I've ridden through snow, hail, rain, high winds, and days so gorgeous they almost make me cry. I've seen the moutains covered in snow, green when there's enough rain, sunlight and the gorgeous red they turn when the sun sets just right. I've done my first and second century this year and can't wait to do more. I'm participating in a virtual "Ride Across America" with 12 other people and am having a blast as I attempt to complete 3052 miles by the end of the year! (yup...I'll make it) I resent any time spent driving anymore and have worked out pretty much how to get anywhere in this city on my bike and want it that way.
What am I riding for?? Freedom!

[nuthatch]

I started riding to get healthy and kept riding because as soon as I click into those pedals, I decide where I'm going, how fast or slow it will be, which birds and animals I will be talking to, what songs I will sing - in brief, an interlude of sanity. No obligations, no duties, no chores. So, yes, SadieKate, psychiatric benefits and yes, Corsair, freedom. Every time I get on that bike, I'm dumbstruck anew just how much it means to me, how much I love it.

[KSH]

I started riding so I could compete in triathlons.

So, I ride to train for that (I'm not all hardcore-serious though!)... and I ride to have FUN!!!!

I have found that I really LOVE cycling!

[snowtulip]

My husband is an awesome rider and racer and I vowed many years back never to get on a bike (hey I'm stubborn and wanted my own hobby). I then had to stop driving because of medical issues for a while and had to commute on my bike everywhere, but didn't want to do the whole mountain bike thing (stubborn I tell you). Then some friends of ours left a tandem at our house for a week and we had to have a tandem, but since my hubby only loves mountain bike, we bought a mountain bike tandem. OH MY GOSH, talk about exhilarating, fun, challenging (we are bad asses on the mountain tandem). So I stopped being stuborn and got a mountain bike. I love it, it's now my relief and reminder of the necessities of why quality of life is important. What would I do without my bike? I also learned a lesson in being stubborn (why be so stubborn, enjoy what life has to offer - admitedly still stubborn on occasion).

[bikerHen]

I started riding to work last year. Mostly to help me lose weight. Bike riding has queitly taken over my life. A friend recently asked why I like biking. The answer is so complex I didn't know where to begin and I still don't have a good answer. I simply must ride my bike. It has become a part of me. And the fact that I can slip in a few more carbs dosen't hurt either!

[Lynne]

I guess I'm just like everyone else here. You see my tagline, so you know I enjoy what I call the "cheesecake/pizza benefit".

I started in December because I was bored to tears with hiking and started dating my BF who has been riding since he was 12.

I keep riding because I love the "high" you get from exercise (and boy do you get it with cycling!), because it keeps me in shape as I approach 40, because I need to have goals for my excercise (and I'd run out of goals with hiking), and obviously because I love to eat.

But funny how what motivates me can change with the sport; I thought I'd be a trail-girl because I love long slow activity. But, with cycling, I like going FAST! And now I can't believe I ever enjoyed hiking (5 stinking hours to get to the top...what's that all about??? LOL)

[wingsonwheels]

Cycling is my stress-buster, my way to enjoy the magnificent outdoor creation (when you ride, the sky is your constant companion), a way to improve and clean out my physical body...

and my alter-ego. I teach middle school, and I love the surprised look on my students' faces when I meet one riding. I want them to know that some adults do exercise, and play outside with their friends.

[Grog]

I had biked my small town roads as a kid but I must admit it didn't play a role in my starting to ride seriously. I always had a bike because I live in the city (Montreal) and it is so much more convenient than driving, but I never actually spent money on one, just picked old busted bikes at yard sales. Sometimes I rode them on the long bike path that winds by the St-Laurent river but honestly I was always ashamed because the old bikes rattled and made awful noises... I checked out the racer bikes as they zoomed past me, but I never thought this was accessible to me... Cyclists - real ones - were from another planet.

Then I started going out with a guy whose parents had become big roadies in their early 50s. My BF himself was into mountain biking, but did take his mountain bike on the road once in a while. I thought cycling together would be a cool thing to do because you don't have to go out of town to do it, we have plenty of nice places to ride around here. We were at some outdoors store for something else and I dragged him downstairs to check out the bikes. I was a bit disappointed that he was not that enthusiastic, but I felt like getting one for myself anyway so I bought a Trek hybrid on sale. I didn't want to spend more than 500$, so for that price I got a bike that was a bit less expensive but with clipless pedals and shoes. Honestly, I'm nearly sure that those pedals made the difference. I was physically hooked the first time I took the bike out and in one month rode about 500 km, which was a lot for me.

Then came the road bike, which I traded against some work on a bike manufacturer's web site. The 18-pound baby just grabbed my heart and won't let go now. I've kept on riding 500 km/month and I can feel myself becoming a better road biker.

And you know what? I'm currently breaking up with the mountain bike guy, which is sad after two years of living together, but I feel that this bike thing is one of the best gifts that relationship has left me, plus riding is my way to remain sane during the breakup. (And he just got a road bike too. *sigh*) And even a 3000$ bike comes cheaper than Paxil!!!

The feeling of flying on the road is what I love best about cycling. It IS close to nirvana: I just ride and ride and ride and stop thinking, totally. I love the speed. Being self-propelled also feels like a statement to me. The health benefits are a good point too, as my family has a history of heart disease and various cancers. Plus, I too love the legs and butt, and am learning to live with the tan lines. I kinda like being pointed out as a cyclist now, and maybe it has taken me to another planet...

And finally it has allowed me to meet - virtually or in real life - tons of new cool people. And that's another great reward! Thank you girls I love chatting with you on this board.

Keep riding!

[Barb]

I started really riding again at 40. Hmmm, yeah I guess I rode cuz I turned 40. oh yeah and one more thing....WHEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

[shortwavez]

i got into it because its a good way to stay in shape!