Newbie's question: What are you riding for?

[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)

[Technotart]

I never planned to get a bike...I bought one this spring because....well -

My son is a racer - he races all over the country for both a collegiate team and an amateur team. I always watched him and wished I could ride, but I just thought well, I'm too old, I'm too out of shape and I'm too busy. The last time I had a bike was when I was 15 years old. Im 42, I'm in grad school and I have 4 young adult/teens I am still raising in addition to a 3 year old. I don't have time to to go the gym I'm already a member of, let alone ride a bike.

Then...I received word that my oldest daughters best friend from high school was just diagnosed with MS. 22 years old. It just blew me away.

My son has done the MS 150 before, and of course he wanted to do it again. Then in January we found out that not only would he be taking final exams the week of the MS 150, but he would probbably also be racing in collegiate nationals that weekend. Well I couldnt not have SOMEBODY ride for Summer! (My daughters friend) I just couldn't stand the thought that no one would be riding in her honor. I mentioned under my breath to my husband that I wanted to do it. He didn't laugh - he outright GUFFAWED. Then he stopped and said if I really wanted to do it, he would be right behind me. SO I got a bike, I started riding about 2 mos prior to the event, and then made 94 mi on the event (In May). I even trained the ride marshals for first aid and raised 3k. I didnt plan on riding so much after MS 150, I figured I'd ride just once in awhile for fun but...

I got hubby a bike for his birthday in April just a few weeks before the MS 150, he didnt ride the event, but he set up the team tent and drove up and back and just was awesome support. Now he's hooked too. I took him out for his first street ride this past week - we had been riding trails together. He LOVED it and we had a BLAST!

Our little one rides a mountain train (a sort of 1/2 bike that hooks on the back of hubbys bike) behind us when we ride baths, and he loves it too. He is 3 and a 1/2 and rode 16 mi with us the week before last. He even has his own little camelback, bike gloves, jersey and tiny pair of chamois shorts.

My oldest dtr is a fixed gear type who flys around philly, she is 22. My oldest son doesn't ride, the third son rides 600 mi a week on his carbon fiber orbea. The 4th child - my 17 year old daughter, commutes by bike to work and school, but won't race - she would be AWESOME if she just would!

And now...my mom and dad are shopping for hybrids!

Now, I ride for fun, family, and fitness and I LOVE IT!!!!!

[newrider]

My son got me started riding again. He had a "surprise" kidney transplant last summer, and his nephrologist is a serious cyclist and triathlete, who has pretty much inspired all our family to do MORE stuff we never imagined we'd do.

My son got a road bike last fall, this spring my husband and I bought hybrids, and now this summer I've bought a road bike.

I ride because it's so much fun to be horizontal and see the world going by at eye level and know that life = good.

And, ok, ice cream. Ice cream is good.

[JanT]

I confess: I'm addicted. I started riding to cross-train for running. Now, I force myself to jog occasionally to cross-train for riding. I have 3 bikes, for 3 purposes: mountain biking, road biking, and commuting. And if I had the money, you can bet I'd have a few more in the stable, because I'm always drooling over another bike. How about a singlespeed? Or a cross bike? Or a full-suspension mountain bike? Or maybe a recumbent? I know I'm addicted: I often ride alone. I ride to escape my problems. I forget how many times I've ridden in a week. I haven't yet, but I probably will someday, call into work to take time off to ride. I feel guilty when my riding takes me away from my family, but still I ride. I've spent more money than I should on riding. A ride first thing in the morning makes me feel good. I find I need to ride more and more. I'm sure I could find other signs of addiction, but I think I've shared enough for my first confession.

[jobob]

I love going out by myself early in the morning and riding around the park near my home. It's like meditation.

I like the feeling of accomplishment I get when I do something that months, or even weeks ago, was a real struggle for me. I continually surprise myself.

I enjoy the awe and admiration I get from friends and co-workers when they find out I rode a century (metric or imperial, doesn't matter), or rode up Mt. Diablo. Quite the boost to my ego! (I can't rule out the possibility that some of them think I'm a bit batty, though )

I really like the way my body looks nowadays.

But, most of all, it's for the ice cream.

[Jo-n-NY]

I pretty much grew up on a bike. It is basically the only athletic ability I have besides walking. But I was always more of a seasonal rider and once I had kids I didn't ride until they were able to ride. That of course consisted of little rides around the development.

Four years ago I wanted to ride the 5 borough Manhattan Bike a thon. My brother said he would ride it with me as my husband works on weekends and there is no taking off at this time of year. So two weeks before the ride I put my bike (hybrid at the time) on a borrowed trainer and thought I better start putting in some miles. The only exercise I was doing was walking on a treadmill. I felt so great after completeing 42 miles.

Well, since then, I ditched the treadmill and all I do is ride, winter, spring, summer, fall. That was also when my husband decided to get a road bike and would ride on his day off while I was at work trying to get himself in shape. Now with the little time we have together, we try really hard to ride together. It is nice to have something we both really enjoy as it makes for great conversation. We both just upgraded to lighter rode bikes and when you really love your bike it makes it even more fun and enjoyable. I never thought a bike could make such a difference.

As others have said, Freedom, forget about your problems, yes it has great psychiatric benefits. Plus I feel like I am included in the cycling loop. I love getting that cycling nod from cyclists that I pass going in the opposite direction.

~ JoAnn ~ for me...ice cream and pizza