Does anyone JUST ride for fun (and some exercise)?

[shootingstar]

I wouldn't even know what my heart rate is supposed to be within my training level. Though, I've read about this from other people's experiences. I'm still alive aren't I?

I've never used a heart monitor. And I've been cycling regularily since 1992.
Unless I am diagnosed with a heart problem, I don't think I will be using any heart monitor to improve myself.

I took off my cyclometer around..hmm...1998 or before. First few years, I kept a cycling journal that tracked my mileage. didn't make notes of my average speed. So this motivational technique did stoke my cycling passion when the mileage piled up annually.

But later, I just kept forgetting to look at the cyclometer after finishing a ride. Then forgetting to remove it regularily. That's when I decided to remove it...period.

I just ride...because it always feel better to ride..no matter what distance and regardless of my pace.

[luv'nAustin]

I ride for fun! Ok, I'll admit it, fitness too!! But I like to ride my pace and with people that ride my pace as well. Too slow and it's boring and tedious. Too fast and I lose confidence.

[tctrek]

I ride for fun... at my age it better be fun or I'll just quit I am also riding for fitness and to spend more time with my DH. I used to be a bike widow because he was gone all the time on his bike. Now I go with him. He's very patient with my slowness and coaches me up these nasty, nasty hills in Georgia. My kingdom for a flat road to ride on!

Here's a tip - if you ride with a friend who likes to go fast and you can't keep up, ask them to ride in a bigger gear and that will slow them down. They'll still get a workout, but you'll be able to keep up with them! That's what I do with my DH.

[melissam]

I admit it, I'm a Type A person when it comes to riding. Nothing motivates me to ride like having a cycling goal and a structured training program to reach my goal. And yes, I love my heart rate monitor! I also love my cycle-computer, cadence, and altimeter!

Nevertheless, I'm having a great time while I ride. I love the scenery, the challenge of getting up whatever hill it is I'm climbing, the funky conversations that come up with my riding partners, seeing someone else's confidence or ability improve on the bike.

Having the structure gets me out there so I can enjoy the ride. I'm the first to admit that the kind of structure I like would drive a lot of people crazy. But I do know that when I'm riding "just because it's fun," I tend to find other things that are fun and stay off the bike.

I guess the bottom line is that you need to figure out what works for you to keep cycling a fun hobby. Please, please, please don't read about the exploits of us Type A's and think that it's what you need to do to be a "real" cyclist.

[limewave]

I ride for fun and exercise. I used to do group rides, which I really enjoyed. Until so many new people started coming that didn't know how to do a group ride and didn't really want to learn. It got to be to the point where I felt it was too dangerous. I have to trust the person whose back tire is an inch from my front tire going 25+ mph.

Now I cruise around the neighborhood on my Suede, pulling the kid in the burley. Or take the TCR2 for a 30 miler down to the lake early in the morning, chase a few deer. And if I get a free afternoon, I like to take my Trek Fuel on an "urban" mountain bike ride.

[OakLeaf]

I ride for fun.

I won't worry about you being "too slow for me" if you don't worry about me being "too fast for you." I'm way too slow for other people.

[ASammy1]

Ooh, Ooh! Me too. I just ride for fun and fitness. No racing for me!

[Jolt]

Another slow, non-racing cyclist here! I use my bike for errands and do some fun rides too. I occasionally go on "easy" group rides with the AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) but those are really the only group rides I am comfortable going on because I can't keep up with most groups. Kind of pathetic considering I am only 25...but then part of it is probably because I am riding a hybrid and not a road bike. In any case, I usually just do my own thing and find it very satisfying to ride around town getting things done without having to get in the car for the shorter trips (well, at least when the weather is good).

[Pink Diva]

Another non-racer here! I mainly wanted to start biking to get out into nature...I was becoming too much of an indoor gal, and I hated it! I wanted to get out and enjoy the outdoors since you just can't do that effectively when you're driving everywhere. Of course, the other reason was to improve my fitness since I have ADD when it comes to exercise...I do it all: running, kickboxing, spinning, stepping, weights, yoga, etc, etc...cycling was the next in line for me

I'm not fast, but I'm not slow either, I'm just a happy medium! I am trying to work on my hill climbs since I currently suck at them which surprised me, but I'll get there. My MTB and my commuter are just for fun though, period. No racing, no HR worries, just me and the outdoors

[PamNY]

Fun and exercise are my only reasons for cycling. It's good for my mental health, too. I'd like to develop enough skill for group rides, and perhaps for touring.

I am learning to maintain my bike and do simple repairs. Don't ask me why I enjoyed learning to true a wheel and fiddle around with bearings, but I did.

Pam

[smilingcat]

trying to reset my mindset to more of a leisurly ride. Trying to be not so competitive about my riding. Fun ride is healthier. Leisurly ride is still a good exercise.

It's a mindset I'm trying to grow into. I'm getting older and just don't have the speed, power, and reflex anymore. I just need to throttle back.

smilingcat

[Crankin]

I am one of those in-between people. I gained a lot of fitness and speed the first couple of years I rode. In the last year I have slowed down, for various reasons. I have pretty much stopped going on group rides, except for the ones I lead, or with my Wednesday Wheeler group, where the average age is older than me (55). I can even keep up with the guys there, except for a couple of them and then, only on long climbs. I don't do charity rides, except for one local one. I mostly ride alone, with my DH, or with a couple of friends. I am way too fast for the slow group in my club, but I can't hang with the fast ones, either. I can climb just about anything, mostly because I have to on every ride from my house. I live on a 10-15% grade hill. But, I don't like long climbs. Give me steep and short.
I ditched my HRM a few years ago. I was obsessing on it instead of enjoying my ride. I won't ditch my computer, though. I like knowing my distance, speed, cadence. But, I am about to drag my Bike Journal icon into the trash... I found myself wanting to lie about my average speed and that's not good. I will keep a journal on my own.
Like Limewave, I enjoy riding my Jamis Coda for errands, going to the Farmer's Market, or riding with my less fit friends a lot more sometime. It makes me feel like a kid. Sure, I have a light carbon road bike and I appreciate it. But, I don't want to ride it 7 days a week.
At this point, after almost 9 years of riding, it's an established part of my life. But, I have made it a point to do other sports, especially in the winter. I also just started running. I don't want to burn out like I did with aerobics.
Ah, just don't go hiking with Jolt. She just about ran me and Deb W. into the ground on a little local hike last year!

[Jo-n-NY]

Fun, exercise and mental health are the reasons I ride.

Once the warmer weather kicks in I ride with the bike club on Saturdays. I ride with the B group speed ranging from 14-16mph and since we do not drop anyone at times a little slower. I am usually in front of the group, but behind the leader. Many have told me that I could probably ride with the A's, but that would mean pushing myself beyond what I find to be enjoyable. So I am staying in my comfort zone and enjoying it.

Other than that catch a ride with my girlfriend if our schedules are in zink, same with my dh other wise I am pretty much a solo rider.

I ride the trainer in the winter, but mainly for the exercise and so I don't have to break myself in for outdoor riding in the spring.

~ JoAnn

[twin]

I ride for fun and fitnesse. I ride at my on pace and sometimes I ride with my sister and most often by myself. I enjoy doing my own thing and stopping to eat or anything that might be of interest.

[Kalidurga]

I won't ditch my computer, though. I like knowing my distance, speed, cadence. But, I am about to drag my Bike Journal icon into the trash... I found myself wanting to lie about my average speed and that's not good.

If I find I can't live without the computer, that's what I'm going to do. Watching the stats as I ride is one thing, but logging them is what makes me feel obsessive. So either way, it's bye-bye bikejournal.