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

[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.

[7rider]

Maybe I'm alone here, but I find having all those nerdly metrics from my Garmin (HR, speed, distance, the whole she-bang) part of my fun. BikeJournal (primarily by signing up for different "groups" like the Commuter Century) gives me the incentive to do more, to improve, to challenge myself.
Fast rides with the club are a hoot.
Slow rides with friends for sight-seeing and lunch are fun, too.
It's all good. Why on earth would I be a regular bike rider if it weren't fun?? It's not like I get paid to do this.

[limewave]

Maybe I'm alone here, but I find having all those nerdly metrics from my Garmin (HR, speed, distance, the whole she-bang) part of my fun. BikeJournal (primarily by signing up for different "groups" like the Commuter Century) gives me the incentive to do more, to improve, to challenge myself.
Fast rides with the club are a hoot.
Slow rides with friends for sight-seeing and lunch are fun, too.
It's all good. Why on earth would I be a regular bike rider if it weren't fun?? It's not like I get paid to do this.

I agree. I enjoy all aspects of riding. I like challenging myself to ride faster and better. I enjoy the feeling I get of being a part of a team on group rides. But I also love just taking a little cruise around the neighborhood.

[OakLeaf]

Maybe I'm alone here, but I find having all those nerdly metrics from my Garmin (HR, speed, distance, the whole she-bang) part of my fun. BikeJournal (primarily by signing up for different "groups" like the Commuter Century) gives me the incentive to do more, to improve, to challenge myself.
Fast rides with the club are a hoot.
Slow rides with friends for sight-seeing and lunch are fun, too.
It's all good. Why on earth would I be a regular bike rider if it weren't fun?? It's not like I get paid to do this.

You're not alone!!

[Aint Doody]

And---I like to stop, get off, look at something, have something to eat. With me a 60 mile ride can take all day, and that's when it's the most fun.

[pfunk12]

I ride for fun but I think because I am a former college basketball player and a former competitive distance runner, I am always challenging myself on the bike. Although I haven't yet raced on the bike (and I may never race), I am always pushing myself and I guess you could say I compete against myself. I usually average about 18 mph during most rides and I've done some sprints getting up to 25 mph. When I commute to work, I "fly" in the morning trying to get to work on time and I "fly" home in the evening so I can get home to my kids to make them dinner. I should probably back off some day so I can enjoy the scenery!