Falling back in love with the bike?

[Kelly728]

Thanks for the responses. It helps to know that others have been there (which I obviously knew but I need people to tell me that).

Thanks for posting that Miranda. Performance is always a big motivator for me, as I am a very competitive person. You are dead on about needing to remove my cyclocomputer as I find myself fixated on numbers and not enjoying my ride. I ran (ha...ha...) into the same issue when I wore a garmin during my runs.

I have my bike sitting in my bedroom, so it is constantly staring me in the face. I think the first step will be putting it back on the trainer, at least through the winter months, so I can just hop on if I ever get that drive back.

[KnottedYet]

I haven't ridden any of my bikes in at least a month and a half. Maybe 2 months.

I hurt my back, I got swine flu, I was tired from work... well, sheesh.

My bikes still love me. I still think they are the most beautiful things I own.

Miranda is right. Bikes are far more patient than we are.

When you feel the love, you will ride. I want to ride this weekend. To the next neighborhood. I challenge ANYONE to tell me this is less of an accomplishment than a century.

[malkin]

I am in that same place knot.

[Crankin]

I feel like this every year, around the end of August. This year, it has just started happening in the last 2-3 weeks. I credit this to 1) running a couple of days a week to take the "focus" off of always needing to ride and 2) trying to view my fitness in a more holistic way, by considering everything I do, even stretching, as important.

Two years ago, I got sick and dropped some speed. I mostly got it back by the middle of this season, but all of a sudden, my body seems to be telling me it's time to slow down for the season and switch gears. But, the weather has been nice, so I figure another few weeks of riding outdoors. Then the bike comes inside, goes on the trainer and I focus on other sports. As someone else says, there will be a warmer day in January or February, where I usually suit up and get on my flat bar road bike with sturdy tires and feel very happy to be riding again.
It's all a cycle.

[OakLeaf]

How are you feeling, Knot? On the mend enough to really contemplate riding?

I'm no use in these discussions. I burned out and didn't ride for 12 years and it took an expensive five-day retreat to bring me back.

But I did come back.