What part of your ride seems the most challenging?

[Trekhawk]

Yep I would agree the beginning is always the hardest for me. I find the first hour is yuck and then my body seems to get into a rhythm and its ok.

[nscrbug]

I guess I'm the exception here...as the most challenging for me is in the middle. The first 10 miles, I'm still warming up...but somewhere in the middle, like around the 40 or 50 mile mark, is when most of my pain issues start to rear their ugly heads. The last 10, is when I'm on my way back home...so mentally, it feels easier to me because I know it's almost over.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Totally depends on which direction I'm going on my ride. Lots of rolling hills around here, every ride is quite different as to where the hardest climbs are for me.

[OakLeaf]

Whichever part is into the wind.

[Owlie]

I always seem to find my groove at the last third of the ride. The beginning is usually the hardest, because I have to drag myself out there. After that, I find some kind of a rhythm.

[Lakerider]

Whichever part is into the wind.

Oh yes, the wind!
How come I don't feel it pushing me when it's at my back, but I sure feel it when it's hitting me in the face!

[crazycanuck]

In terms of road riding just when there's a headwind

In terms of dirt time-when my mind is frazzled after 30km & that logover looks way too hard

[RolliePollie]

When I ride my local routes starting at my house, the last 10 miles are definitely the most challenging because I have to climb hills to get home. Actually the last 2.5 miles are the worst...there are two pretty miserable hills and it's not very fun to deal with them at the end of a ride when I'm tired.

Most other longish rides seem to be hardest for me at the end too. Like today, I rode 51 miles and it was cold (not really that cold, I was just under-dressed) and really windy. After about 40 miles, I was counting down the miles til I got back to the car! I was really ready to be off the bike so those last 10 were miles were killer.

[7rider]

Whichever part is into the wind.

Murphy's First Law of Cycling is: You shall always have a headwind!

For me, it depends on the route and how hilly it is.
Sometimes, for the last 10 miles, the group is in "cruise" mode through the park, which is relatively flat and easy riding. It's a nice cool-down/come back to earth, after a brutal middle of the ride.