What part of your ride seems the most challenging?

[Crankin]

I voted for the first ten, because no matter what I do, it takes me about 30 minutes to warm up. I always feel like crap in the beginning of a ride, unless I go really slowly.
But, if I ride from my house I have the 10-15% grade hills to contend with, as the last thing I do. Since I consider it my cool down, I just slow down and deal with it. I'm beginning to wonder why I bought this house!
If I do a ride longer than fifty miles, the end can be pretty challenging, too. My quads often start complaining if it's a ride with a lot of climbing at this distance.

[redrhodie]

It's nearly always the end that's hardest for me. My commute ends in hills both ways, and the evening commute is going north, which is the most common headwind direction in these parts. Riding around home, it's less of an issue. I usually feel about the same through the ride.

[kimikaw]

I also talk to my bike, "Come on, we can do it!"

Do you talk to your bike? We should talk to all of our best friends, right?

But of course, and often with a very similar message about how *we* can do it. In the short time I have had this bike (6-ish weeks) I continue to be amazed at how I have personified her. I just started a Tues-Thurs indoor class at a LBS. I knew both the weather and my schedule would prevent me from riding on Wednesday, so I left her hanging at the shop. It was odd how much it bothered me when I got in my car to go to work that she wasn’t standing proud in the garage. Silly or what?

I voted for the first ten, because no matter what I do, it takes me about 30 minutes to warm up. I always feel like crap in the beginning of a ride, unless I go really slowly.
But, if I ride from my house I have the 10-15% grade hills to contend with, as the last thing I do. Since I consider it my cool down, I just slow down and deal with it. I'm beginning to wonder why I bought this house!
If I do a ride longer than fifty miles, the end can be pretty challenging, too. My quads often start complaining if it's a ride with a lot of climbing at this distance.

That brought a smile. Since starting riding, I’ve realized that we seem to live at the highest point for miles. Our area (suburban Milwaukee) has plenty of rolling hills, so most rides are a nice mix of climbs and fast descents. But I know no matter which way I go from the house there will be a significant ascent at the end. Some routes are just more gradual than others – and I’ve been known to go several miles out of my way just to avoid the tough one. There is one particular hill that I haven’t attempted. It’s on my 2010 goals. At this point I’m afraid to even try. Have visions of running out of steam, being clicked in and crashing violently along a rather busy road (thankfully, with a separate bike path on this hill)

[Norse]

I have hills both coming and going, no way to get to or from my house w/out hills. First 10 I always seem a bit sluggish, have not found my rhythm and mentally am not quite in the zone. After the first 10 or so, my legs start cooperating and I find my rhythm.

I talk to my bike too.

[kenyonchris]

Ugh. The beginning. I hate the first 10-15 miles. My BF is patient with me, he will pull, but even with him pulling, I am slooooow, and hold him to 15-16 mph and am dropped on the hills. Once I warm up, I can work and climb, and by the time we are on the way home, I am (sometimes) waiting on him.

[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.