What gets you excited these days...I mean, cycling-wise

[weisan]

Wanna hear a bit of what gets my pals excited, motivated, can't wait to get out the door and ride their bikes....

I will start first...just got back from a 2-day bikepacking trip. I haven't done a whole lot of bikepacking, this is only my third time. But I think I finally got a system going, for the most part, left a few minor details. I am really happy with the setup I have now especially the bike. I have re-purposed my Merlin Ti cross bike to serve as a touring bike, paired up with a set of H Plus Son (wide rim) wheelset and mounted with Specialized Roubaix Pro 30/32 tires which give the perfect balance between rolling resistance, mixed terrain versatility and bigger volume cushion.

Even though I just got back two days ago from the trip with some great company, I am already thinking about our next one in November...can't wait!

[superbowlpats]

Cyclocross!!!!!!!!

1697928346

[Hilltopperny]

Traveling directly from my house to all kinds of new to me dirt roads and a new bike to build up!

[AngryScientist]

fall colors and time to ride!

i've been on the road for a few weeks and will definitely have some time this coming weekend to jump on the bike and go checking out the fall colors in NJ. i cant really decide between fall and spring, but this is just a great time of year for riding in the lower northeast. not blazing hot, perfect wool jersey and knickers weather.

[oldpotatoe]

Just time to ride. Nannying and mom in law support taking a lot of time. :)

[Gsinill]

Return of crisp air after another miserably hot and muggy summer.
And an upcoming frame building class...

[54ny77]

just being able to get out & ride is good enough for me.

the frame, type of parts and other related things disappear once i'm humming along. all i care about is that it shifts like clockwork and brakes with authority.

[chiasticon]

cyclocross. everything about it.

[guido]

Waiting for my new mountain bike to show up... Rebuilding the Elephant NFE with Shimano Ultegra/Hydro brakes... Having a weekend where it isn't raining...

[doomridesout]

I'm going to do my first 200K at the end of the month-- 9000 feet of climbing. I'm going to try to finish with the lead group of 'fast randos'. Really stoked, and training to do it has me riding pretty well.

[sandyrs]

Cyclocross!!!!!!!!

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This!

Sorry we didn't get to chat more at Minuteman. I was in crisis mode trying to get reg'd for the SSCX race after my holeshot disaster in the 3/4. Hope you enjoyed the racing as much as I did!

[fuzzalow]

Campagnolo EPS. I get almost giddy every time I get to change a gear using it - it's like magic, it feels like cheating because there is this strange disconnect between what you are accustomed to in action-reaction in the shifting motion at the levers. It feels like something happens from nothing.

The closest comparison that comes to mind with EPS is a good golf swing: no real felt effort to do an action and something just kind of happened in what followed afterwards.

[berserk87]

Seasonal fall riding, being able to ride without pain, riding fast.

[Mzilliox]

building a new bike and searching for that perfect fit.

riding really nice tires/wheels

climbs and descents

Autumn

[tv_vt]

What gets me excited? Seeing two Vermont gaps repaved this summer! From being among the crappiest roads in the state to totally awesome! Rode 70 miles yesterday in a loop covering Middlebury Gap and Appalachian Gap. The east side of Middlebury Gap and the west side of App Gap was brand new pavement. Was that nice!
Already looking forward to more gap rides next year.

What else: riding in Provence. The trip to Provence with my wife this past summer was incredible. I'd go back in a minute.

What else: group rides with friends. There's nothing like a bike ride with friends, sharing in the joys and suffering and coffee stops. Just really multiplies the joys of the ride.

[d_douglas]

Mountain biking.

I would say my true love is road riding, but in the past few years, I have gotten back into offroading. I think part of it is the research of new technologies but the greater part of it is just going into a quiet, natural environment - its pretty zen.

In terms of the tech side of things, my Speedvagen has more or less silenced me for the need for a new road bike. It is simple and fits perfectly, so while I desire something new, there is really no need for anything.

I bought my first FS bike two years ago and hesitate to admit that it is a riot to ride. Hardtails are for purists, but FS riding is just so much fun. Unfortunately, chasing very expensive MTB technology is now an activity to replace my search for the ultimate road bike :)

[johnniecakes]

Wet leaves on down hill curves

[GParkes]

Riding this bike (Eleanor) on a beautiful autumn day through Saratoga county, with my best friend, Doc.

[owly]

Looking at new places to ride/explore on a map, further out than I usually go, then heading out there for the day.

There's always something new to see.

[onsight512]

+1 ^^^^^^^^

mine are:

riding.
with friends/family.
exploring new places on the map.

one is great. two of them are really great. and all three, together, are the best.

[ripvanrando]

The sweet smell of decaying leaves on roads smothered in dew and fog with the sun peaking thru the hills and trees. Fall. Cold mornings (frost today) and cool afternoons. I love it.

The promise of the next big ride. Just dreaming of it.

Tour of Tasmania? Tiki Tour 1200? LEL? TABR? TransContinental? Maybe bike packing the Alps or the Raid Pyrennee?

I wish I cared more about my bikes but other than clean, lubricated, and the best tires....no dreams there

[smontanaro]

Return of crisp air after another miserably hot and muggy summer.
And an upcoming frame building class...

I guess we live in a different Chicago suburb. I thought the summer was great. :)

What frame building class are you going to take? I doubt I'll have time for that until I retire, but I would like to tackle that at some point.

As for exciting, I just like to ride. I'm not too fast, but just getting out on the bike is fun. I do get excited by a nice sunrise...

https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8003/29718716602_9d0faa4cc5_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Mh9c4y)

[commonguy001]

They just re-opened a bike and pedestrian bridge a couple blocks from my house (had been closed since late 2002) that allows me to ride river trails to and from work on my commute. I basically don't have to ride on any public road and get a nice 6 miles or close to it each way.
Used it on my way home yesterday for the first time and it was pretty awesome.

Also just rebuilt my Warbird with V3 drivetrain and all that happy crap. Looking forward to running in the 1x11 hydro set up this weekend up on the north shore of Superior!

[Gsinill]

I guess we live in a different Chicago suburb. I thought the summer was great. :)

What frame building class are you going to take? I doubt I'll have time for that until I retire, but I would like to tackle that at some point.

As for exciting, I just like to ride. I'm not too fast, but just getting out on the bike is fun. I do get excited by a nice sunrise...

https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8003/29718716602_9d0faa4cc5_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Mh9c4y)

No, we are close, just can't stand the muggy heat.
One of the few crazy folks that actually prefers winter over July/August in Chicago, I guess ;)

Doug Fattic, really looking forward to it!

[sparky33]

Cyclocross!!!!!!!!
Yes! So hard and so fun.

Also mtb'ing. My dirt dabbling is transforming into an addiction, and it feels like I am finally learning how to really ride a bike. Oddly enough, the recent years of road'n'cx'n'gravel are starting to look like the very long way around to get back to where I was as a kid...riding bikes in the woods.