Some of the most "satisfying" bike-related experience

[weisan]

Looking back over the last 30+ years of riding and "into bikes", I recalled some of the most satisfying experience I had, most, if not all, don't require having a top-end bike or high zoot gear, or loads of time or money or resources but simply living in the moment, being thankful for the "little things", spending time with someone or a group of people...


Dad running down a hill beside me as I took off for the first time riding on my own without help. I can still hear his panting and remember the sweat on his brow
Sneaking out the house in the middle of the night when everyone is asleep with my bike and riding around in circles in the basement parking garage or venture out into quiet of the night on the bike path by the beach, hearing the waves crashing, the smell of the park flowers


Those are just some examples. What about you?

[cribbit]

The first time I did bar tape really well.

The first time my dog ran along side my bike for a full trip without being a goober.

The first time I trued my own wheel perfectly.

The first time I completed a century.

The first time I went faster than my dad on a ride together.

[cgolvin]

Taking three days of riding with my brother to remember and commemorate the teenage son he lost.

It has become an annual event, not only the most "satisfying" and rewarding riding of the year but what I look forward to most.

[Kingfisher]

1974, riding my schwinn le tour back to my apt in college from library late at night, a coating of fresh snow on road, no traffic, and totally quiet. It was magical and I still think about that ride

[Lanternrouge]

First time not getting dropped on a fast group ride.
First time finish a race without getting dropped.
Being able to do a time trial (basically flat) with an average speed over 25mph.
Nailing a trackstand.

[Dave B]

First time I jumped off a ramp when I was a kid on my Schwinn Predator. It was initiation into the neighborhood Predator club.

doing my first metric century.

Keeping up with a passing my (at the time boss) as we headed down from Camp David and hit 50+ mph. Not only did I keep up I passed him as he rode his brakes and I rode my sheer stupidity.

The first time I raced in an IF grassroots kit. I am a crappy racer, but I know I helped sell many bikes for them.

Every ride with my two best pals Mike and Darren. EVERY ride with them.

[joosttx]

my last ride..... and always my last ride.

[rousseau]

I'm assuming the scare quotes around "satisfying" aren't meant to indicate sarcasm or irony, so here's some earnestness:

- Going faster up difficult hills after having lost some weight.
- Stopping to take a leak on a night ride through the countryside and savouring the still quiet.
- Finishing a ride with a faster average speed than you normally would.
- Doing rides in and around Montreal, i.e. starting out on the urban bike lanes and eventually making it out to La Route Verte.
- Riding from Quebec City to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and back along one of the oldest roads in the New World (Avenue Royale, aka "La Route de la Nouvelle-France").

[weisan]

Great lists.

[etu]

going over Tioga Pass in Yosemite
the moment where I could tell myself, I've lived a full life!

[shovelhd]

Driving out to Cleveland with my youngest son to do the National Senior Games. He had recently gotten his license so he drove quite a bit of the way. He got to watch me win gold and bronze. Adding family to my racing was special. It can be a lonely sport.

[cmg]

rode Shiner Bash 3 times. 1st time, rode into rain for the first 40 miles, got to Shiner before 4pm, yea long day. 2nd, time rode into headwind first 40 miles, saw a group paceline behind a moving van that got in front of us, tale wind last 40 miles into Shiner, got there before 1pm. 3rd time, headwind all the way, some of the most funniest stories to tell as a result. got to shiner at 4pm again. sit back and smile.

[MesiJezi]

As a kid:

Sitting side by side with my older sister in the burley double trailer, helmets bonking together, dad pulling us around the neighborhood.

Finding dads weird Lycra bike shorts in the garage and being totally intrigued.

Graduating from the training wheels bike to the big boy bike with 20" tires. It was black with gold handlebars, single speed with coaster brakes. I was about 5 or 6, and I wasn't tall enough to get on without the help of the curb. Getting off was accomplished by slowing to a stop on the sidewalk and falling over into the grass in the front yard.

Putting nails in a small piece of plywood and riding as fast as possible over it (sharp side down), jamming on the coaster brakes as the rear wheel was directly on top of it so we would drift and SOMETIMES... sparks!!

Building a little bike jump in the driveway and watching Mr. Button ride down the hill and launch over his handlebars. All of us kids were already cringing before he hit the jump.

As an adult:

Riding a tandem for the first time in a tiny AK town with my girlfriend who is now my wife of 6 years.

Showing by little brother (12) how to adjust the disc brakes on his MTB so they won't rub. Then having him show me around his favorite trails.

[FlashUNC]

Any early morning roll out.

[weisan]

my last ride..... and always my last ride.
- joosttx

Any early morning roll out.
- FlashUNC

[993rs]

Finishing the 2016 Marji Gesick 50 with my youngest boy. Taking a dnf with him trying to finish this year's MG 100 after telling him it was ok to tap out after 9.5hrs. He put up a good fight. We did a boy's trip to Pisgah this summer with all three of my sons. Great trails facilatated by a great guide.

[Ti Designs]

The first time I watched one of the riders I coach race. I ride with my riders all week long, but being in retail I've always worked both weekend days, so I never got to see them race. The Tufts race was in the morning before my shop opened, and I had worked with Julia for two seasons so I was looking forward to see what she could do. The NEBC team had managed to get 3 riders into the break, and I knew their best sprinter (because I had loaned her my track bike). I had talked to Julia before the race about finding a landmark where she needed to start her sprint, so I kinda knew how it would play out. I've always considered my coaching to be an extension of my own racing career, but I don't remember winning anything like that.

[weisan]

.The first time I watched one of the riders I coach race and win!

[d_douglas]

1) Seeing the photo of my Speedvagen as it was posted on a NAHBS-drool thread years ago. I hadn't seen it before hand and didn't know what it would look like. It was my first custom bike, so it was the product of lots of thinking about what to do with it. I still love that bike.


2) Getting back into MTBing and hitting my first XXtreme trail on Vancouver Island in years. It was scary, but once I made it through a few hard sections, I knew that middle aged MTBing could be a good match for me!

I took a friend to the same trail a year later. He had just moved from Vancouver to Victoria (boring hick town by comparison) and we ripped down this trail. At the end of it, I asked what he thought and he wildly proclaimed, 'that was a f**king ten outta ten!!!" with a massive grin on his face. That made me happy.

3) Cheesy, but watching my two kids roll away from me when I finally got them up and pedalling. That made me tear up a bit :).

It wasn't long before I got to watch my 5yr old round a corner and wipe out on gravel covered cement, so that was not fun. She was fine, but verrrry angry because I 'made' her do it!!

[pinkshogun]

Bike touring....and dealing with the pitfalls and problems that one encounters.

[velomateo]

Runnng along side my daughter, on her first bike, after removing her training wheels. She rode off and left me wondering if she was ever coming back.

The call I got from my oldest son that made me tear up with pride. He called to tell me he had won his college B race by lapping the field solo. I have pictures, but I would given anything to have been able to see that first hand.

[quickfeet]

-back before college I was working as a bike courier in CO and there were many days where it would rain all day and just about when I would get off work the sun would start to set. The clouds always seemed to break up right around that time and just the most vibrant reds, oranges, and purples would come through with these amazing rays of sunshine and I would just keep pedaling for as long as I could, instantly forgetting what a crappy day it had been

-night riding with friends on the Katy trail back home with the moonlight so bright we didn't need lights. We'd spend hours dicking around skidding and playing games on the bikes with no one to scold us or care

-the literal thousands of hours spent riding around town with friends on our Bmx bikes as kids. The first taste of freedom.

[Cicli]

Road RAGBRAI with my son and father. That was special.

[Matthew]

Winning a Cat. 5 state crit championship in the 90's. Only Cat 5 but a state champ none the less!! Finishing the One Day Ride Across Michigan feeling almost as strong as when I started! Pulled for miles that day and was told by my buddy I did a great job. 148 miles, and most of it in wet conditions with a head wind. And as others have said, not getting dropped on those fast group rides anymore. And finally, buying the two brands I lusted after the most: a Moots and a Serotta!

[TDot]

Just the other morning a homeless guy rising to his feet with a can of beer in his hand, cheering me on, yelling, Go, go, go. Come on man, push! A great sense of humour on an unfortunate man. humbling and he gave me an unexpected laugh.

[bjf]

1) Winning my first local, non-USCF, race wearing lycra shorts, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes. The favorite was wearing full racing kit, but I had the advantage of inexperience. Having read about racing, I determined that I would start to accelerate before the next-to-last corner, then just go as hard as I could. Much to my surprise, the favorite didn't or couldn't respond, and when I came around the final corner I completely silenced the crowd which was waiting to cheer the favorite. My only win until I entered a couple of masters events decades later, and won those for lack of competition.

2) A 200K "fun ride" of about 1000 people, which was not a race (these days it likely would be called a fondo). They did keep track of order of finish in various categories, and they also kept track of overall club results. I finished in 7.5 hours, having been pulled through the first 100K in 3 hours by three strong, young racers from my club. Though the second half took me a lot longer, I finished 7th among all women (about 200 total), and thus contributed valuable points for my club, which "won" the overall event. It was a good ride in itself, and really satisfying to contribute to the group result.

3) Several long-ish tours, including one solo across the state of Nebraska.

[pdonk]

As a child bombing around cow tracks in the field by myself.

Working really hard for a summer to get my first real bike. A Ritchey.

Working really hard to get my first made for me bike. My brodie.

Working really hard to organize a bike race in 1999 in middle if nowhere new Brunswick. From that race cane catherine Pendrel and Christian Meier.

Swing Christian at world's in Hamilton. Seeing catherine at multiple world cups and championships.

Doing unsupported unplanned centuries on a whim

Lots of great mountain bike rides.

Riding the track in Milton. Lots more.

[RoadWhale]

October, 1960 Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico
My Father was helping me try my first ride without training wheels on my birthday bike. My Father was rarely home so the thrill of having him all to myself was compounding the excitement I felt to be riding my new shiny blue bike. As he guided me along and asked if I was ready to be a "big boy" a B-52 Stratofortress had just taken off and was rapidly roaring our way. My Father shouted out "fly Son fly!" and he let go of me just as the B-52 passed directly overhead. I felt for a moment I was somehow a wing man with that huge, loud, shiny aluminum bird above me and I yelled with glee as I continued down the street. 57 years later and having lived a very full life, I still consider that moment one of my best.

[CPP]

It happened while riding with a neophyte buddy of mine . I was trying to explain why bibshorts were preferable to non bibshorts.

After failing to get him to understand any of my arguments, I grapped a handful of his shorts near his lower back and yanked them down and tucked them under his seat.

Unable to react and astonished that all could see his ass, my buddy could only watch me breeze by as I said "That's why bibshorts are better!"

[weisan]

Some of these really personal stories that have been shared are simply heartfelt and deeply moving. Thank you for sharing them.

[Black Dog]

I have more than a few over the last 30+ years of road ridding. However, a more recent one comes to mind. For my 40th decide to head out to the French Alps for some riding. Based myself in Briançon and on my 1st ride did the Izorad loop. It was a perfect day weather wise and the route went through valleys, massive gorges and the last section went up and over the Izoard and back into Briançon.

It was truly one of those moments where there was not a single thing in the universe that I would rather be doing and the joy was pure and powerful. I was there and no where else beyond where I was and what I was doing existed. Upon my return to the place I rented I noticed that my face was really sore. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was sore because I spent the majority of the ride grinning like an idiot; literally. A lot of endorphins in my brain that day, a lot.

1697949704

[R3awak3n]

every bike camping trip I have done. THere haven't been many but all of them were amazing. I love ridding bikes but when you mix some friends, some camping, local fruit veggie stands, breakfast cooked on a $20 camping stove, its very memorable and amazing.

[rousseau]

It was truly one of those moments where there was not a single thing in the universe that I would rather be doing and the joy was pure and powerful.
This is philosophy. And poetry. I've had rides like this, too.

Probably preaching to the choir on a site like this, but I don't know another sport or activity where this kind of joy is to be had. Sometimes it's zen, sometimes it's a rush, sometimes it's pleasant, sometimes it's excruciating...and sometimes you get it all on the same ride.

I'm quite sure it has something to do with maintaining equilibrium as you glide through the air. It's elementally exhilarating to our reptilian brains. Robin Williams said it best: Cycling is the closest you can get to flying.

[bironi]

This past summer I enjoyed watching a couple groups of young kids flowing effortlessly on their bikes, just playing around. I found it most gratifying to see them at one with their bikes. Did not seem like anyone had to work at it one bit.

[Tony]

Too many memorable moments to mention over the 25 years of riding. If I was pressed to pick one it would be the first time I took my wife to Downieville CA. She rode first, second, and third divide with my friends and I. She was on such a high after the ride, don't think I have ever seen her so stoked and excited mtbing.

[DRZRM]

1. First time riding a fat bike on packed snow. So much fun.

2. Jump class at Whistler this past summer when I cleared a big tabletop and set my rental downhill bike down perfectly on the landing. Whoah!!! I was 48 years old.

[JLQ]

Great thread. I grew up next to North Park in Pittsburgh. A guy my dad taught with left his bike in our shed so he could get out easier after work. He told me I could ride it anytime. For me that was everyday. First time on a fast bike, I'll never forget that feeling. It was a chrome Schwinn LeTour with no graphics. Also first time in riding shoes, they seemed so exotic, like they were made of ostrich leather or something. Never looked back...

[El Chaba]

I got interested in cycling a long time ago when I was 14. I always enjoyed riding as a kid, but this was the point when I discovered that you could actually GO somewhere. I ran track and cross country in high school, so I was also interested in making the bike move. There were not a lot of cyclists in my area, and this was the time period after the "bike boom"...and the boom ended very abruptly...One day I was out riding and a rider came up from behind me at a good clip. As he passed by he indicated for me to get on his wheel, which I did. He was a strong rider, stronger than any that I had ever encountered. he slowed his pace to keep me attached and gave instructions to me about which side to be on to take advantage of his draft in a crosswind etc. This went on for about 10 miles or so and as it was a really hot day we stopped at a store for a drink. While stopped he talked to me about racing and encouraged me to look into it, which I did. In any event, I will never forget the time that rider spent helping out the "new kid"...and he was definitely an influence in increasing my interest in the sport which is as great as ever 40 years later. As a bit of an aside, he was riding a nice Peugeot (I know now a PY10). At the time, I assumed that all good bikes were "fully Campy" as they said in the day...His was fully French. I soon discovered that Thevenet's bike was similar and a fetish for French equipment also began on that day....

[Seramount]

as a new cyclist living in El Paso, TX in the mid-70s, one of my most memorable rides was a not-so-well-planned solo adventure.

loaded my recently-purchased Motobecane Grand Touring (a college grad present to myself) in the beater Datsun truck and drove east for an hour to a state park which featured a large granite formation that was an Apache stronghold bitd.

at the entrance to the park, I kitted up (cut-off levi shorts, fluorescent green Adidas running shoes, some crochet-backed gloves), packed some edibles in the Blackburn handlebar bag, and departed.

the ride began with several miles of challenging climbs into the Hueco Mountains...vividly recall the day...sunny, intense cloudless blue skies, vistas that went forever. and except for my exhalations and the occasional sounds of cactus wrens (my favorite bird call), there was absolute silence. so exhilarating!

once thru the climbs and up on the plateau, there was a completely empty highway stretching miles to the horizon. a half-hour of pedaling brought me to a Border Patrol checkpoint...after stating my citizenship, had an short chat with the two agents who were pretty convinced I was a lunatic for being in the middle of nowhere on a bike.

left the checkpoint, held a brisk pace and rode on reveling in the feeling of total freedom...no responsibilities, no worries of any kind...a fabulous sensation. felt like I could ride forever...

finally decided it was time to consider turning around...and as soon as I did, encountered a headwind that would gain strength with every pedal stroke for the next few hours.

my previously 'sporty' speed instantly dropped to single digits and a tortuous grind ensued for what seemed like an eternity. some of the climbs that I previously attacked with gusto were simply brutal.

finally reached my truck and collapsed in a heap...legs were destroyed, feet were numb, felt nauseous, and had a bloody crotch from the cut-off shorts. felt like crying, but was too tired...

best of times, worst of times...but, it's a ride I'll always remember.

[sipmeister]

I think this is the first time I read every post in a thread. Awesome memories. Thank you for sharing.

For me, one of many that sticks out is my first bike. It was white bike with one training wheel bought used from the gypsies in Eastern Europe. I remember being out in this open air market with my mom haggling over the price of the bike. Once I learned to ride it, I rode that thing all over the village with friends, and we even took the bikes swimming. There's a dirt bank on a river there, probably an 8 foot drop down to the water. We'd sprint the bikes up to full speed and ride right of the bank, then drag the bikes back up and repeat.
Latest cool experience was taking my 6 year old son on a 10 mile bike ride on his birthday. We took it easy, stopped for breaks, saw cars in the distance, and he said, "Look cars." I said, "Yup, that's the highway." Looking at the two lane road we were on, he commented "Does that mean we are on the low way?"