Breaking out of a Lull

[rmhurley]

Who out there has dealt periodically with a serious lack of motivation to ride?

This time last year, I was gearing up to ride the Humboldt Randonneurs Unknown Kings 300K--the 300 always takes place on Memorial Day weekend. I rode what is probably the best single day ride of my life that day. Even though I was so nervous and excited that I slept only a couple hours the night before, I ended up towing in the lead group for the last third or so, up the Avenue of the Giants back to Arcata. I even waited up at times and still finished before sunset, feeling okay with my group--a RAAM winner and my friend who was riding his longest ride ever who was more or less destroyed (I was still very proud of him for finishing and I don't regret not dropping everyone because rando is more fun with friends).

Fast forward to now, a year later, work has more or less destroyed me and my energy to be on the bike. I look at my bike clothes and I almost can't imagine even putting them on right now. I haven't gained weight, and I honestly don't think I have lost that much speed but admittedly my stamina is shot.

Definitely a few life changes have taken place. I started a new job last spring. For the first time ever at the age of 40 I work most of the day at a computer doing AutoCAD type things. After a few months of sitting and clicking all day in a somewhat time-crunched high stress environment, it often feels like more of the same going for a road ride where I am sitting and clicking, just, on the bike; on a different, but still sort of stressful environment of pavement around rush hour.

Maybe just for some solidarity, wondering if anyone else does computer work and feels a similar aversion to click-index shifting specifically. And more generally, how anyone breaks out of a funk. Should I turn back all my bikes to friction shifting? Or just quit my job? or maybe there is middle ground.

[Turkle]

Sounds like you need a riding buddy? Nothing like getting to shoot the breeze with some pals to get one suited up and ready for a ride.

[jkbrwn]

Its not about the bike. I didn't really ride for over two years from late 2021 till early 2024 due to some very big and quite stressful life changes. And now I'm riding regularly again. I posted a similar question when I was in a real funk. Don't force your desire to ride. Ebbs and flows are healthy and okay, and your flow will return

[steelbikerider]

Take a break from even thinking about cycling and try a new sport or activity. When the urge to ride again hits, take it slow at first with short rides and don't worry about fitness, it will come back.

[p nut]

Nothing like a New Bike Day to get you excited for a ride. Try something totally different. A bikepacking bike. Or an “ATB” and forget cycling clothes.

Or, like myself, take up another sport. I love to ride but also love to run. Especially trail running. Most of the time, I feel more satisfied after a nice trail run than a long ride.

[ridethecliche]

Originally Posted by jkbrwn

Its not about the bike.

Concur

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by rmhurley

Who out there has dealt periodically with a serious lack of motivation to ride?

This time last year, I was gearing up to ride the Humboldt Randonneurs Unknown Kings 300K--the 300 always takes place on Memorial Day weekend. I rode what is probably the best single day ride of my life that day. Even though I was so nervous and excited that I slept only a couple hours the night before, I ended up towing in the lead group for the last third or so, up the Avenue of the Giants back to Arcata. I even waited up at times and still finished before sunset, feeling okay with my group--a RAAM winner and my friend who was riding his longest ride ever who was more or less destroyed (I was still very proud of him for finishing and I don't regret not dropping everyone because rando is more fun with friends).

Fast forward to now, a year later, work has more or less destroyed me and my energy to be on the bike. I look at my bike clothes and I almost can't imagine even putting them on right now. I haven't gained weight, and I honestly don't think I have lost that much speed but admittedly my stamina is shot.

Definitely a few life changes have taken place. I started a new job last spring. For the first time ever at the age of 40 I work most of the day at a computer doing AutoCAD type things. After a few months of sitting and clicking all day in a somewhat time-crunched high stress environment, it often feels like more of the same going for a road ride where I am sitting and clicking, just, on the bike; on a different, but still sort of stressful environment of pavement around rush hour.

Maybe just for some solidarity, wondering if anyone else does computer work and feels a similar aversion to click-index shifting specifically. And more generally, how anyone breaks out of a funk. Should I turn back all my bikes to friction shifting? Or just quit my job? or maybe there is middle ground.

Go bounce around on a fixie..I sure wouldn't quit a job just to be able to ride a bike with 'click shifting'...

Everybody gets in a riding funk....bike is a tool, a means to an end...find another path...

[El Chaba]

A pair of these will solve your click aversion….

[shoota]

Originally Posted by rmhurley

Fast forward to now, a year later, work has more or less destroyed me and my energy to be on the bike. I look at my bike clothes and I almost can't imagine even putting them on right now.

... but still sort of stressful environment of pavement around rush hour.

I fight this all the time. I would argue it's not the click shifting that's got you de-motivated, it's the stress. Once I learned that all stress is stress I gave myself the freedom to do other, more relaxing activities and let go of the guilt of not riding. Then, in seasons of less stress I'll get back into the bike and enjoy it again. Give yourself the OK to enjoy other things, and take the time to learn about stress management.

[redir]

Originally Posted by rmhurley

...work has more or less destroyed me and my energy to be on the bike. .

My advice... Don't let this happen to you. It's simply not worth it. Once you figure that out riding might be more enjoyable.

The other thing is, from my experience, most of the riding I did was training for races. Once I stopped racing I really didn't have any reason to ride. But I took up commuting to work and that has been very enjoyable. Doing 300k bike rides takes a heck of a lot of dedication so there is a reason why you might see getting on the bike as 'work.'

[AngryScientist]

I know most of us go to work, whatever that means for us, to keep the bills paid, food on the table and the family happy and comfortable, but I would encourage the OP to look to achieve a better work/life balance (I hate that term, but it's on point here.)

We all have bad days at the job, but if you find everyday is stressing you out, and you're burned up by the end of the work day every day, it's worth looking for something better. I'm not some kind of hippy that thinks everyone needs to have a "fun, fulfilling" job, but all of the major corporations these days have waken up and seen the value in providing their employees with more flexibility and a better balance in their work lives.

Too much stress on a daily basis will kill you. Been there, done that.

[Ken Robb]

did you move your residence when you changed jobs?

[benb]

It's honestly probably just from the mental effort of getting ready for that 300K ride plus whatever else is going on at this stage of your life. It is not something to feel horrible about that.

I had something similar happen.. I did the biggest 2 rides I've done in 2016 and 2018 and mentally I was just kind of done after that big ride. I think I was overtrained, which didn't help, but it was partly mental.

2019 I was way more interested in rock climbing, which had a "new & shiny" aspect as we got a nice new gym close by and my son absolutely loves it
2020 Covid starts messing everything up
2021 Still kind of distracted by rock climbing, and Covid is still annoying
2022 Got a new MTB, shiny and distracting
2023 Still mostly just want to ride MTB all the time
2024 Kind of finally interested in riding road again

For me there is a huge element in all this of road riding takes more time away from the family than other types of riding. In road (and gravel) we love doing these long rides that take most of the day. There's less emphasis on that in other sports, even other types of riding. In 2018 my kid was 5, he's 11 now, that makes a big difference. But no one in the family is anywhere near able to ride road with me, which means all road is me going off having "me time". I can't ride super hard MTB with my son and especially with my wife, but I *can* ride MTB with them both and actually have fun.

MTB riding, going to the gym to lift weight or climb plastic walls. I don't feel like I'm missing out if I only go for an hour. Whereas an entire season of road riding where it's really challenging to get a 2 hour ride in? That feels somewhat disappointing when you have a history of having time to go ride 5-10 hour epic rides without it being an issue.

Just cause I actually am really excited to ride road again doesn't solve the family/time issues with road. I think the years with less emphasis on road riding has made that a little easier to accept, and realistically in another 4-5 years that time is going to start begin available again as my son will be driving in 4 years.

[rmhurley]

Originally Posted by El Chaba

A pair of these will solve your click aversion….

Very nice. I still have one bike with dt shifters but it is not this crispy and I have tended to want to ride that one more than my ultegra clicky boi. its not as quick as my integrated shifting bike though. Not necessarily a bad thing, but somehow after many years of commuting, touring and slowly happily rambling, I realized I could much faster if I tried and then before I knew it, I became addicted to fast rides.

[rmhurley]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

did you move your residence when you changed jobs?

I did actually. and it was great for my riding tbh. The Humboldt Bay area is a great place to ride. There is a lot of whatever kind of riding you enjoy and I have made many riding friends since I got here.