Am I the only person who can't stand cycling?

[BrandonP]

Seriously, I just don't like it.

I like other exercise. I used to run quite a bit. Do yoga. Enjoy walking. Play team sports. Skate. etc etc.


Cycling is just not for me. Luckily I live just outside of the downtown core, and use public transit. Less than $100 a month. I used to own a car several years ago, but with the move it was just not needed.

I can understand cycling is a good alternative to driving. I guess I am just lucky that I live relatively close to work, so a car and a bike is not really needed.

[Cpa Cat]

No, you're not.

But other mustachians threw tomatoes at me when I have previously claimed that my opinion is that cycling sucks. For me.

*ducks*

[lizzzi]

Yeah, me either. I just don't get it. I used to much prefer riding my horse...and other than that, just like to walk. I don't hate bicycling; it's just not something I do. Too many fiddly things to worry about...flat tires, chain off, bent frame, where is my helmet, legs are tired but rest of me is not getting any exercise. Plus those uncomfortable seats. Etc., etc. I walk everywhere for errands as much as I can, and it loosens up and invigorates my whole body...not just my legs from the thighs down. People did fine without bikes for thousands of years...people used to walk everywhere, just like I do. Bikes are nouveau.

No offense...I'm just saying.

[sol]

Yeah, me either. I just don't get it. I used to much prefer riding my horse...and other than that, just like to walk. I don't hate bicycling; it's just not something I do. Too many fiddly things to worry about...flat tires, chain off, bent frame, where is my helmet, legs are tired but rest of me is not getting any exercise. Plus those uncomfortable seats. Etc., etc. I walk everywhere for errands as much as I can, and it loosens up and invigorates my whole body...not just my legs from the thighs down. People did fine without bikes for thousands of years...people used to walk everywhere, just like I do. Bikes are nouveau.

I generally walk most places that are under a mile, but for anything more than that or when I'm in a hurry or need to carry a lot of stuff, the bike is easier.

Lots of folks don't like cycling if they're not used to it, or have a bad or uncomfortable bike, or live in a hot muggy place where the least bit of exertion drenches them in sweat so they have learned to mosey on foot instead.

I don't really understand the complaint about fiddly bits.  Bikes are relatively simple machines, and a good one should go an entire year without anything more than air in the tires a couple of times.  Expanding my 30 minute city travel radius from 1.5 miles to 5 miles opens up a LOT of new territory for me by using a bike.  On the scale of transportation options between "just walk out the front door, but go slow" and "maintain a 2-ton metal machine with a thousand moving parts that burns dead dinosaur but can go really fast" I think bikes are very cost-effective intermediate stage.

But if you prefer walking, that's cool too.  I generally find walking more relaxing but less efficient than biking, so I only do it when I have time to kill.

[NoraLenderbee]

Life is too short to do something you hate, even if Our Prophet himself says it's righteous. I personally love cycling, but that doesn't mean I need to shove it down anyone's throat. Enjoy your walks!

[The_path_less_taken]

I don't mind it on trails. Although hate the uncomfortable seats and the posture....prefer to be more upright like the old ape hanger bars on kids bikes.

But in traffic....I'd be terrified lately. And I'm in a rural area. Even here people are on their cell phone, lighting their cigarette, reaching down for that donut they just dropped....they literally aren't even looking out the damn windshield at all.

And 40++mph winds are common here, with blowing grit. A crosswind like that can easily toss you into traffic.

But on trails for a few miles...not too bad. Prefer hiking/horseback riding though.

I think there are parts of the country (CA/Bay Area and Colorado) that have smarter/wider bike lanes and are more bike conscious. But I don't think it's as prevalent as the 'average' mustachian assumes.

[lizzzi]

Well, another factor is that I don't live in a bike-friendly area. I would be taking my life in my hands to do shopping/errands on our local roads. Drivers are not bike-conscious--I've heard horror stories from the neighbors--, and whether on the four-lane "strip" or out on the rural two-lane speedways (haha) I would most likely get killed. The hike-bike trails across the road from me are pleasant, but I'd just as soon use them for walking in nature--they are inside a metropolitan park. There would be no utility to buying a bike just to ride it in the park. If I lived in Portland, Oregon or Longmont, CO, or Denmark--it's possible that I might be more interested. I would be worried about breakdowns or flat tires when I was miles from home with shopping or children with me. My sister-in-law always said that she didn't worry about the mechanical problems because she would just call my brother to come and fix her bike. So she was leaving Walmart (they live in western NY) with her groceries and the bike had a flat tire. My brother was on a business trip out of town, so she locked the bike to a light pole or whatever, and walked home a couple miles with the groceries...just left the bike there till he came home a few days later and went down and fixed the flat. It all just sounds like it can get troublesome and complex. But I do think if it were me, and I was going to be a bike rider, I would learn how to maintain the thing, and also carry a tool kit. 

[norcalmike]

Where I live, cyclist like to ride on narrow, 2 lane mountain roads with no bike lane. I dont understand why you would want to risk getting run over? Stay on the trails or the bike lanes.

[johnny847]

I don't mind it on trails. Although hate the uncomfortable seats and the posture....prefer to be more upright like the old ape hanger bars on kids bikes.

But in traffic....I'd be terrified lately. And I'm in a rural area. Even here people are on their cell phone, lighting their cigarette, reaching down for that donut they just dropped....they literally aren't even looking out the damn windshield at all.

And 40++mph winds are common here, with blowing grit. A crosswind like that can easily toss you into traffic.

But on trails for a few miles...not too bad. Prefer hiking/horseback riding though.

I think there are parts of the country (CA/Bay Area and Colorado) that have smarter/wider bike lanes and are more bike conscious. But I don't think it's as prevalent as the 'average' mustachian assumes.

I ride around in Atlanta traffic and have had no accidents in my 1605 bicycle miles logged so far, 90-95%+ on roads and not on dedicated bike trails. And the majority of the roads I ride on do not have any bike lanes. My 5.5 mile one way commute doesn't have any bike lanes and I've gotten around just fine.
This is not to say that just because I have had a safe experience that you will too. I'm saying this because it seems to me that you have reached the conclusion that it would be unsafe without ever actually having ridden in traffic where you live (though you don't specify, so I could be completely wrong about this). All I'm saying is don't make judgements about the safety of cycling in your area without
a) trying it for yourself, or
b) actually looking at data on bicycle accidents in your area (but even then, I'm sure quite a few bicycle accidents in your area were caused by the cyclists being morons)


As for the uncomfortable seats and posture, that is a more efficient setup for riding. A wide saddle with a lot of cushion may seem comfortable but it restricts your ability to use your glutes while riding. An upright position on your bike is aerodynamically inefficient. if you ever cycle for long distances (where the crossover point from short to long distances is somewhat ambiguous), you will feel the effects of a wide saddle and/or upright position.
Of course, if you're only going a few miles, you probably won't notice any difference.

Well, another factor is that I don't live in a bike-friendly area. I would be taking my life in my hands to do shopping/errands on our local roads.

You do realize you take your life into your hands when you drive anywhere right? It's not about whether cycling leads to accidents, it's about evaluating the risks of cycling vs the alternatives, and weighing them against the benefits of cycling vs the alternatives.

Drivers are not bike-conscious--I've heard horror stories from the neighbors--, and whether on the four-lane "strip" or out on the rural two-lane speedways (haha) I would most likely get killed.

A couple of anecdotes are nowhere near sufficient to reach a statistically significant conclusion.

If I lived in Portland, Oregon or Longmont, CO, or Denmark--it's possible that I might be more interested.

There are literally thousands of people who live in cities and towns that are less bike friendly than the places you mentioned who safely commute on a bicycle.

I would be worried about breakdowns or flat tires when I was miles from home with shopping or children with me.

Okay, but is this any worse than when you get a breakdown or flat while driving a car?

My sister-in-law always said that she didn't worry about the mechanical problems because she would just call my brother to come and fix her bike. So she was leaving Walmart (they live in western NY) with her groceries and the bike had a flat tire. My brother was on a business trip out of town, so she locked the bike to a light pole or whatever, and walked home a couple miles with the groceries...just left the bike there till he came home a few days later and went down and fixed the flat. It all just sounds like it can get troublesome and complex. But I do think if it were me, and I was going to be a bike rider, I would learn how to maintain the thing, and also carry a tool kit. 

I agree, I wouldn't recommend to anybody to start using a bike as a car replacement without learning how to change a flat. Your sister in law's plan is terrible if you ask me.

Where I live, cyclist like to ride on narrow, 2 lane mountain roads with no bike lane. I dont understand why you would want to risk getting run over? Stay on the trails or the bike lanes.

I have yet to hear of a state that forbids cyclists from riding on the road (unless we're talking about interstates, where a cyclist wouldn't be able to keep up with traffic). If there is, please let me know, I'm genuinely curious.
So are you just saying that all these cyclists are just outright morons? Or is it something else?
All of them have the right to be on the road. Respect that right.

[johnny847]

Yeah, me either. I just don't get it. I used to much prefer riding my horse...and other than that, just like to walk. I don't hate bicycling; it's just not something I do. Too many fiddly things to worry about...flat tires, chain off, bent frame, where is my helmet, legs are tired but rest of me is not getting any exercise. Plus those uncomfortable seats. Etc., etc. I walk everywhere for errands as much as I can, and it loosens up and invigorates my whole body...not just my legs from the thighs down. People did fine without bikes for thousands of years...people used to walk everywhere, just like I do. Bikes are nouveau.

I don't really understand the complaint about fiddly bits.  Bikes are relatively simple machines, and a good one should go an entire year without anything more than air in the tires a couple of times.  Expanding my 30 minute city travel radius from 1.5 miles to 5 miles opens up a LOT of new territory for me by using a bike.  On the scale of transportation options between "just walk out the front door, but go slow" and "maintain a 2-ton metal machine with a thousand moving parts that burns dead dinosaur but can go really fast" I think bikes are very cost-effective intermediate stage.

I don't get this either. A car is much more complex than a bicycle if you ask me.

[sol]

Well, another factor is that I don't live in a bike-friendly area. I would be taking my life in my hands to do shopping/errands on our local roads.

I agree there are places in the US that are very hostile to cyclists.  A lack of cycling infrastructure coupled to rude (and thus unsafe) drivers can make some places much more dangerous for bikes than others.

The problem is that these things don't change until an area already has a visible and/or vocal cycling community.  If you're not prepared to be that pioneer, then at least hope that somebody else is willing to bike in those bad conditions until they can be changed.  It never gets any better if everyone just thinks "this place isn't safe for bikes so I'll keep driving my car."

[Ricky]

From my travels, there's no "true" bike-friendly city in the USA. So, most cities are fine for biking. Even in cities like Portland, yes there are tons of bikers which makes things safer overall, but the infrastructure is still pathetic compared to places overseas. Plenty of drivers out there are prepared to run you over or yell/throw things if you piss them off. It just isn't that way in other parts of the world.

[winterbike]

It's fine, everybody has the right to be terribly wrong once in a while. Do you hate rainbows and sunshines too?

[Mrs. Pomodoro]

I don't have a very good sense of balance so I don't enjoy bicycling that much. (My husband thinks when I'm older I should wear a helmet when walking. Now you get the idea.) I tried to get into bicycling several times during my adult life and I fell more often than ppl normally do, I think. I also freak out when a car comes close so commuting on a bike is very stressful to me. Anyway, these days I don't mind biking with my husband but I wouldn't want to do it by myself. I wish I could do it better but I'm ok with not able to master everything (mustachian) if that means a less stressful life. :)

[Sibley]

Walking is good for you. Biking is good. Running is good. Do what makes sense and you like.

Mrs. Pomodoro - there are exercises, etc that can help with balance. If your balance is really that bad, it's in your best interest to try to improve it. I've messed up my balance with some past ear issues, but it has improved with time and some work.

[mskyle]

I don't really love cycling, I just vastly prefer to taking the subway/bus or driving. It's a means to an end for me. It's certainly better than running!

[music lover]

I like cycling as a trail activity, but I have no interest at all in bike commuting.

[I'm a red panda]

I loved to ride a bike as a kid, but as an adult I really don't enjoy it.

Plus wearing a helmet makes me feel like I am choking. I've got major neck issues though- so riding a bike is the ONLY time I let anything touch my throat, and I hate every second of it.

I do still ride my bike for short distances (like to the gym 2 miles away)- but that is it.

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

I love biking for exercise.  I live 1/3 of a mile from a 250-mile long trail.  So getting out there with good tunes and just riding for 1-3 hours is fun for me.

I will not bike to run errands.  Anywhere I would need to go would require riding on major roads.  I just don't trust other drivers out there. 

I can't stand running.  Too hard on my knees.  And I don't have fun doing that.  But biking, I enjoy.   I haven't had the time to do any 30-mile rides this year unfortunately.  I think the most I've been able to do has been a couple of 24 mile rides.  Last year I did a bunch of 30's and then tried a 40 one morning.  Should have brought a meal with me instead of a snack.  Last 6-7 miles riding back home were torture.

[johnny847]

I love biking for exercise.  I live 1/3 of a mile from a 250-mile long trail.  So getting out there with good tunes and just riding for 1-3 hours is fun for me.

I will not bike to run errands.  Anywhere I would need to go would require riding on major roads.  I just don't trust other drivers out there. 

I can't stand running.  Too hard on my knees.  And I don't have fun doing that.  But biking, I enjoy.   I haven't had the time to do any 30-mile rides this year unfortunately.  I think the most I've been able to do has been a couple of 24 mile rides.  Last year I did a bunch of 30's and then tried a 40 one morning.  Should have brought a meal with me instead of a snack.  Last 6-7 miles riding back home were torture.

Wow what trail is that? Around where I live, there is a 100 mile trail from Atlanta suburbs to Anniston, Alabama, but htat's the longest one.

[lizzzi]

Re: fiddly bits. Of course a bike is not as complex as a car. But if I get stuck out in the middle of nowhere on a bicycle that has broken down, there is no one to help me. At least in the car I can call a tow truck.

I didn't intend for this to become a forum issue. If I bought a bike and rode it, I would make sure I knew how to fix it myself. And it sounds as if people are saying that maintenance and repair issues should be few. In terms of the car, I drive it as little as I can possibly get away with. And my shopping/errands trips where I need the car (carefully consolidated and limited in distance) would be kamikaze runs if I tried to do them on a bike. It's not worth my life to prove the point that our area could use some bicycle lanes.

[Chris22]

I enjoy biking for leisure, either just for fun in and of itself, or doing things like loading my daughter into the bike trailer and cruising a mile or two to a park or ice cream stand or something.  That's fun. 

But I can't/couldn't stand to use it as transportation, because it's just so frickin' slow. 

[Jon_Snow]

I use a stationary bike for fitness purposes, but I do not ride a bike outside of that.

I would rather walk, or run (or paddle) if I am going to use my own body as a travel mechanism.

I had a terrible bike accident as a kid...and that hasn't helped my indifference towards cycling.

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

I love biking for exercise.  I live 1/3 of a mile from a 250-mile long trail.  So getting out there with good tunes and just riding for 1-3 hours is fun for me.

I will not bike to run errands.  Anywhere I would need to go would require riding on major roads.  I just don't trust other drivers out there. 

I can't stand running.  Too hard on my knees.  And I don't have fun doing that.  But biking, I enjoy.   I haven't had the time to do any 30-mile rides this year unfortunately.  I think the most I've been able to do has been a couple of 24 mile rides.  Last year I did a bunch of 30's and then tried a 40 one morning.  Should have brought a meal with me instead of a snack.  Last 6-7 miles riding back home were torture.

Wow what trail is that? Around where I live, there is a 100 mile trail from Atlanta suburbs to Anniston, Alabama, but htat's the longest one.

Katy Trail in Missouri.   The scenery changes are awesome.  I think next September I want to ride from the western end to the eastern end and then back the 14 miles to my house.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katy_Trail_State_Park

https://mostateparks.com/park/katy-trail-state-park

[Slee_stack]

Firstly, if you truly hate something, don't do it to save a few bucks.  Find the best alternative.

I hate lifting weights.  I love other exercise.  I'll never be a bodybuilder but I'll work on being more fit in other ways.

If you have poor balance, try riding a tricycle. No, this isn't a joke. 

If you didn't know there were (3) wheeled ADULT 'bikes' out there, get excited!.  They can also usually carry a pretty heavy load of groceries, etc. too!

Or, do a search for a 'recumbent' and see if that's more your 'style'.

If you had a breakdown in the middle of nowhere in a car, you can call a tow truck.

If you breakdown on a bicycle you can still call a 'tow truck', but  anyone you know with a vehicle is actually a 'tow truck' for a bicycle!!  I actually chuckled at this concern...sorry.

I understand the hesitation of committing to cycling for commute, errands, etc.  It is very rare for myself to actually moustache up and do it myself.  I ride on trails plenty for fun, but haven't incorporated it into my daily around town life.

Fear of the unknown (what if, accident, etc.) can be paralyzing.  Try to move past that.  What really is holding you back?

Personally, hot/humid weather cycling is 'inconvenient' and I recognize I'm a wuss that wants to motor with AC blasting to the grocery store that's only 2.5mi away. 

My true obstacle is overcoming my laziness.  I'm really starting to try to baby step forward to solve this.
 

[Eric]

It's fine, everybody has the right to be terribly wrong once in a while. Do you hate rainbows and sunshines too?

Hahaha!

[lizzzi]

I am FIRE, but family and friends are not. Yes, they have cars, but they are at work...and sometimes traveling or out in the field working heaven only knows where. We are not all in a position to get stuck out in the boonies somewhere on a broken bike and be able to call on family and friends to drop everything and come on a rescue mission. Just a tiny bit insensitive and presumptuous to be chuckling about it, slee__ stack. It is a real issue for some.

[BrandonP]

It's fine, everybody has the right to be terribly wrong once in a while. Do you hate rainbows and sunshines too?

I assume you mean sunshine. As you said, everybody has the right to be terribly wrong once in a while. :)

I'm indifferent to rainbows.

I don't hate sunshine, but I sure wasn't fond of it when I used to get chronic hay fever!

[skunkfunk]

I love cycling, but after a year of cycling to work I determined it wasn't worth it. Drivers here do not know how to handle bicycles and I was also driving through the worst part of town (think regular drive-by shootings.) I'm not terribly concerned about violence, but a pair of guys did attempt to steal my bike once.

[BrandonP]

Firstly, if you truly hate something, don't do it to save a few bucks.  Find the best alternative.

I hate lifting weights.  I love other exercise.  I'll never be a bodybuilder but I'll work on being more fit in other ways.

If you have poor balance, try riding a tricycle. No, this isn't a joke. 

If you didn't know there were (3) wheeled ADULT 'bikes' out there, get excited!.  They can also usually carry a pretty heavy load of groceries, etc. too!

Or, do a search for a 'recumbent' and see if that's more your 'style'.

If you had a breakdown in the middle of nowhere in a car, you can call a tow truck.

If you breakdown on a bicycle you can still call a 'tow truck', but  anyone you know with a vehicle is actually a 'tow truck' for a bicycle!!  I actually chuckled at this concern...sorry.

I understand the hesitation of committing to cycling for commute, errands, etc.  It is very rare for myself to actually moustache up and do it myself.  I ride on trails plenty for fun, but haven't incorporated it into my daily around town life.

Fear of the unknown (what if, accident, etc.) can be paralyzing.  Try to move past that.  What really is holding you back?

Personally, hot/humid weather cycling is 'inconvenient' and I recognize I'm a wuss that wants to motor with AC blasting to the grocery store that's only 2.5mi away. 

My true obstacle is overcoming my laziness.  I'm really starting to try to baby step forward to solve this.

The thing is I don't actually need a bike. It is not like my alternative is driving. I haven't owned a car for several years.

Also, public transit per month is less than a $100! And I used to pay even less than that when I lived more centrally. But I moved because my rent is now half the price.

At the end of the day, everyone has different tastes. Some people just don't like cycling. Like me. :)

[johnny847]

If you had a breakdown in the middle of nowhere in a car, you can call a tow truck.

If you breakdown on a bicycle you can still call a 'tow truck', but  anyone you know with a vehicle is actually a 'tow truck' for a bicycle!!  I actually chuckled at this concern...sorry.

Haha nice one.

I love biking for exercise.  I live 1/3 of a mile from a 250-mile long trail.  So getting out there with good tunes and just riding for 1-3 hours is fun for me.

I will not bike to run errands.  Anywhere I would need to go would require riding on major roads.  I just don't trust other drivers out there. 

I can't stand running.  Too hard on my knees.  And I don't have fun doing that.  But biking, I enjoy.   I haven't had the time to do any 30-mile rides this year unfortunately.  I think the most I've been able to do has been a couple of 24 mile rides.  Last year I did a bunch of 30's and then tried a 40 one morning.  Should have brought a meal with me instead of a snack.  Last 6-7 miles riding back home were torture.

Wow what trail is that? Around where I live, there is a 100 mile trail from Atlanta suburbs to Anniston, Alabama, but htat's the longest one.

Katy Trail in Missouri.   The scenery changes are awesome.  I think next September I want to ride from the western end to the eastern end and then back the 14 miles to my house.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katy_Trail_State_Park

https://mostateparks.com/park/katy-trail-state-park

Man I'm jealous. And you should totally do it! I've wanted to take the Silver comet (that's the trail I was tlaking about) to the end, sleep at a hotel, and then ride back the next day, but I have some knee issues I need to iron out first (my chiropractor says it's probably from a lack of proper stretching).

I love cycling, but after a year of cycling to work I determined it wasn't worth it. Drivers here do not know how to handle bicycles and I was also driving through the worst part of town (think regular drive-by shootings.) I'm not terribly concerned about violence, but a pair of guys did attempt to steal my bike once.

See this attitude I have no issues with. You gave it an honest try and decided it wasn't worth it to you. I applaud your efforts.
I do take issue with people who conclude without even trying nope, there are no possible safe routes for me to bike from my house to [work, the grocery store, etc.]  Which I guess you could conclude if there are literally no routes from A to B that do not involve a highway where bicycles are literally not allowed, but for most people that is not the case.

[SeattleStache]

Re: fiddly bits. Of course a bike is not as complex as a car. But if I get stuck out in the middle of nowhere on a bicycle that has broken down, there is no one to help me. At least in the car I can call a tow truck.

AAA offers bicycle towing standard on all their membership plans for those who choose to use AAA. http://www.aaawa.com/membership/bicycle_service.asp

[Monkey stache]

Yeah, me either. I just don't get it. I used to much prefer riding my horse...and other than that, just like to walk.

I love riding horses and I always semi-joke that we should all get around by horse again (I'm in the city lol). My husband and I disagree on which is worse for the environment - cars or horses. Also he says that someone would need to clean up the horse poop in the streets. pffft!

Joking aside, I'm not a huge fan of biking more than a few blocks. As a compromise we're getting a couple of ebikes. Sure they cost more than regular bikes but far less than cars (we recently ditched our cars). My ebike will be a beach cruiser style so it's more upright and comfortable. I know we could just get mopeds but peddling in the winter will keep us warm. And they will have peddle assist mode so we can get some exercise but also get places quicker and go long distances. Also I have chronic pain that makes biking some days impossible. That was almost a deal breaker when it came to going carless but I think I've found a reasonable compromise with ebikes.

[Monkey stache]

Life is too short to do something you hate, even if Our Prophet himself says it's righteous.

Also, this needs to go in my signature! =)

[mikefixac]

I'm a Mustachian fiend, but recently I gave away my bike. I just don't ride it and it was taking up space in the garage.

And MMM isn't about either his way or the highway, he gives ideas. This is certainly no religious cult.

I'm still a big fan of MMM, but I realize were not all clones here.

[Dicey]

As a kid, I rode my bike everywhere. As an adult, not so much. I took up cycling again with a vengeance when I was in my thirties and living in LA near Santa Monica. Did a couple of centuries. Rode from SF to LA. Circumnavigated Nova Scotia on an Outward Bound trip. Did thousands of miles of training and plain old fun rides. Now that I am officially in my "late" fifties, my poor old knees just can't take it any more. Moral of the story: I did it when I was young and it was fun and I had some great experiences. Now, I've moved on to other things and have no regrets.

[Schaefer Light]

It's not that I can't stand cycling.  It's that I can't stand cyclists who get in my way on a curvy 2-lane road with no place to pass.

[lizzzi]

Thanks for the heads up about AAA providing roadside assistance to bicyclists. It seems to vary region to region, but good to know about. I used to go on bicycle trips with my family when I was in my late teens...camped at state parks...got water at roadside rests, etc., etc. It isn't that I can't stand bikes...just not my preference these days. My two brothers (Utah and  western NY) ride bikes everywhere, as do their wives and kids. Like Diane C said upthread...I, too, have moved on to other things and have no regrets.

[LiveLean]

I loved riding bikes as a kid and rode everywhere.

When I took up triathlon eight years ago, I came to hate "organized" cycling. I hate the arms race in triathlon to have a clown bike. I hate the dork clothes that nobody -- nobody -- looks good in. I hate having flat tires, which I never had growing up as a kid riding BMX and run-of-the-mill 10-speed bikes. I hate professional cycling, the filthiest, drug-infested endeavor in sports. I hate clipping in. I hate the stress of riding in groups, even though I love my group as people. Most of all, I hate the challenge of trying to ride 20-25 MPH alongside cars. It is the most dangerous, stressful, inefficient way to work out or have fun.

I'd much prefer to paddle, walk, run, lift, spin -- anything but ride as a "cyclist."

[2ndTimer]

Yes, you are the only one.  Cyclist assassins have gotten all the others and we are coming for you.  Seriously, I love cycling but I also love walking and my feet are so conveniently attached to my body that I don't have to look for a place to lock them up when I arrive at my destination.  There is no actual law that says you must love cycling to be a Mustachian any more than you have to love fishing or blackberrying or camping or cooking or sewing or soldering broken electronic back together.  All of them are good for the thrifty lifestyle but none are mandatory.

[zinethstache]

Our region is not bike friendly and yet, groups of cyclists want to pack our farm roads every weekend. It makes it very difficult for horse haulers, farmers and cars to pass them. DH just came home through highway 203 and it took him at least an hour longer because of the congestion of the cyclists on a narrow agricultural road with no shoulder nor bike lane. The tractors are a slow down but my goodness you add cyclists in clumps AND the tractors moving from field to field and it slows any progress down to a crawl. As a former horse person whose horse lived on a favorite cycling farm road, every weekend was a battle with them. I drove an RV towing a trailer and on the twisty roads it is pretty hard to judge if you can pass a string of cyclists safely or not.

I went to Portland for a conference a couple of years ago and the city proper was VERY cyclist friendly. I could see how if the area's infrastructure was properly setup for them it would be great!

For various reasons I will not ride a bike on a street. I do ride one while camping or when at a horse show to get around. I do not ride well at all and have no left peripheral vision (cyclist friends tell me to mount a wide mirror to see on my left side) so I do not speak from experience as a cyclist just as a driver.

[zoltani]

I find that it takes awhile to learn to stand cycling. When you sit cycling you use very different muscles than when you stand cycling. Stand cycling makes my quads burn like the fires of hell. 

[Bob W]

I love biking for exercise.  I live 1/3 of a mile from a 250-mile long trail.  So getting out there with good tunes and just riding for 1-3 hours is fun for me.

I will not bike to run errands.  Anywhere I would need to go would require riding on major roads.  I just don't trust other drivers out there. 

I can't stand running.  Too hard on my knees.  And I don't have fun doing that.  But biking, I enjoy.   I haven't had the time to do any 30-mile rides this year unfortunately.  I think the most I've been able to do has been a couple of 24 mile rides.  Last year I did a bunch of 30's and then tried a 40 one morning.  Should have brought a meal with me instead of a snack.  Last 6-7 miles riding back home were torture.

Wow what trail is that? Around where I live, there is a 100 mile trail from Atlanta suburbs to Anniston, Alabama, but htat's the longest one.

Katy Trail in Missouri.   The scenery changes are awesome.  I think next September I want to ride from the western end to the eastern end and then back the 14 miles to my house.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katy_Trail_State_Park

https://mostateparks.com/park/katy-trail-state-park

Very cool trail --- Don't forget to mention that the trail is walker friendly too and that one can ride bikes one way and take the train back after a few days of riding.  Lots of places to stay,  bars,  restaurants, bike rentals shops, wineries and river views.   And yeah we are about to tie a 140 mile (?) spur line trail into it as well.

When you come to Missouri to visit the trail be sure to visit some of our top rated state parks and hike the 350 mile (soon to be 700) Ozark Trail as well. 

http://ozarktrail.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozark_Trail_(hiking_trail)


Missouri Named "Best Trails State"
Author: Tom Uhlenbrock

The title Best Trails State was bestowed upon Missouri by American Trails, a national, not-for-profit organization working on behalf of the nation’s hiking, biking and riding trails. The award, announced in April 2013, is presented every two years to the state that has made tremendous contributions to promoting and improving its trails.

https://www.visitmo.com/missouri-travel/missouri-the-reigning-king-of-hiking-trails.aspx

We even have river and lake trails!   

[NoraLenderbee]

I hate professional cycling, the filthiest, drug-infested endeavor in sports.

Quite a few other sports are worse, including . . . golf.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/golf-surpasses-cycling-and-athletics-for-drug-findings-1.2301094

[sheepstache]

Yes, you are the only one.  Cyclist assassins have gotten all the others and we are coming for you.  Seriously, I love cycling but I also love walking and my feet are so conveniently attached to my body that I don't have to look for a place to lock them up when I arrive at my destination.  There is no actual law that says you must love cycling to be a Mustachian any more than you have to love fishing or blackberrying or camping or cooking or sewing or soldering broken electronic back together.  All of them are good for the thrifty lifestyle but none are mandatory.

I love that not wanting to bike compels people to come on here to announce it for...support? I don't know.

[BrandonP]

Yes, you are the only one.  Cyclist assassins have gotten all the others and we are coming for you.  Seriously, I love cycling but I also love walking and my feet are so conveniently attached to my body that I don't have to look for a place to lock them up when I arrive at my destination.  There is no actual law that says you must love cycling to be a Mustachian any more than you have to love fishing or blackberrying or camping or cooking or sewing or soldering broken electronic back together.  All of them are good for the thrifty lifestyle but none are mandatory.

I love that not wanting to bike compels people to come on here to announce it for...support? I don't know.

It is a general discussion board.

You're welcome.

[YK-Phil]

I use my bike year-round, summer or winter, rain, shine, snow or ice. Even at -40. Unlike most of my friends who are bikers and who will go on multi-day bike trips on the weekend, I don't consider myself one of them but someone who uses a bike to commute and run errands. I bike not because I love biking, but because it is the most cost-effective and energy-efficient mode of transportation, and the bonus of riding is that it keeps me fit and healthy, physically and mentally. In my own circumstances and situation, I can only see benefits to using a bicycle.

[gt7152b]

Love riding a bike for transportation. There is a risk factor but I don't see it as any more dangerous than driving. I've had way more close calls driving than cycling. Love mountain biking for recreation but I don't see much fun in road cycling for recreation. It does seem a bit rude to ride in a big group on busy roads that don't have good places to pass. I don't judge those that are doing it but I can't abide it for myself. They do have just as much right to ride there as anyone has to drive. In fact, driving is more of a privilege that can be revoked if you don't pay your registration/insurance, don't keep up with proper licensing, or drive dangerously. Other than throwing someone in jail there is no revocation of riding a bicycle no matter what laws one breaks. Getting slowed down by bikers is annoying but so is getting slowed down by a construction zone, wrecks, big trucks, or slow drivers. Take your time out there since someone's life is much more important than your next appointment.

[BrandonP]

Transportation is a local question, there is no right or wrong answer.  I'm glad you have safe and reliable public transit.  I'd love to use public transit where I live but it's faster to bike.  Every time I've tried to use my city's antiquated subway system lately there are massive delays.  I hate it with a passion and much more enjoy the freedom of transporting myself.  I think that americans as a whole have been conditioned by public opinion that car commutes are safer and more convenient than bikes, but when you really think about it there are a lot more inconveniences with cars than having to find a shower once you get to work.  You have the small chance of running over someone every time you drive.  The insurance, title and registration.  Constant maintenance at the auto shop.  Parking (huge in cities).  Sitting in traffic wondering why you spend your life doing this. 

I also think that some bikes are more fragile than others.  Road bikes are light and fast - think sports cars - they are fragile because they are worth it - they are better machines on paved road.  Hybrid / Mountain bikes are more durable and low maintenance because they have bigger tires and stronger frames, and often have shocks to handle bumps - they are like having a camry or a jeep.

I grew up in the countryside, but now live in a bike friendly city.

About a decade ago I did used to cycle into work. I wasn't a big fan, but the walk was substantial. The transit wasn't good. And the car would have been overkill.

My situation is different now as I live in a completely different place.

[Lyssa]

I don't like biking either or at least not in cities. Not sure if it's mustachian to neither own a car nor a bike... I get by just fine with walking, public transportation and the very occassional cap for around 100 eur a month.

Every one I know who bikes to work around here had a bike stolen at least once during the last five years. Some of them multiple times. I'd rather not worry about clothes suitable both for working and biking, helmet and hair and if my bike is still there in the evening.