indyfabz

All of the above.

CAT7RDR

I'm not good at it, but climbing brings better scenery, meditative moments, and more enjoyment per mile.

Phil_gretz

I voted "commuting", which is what I will be doing again once Big Brother lifts his heavy handed restrictions...

mack_turtle

as a mountain biker, I rarely care about going "fast" or finding flowy trails. I seek out challenging trails with boulders that require very careful line choice. It's a full-body workout and sometimes requires trying the same segment of trail over and over until I clean it or leave it for another day. if you watch some videos of Chris Akrigg riding, that's what I am doing in my head.

mack_turtle

I don't know if that is it for me, but there's something to be said about cycling as meditation. if you're focused on what your body and your bike are doing, the rest of the world melts away for at least an hour and it's the most blissful thing for me.

bruce19

Riding with souplesse.

burnthesheep

I'm all about speed, hot nasty bad-A speed.

Really though, going fast. Like, make you want to pee yourself a bit. Figuring out how those pesky air molecules want to hold you back. Why are you going that way? Why not this way? Why not take the easy way around me and let me go faster?

I'm the time trial nut. Aero guru. The one that rides around looking like a character from Spaceballs with a helmet that could fit right in on the Death Star.

It's my thing. It is not super popular in the US like it is in Britain. I see it as the great equalizer in cycling sport. Club riders of any age, any ability, any equipment can participate without worry of being dropped or having someone crash you out. Shoot, there's even equipment groupings for folks without fancy equipment. Just you and the stopwatch. Simple. So, no need to worry about what anyone else is doing.

DeadGrandpa

​​​​​
It's riding by the forests and the fields, watching the planting and growing and harvesting. It's seeing the blue heron in the ditch by the road get up and fly just in front of my bike before touching down and taking off again. It's riding on a sunny day and being caught in a pop up shower. It's stopping for a break at the ferry and watching the river go by.

Reflector Guy

I voted Distance. I'm not really into climbing, unless there's a really good downhill section afterward (but it's a moot point since it is flat around here anyway).

As a railroad buff, I like a real good rail-trail. Especially if there are a lot of vintage stuff to look at: old concrete mileposts, signal bases, cool bridges, etc. And since they're usually pretty straight and level, it's a great place to ride far and fast.

rydabent

I checked other as many have. You left out the simple pleasure of cycling, without being told by others how and what we should ride.

10 Wheels

For Me it was all about Miles.

The group I soon met were in a local club that kept track of miles.
If one was able to get in a 100 mile ride each month of the year we got a free jersey.
I got three of them.

And Made some very nice friends.

guachi

Losing weight so there is less of me to love.

twm182

Seems like a good option would've been recreation. I personally love exploring and riding around town for pleasure. Buuuuuut I do love to go fast too sometimes hee

79pmooney

You left out one category that includes most of my riding. (Yes, yours still apply, but the left out category rules anytime you are doing it. Riding fix gear. 3 of my 5 bikes. More than half my lifetime miles. It's more than just an "other" for me.

Korina

I want to explore, but I ended up commuting, so that's what I voted. COVID took away my commuting, so these days I flounder. Or should I say, Flounder? (har har) The riding options around here are steep mtb, or busy roads, neither of which is my jam.

AlmostTrick

To me, solo Time Trial is the most authentic and I'd even say most "fair" form of racing. No other riders to help you along or slow you down. No team games. Besides, riding at high speed only inches away from other cyclists is risky madness. No thanks!

AlmostTrick

I voted commuting because that's where I do most of my miles on the bike. But working on bikes is right up there as a passion!

one4smoke

"Simple pleasure of cycling" encompasses just about every possible reason for riding. Being a bit more specific here. I thought about having "fitness" as a category also, but again, I think we all pretty much do it for fitness as well, regardless of what specifically we try to accomplish.

one4smoke

pattrick

I just enjoy getting out. I consider it my personal time. Sometimes I go far ,sometimes I go fast, sometimes I climb quite a bit [western Pa and the Allegheny Mt range thing]. The most important thing to me is just to get out and ride. I use the bike to relieve stress and to relax, a form of zen if you will. I feel it makes me better in many ways and therefore it gives me personal credibility to ride. This may all be B.S. but for me it just seems to work so I will continue to blissfully ride along. The most common theme I see here is just to ride. So to all I say is just ride and be happy! Life is to short ,enjoy the ride.

SVTNate

On the local MUP where I'm dealing with unsafe riders and inexperienced riders and peds and dogs and such, it's just a vehicle to get distance, burn calories, get down to the beach, etc.

On local surface streets, the goal is to not die, followed by stay off the main roads and enjoy the scenery.

indyfabz

I went from pure road riding (and general transportation) to loaded touring for a couple of years then back to road riding again. In 2008 I started to drift back to loaded touring. Definitely my favorite (along with not having to get behind the wheel to get to work and do most food shopping). Just love pitching the tent after a nice ride and enjoying my setting.

burnthesheep

I totally get that folks can crash on any bike, any time.

But I went to hospital early in 2020 after going over the bars at 35mph in a sprint finish of a road race. Pretty sure the guy on my right swerved left and touched my front wheel stopping it dead.

I'm now very averse to racing any road races that will end in a bunch or sprint. I may register for some with a huge hill at some point that splits the groups up something bad, but nothing where a bunch of rabid dudes are sprinting for the line again.

Time trial, that's all on me to handle my bike......keep my tires in good shape.......go out and pre-ride the course to see the debris and pot holes and such.

rydabent

What I meant was what I have posted many times about. The simple fun factor of cycling, and yes that does include many things. Things like exercise, freedom, sight seeing, riding alone, and with others. Basically the whole spectrum of what cyclist like. Or just list it as fun.