WhyFi

Uh, because.

Duh.

indyfabz

Group pee break?

Trsnrtr

Because I see the same first 10-15 miles every ride and they are corn and bean fields.

Scarbo

I've never taken drugs in my life but I'd imagine endorphins come pretty damned close! They kick in only when you really push yourself on the bike, though. I highly recommend them.

caloso

On the Saturday ride, it's an out and back so if you have to go, you'll usually sit up before the first sprint and take a nature break and catch the group as they regroup.

DMC707

The older I get, the harder it is to spend a day or 2 out and away from home on a non work day too -- so I somewhat know the feeling

Trsnrtr

Nothing better than finishing a ride with that warm feeling in your legs and endorphins tapping into your brain feel-good receptors. Makes you want to go right back out.

indyfabz

Reported!

jefnvk

Generally, because I am up against not making happy hour cut off at the bar.

But I generally don't care how fast I go. I ride at whatever pace seems comfortable. People are free to pass me as they see fit.

Jarrett2

I did, I guess. Enough for him to hurl a personal attack at me that is apparently fair game here.

Dan333SP

I'll turn this around on you... why worry about people who try to ride faster over time? I ride bikes but I also drive and enjoy cars. I don't go into the LCF forum and post questions about why people are trying to live without a car when they have the means to do so.

If people treat cycling as a competitive endeavor, good for them. Racing at an amateur level also shouldn't determine whether it's "ok" for someone to always be searching for gains in speed. It's like you want to split things up along forum lines ("happy, enjoy the scenery" riders in General, "serious racers" in the 33, "wannabe racers" in the 41). Racers, non-racers, scenery enjoyers, old, young, skinny, fat... we all have different reasons for getting on the bike. So long as we're actually on a bike, I don't see any reason to question the intentions or motivation of others.

Jean3n16

I want to ride faster so i can move up speed groups. I dont want to be stuck with the old, slow people....

Trakhak

I did my first sanctioned race in 1964, and I've always ridden at training pace, although I haven't raced for decades. Just went in for my first physical in 15 years (I'm almost 66 yo), and the GP said, "You're healthier than 99.999% of people your age."

bikecrate

I usually have a limited time per day/week available to ride, so I try to go as hard as I can to get the most out of the exercise. I pass some cyclist, some cyclist pass me. I would not put me even close to the really fast riders around here.

...And, yes, I do envy the fast riders.

Jarrett2

I can only assume it would have something to do with competition. The only people I know that care about how fast others are going are either people actually competing (sanctioned race) or pretend competing (Strava and the like).

bruce19

Nice. I ride steel too but mine is the "new" steel.

Jarrett2

Based on the responses, I guess its safe to say then that if there weren't some level of pretend competition out there, then non racers would stop riding bikes for the most part?

HTupolev

It's a loaded question.

Feeling the wind in your face and the fields rushing by is fun.
Hammering the Earth, putting the hill below you, resisting its resistance, is fun.
Watching the mountains animate, roll past, on a long descent is fun.
The thrill of a small group sprint, the structured paceline becomes fluid, a droplet clings on to a pack, trying to hang on, and to fight. That is fun.

I ride faster because sometimes I enjoy the ride more when I'm riding faster. Whether that's because I just want to see the world rush by, or because competition - whether against myself or others - is fun and demands speed.

What's "pretend competition?"

Even if you take down Strava, and force people to ride alone, and destroy every timekeeping device in the world, and conceal the sun and moon and stars from the sky... we will still try to ride faster than we would be riding if we weren't pedaling harder than we are.

WhyFi

This is you not understanding the question.

Dan333SP

I mean, you posted the thread asking why people are always trying to go faster. It seems like you care about other people putting an emphasis on speed. I'm not saying you are trying to be "competitive", I'm just pointing out that your thread seems to be worrying about what other people are doing, just like people that are constantly measuring themselves against others using the metrics you pointed out.

I don't think that's a fair logical step. Like I was pointing out earlier, "pretend competition" also applies to sanctioned races in a way. Yea, you're pinning on a number, but I don't see any meaningful difference between someone who goes out and tries to beat people on Strava and someone who races every weekend. At the amateur level, we're just doing it for bragging rights, fun, and fitness, not a paycheck or our professional futures (for 99.999% of us, that is).

"Racers" and "non-racers" who are always worrying about Strava/Zwift or group ride sprints are measuring their own performance against that of others. I think there's this big stigma about people who don't race but do care about getting faster, and I don't see why that has to matter. I race, like I said, but I'm happy to see people enjoying cycling in different ways, even if that means just riding around taking pictures and never getting your heart rate up.

If you removed all social aspects of cycling (so, Strava, races, group rides, ect.), you would still be able to "compete" against yourself, so it's not about racers vs. non-racers, it's just about individual motivations.

Seattle Forrest

No, it wouldn't be safe to say that. How in the hell did you even come up with nonsense like that?

Jarrett2

You've misunderstood the intent. It's introspective question.

I'm asking if others have ever really put thought into why they desire to be faster on the bicycle. I understand that might cause some to involuntarily lash out just for suggesting such a question.

I'm sure others who desire to be faster but don't actually race, appreciate you saying that.

That's what this thread is about. Looking at individual motivations versus manufactured ones.

Leebo

Or more of us are just commuting?

PepeM

I don't think I could just ride for the sake of riding, or to 'smell the roses.' I'd get bored within a week. So yes, wanting to ride faster is the only reason I ride*.

*Well, and to get to places, since I don't have a car.

WhyFi

Yeah. This thread is a vehicle for condemnation. You outed that yourself when you declared the 41 to be the "wannabe racer forum."