LittleBigMan

Hang in there, man. I'm sure all of us are pulling for you! Keep us posted of your progress!

cc_rider

Work limits me to weekends. In the summer I try to get a late ride in once or twice a week, that only works if the sunset is after 8 pm.

sbhikes

Health limits me. I usually feel good so I usually ride, but when I don't, I don't. Also laziness, distance, and weather limit me. I cycle instead of drive, so recreational cycling isn't much my thing.

Since I live in a town that is amenable to cycling, there is not much on the infrastructure/traffic end that limits me.

If I moved to Atlanta, lack of infrastructure would have me limit cycling to times when I can put my bike in my truck and drive to somewhere to cycle. Recreationaly cycling. Ugh. I'd rather go hiking.

webist

I'm pleased that you get enjoyment from it. I don't.

Redrom

Definitely Motorist attitudes.

I prepped for my 21 mile each way commute, for months and only made it half way the first day, when I forced myself to stop after being nearly hit for the third time in a half hour. It was intentional, and on back roads with little traffic, where they could have used the passing lanes, and chose instead to "buzz" me, honking and swerving.

I'm currently trying to find people interested in creating a Lance Armstrong PSA to educate motorists about the law. Anyone interested should let me know, but if I can actually get him onboard trust me everone on BF will know about.

fatmoabgal

well, i was a ****** and didn't think I could ride. but now I have a 3 speed cruiser and I love riding - i'd ride everywhere if I lived somewhere flat. but i live in Moab - don't you feel sorry for me?
So, we are getting new bikes for christmas and are planning on a couple of comfort bikes with 24 speeds to deal with hills and disc brakes for stopping.
We already take the cruisers down dirt roads, so we'll go down more dirt roads with more gears. We are scheduling a ******esOnBikes assault on the La Sal loop road next summer - about 60 miles and 3000' elevation gain should be quite an accomplishment for me and the husband.
Next year, we are looking at BurroBikes - lots of gears but not fast and incredibly stable for some real back country riding. Why go fast and miss all the incredible things to see out here - or anywhere?
With the comfort bikes and major gearing, we figure we won't need our car other than when going to the big city for business supplies - about 100 miles away.

ChezJfrey

Marathon training. I ran my first earlier this month. Now, since I qualified for Boston, well, I've got to try that too. So it's more training, that will eventually lead to 2 bike commutes/week replaced by running commutes.

Even though everyone's used to the constant biking, I'm sure I'll see a few raised eyebrows at work when I saunter in wearing running shoes and a backpack after a 12 mile run.

But, oh the irony -- I'll be biking fewer trips, but I have to get another bike (my current alternate is fixed and I'll need some gears/coasting after a 12 mile run) so that I can run home on Wednesday, leaving bike #1, ride #2 Thursday, run to work Friday and bike #1 back home. Neat trick, eh?

dan828

Oh, I suppose. Maybe I just got spoiled living in Davis for so long. As it is I'm either going to have to start riding in the dark (as the sun is usually setting by the time I leave work now) or buy a trainer and do it indoors, which I'd hate.

Daily Commute

Lack of secure bike parking. I put a lot of stuff on my bike that's useful for commutes (front light, rear light, pump, computer, water bottle, seat bag with tools, etc.) and it's a pain to take it off just to lock up the bike for a few minutes, especially on my way to or from work.

If I could take the bike inside more places, I'd ride it for more errands.

chipcom 

My biggest fear in the dark is during my commute this time of year - the darned deer. I keep wondering of my GF is washing my clothes in deer piss and lookin to collect some insurance money, cuz they sure seem to like coming out to greet me.

Dchiefransom

Tink's #69

lws

They do seem much larger when you're on a bike. I think the bike is so quiet that you sneak up on them more than when you're in a car.

MaxBender

Spending too much time reading these forums.

sbhikes

I really like riding after Daylight savings is over. For one thing, we get really great sunsets out here in the west this time of year. The ride home from work is right when they're happening.

Second, it seems like it takes forever for the sunset to end. I love that orangey-blue over the ocean.

Third, I like the way the night seems to close the space around you. I like the way the night seems alive because of all the activity of rush hour. And yet it also seems cool and quiet. Maybe it's the lack of visual noise.

It seems like you can smell dinner cooking more in the fall. Some neighborhoods have really good cooks!

I also like playing with my lights. Turning them all on, picking which blinkie pattern I want tonight. I devised a really cool way to mount my headlight on my recumbent. It's not on the handle bars but on the derailleur tube between my feet.

chipcom 

Well yesterday two cars ahead of me passed two deer right on the side of the road grazing, then didn't bat an eye at the cars or me, and I was talking to them! I do a lot of talking to the deer and whatever critters happen to be around when riding at night, like 'I know you all are out there and I'd really love to meet you, but doing so now would probably ruin both of our days!'.

yak

rain, rain, and more rain... I don't mind getting wet, but I'm not too fond of starting out a ride in the pouring rain. We lost half of October to rain. (I painted my house during the other half).

LittleBigMan

You sound like me.

I agree with that sentiment. If I ever had to put my bike in a truck and drive somewhere just so I could go riding, I'd be very frustrated. It happens that there's this one guy at work who always offers for me to put my bike in his truck-bed and give me a ride home, but that would defeat the purpose of my riding.

Fortunately for me, there are plenty of quiet routes to go from A to B. Last July 4, my 10 year-old daughter and I rode our bikes to Stone Mountain Park, then went into the park (free on bikes.) The only bad part was that we had planned to get a treat (funnel cakes, not my thing, but Angela loves that kind of thing) and virtually every little shop in Stone Mountain Villiage was closed for Independence Day (smart thinking, Dad!)

I don't think I messed up too much though, because she wants to do it again ASAP.

SilentShifter

Life in general keeps me from riding. Mostly its a shortage of time due to other obligations (work, family, etc). Lately, its just been a lack of daylight - in other words I am out riding and want to keep riding but the sun is racing me to the finish.

Sometimes its in the shop for general maintenance.

Other times its health and I just physically don't feel well enough to ride.

LittleBigMan

I confess: I haven't yet conquered the cold rain (we don't get snow in Atlanta to speak of.) I think I can do it, after reading how others do it, but so far I've only overcome warm or cool rain. I'll probably just bundle up and carry plenty of emergency dry clothing.

One thing I'll probably never conquer: smog. Once in a while, if the summer smog gets heavy, I'll bug out. No sense in irritating my lungs, I'm going to need them later.

Brian McDonough

here's something - I never heard my Doctor say give up biking !!