Do you ride for time, distance, both, or neither?
01-07-19, 12:27 PM
#51
faster downhill
I have multiple routes that I ride. Weather, especially wind speed and direction, and time constraints usually dictate which route I choose for the day. The metric I usually use to measure my rides is average speed since it is an average of many factors.
I tell myself every day I'm going to take a nice easy ride and undoubtedly after warming up my love of riding kicks in and I always push myself harder and harder, never regretting it.
I too Strava every ride. I enjoy reliving and tracking my rides. I closed my Facebook account, dont use twitter, snapchat or other social media platforms. Strava and BF are the only social media footprint I have and regret using BF regularly when the name calling starts.
one day I will take a leisurely ride, which has nothing to do with Strava or a bike computer, its just my enjoyment of pushing myself.
I tell myself every day I'm going to take a nice easy ride and undoubtedly after warming up my love of riding kicks in and I always push myself harder and harder, never regretting it.
I too Strava every ride. I enjoy reliving and tracking my rides. I closed my Facebook account, dont use twitter, snapchat or other social media platforms. Strava and BF are the only social media footprint I have and regret using BF regularly when the name calling starts.
one day I will take a leisurely ride, which has nothing to do with Strava or a bike computer, its just my enjoyment of pushing myself.
01-07-19, 02:14 PM
#53
Senior Member
I've moved so I can now commute to work so my balance is about 40% commute and 60% pleasure. Where in the past i'd be on my bike 5+ hours riding on the weekend, now a quick 50 mile ride feels so much more satisfying. In the winter I switch to trail running when it is raining because riding in the rain sucks while running in the rain is tolerable.
01-07-19, 03:42 PM
#54
Old Legs
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Distance, with pleasure & fitness included. KB
01-07-19, 05:13 PM
#55
Full Member
I like to know how fast and far I ride. I'd like to know how much I have climbed although my free app doesn't track that and reading a topo is tedious. I keep track of how long I ride as I pick routes based on how much time I have to ride. However, I have been riding since the early 70s and only got an app that tracked speed, distance and time about a year ago. I certainly did not enjoy riding any less without that data.
01-07-19, 06:39 PM
#56
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I don't ride for time or distance. I'm probably the least competitive person ever, so Strava has never really held any appeal for me. I used to have a speedometer on my bike, and it was fun to see when I hit 25mph in traffic or 50mph on a descent, but I found I was focusing way too much on the mileage / speed and not enjoying myself, so I took it off. I went on a 2500 mile tour and only figured out how much distance I did by plotting it out on Google Maps after the fact. I had days that were 15 miles and days that were 70-80 miles. Just depended on what I wanted to check out and how I was feeling. Taking things too seriously just ruins the fun for me.
01-07-19, 07:15 PM
#57
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Neither, I ride for scenery 
01-07-19, 07:18 PM
#58
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I find this thread interesting in that it brings out a good number of folks (these posters typically with post counts here on BF in the thousands) who look at bicycle riding as utilitarian, commuting transportation, and perhaps mundane, yet they read, post and involve themselves in what you might think is a website forum that's devoted to enthusiasts. I'd never frequent a car forum if I (probably like most people) used the car in such a way.
Last edited by Sy Reene; 01-07-19 at 07:22 PM.
01-07-19, 07:47 PM
#59
don't try this at home.
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Distance. Having a Garmin, and wanting to limit the "same-old" routes, I normally have a route loaded. Interesting scenery and/or quiet country roads are the choice.
It's fun when I occasionally just head out and make spur of the moment decisions on where to turn next.
It's fun when I occasionally just head out and make spur of the moment decisions on where to turn next.
01-08-19, 12:15 AM
#60
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Distance, mostly - the exception is deep winter rides, when going is slow and time matters more.
Sometimes, though, I just go for elevation gain.
Sometimes, though, I just go for elevation gain.
01-08-19, 01:56 AM
#61
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I like to do the monthly Strava Challenges; 1250km distance, 100km Gran Fondo, and 8000M Elevation Climb. Most of the time I ride for top end speed and distance. Other than mph, I don't look at any data until I get home after the ride.
01-08-19, 03:50 AM
#62
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I ride to get to my destination.
01-08-19, 05:49 AM
#63
Senior Member
I still approach biking much like my running, mix it up. My commute is always time based, both directions. I have 6ish miles each way. My goal is to hold at least 22mph. Grocery runs are easy and pretty much fun. Other rides depend on circumstances. Sometimes I only have a couple hours. Other times I have a town or point I want to make. Those may include a time goal as well. No matter what I want it to be fun.
01-08-19, 12:35 PM
#65
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I ride for fitness, enjoyment, ride quality and scenery.
I found scenic rides with multiple ascents were more to my liking.
At one time, distance was my primary goal. After completing about six self-supported centuries, I no longer care to be in the saddle for six plus hours.
I found scenic rides with multiple ascents were more to my liking.
At one time, distance was my primary goal. After completing about six self-supported centuries, I no longer care to be in the saddle for six plus hours.
01-08-19, 01:16 PM
#66
Fredly Fredster
Time on stationary bike. Distance on road, gravel and mountain bikes.
01-08-19, 02:23 PM
#67
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For pleasure? Angle of the sun and smiles per mile. Number of cool views or landmarks. A horse, house, statue, tree, snack breaks.
Training? Time at intensity or gross TSS. Does it hurt enough people are concerned? No? Try harder! Tastes like copper? Good job. Taste your lunch? Great job.
Training? Time at intensity or gross TSS. Does it hurt enough people are concerned? No? Try harder! Tastes like copper? Good job. Taste your lunch? Great job.
01-08-19, 02:24 PM
#68
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For pleasure? Angle of the sun and smiles per mile. Number of cool views or landmarks. A horse, house, statue, tree, snack breaks.
Training? Time at intensity or gross TSS. Does it hurt enough people are concerned? No? Try harder! Tastes like copper? Good job. Taste your lunch? Great job.
Training? Time at intensity or gross TSS. Does it hurt enough people are concerned? No? Try harder! Tastes like copper? Good job. Taste your lunch? Great job.
01-08-19, 03:02 PM
#69
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I find this thread interesting in that it brings out a good number of folks (these posters typically with post counts here on BF in the thousands) who look at bicycle riding as utilitarian, commuting transportation, and perhaps mundane, yet they read, post and involve themselves in what you might think is a website forum that's devoted to enthusiasts. I'd never frequent a car forum if I (probably like most people) used the car in such a way.
There's one guy in this entire thread who says that his only riding is for commuting, but that he does that as fast as he can. Sounds like he's using biking as a way to make the mundane fun.
Frankly, I don't know who you're talking about. Pretty much everyone in the thread has some pleasure riding listed, and no one is identifying it as mundane.
01-08-19, 03:34 PM
#70
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Distance ... no matter how long or how fast i ride, i don't stop until i get back home.
01-08-19, 03:38 PM
#71
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When i commuted, to me it was still a bike ride. The start time, distance, and direction were mandated, but it was still time on the bike,and almost every bike ride is at least a little fun.
As for having a computer .... I personally hated that i started paying more attention to watching numbers than riding. When I tried to hold an average or whatever---rode to some metric---i found I enjoyed the ride less, no matter what numbers I downloaded after the ride.I now keep the screen turned off. Others differ. What is wrong with that?
As for having a computer .... I personally hated that i started paying more attention to watching numbers than riding. When I tried to hold an average or whatever---rode to some metric---i found I enjoyed the ride less, no matter what numbers I downloaded after the ride.I now keep the screen turned off. Others differ. What is wrong with that?
01-08-19, 05:28 PM
#72
Junior Member
Typical ride near home I usually have a time I want/need to get home by so I guess it's time but I try to cover as much distance as my body, route and conditions permit. When touring, it's distance to the next place we're supposed to spend the night.
01-08-19, 07:12 PM
#73
well hello there
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Time.
I pedal Monday, Wednesday and Friday before work.
So I give myself about an hour.
I pedal Monday, Wednesday and Friday before work.
So I give myself about an hour.
__________________
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
01-08-19, 07:46 PM
#74
Senior Member
When I plan out a ride the night or two before, it's always by distance cross-referenced with elevation gain.
01-08-19, 08:38 PM
#75
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It depends on the day. Some days I go for time and distance, like a personal best century time. Sometimes I train hard, like hill repeats or wind sprints. Most of the time I ride for mental and physical health which means whatever I need that day, be it an evening ride with friends or an all day cruise through lakes country with plenty of stops at interesting places.