Returned to Cycling After Sports Car Phase
 

About 18 years ago a friend of my wife drove to our house in a 1972 911S with sport exhaust and threw me the keys. I took it out for 45 minutes and was utterly hooked. The power, the sound, the classic shape were absolutely intoxicating. I pretty much gave up cycling and got into pre-74 911s. Joined a sports car club or two and spent my free time working on the cars, making them lighter and perform better. I learned a ton and improved my mechanical skills. Meanwhile my bikes sat collecting dust. Weekends were spent driving with the club, along with club dinners and lunch drives. I found to my shock that sports car guys eat crap food. I was a bit shocked at first but ate the way I usually did with an occasional cheeseburger and fries. Did week long drives with the club to California where we would drive more and of course eat. One thing about pre-74 cars is no catalytic converters and the exhaust was a mix of unburnt fuel, oil and normal combustion. In other words, don’t get trapped behind one, or worse yet, 6 or more.

With COVID and the increasingly alarming changes to the climate, I decided it was time to be a bit more responsible pollution and food-wise. (My weight during those years went up 15 lbs). In 2020, I sold off my cars and returned to my first love, cycling.My fitness was abysmal, endurance horrible and hill climbing an absolute miserable struggle. After almost a year and a half, I don’t miss sports cars, and their horrendous expense. Since then my fitness and mental attitude have greatly improved. I lost the 15 lbs and in general feel much better. When we get through COVID I will meet again with my car-nut friends for a beer since I miss the comradeship. What I wont miss are the exhaust fumes and getting 12 MPG on supreme.

Now my life is about improving fitness and buying bike toys, like my new Garmin 830 to track my fitness and structure workouts - something I have never done but will be fun to explore, especially if it works.

Anyone gone through this or something similar? Left and returned to cycling, the great time machine that it is?

Yep. I rode a bicycle as a young teen, but abandoned it when I got my drivers license. I started cycling again in my early 30's, first on a road bike, then switching to the new fad - mountain bikes! Did than until I had enough crashes and kids are now graduating from High School. Bought a new Triumph motorcycle, than another (vintage) and that occupied me until my mid 50's. Following our eldest daughters pretty bad motorcycle accident (she was ultimately OK), my wife decided she wasn't riding any more. I didn't enjoy riding by myself, so I sold the new bike, and kept the vintage (Triumph's). Eventually, I sold the vintage as well 10 years ago, we bought a '79 MGB that is stupid fun to drive and cheap to keep. Just before COVID, I started cycling again and now it's become my primary source of exercise and enjoyment. I belong to a British auto club here in Maryland and they do enjoy food and beer!

Get a Miata? I get real world 33mpg even having a blast on the back roads and I'm saving for a turbo kit for a little more power. Car can be insanely fun; with cross season approaching I haven't decided if the car is an excuse to find the cross races in the fun to reach places or that cross races are in more rural areas and a fun excuse to drive the car. Either way I like both.

I am currently "babysitting" a 2010 Miata with 29,266 miles. It is a blast. Owner asked me to use it since he went back to Canada and might not be coming back down due to COVID.

p.s. -- he said I have 1st dibs and wife said she would pay for it.

As a kid, I raced BMX and pretty much lived on a bike. I worked in a bike shop, rode for miles and miles and just knew bikes inside and out. I was 13 with a Bicycling magazine subscription, dreaming of campagnolo.

Then I got my first car — a Triumph — and forgot all of that. Over the years I had 3 Triumphs, 3 MGs, a Miata and s few BMWs. I worked for car magazines. I restored classics. I loved them.

In college I bought a mountain bike and rode it everywhere. But then jobs and kids conspired to keep it collecting dust, too.

But then, the cars long ago stopped being a livelihood for me, and even pre-COVID I questioned how much I was still interested in the hobby. Over the past year or so I’ve had no interest. Instead, I find myself returning more and more to the bikes of my youth. They’re still out there, still very capable (more than I am), still beautiful and cheap.

So I find myself back where I started. And that’s pretty good.

i recently just bought a triumph spitfire. am i in trouble?

Why not continue to do both? Did you keep it? Air-cooled Porsches command silly money these days so it's probably prudent to hold on to it. I have my 997 that sees a couple of track weekends a year, and I often take my bike with me.

I have a 1979 911SC Targa that I've had almost 30 years. Gearbox rebuild in the works, so I understand the costs. Can't imagine selling it, although I know it's not the same as an early car. I'm just getting into cycling, but for me it will never replace my car side.

Whatever makes you happy is the way to go.

Mark

I've yet to hear many say they regret going back to cycling

I have had many lovers. I rode all over creation more out of necessity than love until I got a driver's license. I then explored all the far away places I could not get to on a bike, exploring and taking pictures. After that, surfing. After that, skiing. I loved them all. I returned to cycling in my early 30s, and got hooked like a tuna. None of my previous lovers have had the same staying power. Now I find myself riding my bike the same places I used to drive my car, and again, exploring and taking pictures.

I have a car some regard as a sporty car and in any case, it is enjoyable to drive brisky in the mountains. And when time permits, I'll still either begin or end the day with a short romp through the mountains in it.

To me, it's not an either/or. Semi-retirement is on the horizon for me in the near future, and I see re-introducing myself to some of my old flames soon. Among other things, I need to get back in touch with my aquatic self.

very cool. Since there are some P-car fans: Had a 73 911S (graduated HS in 73 and dad is German) which I restored and sold at the height of the bubble. It now resides in a Philippine collection, and the proceeds were invested. Did buy an 82 SC which I hot rodded and now lives in NY. I do have one car left, a 71 914 which I drive very occasionally on nice days. The suspension, though completely rebuilt and upgraded is too harsh for anything over 3 hours an the engine was upgraded to a carbed 3 ltr. It has massive torque which is good fun. On a nice day, I would still rather ride these days.

Other car bought and sold was a 72 911T.


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Just have to get a proper rack on there, nothing like heading over a catskill tn with 15-20mph switchbacks and doing twice the recommended speed with the tires giving the occasional squeal to let you know you're pushing it and then being able to hop on the bike at your destination.

Definitely hard to give up, when it's classic 911's you're dabbling with. Have driven classic 911T and S, a couple of mid-'80s Carreras, a 993 Carrera. Beautiful machines.

As some have suggested, while certainly no Porsche, a Mazda Miata's not a bad way to go. If you get one with a professionally-installed turbo system it can be most of the power you remember with vastly lower maintenance and "fiddling" expenses. Even the normally-aspirated ones scoot right along, when the revs are kept in the range the car's designed for. Might be a way to have your cake and eat it too.

Welcome back to cycling, and all the working on that "engine" it requires. :thumb:

A friend of mine has a Miata which I have driven, and have to say it was a marvelous machine. He absolutely loves it and I can see why; definitely a more civilized ride than my 914-6. A turbo would definitely be a rush on the Miata.

And yes am definitely doing a lot of engine work. Ready to start a training plan this winter and rip some new PRs.

Into bicycling originally, till driver’s license, then sports cars, now more into cycling. Still have a couple sports cars, need something a little more complex to wrench on then bikes, which really aren’t much of a challenge mechanically.
Not too worried about the environment, only driving them 2 to 3 thousand miles per year. Much more engaging then a modern car, but hanging out with cyclists, much better for your health, then the sports car crowd.
Tim

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Always loved the design of the TR-6. And the MG is a classic

Yes, but in a good way.

I was off the bike for 15 years. After racing for 12 years, I hung it up in '04 to focus on being a dad, and got into some other hobbies during that time. My weight climbed by 60 lbs, and my health stats were starting to get concerning. In Dec. '19, I got back on the bike again, and dropped 40 lbs over the following 6 months. I am on the bike 3-4 times per week pretty consistently, with a goal of 100 miles/week. It feels good to be (moderately) fast and strong on the bike again. I'll never get back to the fitness I used to have, and that's fine. I'm doing a lot more rides for the fun of it - rather than the pain of it - than I used to.

My dad had a '72 (I think) 914 1.8L (dual Weber carbs) for a while when I was in HS. Not very powerful, for sure, but definitely a fun little car. He always lusted after the 914-6 like yours.

Has me wondering how many other sports people leave and then return to years later with the same enthusiasm? Tennis? Downhill skiing? Of course how many solo sports are there besides cycling, hiking, sky diving?

My downfall was getting into Classic Musclecars - and, of course, Femaliens...

Have always been a bicycle and car guy. At age 14 I declared my destiny was to work in the bike biz, which I have done for a long time. I also have ASE certification, worked on muscle cars, had a few imports, and one sports car that is completely misunderstood by all the world.
Porsche 914. The 911 guys call it a VW, which it kinda is, the sports car nuts call it a joke, but those of us that have owned one call it a heck of a lot of fun! My neighbor had a 914/6 and I had the lowly 1.8. Without a doubt the /6 is a head turner as it whizzes by a 911 going through the bends. No question in my mind the 914 is the greatest of them all, but misunderstood and underestimated in the /6 format, especially with an upgraded 911 powerplant in it and modified to handle it.

Rode race bikes for a long time.

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Several years ago I flew down to FL to retrieve a 20 yr old Miata for a friend who had inherited it from her dad. It was in perfect condition. i owned a Focus ST at the time. And, my adult life had been spent with Corvettes, Lotus, BMW, Audi, etc. So, basically I have been a car junkie. The first day on the road to CT I was dismayed. It was under-powered. It didn't stop very well and it's handling was just OK. I was not looking forward to day two on the road. But, day two came and off I went. Then something occurred to me. Drive the car the way it wants to be driven. Anticipate the need to accelerate and brake. Be gentle and careful in picking a line through corners. After the change in my attitude it all came together. It was never going to be what I was used to but it did leave a smile on my face. It also helped that it looked like my 1970 Lotus Elan.

In my case cycling has taken the place of my Ducati. This is my 6th and last Ducati. I used to do things like go from CT to the west coast, camping all the way. But, this year I think I've had this bike out 3 times to go to my local tavern.
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