No time for riding

[ti_pin_man]

Others have picked up on the covid thing and likewise I've found myself bouncing off the walls. I can and do work from home now but with 3 daughters in the house and a mrs who has depression I have definitely had headbanging moments. in fact the first two/three months were very tough and whilst there's still fallout to happen mostly we've found a stability. We agree to disagree mostly.

I am also very busy and my interest in bikes has waned. Even more in lock down. I was riding to work and that kept my interest up but even then i decided to take a motorbike and so started doing that more. In recent years I also moved on to climbing as we dont honestly live near much great riding so climbing walls have become my passion. I hung the bikes in the corner, x6 i think and mostly they arent touched. my garage is a climbing wall and will probably soon become a motorbike workshop... I may even sell some bikes to fund a new motorbike...

... all of this having ridden bikes since the late 80's/90's. I even have 2 project bikes, dream unicorns and passed over the build and paid somebody here to do it because i knew i wouldn't get it finished. The other will be the same and then that's it, no more and maybe reduce the fleet.

... so after 30 odd years I feel the time and passion going somewhere else. It hasn't happened overnight but has been accelerated by lock down.

So i think i see parallel between the OP and myself. Life is a journey right, its up to us what we do and if you fall out of love with mountain bikes dont think its blasphemy, if it doesnt feel right for now, move on and find what does. I find guilt a big issue. Guilt at stopping. Like in some way i failed. When i write it down like this I can see its a really stoopid thing to feel isnt it?

now, form an orderly queue for buying my ibis collection, funks and manitou and for my motorbikes sake find yer wallets and deep pockets. Joke. No sales yet.

 

[hamster]

I think all things go in cycles (no pun intended). I stopped sailing racing when my kids were young, then got back into it later. Likewise my cycling has gone from family rides to longer ones again as the kids are more independent. This year I haven't toured on the bike and have done few long rides.

No situation is permanent necessarily, even if it often feels so at the time. After a while off it may suddenly seem fresh and the joy will be rekindled. For me, I'm contemplating selling my fast road bike and simply keeping the more audaxy one as it's more versatile.

 

[Tommy27]

I actually found coronavirus has got me out on my bike a lot more. 6 months ago I rode probably twice a week, my missus is also a cyclist and rode everywhere she could all the time. I work in a 'key' industry (transport), so from the start of lockdown rode my bike to wherever I was being rostered. I hadn't really ridden much for 5 years before.

I now do a 28 mile commute 4-5 days a week and a long ride on the weekend.

We've only got limited space, so starting a collection is not going to happen. But I've started to think more about what I really need. I've room for 2 bikes- the fixed is a work in progress and a build thread will come up for that soon. The road bike, I'm looking to harvest for parts for a fast tourer. Maybe one day go down the 650b route since I've an old housemate who's a builder.

 

[al-onestare]

Echoing Tommy and perhaps share some balance, since March I've ridden as much as before but on every bike in the collection. Gone is the 5 day a week 20 mile road bike round trip to the city and back to a daily, sometimes twice daily ride all around the local trails.

Work went crazy through to last month with the accelerator pedal slowly lifted, working from home whilst my wife starts her own business from scratch, in the middle of a pandemic. It's become clear we need to exit London asap; lockdown was such a refreshing experience of the world slowed down. The pleasure of having zero traffic and no airplanes in the sky has accelerated our relocation plans from a 5 year to "get this done in 12 months" plan.

We are the only ones who control our own destiny so no matter how crazy, dark or light the outlook, there's always something we can do about it, no matter how hard it might look to be. (This) life is way too short to be stuck in a situation that's not to our liking.

 

[kingbling]

Thanks guys I really appreciate the feed back much love, a couple of hours in the shed the other night put a great deal into perspective I will sell a lot of my stuff keeping a few choice build kits 6 bikes in total as I know I still have a passion for bikes I guess just not the need or want to build everything on my wish list.
I've thought long and hard about finding time to ride and with the right trail I'm prepared to take Disco with me and start to teach him how to be a trail hound we have a lot of open riding around us so it won't be all trail centre bashing but he first has to like it .

I really appreciate peoples predicaments and truly empathise with you all, thats why is good to talk and also to all those who have been inspired to ride more, it's people like you that pick up the baton when others can carry it no more.

I'll be at the next Mayhem not sure in what capacity but I'll be there.

Once again thanks for reading and posting its good to know that someone else knows

Onwards and muddywards

 

[DICKO10]

Clive mate was hoping to call up to your new place for a catch up before this dam COVID-19 thingy Need to show you my new dog missing the laughs we have mate and Sally’s cakes send her my love mate see you soon.

 

[legrandefromage]

This will be my last post for a while. Not that I'm flouncing or anything like that, to quote Ti_pin_man; ''I'm bouncing off the walls'' pretty much sums it up.

There is nothing left! No new bikes to play with, nothing to service, nothing to build, more nothing than I know what to do with. Local trails have been ridden to death, no pubs to stop at without being reminded of you-know-what.

And whatever personality flaw that manifests its self means I dont get the nice invites on facebook or the texts saying 'lets go for a ride' so I'm pretty much on my own. Except maybe the drunk neighbour or the school friend who's depression is like a sweaty hug at 2am in a hot nightclub (remember those?) - but they are friends who need help, they need that whiff of Grumpy Cheese so they can at least tell someone that they're not doing well and they know that they will get support and that they are not alone. I will try and get the depressed friend out tomorrow, at least the physical exercise will give him temporary relief but it will take me at least three days to get over the almost parasitic effect that his mood has.

Then theres the other half, she needs support more than ever. She has worked the whole time from around 7am late into the evening supporting local children and vulnerable folk without a break. We tried to go out but you get there and its full of other people, their own stateless limbo and just hoping theres some hope for their kids and family. Even the seaside fish & chips was disappointing! But at least we got to feed the 1 legged seagull, Frank Hopper. Home is now the work place and if theres nowhere to go it may as well be a prison - except theres half decent food, a very affectionate newly adopted cat and a cider filled boyfriend of nearly 25 years who still hasnt a clue as to how 'people' work.

Work; 5 months of uncertainty as to whether there will be a job to go back to, constant checking of work emails and work phone, furloughed but on call, unable to plan, stuck in some sort of purgatory or limbo, about 3 seconds away from bursting into tears at any given moment. A manager who has worked the whole time, has had annual leave and has no idea how his furloughed staff really feel. Those staff now being prodded to give up their annual leave as theres not enough staff to go around and cover the frantic catch up

So there you have it, multiply how we all feel by the rest of the country and you get the idea, some can handle it and many cant.

Cant wait for what winter has in store!

 

[kingbling]

Thanks Carl it I'll be good to see you and the new dog.

Mark I feel your pain mate it is hard times wish you well

 

[Woz]

Yeah of course odd times with more important realities to deal with instead of a complete period correct gruppo.

My advice would be have one rider that you know makes you happy and use it for the odd errands.

Take the pill and realise that bikes are more than continental shed exotica but functional transport too and make that errand a pleasurable one. Even cocking your leg over the right bike for 20mins can change mood.

That feeling will never go away when you grab the bull by the horns and set off with the first pedal stroke, so best to keep it available

PS: The wheels we swapped a long time ago were literally a godsend while I was in full lockdown in a foreign country just fulfilling a simple pleasure of being out and with "me time" and something I could rely on.

 

[ultrazenith]

As others have suggested, I'd keep one or two really important bikes, and divest yourself of the rest. The covid tax will surely make sure you get decent money for whatever bikes you do decide to sell on.

I don't know anything about your circumstances, and I don't want to be too preachy, but I I'd encourage anyone of retrobike age to stay with cycling as long as it's physically possible, if only because it's such a good way to keep your heart and other bits healthy.