# Why do you ride?



## gratefulshred (Jan 28, 2012)

Why do you ride? Why do you keep coming back for more after a hard crash? Or wake up at 5:30 to pull on wet gloves to go ride in 40 degree rain? What makes bikes special for you?

For me it's this









Combined with a bit of this









And a bit of this









Or in other words it's fun, and bikes are adventure machines

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## griwulf (Feb 22, 2016)

It's just passion, I guess


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## cookieMonster (Feb 23, 2004)

I've loved bikes ever since I was 6 years old and my dad gave me a Schwinn Stingray 20" for my birthday. The freedom, efficiency, and thrill of riding bikes has been with me for 32 years and shows no signs of letting up.

I've competed in all sorts of disciplines including bmx, XC, DH, enduro, and even a dual slalom or two -- loved it all.

Nowadays, I do it because I'm good at it and it clears my mind from life's day to day stresses (which are overwhelming, currently). More and more often, it's to maintain fitness as well, since I can no longer partake in distance running (very little cartilage left in my knees). I still ride fast and jump and whatnot -- but that's not the primary reason I ride anymore. It's about the whole package. Because when I'm riding, I'm not working or worrying.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

The forest is my happy place. The further out I can get, the better. While my typical weekend ride doesn't really take me "out" there, it does get me in the dirt, and among the trees, which I enjoy immensely. In summer, when we get to play at elevation, and ride trails that take us to lakes that are miles from any road, and you can just sit there for a bit and enjoy the quiet, that's where it's at for me.


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## 29er4ever (Jan 8, 2013)

Beats walkin'

With diabetes and high blood pressure running throughout my family, I made a lifestyle choice to make exercise a daily habit. Running, swimming, hiking, and weight training are okay, but riding a bike on the trail is something I do three or four days a week almost year round without getting bored. Then when I get out on the trail, I am treated to sights like this:


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## Ivan67 (Aug 23, 2013)

I am retired military, since 2004 I just live on my bike riding where ever and when ever I want to.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

It quiets the voice in my head.


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## White7 (Feb 9, 2015)

I ride because i'm fat,I downhill because it's ,,,downhill


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## Big Virgil (Dec 8, 2008)

I'm in year 8 or 9 of the mid-life "stay in shape" crisis.

It is crazy fun too.


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## BADDANDY (Feb 20, 2012)

It counter acts the hours of couch potato time.


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## Rhodyman (Aug 7, 2015)

It makes me feel alive - in the moment. 👍


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## Rhodyman (Aug 7, 2015)

29er4ever said:


> Beats walkin'
> 
> With diabetes and high blood pressure running throughout my family, I made a lifestyle choice to make exercise a daily habit. Running, swimming, hiking, and weight training are okay, but riding a bike on the trail is something I do three or four days a week almost year round without getting bored. Then when I get out on the trail, I am treated to sights like this:
> 
> ...


Stunning imagery!!


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## andytiedye (Jul 26, 2014)

Because the trails here are too beautiful not to ride them.

I took up mountain biking, shortly after moving onto this mountain, so I could more fully indulge the beauty of this place.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

It's all fer da hot chicks man!


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## Mentor (Aug 14, 2015)

gratefulshred said:


>


Sketchy looking descent! :thumbsup:


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## LaXCarp (Jul 19, 2008)

The perfect combination of adrenaline, fitness, and exploring of nature. It is my equivalent of going to church.

I also think I'm pretty good at it.


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## Tidobandito (Nov 23, 2015)

I'm just getting back into it after a few years off . I ride because it's a sh*t ton of fun! ,like the adrenaline , I enjoy being outdoors,the excitement , it's a nice break from the monotony of the day to day routine , I like exploring , seeing new things, and forget about all the stresses of life . Oh yeah since I was diagnosed with diabetes not Long ago , I'm hoping it will help with my resting metabolism and lower my a1c . But most of all like I said it's a sh* load of fun !!


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## loopsb (Aug 9, 2004)

Because I always have


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

It's all fer da chilren!


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## RetroG (Jan 16, 2004)

*Church....*



LaXCarp said:


> The perfect combination of adrenaline, fitness, and exploring of nature. It is my equivalent of going to church.
> 
> I also think I'm pretty good at it.


 I'd rather be riding, thinking about God, than sitting in church thinking about riding.


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## dunleavy (Aug 21, 2015)

leeboh said:


> It quiets the voice in my head.


That's my number one reason. I have a hard time shutting down my brain. If I start thinking about work while I'm riding, I crash. Being in the woods, exercising, and having fun are reasons I ride as well.


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## B888S (Feb 18, 2013)

White7 said:


> I ride because i'm fat,I downhill because it's ,,,downhill


This + it really helps with my mental health! A good ride can easily wipe away a rough day at work.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

It makes me happy! And going fast is fun


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Adventure
To challenge myself
Nature
Solitude
Exercise 
Comradery 
FUN


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## robert w (Dec 14, 2010)

Catching some air makes me feel like a kid, when life was about exploring and having fun. The confidence it takes to hit a jump or a drop carries over into my work life and helps my success there. And like others, I like the outdoors, I like staying healthy.

He who dies with the best stories wins.


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## IFallDown (Mar 2, 2014)

^^^^^^^
All the above!!!!


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## chuck80442 (Oct 4, 2009)

Great answers all. For me, it's the epic combo of focus/shutting down the thinking, hefty doses of Ma nature, heading off the downhill side/slide of middle age, and fun, fun, FUN!


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## MCHB (Jun 23, 2014)

Started as a coping mechanism for anxiety and depression and eventually turned into a passion.


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## Ol Bromy (Feb 6, 2009)

Started riding for fun and I still do. Now that I've been doing it for years, I've found it to be very meditative as well. I'm also more comfortable in the woods than anywhere else.


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## Manaconda (Feb 25, 2016)

I ride for the rush, and its way less stressful on the knees etc. than most other sports as I get older.


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## OwenM (Oct 17, 2012)

A combination of many of the things already said. I have never in my life felt so completely in the moment for hours on end, so constantly challenged both physically and mentally, so triumphant over every noticeable improvement, or just had this much plain fun. Along with being very healthy, this has got to be the most enjoyable sport there is.


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

So that I can escape deep into the woods and get away from "them".

Oh crap, I hope they didn't read this.


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## Singletrackd (May 3, 2015)

Its cheaper than therapy


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## azjonboy (Dec 21, 2006)

I have always ridden for the love of outdoors and to push myself, to hear the rocks and dirt under my tires.

I don't ride much these days, five months into my 17 year old daughters treatment for leukemia, but riding is the only thing that helps me unwind.


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## JCWages (Jan 26, 2015)

Cancer recovery was the impetus and now I just love the sound of tire knobs deflecting off rocks (POP) when I pick a bad line (habitual) and I live to tell the tale. Plus I have a pretty GF who also loves to ride!

Even little jumps can be exhilarating when there is a cliff next to you.


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## JCWages (Jan 26, 2015)

azjonboy said:


> I have always ridden for the love of outdoors and to push myself, to hear the rocks and dirt under my tires.
> 
> I don't ride much these days, five months into my 17 year old daughters treatment for leukemia, but riding is the only thing that helps me unwind.


Don't loose hope. There are a lot of success stories out there to help bolster it. Hang in there.


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## azjonboy (Dec 21, 2006)

Thanks, man. I don't intend to


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## 411898 (Nov 5, 2008)

...to get to the _other side...._


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## fatcat (Mar 11, 2006)

...to get away from my wife and to enjoy mosquitoes biting my arms, legs and neck while climbing. Also to come back and see what kind of skid marks I got while riding.


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## Mazukea (Jul 9, 2012)

I ride so I can make the world a better place. 

Heal the world, make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

Mazukea said:


> I ride so I can make the world a better place.
> 
> Heal the world, make it a better place
> For you and for me and the entire human race.


Haha, that's funny!


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

I ride so that I can get to the store for smokes and beer.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

I lived on my bike back in the 70's and 80's as a kid. An 81 Mongoose Supergoose. It felt unnatural to NOT be on a bike, and especially on some dirt trail running through puddles/streams; jumping over everything; crashing; climbing trees and just chilling. Biking was a way of life. IT was always how I got to places I needed to go. EVen after getting a car, if I could, I would ride before drive.

It is total zen for me. To feel the wheels running over the ground; the air in my face...I love to ride both pavement and trails, but the forest and dirt are my home. The further away I can get from humanity, the better. There is no better feeling than looking back at atrail or obstacle that I finally tackled; just stopping and listening, smelling, and seeing the solitude in the deep forest or way off the beaten path.

I also love bikes. The look; colors; mechanical aspect; components...the techy stuff. Bikes are really cool machines, and it is cool to see how people personalize them. How people fall in love with them. 

My well loved machines:
1987 Mongoose Californian Pro - this replaced my 81 Supergoose when it got stolen <- one of the worst days in my life!!!
1994 Trek Mountain Track 830 (this bike probably has 400k miles on it; it has been a work horse...trail bike, commuter...everything)
(tax return bike on the way) Surly Krampus <- first new bike since the Trek. Can't wait till it comes in! 

The only place that gets me closer to heaven is behind my drum set


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

sXeXBMXer said:


> The only place that gets me closer to heaven is behind my drum set


For me, it's a bass guitar.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

Curveball said:


> For me, it's a bass guitar.


Awesome!
Bass is my 2nd musical love. Been playing bass for almost 35 years. Drums for 40. Used to ride my bike to the music shop and hang there for hours when we weren't riding the trails.


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

sXeXBMXer said:


> Awesome!
> Bass is my 2nd musical love. Been playing bass for almost 35 years. Drums for 40. Used to ride my bike to the music shop and hang there for hours when we weren't riding the trails.


Cool. I've been playing bass for about 30 years and guitar on and off for about 25. Bass is certainly #1 for me though.

I find it really awesome how the rhythm of playing bass and riding a mountain bike are similar.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

Curveball said:


> Cool. I've been playing bass for about 30 years and guitar on and off for about 25. Bass is certainly #1 for me though.
> 
> I find it really awesome how the rhythm of playing bass and riding a mountain bike are similar.


Absolutely!! My pedaling cadence is directly related to my understanding of rhythms from playing bass and drums. I have different "songs" that go through my head on different parts of the trail or ride. These help me get through situations where if I concentrate on the "physical hell" I am going through I would quit...having to "keep the beat going" helps me push through fatigue etc.

Love it!!


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## brownplus (Mar 31, 2005)

cause I hate people....! animal/women/children/drug/abusers.
pork eating nature destroying real estate moguls and stock broker scheming mofo's

whew....and I call myself a conservative....gotta breathe man, breathe....

but really, it's to let go of our present "world" and all the craptacularness that goes with it

and I ain't no hippy dammit!


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## Josruu (Dec 18, 2015)

I was on my bike all day long as a kid but when I turned 18 and got my locense tje bike was forgotten. I got really fat and started riding again and now im not fat anymore and the bike has turned into my very own place. every single ride is therapy and the time I ispend on the bike is time without thinking of anything else than the connection between me and the bike. And luckily I see the same passion in the eyes of my 7 year old son


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Josruu said:


> I was on my bike all day long as a kid but when I turned 18 and got my locense tje bike was forgotten. I got really fat and started riding again and now im not fat anymore and the bike has turned into my very own place. every single ride is therapy and the time I ispend on the bike is time without thinking of anything else than the connection between me and the bike. And luckily I see the same passion in the eyes of my 7 year old son


I think many of us had the same scenario. I look at my 2 nieces and nephew who all turned 16 in the last 4 years. Their mom and dad brought them up as avid bikers just like them. All 3 had good mountain bikes that were rode pretty frequently. Once they hit 16 the bikes just sat. About a month ago my sister [their mother] asked them if they were ever going to ride them again. All of them pretty much frowned upon it. She put the bikes all on Craigslist and sold them. The money went toward upgrades on her and her husband fleet of bikes. :lol::lol:

I wonder how any years down the road before they crave another bike.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> I think many of us had the same scenario. I look at my 2 nieces and nephew who all turned 16 in the last 4 years. Their mom and dad brought them up as avid bikers just like them. All 3 had good mountain bikes that were rode pretty frequently. Once they hit 16 the bikes just sat. About a month ago my sister [their mother] asked them if they were ever going to ride them again. All of them pretty much frowned upon it. She put the bikes all on Craigslist and sold them. The money went toward upgrades on her and her husband fleet of bikes. :lol::lol:
> 
> I wonder how any years down the road before they crave another bike.


At least the money went to a good cause....


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## 7Mind (Sep 11, 2015)

Stress reliever, major stress reliever. And I was handicapped, biking help strengthen my leg and allowed me to live!


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## DaveVt (Jun 13, 2005)

leeboh said:


> It quiets the voice in my head.


+1.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

Sanity.

A mind vacation when pedaling grabs my complete attention and blots out most of the complexities of daily "big city" life.


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

First and foremost, I ride for the fun & thrill of the ride. Staying in better physical condition is a wonderful by-product for me.


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## 12:00 RIDER (Apr 2, 2016)

I'm kinda just getting back into riding, and your thread made me think about it.
I played 17 years of football and spent a lot of time Olympic lifting in a weight room.
I'm 43 and showing sings of age lol, so I bought a new bike to 1)*get* *exercise* since I can't do 1/2 marathons/training anymore, and 2) because the *high you feel* when you've blasted your body and 3)feel a *sense of accomplishment* is addictive.
BUT, it also 4) gets me into* nature* and I can tune out the world with some 5)*great music* (since I usually ride solo) or with friends.


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## farfromovin (Apr 18, 2009)

My pops started me road riding at a young age, switched to MTB's in high school. Now I ride for exercise, adrenalin, and the scenery. Plus, it's nice to push yourself and beat PR's, try new trails, learn new skills, meet new friends.


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## cassa89 (Jun 30, 2014)

Nice to read that I'm not the only one who uses biking as a reliever of stress. Seems like jobs/careers are becoming a bigger and bigger part of our lives these days and the ability to balance work with life is getting increasingly difficult. Just getting on a saddle and riding for 45-60 minutes a few times a week helps clear the mind and allows my wife and I to re-focus on our 8 and 4 year old priorities, as well as one another.

My Dad hunts and fishes, some of my friends play golf every week. I ride bikes.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

cassa89 said:


> Nice to read that I'm not the only one who uses biking as a reliever of stress. Seems like jobs/careers are becoming a bigger and bigger part of our lives these days and the ability to balance work with life is getting increasingly difficult. Just getting on a saddle and riding for 45-60 minutes a few times a week helps clear the mind and allows my wife and I to re-focus on our 8 and 4 year old priorities, as well as one another.
> 
> My Dad hunts and fishes, some of my friends play golf every week. I ride bikes.


Yep. riding is my escape...my Zen. whether it is MTB or BMX, jus tto feel the wheels rolling; to be taking apart and fixing things; to "window shop" online, and drool over new bikes/parts, or other peoples bikes; finding an old bike and fixing it up; trail maintenance; teaching young'ns about riding....total escape!

Music is my other escape...and luckily it is also my 9-5, so I am really only escaping the rest of the world. Stuff outside of my job...

I see your'e a Wild fan...hockey is my 3rd escape


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## cassa89 (Jun 30, 2014)

sXeXBMXer said:


> I see your'e a Wild fan...hockey is my 3rd escape


I'm also a huge hockey fan. I live in North Dakota, so the University of North Dakota hockey is huge around here. Lucky for me, I'm a U of MN fan through and through. Talk about living in enemy territory!

Big win for the Wild last night too.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

cassa89 said:


> I'm also a huge hockey fan. I live in North Dakota, so the University of North Dakota hockey is huge around here. Lucky for me, I'm a U of MN fan through and through. Talk about living in enemy territory!
> 
> Big win for the Wild last night too.


Cool! I am a Maple Leafs fan living in C-bus Ohio <- (long story)...but I love hockey as well. I grew up a Michigan State fan in college hockey b/c my parents friends' son went there back in the 80's. He was a music guy, but also followed hockey...

I have not been home to see any playoffs. Being a Leafs fan, playoff hockey season is usually actually baseball season for me ;( maybe some day


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## MMS (Apr 11, 2011)

29er4ever said:


> Beats walkin'
> 
> With diabetes and high blood pressure running throughout my family, I made a lifestyle choice to make exercise a daily habit. Running, swimming, hiking, and weight training are okay, but riding a bike on the trail is something I do three or four days a week almost year round without getting bored. Then when I get out on the trail, I am treated to sights like this:
> 
> ...


Beautiful pics and kick ass attitude. Keep on ruling!!!


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

I occasionally ask myself this same question... 

Usually after a tumble or having to replace something on whip w/ a part made out of Unobtanium! 

Then, I'm out on next ride and forget that I'm broken and broke o_0

-----------------------------------------------------------
#1 resolution... Ride it like I stole it!!


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## pdorn (Jul 11, 2014)

Bought a bike the weekend before my girlfriend (now fiance) moved to Seattle to take a job. Thought it would help keep me busy during a long distance relationship. Fell back in love with riding a bike and haven't looked back since. It's crazy fun, gives me a reason to stay in shape, and initially helped me get through the first few months of a long distance relationship. All are great things in my mind.


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## pdxmark (Aug 7, 2013)

... To get to the other side.


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## chenko24 (Aug 16, 2013)

To start with cardio....to get out of the house, I ride with my 15 year old and we love it. we jump off things and push each other... the views can be awsome. Plus I hate the treadmil.


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## c8stom (May 19, 2015)

Adenaline rush, endorphins rush and weightloss but most of all, I just love the freedom to ride in some lovely places I'd never reach by foot or car.


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## avidthrasher (Jan 27, 2016)

There is an option not to ride?

But honestly, I've been on a bike since as far back as I can remember (and probably farther given my memory). It's a part of me. It's part of what makes me go...whether currently on a bike or not. There have been times in my life when I've not been able to ride and it has a tremendous bereavement to my way of life. I am not whole without riding in my life. I ride because riding is living and living is riding for me. There is not one without the other.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

avidthrasher said:


> There is an option not to ride?
> 
> But honestly, I've been on a bike since as far back as I can remember (and probably farther given my memory). It's a part of me. It's part of what makes me go...whether currently on a bike or not. There have been times in my life when I've not been able to ride and it has a tremendous bereavement to my way of life. I am not whole without riding in my life. I ride because riding is living and living is riding for me. There is not one without the other.


I can definitely relate to this. All of my hockey friends talk about being able to skate before they could walk. For me, this is biking. Pretty much from 4-16 I lived on my bikes. I love the way they look, feel, sound....I remember trying to fix them on my own when I was young...I always take note of pretty much every bike I see....brand; set up; equipment....

first bike was a black Huffy Thunder Road. I loved that bike. Rode it till the seat was shredded and the rims were bent

next was a yellow Schwinn 10 speed...it did not last long b/c I pretty much rode it like a dirt bike

then came my first real bike that I bought...my 1981 Mongoose Supergoose. THE BIKE. Worked 2 summers for that mowing lawns etc. It got stolen 4 months after I got it. Devistaiton.

Tried a mo-ped when they came out. Had a Puch for a minute, but it was not the thing.

Got my 88 Mongoose Californian Pro finally and then my Trek MT 830.

3 weeks ago, got my first bike in 20+ years...my Surly Krampus!!!

Now looking to build a new BMX bike...

always thinking about riding!!!


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## CHIEF500 (Aug 30, 2012)

A lot of great reads and reasons:



cookieMonster said:


> I've loved bikes ever since I was 6 years old and my dad gave me a Schwinn Stingray 20" for my birthday. The freedom, efficiency, and thrill of riding bikes has been with me for 32 years and shows no signs of letting up.
> 
> I've competed in all sorts of disciplines including bmx, XC, DH, enduro, and even a dual slalom or two -- loved it all.
> 
> Nowadays, I do it because I'm good at it and it clears my mind from life's day to day stresses (which are overwhelming, currently). More and more often, it's to maintain fitness as well, since I can no longer partake in distance running (very little cartilage left in my knees). I still ride fast and jump and whatnot -- but that's not the primary reason I ride anymore. It's about the whole package. Because when I'm riding, I'm not working or worrying.


Brought a BIG smile making me remember my Stingray. Thanx for that.



leeboh said:


> It quiets the voice in my head.


I think it does that for a lot of us.



White7 said:


> I ride because i'm fat,I downhill because it's ,,,downhill





Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> It's all fer da hot chicks man!


AND funny.


azjonboy said:


> I have always ridden for the love of outdoors and to push myself, to hear the rocks and dirt under my tires.
> 
> I don't ride much these days, five months into my 17 year old daughters treatment for leukemia, but riding is the only thing that helps me unwind.


Thoughts and prayers to you and your family.

I used to run, back surgery in 2000 stopped ALL of that. By 2010 I had had enough. Bought a beach cruiser and pushed that around town until it wasn't enough. I needed faster. A new addiction was started. I got a Crosstrail, I still have it a ride it daily, it fits me. I got a single speed but it wasn't for me and looking to get ride of it. Wife will ride the beach cruiser. I had a back issue last June that kept me off the bike. I was a defeat that didn't sit well with me. I rehabbed twice and this time I'm back out on my bike. Feeling the breeze again, big smiles. Now I'm looking fat for better workout. We'll see if I get there. At 62, over weight but working on it with another serious addiction of surf fishing it's keeps me busy.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

I ride because I can.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

Love nature, the challenge (it will always be a challenge lol) and the escape it provides from life. I wish I could ride more but as full time care giver for my Mom it presents its challenges. Sometimes I hire a nurse just so I can get out and ride, as her Alzheimer's develops is harder and harder to leave her alone. 

Not to mention all the cool people that are in this sport. Hopefully I can get out this Saturday.


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## Fix the Spade (Aug 4, 2008)

It's cheaper than drugs.
Safer than motocross.
Doesn't need good weather like sky diving.
It's as much fun without a partner as with...


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Fix the Spade said:


> It's cheaper than drugs.


I wouldn't be so sure of this statement.


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## avidthrasher (Jan 27, 2016)

Fix the Spade said:


> It's cheaper than drugs.
> Safer than motocross.
> Doesn't need good weather like sky diving.
> It's as much fun without a partner as with...


Lol, I like this answer!

And it's more fun without a partner than some other activities...
(As an aside I once told my wife that a great bike ride is better than mediocre sex, to which she replied "I wouldn't know I've never had mediocre sex". lol, gotta love a woman that can keep me on my toes!)

This is a great thread, have loved reading all the replies. The passion we all share for the sport really shows!


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## dhg4410 (Dec 13, 2015)

Anther tough year for my Bruins.


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## avidthrasher (Jan 27, 2016)

dhg4410 said:


> Anther tough year for my Bruins.


Same . Cool to see a number of fellow hockey fans in here too. Don't run into too many here in the states that are really into it outside of the areas with strong fan bases.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

CHIEF500 said:


> A lot of great reads and reasons:
> 
> Brought a BIG smile making me remember my Stingray. Thanx for that.
> 
> ...


Wow, thanks for sharing!


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

avidthrasher said:


> Same . Cool to see a number of fellow hockey fans in here too. Don't run into too many here in the states that are really into it outside of the areas with strong fan bases.


Leafs fan here. Have been since the late 70's. Living in Central Ohio. Long story about how I became a Leafs fan. Wendel Clark is my boy. I wear #17 when I play. Also Borje Salming, Frank Mahvolich, Tie Domi...

Spent my youth either on a bike, on the ice, or on a bike on my way to the rink!! Even tried to ride my bike on ice a couple times in college when my friend was one of the rink managers at Ohio State's classic little ice rink...that was sort of fun....spent many a night after hours in that rink skating, sleeping....


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## misterbill (Aug 13, 2014)

Thanks for the response Shawn-I decided to delete this. I was having a bad day-sometimes I get overwhelmed.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

^ It's very easy for people say things and not realize what circumstances, the person they are talking to, are coming from. I know I have done that and regretted it. People in some parts of California aren't all that friendly. Certainly not in So. Cal.. I remember on time going up to San Luis Obispo, walking through the parking lot and people saying hello as I passed by. I just about fell over from the shock. People aren't like that down here. I'm not sure CA would be such a good place for you to spend a lot of time. But, the riding and weather is fantastic.


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## SeaBass_ (Apr 7, 2006)

To turn my brain off from the daily grind for a couple hrs.
And so I can eat more. I like to eat!


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

^^^ I have to agree completely. Riding allows me to push the RESET button.


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## Mr Pink57 (Jul 30, 2009)

A few reasons.

1. Stress reliever

2. Life is filled with a lot of boring mundane things, tonight I have to go to a party celebrating someone getting their PhD; you're 35 years old, just get a job and move on.

3. Items for cars are expensive (gas, parking, maintenance).


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## DrumsXO (May 2, 2016)

I ride for quite a few reasons, honestly. I'll list them out in the order that they pop into my head.

1) It's a great way to relive stress.

2) It's a great way to stay in shape (



).

3) It gets me out of the house, and I imagine it's gonna bring me to some truly amazing places that I might not have gone to otherwise.

4) I love nature; hiking, Geocaching, etc. MTB is just one more way I can get out into the wild!

5) It's a lot of ****ing fun!

6) I've got a feeling I'll make friends through it.

I'm sure there's more that I can't think of at the moment, lol.


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## Krudler (Sep 21, 2014)

Riding a bike has been my escape since I was a kid. Back then when things were bad it was my only sense of control and freedom. I could jump on my bike and I felt I could go anywhere. 

I lived in a remote area on a farm with my mom but on weekends we used to go to my Aunts apartment in the city. It was the mid 80s and there was breakdancing and BMX. My 2 older cousins tolerated me and my Kmart bike when they would ride the streets with their friends, tear through mall parking lots and find cool things to jump behind factories late into the night. I longed after their Hutches, Haros, Redlines and Kuwahara's.

I got into flatland bmx in the 90s but it was a lonely sport in the city I was living in. I bought my first real mountain bike used from a friend in grade 9 with some money I had saved pumping gas and I've been an addict ever since. That was 1994 I think.

Biking of any kind is meditation for me. With mountain biking specifically the chattering in my brain goes quiet and it's just me, my bike and nature. When I'm done I have an afterglow that lasts for hours.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

^^^ That's what it's all about!


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

gratefulshred said:


> Why do you ride?


give me one good reason not too

thats why..........


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## jacomountainbiking (May 23, 2016)

It's kind of like that quote "Into the forest I go, to lose my mind and to find my soul." I feel the most "connected" or maybe it's more like "disconnected" while in the saddle. I had no idea of how addictive riding was when I first started and now three years later, I'm riding 6 or 7 days/week.


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## Fuzzle (Mar 31, 2015)

There is some neat stuff here.

I've always loved bikes. Back in the 70's my dream was to have a Schwinn Varsity road bike or at least one that wasn't all rusty. 

I became serious when I was 21. My mom passed away and things were really tough at home. I saved my money and bought a shiny new red rust free road bike. I rode by myself almost every day up in the hills of Mulholland Drive.

When I want to think or problem solve I ride easy by myself. When I feel sad or anxious I find minor risk taking is a good way to cope. 

I'm not thinking about the lion in the room when I'm trying not to crash or fall off a cliff.


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## RockiesRipper (Sep 1, 2008)

I mostly ride to make days like this easier:









Mind tossing @peteyknight5 a vote here?
https://www.norco.com/adventurebeginshere/


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## aborgman (Apr 18, 2016)

I love the outdoors... that is why I hunt, snowboard, and mountain bike.

I love the adrenaline rush... that is why I snowboard and mountain bike.

I love the concentration necessary to keep from dying and how you can't think about mundane BS... that is why I snowboard and mountain bike.


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## gravelynp (Aug 28, 2009)

To make my wife happy(apparently I'm crabby when I don't ride). to see new places, and to be outside shredding some great singletrack


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## ridein-out (Sep 11, 2016)

Besides exhilarating fun, nature and fitness, sometimes you just need to ZONE OUT or zone in? Forget about everything for a bit...


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## acfsportsfan (Aug 13, 2004)

After work rides is for stress relief, weekend rides are for the sheer joy/fun!


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## rogsim (May 4, 2012)

What everyone else said.


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## bondek (May 5, 2010)

1. Solitude
2. Freedom
3. Rush
4. Feeling like dying makes you feel alive
5. Sense of accomplishment
6. Clearing that obstacle you have failed so many other times.
7. Ending a ride, taking your shirt off, rolling the windows down, jamming to the music with the bike on top of the car, feeling like your in high school crusing the strip for ladies again


"Life is an adventure, Enjoy the Ride!" This is what I put on people's weddings cards.


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## gunsanplanes (Mar 26, 2011)

I'm 54 and allowed myself to become a fat tub.
I hate exercise, but I've always loved biking....once I found it again about 10 years ago.
I can't say that I've managed to get my weight in check, but I'm trying, and mountain biking is good for me even if I never dropped a pound.

I hate all that is roads, or even paved rail trails, but I love trails, unpaved rail trails or real trails. I'm fortunate enough to have both in my state and I get out when I can.
I work 12 hr nights, and it isn't always easy to find the time.

I just plain enjoy the hell out of riding in the woods.

I just need to get up to speed on prices, as a guy who just pedaled the things and never got "into it", although I'm trying hard to learn. I was thinking my Raleigh Talus 8 was expensive at $650 six years ago, but I'm ready to pull the trigger on a Trek Fuel EX 8.....$3,200...yikes! I look around and that kind of money apparently isn't a lot anymore when it comes to these things. I figure you only go around once, so I'm going to treat myself, then ride the hell out of it.

My rule is 3 or 30, 3 hours or 30 miles....I've pushed myself and that's about where I'm done for. Got 2 hrs 45 minutes yesterday.

Gee, just noticed....6th post since 2011, I'm becoming a post-whore.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

gunsanplanes said:


> I'm 54 and allowed myself to become a fat tub.
> I hate exercise, but I've always loved biking....once I found it again about 10 years ago.
> I can't say that I've managed to get my weight in check, but I'm trying, and mountain biking is good for me even if I never dropped a pound.
> 
> ...


How fat are we talkin' about? And, how tall. I mean, give us some numbers to work with here.


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## gunsanplanes (Mar 26, 2011)

You want me to expose my soft white underbelly...so-to-speak?

I'm game.
I've lost an inch over the years, I'm on the wrong side of the hill, down to 5' 10"
My weight has been all over the map, as high as 312, down to 255 up to over 3 again. I've lost 70 pounds twice, forty here, 30 over there....absolutely terrible. I saw over 3 again earlier in the year, I'm at 285 right now. Wife met me at 157...I wasn't always a fat tub, but I sure am now 

I'm only just recently learning more about bikes, I was that guy that just got on and rode, not really knowing squat about quality, fit, features, and components...didn't even care as long as it went and took me where I wanted to go, but things are different now, I want to know more about my ride.

Once I got a license, back in '78, cars were in, bikes were out. I only bought my 1st Raleigh M20 maybe 10 years ago, entry level and $220. Thought that I'd step it up a bit and bought a Raleigh Talus 8 in 2011, what I thought was expensive at $650.
I have a Surly Moonlander for trails I know need it (soft sand sucks) but it isn't for everywhere, and I want my 1st full suspension, so off to my next bike and keeping the Talus as a loaner for those crazy fools that might agree to go out with me.

I'm mere weeks away from ordering a Trek Fuel EX 8 29er, Already have Razor Hoof building me wheels so I don't wreck the stock ones. His wheels and the bike with a few add-ons should set me back $4,000....holy-O-cow....that's getting to be serious cash, but the more I read here, I guess it isn't really serious cash, just so-so money to spend on a bike.

I enjoy trails more than rail trails, but I end up doing trails more by myself, I don't have many that ride with me, and they like easy-peasy rail trails, though 25 to 30 miles on them and I'm tired enough myself, I'd rather 10 miles of harder trail trails.

I don't have any skills to speak of, get into areas where I'm petrified I'm going to go over the front, but have a ball. I enjoy myself even when I hit sections where it becomes hike-a-bike, those areas just too steep and rocky to pedal and I have to push the thing. (Hall Mtn. trail in Bear Brook state park fr anyone that knows it) 

That's long enough of a reply for now...

OK, one last thought, seeing as it's "passion". 
I can't ride 40 miles in one shot, 30 is about it. We drove 2hr 40 minutes to get to a rail trail that is only 20 miles long, 40 total out and back, but we broke it in half to be able to do it. 2hrs 40 minutes to do a ten out and ten back, then drive up there again to finish the other 10 out and ten back, longer driving than riding....I love this stuff!


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

Go get that bike! You'll be back to being fit in no time. And don't worry, we all have to get out and push once in a while. 40 miles is a pretty long ride for even a lot of fit people. You'll be ok man!


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## gunsanplanes (Mar 26, 2011)

I obligated to the bike when I ordered the fat-man wheel set from Razor Hoof.
It's a good/bad thing. After 17 years here I'm getting outsourced, the shift I'm on right now is my last. The new company can't match what we had, so they will be cutting us a check to offset it, that money will get me the bike.
Can't wait to get it.


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## terrasmak (Jun 14, 2011)

I forget my problems, clear my head and feel like a kid again.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Coz it's frickin awesome!!!

Sent from my kltedv using Tapatalk


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

It's fun. It's a stress relief. It's fun.


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## singlesprocket (Jun 9, 2004)




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## coalt45 (Mar 12, 2016)

Friendship, challenging, fun as hell, the rush of pushing the limits and the laughter from stories after/during/as it happens


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## wreckster (May 22, 2014)

In these days of long hours, odd hour jobs, high bills, high stress.. I choose to live. I did my time going to work every day, coming home to eat and watch the tube, then going to sleep. I became very unhealthy both physically and mentally because of it. It put my marriage on the rocks in a bad way. Same story a lot of guys riding can relate to, riding is what keeps me waking up every day with a smile. I enjoy getting back home hours later muddy, bruised, scraped up and with a smile from ear to ear. The wife just shakes her head, but she gets it, I'm giddy as a little kid when I get to pedal. Going out and playing on the bike, Coming back home with stories of stoke, that's what keeps the smile on my face, keeps me coming back for more. 

I also love the mechanical aspect of it. All the parts, upgrades, new technologies. There is a special connection to the mechanics of a bicycle in how it all works together with one's self so simply. 

I choose to spin my wheels in the dirt instead of behind a desk. The desk job is just a means to living life, not my life itself. Took me some time to remember that.


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## OffTheTop (Sep 20, 2015)

Call me a curmudgeon, but I use the words "fulfilling" and "enjoyable" over "fun" to describe mountain biking, though most of the time, my rides are indeed fun .

It's a good stress reliever, good exercise, and I like the positive vibes I usually get from other riders. Also the scenery out here is killer and riding in it is one of the best ways to experience it.

I started riding because it looked fun riding through the trees in the forest on a narrow path. This was at a bike park initially. Indeed, it was fun, but there was a learning curve and for years of infrequent riding, climbs were a killjoy. I can climb some steep stuff now, and for the most part get to the trails I want to get to, but the climb itself definitely isn't fun. Instead, it is a challenge that I now feel the need to prove to myself that I can do it.

Going down hill on a smooth or rocky trail with the wind in my hair and the beautiful views: THAT is fun .

I used to be someone that lived to work and I burned out. When I finish school and return to work full time, I have a new perspective. Mountain biking is my hobby, there is a community here, it keeps me in good shape and health, and I finally have something enjoyable to spend money on.


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## RoddyMcWolfenstein (Dec 11, 2006)

I always ask myself why I ride, and of course there are many reasons. Constant battle of joy and pain, misery and exhilaration. I never could quite wrap my brain around it, but today I stumbled on an article in DirtRag, written by Sarah Hansing. The words she wrote put it all into perspective....this is indeed why I ride....

"It’s nothing special. Just a bike. Just some dirt trail in the woods. Most people probably wouldn’t even know that it was there, just a misplaced patch of nature alongside the beltway. But I know better. I know that if you ride your bike into those woods, along that trail, something incredible happens. You become … you. Not your job, not your relationships, not your bills, your problems, your mundane daily routines or your midlife crisis. If you ride your bike into those woods, along that rooted, rock-strewn trail, you have done more than just take your life into your own hands; you’ve earned your freedom. You pick the line through the rock garden, the best way around slippery tree roots, the speed at which you approach the “holy-crap-that-wasn’t-there-before!” log ramp (which quite possibly lacks ramping on the other side). The choices are yours to make: left instead of right, over instead of around, kamikaze abandon instead of cautious deliberation.

You choose.

It could be blind faith in your riding partner’s ability to pick a good line. It could be instinct or reflex or reaction. Maybe, just maybe, it could even be a logical comparison of action and consequence. Regardless—when you ride your bike into those woods, each minute is spent dictating your direction, choosing your destiny. And even if it is the wrong choice, know that it is yours and yours alone. You made it. You own it. You probably even have scars to prove it. And when you find yourself begrudgingly at work, when you grow annoyed with daily routines, details and “to do” lists, sneak a look at those scars. Long for singletrack. Lust for freedom. Find meaning in the most ordinary of places...."






Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Joel Fitzgerald (Feb 4, 2014)

dunleavy said:


> That's my number one reason. I have a hard time shutting down my brain. If I start thinking about work while I'm riding, I crash. Being in the woods, exercising, and having fun are reasons I ride as well.


Yep one of my main reasons.. Along with fun, fitness.. But it's my mediation almost.


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## Koffing (Oct 11, 2016)

I can't imagine a life without adventure and excitement.


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## gravelynp (Aug 28, 2009)

__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=931992756816359


Much steeper than it looks in this video


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

Solo rides are my favorite because you really get to escape it all.


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## dtomilson (Sep 19, 2016)

For the exhilaration and fun of it. Clear ones head and be on my own and just fly.
It gives me chub just thinking about it.


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## Joel Fitzgerald (Feb 4, 2014)

jcd46 said:


> Solo rides are my favorite because you really get to escape it all.


Yep Solo rides are often my favourite.. Good riding with some mates. But love just being out there by myself.


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## Ozcruiser3000 (Oct 12, 2016)

Transport, beats walking hate walking. Can be better than driving for shorter trips. No petrol parking tickets speeding tickets can park anywhere can go anywhere.
Fun. Exercise. Sport. Speed.
Riding out to the remote wilderness where no one else is, nature and all that.


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## Red Leg 2 (May 4, 2014)

When there are voices in my head, I focus on the trail and they go away.:crazy:


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## Red Leg 2 (May 4, 2014)

Yes, the next ride provides the answer to the question we occasionally ask ourselves.


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## Vandals (Oct 21, 2018)

Commuting gets me out of my comfort zone and is good exercise. Road rides are a chance to push my endurance limits for my legs. Single track is a chance to work everything and challenge my coordination and decision making under stress. How much do I really see and what important things do I miss. Every ride is a chance to improve in some way.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

It's all fer da hotties!


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

Bikes are beautiful.
The woods are beautiful.
I like endorphins.
Exercise make me sleep better.
If I stop moving I'll freeze up like the Tin Man.


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## andytiedye (Jul 26, 2014)

Gasp4Air said:


> Bikes are beautiful.
> The woods are beautiful.
> I like endorphins.
> Exercise make me sleep better.
> If I stop moving I'll freeze up like the Tin Man.


This

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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

I guess I ride cause I have a bike and it likes getting ridden. I'm just catering to my bikes inner needs.


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