Discovering The Key To Consistency In Your Cycling Journey

By Andrew on July 17, 2023 • ( 1 Comment )

By Jake Lakes

No matter how passionate you are about cycling, the motivation to get on your bike and ride is simply not always there. This feeling often hits during the winter months but it can also strike year-round, especially if you’re struggling to incorporate cycling into your daily life. We all know how hard it can be to get back on track, and that is why we prepared a list of tips that will help you stay consistent with your cycling journey.

Set Personal Goals

To keep yourself motivated, try to come up with a goal or two that you would like to achieve soon. Whether you’d like to take part in a big race or any other event, or you’re simply looking to get in shape or spend more time in the outdoors, striving for a particular goal will help you get on your bike even in times when you’d rather just sit on the couch.

Once you have a clear goal in mind, you can note it down in your diary, stick it on the wall, or just keep it in your head. The goal can have any due date you’re comfortable with, but as long as it’s there, it will serve as an incredible motivator.

Create a Schedule

Sometimes all you need is a little structure, and if you create a schedule for regular rides, each of them will become an event on your calendar. And if you already have some goals to meet, you can also search for expert tips for your bike trips that will support your schedule and your new training plan.

If you know exactly what you’re supposed to do on a weekly or even daily basis, it becomes much easier to hold yourself accountable for your actions and keep working to fulfil your next dream. Keep track of progress by marking days on your calendar whenever you complete a ride. That way you will have a visual reminder that will encourage you to stay consistent.

Invite Friends to Join

It is easy to get into the habit of staying in and chilling with Netflix or any other source of home entertainment. But if you think about it, you will realize that cycling is one of the best ways to find new friends and focus on your mental health.

If you already have a buddy or a group of friends who are into cycling, you are pretty much set up for success. From that point on, you can schedule group rides in advance so you can all keep each other motivated in the long run. However, if none of your friends is into outdoor activities, you can always find a local club and become a member. There is nothing better for your motivation than the challenge of riding with other like-minded individuals.

Try Different Disciplines

When you’re constantly riding the same old loops, it is easy to fall into a rut and lose interest, no matter how passionate you may have been when you started. Therefore, you should consider exploring unknown roads in your area, or even some exciting new disciplines. Even though road cycling is the most popular discipline among amateur riders, there are so many different categories you can pursue.

No matter how well-trained you are, you can try out all sorts of disciplines including cyclocross, touring bikes, e-bikes, gravel and mountain bike tours, and BMX rides. Soon enough, you may discover that your adrenaline levels tend to jump much higher when you ride through mud, grass, or gravel

Introduce Treats and Rewards

Sometimes having a goal just isn’t enough, and your mind will seek additional external rewards to stay motivated. If that is the case with you, try to set up a reward program that will encourage you to hit the road even when you hardly feel like doing so. The beauty of this strategy lies in the fact that the reward can be anything you can think of.

For example, you can challenge yourself to reach the top of a pretty high hill so you can rest there for a while and enjoy the incredible view it offers. On the contrary, you can go for a much simpler trick where you will treat yourself with some pastries and a cup of coffee in your favorite café once you’re done with the route.

Cycling is one of the most beneficial activities out there, and if you have any interest in it, it would be a shame to give it up. However, we all tend to lose motivation every once in a while, and those are the times when we need a plan that will help us stay determined. Now that you’ve read some ideas on how to stay consistent, you can start creating a cycling schedule that you’ll be able to stick with.

LATEST CYCLING EUROPE POSTS:

Subscribe to the Cycling Europe YouTube Channel

**Visit the dedicated Grand Tour page of CyclingEurope.org to find out more about the 2022 cycle along some of western Europe’s most iconic cycle routes**.

Since 2009, CyclingEurope.org has established itself as a valued, FREE cycle touring resource. There’s now even a podcast, The Cycling Europe Podcast. If you enjoy the website and the podcast, please consider supporting the work of CyclingEurope.org with a donation. More information here.

Catch up with The Cycling Europe Podcast: