There’s no such thing as a bad ride

This is a statement of fact. Full stop. Unless there is a lot of blood, but more on that at the end.
It may have been a hard ride, or a wet ride, or a windy ride, or a cold ride, but it was not a bad ride.
Did you train? Yes. Did you get fitter or stronger? You hope. Did you at least maintain your fitness level? That was the intention. Did you come back in one piece? Yes. Did you melt in the rain, or freeze into an icicle? No, of course not. Did you feel good after the ride? No, you felt great, despite the conditions. Even some light road rash which does not force an ‘abandon’ does not qualify the ride as a bad ride. You may be sore for a few days, but that is part of cycling.

I am amazed that after every club ride on a Saturday, as I walk in for coffee (a compulsory activity for any self-respecting cyclist), I am asked, not once, but several times: “How was your ride?” It’s a rhetorical question. The answer should be obvious. The mere fact that I am there, standing before you all sweaty, or wet, or muddy, is the answer. The ride was great. I had a great ride, thank you. After discussing the conditions, the average speed, the bunch, how much I suffered, and any number of other ride-related topics, I know that the rest of the day will be good.
I walked into the clubhouse after a ride one morning, and as usual someone asked one of my friends and a very senior cyclist how his ride was. “Do you see any blood?” replied my friend. There was none, so that brought a quick end to the discussion and some giggling from those in earshot. It had obviously been a good ride.

My legs will feel tired; my body will be tired. I will have earned the feeling, and what would a Saturday be about without that? And what about the endorphins? I will have earned the right to eat just about anything, and to relax for the rest of the day if I want to.

I can remember some years ago being on the road with some friends early on a Saturday morning, and riding past the remains of the Friday night joll in the suburb of Sunninghill. There were still many people there, spilled in the gardens of the establishment, close to the road, and still consuming alcohol. As we rode past them, they started whistling and catcalling in good humour. We waved and rode on. Clearly the all-nighters thought we were crazy, out on bicycles while they were still partying, and we thought the same in reverse. Who is still partying at cycling time? Which was the crazy group and who was going to have a better day and weekend; the revellers or us? It did not require too much debate for us; after all, who lets it all hang out for a night and compromises the rest of the weekend? Certainly not cyclists. Cyclists spend their lives planning the next ride as well as working on ways to make the ride easier and faster.
Cyclists do their best to enjoy the ride, even if it means going to bed early on Friday nights. We don’t think this is a compromise. Our Friday night fun happens on Saturday mornings and does not include alcohol poisoning. This may well include a post-ride caffeine intake, however. Cyclists who take themselves seriously will seldom, almost never, compromise a ride through some reckless or impulsive activity. We plan our recklessness in advance. We will make sure no ride is compromised, because it’s too important to be able to stay in the bunch and enjoy the ride. And besides, our bodies are weapons, right? Any day when there is no ride the next day is ok for small joll, but seldom to the extent which requires extensive recovery. That is too high a price to pay.
Even if, by some strange quirk of fate, we should start a ride in a mildly compromised manner, the ride would still be a good ride; we would get rid of any lingering poison or lack of sleep and enjoy the rest of the day. The obvious conclusion is that there is no such thing as a bad ride. You ride, you suffer, you enjoy.

The other end of the ‘good ride’ spectrum is any ride which you do not finish on your own steam for any reason whatsoever. It can be caused by anything from a mechanical problem to a crash serious enough to cause an ‘abandon’, or worse, a crash requiring an ambulance. Cyclists know that there are only two types of cyclists: those who have crashed, and those who are going to crash. Most cyclists fall into the former category and have the scars to prove it. Happily, most bike crashes are not serious enough to require a lift home, but every cyclist also knows that coming off your bicycle, even at slow speed, will be sore.

Keep those levers turning; stay alert; the ride will be great.