Cars

I really enjoy cycling, but there are external factors that can demotivate me, for sure.

In the winter, it’s road salt. Not so much that I have to clean my bike more often, but the stuff destroys components and steel frames, and you can never really clean it all off. And the amount of salt that my municipality dumps on paths ends being more hazardous than ice!

Other things that I’m not a fan of:

• having to worry about theft, and having to bring 6 lbs of locks every time I plan to stop at a store.
• poorly connected infrastructure or a lack of infrastructure; I have 10 options to go north and south, but almost none that run east/west. And my municipality lacks multiuse paths along major roads where the neighbouring three have them… this is aggravating beyond belief!
• poorly maintained infrastructure. I’ve opted for dangerous roads rather than some bike paths, just because those bike paths are so uncomfortable to ride on in their state.
• not having a place to park my bike at a destination; further annoyed by the fact that car parking lots are near empty at some stores.
• cars/large trucks + aggressive drivers. Some people drive like they are in a video game, and expect the consequences of their actions to be zero.
• Sweat can be annoying, but it really depends on the effort you’re putting out, more than the environment; an e-bike would solve this for 99% of people.
• headwind is fine; I see it as a way to get some extra training in. But winds of 40km/h + are downright awful.
• Not having the ability to legally make an Idaho Stop is something I hate, so I do them “illegally”. Forcing any cyclist to wait at an empty intersection for the light to change (sometimes 10+ minutes), only to further insult them by never having the light change unless a car is there, is discriminatory. Cycling can save time over driver, but only if car infrastructure doesn’t interfere.

Roughly in order:

• Cars
• Shit weather (rain, strong winds, snow)
• Having to clean the damn thing

[email protected]

NIMBYs that don’t care for cycling friendly infrastructure

Dickheads in cars on their phones that will run me over and kill me from behind one day. RIP me. But it’s been a hell of as ride until that point in the future.

Ooh, and freehub incompatibility and different “standards” fuck those.

Sweat. I hate it. The feeling shen you arrive somewhere and the cold, sweaty clothes next to your body…

Headwind is the most annoying for sure. But sweat, to me, is just the worst.

Reactive dogs that try to chew the rear wheel and your ankles off.

Flats.

I’m very close to going tubeless, as my bike is ready for it.

But this month I’ve had three flats that luckily I was able to finish my rides before noticing - only to find out the next morning.

But my tire beads are really tough to get off the rim, so it’s always a fight to change a tube.

Currently my derailleur. No matter how I adjust it it seems like at least one gear will click a tiny bit and try to jump. I’m thinking maybe I bent my hanger slightly as it is driving me up the wall!

Also brake pads -_-