Cycling’s Bad Rides Suck Factor Guide
Last Updated: November 24, 2025 Cyclling’s Bad Rides Suck Factor Guide Quick Answer: Every cyclist has bad rides—but some hit harder than others. I use a blunt 3-level “Suck Factor” rating to describe how far off the rails things went: from tough-but-manageable rides… all the way to the ones that end with a walk home or a rescue truck. Why We Need a “Suck Factor” Scale If you’ve been riding long enough—especially as a 70-year-old senior cyclist—then you already know this truth: not every ride is magical . Some are fine, some are irritating, and a few are so miserable you question every life choice that got you onto two wheels. Instead of pretending every ride is sunshine, I started rating my bad rides using a simple, brutally honest 3-level system. Here’s how I measure how badly a bad ride really sucks. 🚲 Suck Factor 1: The Ride Just… Sucks This is your garden-variety “something’s off today” ride. Nothing catastrophic. Nothing dramatic. You’re jus...
