The Old Guy Bicycle Blog

Breaking the Slump: How I Reignited My Cycling Motivation As a cyclist, there's nothing quite like training for a big event. The structure, the goals, the anticipation—it gives your rides purpose and energy. But what happens when that momentum fades and you find yourself making excuses to skip the saddle? That, my friends, is a training slump —and yes, it happens to all of us. 🚲 My Experience with a Training Slump In 2020 , I was deep into preparation for a cycling tour across Texas , scheduled for the brutal heat of July . I’d done long rides before, but this one felt different. I had trained for months and was genuinely excited. Then, about three months before the event , it hit. My energy dipped. My motivation nosedived. I started skipping rides or cutting them short. I told myself it was just temporary, but days turned into weeks. I was stuck. If you're there now—or you’ve been there—you know how tough it is. But the good news is, you can ride your way out of it. H...

Every cyclist, no matter how experienced, goes through slumps. Maybe it’s a streak of bad weather, an injury, or just one of those days when getting on the bike feels harder than it should. I've been there too—and if you're reading this, you probably have as well. The good news is that motivation isn't about always being fired up. It’s about having tools in your back pocket to keep going when things get hard. Here are some ways I—and many other cyclists—stay motivated when the ride gets rough: 1. Set Achievable Goals Having a goal gives your rides purpose. But the key is to make those goals realistic and measurable. Instead of something vague like “get better at cycling,” try “ride 50 miles in under 4 hours” or “increase weekly mileage by 10%.” Break your big goals into smaller ones: Ride 30 miles in under 2.5 hours. Improve average speed by 1 mph. Add one longer ride per week. And don’t forget to celebrate small victories! Each step forward is proof you...