Biking vs. Driving: Which is better?

casualharbor9 said:Maybe I’m just being a bit too sentimental—I think I finally found my people here...
Most folks looked at me like I had two heads when I tried explaining why I ride through everything—summer heat, freezing winters, day or night, rain, snow, rough trails, you name it...

You aren't crazy
You just really, really love your bike😁

driftingcanyon16 said:You aren't crazy.
You just happen to be absolutely obsessed with your bike. 😁

Well, finally... someone gets it.
Thanks. I feel a little better now. 😂

casualharbor9 said:Man, finally someone...
Thanks, I'm feeling a lot better now! 😂

No problem at all 🙂

The bike is my main ride, obviously!! I only grab the car twice a month for work—that's it. People act so surprised that I actually want to pedal through the freezing rain and whatever else, but honestly? Some people just get that it's a lifestyle choice.

casualharbor9 said:Most people just thought I was out of my mind, ...

I mean, can you blame them? No sane person is gonna cruise around in that summer heat or through a freezing winter blizzard for huge mileage without getting pulled over by the cops once in a while.😁
I'm crazy, sure, but honestly? I'm pretty proud of it.😁

Patrick King7 said:Now, I’m a massive driving enthusiast! I drive everything, everywhere, at any hour, in any direction, all the time. If you woke me up in the dead of night and told me to drive to Romania—making sure to emphasize that you’re paying for the gas—I’d be out the door and on the highway before you could finish the sentence!
BUT: there is absolutely nothing like the rush you get when you hop on a bicycle and time just starts to become a relative concept. Just try getting from one side of the city to the other in thirty or forty minutes using a car, a streetcar, or a bus (or even a motorcycle without breaking every single traffic law in the book)! It’s impossible. And don't even get me started on those moments when there's a miles-long traffic jam and I’m just flying right past them. They’re cursing under their breath while I’m sitting here with a grin on my face; they’re stuck at a red light, while I’m cruising through a red light; they see green and they're idling, while I see green and I'm moving! Honestly, the thrill is off the charts. And that’s not even mentioning the feeling of riding down the old trail near Arlington National Cemetery! People probably think I’ve lost my mind—and honestly, my bike probably thinks so too—but what can I say?😂
I’ve tried riding slowly, really, but I can barely manage about a hundred yards before the momentum just takes over and carries me away.🤷
Even on wet pavement, I just love being on a bike. I feel as free as a bird—and there have actually been times where I felt pretty much like one! Then there are the bursts of speed, or bouncing along a gravel path, or taking it steady up toward Mount Rainier via the road or through the woods, only to tear down the asphalt on the way back and weave around cars. Or you go off-road on the dirt and your kidneys start aching... man, it's pure madness!!

I always keep a backpack on me; I cram everything and anything into it, plus a little extra for good measure. If I need to pick something up in town and it fits in the pack—provided it isn't negative 800 degrees outside—then I’m taking the bike. I’ve ridden through snow, too. I always make sure to get a few miles in right after New Year's celebrations while everyone else is still sleeping off the festivities. Besides, Patrick King7, bike rider just look at the signature.

Care😁 🙏🙏🙏

silenttrucker67 said:Care😁🙏🙏🙏

And honestly, that's just how it is. It's basically rocket fuel 😁

Jesse Williams2 said:I’d love to hear from those of you who own a car or a motorcycle—how do you feel about cycling when you already have those options available?

Because at the end of the day, a car is just a way to get from A to B, but a bicycle? That's a passion.

Look, I love cycling just as much as the next guy—it’s a passion for sure—but there are definitely those days where the motivation just isn't there, you know? Especially when the weather turns all gloomy and miserable...

driftingcanyon16 said:It’s honestly just like that. Rocket propulsion 😁

It's not exactly rocket science—I saw some kind of chain on a bike once🤷, but hey, I'm trying!

Jesse Williams2, listen to this: You don't feel like riding, so you just hop on a bike and go. You hit an intersection and have no clue which way to turn where you won't get stuck, so you just pick one. That's my whole vibe. If the light is red, I try to blow through it, and if I can't, I just pivot and change direction. Everywhere. Just letting things happen. Eventually, I end up somewhere I've never been, or maybe back where I started, but via a route I've never taken. Life is just constant motion...

Patrick King7 said:Jesse Williams2, listen to this: When you just don't feel like driving, you hop on a bike and just... go! You hit an intersection and you don't even care which way you turn—as long as it's a direction where you don't have to sit around waiting for anything. That’s exactly how I handle things. If I see a red light, I try to roll through it, and if I can't, I just pivot and head a different way. I just let the wind take me wherever. Eventually, I end up somewhere totally new, or maybe back where I started, but I always find a path I've never taken before. Life is really just about staying in motion...

Look, I've got plenty of routes I could ride, but when the weather is just straight-up garbage—you know, sleepy, freezing, miserable... I just can't bring myself to do it. It's just not happening. But once spring hits or we get those late summer days? I'm out there no problem at all. 👍 Plus, I've actually got to spend some time studying right now. ☕

When you’re behind the wheel of a car or gripping handlebars on a motorcycle, your focus is locked on the pavement. You have to stay dialed in on the road.
Even if you’ve driven through the same neighborhood or along the same highway a hundred times, you haven't actually *experienced* it. Sure, you might know exactly where every pothole and speed bump is located, but that’s about it. You aren't absorbing anything about the people living there, their local customs, the culture, or the actual landscape. Riding a bike changes the entire equation. It gives you this opening to actually talk to people, to truly see the scenery, and to connect with the environment. If you have even a shred of appreciation for the outdoors, you'll realize just how much beauty and character you've been overlooking right under your nose all these years.
I’m convinced you could find some incredible routes, backroads, and hidden trails around Napa that would make you feel way more connected to the area and reveal secrets and vistas you never knew existed. And honestly, if you have a buddy—or better yet, a girlfriend—to share that with, you could basically traverse the entire United States on two wheels. 🙂

I took up cycling about a year ago. I am currently 30 years old, and on the weekends, I typically cover somewhere around 50 to 62 miles

As a dedicated member of this community, I actually decided to take a cycling trip down to the coast one weekend this past summer. It was quite an interesting experience, though—my family and friends seemed to think I was losing my mind. They kept insisting that I didn't "need" to do something so strenuous when nobody was forcing me to, as if there were some rule against enjoying oneself. 🙂

Jesse Williams2 said:... I just don't feel like doing it...

Easy for you to say. You just hop on a bike and pedal like hell in one direction like you're being chased by demons, and then, well, you've gotta get back somehow, so you end up adding a few more miles to the trip anyway.😁

Adam King7 said:It's kind of funny how my family kept telling me I wasn't normal, saying I didn't need to do this since nobody was forcing me or anything...🙂

If it makes you feel any better, those are pretty much the same comments everyone else makes about us.😉

And now this damn school year is back in full swing—it feels like every single week we’re hit with two or three tests, plus oral exams and endless practice sessions...

Adam King7 said:I picked up cycling about a year ago—I'm 30 now—and usually clock maybe 50 62 miles

Since I found this community, I actually biked all the way to the coast one weekend this summer. It’s funny how my folks reacted... just acting like I was losing my mind, saying I didn't need to do it since nobody's forcing me or whatever. 🙂

Props to you for sticking with it. Honestly, you just gotta laugh at people who don't get why riding is such a blast. Sure, it can be exhausting or uncomfortable sometimes, but it's still a rush—personally, I don't know anyone who got bored and just quit. 👍

Adam King7 said:I picked up cycling about a year ago. I'm 30 now, and on most weekends, I'm putting in roughly 50 62 miles
miles.
Using this community as my inspiration, I actually took a little solo bike trip down to the coast one weekend this summer. It’s funny, really—people kept making these comments, acting like I was losing my mind or suggesting I didn't need to push myself since nobody was forcing me to do it. It’s always interesting to see how people react when you find a passion they don't quite grasp.🙂

Kudos to you, man👍. Just keep riding. Don't let the noise get to you; honestly, you'll learn to tune out the critics sooner than you think, just like the rest of us😁.

I am certainly not worried; in fact, I am currently planning an extended multi-day cycling tour across the States, provided I can find enough time and perhaps a companion who shares my enthusiasm!

I will be posting a full trip report in the "Cycling to the Coast" thread very soon.

Nothing beats that feeling when you finally crush a brutal climb on your bike. With a motorcycle, you never really know—if the engine fails halfway up, you're just stuck. It’s way more rewarding knowing you actually earned it through grit and pure willpower, rather than letting some machine do all the heavy lifting for you.
And don't even get me started on those off-road trails... how the hell would you even get a car out there?

stormyotter88 said:Nothing beats the feeling of grinding your way up a tough hill on a bike. With a motorcycle, you’re always guessing: if it makes it, fine, but if it doesn't, you're stuck. It just feels better knowing you actually earned the climb through grit and persistence, rather than having an engine or a car do all the heavy lifting for you.
Don't even get me started on those dirt trails... how would you even get a car up there anyway??

Oh, they get there alright. I once saw a car abandoned in a pretty ridiculous spot deep in the Appalachian Mountains. It took a local sheriff's deputy three days just to haul it out!