[Closed] Are me and MTB done? 🙁

Nope, not me, chomping at the bit to get out for the next spin as soon as I'm done with a spin. Doing it 15+ plus years now and still feeling the love, and like you seem to imply, has helped to keep me on an even keel.

sometimes to the detriment of other things like my family

Always family first though but if you've been trying to make a living out it I can see you may have had a conflict I don't have. Can be difficult to mix your pastime with your job.

It's important to keep perspective though, it's only a pastime\sport (not a marriage). If you lose interest that's not a crime. I have a lot of mates lost the passion over the years (some were lost to the road 🙂 ), a lot eventually came back to it, some not.

Why don't you give it a break for 6 months and then decide if you want to jack it in. Don't sell off the gear until then.

Oh, btw, Merlot ????????

And only joking on the Merlot quip, I'll drink whatever is put in front of me 🙂

When my kids were small and I didn't have much spare time, I turned to road cycling.
- I could do it from my front door
- It was cheaper to run a road bike
- It was fresh to me
- Several of my neighbours also had road bikes so company was easy enough to arrange
- Less mess to clean up post ride
- Kept me fit

Now the kids are a little older I'm now back out on the mountain bike and loving it just as much as ever.

If I was you, I'd choose to keep a fun hardtail and sell everything else. You'll be back out mountain biking again one day soon, I'm sure of it.

I’ve fell out of love with cycling again !! Think it’s the shitty weather for me but motivation has gone 🙁 Like you I have some nice bikes/kit.

Im doing some running again it’s short and sweet less faff and literally ready in minutes. Out and back under an hour. Keeps my head in good place and keeps fitness ticking over 🙂

I won’t sell bikes though I’ll definitely get urge again.

Do something else for a bit do a different type of riding. Might only need to be for a few months. I wouldn't bother selling.

You're screaming for an Ebike.

Not enough time on your hands to enjoy biking? Ebike?
Dont enjoy solo riding? Ebike.
Lots of high end stuff to sell? Ebike.
Hire one for the day on your own and see if you enjoy it. The increase in trail traffic soons gets left behind when you smash past everyone who's plodding up the hill.

I am very time poor and tried an ebike out at Glentress a few years back and was blown away. I bought a Kenevo and that didnt end well (5 motors, 4 batteries within approx 300 miles) but I've just bought an Orbea Rise and its superb. Totally changes the way you look at biking. Just have a read of some of the threads on here where guys have tried them and see what they say.

Lots of high end stuff to sell? Ebike.

This worked for me and paid 4/5ths of my Scott genius 920, so it wasnt like the money came out of anything important like savings or left me short in any way.

I'm in my 50's and I can categorically state riding it is like its taken off 20 years.

But now I feel that I’m at a crossroads – I have oodles of fairly expensive kit but very little (approaching zero) motivation to use it – do I Jack it all in and get as much cash back as I can, or stick it out for another 6 months and see how I feel?

I'm a big fan of selling stuff I don't use, I hate kit going to waste BUT I find I've regretted selling stuff when I wasn't in the best frame of mind about life. If I have a positive reason for selling it's less likely to be a regret sell (I'm selling this to benefit me vs **** it, want rid of it). Given the time of year no harm hanging on til spring and seeing how you feel.

Not sure buying an ebike will fill the void. I've done the new bike to fix lack of enthusiasm to ride and yeah and it can give a boost but ultimately unless the bike you had was completely unsuitable it won't fix anything medium term.

From what you say, I'm sorry to say but I think you might be done. But like others have said, there's no harm in hanging on till the spring and seeing how you feel then. It has also been such a tough time these past few years, it may be if/when we ever get through it, you might get the love back.
I went through the same not so long ago. Realised that riding helped me keep the depression at bay and when it didn't any more, or to a lesser extent at least, then I just couldn't find the motivation to do it any more.
It's left a massive hole to be honest, taken away some of my identity but I've lost that feeling of wanting/needing to go out on the bike and I can't seem to get it back.
I'm not sure an ebike would help. I've been through different bikes thinking this will spark my enthusiasm again but it didn't. No harm in hiring one, see how you feel.
Is there something you could do with the family? You could take up a new sport together maybe.
You say the thought of solo riding leaves you wanting to do something else. Is it something achievable? If so, just go and do it. With me, it's more like wanting to scuba dive or free dive or snorkel but I only want to do it where I can see lots of fish and the water is warm and seeing as I'm in the UK, well it's just a fantasy.
Just try not to lose too much fitness. It's a slippery slope when you lose fitness, lose strength. put on weight, start drinking more... you start to feel old and it makes it so much harder to come back from. Don't ask me how I know.

How old are your kids? Get out riding with them.

My MTB hadnt been used for 18 months until 2 weeks ago. A combination of Lockdown, and once opened up, not wanting to go out with crowds.
Took it out last week to Glentress, and loved it. It was like I hadnt been off the bike, albeit, I did push up some of the hills.
Just take a break, you'll eventually have motivation to use the bike again when the time is right.

I don't always have the same level of motivation to get out, weather, sunlight, location can all influence how motivated I feel to get out and ride. I seem to rarely feel excited to get out to ride but I always enjoy it once I'm actually out, I rode in the Peak last week and really wasn't excited but had one of the best rides in ages.

I also play football and I definitely have ups and downs with motivation, I just take some time off and I'm usually feeling quite refreshed and keen to play again after a few months.

In your situation I would keep the bike, 6 months isn't a long time and to give up something you love (or at least used to) so suddenly definitely seems a bit hasty. Perhaps if you could try to set some time aside to go for a decent ride somewhere quiet with a friend to rediscover what you love about cycling.

I still love mountain biking but the area I live in offers no challenge compared to where I used to live

I dont ride as much now

What does your normal ride look like?

Do you always drive to where you ride?
Is it normally a trail center?

I find I've now got very little want to go riding places that I've got to drive to. It really doesn't seem to make sense to spend as long in the car as I'm on the bike for. Yeah I have a great time when I'm riding somewhere that I've travel to normal but the Stoke isn't doesn't stay. So I actually find I spend more time on less capable bikes riding really close to home and just enjoy being out.

We have an Ebike but that hardly gets used, as it feels like it actually limits how much riding I do. yes, I can get a lot more elevation in for the same time of riding but I always have to time how much battery is left with being enough to get back. There is also more maintenance, its harder on parts etc.

I've been through a pendulum of doing different sports. Over the years, probably too many due to needing to keep up qualifications for my job.

Don't feel guilty about the change, particularly when you've tried to do it for a job it can crush you. Suddenly fun becomes repetitive drudge. I've seen it so many times, so many sports in the outdoors where someone thinks hobby is a good way of earning a living.

I managed to avoid it as I was qualified in mountain bikes, canoes, kayaks, sailing dinghy and keelboat, walking, climbing, caving and things like archery and orienteering. It would have done my nut in to only do one sport - and then do it again on a day off.

We've now settled on hillwalking, canoeing and bikes. Even now in doing (to my surprise) far more road pootling on a bike than MTB.

My suggestion: try a different thing for a while. don't feel guilty about the change,

What Matt says tbh, take a break, try something else, then see how you feel.

I bought an ebike as a wee kinda final throw of the dice, it's sort of worked, I'm certainly out a lot more than I was last year (and I've even started taking the push bike out too!) but I don't think I'll ever see the days again where I would nightride a couple of times a week all winter, whatever the weather.

You only get one shot at this, don't ever feel you 'have to' do something.

Unless you really need the money I 100% wouldn't sell all your stuff. For the most part I have always switched between cycling and running and so 6-8 months off the bike would be pretty normal for me. Sometimes I've thought I cannot be bothered going back to it after a break but I always do.

Having said that, I only really road ride now. MTBing is just too much of a logistical effort for me and I cannot ever imagine driving somewhere to ride at this point or going back to the constant cleaning involved with MTBing through winter.

Me and MTB are on a break. Not helped by getting a dog 3years ago (I don’t really like the whole trail dog thing and she is only little and would get knackered). Sea kayaking is also not talking to me currently, again I blame the dog, lock down etc but just haven’t got the motivation currently. So nice sea kayaks and bikes are in the garage gathering dust. Would I sell up, not sure, I keep thinking about spending some cash on a new bike/kayak to give me some motivation but I think I need the motivation before I spend the cash so I will keep the toys I have and be happy.

But maybe a gravel bike…

Wow this thread rings a bell!  I have lived for my MTB fix over the last decade.  It’s been a constant in my life and has been the solace needed in difficult times.   However since Covid I find myself riding less and less, to the point this year I have barely ridden excluding our usual Scotland road trip and Ard Rock.  Local riding has been hateful.  Which has been compounded now over 40 as my fitness has slid, so it’s become even more painful.  I just can’t be arsed!  My wife and I had our 3rd (surprise) baby this year, which was a shock given our other children are 16 & 11.  Since lockdown has been lifted work a has exploded and I just don’t have spare time for riding in the evening and when I do I’m in no fit state!

I think I have also been turned off with some of the direction of MTB.  It’s boomed as a pastime, which is great
But the sheer volume of people now out at my favourite hot spots is a turn off.  I liked the fact it was all a little quieter and more secluded, I’m disappointed that as a result of growth everything has trebled in price, more riders has meant more cars and more litter.  But by and large I think these are just other annoyances the make ‘the scab itch’ Ultimately

So what have I done about it…well despite being completely anti ebike, my Trek Rail will be delivered Thursday.  I believe this is going to be the magic elixir to rekindle my love for the sport as I can ride from home and get a quick hours riding up the hill in with the dog, I can keep up with fitter riders and in the summer I can smash evening laps in.  Can’t ever see me get back to the dizzy heights of night riding all year round, regardless of weather.  Frankly the thought of that makes me feel sick

Ultimately if it doesn’t work I have lost nothing other than a little money.  At that point I’ll sell up and take a years break .  But I really worry about starting up again after another long break.

Hard to know exactly your personal circumstances but something worth a go it to take it back to basics and just enjoy the ride. Easier said than done but I started along the lines of building up a singlespeed and giving that a go just for a change. I've ditched that now as my knees were complaining but what it did was open me up to a different kind of riding. I now ride a geared rigid bike. The best bit about it is that you know you're compromised (as you're effectively on the 'wrong' bike) so you don't get into that mindset of bigger/faster and you get the bonus of taking people by surprise when you manage to negotiate a tricky line etc.
All my riding for the last 12 months has been from my door (With this one I'm lucky enough tot live only a 5 mile ride from Cannock) and by and large solo. Always worth a try to ride out of peak times too. I'll ride very early in the morning which means I can catch the sunrise and very often see all kinds of wildlife. Sounds a bit 'woo' but I think without this I'd not be feeling so fresh about riding in the same place (which I've been riding for around 30 years!) so regularly.

Only you can answer whether you're done or not but maybe just try a couple of things like taking it back to basics, riding early mornings when there's no people about and try and remember why you loved it in the 1st place.

Good luck 🙂

I ask myself this same question every day. I've been riding bikes my whole life and I've been a fanatical MTBer since I was a teenager and discovered MBUK in about '98.

I haven't had an enjoyable ride since we were last in France in July 2019. I still love nothing more than riding big chunky trails and fast Alpine meadows on proper mountains. It's literally my favourite thing ever. I just don't have access to it. Riding in England has finished me off. It's just non-stop drudgery. It's dark, wet, cold, soggy and mile after mile of soul sucking bridleway monotony. Riding used to be my treatment for depression but on my last few attempts I feel like it's just contributed to it because it's so much work and faff for so little fun.

We were burgled a few months ago and I rushed to replace my bikes. With hindsight I wish I'd just kept the money and done something else.

Sorry I can't improve the mood in the room! I'm just completely sick in general and bikes don't help anymore.

Currently for me with a young child, the spare time and energy I used to devote to cycling has become filled with looking after him. I am finding the persistent night time wakening, constant colds and the simple requirement to monitor and keep a child with way too much energy safe is taking a huge toll on any desire to do anything but go to bed early and try and rest as much as possible. Personally, I am hoping that the situation I am currently in will change and I will find more energy to pursue things in the way I used to. I am definitely not going to sell any of my stuff as it's all perfectly set up for me and my riding and will be sitting there waiting for when I am able to go again. I think it's very easy to get catastrophic at these low points but it sounds more to me that psychologically that is where you are at and you will naturally bounce back again, probably as winter nears it's end. This time of year is notorious for making us all feel as if things are not worth it and a change is required.

Yip, asking the same question too.

Different circumstances. I really miss it, but I just can't find motivation to make time for it. My fitness is probably the main contributing factor. I'm as unfit as I have ever been, by quite some margin.

Niggling injuries don't help, but I think I often use them as excuses not work on it.

I have a Scotland trip next April with mates from home, I really need to get fit for that otherwise I won't enjoy the riding.

Let's see, maybe I can turn this around.

Good luck.

A lot of the stuff on this thread sounds very familiar, but nevertheless I still love MTB and get out as often as I can.
Young family has reduced the amount of time I can ride, so I have to do shorter rides and probably not so often as I don't always have the energy.
Still ride my MTB to work and back every weekday.
Almost never drive to the start of a ride as that wastes valuable riding time.
Made the choice to live somewhere I have great trails from the door and can ride to work.

Thanks all - interesting to see that I'm not on my own in this.

Cannock is my local, so I can ride from the door pretty much - but again it's constantly mobbed.
My riding has to fit around my daughters dance commitments (which she has quite a few of....) so I'm left with Saturday afternoons and Tuesday evenings.

I don't think an e-bike is the answer tbh - something else to remember to charge, no way I can get it on the roof carrier without giving myself a hernia lol and even with selling my current FS and HT I'd still need to chuck in another £1k for equivalent spec etc.

I've arranged to go for a night ride tomorrow to see if that helps - nothing heavy just an XC bimble with a couple of fun bits thrown in.

My Mrs has told me not to be too hasty in selling up - told me just to sell the HT if I really want to sell one.

I thought I was losing my mojo as I hadn't ridden for a few wks due to SuperManFlu (not C19) & I couldn't see myself enjoying the ride - I think I was just in a bit of a black hole TBH. Went for said ride & it was one of my most enjoyable since Exposure 24/12! Back in love!

Paging @ton. 😀

I think you made a mistake mixing your hobby with a job, and as it sounds like it didnt go entirely to plan, its understandable you might be a bit fed up with riding for a bit. However...

My riding has to fit around my daughters dance commitments...
...I’m left with Saturday afternoons and Tuesday evenings.

Many people on here would kill for a regular twice weekly riding slot...

Cannock is my local, so I can ride from the door pretty much – but again it’s constantly mobbed.

And kill again if they could ride from their house, to a fairly well respected MTB 'venue'. Its busy? So what. Talk to people. You might find some new riding buddies!

Its hard, especially with a young family, and just 'life' getting in the way. And I bet nearly all of us go through cycles or more or less riding (as everyone has said up there!). Dont sell up. Dont buy an ebike. Dont fret.

Do you have a family 'diary'?

Go and find a free slot, a pen in a bike ride, doesnt have to be right now, maybe in a week or so. Your Mrs will understand. Commit to it. Its your time. Get yourself out.

You never know, you might enjoy it.

( All I can do from home is ride my gravel bike round pan-flat featureless field edges, almost entirely on my own. When I do get to do a MTB ride on a Sunday morning, I love it. If its busy, great. People to chat to. Cool bikes to see. People having fun on bikes. New riders. Riders much older than me and still shredding. Whats not to like? )

I wish the doctor could prescribe me a winter trip to Madeira. I think that would hype me up a bit.

Not ridden the FS since this time last year, and it's been even more of a start contrast as last year was one of my best riding years ever! Did buy an On One Whippet earlier this year and did a few XC-biased rides from the door on it which I really enjoyed, but no real desire to have to drive to get to trails "worthy" of the big bike.

Just been massively lacking in motivation for doing anything much this year, plus I tend to leapfrog between pastimes, get obsessed over one for a few months, then get bored, move to the next, ad infinitum.. 🤣

If you don't need the money, keep the bikes and just wait. Do something else that interests you in the meantime. I've rediscovered my love of golf..

I’m in a similar(ish) situation, I’ve not ridden outside much this year at all, most of my riding has been on zwift. The weather hasn’t helped, I cba riding in the muck so I can’t see me getting out any time soon either.

But I’ve been here before with Drums and road cycling. I know I could sell up and use the cash on something else, but eventually that desire comes back and it’s much more expensive to re-acquire this stuff so I’m not falling for it again.

I might sell my power meter, because that’s a massive extravagance for the few outdoor road rides I do but I’ll be keeping the bikes and kit.

Maybe just trim the collection and downgrade some luxury stuff you could live without ready for when the desire comes back.

Edit - I’ve just seen that you’re local to me, if you like to ride at stupid o’clock in the morning let me know, When I bother I’m normally back for 8:30-9am and now it’s a bit lighter in the mornings I might venture out when the rain holds off few a few days

Same here, my last 'proper' ride was in may on a 5 day lakes trip. Probably didn't help that I wasn't fit enough for that trip and it proper killed me. Then a combination of mega busy work plus a house move meant I didn't get out much during July/August/September, and then autumn hit in a BIG way...

Got myself a zwift set up and even though that literally takes 10 minutes to set up I've even been lacking the motivation to use that!

I'm just putting it down to the time of year, low energy levels. I'll get a training plan set up on zwift soon so I have set rides to do every week which should help.

Anyone else in a similar situation?

Yes

Am I done with MTB???

Totally different direction .... left field response?
I like reading non-fiction but sometimes I'll end up going a year without reading then read 20 books in a couple of months reading every night... I stop for the most bizarre reasons like getting to the end of a series or even getting half way through a series and the next book is full price. (and I just think I'll wait) or forgetting to take on holiday.

During that year I might stumble over the kindle a couple of times and even charge it but sometimes I'll pick it up and start again and sometimes I'll charge it and just not get back into it, its just the wrong time.

I really enjoy reading ... I think ... at least I remember really enjoying it and right now I couldn't tell you where my kindle is.

Sometimes it's just the wrong time ... sometimes you might need a different type of book (riding) ... but chances are you'll get back into it because you enjoyed it before and it's a lifeline at times?

I think what I'm saying is "should I give up reading?" isn't so far off the same question ???

Maybe get some new mates (not get rid of existing) .. do some other types of riding ... maybe a more social type ride if you usually do more serious? As I said above "YES" ... but I found before I had to isolate I was having fun with some riders (my age) just getting out, shooting the shit and riding - did a couple of night rides etc.?

After 10 days isolation I'm struggling again .... though it doesn't help it keeps chucking it down.

Maybe get some new mates

This is much harder than it sounds. I moved to a new city a few years ago so I only had a small circle of friends anyway. That's pretty much gone now. No one I could call on for a ride has resurfaced since Covid. At the minute I only have workmates who are fine but I don't really socialise with and none of them are bike riders.

This is much harder than it sounds

I'm not sure it is, if you make an effort there's loads of folk out there who will like to show you where they ride. Over the last 18 years that I've been riding a MTB, loads of folk have come and gone, but there's still more folk to ride with than time to do it!.

The thing is I used to feel guilty and annoyed with myself for missing rides – I don’t have that feeling anymore…
Am I done with MTB???

Anyone else in a similar situation?

I was a bit like that. Rode a LOT and it was strongly habitual. Was starting to lose the fun a bit though.

This year I've backed it off quite a bit and been doing more social stuff, running and gym.

Now riding a decent amount again, enjoying it a lot more and seem to be going better on the descents as I'm feeling the stoke. Sadly takes me a bit longer to get up the hills though.

If you're not feeling the urge to ride, just don't. Come back to it later and see how it is.

But from the tone of your OP, I wonder if there an underlying issue of "but if I'm not a mountain biker then who even am I?" going on?

plus-one

Im doing some running again it’s short and sweet less faff and literally ready in minutes. Out and back under an hour. Keeps my head in good place and keeps fitness ticking over

For me, the gravel bika has given me something similar - during covid, esp. when we were supposed to stay within 5k of home, I was riding out my gate, round local trails and canal paths, just for fitness/air, and got to quite enjoy it, and have kept it up and pushed on with it, I regularly go for 60/70k rides of an evening now. It's had a knock on effect for MTB to, in that I'm fitter as a result, so much more keen to get out and ride and less inclined to avoid it because I feel lazy and the climb feels big, so I've ended up riding 14-15 times a month instead of 7/8. I even combine them, riding the mtb on road/fireroad/trail to get to the top of my local trails, ride a lap of those, and back home with a coffee on the way.

I do a lot more riding on my own too, used always be depending on meeting up with others, trying to make plans, etc, but the ease of just walking to the shed, sit on the bike and go whenever I feel like it is a huge plus too - still ride in groups when it suits, but if I don't feel like getting up early to meet up for an MTB spin, I can go ride in the afternoon, or go do a gravel ride instead, and I don't feel guilty about missing it. Feels like the hassle has been removed and riding bikes is just more chilled out in every way as a result. WFH has helped massively also, the time I'd have spent commuting in the evening is now ride time.

Clocks going back is a pain though.....

I’m not sure it is, if you make an effort there’s loads of folk out there who will like to show you where they ride. Over the last 18 years that I’ve been riding a MTB, loads of folk have come and gone, but there’s still more folk to ride with than time to do it!.

+1

And there's always this forum if you need to pick up new riding pals. Don't be shy.

I went through a bit of this around 10 years ago. Riding friends had gradually dissipated, doing other stuff, and then arrival of first child meant a lot less time at the weekends, trips away were much harder etc.
I took up road riding, for the reasons listed above. Get it done from the door, much more time efficient. It kept me fit and interested.
More recently i have come back to mountain biking. My boys are starting to ride, so all four of us go out, and I can see a day fairly soon when they can do a normal full day's ride and mountain biking will fill a lot of our weekends.
I am pressed for time too, but i use the road bike and turbo for fitness and have squeezed in a few mountain bike rides by taking the odd day off work, or gone out super-early while on a family weekend away. My enthusiasm is back, but it's really different from first time round, when we allowed it to basically fill all our free time. Now it's more of an occasional treat.

"the area I live in offers no challenge compared to where I used to live"
Me too. Our riding used to be Lakes, Peak, big hills, big rocky trails. The trails rideable from the house are definitely not that. The solution for me was to buy a short travel XC race bike. Makes boring trails fun again and it's ideally suited to 2 hours flat out.

There's a few strands to it too.

If it's a location thing, then there's not much you can do about it, I can't be arsed driving for hours to bike now either, and I'm fortunate enough that the local biking is fairly decent.

If it's a fitness thing (there's nothing worse than going out and just blowing the whole time) then that can be fixed, and probably quicker than you think.

If it's a genuine fed up of biking thing, then back off and try something else for a while.

I could never get my head round folk not wanting to bike, what a fanny I was. I'll always enjoy it, but I accept that it's definitely not the be all and end all any more.

I'm not getting out a huge amount and I'm not fussed if I miss out. But i generally look forward to riding next and love the buzz after a ride. If you're getting out and then not feeling the love for it then perhaps do something else.

I think pretty much all "parents who ride" have gone through this, especially when the kids are small.

When mine were small my riding mojo dried up so I disappeared into the gym for a bit and also bought an XC 29er and then a gravel bike.

Kept me in vaguely acceptable shape and I was able to get a bit of headspace.

If Cannock is your local it's probably a blessing and a curse, keep it for midweek and avoid the hordes at the weekend.  Saturday morning - set the alarm super early on the weekend and head over to Long Mynd or similar and be back by lunchtime, you'll get the solitude you're craving.

I wouldn't sell both bikes but maybe sell one of the bikes and get a gravel bike or a very XC focused 29er?

It's supposed to be fun. Ebikes and summer riding made it fun for me.
I would have given up a while back if it wasn't for ebikes, plus I dont ride in the winter. Getting cold, wet and sliding around is not enjoyable.
I do seem to get more enjoyment from buying bike bits these days than actually riding though.

I wonder if there an underlying issue of “but if I’m not a mountain biker then who even am I?” going on?

There may be an element of that too....
Before I was a Mountain Biker I was a Runner and a Scuba Diver - perhaps I do need something to give me an identity other than Husband, Dad and Engineer - something that is related to me, not family and work....

Yes the whole starting up my own MTB business and it going t**s up hasn't helped - It's killed some of the passion that I had, but I have full time job that I'm enjoying again so should be grateful.

I've had so many weekends recently where I'd planned to go for a ride and the weather was crap that I just looked at it and decided to do DIY instead or take the Mrs shopping. Weather never bothered me - I have waterproofs etc and enjoyed a ride in the rain.

The making new friends is an awkward one - I wasn't the most sociable of people before lockdown but had 2 or 3 people I would ride with. Now since lockdown I've become less sociable...... and at 47 I'm not sure if that's something I can change over night it at all.

I do seem to get more enjoyment from buying bike bits these days than actually riding though.

Even that isn't working at the moment 🙁
I have a Planet-X Jack Flash DJ bike half built in the garage - no motivation to get the remaining parts or pick up the spanners either.....

I used to ride a lot on my own but now can't be bothered. The weather is often rubbish and self motivation is low. Riding with others is so much more fun. I joined a club, met some cool people and am now riding more regularly than ever.

Kind of the same problem with me. I used to commute to work on my bike and really looked forward to that part of the day. A couple of nights a week I would break out the full sus and head into the local woods to do the trail there and it was great.

At the start of Covid, I changed jobs and started WFH. That totally took away my commute and with it went my desire to do "proper" biking in the evenings. I still went out on the road bike in the sumer, but winter stops that and, over sommar this year, I was just away from my Stumpy from April until, well, last month. Shit, it took me a month to re-build the back wheel and I _still_ need to get the damn thing professionally trued and it's been on the bike, in the storage, for six months now.

I should get out on my bike more. I miss it.

sharkattack

This is much harder than it sounds. I moved to a new city a few years ago so I only had a small circle of friends anyway. That’s pretty much gone now. No one I could call on for a ride has resurfaced since Covid. At the minute I only have workmates who are fine but I don’t really socialise with and none of them are bike riders.

I literally knew noone in my town other than my immediate neighbours (and a family I'm not allowed to speak tpo because kids mother fell out with them)... most of my previous riding mates were really parents of my kids riding mates and he's given up riding (and anything else other than gaming).

I restarted just randomly with one "can anyone show me around post on FB" and another father of one of my kids school friends. Both then introduced me into some other groups of riders who are pretty local. The level is perhaps a bit slower and less extreme than I'm used to but it's riding all the same.

after years of MTB'ing im finding that i just dont have the motivation to travel to places worth riding, for me living in Kent that means a minimum drive around the M25 to surrey and honestly trying to get around anywhere in the SE anymore is a nightmare.

so enter the gravel bike, kents trails are now interesting and i can get lots of satisfaction from a first place strava time of the day around my local woods and trail centre

if you sell up it might be worth hanging on to at least one bike. interrestingly for me ive bought lots of high end bikes over the years but the ones i ride the most have been the 2k hardtails and not the premium carbon full sussers

I would leave everything in mothballs for a while and do what you can to enjoy the other aspects of your life, or find a new interest. Don't sell anything yet though as you might just need a break.

I used to ride a lot - 150 miles per week commuting and at least a couple of evenings on the MTB, along with trips to Wales, Scotland, Spain. Kids came along and priorities shifted, we moved so the commute reduced, and then I changed jobs and couldn't commute at all. I spent 7-8 years barely riding which was fine as I didn't really miss it. I then spent about 18 months dipping back in and out, until just before lockdown I started riding again properly. Not to the same extent but at least 1 MTB ride per week and 1 road ride, plus some turbo work in the garage. It started as a reason to get fit again and now I'm enjoying it again, so much so that I recently upgraded my MTB.

Maybe you are done with it, maybe not. Don't worry about it or over analyse it, just crack on with your life and see how you feel in 6, 12, 18 months time.

The thing is I used to feel guilty and annoyed with myself for missing rides – I don’t have that feeling anymore…

'Guilty and annoyed' doesn't sound particularly positive, more like it is/was an obligation. Maybe you just need to disentangle the therapeutic side of your riding from the rest of it and see what's left? It may be that you simply don't really want to ride, or that the hassle side of it now outweighs the benefits, which is what - along with the perception of risk - stopped me riding motorbikes eventually. Or you may find it slots into a different part of your life and becomes less of a coping strategy and more of a simple, take it or leave it, sort of thing.

If it were me, I'd probably take a relationship break from riding and see how it feels come the spring, but really only you know. If you sell your bikes, it's not the end of the world either, you can always buy another one.

Do you want you and mountain biking to be done?

Yea I feel your pain OP. Im in a bad place atm though various things and I used to have riding as my head space and general fun. After Ard rock this year I basically threw in the towel for a number of reasons. A couple of stone on, lots of beer, loss of biking buddies and a slight change in weather have given me all the excuses I need not to ride. Ive thought about selling up but as others have said youll get not a lot for all of that expensive kit. Youll get money back on the bikes but the rest isn’t worth much.

The last couple of years have been strange. I cant focus on what was 3 months ago and what was 13 months ago at the moment. Its all very strange. Your not alone though and im sure it will come back. Your just at a low spot at the moment and you’ll eventually pull though. As your clearly doing this as a job rather than just a hobby id say try and focus on that. Get fit, plan some marketing put some time into it? You don’t have to be enjoying it at the moment as it’s a job but when you get the mojo back youll be glad you did.

I joined a club, met some cool people and am now riding more regularly than ever

I'm in a 'club' but it isn't much of a club. A shame, because it can be a great way to get out. Didn't help that most of the rides were 2 hours drive to the Lakes.

Thanks - just to be clear I have stopped doing any MTB for a job - it just wasn't working out.

I'm now back in full time employment in Engineering again.

I always find entering a race gives me kick up the arse I need to get out. Have scarcely ridden this year due to a building project and TBH not missing it that much but I reckon I'll pick out a low key event next year, maybe a team 10/12 hour job and work it into a weekend with the lads.

Not saying this would necessarily work for you but grist for the mill, eh.

I always find entering a race gives me kick up the arse I need to get out

I'd generally agree. Entered a hill race this saturday, done bugger all training. Argh. 🙂

I always find entering a race gives me kick up the arse I need to get out.

Tried that earlier in the year - a wasted entry fee lol
By the time I'd dithered and decided not to do it I missed the window to sell/transfer entry to another rider.

Cannock Chase used to be my local. The hordes all used to gravitate around the FOD and the like, but as soon as you went 'off-piste' it'd be much more chill. I can only imagine what it's like now. Probably loads of people going 'full enduro' or on E-bikes, riding the same trails that we rode on hardtails, single speeds etc 😀
Do you ever do any trail work? I find my 'biking' time pretty evenly split between trail building and biking these days. I get a better sense of achievement building.

Fitness for me is a reason too, but it's a self fulfilling loop... You don't go out because you're not fit and you know it'll be hard work, but because you don't go out your fitness declines further, which means you don't go out because it's hard work...

Fitness is directly related to how enjoyable mountain biking is for me. I remember starting out a few years back and being very unfit which really affected by ability to enjoy the ride.

Anyway, got out today for an hour this afternoon, worth it. The mud is back, the cold air hurts the lungs on the first climb, and yet there's still 5ft high nettles about. Summer is trying to hang on in there but she's fighting a losing battle...

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You’re not alone in feeling like this, man. I’ve been riding for 30+ years and this year I’ve felt less motivated than ever. I can’t seem to find the “right” people to go riding with, that’s a big part of the problem and the fact that I’m as near as dammit 70 doesn’t help.
I’ll never be as fast as in my racing days, I can’t to 10 foot to flat drops or 20 foot gap jumps like all young dudes seem to be able to nowadays, I’m not that interested in boring fireroad rides, miles just for the sake of it either.
I like finding, sessioning and hopefully eventually cleaning tricky, techy sections, either up or down. I can spend a couple of hours faffing around in some small area finding new lines to try, same as I did in my trials riding days. This usually involves a few minor (hopefully) crashes, a fair bit of swearing and cursing but, at the end, a lot of satisfaction.
But a clean ride doesn’t count if there’s nobody to witness it and most folk aren’t bothered about this kind of stuff - but it’s not much fun on your own either.

I’m seriously thinking of going back to trials riding, to be honest.

25 years mtb for me so far. Ive been through loads of peaks and troughs over that time. I’m in a good period right now, really enjoying it again. Time off mtb for road this year to get ready for a tour was great and had me chomping to get back to the mud.

When I’ve gone through low points and not been biking before I’ve always tried not to give myself too hard a time. It’s part of me and always will be so it comes round again. You may be different.

I’m seriously thinking of going back to trials riding, to be honest.

Do it! Got to be better than a gravel bike! (trying to learn trials in my 40s, 3 years in so far). Trials had a bit of a revival in lock down. A good start for seeing what's going on is Trials Riders UK on facebook, and Shindig media on youtube.

I had this a few years back, i'm in the military and went from racing regularly and doing ok, with a bit of help from a local bike shop/team to missing a full UKGE season through being deployed to then missing two summers on the bounce. Rolling from one wet winter into another and losing my racing edge got to me and i ended up spending most of my time home trying to get back up to speed (self induced pressure). A bit of time off turned into me selling all of my bikes and kit and having a full 3 years off riding before finally getting a new hardcore hardtail at the end of last year.
The time away from riding was spent mainly training and competing in crossfit but i managed to get back up to speed and find my confidence again on the big stuff in a fairly short period of time with the carryover of fitness from the gym time helping quite a bit.
I've loved every minute of being back on the bike and wish i had got another sooner.....but a break did do me the world of good. Saying that i have been deployed again on ship since April and about to roll back into another winter in mid december when i return, only this time i can't wait to get my waterproofs on, mud tyres and get amongst it!
In summary - Have some time off and don't beat yourself up about it i say.

If you’re not enjoying something, you can’t force yourself to. But that doesn’t mean the enjoyment won’t naturally come back at some point.

Sometimes the problem isn’t with MTB specifically, it’s something else going on in life limiting capacity for enjoyment overall. You can have the experience of a lifetime but if your head’s not in the right place, you won’t enjoy it.

I generally love riding but have previously abandoned rides after 30 mins and just gone home because I wasn’t enjoying it. Nothing to do with the riding itself, usually because of some stress over work etc. in the background. The fun comes back though. Good luck.

Anyone else in a similar situation?

Yep, completely lost the love for riding bikes for the whole of this summer and it's still not really back.

I used to ride to work and back almost every day (4 day week) and two of my free days would usually be out on the mountain bikes somewhere, either with friends or solo. Any holiday time was usually partially filled with a trip away, either in the UK or abroad. Bikes were my happy place and I went to it as much as I possibly could. Even through the first lockdowns I would get out whenever possible, even if it was just to the shops or local park. I used to get very agitated if I didn't ride a bike for a few days. It was like this for well over 10 years, with the odd injury-enforced break.

Then this year happened and this rings true:

Sometimes the problem isn’t with MTB specifically, it’s something else going on in life limiting capacity for enjoyment overall. You can have the experience of a lifetime but if your head’s not in the right place, you won’t enjoy it.

Having lost my job in late 2020, both my parents being ill and getting old, some friends turning out to not be the friends I thought they were and a few other things meant my whole life has changed. The drive to get out there has completely gone. Even a new bike arriving didn't help, it took me 2 weeks to take it on it's maiden ride. Ever since June I've only really ridden when I've arranged to meet up with riding mates and I haven't really enjoyed the riding, just the company. I used to love a good spannering session too but two of my three bikes are sat there in need of work, the parts are ready to be fitted but I just can't be bothered to fit them. I went for over a month without touching a bike this summer, something I've never done before. Even when injured I've gone for a spin round the block with broken ribs, a destroyed shoulder and a damaged lower back on separate occasions. I even have completely missed my favourite time of year, autumn, this year which has shocked me into getting out on the bikes again the last week or so. Even then it was a real struggle to get the motivation to get out the door. I still don't have any drive to go for a ride outside, occasionally I'll go on Zwift but that's purely a fitness thing.

I don't know when the drive will return either. I have picked up a few new hobbies since the first lockdown, RC cars and a classic car being the main two, but they are totally different to riding bikes so I can't see that affecting anything. I'm putting it down to my life being completely chaotic at the moment. I don't have any permanent work (on the agency merry-go-round) so have no structure to my week, caring for my parents is taking up a lot of my time, hardly see any friends, don't have anything like a big holiday or event to aim for, reluctant to spend any money due to no fixed or steady income and the whole Covid/Brexit shitstorm is just plain depressing. I hope the love for bikes does come back very soon as it's one of the few things that makes winter bearable. I know that I need to get everything else in my life in order and the love of riding will help make things better but right now I really can't find any motivation to get out there.

So in answer to your OP: no, you're not alone in thinking that you're done with MTB. I'm at that tipping point of going either way but deep down I know that once my life regains some normality I'll be back out on the trails. The issue is I don't see normality ever returning!

Dirkpitt74

I’ve had so many weekends recently where I’d planned to go for a ride and the weather was crap that I just looked at it and decided to do DIY instead or take the Mrs shopping.

reluctantjumper

I don’t know when the drive will return either. I have picked up a few new hobbies since the first lockdown, RC cars and a classic car being the main two, but they are totally different to riding bikes so I can’t see that affecting anything. I’m putting it down to my life being completely chaotic at the moment. I don’t have any permanent work (on the agency merry-go-round) so have no structure to my week, caring for my parents is taking up a lot of my time, hardly see any friends, don’t have anything like a big holiday or event to aim for, reluctant to spend any money due to no fixed or steady income and the whole Covid/Brexit shitstorm is just plain depressing.

Neither of these REALLY seem to be about riding or bikes though more that enjoyment of this is a casualty of "lots of shit". (Seems about the best way to put it)

So in answer to your OP: no, you’re not alone in thinking that you’re done with MTB. I’m at that tipping point of going either way but deep down I know that once my life regains some normality I’ll be back out on the trails. The issue is I don’t see normality ever returning!

This just seems to make sense to me... and waiting for some "the return of normality" seems like a never ending thing as reality will move on so after Covid etc. it will be a different reality.

The way I see it is we got into MTB with whatever reality we had at the time and we enjoyed it and kept at it because we enjoyed it but we could have just as easily have enjoyed it in a different reality where we couldn't buy such nice bikes or had the same amount of time.

as said above

Sometimes the problem isn’t with MTB specifically, it’s something else going on in life limiting capacity for enjoyment overall. You can have the experience of a lifetime but if your head’s not in the right place, you won’t enjoy it.

Except in these cases I think it's at least a little bit to giving yourself permission to enjoy it. Turning on armchair phycologist mode ... it seems dirk has a reason to associate his failed business with it's subject (MTB) and no need to repeat what reluctant said. It doesn't seem so much about MTB, it could be anything previously enjoyed that now has some feeling of guilt mixed with things being generally shit? It's just that to some extent MTB sorta requires a bit of getting back into if you've been away from it.

Sometimes the problem isn’t with MTB specifically, it’s something else going on in life limiting capacity for enjoyment overall. You can have the experience of a lifetime but if your head’s not in the right place, you won’t enjoy it.

Wise words.

I still went out on the road bike in the sumer, but winter stops that

You can't ride because the season has changed?

FWIW this thread reads like a load of folk making up excuses for why they can't do something. If you don't want to do it, don't. Find something else to do.

I've ridden with folk who've stopped riding for various reasons - the majority of which are CBA to put the effort in.

Guess what, those folk you use to ride with?
Yep, they've moved on to ride with other folk.

I was always a small group / solo rider, but joining a club has been a massive motivation to me. Whatever the weather there is always someone out, and our club rides 3 days a week - so I can generally make at least one of those.

Having kids pretty much ended my 10 year commitment to MTB. Despite living on the edge of the peak, it just takes too much weekend time up with driving to/from trails, cleaning bike etc. Pretty much 100% road ride now, with the occasional foray onto the trails. Maybe I'll get back into MTB at some point, but everyone I used to ride with now have ebikes.

Lots of people are going to have been in your shoes at some point. Personally I'd try and keep cycling, but reduce the barriers to actually getting a little bit of something done. That means doing stuff that you can do from the door, but luckily that means Cannock for you. It might not be super gnar, but if you can get out for a few mornings each week on the hardtail, even if only for an hour, you'll get the satisfaction of getting something done, you'll get some headspace for yourself and while a lot of mornings will be wet and grim, some will be fantastic.

Thanks all - advice is appreciated.

Suppose I just need to have a word with myself.
I don't want to be done with MTB - I just need some mojo.

I’ve not ridden a bike since Sep/Oct last year. Instead, I’ve done a lot of XC walking and running, and kept at it regularly, probably going out 5 days/week. It’s unusual for me to park my bikes for that length of time but I’m not going to get wrapped up in analysing it. I have 3 bikes (road, MTB and gravel) and enjoy them equally. Historically (since 2001) I’d ride for probably 9 months of the year, sometimes chilling out over winter, other times dipping out at different times. No big issue IMO. I also rode a LOT as a teenager, so I know biking is an important part of my life.

However, I’m always busy - family, self-employed contractor, home improvement, etc - and I think I’ve decided in the last year that I want to head out on more of an ad hoc basis, get a session in, get back, get freshened up, and get on with my day. Walking/running promotes that more easily IME, especially when I bolt it on to the school run, or doing a club drop-off or similar. Most of all, I enjoy it, and I’m not going to beat myself up for doing it on foot as opposed to on a bike.

Sure, I look at my bikes tucked away under wraps, but deep down I know I’ve not lost my mojo and therefore wouldn’t sell any of them. I think I would only do so if I decided to swap out one of them for something like a do-it-all 29er, ie another bike that gave me a different perspective. But that’s a thought for another day. Until then, I’ll keep heading out on foot, get the physical and mental headspace I need, and be grateful for that.

Have I any advice? As others have said, try something else over the winter. Avoid analysing the bike thang and just enjoy whatever you do. Winter always turns to spring, by which time, you might fancy cranking those pedals again.

I went through a period when I just didn't have time for riding. Like OP, I considered selling my bike and just calling it quits. I still needed exercise, though, for all the mental health benefits that others have mentioned in this thread. I figured running would give me that endorphin kick, and be something I could squeeze into a spare hour, with no cleaning or maintenance afterwards. Well, it certainly helped for a while, but after three months of horrendous, soul-destroying plodding, I found myself desperate to get the bike out again. With new motivation to ride, I found myself able to squeeze the extra time from somewhere. So have a break, OP, it could well get you back out on the bike before you know it!

Yep, nothing like a good stint of running to make you appreciate MTBing more.

😉