[Closed] So how do I re-find my MOJO

If ever i loose my mojo i usually find it's down the back of the couch. 😆

Dont think, just ride.

I did something I vowed never to do, bought a full suspension and built a monster of a build.

I can't stop thinking about it, I want to ride it all the time, My future holidays are now being planned with the bike in mind.
Worked a treat for me.

change change change..

If you usually ride trail centres try some wild trails or vice versa.. Just go for a gentle ride in the country, put as much effort into enjoying the surroundings as you put into the actual riding.. take a camera and look out for interesting shots..

Set a challenge to ride to an interesting destination rather than riding in a loop..

Explore somewhere that you've been meaning to have a look at for a while..

all of these things have helped me in the past..
the most important thing you can do though, is to sit on your bike and start pedalling.. the rest will take care of itself..

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the most important thing you can do though, is to sit on your bike and start pedaling.. the rest will take care of itself.

the most important thing you can do though, is to sit on your bike and start pedaling.. the rest will take care of itself.

Buy a road bike

This seems to be the most difficult part at the moment

become a full-time stay at home dad*..
you will soon find that you are prepared to sacrifice pretty much anything (starting with your genitals in all probability) for an opportunity to get out on the bike for a few hours..

* Don't actually do this, if you are having problems motivating yourself to walk to the shed and go for a bike ride, then children may overstretch you a bit..

"Buy a road bike"
He's trying to re-find his mojo, not bury it forever....!

Make plans to meet up with a/some riding buddie/s at x time & place.
You're committed to going then. None of this 'shall I, shan't I' crap.

I found that bolting my cranks back on properly helped immeasurably! Seriously though, check the bike over to make sure everything is "right" - my cranks had been imperceptibly wobbly and it was slightly throwing my balance (not hugely noticeably) and massively throwing my confidence as a result. There are probably many other bits that could be slightly out and throwing you a lot.

Since all my kit/bikes are very old and very worn out I am going with the start again option now 😉

So tell me your stories of how you rediscovered your MOJO.

So

"Buy a road bike"
He's trying to re-find his mojo, not bury it forever....!

singlecrack - Member
Buy a road bike

Buy a turbo. Simply getting on a MTB will seem joyful in comparison...

singlecrack - Member

So tell me your stories of how you rediscovered your MOJO.

Is what the OP asked.

So

"Buy a road bike"
He's trying to re-find his mojo, not bury it forever....!

kind of is an opinion

I stopped riding because of a foot injury 🙁 when I started to ride again (4 years later) it was hard work no one to ride with (2 riding friends had packed up).
So I tried a couple of clubs then found one that was right for me (it had a MTB development group) so I joined in June 🙂 it has been fantastic learned new skills, have a good time, getting quicker and fitter and have new cycling chums 😀 A few of us go out mid week for extra rides too.
It may be worth a look at some clubs to see if they are a nice bunch that you want to go riding with 🙂

Mine went awol for a while. Got it back and am loving riding again now, all thanks to a Pugsley.

Lost mine after buying a full susser, just hated riding it, slow, weighed more than an MX bike. Eventually decided to build a lightweight rigid SS. Mojo came back, now have more grins per mile than I have for years.

I think a change is what is needed, be that riding road instead of offroad, different routes/type of riding, or as Tim says, a different type of bike.

I bought one of these, which may have been a touch on the radical side 😆 but it did the trick
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Loved mountain biking when I had a crap bike but couldn't get enough of it due to not having transport. Have a great bike now and ride a lot more these days, but for some reason the sense of adventure and excitement I had when I was thrashing about crashing over rocks and mud in Dartmoor seems to have gone away these days.

I blame it on living in a big city.

Building a cheap singlespeed from scratch did it for me. It didn't stay cheap for long, but that's 'coz I'm crap, but the simplicity of it brought me back. I built mine rigid to start and used it as an excuse just to have fun on easy stuff.

Relax. Go for a slow ride

Holyzues ......leave me alone ..I'm still hung over ..

First up, i think it's normal to have these highs and lows of riding enthusiasm; currently in my 4th(?) 'bike high time', I try to recognise them for what they are and don't sell all the bikes.

For me, fitness and bike fit are important for my enthusiasm. If i'm not feeling fit and every ride is a struggle, i'll start to think about other things. When my bike was a poor choice that never fit right in the first place, that has had an impact on me too - you mentioned back pain? Anything you could do easily, like a change of stem/ bars, to make it more tolerable?

singlecrack - Member

Holyzues ......leave me alone ..I'm still hung over ..

Just doing something else seems to help me. I'm only commuting at the moment. Riding bikes just doesn't appeal to me at the moment so I force myself to ride to work at least three times a week (which is 90 miles) and then do what I feel like at the weekend. Had my nephews round this weekend so no chance anyway but I'm hoping next weekend I actually want to go out for a road ride.

Different types of cycling help too so road riding is a very valid suggestion. I've barely touched a mountain bike this year with most of my riding being road and cross so I might get my Chameleon out next weekend. Just thinking about how much fun that bike is encouraging me now.

To add to the different route/sort of trail advice, remember that we do this for kicks and fun as well as exercise: not every ride has to be a marathon. Perhaps just head out and enjoy spinning pedals for half hour or so? I find after procrastinating, I know I've made the right decision as soon as the pedals start turning.

OwenP you mentioned back pain? Anything you could do easily, like a change of stem/ bars, to make it more tolerable?

I'm also not in need of a new bike or project so maybe I need a challenge. what though I don't know I did a marathon last year and lost a couple of stone prior to that. Which also helped bike fitness. Strangely enjoyed the marathon and was hoping to do this years but the back put pay to that.

Go and see the Jedi fella, ask for the mojo restoration 'special,' the one where you call him a pussy just before he leads you into his XC course.

That'll fix it.

Better than buying a new Covert.

But buy one anyway. 😉

i was in a similar position, so i started this http://a-pic-a-ride.blogspot.co.uk/ to motivate myself, i take one picture for every ride and log the mileage so i have a goal to beat,i.e. beat last weeks total, last week/month etc, now been doing it for 3 years and ride more than ever

I'm the same as rocketdog and also document each ride. Bought a cheap garmin 2nd hand which seems to motivate me. That and the fact that everyday I'm getting older and want to regain my youth 🙁

igrf, why?

I had to have a couple of ops on my foot about three years ago, it meant I couldnt mountain bike for over a year, the pressure on my foot going up hill was way too painful.
I could however ride on the flat and so started just going off down the river on nice cruisy days out, I realised I wasnt actually bothered that I wasnt mountain biking as long as I was out and about on a bike.
I ride pretty much every day but dont ride a mountain bike half as much as I used to, tho having just moved to Wales I expect that may change.

I read this thread with intersest as I experiencing the same problems

I recently built another bike to rejuvinate myself and havn't even got it dirty yet 😳

I lost mine so long ago it had taken to calling itself "Jim Morrison"

doh! double post

Go for a walk somewhere where you know there'll be folk out on bikes, we went off geocaching today in some local woods, loads of folk out on bikes, some heading for the off piste stuff some just out for a pootle with mates, every one of them was just having a good time. The mrs gave me the "look" and said you coming back up here later on?

call a mate and ask him to go Trailquesting in a few weeks - you can even bring your new camera???? Always try another weekend away if you want - i've plenty of leave still, Steve -another CYB October trip - promise to bring my shoes this time..... and not throw up on the boat, probably

Your mojo is still there, honest, mate - there have been plenty of times this year i've gone out, but once out couldn't be bothered to ride the bike and just gone and sat somewhere with a view instead....

Main thing, IMO, is not to force it... Mojos are resilient beasts, but the only surefire way to kill one is to wait til it's weak then keep beating it with sticks in an attempt to wake it up. I tried that with the motorbike, just meant that when I finally did hang it up, I was so over it that I'm not sure I'll ever get back to it.

hora - Member
igrf, why?

Because it was the two things that did it for me. (except the calling Jedi a 'pussy' bit, that was ironic license)

[i]oh and I do sell them as well just to declare an interest here er coverts that is[/i]

Lost mine long ago and don't want it back, thanks. MrsJA nearly killed herself on one of our regular trips and that was it for me. Been a couple of times since with a very good mate but even that didn't sort it, despite how much I used to love cycling.

Now we go for walking instead, with plenty of botanising and stuff to add even more interest. It is fun to walk the footpaths around here as we never used to get to see them when we were riding.

Losing your cycling mojo ain't the end of the world: it can be the start of a new one!

I lost my mojo a whike ago. It was called stress off the bike and lack of fitness.

+1 hora, forced my self out two weeks ago, felt rubbish, rode worse, couldn't even stay with the group, broke bike, woke up sick the next day. Went to work sick and fed up to add to stress of job. Haven been out since, bike sat in disgrace in the garage.

I'm now more stressed and grumpy than before and can feel myself getting lethargic. Im sure it will come back, took up road riding and that helped but even that's not appealing. Massive case of MTFU but the half five start of the commute plus the half six/ seven get home time aren't helping, not to mention not seeing the kids properly as they are getting ready for bed.

Happy days 😕

Totally agree.

stevio - Member
call a mate and ask him to go Trailquesting in a few weeks - you can even bring your new camera???? Always try another weekend away if you want - i've plenty of leave still, Steve -another CYB October trip - promise to bring my shoes this time..... and not throw up on the boat, probably

Your mojo is still there, honest, mate - there have been plenty of times this year i've gone out, but once out couldn't be bothered to ride the bike and just gone and sat somewhere with a view instead....

Busted 🙂
Away for the trailquest unfortunately. Go away on the 20th training course 28th and then jury service 3rd of November so things aren't getting any easier.
Oh and Stevio there have been so many things since shoegate 🙂