I am always nervous before riding. Does this happen to anyone?

[juf2m]

It's the strangest thing. I have just started riding (have done 6 rides so far) but every time, as I am preparing to go for a ride, I get very nervous butterflies. This happens before a ride in the city or the country, and there is no really good reason for this as I do enjoy riding and there is no pressure at all for me to ride. I am riding this afternoon, just a casual after work jaunt and I am already feeling queazy.

Does this happen to anyone else or am I a total weirdo?

 

[rotorcaptain]

I'm pretty new as well and find myself repeatedly reviewing my route in my head the night before I set out. Nervous or excited I don't know.

 

[amaddeus]

I've been commuting to work and back since January. 180miles+ a week, and I look forward to almost every ride. My body craves it, I love it!

 

[KakenBetaal]

Is it nervousness, or maybe just a big shot of adrenaline because your body is soooo excited knowing you're about to go for a great ride?

 

[JoLo]

You're not alone! I've been riding the last four years (on & off road), and I get butterflies before each ride. No queziness, just butterflies. And it doesn't matter if I'm in a group or solo. I thought it was just me .

 

[bella636]

It's the strangest thing. I have just started riding (have done 6 rides so far) but every time, as I am preparing to go for a ride, I get very nervous butterflies. This happens before a ride in the city or the country, and there is no really good reason for this as I do enjoy riding and there is no pressure at all for me to ride. I am riding this afternoon, just a casual after work jaunt and I am already feeling queazy.

Does this happen to anyone else or am I a total weirdo?

Yep, I get it too.

Strange mix of excitement and apprehension - I ride city roads and whilst looking forward to each ride there is always some low level nervousness ... could be thinking of the traffic or the challenge ... don't know !

 

[juf2m]

Isn't that interesting!! I am so glad it's not just me! Once I actually get riding, I am concentrating on the traffic and then enjoying the ride so all the nervousness goes....but I sure hope I'm not going to have this nervousness forever!

 

[Telegram Sam]

I'm just on the lookout for stray dogs- I guess that might be nervousness. When I ride with the wife (just started a year ago- got the road bike yesterday) I am always aprehensive that she is having fun because if she ain't, I don't have a riding partner anymore

 

[RC2]

No nervousness, just (a) excitement and longing to be out on a great fun ride, (b) dread when I've been out of the saddle for a week or two and know it's gonna hurt.

I do know how you feel though, got a motorcycle a while back for the first time, and it took a long while before I didn't get a twinge of butterflies getting on that thing.

 

[alorlious]

I would have to say this stems from our society's reliance on the automobile. We're so used to being in a car whenever we travel for more than a mile. The idea of being out in the middle of the country with only your own strength to get you back home can sometimes create anxiety. To remedy this I carry my cell phone though I mute the ringer. Especially off-road where I could wind up crippled and nobody would find me for a few days.

No, I'm not a psychiatrist. But, I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

 

[JSWin]

No you are not a total weirdo. I'm sure that there are some things that do this to other people in different scenarios that do not bother you. Everyone is different. Going out to a bar does that to me. A bike ride not ever. A date with someone who makes me feel excited maybe. Everyone has something that effects them like this. Something must have happened to you that causes this.

 

[Keyan]

You said butterflies in your gut I think that is being excited for me. I never get nervous or scared in a negative way but I feel a bit excited at first. In time that feeling no longer shows up maybe because it had become a regular routine.

 

[Froze]

I've never gotten nervous or excited except when I use to race in events, otherwise training or riding was just another day. Nervous or excited does not mean I was scared, just hyped.

 

[Darktone]

I only get nervous if I had spicy burritos earlier in the day and there are not any toilets on my route! Lol I am serious!

 

[ZXD22]

Never get nervous before riding. I do get eager and tend to go very fast in the beginning, but never nervous.

 

[Susimi]

I get nervous before and when I go for a ride during the day for some reason that I think is connected to being on the road, but when I go out for rides in the dead of night I'm perfectly fine.

 

[sunshiney]

I definitely get that feeling of nervous anticipation before a ride sometimes. Usually when I know that I'm in for a challenge, or if we're planning to try out a new mountain biking trail. I think it's more excitement than nerves though . The only time I'm just straight up anxious before a ride is if I know I'm going to be cycling in/around heavy traffic, or if I have serious doubts about my ability to handle a difficult trail.

I suffer from anxiety though, so if cycling was something that always made me nervous I probably wouldn't be very involved in it.

 

[Uawadall]

I get nervous before rides, but not during them. Its more of a cautious nervous than scared one. It helps put me in the mindset of awareness and knowing that I have to look out for myself when out on the road.

 

[Dahlia]

And I thought I was the only one who felt a little off when first settling into a bike ride. I have been biking on and off for the last 10 years or so, and not too long ago I bought myself a Schwinn hybrid. I thought it would be perfect because it is supposed to combine the best of city and mountain bikes. The problem I am finding is that it feels too "wobbly." I never thought I'd have that terrible feeling of being off balance since I have been riding bikes since I was six and haven't felt wobbly since those first few rides after my training wheels came off. But nope, its back, that wobbly feeling I got when I realized my dad was no longer holding onto the back of the seat to make sure I stayed upright.
I think it could be due to the fact that my bicycle before this one was a heavy duty mountain bike. It was a men's CCM and it was a really nice bike, but it was so heavy that I thought I'd be better off with a lighter weight bike as I am getting older and I mostly ride around the city streets. Now I am thinking that I am not used to the incredibly narrow tires on this bike. Hybrid or not, this bike took more of the street bike styling on that it did the other and I don't think the manufacturer got the formula quite right. It just feels all out of whack to me. Its only a seven speed too, and now I am finding that I want more gears. But the biggest thing is that wobbly feeling and the way it makes me feel jittery and apprehensive even just thinking of bike riding, Now I'm biking less and less because the jittery feeling, rather than letting up, is getting worse.
I don't know what kind of bike you are riding but I would recommend a bike with wider tires if you are not feeling comfortable when you bike. I find that wider tires give me a greater feeling of stability even though they take more effort to pedal. I will probably be trading my hybrid in for a