Top Cycling Milestones in Every Rider's Life!

[tymon_tm]

riding a bike is really a life time long adventure. I though I knew and have learned it all, but season after season I discover something completely new. first year or years is basically about learning your body, mind and obviously your bike.

most guys and gals try to follow the 'racing path', "training" instead of racing, doing all sorts of events all the time, but I don't think this is the way to go for everyone. this is a really tough discipline and if you aim to stick with it, you gotta find your own angles. nothing more discouraging than feeling you don't live up to some imaginary standards, or that you're "slower than everyone else"

me, I just ride. I tried all sorts of things, but found out the sheer pleasure of being out there alone with my bike is what keeps me going. most of dudes I know "race". many of them seem to treat it like some sort of obligation or duress. they "gotta ride" no matter if they feel like they want to or not - if they don't ride (pardon me - "train") they fall behind and that's not acceptable in their made up universe. again - don't go that road, at least not from the get go.

for me the most important cornerstone was to find joy in suffering. to find comfort in riding on the edge of the red zone. to come back home hopelessly exhausted, thinking I sure as hell wont ride for next couple of days, and then doing it all over again the very next day

[Fiery]

Cycling determines your personality and makes you have a different point of view.

Whoa.

[AJS914]

How about:

The first time you finish a race on the lead lap (without getting dropped)

which is right up there with:

Not getting dropped for the first time on the hard group ride

[otoman]

When you first shaved your legs

The first race dub (win)

The first crash (at speed, on a road bike)

The first epic bonk

[Asteroid]

Thinking like:
- first 50-miler
- first 100-miler
- first bike
- first bike bought with one's own money
- first successful repair of (insert completed process here)
- first leadout on group ride

[tymon_tm]

When you first shaved your legs

that's a real shocker. I went with hands too - god it felt weird, almost like naked

[themidge]

TF is a padded pedal!?
Clipless?

[Johnny Rad]

Clearly recall the first time I climbed a minor local canyon (~1.5k ft) and felt like Rocky Balboa climbing the stairs in Philly! Top of the world! Now, it’s but a minor climb... progress.

Also remember my first 100mi century ride where I didn’t stand or shift around on my saddle for the first 90mi only to find myself unable to sit for the last 10mi! Painful was an understatement. Silly me.

Lots of fun accomplishment memories. Still making new ones.

[tabl10s]

First 60 mile ride:

58 mph(still spinning and could've gone faster but started heading towards yellow line with a tractor trailer on the other side on a curve).

Crashed after first Cafe stop@43mph(estimated). Picked up by Old Lady in an old caddy who took me to the base hospital(Air Force). Rocks in eyebrow and shoulder(no cacti in Las Vegas).

[AJS914]

I think one's first good road bike is a milestone.

Mine was a Raleigh Super Course with 531 main tubes and poor mix of parts (Suntour). I eventually swapped all the parts for Campagnolo Record. Without that bike I wasn't in the game. Before that, I had my dads too-big 30 pound Schwinn Varsity which was no fun to ride.

[TonyM]

To me:

- first race win
- first race win in terrible weather
- first bonk on a long day
- first gran fondo in the Alps with many passes

[Mr.Gib]

Breaking away and staying away. What a feeling. Been years since I've had that feeling. That ship has definitely sailed. Ah well. Climbing Alpe d'Huez the first time was cool. (IMO a very ordinary climb when you consider all the truly great ones).

[tmr5555]

A milestone I wish to complete this year or the next:
-peeing on the bike without stopping on a slight downhill slope during a UCI 2.2 stage race.
Yeah, I know, very specific

some equally weird milestones I have recently managed to tick off:

-The elusive KOM
-Puke from effort
-Get a skin suit made for the team
-400 watts for 10 minutes.

[Rondje]

-Puke from effort

Ask Dylan Groenewegen: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjaQv7-hHTW ... on_van_bon
Disclaimer, some might find it distasteful altho it's a picture taken from a distance.


I don't race, so for me, it is more the smaller things:
First 130k ride around a lake nearby
First time I was stronger than my brother
The first big mountain climb (quite something if you are from the Netherlands)
The first time climbing next to snow walls
The first time climbing while it starts snowing.