I have been on a riding craze for the past two weeks and I actually have not taken a break until today.
Although I did not want to stop, I feel that it was necessary for a few reasons actually and I would like to share them with you.
Whether you are cycling to work or riding for fun, the idea of a break will help you in ways that you probably would never notice on your own.
Too much of anything is never a good thing and the same thing goes with biking.
So before you overdo anything or get burnt out from riding to work, here are some of the benefits of something so simple as a “bike break”.
1. Your Body Needs a Break
This is the most obvious benefit of taking a bike break and one that you actually need.
Just like any other exercise or activity that you do, your body will always need to recover.
Biking is fun and all but you need to understand that you are getting some exercise that you probably don’t even notice.
Give yourself some time off the bike and let your body recover.
Get back on in a couple of days and not only will your body be rested but you will feel some crazy energy that you can use to bike better and get a lot more work done.
It’s like magic!
2. Your Brain Needs Change
Everyone focuses on the physical part of biking and that is completely normal.
However, I think biking actually helps me 85% more on my mental side than it does with anything physical.
Maybe it’s because I look at it as a hobby and something I enjoy rather than a chore or some exercise.
Or the fact that I also do some running and other forms of exercise?
Regardless of the way I think or you think, taking a break from the daily ride is almost a must as you need to change up the routine every now and then.
If you’re an entrepreneur of some sort, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
In the same way biking gives your mind that break from the real world, you also need to take a break from it too.
Too much of anything is never a good thing and that is something that applies to the little bike world we live in.
3. It Keeps Things Exciting
I don’t care what it is that you do and how exciting it is, there is always going to be a point where things start to get a bit mundane.
As much fun as you might be having on those rides to work and all over the place, there will come a point where you will find less excitement and that is completely normal.
What I do to prevent this is actually what I do with every other hobby I take on.
I actually stop myself (on purpose) before I actually feel any kind of boredom just so I can keep that want going.
That one day of not riding to work always boosts my excitement through the roof, which makes me feel like the days when I first started riding.
This is crucial to such a hobby as we all know that it is not cheap to get into.
4. Your Bike Needs a Break Too
Sure your bike doesn’t have a brain or heart but that does not mean it needs to be on the road or trail 24/7.
Every tangible thing that we use comes with wear and your whole bike will take the same beating.
The price to get one and upgrade any of its parts is quite costly and we don’t need to be replacing any parts on a weekly basis.
Just like the way you treat your car, your bike should get the same treatment.
On that day off of riding, give it a nice wash and lube as it will take care of you the same way you take care of it.
It’s a give-and-take situation that needs to be reciprocated.
5. To Remind Yourself That Biking is Amazing
For almost all of you reading this post, you probably could not care less about the whole biking aspect and you focus on the more common things like saving on gas and whatnot but you really need to look at things differently.
Enjoy the ride when you’re on your bike and leave work out of it but do the same when you get back in your car.
Driving will remind you of the nice views and little routes that can only be seen from a biker’s point of view, so use that car time to give you that reminder.
Conclusion
Take that very much-needed break.
There is no need to take the bike to work each and every single day, so get in the car and take it every now and then.
Rainy days are a very good time to take that break, so try not to make it a habit or you might just get lazy and eventually fall back to driving to work again.
Do what you can but don’t forget that biking is just that awesome.
Thanks for reading and happy biking!