Rolling Into 2020: Better Resolutions For A Better Cycling Community
We’re just weeks away from a New Year. Want to make 2020 your best year on the bike yet? Make a commitment to doing these four things and you’ll be cruising through all 365 days with a smile.
New Year’s resolutions are a bit of an odd concept. We take an arbitrary time of the year to change something we do for the better. From diet to exercise to even cracking open a book, we decide what our lives need more of and what we could do without. We vow to do things we already do differently, or make the new year serve as our motivation to try something brand new. But are we committing to more, withing getting more value for our time and effort. Ahead of 2020, challenge yourself to add to your cycling experience in a way that may not be measured in miles.
Ride Happier, Not More. Ditch your plans to hit a mile total. So many aspects of modern cycling demand more, more, and still more. Instead of trying to hit one thousand miles more than in 2019, focus on more in a qualitative sense. More adventure, more new trails, more new races, and more new events that expand your experience without being diluted to a total. Sit down and seek out a new race or ride for every month of the year and pencil it into your schedule. Even if the new ride is just yourself at a new trail, try to focus on unique, enriching experiences more than volume.
Ride For A Cause. One of the best parts of the cycling community is that it is absolutely filled to bursting with chances to give back. Make at least one of your events in 2020 a new charity ride that you haven’t supported before. Instead of just signing up and riding, take time to learn more about the organization, the mission, and where the charity is headed. From the Alzheimer’s Association to the MSU Gran Fondo, the Less Cancer Bike Ride to Norte’s Heavy Ride with Friends, a charity ride is a way to learn about a group that does a lot of good for its community the other 364 days of the year, too.
Get A Friend Hooked. In 2020, get one friend who doesn’t ride to throw a leg over a bike. Riding with a pal is a great way to encourage an active, healthy lifestyle and initiate them into the world of two-wheeled fun. You can be the person who shows them the ropes, keeps them motivated as they learn, and watch them progress. Even if they don’t become addicts, you’ll have made one more person informed about the sport, and perhaps turn a driver on the road into an ally when they come across a cyclist.
Support Local. In the world of online shopping, it’s all-too-easy to order a part or piece of kit on the web. When you have to, go for it, but at least make an effort to support your local bike shops when possible. Bike shops provide service, knowledge, and emergency support to communities in a way online retailers never will. Shops are also famous for sponsoring local rides and races, and the extra few bucks you spend here do a lot to support the shop and your cycling community, too.
With just three weeks left until the New Year, what goals do you have for your life on the bike?