I’m not sure or how this has happened but I seem to have lost my love for road rides 
. We’ve had super hot weather in the UK over the past two months and I found it more comfortable to do my lab sessions indoors with a couple of large fans set up in my pain cave. Having killed my indoor bike I’ve had to connect my outdoor bike to my kickr… I’ve not ridden on the road since completing Velo Wales in mid July and that was a closed road event.
I’m trying not to get hung up about it but the fact I’m raising it in the forum must mean it’s bothering me.
So what’s stopping me enjoying the great outdoors? I’m happy to get out on the MTB trails but prefer being on the trainer rather than the road… on my last outdoor ride from home I encountered bad drivers (and cyclists) and pot holes which really sucked the fun out of my experience.
Have others ever gone through a period where they just didn’t want to take their road bike out where it belongs?
Totally understand! This happened to me last fall. Mid-September through October and a few days in early November we had gorgeous perfect riding weather. But all my events for the year were done and it was so much easier to hop on Zwift. I just couldn’t summon the mental stamina to ride outdoors. It ended up being a long, cold winter and by mid-February I was longing for the snow to melt and the the roads to be clear of ice so I could go outdoors.
Don’t beat yourself up about it. Enjoy your riding no matter where you are. Maybe you just need a little mental health break and pretty soon a beautiful day will get you back outside again.
I go through periods of time where I’d rather do one type of biking over another. Some years, I’ve ridden mostly mountain bikes, other years mostly road. This is my first year with a trainer and my only road bike is on the trainer, so I’ve done very limited outdoor road rides this season.
I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself for wanting to do indoor instead of outdoor riding. The nice thing is we all have choices. As long as you are enjoying what you’re doing, I wouldn’t be worried.
I agree with what Stefanie and Linda posted here.
It could be a phase, or not. A lot of factors can play into what you feel like doing for a while. I am having the opposite issue- I am finding it really hard to get on the trainer and I just want to be outside. To the point that I don’t even want to look at Zwift pages on Facebook anymore. At the end of the winter, though, it was the opposite, I was dreading going outside.
Either way, don’t judge it and don’t read too much into it. Go with the flow. Do whatever you feel is best for you right now. There are so many things in life that we HAVE to do even though we don’t want to… cycling (whether only indoors or only outdoors or both) should not be one off them… it should be something that we like doing and that brings in positivity and well-being.
Just picked up on this topic. Until Zwift I pretty much only rode outdoors. History. At the start I was a runner which I found and fell in love with at around 40 yrs of age. Move on a few years, 3 marathons, mountain marathon, loads of half marathons etc and a resulting chronic achilles…and the bike as a means of alternate exercise. That brought about triathlons. Bring on half iron man and that finished off running well and truly. So just the bike then. And swimming. Club rides, a dabble with local racing, some time trials but nothing serious and then riding for fitness and fun. But a BIG crash in 2013. Broken neck, scapula, elbow and ongoing issues with my back. And Zwift arrived. Thank goodness!!! Ongoing back issues, shoulder pain and many many miserable rides outside. More misery as I try to be where I once was. I’m now getting older. Let’s add in menopause and two further spinal surgeries.and a few years of learning not to chase where I was before!
This year I’ve come to accept that, for now, and never say never, I’ve lost the joy of riding outside…But I have found the joy of doing what I love to do. I’d say, with hindsight, for anyone worrying about losing a love for something. Don’t worry, that old saying of, if it’s meant to be, is a saying for a very good reason! Do what you love to do and let go of what you don’t. Life is fluid and full of change. Embrace the change. It’s fab if you let go!! 
I started riding five years ago. The first two years I was a beast. Then I got a new job that took up a lot of time and I could not get on the road as much as I would like. I lost a lot of fitness and became slower on the road. Now this year I work at home because of covid and thought I would spend more time on the road. Very uncomfortable doing group rides so I will ride solo. There are more people riding bikes however drivers seem to be more abrasive and I am more hesitant riding by myself. A woman cyclist was killed near my area early in the morning on a road with a decent shoulder. I normally ride that road in the morning so I went back on the trainer. I want to get back on the road but still satisfied on the trainer. I will focus on 2021.
OMG yes!!! I struggle with riding outside and have even gotten to the point of make excuses for just riding inside - I have even told hubby I can’t leave the dog - yes he’s spoiled but… I have an IRL TT series starting this week and haven’t been outside in a few months - we shall see how that goes - at least it’s not a group ride/race - great post!
@LangR wow!! Thanks for sharing!! Great attitude and happy you found zwift too!
I’ve been struggling with this a bit. When I ride outside it’s always because I’ve got somewhere to be. I bike commute and try to do most of my errands by bike, I see my bike like a vehicle most days. But when I train, I can’t do it outside. Too many potholes, busted roads, and crazy hills around me. I can’t train if I’m doing a -15% grade! I’m already riding the brake, much less pedaling! And then I have to go home which is back uphill! I find myself on Zwift a lot and my road bike collecting dust which makes me sad. My road bike is my favorite and I love it.
I’m taking my road bike out tomorrow to attempt my first workout outside. I’m driving 40 minutes to get to a paved rail trail that should be flat with no cars. Fingers crossed.
For me I treat my outdoor workouts as a time for fun or for a social ride. Takes the pressure off and I look forward to them as a chance to see where I’m at but also have some fun.
It’s hard to do workouts effectively here, we really don’t have dedicated bike lanes and if you want flats you’ve got to deal with stop signs and traffic lights. I can find hills but have to watch for the traffic on the narrow roads.