Should You Still Ride Right Now? Here’s What We’re Doing and Why

From Bicycling

This is a rapidly developing situation and local restrictions may vary. For the most up-to-date information, check your local health department and trusted news outlets, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and World Health Organization (WHO) regularly.

It started with SLACK (as so many office debates do): Long time test editor Matt Phillips threw out a question to the staff:

I’m struggling with a huge (for me) question—should I ride my bike? It’s an inherently dangerous activity and if I crash like I did a few years ago, I’ll need to go the hospital, which would strain an already strained resource.

What followed was a 40 minute passionate, sometimes heated, but overwhelmingly heartfelt response thread as everyone chimed in from their home office headquarters on what riding means to them right now and how they’ve adjusted their routines to keep themselves and others safe during these unprecedented times.

We know we’re not the only ones wrestling with these tremendously difficult questions and coming up with ever-changing answers as we take in the news of the world each day.

Here’s an inside look at what we’re doing now and why. If nothing else, we hope it helps you know you’re not alone (even if you #ridealone). Stay safe. Stay sane. We’re right here with you.

Katie Fogel, Social Media Editor

When everything in my daily routine is messed up and anxiety is through the roof, the one thing keeping me sane right now is staying active. I’ve been doing daily strength training workouts and yoga videos. We are so lucky to live in a time when we have access to so many free workouts on platforms like Instagram and YouTube. I am also still getting out to ride my bike but doing so solo or with my quarantine partner and no one else. Riding is a form of meditation for me and helps clear my mind. I’ve found daily journaling and gratitude lists really help put things in perspective. It’s important to step back from the scary social media coverage right now and focus on how we can help others.

Bill Strickland, Editorial Director

This onslaught of this scourge overlapped with the return (after about three or four really hard years of life) of that daily deep desire to ride—one of those wonderful periods where you go to bed thinking about where and how and when you’ll ride the next day, and you wake up the next morning with thoughts of riding. I found my way back fully to myself. I’m a rider. I understand and respect the social and personal health consequences that require us all to do our best to knock back the spread of this virus. At the same time, I cannot lose myself again. So I have been feeding the desire to ride as safely as I can, and staying ready to adjust what “safely” means when I anticipate that the context is about to change. Right now—today, that means: I am riding for succor more than performance. I am trying to ride outside when conditions seem less likely to be a detriment to my immune system or overall robustness, less challenging (so no rain), and in times and places least likely to be populated by other users (like the local towpath at noon). I am riding solo only. To do my best to avoid taking up precious health-care resources because of a crash or collision, I am being cautious without being tentative — I think riding tentatively actually makes accidents more likely to happen. But I am riding.

Taylor Rojek, Associate Features Editor

I'm making sure to get outside every day with my dog. Whether that’s running, riding, or just playing fetch. I’m mountain biking, but not taking any risks that I wouldn’t normally— I’m not trying jumps, or deciding today is the day for that slippery log-over. But I have been mountain biking for the past six years and have never gone to the hospital or even the doctor’s office from it, so I don't see a reason to stop. It makes me feel way better mentally, which makes me feel better physically.

Molly Ritterbeck, Fitness & Health Director

My exercise routine is way different now and it changes daily based on recommendations from the CDC, the state of certain parks and outdoor areas here in New York City, and my own mental state. Some days, I feel so overwhelmed, I try to simply embrace this time for rest and recovery. Other days, I have to get outside safely for a bit.

I've been riding alone on short, local routes. For a week, I only had access to a Citibike, so I would wipe down the contact points with Purell wipes and ride intervals for 45 minutes (the time limit). After I got back to my apartment, I was able to ride my own bike, but the parks are too crowded for my liking, so I took side streets with bike lanes and just rolled around aimlessly.

Otherwise, I stream at-home strength or yoga workouts or just go for long walks on back streets to avoid crowds. Most of all, I’ve been learning to be compassionate with myself and flexible with my routine. I am usually very structured with daily workouts and constantly on the go, but it’s just not possible right now, and I’m focused on appreciating that I am healthy and safe and have a lot to be grateful for.

Bobby Lea, Test Editor

I’m strictly riding alone. I can’t rationalize any activity that unnecessarily increases the odds of bringing the virus into my home and infecting my six-month-old. I’m also riding alone because of asymptomatic spread: I could be infecting everyone I come in contact with. I’m not willing to take that chance with my friends or their loved ones. I am still riding outside on the roads and trails. At the moment, that’s a risk I'm still comfortable with. On trails, I try my best to be aware of comfort level in the moment and not exceed that. Experience has taught me that being cognizant of danger while riding, and actively thinking about avoiding crashes is one of the best ways to find yourself on the ground. I’m relying heavily on my good sense to know, minute by minute, where the limits are and where I do and don’t feel in control. I’m also not afraid to pull the rip cord on a ride and go home early when I realize I’m starting to make mistakes.

Selene Yeager (me), Contributing Writer

I use cycling to stay balanced and maintain mental health during the best of times. So now? Yes, I’m still riding. But my circles are closing. It doesn’t feel right to me personally to venture far from home or use this as a time to ride all day. My heart’s not in it. So I ride some trails close to me during odd times when I won’t see people and go out for road rides on quiet country roads with my husband when we have the chance. I feel hope in the spring flowers and warming sunshine, and it allows me to believe in a time when we’ll be able to ride and banter with our friends again.

Trevor Raab, Photographer

I have been riding and training almost entirely solo, avoiding crowded spaces and trying not to touch my face the whole ride.

Colin McSherry, Senior Art Director

I’ve been trying to get out daily for rides, but instead of focusing on metrics, I try to stop and take photos of things I normally fly by, a cool old house, railroad station, or bridge. I’ve also used the time to take my son (stir-crazy soccer player) out for runs, and we just talk about random things, nothing too hard, just getting away from video games for a bit.

Jennifer Sherry, Associate Test Director

I have been riding with the family around the neighborhood, exploring. The other day we tried to switch things up and hit a park, but it was super crowded. So we veered off the path and rode up into the deserted college campus above it. Not a soul to be seen and the campus was beautiful: flowering spring trees were beginning to explode, sculptures to stop and look at, some pretty cool architecture, peaceful.

I had to warn my son Milo to not act like a nut on his mountain bike because we can’t just run out and buy a new tube or drop in at the ER with a broken bone. But he did get a flat trying to ride up a set of steps, and I used my last tube last week when he flatted. Going to try to order some tubes on Amazon, much to my dismay.

Matt Phillips, Senior Test Editor

I’m struggling with the ethics participating in a dangerous activity at this time. My wife and I have both had crashes that required days of hospitalization, surgery, and long recoveries. My parents are in their 80s; my brother is a doctor in family practice; my sister is immunocompromised. So far, I haven’t made any changes, and I know I need to keep riding for my health and the health of my marriage (also, very important). But I can’t turn a blind eye to my potential impact on other people either.

Brad Ford, Test Editor

Not riding much, mostly because of how inefficient working from home is—just can’t afford an hour to an hour and a half. But I have to do something before I explode from being around all the food. So I’m running around the property and if I can get into a groove work-wise, I’ll fit riding in. I can pretty much get to and stay on back roads other than the first and last mile.

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