Three little words that will get any cyclist excited
No, not the ones you are thinking of
There are some turns of phrase that are unique to cycling that just far more exciting to cyclists than “I love you.” It’s not that we are averse to romance but there is just more than one true love in our lives. While your non-cycling friends won’t necessarily understand why you perk up and get gitty when you hear these phrases, here are some of the most exciting three little words you could ever say to a cyclist.
KOM/QOM
The race you don’t need to sign up for, a Strava segment is sought after digital proof that you rode fast for at least part of the ride. Cyclists love the idea of KOM hunting.
Hors category climb
The most sought after challenges in cycling are monumental climbs and there are none more challenging or exciting to tackle than those too big to even give a numbered designation.
New bike day
There’s no better day in a cyclist live. All your friends will gather to celebrate it with you.
Zone 2 ride
The bread and butter of a training program is building base. Tell a cyclist you are doing a zone 2 ride, and they will perk up and ask you about your training plan.
Tour de France
The biggest bike race in the world doesn’t always deliver the most exciting action but the mention of it will immediately get cyclists debating who’s going to lead Ineos and how many stages Peter Sagan is going to win.
Coffee shop ride
There’s nothing more enjoyable than an easy roll out to the coffee shop. Every cyclist can get on board with a ride like this and just the mention of it builds anticipation for the rewarding caffeinated beverages to come.
Functional Threshold Power
A fascination with watts and power means talking about FTP can lead to a nerd out overanalyzing yours or someone else’s performance.
Lightweight, aero, stiff
What’s sexier than a piece of equipment that’s got it all. Whether it’s a frame, a pair of shoes, a Garmin mount or bottle cages these are the properties that every cyclist wants more of on their bike.
It’s nap time
When you ride your bike a lot, you need to sleep a lot. A nap is a big part of the perfect day.
Post ride beer
Every rider perks up when someone suggests ending the ride at the local craft brewery for a refreshing beverage.
On the rivet
A cyclists, we love talking about how hard we rode and how close we were to donating when we chase moves or drop watt bombs.
Sunday long ride
Parents to young budding riders love the big Sunday group rides. We plan them all week and when the day comes, cyclists are just simply so excited to ride.
Stolen Strava segment
The dreaded email that you’ve been dethroned on Strava will lead immediately to a debate on whether this thief had a massive tailwind, strong lead-out train or maybe used a motorized vehicle to snag your coveted title.
No drop ride
A refreshing change of pace to friendly no drop rides is very important to maintain your riding friendships. Once and a while you just gotta dial things back a bit.
