1. Listening to annoying sounds from somewhere between the bottom bracket and rear wheel
Because the squeaks must have an origin, right? But if you only knew where they are coming from.
2. Unrequited waves
You really feel particularly embraced by the warm hands of the cycling community when the rider coming from the opposite side ignores your friendly greetings.
3. Being trapped in heavy rain
On the other hand, riding alone soaked to the bone can make you feel like a cycling hero. The only problem is you still have two hours to make it home.
4. Celebrating reaching the top of the hill just to discover there is an even higher peak behind the horizon
So there’s no help but to clench your teeth and carry on pushing further.
5. Trying to shift one gear up just to find there are no more gears left
Well, you can either dismount or push harder.
6. Having a stranger stuck behind your rear wheel.
Drafting is fine among friends but why should you work as a windshield to a complete stranger who is trying to benefit from your strength and will never pay you back?
7. Entering a narrow lane and letting the cars behind crawl
Nobody likes to block the road but sometimes the infrastructure in towns or cities is so wrongly designed that there is no chance to let the cars pass. A sad moment for everyone involved.
8. Running out of water
Because you see rest stops, gas stations or shops around only when your bottle is still full. After that, all the refreshment points magically disappear.
9. Riding against the headwind
Just to see the wind’s direction change on the way back, pushing against you again.
10. Making a stop to refill or refresh and finding that you had left the face mask home
Because you need to wear them in every shop.
11. Watching your belly grow under the tight jersey despite your training efforts
And the process gets even worse as you get older.
12. Ripping the chain apart
Because you had considered a chain tool too heavy to carry along.
13. Bumping over cobblestones
Regardless of how cool the Paris–Roubaix race is, you want to die before the stones beat the hell out of you.
14. Catching a slow-going car just before hitting a great downhill section
The sweet reward of a descent you had imagined while overcoming the physical and mental torture of a climb goes down the drain.
15. Being dropped during a hard struggle
Especially if it is a sturdy delivery boy on an e-bike who is passing by.
16. The red light flashes on
Which robs you of the energy you wanted to use in an upcoming climb.
20. The honking of a nervous driver
Who thinks he or she is the only rightful user of the road.
21. Losing all the power somewhere in the middle of nowhere
Some call it blowing up or bonking. Nevertheless, each means you are done and it is time to call for help.
22. Coming to a roadblock that has not been marked on the map
While the detour adds 35 kilometres to your ride plan.
23.Putting on an extra layer of clothing because you expected cold
And it is a warm day in the end, which makes you hate the extra jersey all the way.
