I Bought a Used Bike and Forced Myself to Ride It. Now It Is My Favorite Part of the Week.
By Sarah Chen — Did not know how to change a tire. Still does not really. Rides anyway.
Last updated: May 2026
I bought a bike during the pandemic. Everyone was buying bikes. I did not want to be left out. I rode it three times. Then it sat in my garage for two years.
The tires went flat. The chain got rusty. I felt guilty every time I walked past it.
Last month, I pumped up the tires. I wiped off the rust. I forced myself to ride. Just around the block. Fifteen minutes. It was fine. Not fun. But fine.
I did it again the next day. And the next.
By the second week, I was looking forward to it. By the third week, I was sad on days I could not ride.
Nothing changed about the bike. I changed. I stopped seeing it as something I should do and started seeing it as something I get to do.
Why It Worked This Time
| What Did Not Work Before | What Worked This Time |
|---|---|
| Bought the bike because everyone else did | Rode because I wanted to move my body |
| Had no plan | Rode at the same time every day |
| Rode too far and got tired | Started with 15 minutes |
| Felt guilty when I skipped | Did not track anything |
| Thought I needed gear | Rode in my regular clothes |
The bike was the same. My approach was different.
What I Learned
Starting is harder than continuing.
The first few rides felt like a chore. I had to force myself. After a week, it became a habit. After two weeks, it felt weird to skip.
You do not need to be good at something to enjoy it.
I am not a good cyclist. I ride slowly. I do not know how to fix a flat tire. I get passed by serious cyclists in spandex. I do not care. I am not competing with them. I am just riding.
Movement does not have to hurt.
I used to think exercise had to be hard. Sweaty. Painful. Otherwise it did not count. That was wrong. A gentle bike ride counts. Moving your body counts. It does not have to be suffering.
What Changed
Before, I came home from work and sat on the couch. Scrolled my phone. Felt tired.
Now, I come home, change into shorts, and ride for 20 minutes. I feel less tired after. Not more. That still surprises me.
I also sleep better. Not dramatically. But noticeably.
And I have a small thing to look forward to. That might be the best part.
What I Am Not Saying
I am not saying everyone should buy a bike. Ride what you have. Walk. Run. Dance in your kitchen.
I am not saying you need to ride every day. Some weeks I ride four times. Some weeks twice. That is fine.
I am just saying: I let a bike sit in my garage for two years because I thought exercise had to be hard. That was a mistake. Gentle movement is still movement.
A Few Things That Helped Me Start
Make it stupidly easy.
I kept my bike in the living room. Not the garage. Seeing it reminded me to ride.
Lower the bar.
My goal was not to get fit. My goal was to ride around the block. That is easy. I could do that.
Do not track anything.
No mileage. No speed. No heart rate. Tracking made it feel like work. Not tracking made it feel like play.
Forgive yourself for skipping.
I miss days. I do not punish myself. I just ride the next day.
The Bottom Line
I bought a bike, let it collect dust, and then started riding. Now it is my favorite part of the week.
The bike did not change. I changed how I thought about movement. Not hard. Not sweaty. Not a workout. Just riding.
That was enough.
About the author: Sarah Chen rides a rusty bike slowly around her neighborhood. She does not care who sees her.
This article reflects personal experience. Find movement that works for you. It does not have to look like anyone else’s.
