Locked down, isolated, cancelled or postponed – not many of us are riding right now because of Covid-19. Whether it’s planning bucket list events or sorting your tool box, here are five ways to fill your time while we wait for the tracks and trails to open again.
 

Just because we can’t ride doesn’t mean we’re not at least thinking about riding does it? Where best to channel our off road energies then in these times of little or no riding than into our bikes. 

Ok, so spending your time drinking beer could be one option (at present there are no restrictions on quantities of beer in the supermarkets) but we’re trying to be practical here.

Here are our top five best ways to spend your time while you can’t ride.

'Repurposing' the cash

It’s a buzz-phrase (sorry!) but all the cash you were going to spend on riding in these weeks and months is already allocated, right? All the money you were going to spend on tyres, travelling, accommodation, entry fees etc. is already accounted for then why not repurpose it onto something meaningful before it gets sucked into a garden feature or some paint for the living room? 

Why not channel it back into the bike or your riding kit? Time for that new set of boots, upgrade to a higher-quality helmet or that FMF Gnarly you’ve always wanted? 

Another repurposing plan might be to take a step back from your bike and look at what’s fitted and bolted on, what works and what could be improved. Is there a part which kind of does a job but not well enough? What’s trashed and needs replacing? 

Show your bike some love. 

Hit the gym, kinda...

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-C4YedKuEP

Do some training but wait, not just boring normal training (enough pro riders are posting on social media about this already…). Do something meaningful with the extra time to think about which bit of you gets knackered when you ride and work on that. 

Seek out some expert advice on specific training programme for those bits of you which suffer the most: forearms, lower back, hand grip strength or whichever bit of you is holding you back from riding better. 

Maybe now’s the time to get some research done, get some nutrition books and, just maybe, consider stop eating so many burgers?

Gyms might be closed just now for many of us but the experts who can help with personal training and nutrition are still out there – most will be happy for the attention at this quiet time. 

Sort the garage/workshop out

Maybe if your name is Kailub Russell or Alex Salvini you already have a perfect workshop set-up but for the rest of us isn’t it time to show the workshop some love? Time to paint the workshop floor, fix up proper shelving or paint the whole damn place out to make it bright and clean? 

While you’re in there sort your tools out too. Maybe it’s time to stop going riding with that old set of wrenches in the tool chest which, when it actually comes to it, don’t fit anything on your bike and just take up space? 

What tool kit do you carry in the bumbag? Do you need three different allen keys in there or will an 8mm and 10mm keys do? Does that universal tool really fit the front axle nut? Have you really got the correct spare split link for your chain? Get on it and properly sort your workshop and tools out.

Make a plan for events

Perhaps the dreamiest of ways to spend your time is to take stock of where you’re at in your riding life and think of races you’ve’ always wanted to do but never have. What country or big event like Romaniacs needs ticking off the bucket list? Get hold of your riding mates and make some plans in the diary, make a financial plan for it and make it happen.

Fix up the van/truck

Much like the workshop and tools idea above, now is also the time to fix out the van or truck better, hell, most of us spend enough time travelling doesn’t it deserve some love too?  

Always wanted an awning? Are you still driving around with no panelling or carpeting in the van? What about something simple like perfectly fitting a slot to take your tool box when travelling? Or how about a whole set of tools just for the van tool box?

Wouldn’t it be great to have everything sorted and perfectly in its own place every time you go riding…

Top 5 best “other” options:

• Fix that niggling injury (Warning! This option might actually help you) Visit a physio or doctor to finally get that pain you feel every time you ride sorted.
• Watch old YouTube videos: (Warning! This option might make you buy an old bike on eBay)
• Drink beer (Warning! This option can have consequences)
• Have sex (Warning! This option can have consequences)
• Do some gardening/clean the barbeque (Warning! This option turns you into an old person)

Photo Credit: Enduro21/Andrea Bellsuchi + S2 Motorsports + Philip Platzer + Attila Szabo