Firstly, i recognise it must be difficult for you and it must have been difficult to talk about this so openly. I think your mood may well be dysthymic (I'm a psychiatric nurse) although you don't meet the two-year diagnostic threshold, you're NOT clinically depressed from what I can see. You've taken a fun hobby and made it your job so, of course, it becomes a job.... blurgh. Covid hasn't helped, we're all stuck in the same sort of time bubble with little moving forward, but it'll get better. You may have lost some fitness but as an Englishman living in NSW we often have heatwaves similar to what you're experiencing and I really struggle in the heat and I'm generally a fit mountain biker and road biker. Take a step back, try some mindfulness or meditation. Think about what you enjoyed about the sport in the beginning and focus on that. Eat healthily, talk to your friends/family, sleep well and if you still feel low maybe see a counselor to just to take stock. All the best, Daniel.
Hey Paul, thanks for making this video. It cool to hear your thoughts and I think a lot of people have been struggling over this past year. Mountain biking is such a huge community and exploration based sport and everyone having to be so separate the past year it’s been a different feel for sure. I know for me I can totally relate to the “how many times can I ride the same trail” thing. Especially after being used to traveling and racing 20+ times a year. I can’t wait until we can come up to Canada again and ride some fun stuff with you and if you feel like riding some fast flowy trails come back down to Idaho and visit when you can. Your stoke will come back, sometimes it just takes a little break from things to really appreciate them again! Keep your head up. Kyle
Hey Kyle, I posted a reply for Paul that I think I sent to yourself & April. Apart from the psychology side biochemistryhas a huge part to do with it. Myokines are a recently found chemical signalling. But instead of me trying to explain it. Dr Doug McGuff is a incredible guy who explains it in this Podcast. . ua-cam.com/video/aie1AgEXikY/v-deo.html
I honestly think it is a risky path, turning a passion into a job - as it can take away the joy. I MTB to escape, relax, have fun, its an outlet. I can't imagine losing that outlet, by turning it into a job or a living. Kudos to those of you who can make it work, because I love your content!
very true. I had the passion for Linux and IT tech when a teen... now I'm a 10+ years of experience IT dude... I hate computers. But love mountain biking :D
Sportbikes (motorcycles) were my life. I road raced with the AFM for years, went to Motorcycle Mechanics school and became a mechanic. Now 20 years later I never ride motorcycles on the weekends and I quit racing years ago. I absolutely love mountain biking however and get out when ever I can Life is all about balance. Take a break. Mix things up.
That’ll happen for sure, my solution has always been to ride different trails and style and try new stuff, as well as mix it up between jumping and XC and DH, keeping it interesting. Also, I don’t ride much during the winter, just snowboard and play in the snow, so I come back super excited for bikes in the spring! Looking forward to riding with you this year hopefully! 👊
I appreciate this take a lot, I always like to look forward to a sport; whether it's snowboarding in the winter, biking in the summer or triathlon training in the transitions. Thanks Eric, good to hear it coming from a pro, keep making great content!
I agree totally. but then here in coastal BC there is no such thing as a 'go for a cruise' trail, unlike Arizona. It's mostly an all in commitment to the jank here.
Sounds like some depression. Go and talk to someone you trust . My best friend had life long depression and he committed suicide in January . I know it’s hard for people to deal with and admit they are depressed but don’t let yourself go down that rabbit hole of hell . All the best to you .
Came into the comments to say something similar. Could be job related stress, but it sounds a bit like depression. Would definitely be worth having a conversation with a doctor, mental health is no joke
I agree so much. I heard “I hate something I love”, coupled with what seems to be a vague feeling that something is wrong, while minimizing it, then add that “I think I’m hard to work with…” blaming himself for it. I think it’s important for people to realize that depression doesn’t look like one thing. Sometimes it’s can’t get out of bed and sometimes it’s not enjoying things. Sometimes it’s moments of a lot of fun mixed in with, I’m a burden on my friends and family. We’re living through weird times. Check on your friends.
I like to jump on the road bike whenever I'm bored of mountain biking... and vice versa. I know lots of mtbers look down at road but it's actually pretty fun and provides a whole new avenue of riding to explore
This, I brought a single speed. Have done many miles on it when I need a break from the trails. Feels like I'm exploring my area like never before on it.
Same here. What I enjoy about road riding is simply rolling out my front door and not really having any plan on how long/far I'll ride and when I'll get home. Sometimes, it's 40 miles. Sometimes 100 miles. While I generally enjoy mtn biking as a social activity with friends, on the road I prefer just me and my thoughts. Fortunately, I have many miles of semi-rural rolling roads in SE PA and NJ to ride on where car traffic is tolerable.
@@ianfurqueron5850 Exactly, I open my garage and boom I'm on my way. At the time I brought the bike I also had a lot of problems with my mtb, parts failing ect. It was so nice riding something so simple.
Same here. Plus, it's easy to get an intense workout very quickly on the road if that's what you want to do. Other evenings I'm scooting around the local park on my hybrid just enjoying the fresh air and waning sunshine.
Hi Paul, the struggle is real. Not just for a Mtb UA-cam er, I’m 59 now and sitting here with a separated shoulder. I crashed not in some big mega send it moment but just a silly stupid thing. I remember when I got tired and deeply depressed after 18 years of racing Mx. I just quit and walked away. The joy was gone, I got into Mtb riding and road biking for health reasons and I’m always asking my friends “don’t you guys ever just go for a ride and enjoy the scenery and the pleasure of being outside “ seems the response is always the same the just want to hammer away at the trails. I’ve never been interested in xc riding before but 4 years ago I went to visit family in colorado and I started checking out xc rides that would just take me out in the forest for the beauty of of it and I just ride alone and at my own pace and I find I really am loving it. I still go ride with friends but I’m the slowest in the group and I really hate being hurt. Oh, my only local trails are only 6 miles of swamp and I usually don’t ride Mtb unless it’s cool as I hate summer, sucks living in the southern USA, I really enjoy your videos that teach other riders, it’s great to give back to the community and I think it’s a great way to bring your joy back
Agree with everything you said. I'm 65, been riding off road for 30 years or so, and I've just always liked to go out and ride through the woods, at my own pace. For me, it's not about speed, it's about riding through the woods and getting some quiet time. (I absolutely hate i9 and King hubs, way tooo loud, sometimes I come upon people with these hubs and I can't wait to get away from them). Anyway, I also do road riding (weekends only these days as I am afraid of the way people are driving cars these days) but bike riding is just one thing I do. Windsurfing and sailing are my two biggest hobbies during the warmer months and I love skiing in the colder months. Anyway, a perfect day for me in warmer weather is a bike ride through the woods in the morning followed by windsurfing in the afternoon. Been getting into stupid situations lately like falling over on my mtb at very slow speed and getting a huge laceration on my ankle area which kept me doing fun things for like 3 weeks. Maybe it's age, I don't know, I hope not. Have fun out there!!!
A friend of mine asked me why I don’t want to compete in local events or whatever, my response I don’t have anything left to prove my ego died a long time ago
@@asquare9316 100% agree. I'm still to get back into the mtb and road club rides i did weekly before Covid. I will start again of course as cycling in whichever discipline for me will be for life. When you have a break from anything though the weeks slip by and its hard to start up again. I also agree its good to have complimentary hobbies and interests to keep things fresh and for cross fitness. I love swimming, love/hate running and want to take up paddleboarding and hiking on occassion.
For me, mountain biking is the one sport that is really hard to love when your fitness level isn't where you want it to be. Even more so then snowboarding. The beginning of the season is always hardest for me because of it. But once you start getting that stamina and strength back there's nothing else like it. Thanks for the video Paul!
Yep. My son is now fitter, more able and more confident than me and thats awesome...but also, when we ride trails together, makes me feel I need to work harder to feel the enjoyment in terms of the trail. Still love the time together though and don't want to lose that, ever.
I think being with a group of friends and getting out to trails together - and going out for a beer or food after, and just talking to other people about how we're REALLY doing - and encouraging each other - that can help bring the joy back to riding.
As a 9 to 5er in a corporate type job... This actually makes me feel a little better. I feel this way often even though I know I'm super lucky to have my job and dream about just doing something mountain biking related for work. At the end of the day though, a job is a job and eventually it will cause some burnout or lose some luster.
Having a channel is no different than any job after a while. You get all the stress and anxiety, but only a fraction of the pay. Burnout is just as common as it is in any "regular" job.
As someone who's dealt with depression, this sounds like depression. Changing to new activities is a good healthy thing to do. Also be sure to get enough sleep, eat well, and connect with some people who love you. Respect, brother. : )
As a small channel myself I have given it my all tried everything and feel burnt out from trying and lack of success its heartbreaking. I can't imagine how much pressure large channels like you feel. Keep your chin up and your tires muddy Paul.
I go through these phases sometimes, I went off it for a while and recently have started riding a bit more and am off to bike park wales tomorrow for a lads jolly for the first time in 2 years. Sometimes you got to take a step back and when you do get back into it you really appreciate and love it! You cant stop these great videos - we all love them - keep up the good work!
Very honest vid, I think we've all felt like this at some point. I reckon you need a break from UA-cam, get out there and try enjoying some bike time without a camera.
I love that you have shared this tough time your going through, as someone who shares your love of the great sport that mountain biking is it sucks that your in this rut, you have my support and I'm sure many, many others to. Cant wait till you bring back the full stoke to the channel when the time is right for you and conditions are favorable, but as they say, ''separation makes the heart fonder'' and as someone cant devote as much time as I would like to mountain biking I know how much this saying is true. love, hugs, and support.
I’ve been having the same thing! I haven’t been interested in riding or anything really for the last month or so, the thing that has helped me to start loving riding was getting out with the right people and progressing and doing the things that scare me.
I’ve been in the same funk for over a year. Covid has changed everything. I love the quiet enjoyment of the woods and now there are way too many people out there. Can’t even park my car close half the time. Trails in my area a really getting dumbed down too. Maybe I’ll snap out of it.
"I don't wanna cal it burnout" then proceeds to describe classic symptoms of burnout 😂 in all honesty tho, care for yourself man. I understand you have some responsibilities as a sponsored rider, but your personal health should still be the priority.
I’ve had to save this video because Paul I went through the exact exact same struggle where golf became my first option to go and do and cycling was second and I’m over that stage now and realised that’s cycling is a lot better and you will probably get to a stage where you actually get sick of golf 😂 and then you’ll get on your bike and you won’t be able to get off it.I hope this will give you some motivation but if it doesn’t I atleast tried🤞🏼 keep up the great vids🔥
i've been out of biking for years due to my health, i had cancer and lost a lung, i spent 10 years feeling sorry for myself and putting weight on, i've recently been trying to get back into it and im hating it, i cant ride like i used to and never will be any where near the level i used to be but im sticking with it.
I wish I could step away from my job when I’m feeling burnt out. That wasn’t meant to be a diss btw. Consider yourself in a very blessed spot that you are able to do that.
This is probably the hardest video for someone in your position to make. Kudos to you for facing the beast head on, with honesty and humility. A lot of people can learn from this, not just UA-camrs. You should be proud of what you've accomplished so far, and proud of yourself for making this video and bring honest. In the end, you have to be happy. We all hope you find your passion again, but if you don't, make sure you do something that makes you happy. Cheers!
I've been here before. Having a single point of focus was the reason. This is why I now have multiple hobbies (ie passions). I love MTB'ing but I am also a car enthusiast...but I'm also into home theater/music and street photography lol. None of these do I view better than the other, and none of them do I feel need to be "beat". It's great for the mentals!
Been there as well Paul, I had a year off the bike got back into riding and 6 months later fell into another funk, so I started a couple of different sports wakeboarding and snowboarding and what it made me realize is that i fell in love with mtb due to progression! learning new techniques and getting good at them kept me coming back for more. Took that back to riding and it’s been the most fun I ever had! Good luck Paul you will back and better than ever!!
When we are dancing we are not aiming to arrive a particular location, when we dance the journey itself is the point.. What I'm trying to say is.. when you do something for future reward, (such as creating content for your job), then you may find yourself loosing the passion of doing the activity in the process. So you must find a way to make the process part of the dance, be in the moment and enjoy the ride.
I am very new to MTB and I live in flat Florida. Lol. Even so, I have been having so much fun and I love your videos. I really appreciate your honesty. It allows me to understand you and even mountain biking and it’s impact on our mental health. Have fun!!!
This speaks to me. I wasn't confident riding after recovering from a knee surgery early last year, and decided to pick golf back up after a 10 year hiatus. For the last year I've been more motivated to work on my golf game than ride. The longer I'm away from it, the harder it is to get excited about it again. I think this is, in part, because I don't know anybody else that rides, but golf is a sport I can share with my father, friends and colleagues. My Ripley is collecting dust, but I shot 81, 82 on my last 2 rounds. I've really enjoyed the content on the golf channel.
I totally understand having that block with riding sometimes. I have been there myself. What helped me was that a friend got into riding and was new to the whole thing. Seeing him get excited about riding and learning made me more excited to ride again. I am sure it’s just a momentary blip and you will get back to it before you know it.
So glad you posted a video like this. This year is the absolute least amount of riding i've done since i started 8 years ago. I think i've only ridden 4 times this year, down from 4 times a week. Not sure what did it but i'm hoping that i'll get the fire again in the future. Thanks for sharing your feelings and story. Good stuff.
Recently leaving mountain biking behind has been a pretty difficult leave. This video really helped me remember all the reasons why and there's more for why other hobbies or things to do with your life or extra spare time way better than mountain biking
I have felt the same. I live in the 2nd flattest State in the US, so there is not a lot of enjoyable mountain bike riding around here. So what I did was over Independence Day weekend I visited 13 different trail systems in four different States. I climbed over 5000', which is not a lot for anyone who lives near actual mountains, but for a flatlander, it was something new. I also started racing XC, which put me on new trails, meeting new people and finding joy in riding again. I have also began putting more miles on my gravel bike, and have taken it to some of the local MTB trails for a little added excitement.
Dude, I have felt exactly the same the last couple of months. Until March 2019 I was riding and traveling all over the world on a monthly basis and was excited to come home (Israel) and ride here in between. This year though, I feel like I've lost my mojo and just don't feel like touching the bikes even. My fitness have dropped significantly and in the beginning all that freaked me out. Now, I have accepted that its is probably just a period and its is okay not to love riding every time like before. Once you have accepted that, you'll find your way back enjoying your rides again. The whole point of riding is to enjoy it and feel stoked (unless you are a pro and you HAVE to ride). If its not there for a period, big deal, it will come back! Love your channel and focus on what makes you feel joy in life.
Novelty is a great way to increase seratonin. try adding trail running and gym workouts to your schedule and learn a new sport. when you have less time to ride your bike, you will enjoy more the opportunity you have to ride your bike.
Hi Swindon, yeh I spent some years there. Was obsessed with climbing when we moved to Squamish many years ago but fell out of love with it I guess like you are now with the MTB. I started kayaking and riding and gradually climbing took a back seat. In a climbing town there's so much pressure to push the grades same with the biking, so many new riders who can't wait to get that Double Black Diamond or Strava times. I guess as a Utuber you're only as good as your last video which may affect your enjoyment of getting out and just riding? Leave the go pro at home for a while? At 71 my days of riding are disappearing, life is short it creeps up on you all too quickly, enjoy it while you can. The new Pseudo is fabulous, so good I did it twice.
I have been dealing with the same thing. Tried a bike park for the first time ever in May, absolutely loved it, bought a season pass and haven't been back since. Haven't actually even touched my mountain bikes since. Luckily found joy in fixed gear riding, so it's still bikes and that's enough for me. But something feels devastating about it. I'm sure I'd love it if I only got out on my MTB, but there's just something that feels too much work about it atm. I can just pick up my fixed gear and head out, mountain biking would require so much more preparation. Wish all the best to you Paul, surely we'll get over it.
Been there with the mechanical problems. When you think you've fixed a problem then discover that you haven't it wears on you. But, when you do fix the problem the bounce back is great. I hope that bounce back comes to you.
I feel your pain Paul. I’m in the same boat. I got injured and have just sorta lost the love of riding. It’s a bummer. Hope you work it work man. Good luck.
This happens to me. I’ll be on a lock where I’ll go all the time and then a couple months later my bike won’t be touched for weeks or even months. So What did I do to combat this? I bought an ebike!
I have felt this. I usually take a short break off from riding a month tops to reset. This year I have taken more time off than the past few years combined. Slowly getting back into riding and being consistent.
I've just started mountain biking last summer and I'm not a young rider. I've been enjoying it and I go by myself. I do get scared sometimes going down hills but there's no mountains here in Southern Ontario, just hilly forest trails. I get discouraged, too, which is why I found your video. Thanks! I'm going to try again in the spring.
I agree with a few people here that the community & social aspect plays a huge part in this sport. I too have struggled with motivation & fitness here in the UK not being able to ride in groups for larger parts of the last 18 months has massively influenced that. It's great to hear your views & have ours also align & realise it can & does happen to lots of riders who need to press the reset the button every so often. 🤙🏻
I've been in a similar position during the pandemic. I kept it local and grew so bored of my local trails, riding just became tedious. As much as I enjoy riding solo, I've had too much of it during the pandemic and am looking forward to riding with people. I had to force myself out on Sunday and drive two hours to ride a new trail system. It definitely helped. Looking forward to riding trips with friends.
I think everyone goes through some form of what your feeling. Your videos help Inspire me to get out there on the trails and it's become something I enjoy and love. Hope you find your happy place and thank you for helping me find mine. 💪🏾♥️💯
For a while this year the same thing was happening with me, I didn’t have fun while riding, I just thought about filming things and not focusing on having fun. I made some new friends and then rode different things. I started to have some more fun, and I became happy with the sport again.
We all go through this not just us youtubers but all riders. Our list of trails we really want to ride as we progress gets smaller and smaller and sometimes we just need to take a brake but also fill in with other activities. Having a family personally I value just about every ride as we are so busy. But when we get in a funk sometimes we need to ride a trail that just awakens those endorphins and feel alive again!
I hit a similar wall with my car projects a few years ago. I'm staring at a half-dozen cars I need to do something to and I've had trouble finding the motivation to work on them. When the pandemic started, I had hoped some of that spark would return (especially since I'm now WFH and have more free time), but in reality all that happened is I ride my bikes a lot more.
I am 61 and have been riding trails for 40 years. I too am starting to lose my interest in cycling due to trail politics. There is a guy at work who has been asking me to go golfing and I am starting to feel the excitement in doing this. Who knows where it will end. Winter is coming so maybe just not cycling for awhile may energize for spring
can totally relate was a mountain biker through and through till last year. now on the road bike most of the time the trails where I live is just now full of walkers who either have no awareness so will just step out or people who think they have a right to tell you where you can pr can ride. on a camera note, I've got an insta go 2 recently and am loving it. it's way smaller than the gopros and seems to have pretty good stabilization.
Going to the same restaurant and eating the same thing. You aren't the first to talk about it. Singletrack Sampler has stepped away. BCpov went from weekly to bi-weekly. I can't see how the push to pump out vids weekly can't have some effect on the stoke after a while. Great call with getting some golf in for balance. Sometimes you need some North Shore jank to appreciate the Squamish smooth coasters. I'm heading into surgery next week and my dream for recovery is to hit Corkscrew & Pingu again! (that part of the vid was great btw!)
It happens. I have been riding trails for 30 years now and I kind of feel the same right now. I still love riding but I have also started golfing again with my brother in law and lately I have been doing some fishing. The different activities break up riding the same trails and give me a bit more recovery time. Some days I tell myself to just get on the bike and go because you never know when I might wake up and not want to do it anymore or even not be physical able to ride trails. Honestly, some of my stoke comes from watching you and a few other MTB channels. Thanks for the video Paul. 👍
I had the exact same feeling after completing in a EWS. I was sick of my bike and didnt ride for months. Now I'm back just riding for fun - local trails, just for a couple of hours.🤘
Hi Paul! I do enjoy your videos, particularly the ones where you are helping less experienced riders with new features and skills. I know when I help someone fix their bike or learn a new skill it adds to my enjoyment of the sport. Keep doing those videos! Also, I know from my own riding that hot temperatures can bring down our fitness a lot - hot days are just much tougher - uphill and down. Keep plenty of cold water with you and maybe skip some of the hot days. Lastly, I do not know why I enjoy going up hills that kill me, and going down steep janky trails that require holding on for dear life - but I love them both! I don't understand it, but is fun to no end, and it is what it is! Enjoy!
Paul I truly hope you get your mojo and stoke back soon. I'm confident there are many like me who either got back into or simply started mountain biking or trail riding as we spent our Covid down time watching vids made by you and your brethren (Kyle in your comments immediately comes to mind). My Florida heat can be brutal at times and it can dampen my enthusiasm as well. Stay frosty and looking forward to your future videos.
Maybe others have said it but mixing up rides on a road bike, gravel bike, and mtn bike really helps. Exploring on my gravel bike is the best!! I love mountain biking but love gravel riding even more. Good luck.
Hey Paul, first off just want to say how much I enjoy your videos. Burnout is real and affects everyone in every job, even when it’s their passion. Sometimes taking a break is just the thing. The longer you’re at something the greater the need for more breaks. The joy always comes back eventually. Just need to mix it up once in a while. Wishing you the best.
Have fun out there bud! It's hard to figure out the right balance sometimes. Find what works best for you and don't feel like you have to make your videos any certain way.
I relate with this. I had a serious neck injury about 6 years back. I didn't ride for 2 years. I was able to ride a year after my injury but my fear paralyzed my desire to go ride. It wasn't till last year that I really got my groove back. Stay strong my friend.
As others have said, this sounds like depression. Some of the questions they ask you to determine if you’re depressed “Do the things you used to like no longer interest you?” and “do you feel like you don’t have the energy to get up in the morning?”
We all go through ups and downs, new things like golf are always fun, distracting and sometimes needed to have a break. Hope you find the passion again I like the stories you tell!
this, where I live people ride mountainbikes on the road and there is no trail crew... past few months ive been digging myself a trail which has brought me back
I feel you on no trails! During more strict COVID times I’d taken to making my own “trail”… rocks 🪨 at the school outdoor class or blocking cars from gravel trails became features to climb over, playground edges and curbs are skinnies, when the river dries up enough it’s a rock garden - or even worse, when it’s not dry an underwater rock garden. Even a dried up drainage ditch is my half pipe… then if you have a “Your Speed” sign, that’s really a top speed run (51kph is my max on my MTB!). It’s something at least when I can’t get to actual trails. Good luck 🤘
@@rossgirven5163 that is fast! What bike? On my Trek Fuel EX 8 29er I can’t seem to spin my legs much faster - maybe a few more kph like 55 with no headwind (strong the day I tested)… but the bigger problem I have is gearing - I can’t pedal any faster! Maybe I need a huuuge hill 👹
Thanks for the update and honesty. I've been there but without the added pressure of needing to make videos. I don't want to get too personal but I would suggest a therapist if you're not already seeing one!
I get this way every year for about a month and a half. It usually happens in August for me - but this year it happened May, right at the start of the season. I echo the sentiment that it's very confusing - but usually it's because I'm overwhelmed.
i had this in Winter, turns out if you just go out and ride without any motivation (forcing yourself to) and then just going anywhere with no plan, you'll have so much fun and get that motivation back
I feel it. Injured last year. Six months off the bike. Injured this year. Three months off the bike. Health and fitness have flat lined. Just started riding trainer 30 min each day and looking for confidence building trails, because confidence has been shaken. Thank you for the video!
I feel your pain, I (we) have had real issues recently with motivation for a number of very similar reasons ..... hard work to get enjoyment from a ride when you know your fitness is well below where it should be :)
Definitely know this feeling all too well mate, a few years ago when I worked in bike shops as a mechanic I began to absolutely hate everything about going mountain biking as it just always reminded me of work and that I felt like I couldn't escape it. I vividly remember when my good mate drove over 5 hours to go riding with me and I just didn't want to go, I couldn't see any fun in doing it and while it was nice to see him I hated all the time I spent riding. After that weekend I decided to quit and keep Mtb riding as a hobby and nothing more
Thanks for sharing your story. On getting a bit tired of MTB and/or riding - that happens! But specifically on how you’ve been feeling as a result of “this”… I’ve had to take a lot of stress leave this year to get over everything that for cancelled, postponed or just is up in the air from the past year+. I’m sure most people are dealing with some level of mental illness right now so don’t sweat it - you’re not alone. “This” has been tough, even if you’re as lucky as we are to be living in countries that have handled ‘this’ reasonably well and have the $ for vaccines.
is it weird that I literally love riding the same trails over and over again for literal years? I feel like I can find a new way to ride them every time and the other trails in my areas are just built bad, and one group of local trail are built amazing and our never leaf blown so they are always loamy.
Mountain biking relentlessly is a constant risk reward experience. It can wear a person out. I have been through this with skiing, biking, motorcycling. In my experience its best to take a break. Do something else, something simple and enjoyable. The desire to ride hard again always comes back. When it does, you love it even more...it means more to you...you are thankful for the passion and the ride.
Paul, thank you for your honesty. Like everyone has said, it's a part of life and spiritual journey. Regressing back to your first encounters with riding mountain bikes and that first passionate love keeps it green. Measure how far you have come and find the beauty in the jank. I love your videos and glad to hear they will keep coming. Peace 👍
Paul, it’s ok to let go and take a break from things as absence makes the heart grow fonder. You’ve lost your stoke and motivation, that’s ok as long as you keep the fire alive. Take a break, do some soul searching and then come back at a differing angle of approach. Leave the cameras at home, take some solo rides and reconnect with what you initially fell in love with; Yourself, the bike and nature. I promise it will all come back without the pressure or “performing”, or “entertaining”. Good luck to you sir🤙🏻🤙🏻
100% after being on and off with MTB for a while i bought an emtb. Sure it was expensive, but I know for a fact I will ride 100% more, longer and harder. Worth the investment for my mental health!
I don't know how people can do that one thing 24/7, never made sense to me.....take a break from it for a bit dude, the love will come back, that goes for marriage, work, and everything else!
Thanks for everyone’s support on my videos, it really means a lot! Jerseys and gloves? Click here 👉 bit.ly/PunterStore
Just remember that we follow your channel for you, Paul the person.
Paul, we love you, we support you, and we hope you can fall in love with mountain biking again. Everyone needs a reset.
Firstly, i recognise it must be difficult for you and it must have been difficult to talk about this so openly. I think your mood may well be dysthymic (I'm a psychiatric nurse) although you don't meet the two-year diagnostic threshold, you're NOT clinically depressed from what I can see. You've taken a fun hobby and made it your job so, of course, it becomes a job.... blurgh. Covid hasn't helped, we're all stuck in the same sort of time bubble with little moving forward, but it'll get better. You may have lost some fitness but as an Englishman living in NSW we often have heatwaves similar to what you're experiencing and I really struggle in the heat and I'm generally a fit mountain biker and road biker.
Take a step back, try some mindfulness or meditation. Think about what you enjoyed about the sport in the beginning and focus on that. Eat healthily, talk to your friends/family, sleep well and if you still feel low maybe see a counselor to just to take stock.
All the best, Daniel.
if you hate mtb can i have ur bike?
@ 16:20 I couldn't find any gloves/jersey deal on the merch page.
Hey Paul, thanks for making this video. It cool to hear your thoughts and I think a lot of people have been struggling over this past year. Mountain biking is such a huge community and exploration based sport and everyone having to be so separate the past year it’s been a different feel for sure. I know for me I can totally relate to the “how many times can I ride the same trail” thing. Especially after being used to traveling and racing 20+ times a year. I can’t wait until we can come up to Canada again and ride some fun stuff with you and if you feel like riding some fast flowy trails come back down to Idaho and visit when you can. Your stoke will come back, sometimes it just takes a little break from things to really appreciate them again! Keep your head up.
Kyle
We’ll ride together if coming down to Sedona fest goes to plan :)
Would love to give you guys a tour of our local trails :)
The gods right here 🤘🤘👑👑
Kyle, I appreciate your positivity man! Not everyone can manage such a positive comment
Hey Kyle, I posted a reply for Paul that I think I sent to yourself & April. Apart from the psychology side biochemistryhas a huge part to do with it. Myokines are a recently found chemical signalling. But instead of me trying to explain it. Dr Doug McGuff is a incredible guy who explains it in this Podcast.
. ua-cam.com/video/aie1AgEXikY/v-deo.html
The struggle is real buddy! Especially when you turn your passions into your job. 🤘
🤌
I honestly think it is a risky path, turning a passion into a job - as it can take away the joy. I MTB to escape, relax, have fun, its an outlet. I can't imagine losing that outlet, by turning it into a job or a living. Kudos to those of you who can make it work, because I love your content!
very true. I had the passion for Linux and IT tech when a teen... now I'm a 10+ years of experience IT dude... I hate computers. But love mountain biking :D
Sportbikes (motorcycles) were my life. I road raced with the AFM for years, went to Motorcycle Mechanics school and became a mechanic. Now 20 years later I never ride motorcycles on the weekends and I quit racing years ago. I absolutely love mountain biking however and get out when ever I can
Life is all about balance. Take a break. Mix things up.
Take a hardtail and the trails will seem like a new beast!
That’ll happen for sure, my solution has always been to ride different trails and style and try new stuff, as well as mix it up between jumping and XC and DH, keeping it interesting. Also, I don’t ride much during the winter, just snowboard and play in the snow, so I come back super excited for bikes in the spring! Looking forward to riding with you this year hopefully! 👊
Rigid Single Speed - a change of bike always helps.
@@martinshortt7750 makes easy trails fun/hard again
I appreciate this take a lot, I always like to look forward to a sport; whether it's snowboarding in the winter, biking in the summer or triathlon training in the transitions. Thanks Eric, good to hear it coming from a pro, keep making great content!
Sometimes you just gotta go for a cruise with no goal in mind, no agenda, no filming, go get a little lost and explore.
That's also great life advice 👍 Goes for more then mtn biking.
quite true, exploy new trails spur of the moment is one of the best...
I agree totally. but then here in coastal BC there is no such thing as a 'go for a cruise' trail, unlike Arizona. It's mostly an all in commitment to the jank here.
When what you were doing for fun becomes a job, it does change how much joy you get from it sadly...
@@sgazzz IOW: Don't turn your avocation into your vocation.
Sounds like some depression. Go and talk to someone you trust . My best friend had life long depression and he committed suicide in January . I know it’s hard for people to deal with and admit they are depressed but don’t let yourself go down that rabbit hole of hell . All the best to you .
Came into the comments to say something similar. Could be job related stress, but it sounds a bit like depression. Would definitely be worth having a conversation with a doctor, mental health is no joke
I agree so much. I heard “I hate something I love”, coupled with what seems to be a vague feeling that something is wrong, while minimizing it, then add that “I think I’m hard to work with…” blaming himself for it. I think it’s important for people to realize that depression doesn’t look like one thing. Sometimes it’s can’t get out of bed and sometimes it’s not enjoying things. Sometimes it’s moments of a lot of fun mixed in with, I’m a burden on my friends and family. We’re living through weird times. Check on your friends.
The good thing is that for most people, depression is like the common cold for mental health; it comes and goes
Rip ur best friend
Agreed this is what I was thinking! Biking is actually what takes away my depression and stress!
Sounds like depression Paul - please don't be afraid to ask for help
@MTB Royale I can’t tell if you are joking
Facts I’m depressed af
@@NickyNicest Hope you can find the energy to get some help
@@NickyNicest How you feeling, stranger? Things get any better?
I like to jump on the road bike whenever I'm bored of mountain biking... and vice versa. I know lots of mtbers look down at road but it's actually pretty fun and provides a whole new avenue of riding to explore
I'm the same, good switching it up a bit, hiking is great too. All the best (and fittest) local enduro riders also ride road.
This, I brought a single speed. Have done many miles on it when I need a break from the trails. Feels like I'm exploring my area like never before on it.
Same here. What I enjoy about road riding is simply rolling out my front door and not really having any plan on how long/far I'll ride and when I'll get home. Sometimes, it's 40 miles. Sometimes 100 miles. While I generally enjoy mtn biking as a social activity with friends, on the road I prefer just me and my thoughts. Fortunately, I have many miles of semi-rural rolling roads in SE PA and NJ to ride on where car traffic is tolerable.
@@ianfurqueron5850 Exactly, I open my garage and boom I'm on my way. At the time I brought the bike I also had a lot of problems with my mtb, parts failing ect. It was so nice riding something so simple.
Same here. Plus, it's easy to get an intense workout very quickly on the road if that's what you want to do. Other evenings I'm scooting around the local park on my hybrid just enjoying the fresh air and waning sunshine.
Hi Paul, the struggle is real. Not just for a Mtb UA-cam er, I’m 59 now and sitting here with a separated shoulder. I crashed not in some big mega send it moment but just a silly stupid thing. I remember when I got tired and deeply depressed after 18 years of racing Mx. I just quit and walked away. The joy was gone, I got into Mtb riding and road biking for health reasons and I’m always asking my friends “don’t you guys ever just go for a ride and enjoy the scenery and the pleasure of being outside “ seems the response is always the same the just want to hammer away at the trails. I’ve never been interested in xc riding before but 4 years ago I went to visit family in colorado and I started checking out xc rides that would just take me out in the forest for the beauty of of it and I just ride alone and at my own pace and I find I really am loving it. I still go ride with friends but I’m the slowest in the group and I really hate being hurt. Oh, my only local trails are only 6 miles of swamp and I usually don’t ride Mtb unless it’s cool as I hate summer, sucks living in the southern USA, I really enjoy your videos that teach other riders, it’s great to give back to the community and I think it’s a great way to bring your joy back
exactly my sentiments too! I'm in BC but covet the US XC trails very much. No one wants to build them here, at all.
Agree with everything you said. I'm 65, been riding off road for 30 years or so, and I've just always liked to go out and ride through the woods, at my own pace. For me, it's not about speed, it's about riding through the woods and getting some quiet time. (I absolutely hate i9 and King hubs, way tooo loud, sometimes I come upon people with these hubs and I can't wait to get away from them).
Anyway, I also do road riding (weekends only these days as I am afraid of the way people are driving cars these days) but bike riding is just one thing I do. Windsurfing and sailing are my two biggest hobbies during the warmer months and I love skiing in the colder months.
Anyway, a perfect day for me in warmer weather is a bike ride through the woods in the morning followed by windsurfing in the afternoon.
Been getting into stupid situations lately like falling over on my mtb at very slow speed and getting a huge laceration on my ankle area which kept me doing fun things for like 3 weeks. Maybe it's age, I don't know, I hope not.
Have fun out there!!!
A friend of mine asked me why I don’t want to compete in local events or whatever, my response I don’t have anything left to prove my ego died a long time ago
@@asquare9316 100% agree.
I'm still to get back into the mtb and road club rides i did weekly before Covid.
I will start again of course as cycling in whichever discipline for me will be for life. When you have a break from anything though the weeks slip by and its hard to start up again.
I also agree its good to have complimentary hobbies and interests to keep things fresh and for cross fitness. I love swimming, love/hate running and want to take up paddleboarding and hiking on occassion.
For me, mountain biking is the one sport that is really hard to love when your fitness level isn't where you want it to be. Even more so then snowboarding. The beginning of the season is always hardest for me because of it. But once you start getting that stamina and strength back there's nothing else like it. Thanks for the video Paul!
Yep. My son is now fitter, more able and more confident than me and thats awesome...but also, when we ride trails together, makes me feel I need to work harder to feel the enjoyment in terms of the trail. Still love the time together though and don't want to lose that, ever.
All the hassle of travelling and cleaning your bike and way expensive bikes put me off for life
I think being with a group of friends and getting out to trails together - and going out for a beer or food after, and just talking to other people about how we're REALLY doing - and encouraging each other - that can help bring the joy back to riding.
As a 9 to 5er in a corporate type job... This actually makes me feel a little better. I feel this way often even though I know I'm super lucky to have my job and dream about just doing something mountain biking related for work. At the end of the day though, a job is a job and eventually it will cause some burnout or lose some luster.
Having a channel is no different than any job after a while. You get all the stress and anxiety, but only a fraction of the pay. Burnout is just as common as it is in any "regular" job.
As someone who's dealt with depression, this sounds like depression.
Changing to new activities is a good healthy thing to do. Also be sure to get enough sleep, eat well, and connect with some people who love you.
Respect, brother.
: )
I 100% agree. This definitely sounds like depression. I do the exact same thing on my bad days or weeks sometimes.
The demands of UA-cam killed his love for what started as his hobby.
Not much honesty on UA-cam, so this is quite refreshing. Thanks.
As a small channel myself I have given it my all tried everything and feel burnt out from trying and lack of success its heartbreaking. I can't imagine how much pressure large channels like you feel. Keep your chin up and your tires muddy Paul.
You're in a funk, and that's totally cool! Take a little break, relax, wait for the rain, and come back strong! You got this!!
Thanks Jeff!
I go through these phases sometimes, I went off it for a while and recently have started riding a bit more and am off to bike park wales tomorrow for a lads jolly for the first time in 2 years. Sometimes you got to take a step back and when you do get back into it you really appreciate and love it! You cant stop these great videos - we all love them - keep up the good work!
Very honest vid, I think we've all felt like this at some point.
I reckon you need a break from UA-cam, get out there and try enjoying some bike time without a camera.
I love that you have shared this tough time your going through, as someone who shares your love of the great sport that mountain biking is it sucks that your in this rut, you have my support and I'm sure many, many others to. Cant wait till you bring back the full stoke to the channel when the time is right for you and conditions are favorable, but as they say, ''separation makes the heart fonder'' and as someone cant devote as much time as I would like to mountain biking I know how much this saying is true. love, hugs, and support.
Love the honesty. I haven't been on my bike since last September. I feel your struggle.
I’ve been having the same thing! I haven’t been interested in riding or anything really for the last month or so, the thing that has helped me to start loving riding was getting out with the right people and progressing and doing the things that scare me.
I’ve been in the same funk for over a year. Covid has changed everything. I love the quiet enjoyment of the woods and now there are way too many people out there. Can’t even park my car close half the time. Trails in my area a really getting dumbed down too. Maybe I’ll snap out of it.
Can relate.
"I don't wanna cal it burnout" then proceeds to describe classic symptoms of burnout 😂 in all honesty tho, care for yourself man. I understand you have some responsibilities as a sponsored rider, but your personal health should still be the priority.
Sponsors are going to love this video
Exactly my first thought lmao
Didn’t he just get a new sponsor too? This cat is trippin!!
Thank YOU for your honesty and sharing what we ALL are feeling (2020-2021)…. 🇺🇸
I’ve had to save this video because Paul I went through the exact exact same struggle where golf became my first option to go and do and cycling was second and I’m over that stage now and realised that’s cycling is a lot better and you will probably get to a stage where you actually get sick of golf 😂 and then you’ll get on your bike and you won’t be able to get off it.I hope this will give you some motivation but if it doesn’t I atleast tried🤞🏼 keep up the great vids🔥
i've been out of biking for years due to my health, i had cancer and lost a lung, i spent 10 years feeling sorry for myself and putting weight on, i've recently been trying to get back into it and im hating it, i cant ride like i used to and never will be any where near the level i used to be but im sticking with it.
I wish I could step away from my job when I’m feeling burnt out. That wasn’t meant to be a diss btw. Consider yourself in a very blessed spot that you are able to do that.
It's been a long run, but you are the one that made me start MTB, so what I really want to say is thank you.
I went through this last year, my passion just slowly came back on its own. Don’t stress yourself about it if you find yourself going through this.
This is probably the hardest video for someone in your position to make. Kudos to you for facing the beast head on, with honesty and humility. A lot of people can learn from this, not just UA-camrs.
You should be proud of what you've accomplished so far, and proud of yourself for making this video and bring honest. In the end, you have to be happy. We all hope you find your passion again, but if you don't, make sure you do something that makes you happy.
Cheers!
Thank you for sharing your story. You seem to have such honest self awareness. Walk or ride your path where your heart takes you.
I've been here before. Having a single point of focus was the reason. This is why I now have multiple hobbies (ie passions). I love MTB'ing but I am also a car enthusiast...but I'm also into home theater/music and street photography lol. None of these do I view better than the other, and none of them do I feel need to be "beat". It's great for the mentals!
Been there as well Paul, I had a year off the bike got back into riding and 6 months later fell into another funk, so I started a couple of different sports wakeboarding and snowboarding and what it made me realize is that i fell in love with mtb due to progression! learning new techniques and getting good at them kept me coming back for more. Took that back to riding and it’s been the most fun I ever had! Good luck Paul you will back and better than ever!!
i've really felt the same recently and so glad someone else has brought this up as to some it is a stupid thought
Get yourself a hardtail and you‘ll enjoy mountain biking again.
Shut up hardtail boy
@@rmkennedy4965 🤣
@@rmkennedy4965 hard tails can be goated
Gotta agree with Kennedy. What the dude is going thru HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH the f’ing bike he is riding 😏
@@mrsmartypants_1 true that
When we are dancing we are not aiming to arrive a particular location, when we dance the journey itself is the point..
What I'm trying to say is.. when you do something for future reward, (such as creating content for your job), then you may find yourself loosing the passion of doing the activity in the process. So you must find a way to make the process part of the dance, be in the moment and enjoy the ride.
I am very new to MTB and I live in flat Florida. Lol. Even so, I have been having so much fun and I love your videos. I really appreciate your honesty. It allows me to understand you and even mountain biking and it’s impact on our mental health. Have fun!!!
This speaks to me. I wasn't confident riding after recovering from a knee surgery early last year, and decided to pick golf back up after a 10 year hiatus. For the last year I've been more motivated to work on my golf game than ride. The longer I'm away from it, the harder it is to get excited about it again. I think this is, in part, because I don't know anybody else that rides, but golf is a sport I can share with my father, friends and colleagues. My Ripley is collecting dust, but I shot 81, 82 on my last 2 rounds. I've really enjoyed the content on the golf channel.
I totally understand having that block with riding sometimes. I have been there myself. What helped me was that a friend got into riding and was new to the whole thing. Seeing him get excited about riding and learning made me more excited to ride again. I am sure it’s just a momentary blip and you will get back to it before you know it.
So glad you posted a video like this. This year is the absolute least amount of riding i've done since i started 8 years ago. I think i've only ridden 4 times this year, down from 4 times a week. Not sure what did it but i'm hoping that i'll get the fire again in the future. Thanks for sharing your feelings and story. Good stuff.
It's NOT just you, you are not alone feeling like this.
Thank you for sharing.
Recently leaving mountain biking behind has been a pretty difficult leave. This video really helped me remember all the reasons why and there's more for why other hobbies or things to do with your life or extra spare time way better than mountain biking
I have felt the same. I live in the 2nd flattest State in the US, so there is not a lot of enjoyable mountain bike riding around here. So what I did was over Independence Day weekend I visited 13 different trail systems in four different States. I climbed over 5000', which is not a lot for anyone who lives near actual mountains, but for a flatlander, it was something new. I also started racing XC, which put me on new trails, meeting new people and finding joy in riding again. I have also began putting more miles on my gravel bike, and have taken it to some of the local MTB trails for a little added excitement.
I think you should hire Bobo as a part time trail therapist.
YES
I disagree. No hate. I just don't find him as funny anymore
@@xallyislas3779 Are you an e-biker as well?
Harsh, but I preferred him swearing his way down a trail than the skits. Their funny, but not what got me watching his channel
@@jayesh5131 e-biker? Nope, just regular HT mtb
Dude, I have felt exactly the same the last couple of months. Until March 2019 I was riding and traveling all over the world on a monthly basis and was excited to come home (Israel) and ride here in between. This year though, I feel like I've lost my mojo and just don't feel like touching the bikes even. My fitness have dropped significantly and in the beginning all that freaked me out. Now, I have accepted that its is probably just a period and its is okay not to love riding every time like before. Once you have accepted that, you'll find your way back enjoying your rides again. The whole point of riding is to enjoy it and feel stoked (unless you are a pro and you HAVE to ride). If its not there for a period, big deal, it will come back! Love your channel and focus on what makes you feel joy in life.
I’m glad you did this video …could help a lot of people stuck. ..thanks. ..
Novelty is a great way to increase seratonin. try adding trail running and gym workouts to your schedule and learn a new sport. when you have less time to ride your bike, you will enjoy more the opportunity you have to ride your bike.
Hi Swindon, yeh I spent some years there. Was obsessed with climbing when we moved to Squamish many years ago but fell out of love with it I guess like you are now with the MTB. I started kayaking and riding and gradually climbing took a back seat. In a climbing town there's so much pressure to push the grades same with the biking, so many new riders who can't wait to get that Double Black Diamond or Strava times. I guess as a Utuber you're only as good as your last video which may affect your enjoyment of getting out and just riding? Leave the go pro at home for a while? At 71 my days of riding are disappearing, life is short it creeps up on you all too quickly, enjoy it while you can. The new Pseudo is fabulous, so good I did it twice.
Are you sad cause pinkbike sold out?
I have been dealing with the same thing. Tried a bike park for the first time ever in May, absolutely loved it, bought a season pass and haven't been back since. Haven't actually even touched my mountain bikes since. Luckily found joy in fixed gear riding, so it's still bikes and that's enough for me. But something feels devastating about it. I'm sure I'd love it if I only got out on my MTB, but there's just something that feels too much work about it atm. I can just pick up my fixed gear and head out, mountain biking would require so much more preparation.
Wish all the best to you Paul, surely we'll get over it.
Hello Paul, why don’t you try an eMTB again, it might help with the motivation and then then fitness. It’s all i ride. Hope you feel better soon.
That’s what I did after being on and off my bike for so long. Emtb is a totally different level of enjoyment for me.
Been there with the mechanical problems. When you think you've fixed a problem then discover that you haven't it wears on you. But, when you do fix the problem the bounce back is great. I hope that bounce back comes to you.
I feel your pain Paul. I’m in the same boat. I got injured and have just sorta lost the love of riding. It’s a bummer. Hope you work it work man. Good luck.
Sorry to hear this bro. I think everyone has battled over the last 18 months. Don’t give up on something which brought you joy. It’s vicious circle. 🤘
This happens to me. I’ll be on a lock where I’ll go all the time and then a couple months later my bike won’t be touched for weeks or even months. So What did I do to combat this? I bought an ebike!
I have felt this. I usually take a short break off from riding a month tops to reset. This year I have taken more time off than the past few years combined. Slowly getting back into riding and being consistent.
I've just started mountain biking last summer and I'm not a young rider. I've been enjoying it and I go by myself. I do get scared sometimes going down hills but there's no mountains here in Southern Ontario, just hilly forest trails. I get discouraged, too, which is why I found your video. Thanks! I'm going to try again in the spring.
I agree with a few people here that the community & social aspect plays a huge part in this sport.
I too have struggled with motivation & fitness here in the UK not being able to ride in groups for larger parts of the last 18 months has massively influenced that.
It's great to hear your views & have ours also align & realise it can & does happen to lots of riders who need to press the reset the button every so often. 🤙🏻
Paul..... Your not alone! in the same boat! its acutely really awesome to see another UA-cam with the same mindset! Peace and love my dude!
Ps! I live North Van and work 2 days a week! and golf! Lets film!
I've been in a similar position during the pandemic. I kept it local and grew so bored of my local trails, riding just became tedious. As much as I enjoy riding solo, I've had too much of it during the pandemic and am looking forward to riding with people. I had to force myself out on Sunday and drive two hours to ride a new trail system. It definitely helped. Looking forward to riding trips with friends.
I think everyone goes through some form of what your feeling. Your videos help Inspire me to get out there on the trails and it's become something I enjoy and love. Hope you find your happy place and thank you for helping me find mine. 💪🏾♥️💯
For a while this year the same thing was happening with me, I didn’t have fun while riding, I just thought about filming things and not focusing on having fun. I made some new friends and then rode different things. I started to have some more fun, and I became happy with the sport again.
Awesome video Paul! Hope you find you passion for the great sport again! 🍀🙌👍🤞
You love it and you know it
We all go through this not just us youtubers but all riders. Our list of trails we really want to ride as we progress gets smaller and smaller and sometimes we just need to take a brake but also fill in with other activities. Having a family personally I value just about every ride as we are so busy. But when we get in a funk sometimes we need to ride a trail that just awakens those endorphins and feel alive again!
I hit a similar wall with my car projects a few years ago. I'm staring at a half-dozen cars I need to do something to and I've had trouble finding the motivation to work on them. When the pandemic started, I had hoped some of that spark would return (especially since I'm now WFH and have more free time), but in reality all that happened is I ride my bikes a lot more.
I am 61 and have been riding trails for 40 years. I too am starting to lose my interest in cycling due to trail politics. There is a guy at work who has been asking me to go golfing and I am starting to feel the excitement in doing this. Who knows where it will end. Winter is coming so maybe just not cycling for awhile may energize for spring
What do you mean about the politics? I say this as a road bike rider. Thanks in advance.
can totally relate was a mountain biker through and through till last year. now on the road bike most of the time the trails where I live is just now full of walkers who either have no awareness so will just step out or people who think they have a right to tell you where you can pr can ride. on a camera note, I've got an insta go 2 recently and am loving it. it's way smaller than the gopros and seems to have pretty good stabilization.
Going to the same restaurant and eating the same thing. You aren't the first to talk about it. Singletrack Sampler has stepped away. BCpov went from weekly to bi-weekly. I can't see how the push to pump out vids weekly can't have some effect on the stoke after a while. Great call with getting some golf in for balance.
Sometimes you need some North Shore jank to appreciate the Squamish smooth coasters. I'm heading into surgery next week and my dream for recovery is to hit Corkscrew & Pingu again! (that part of the vid was great btw!)
It happens. I have been riding trails for 30 years now and I kind of feel the same right now. I still love riding but I have also started golfing again with my brother in law and lately I have been doing some fishing. The different activities break up riding the same trails and give me a bit more recovery time. Some days I tell myself to just get on the bike and go because you never know when I might wake up and not want to do it anymore or even not be physical able to ride trails. Honestly, some of my stoke comes from watching you and a few other MTB channels. Thanks for the video Paul. 👍
I had the exact same feeling after completing in a EWS. I was sick of my bike and didnt ride for months. Now I'm back just riding for fun - local trails, just for a couple of hours.🤘
Hi Paul! I do enjoy your videos, particularly the ones where you are helping less experienced riders with new features and skills. I know when I help someone fix their bike or learn a new skill it adds to my enjoyment of the sport. Keep doing those videos!
Also, I know from my own riding that hot temperatures can bring down our fitness a lot - hot days are just much tougher - uphill and down. Keep plenty of cold water with you and maybe skip some of the hot days.
Lastly, I do not know why I enjoy going up hills that kill me, and going down steep janky trails that require holding on for dear life - but I love them both! I don't understand it, but is fun to no end, and it is what it is! Enjoy!
Good to see you back on the bike Paul! Love the Tomorrow/Singletrack loop!
Paul I truly hope you get your mojo and stoke back soon. I'm confident there are many like me who either got back into or simply started mountain biking or trail riding as we spent our Covid down time watching vids made by you and your brethren (Kyle in your comments immediately comes to mind). My Florida heat can be brutal at times and it can dampen my enthusiasm as well. Stay frosty and looking forward to your future videos.
Maybe others have said it but mixing up rides on a road bike, gravel bike, and mtn bike really helps. Exploring on my gravel bike is the best!! I love mountain biking but love gravel riding even more. Good luck.
Hey Paul, first off just want to say how much I enjoy your videos. Burnout is real and affects everyone in every job, even when it’s their passion. Sometimes taking a break is just the thing. The longer you’re at something the greater the need for more breaks. The joy always comes back eventually. Just need to mix it up once in a while. Wishing you the best.
Have fun out there bud! It's hard to figure out the right balance sometimes. Find what works best for you and don't feel like you have to make your videos any certain way.
Im at the 2 minute point and this is sounding like classical depression to me
I relate with this. I had a serious neck injury about 6 years back. I didn't ride for 2 years. I was able to ride a year after my injury but my fear paralyzed my desire to go ride. It wasn't till last year that I really got my groove back. Stay strong my friend.
As others have said, this sounds like depression. Some of the questions they ask you to determine if you’re depressed “Do the things you used to like no longer interest you?” and “do you feel like you don’t have the energy to get up in the morning?”
6:25 the berms are amazing! 🤘
Such an honest video! Esp about the GoPro - I went with the Hero 8 sans horizon levelling for this exact reason!
We all go through ups and downs, new things like golf are always fun, distracting and sometimes needed to have a break. Hope you find the passion again I like the stories you tell!
i feel similar but for the reason of having no trails to ride
this, where I live people ride mountainbikes on the road and there is no trail crew... past few months ive been digging myself a trail which has brought me back
I feel you on no trails! During more strict COVID times I’d taken to making my own “trail”… rocks 🪨 at the school outdoor class or blocking cars from gravel trails became features to climb over, playground edges and curbs are skinnies, when the river dries up enough it’s a rock garden - or even worse, when it’s not dry an underwater rock garden. Even a dried up drainage ditch is my half pipe… then if you have a “Your Speed” sign, that’s really a top speed run (51kph is my max on my MTB!). It’s something at least when I can’t get to actual trails. Good luck 🤘
@@BikingwithJP near my house there is a steep hill that at a push I can hit 62kph 😁
Scary fun!
@@rossgirven5163 that is fast! What bike? On my Trek Fuel EX 8 29er I can’t seem to spin my legs much faster - maybe a few more kph like 55 with no headwind (strong the day I tested)… but the bigger problem I have is gearing - I can’t pedal any faster! Maybe I need a huuuge hill 👹
@@BikingwithJP voodoo bizango 29er
It is a bloody steep hill
Thanks for the update and honesty. I've been there but without the added pressure of needing to make videos. I don't want to get too personal but I would suggest a therapist if you're not already seeing one!
Always love your honesty and humility. Sure hope the spark comes back because selfishly, I’d hate to see you leave the UA-cam mountain bike space.
I get this way every year for about a month and a half. It usually happens in August for me - but this year it happened May, right at the start of the season. I echo the sentiment that it's very confusing - but usually it's because I'm overwhelmed.
i had this in Winter, turns out if you just go out and ride without any motivation (forcing yourself to) and then just going anywhere with no plan, you'll have so much fun and get that motivation back
I feel it. Injured last year. Six months off the bike. Injured this year. Three months off the bike. Health and fitness have flat lined. Just started riding trainer 30 min each day and looking for confidence building trails, because confidence has been shaken. Thank you for the video!
Looks like we've been going through similar vibes my friend. I'm starting to see the light lately though. Cheers for the honesty.
💪
I feel your pain, I (we) have had real issues recently with motivation for a number of very similar reasons ..... hard work to get enjoyment from a ride when you know your fitness is well below where it should be :)
Definitely know this feeling all too well mate, a few years ago when I worked in bike shops as a mechanic I began to absolutely hate everything about going mountain biking as it just always reminded me of work and that I felt like I couldn't escape it. I vividly remember when my good mate drove over 5 hours to go riding with me and I just didn't want to go, I couldn't see any fun in doing it and while it was nice to see him I hated all the time I spent riding. After that weekend I decided to quit and keep Mtb riding as a hobby and nothing more
Thanks for sharing your story. On getting a bit tired of MTB and/or riding - that happens! But specifically on how you’ve been feeling as a result of “this”… I’ve had to take a lot of stress leave this year to get over everything that for cancelled, postponed or just is up in the air from the past year+. I’m sure most people are dealing with some level of mental illness right now so don’t sweat it - you’re not alone. “This” has been tough, even if you’re as lucky as we are to be living in countries that have handled ‘this’ reasonably well and have the $ for vaccines.
is it weird that I literally love riding the same trails over and over again for literal years?
I feel like I can find a new way to ride them every time and the other trails in my areas are just built bad, and one group of local trail are built amazing and our never leaf blown so they are always loamy.
Mountain biking relentlessly is a constant risk reward experience. It can wear a person out. I have been through this with skiing, biking, motorcycling. In my experience its best to take a break. Do something else, something simple and enjoyable. The desire to ride hard again always comes back. When it does, you love it even more...it means more to you...you are thankful for the passion and the ride.
Paul, thank you for your honesty. Like everyone has said, it's a part of life and spiritual journey. Regressing back to your first encounters with riding mountain bikes and that first passionate love keeps it green. Measure how far you have come and find the beauty in the jank. I love your videos and glad to hear they will keep coming. Peace 👍
Paul, it’s ok to let go and take a break from things as absence makes the heart grow fonder. You’ve lost your stoke and motivation, that’s ok as long as you keep the fire alive. Take a break, do some soul searching and then come back at a differing angle of approach. Leave the cameras at home, take some solo rides and reconnect with what you initially fell in love with; Yourself, the bike and nature. I promise it will all come back without the pressure or “performing”, or “entertaining”. Good luck to you sir🤙🏻🤙🏻
It's time for an EMTB and explore more remote places instead of bike parks
EMTB’s take the bad out of MTB. I am tired of listening to the haters.
100% after being on and off with MTB for a while i bought an emtb. Sure it was expensive, but I know for a fact I will ride 100% more, longer and harder. Worth the investment for my mental health!
I don't know how people can do that one thing 24/7, never made sense to me.....take a break from it for a bit dude, the love will come back, that goes for marriage, work, and everything else!
So true!
Also, find a fresh sport like skating or surfing
take a break from marriage. wouldn't that be something... bwahaha
@@peter-zs4ml LMAO....I wouldn't know but trust me, I can imagine.......LMAO..
How you take a break from marriage? Lol didn’t even know you could?!
Love the video and the honesty! Wishing you all the best! 🤘