The Best Riding Tunes

Ah the iPod. It has literally changed my training by turning those days that I dread into days that aren't so bad because I have some tunes in a tiny (iPod Nano) package, and lots of them. The larger iPods are too big for me to carry comfortably, I don't like to ride with my pockets stuffed, so my 60gb Video iPod is relegated to trips and the car, and non riding activities, like a spinning bike at the gym, where I like to watch the last 7 years of the Tour while I work out.

Anyway...this post is about my favorite riding music, not the players.

Riding music, for me, is categorized by what kind of riding I'm doing. Slow, easy tunes for slow, easy days, upbeat stuff for intervals...you get the idea. But probably the easiest category for me is climbing tunes. You know, the ones that get you in a rythm, and numb your brain so you don't notice the effort.

So, in the category of Climbing Tunes I nominate the following as all-time-greats: (note: lyrics are meaningless in this category...these are tunes that are solely for getting you up the mountain)

The Zoo, circa 1979/80 from the Scorpions Animal Magnetism album. This song simply puts down a heavy, steady, cut time beat that just makes you want to keep your cadence in time with it.

Moving In Stereo/All Mixed Up, The Cars, from the 1978 album The Cars. Another heavy steady beat. This one always feels like it's on the verge of cutting loose and running away. The tension between the actual beat and what it wants to do, keeps me driving hard on the climbs.

El Verano, Pablo Cruise's final song on side B of A Place In The Sun. No lyrics here, just an instrumental with lots of energy, and an interesting melody.

Beast Of Burden and Miss You, both classics from the Stones' Some Girls album from 1978. No more needs to be said.

The Show Must Go On. This Queen ode to perserverance is perfect for that climb that lets you pour on a little extra power.

Finally, Do You Feel Like We Do?. The live version, from 1976's Frampton Comes Alive. Sure the song is about alchohol, drugs and other "things", but I already said that lyrics don't matter. It's all about the song getting you to the top of the hill, and not many do it better than this one for me. Especially the steep climbs where the slightly slower beat helps keep the legs turning. It's also perfectly suited to alternating between seated and standing climbing.

Next up, the best Interval Songs, otherwise known as "songs to keep you alive while you're killing yourself".