Biking without music? Possible, but only half as good if BIKE editor Jan Timmermann has his way. The 32-year-old sits on his bike every day and listens to full-bodied rock. Whether it's the daily 60 kilometre commute or the day-long marathon distance, the fitness editor swears by the motivating effect of music. Over the years, Jan has collected 200 songs in his bike playlist, which he now shares with the BIKE community. The entire playlist is available to everyone on the BIKE account on Spotify:
Music while cycling: With the power of rock
Our editor's personal training playlist mainly contains songs from the genres of punk, hard, psychedelic, skate and classic rock. Jan swears by his choice of tracks when working out in the gym, on the way to work and on the trail at the weekend. As a child of the 90s and with a preference for punk rock songs, his selection includes German classics such as Die Ärzte and Die Toten Hosen, as well as Swedish oi punk from Perkele and stoner rock from Kadavar. From his BMX past, skate punk bands such as Alkaline Trio still accompany him on his mountain bike today. It took him several years to curate what is currently his most popular bike playlist. With over 200 songs, you can train hard for almost 13 hours without listening to a song twice.
For me, sweating and music simply belong together. The music helps me clear my head, motivates me to keep going and intensifies the emotions on the bike ride. When the landscape doesn't offer a highlight, such as when commuting by bike or in the dark, the music gives me an additional stimulus and distraction. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
Selected songs from the bike playlist
Here is a selection of songs from our editor's playlist:
- Wash Away - Alkaline TrioOh, that wonderful memory of the early Tony Hawk's video games! In "American Wasteland" (from which this song is) you could ride BMX and build your own skate park.
- Children of the Grave - Black SabbathThe riffs of the cult rockers are perhaps the best ever to my ears and are perfect for mountain biking.
- Somewhere, Some Women - Brant BjorkFirst-class psychedelic rock. Slow, powerful and perfect for letting your mind wander while cranking.
- Party Life - Dan DryersThe band consisted of the editorial staff of another mountain bike magazine and their few songs are something like the soundtrack of my youth.
- Negative Thinking - The Death SetA great band and a great track that immediately puts you in a good mood.
- A Gypsy's Kiss - Deep PurpleOld school - From today's perspective, the endless songs of the old rockers still cast a spell over me. Bring back the organ!
- Hirnfick (food for the fishes) - Die Toten Hosen: I've already danced pogo to this song with a topless Father Christmas... The German lyrics with strong messages really pick me up.
- Sick Bastard - The ExploitedPunk's not dead! Never sell out! That's the right punch when your legs are screaming for redemption during a sprint.
- Take Back The Power - The Interrupters: The band is my first choice for workouts in the gym. I put a few weight plates on it straight away.
- Running Free - Iron MaidenHardly any other band has such epic songs in their programme as these veterans of rock. A perfect match for awesome trail action.
- Love Bites - Judas Priest: I regularly click on the soundtrack from Mike Aitken's part in the BMX classic Anthem II when I'm rolling through the skatepark.
- Seek & Destroy - MetallicaWhen James Hetfield shouts at me, I pedal even harder. That's how music should be!
- A Passing Moment of Madness - The Midnight Ghost Train: When I set off into the night on my bike to complete the 300 kilometres, the song motivates me to keep going for a few hours longer.
- Getaway - The MusicThis is the perfect spinning song. Head down and cranking at a high frequency - afterwards I'm completely sweaty.
- Heart full of Pride - Perkele: There are a lot of songs from the Oi-Punk group in my playlist. They accompany almost every one of my training sessions.
- They Say - Scars On Brodway: One of the few songs that I was able to play on the electric guitar. However, I always preferred sitting on my bike to practising.
- New World - Sonda SchoolAs a trained pedagogue, the social criticism in this song particularly appeals to me.
- The Age of Pamparius - Turbonegro: The song starts cosy and then goes into full swing - great training music!
- Still Counting - Volbeat: I associate the track with my commute. It whips me into the office at first light and back again in the evening.
- Victorious - Wolfmother: If I could only listen to one band during training, I would probably choose Wolfmother.
Jan Timmermann
Editor
