How to Know if Your Cycling Habit Has Become an Addiction

[lordofthemark]

Wait, I WASN’T born to become a cyclist?

(suffering withdrawal symptoms on a family trip)

[Lt. Dan]

Reads like it was written by someone that’s jealous of everyone that gets to ride their bike…..

[Birru]

I suppose if it becomes a compulsion that one focuses on at the expensive of other needs and responsibilities then it can be considered an unhealthy addiction. HF, as your therapist I’ll take those Litespeeds off your hands so you can recover.

[Judd]

From the article:

Cycling can become a negative addiction when:
– It becomes a coping mechanism, not a pleasurable activity
– A spouse or partner initiates conflict about how the bike gets more attention than him or her
– It is used to medicate a disagreeable mood
– The hours and miles steadily increase over time to abnormal levels
– Hostility is expressed over missed sessions
– Mileage increases after attempts to reduce it
– You literally believe there’s no such thing as “too many bikes”

I solidly have 4 of these and sometimes 6.

[bentbike33]

@Judd 158644 wrote:

Cycling can become a negative addiction when:
– It becomes a coping mechanism, not a pleasurable activity
– A spouse or partner initiates conflict about how the bike gets more attention than him or her
– It is used to medicate a disagreeable mood
– The hours and miles steadily increase over time to abnormal levels
– Hostility is expressed over missed sessions
– Mileage increases after attempts to reduce it
– You literally believe there’s no such thing as “too many bikes”

Oh, come on now Judd.

– It becomes a coping mechanism, not a pleasurable activity: On rule #9 days, we ride to cope with the lack of a reliable mass transit system. What’s wrong with that?

– A spouse or partner initiates conflict about how the bike gets more attention than him or her: You’ve even never mentioned a SO at coffee, so how can this be a problem for you?

– It is used to medicate a disagreeable mood: How is this unhealthy? I thought it was one of the main purposes of exercise to avoid unhealthy means of “medicating a disagreeable mood” like alcohol, opioids, or methamphetamines.

– The hours and miles steadily increase over time to abnormal levels: As long as Amanda Corker is still riding, how can anyone say their miles or hours are abnormal.

– Hostility is expressed over missed sessions: I’ll give you this one based on your reaction to the closing of Hains Point during inauguration week.

– Mileage increases after attempts to reduce it: Isn’t varying your milage healthy?

– You literally believe there’s no such thing as “too many bikes”: WRONG! This is about recognizing the specific designed advantages of different bikes for their intended purposes.

[bobco85]

This article, having no cited sources or any sort of evidence to back up the claims, is pretty shallow and doesn’t say much more than, “Cycling is habit-forming. Don’t neglect other aspects of your life.” I’m looking forward to the day celebrities will be able to spend a week at a Malibu Beach house clinic to “recover” from cycling addiction 😎

Cynicism aside, let’s have some fun with this! How would the list of symptoms read if, say, we changed the activity?

Driving can become a negative addiction when:
– It becomes a coping mechanism, not a pleasurable activity
– A spouse or partner initiates conflict about how the car gets more attention than him or her
– It is used to medicate a disagreeable mood (sometimes it seems to cause it)
– The hours and miles steadily increase over time to abnormal levels (I have a coworker who commutes from Winchester, and I used to know someone who would commute from close to Richmond!)
– Hostility is expressed over missed sessions
– Mileage increases after attempts to reduce it
– You literally believe there’s no such thing as “too many cars” (is this the AAA motto?)

[dkel]

@bentbike33 158647 wrote:

As long as Amanda Corker is still riding, how can anyone say their miles or hours are abnormal.

For 2017, her distance is 26,000 to my 1,000, and yet her elevation is only 57,000 to my 40,000. :confused:

Oh, wait—Florida.

[Judd]

@dkel 158649 wrote:

For 2017, her distance is 26,000 to my 1,000, and yet her elevation is only 57,000 to my 40,000. :confused:

Oh, wait—Florida.

I saw Amanda last year when I went to Florida. She’s riding around in circles in a place called Flatwoods in Florida, most of the time in a recumbent. It is indeed, flat except for two tiny dips that are maybe 2-3 feet of elevation. She’s been doing 240 to 260 miles a day every day for the past 11 months. I talked to her dad a bit who is an incredibly nice guy.

Link to my ride is below that has a few pictures of Flatwoods. The last one has Amanda in the background. I have a couple of video clips of her speeding by that I’ll try to post as well as a video of half some of the loop at Flatwoods.

https://www.strava.com/activities/778280395

[bentbike33]

@Judd 158651 wrote:

I saw Amanda last year when I went to Florida. She’s riding around in circles in a place called Flatwoods in Florida, most of the time in a recumbent.

My new bike has the same frame.

[ian74]

@Judd 158644 wrote:

From the article:

Cycling can become a negative addiction when:
– It becomes a coping mechanism, not a pleasurable activity
– A spouse or partner initiates conflict about how the bike gets more attention than him or her
– It is used to medicate a disagreeable mood
– The hours and miles steadily increase over time to abnormal levels
– Hostility is expressed over missed sessions
– Mileage increases after attempts to reduce it
– You literally believe there’s no such thing as “too many bikes”

I solidly have 4 of these and sometimes 6.

This is satire, no?

[lordofthemark]

@ian74 158653 wrote:

This is satire, no?

This is what I thought. I know at least one therapist who thinks biking as coping mechanism is just dandy.

[Judd]

@bentbike33 158652 wrote:

My new bike has the same frame.

Which means that it’s time to quit your job and beat her HAMR record, but by riding around Hains Point (except during Freezing Saddles).

[bentbike33]

@Judd 158659 wrote:

Which means that it’s time to quit your job and beat her HAMR record, but by riding around Hains Point (except during Freezing Saddles).

OK. During Freezing Saddles, I’ll do the Arlington Loop, but only clockwise.

[Lt. Dan]

Thread derail!!!

So, Amanda is doing her HAMR ride on a recumbent- Do they have separate records for traditional bikes and recumbents?

[Judd]

@Lt. Dan 158701 wrote:

Thread derail!!!

So, Amanda is doing her HAMR ride on a recumbent- Do they have separate records for traditional bikes and recumbents?

She rides the regular bike as well, but she’s doing a lot of recumbent riding. There’s not a distinction that I’m aware of for the record on type of bike. When I was there she was riding the recumbent but had two other bikes on the back of the car along with her dad’s bike.

[Author]

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