You May Have a Problem

Over at BikeSnobNYC, the Snob was trying to define the difference between a Cyclist, and a Guy On a Bike. The key distinction, the Snob thought, was a Cyclist rides a bike when riding a bike isn’t necessary or convenient. One triathlete took the test and determined that he actually is a cyclist. He was upset though, and commented that because he is a triathlete,

Too bad I still have to swim and run to justify riding my bike

I checked with several leading sources on addiction, and according to them, if you have to justify your bike riding, you may have a riding problem.

Other signs you have a riding problem:

Do you ride too much regularly?

Does your riding cause health problems, like sore legs, sore knees, road rash, or unnaturally high VO2 Max numbers?

Do you find yourself craving rides at inappropriate times, such as at work, in church, or while having sex?

Do you resolve to stay off your bike for a day, but then you find yourself sneaking out for a ride?

Does your riding cut into your family time, your work, and your other hobbies?

Do you miss class, or show up to work late because you’ve been riding?

Do you ride at a certain time each day, and feel angry if your riding routine is disturbed?

Have you lost interest in other hobbies that once used to be enjoyable?

Are you able to do a massive amount of riding, without appearing to be bonked?

Do you feel annoyed or defensive when others criticize your riding habit?

Do you find that buying bike bling messes up your finances? Do you need to finance bling purchases with credit cards?

Do you associate with questionable characters when you ride?

Does your riding take you to questionable or dangerous places?

If you answer “Yes” to three or more of these questions, you probably have a riding dependency condition, or an addiction. You should get counseling.

Or maybe a new Cervelo.