Addiction is typically defined as a bad thing. Addiction to drugs, to alcohol, sex or even work is usually portrayed as a condition to be battled, to overcome. The same sources may recommend a strict regime of regular exercise and healthy living as the perfect antidote to the bad addictions that befall an overwhelming majority of the general populace. We are convinced that an ‘exercise addict’, ‘gym junkie’ or ‘health nut’ is a tag that we should be proud to hang around our necks, not something to be fought. But take away the words ‘exercise’, ‘gym’ and ‘health’, and all you’re left with is an undesirable character of questionable sanity with bad skin and rotten teeth. And no-one wants to be that person.
I’ve known, and know, a lot of people with a lot of addictions during my life. Moreso, I’ve been/am one myself. Both good and bad. The one unifying addiction throughout has been Cycling. It seems Cyclists are of the predisposition that doing something, anything, is best done to excess. I don’t really have any Cycling friends who ‘just do it on the weekends’, as one might play golf or go to the movies or ballroom dancing. Ok, those ballroom dancers seem to be a bit obsessed, too. But Cyclists, no matter how hard they try to kick the habit just seem to keep coming back, over and over again. And I’ve never heard a doctor or so-called expert tell a Cyclist to give that shit up before it sends them to an early grave. So what we’ve got ourselves is a ‘good addiction’.
Long before I ever read the tale of Guns n Roses’ bassist Duff McKagan’s pancreas exploding and his subsequent absolution through mountain biking (in BIKE magazine sometime in the 90s), I’d been fighting my own demons, and using the bike to help conquer them. Still am. Being a hard-drinking/drugging bassist (then later a DJ) and mountain biker myself at the time, I drew a lot of comparisons between us. I took some inspiration from his story, despite not being a fan of the band, and used it to tip the balance in favour of riding rather than partying.
I’d also been surrounded by a lot of other Cyclists who had delved a lot further into the sport than I ever had, and who had their own personal battles to fight. Some were up against alcoholism, others drugs, depression, or failed relationships. And on more than a few occasions, I heard the term “saved by the bike” quoted. Among all the turmoil, in the maelstrom of a life gone awry, their constant saving grace, the rock on which they could rebuild a solid foundation for happiness, or at least some form of normality – contentment, perhaps – was the bicycle. It was always there for them, silent, trustworthy, reliable, even if many other aspects of their situation weren’t. I wouldn’t hesitate to wager that it still is there for most, if not all of them. I know it is for me, and always will be.
Whenever I need saving, I know where to look.
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
@ChrisO
...and the Rhine is a river in Germany...
@ChrisO
Wow...I would have necked the booze, smoked the dope and then got the muchies and eaten the icecream......probably all in one night! Life is truly a multicoloured tapestry made up of many threads. I envy your self control, and then in another sense, I am not entirely sure I would want to live as you do....
Vivre La Difference!
@Days Thanks, bro! All the best with the new adventure.
@brett And that female triathlete who came into the shop after doing a brick session stinking to high heaven and kept on farting while you were talking to her. The weird thing was it looked like she was into you and was on the verge of asking you out.
I remember that he;met thing now.
BTW I'm seriously considering buying a supersix so I can crack up every Aussie who asks me what kind of bike I've got (Super sux for the northerners).
There's actually a bit of hard science woven into this thread. Bilateral stimulation - the rhythmic left/right motion - is the cornerstone for a particularly effective approach for the treatment of trauma called EMDR. The effect of the rhythmic motion is to help the brain process or reprocess stressful events. At least in part, this is why we feel better after riding and thinking about nothing. Rule #6. Downhill and XC skiers report very similar experiences, and I've noted that a lot of cyclists are passionate skiers, including yours truly. [Frank, did I see a row of skis in your man cave video?!]
Of course none of this diminishes the spirit of the V and the sacred lore. Much of what we do defies description - it just is.
and yes the Keepers have been on fire this week...CHAPEAU!
Fantastic responses, depressingly predictable and in line with very low expectations.
If anyone is in any doubt as to the kind of people involved, simply read their (usually extremely long) posts and count the amount of times they refer to themselves.
Listen up; apart from yourself and those like you, who are only to keen to have someone to listen to their 'stories' so long as you listen to theirs, no-one else gives a flying whatever.
Get over yourself, look around and see that the world is going on all around you whilst you tediously inflict your 'struggles with your inner demons' on the rest of us.
@Sandy154
One would therefore question why you are posting. If the self serving, drivel (your words not mine) does not appeal, then why did you feel the need to post. I suspect there lies deep within you a self loathing. Is it an inability to empathise and relate to others, or simply a mean streak that speaks of "I don't give a shit about anyone else, listen up fuckers I'M GOING TO SPEAK".
The posts take as long as they take to communicate. Some are short, some are long, there is little relevance in either so long as the message is lucid. Shared experience is to be cherished, whether it appeals to you or not, and this is the "bit" that you don't seem to undestand.
Your ignorance is really not my concern, but I do enjoy a little repartie so by all means continue, I will treat you in the same way as I treat the spammers that occasionally pop up on the site. A subject to have a little fun with, after all, to ignore you would feed your righteous indignation...
I look forward to your next response, and....although it may bring me close to a sanction from @Frank...you deserve an emoticon
;)
@ChrisO
Thanks, ChrisO. I'm going to read that today. Very open to new perspectives and thoughts on this, as I know I'm skewed coming from a sporting and cycling background.
@Deakus Not only does he feel the need to post but the fact that it's his first post would suggest that he signed up especially to voice his disapproval. That says a lot about a person.
@Sandy154 It's fine if you don't like the topic of conversation but if you took a bit of time, you might just realise that there's a difference between self serving whining and discussions about a shared passion and mutual experiences.
Remember, though, you're free to walk away at any point you choose. You might want to try try roadbikereview.com, they're real cyclists.
@Sandy154
Have you ripped out the "Autobiography" section of every book store in the world?!
Nothing wrong with reading about one's experience. You either take their experience on board, or leave it.