My name is ___ I'm a cyclists and I think I have a problem

DonDaddyD

Due to the current economic climate I find myself feeling guilty but unable to not to do what makes me feel guilty.

Every day I wake and my most exciting moment of the morning is getting on my bike and commuting to work. The most exciting moment of the working day is 5pm so that I can ride my bike home. I'm all but numb to whatever happens in-between my Morning and Evening commute.

During the working day, I'm either talking on here about bikes, looking at bikes online, thinking about my journey into and from work on a bike. I'm beginning to make excuses so that I can go to the bike shop after work and buy things I don't really need and worse still I'm aware I'm doing it but get anxious everytime I try to stop.

Don't get me wrong, I do do work, I've never had a complaint about productivity but I've developed a skill of hiding my bike addicition under the illusion that I'm doing lots of work when I'm only doing some.

When 3pm comes I find myself doing anything but work desperate for 5pm so that I hook my leg over my bike and ride. The thought of this acts as a release to that stressful anticipation. It's like a drug. The thought of not riding into work, upsets me greatly.

I have always loved riding a bike, and cycling to work now was only meant to save me money and get me fit. Inside two years I've bought 2 bikes (a 07/08 Giant Escape M2 and a Giant SCR3), I've got 2 helmets, 4 lights a carbon seatposts, clipless shoes, special pedals and cycling specific clothing. I'm riding socially with you lovely people, I'm entering Sportives and shaping to spend twice as much on my third bike (within 3yrs) than the cost of my car.

It's all consuming, worringly so!

To what degree has commuting and general riding a bike consumed your life?

Aguila

Mate,

We're all in the same boat I fear, as addictions go it's probably fairly harmless. I don't think Zammo would ever have got into such hot water on grange hill if he'd been addicted to cycling.

I find the most challenging aspect is how to judge the number of parcels that you can get away with receiving from wiggle/rapha each month without the mrs going mental.

The "think how much I save in petrol" line will only get you so far!

Clever Pun

hur hur you said do do

internet shopping for bike stuff after someone here shows you something pretty you didn't realise you needed... that gets expensive

as you say the best bits of my day are riding to and from work.

I left work early yesterday to get home so I could give blood... I made it home before it got dark... I remembered what an awesome feeling that is and can't wait for the clocks to change again

il_principe

DDD - reckon you should change the title of this topic to:

My name is ___ I'm a cyclist and I think I have a problem.

I don't think I have a problem, I know I do, and I revel in it...

...until I get my bank statement.

cee

ask your boss for a couple of extra projects or responsibilities or something...that should restrict your time during the day to indulge

then you could take up some kind of huge DIY project in the evening to slowly wean yourself off bikes for at least part of the time....

in fact...nah forget it....you (like the rest of us) are screwed.

Jay dubbleU

My name is John and I'm a cyclist - don't worry DDD we all do it - the highlight of my day is the cycling bits - I even meet my wife from work so that I can cycle more - I get obsessively worried about noises made by the bike - spend far too much time on this forum etc - chill out and enjoy - so many other worse things you could be doing 8)

il_principe

Jay dubbleU wrote:

so many other worse things you could be doing

Yeah, Crack for instance...

although it's not quite as addictive.

Jay dubbleU

Think the speed of replies to the question proves something - are we all waiting for five o clock and the bike ?

lost_in_thought

I have the same issue, although my commute is currently spent muttering 'I'll get you when I'm back on my bowery' at everyone who passes me.

Today's been a good day, meetings out of the office which I cycled to and from, cycled in, planning to cycle back after beerz this evening...

And I'm spending an inordinate amount of time on www.vinerbikes.com going ooooh and checking my email in case they built it faster. Damn italians. No sense of urgency.

itboffin

lost_in_thought wrote:

I have the same issue, although my commute is currently spent muttering 'I'll get you when I'm back on my bowery' at everyone who passes me.

Today's been a good day, meetings out of the office which I cycled to and from, cycled in, planning to cycle back after beerz this evening...

And I'm spending an inordinate amount of time on www.vinerbikes.com going ooooh and checking my email in case they built it faster. Damn italians. No sense of urgency.

I bet you don't look at all mental riding that beach cruiser talking to yourself :shock:

Aguila

OOO they look nice LIT, which are you getting??

itboffin

jashburnham wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

so many other worse things you could be doing

Yeah, Crack for instance...

although it's not quite as addictive.

or as expensive

I hate it when I have to wait until 5pm - LITTs don't you?

rally200

I have a friend who feels he may be a cyclist. I, I mean he just can't seen to find any stimulation from cars any more. I think his wife is starting to get suspicious

greg66_tri_v2.0

lost_in_thought wrote:

I have the same issue, although my commute is currently spent muttering 'I'll get you when I'm back on my bowery' at everyone who passes me.

Today's been a good day, meetings out of the office which I cycled to and from, cycled in, planning to cycle back after beerz this evening...

And I'm spending an inordinate amount of time on www.vinerbikes.com going ooooh and checking my email in case they built it faster. Damn italians. No sense of urgency.

l_i_t, I've only just looked on Viner's website. They do a PINK BIKE . Surely that's the one you were told to buy. How hard did you have to plead to be allowed to buy one of the other bike? :twisted:

lost_in_thought

itboffin wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

I have the same issue, although my commute is currently spent muttering 'I'll get you when I'm back on my bowery' at everyone who passes me.

Today's been a good day, meetings out of the office which I cycled to and from, cycled in, planning to cycle back after beerz this evening...

And I'm spending an inordinate amount of time on www.vinerbikes.com going ooooh and checking my email in case they built it faster. Damn italians. No sense of urgency.

I bet you don't look at all mental riding that beach cruiser talking to yourself :shock:

Nope, not mental at all. The fact that I'm spinning at about 1 million rpm yet travelling at 12mph, wearing an odd combination of casual and cycling clothes and muttering makes me look anything but mental... :shock:

lost_in_thought

Greg66 wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

I have the same issue, although my commute is currently spent muttering 'I'll get you when I'm back on my bowery' at everyone who passes me.

Today's been a good day, meetings out of the office which I cycled to and from, cycled in, planning to cycle back after beerz this evening...

And I'm spending an inordinate amount of time on www.vinerbikes.com going ooooh and checking my email in case they built it faster. Damn italians. No sense of urgency.

l_i_t, I've only just looked on Viner's website. They do a PINK BIKE . Surely that's the one you were told to buy. How hard did you have to plead to be allowed to buy one of the other bike? :twisted:

I had to beat a man to death with his own shoes. I'd rather not discuss it.

il_principe

lost_in_thought wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

I have the same issue, although my commute is currently spent muttering 'I'll get you when I'm back on my bowery' at everyone who passes me.

Today's been a good day, meetings out of the office which I cycled to and from, cycled in, planning to cycle back after beerz this evening...

And I'm spending an inordinate amount of time on www.vinerbikes.com going ooooh and checking my email in case they built it faster. Damn italians. No sense of urgency.

l_i_t, I've only just looked on Viner's website. They do a PINK BIKE . Surely that's the one you were told to buy. How hard did you have to plead to be allowed to buy one of the other bike? :twisted:

I had to beat a man to death with his own shoes. I'd rather not discuss it.

MTB shoes?

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

I have the same issue, although my commute is currently spent muttering 'I'll get you when I'm back on my bowery' at everyone who passes me.

Today's been a good day, meetings out of the office which I cycled to and from, cycled in, planning to cycle back after beerz this evening...

And I'm spending an inordinate amount of time on www.vinerbikes.com going ooooh and checking my email in case they built it faster. Damn italians. No sense of urgency.

l_i_t, I've only just looked on Viner's website. They do a PINK BIKE . Surely that's the one you were told to buy. How hard did you have to plead to be allowed to buy one of the other bike? :twisted:

I had to beat a man to death with his own shoes. I'd rather not discuss it.

MTB shoes?

Of course. Much more knobbly.

Damage +3 and all that...

itboffin

Would have been funnier if it was an SPD sandal, that's all i'm saying

Edit: corrected to make sense :oops:

il_principe

itboffin wrote:

Would have been funnier if it was an SPD saddle, that's all i'm saying

Or a Ring.

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Would have been funnier if it was an SPD saddle, that's all i'm saying

Or a Ring.

To beat a man to death with his own ring would either be biologically unlikely or imply that I have bike maintenance skills far better than reality...

And SPD sandals are nowhere near spiky enough.

messier0101

I think I may win this lol...

I moved out of student halls to a nice detached house with mates.....further away from my uni/placements so I can have a longer commute.... :oops:

itboffin

LCFC85 wrote:

I think I may win this lol...

I moved out of student halls to a nice detached house with mates.....further away from my uni/placements so I can have a longer commute.... :oops:

Hello LCFC85 you seem to have wandered wildly ON topic and is that username you've chosen something to do with football??? :evil:

messier0101

itboffin wrote:

LCFC85 wrote:

I think I may win this lol...

I moved out of student halls to a nice detached house with mates.....further away from my uni/placements so I can have a longer commute.... :oops:

Hello LCFC85 you seem to have wandered wildly ON topic and is that username you've chosen something to do with football??? :evil:

lol, yes I'm afraid it is football related (although I'm more of a rugby fan :? )
Actually is there a mod/admin I could get in contact with so that I could change my user name, it's pretty old now....

biondino

Yeah, you'll want to be LCFC09 I'd imagine...

Mike Healey

DonDaddyD wrote:

Due to the current economic climate I find myself feeling guilty but unable to not to do what makes me feel guilty.

Every day I wake and my most exciting moment of the morning is getting on my bike and commuting to work. The most exciting moment of the working day is 5pm so that I can ride my bike home. I'm all but numb to whatever happens in-between my Morning and Evening commute.

During the working day, I'm either talking on here about bikes, looking at bikes online, thinking about my journey into and from work on a bike. I'm beginning to make excuses so that I can go to the bike shop after work and buy things I don't really need and worse still I'm aware I'm doing it but get anxious everytime I try to stop.

Don't get me wrong, I do do work, I've never had a complaint about productivity but I've developed a skill of hiding my bike addicition under the illusion that I'm doing lots of work when I'm only doing some.

When 3pm comes I find myself doing anything but work desperate for 5pm so that I hook my leg over my bike and ride. The thought of this acts as a release to that stressful anticipation. It's like a drug. The thought of not riding into work, upsets me greatly.

I have always loved riding a bike, and cycling to work now was only meant to save me money and get me fit. Inside two years I've bought 2 bikes (a 07/08 Giant Escape M2 and a Giant SCR3), I've got 2 helmets, 4 lights a carbon seatposts, clipless shoes, special pedals and cycling specific clothing. I'm riding socially with you lovely people, I'm entering Sportives and shaping to spend twice as much on my third bike (within 3yrs) than the cost of my car.

It's all consuming, worringly so!

To what degree has commuting and general riding a bike consumed your life?

All very interesting, I'm sure, but you seem to have stopped writing before describing what your problem is.

Mike Healey

DonDaddyD wrote:

Due to the current economic climate I find myself feeling guilty but unable to not to do what makes me feel guilty.

Every day I wake and my most exciting moment of the morning is getting on my bike and commuting to work. The most exciting moment of the working day is 5pm so that I can ride my bike home. I'm all but numb to whatever happens in-between my Morning and Evening commute.

During the working day, I'm either talking on here about bikes, looking at bikes online, thinking about my journey into and from work on a bike. I'm beginning to make excuses so that I can go to the bike shop after work and buy things I don't really need and worse still I'm aware I'm doing it but get anxious everytime I try to stop.

Don't get me wrong, I do do work, I've never had a complaint about productivity but I've developed a skill of hiding my bike addicition under the illusion that I'm doing lots of work when I'm only doing some.

When 3pm comes I find myself doing anything but work desperate for 5pm so that I hook my leg over my bike and ride. The thought of this acts as a release to that stressful anticipation. It's like a drug. The thought of not riding into work, upsets me greatly.

I have always loved riding a bike, and cycling to work now was only meant to save me money and get me fit. Inside two years I've bought 2 bikes (a 07/08 Giant Escape M2 and a Giant SCR3), I've got 2 helmets, 4 lights a carbon seatposts, clipless shoes, special pedals and cycling specific clothing. I'm riding socially with you lovely people, I'm entering Sportives and shaping to spend twice as much on my third bike (within 3yrs) than the cost of my car.

It's all consuming, worringly so!

To what degree has commuting and general riding a bike consumed your life?

All very interesting, I'm sure, but you seem to have stopped writing before describing what your problem is.

The Chingford Skinhead

I'm busy trying to work out whether my cycling to work habit is getting so expensive and time consuming (when you add in internet research, time on here etc) that it would have been cheaper to buy my own train.

I'm not organised enough to leave a suit in work so when I have meetings I have to get the train. GOD I HATE IT! I then sit in meetings sulking - and this is the vicious circle bit - I know the only way to get me out of that sulk would be to get on the bike...but it's at home and I have to get another train to get there. AAARRRGGGHHHH

Seriously thinking about taking my second bike to work and leaving it there so I can go for a lunchtime spin when this happens again.

I need help

My commute bike needs a service - rather than go to my LBS I went to the bike shop I bought the bike from. Same price, same kind of service but...it is 6 miles away so I could cycle to it! It also has a bigger range of bikes to drool over.

I seriously need help.

From bike shop I had to go to a book shop for Mrs TCS to pick up a book she ordered. Somehow a coupe of books on bikes slipped into my metaphorical basket

I am a bicyclist. But I'm sorry I'm not ready to be cured just yet (Mrs TCS may try a cold turkey approach mixed with violence when the SPDs arrive in the next couple of days though...

iain_j

DonDaddyD wrote:

Every day I wake and my most exciting moment of the morning is getting on my bike and commuting to work. The most exciting moment of the working day is 5pm so that I can ride my bike home. I'm all but numb to whatever happens in-between my Morning and Evening commute.

That has described the last couple of years perfectly. I'd ride into work, have a shower, put my work clothes on, then say to myself "well... that's it for another 8 hours".

Although having started my new job this week I'm quite enjoying the bit in between the bike rides too

cjcp

And we still have the warm weather to come <he says hopefully>. That'll mean a couple of laps of the Park on the way home a couple of times a week.

The_Darkness

Honestly, if you feel like that you should try to find a job you enjoy more. Really.