Why do you cycle?

[nmrt]

If i am honest with myself, I am forced to come to the conclusion that the reason why I bike (or run) is that I am simply addicted to it. There can be no other rational explanation.

[mj_michigan]

Originally Posted by flying

I would hear the sound of the tubulars & feel the wind on my face & think it is like I'm Flying

I did not think of this analogy before I read it, but it describes in some way why I enjoy cycling. On a nice day, likely helped by tail wind, I hit a nirvana when I go fast propelled by my muscles.

On the other side, I also enjoyed riding through light snow a few days ago -- temperature just above freezing, no wind, felt warmer than it was; traffic very light, almost non-existent ...

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by nmrt

If i am honest with myself, I am forced to come to the conclusion that the reason why I bike (or run) is that I am simply addicted to it. There can be no other rational explanation.

That too. Done it so long I can't imagine my life without it...

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[nmrt]

I think for me it is beyond that. I am addicted and I think so are many of us.
Do you not get moody when you cannot bike? Would your significant other want to be around you then? Do you not get "withdrawl" symptoms when you do not partake in it? Arent these classic symptoms of addiction?

Originally Posted by Clean39T

That too. Done it so long I can't imagine my life without it...

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[kingpin75s]

For the donuts.

[seanile]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Thanks for all the cool and interesting responses. I've noticed very few people have mentioned "fat loss" high on the list, which is pretty telling.

i've noticed a fair amount of folks with "fat mitigation" reasoning.

[charliedid]

I'm skinny

[redir]

These days for me it's 1,2,3 and 4. All very fine reasons for cycling. I also commute quite a bit an I do that because it makes me feel better and gives me some fitness. When I first started it was all about racing. When I stopped racing I almost have cycling up and wondered why on Earth people actually road their bikes for fun. All my'rides'were training rides. I'm glad I rediscovered cycling for all three aforementioned reasons and in doing so I still hop in on the local bike races just for fun now to.

[Vientomas]

The joyful sensation of movement derived from piloting a mechanical device through the environment when man and machine become one. The bike is an extension of my being...plus I'm an endorphine junkie. I need to get that fix often and cycling gets me there like few other activities.

[mcc21]

fitness and relaxation.
of course hanging out with the mates =)

[oldpotatoe]

Mechanical meditation.
Cuz it's(mostly) fun.

I think for me it is beyond that. I am addicted and I think so are many of us.
Do you not get moody when you cannot bike? Would your significant other want to be around you then? Do you not get "withdrawl" symptoms when you do not partake in it? Arent these classic symptoms of addiction?

No doubt, some here are...addicted...But like anything(like running), it CAN become an obsession. Running, in the late 70s and mid 80s, certainly did for me. BUT, not like that, for ME, and on a bicycle. Wife accused me of 'running away', when I ran..yup, addicted, no doubt but not on bike. Not 'surgically joined' to a bike...YMMV and all that.

I'm sure somebody will say being addicted to riding a bike is better than other 'addictions'..but addictions(and I aren't a MD/psychologist, etc) can be symptoms of something else.

It's keen, has good and 'others' related to it. Not gonna save the world, or anything like that, IMHO..If I couldn't ride a bike, I'd do something else....

[marciero]

Originally Posted by Vientomas

The joyful sensation of movement derived from piloting a mechanical device through the environment when man and machine become one. The bike is an extension of my being...plus I'm an endorphine junkie. I need to get that fix often and cycling gets me there like few other activities.

What other physical activity is so intimately tied to the apparatus? In fact, what human activity of any kind is so intimately tied to a machine or apparatus? The only thing that approaches that level of connection that I can think of is a musical instrument.
Things with motors are a bit removed from that kind of connection.
How about, say, a skier with skis? A rower? Skiers dont describe the skis "disappearing" beneath them. I love riding, but I also love bikes, as a separate thing. Bikes are beautiful things. It's only natural to want to ride that beautiful thing.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by marciero

What other physical activity is so intimately tied to the apparatus? In fact, what human activity of any kind is so intimately tied to a machine or apparatus? The only thing that approaches that level of connection that I can think of is a musical instrument.
Things with motors are a bit removed from that kind of connection.
How about, say, a skier with skis? A rower? Skiers dont describe the skis "disappearing" beneath them. I love riding, but I also love bikes, as a separate thing. Bikes are beautiful things. It's only natural to want to ride that beautiful thing.

Flying, no doubt...You forget about the 'machine' around you..you are the 'thing' moving around the sky, not the person in a machine, but 'you'..no doubt about it. I'm talking about more 'physical' flying..not just going from here to there but acrobatics and some 'military' type flying..

[marciero]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Flying, no doubt...You forget about the 'machine' around you..you are the 'thing' moving around the sky, not the person in a machine, but 'you'..no doubt about it. I'm talking about more 'physical' flying..not just going from here to there but acrobatics and some 'military' type flying..

Okay it sounds like that qualifies; esp coming from someone with experience doing both. Maybe I was making a false distinction with things with motors/engines-bikes and planes are both machines.

[Likes2ridefar]

Cycling enables me to ride a bike path for 35 minutes to work instead of driving for 20 at high speeds in heavy traffic. We need only one car for the family because of this so instead of a Honda and a Kia we have one BMW

Cycling enables me to be fitter, happier, and more productive.

The biggest benefit for me is deep thought while in the flow as I like to call it. Read that somewhere once...heavy effort for the first 30 or so minutes then steady state tempo and endurance for a few hours while I’m thinking through the many things I’m currently focused on at home and work.