Flynn

Well, I have not been riding for too long.......about a year. I was so happy when I got my road bike; a 2004 Specialized Allez Elite. Nothing too fancy, but I was convinced that I did not need anything too fancy. The first couple of weeks were great......I couldn't have been happier. Then something happened. I started feeling, well, strange. As I rode with other folks, I found myself constantly examining their bikes. This started out as something very innocent. You know, questions like "Hey, nice bike. How long have you had it?" This quickly went from innocent to obsessive. What frame, what wheel set, what components, pedals, aerobars, front fork, you name it, I wanted to know!! It was uncontrollable. Over the last few months, this obsession has only gotten worse. I am at the point now where it is almost impossible to control my urges to spend, spend, spend on bike stuff!! I want as much bike stuff as I can get my hands on. Today, I was seconds away from buying a new $3,000 bike just because I wanted it. I was lucky (I think) that, at the last second, my conscious took over. Next time I am not sure I will be so lucky. I am a total junkie!! Are there rehab centers for folks like me or should I just accept it? My inclination is to just accept it.....it will probably be more fun. Anyone else suffer from this addiction?

bkestar

i want a bike with 24' rims

Serpico

it's a healthy addiction/sport/hobby/pastime nothing wrong with it. plenty of people out there have similar feelings towards gambling, or booze---getting hooked on cycling seems fine to me

cryogenic

24 foot rims? holy crap! how would you mount the stupid thing? from a 2nd or 3rd story window?

Sprocket Man

Just wait until you get hit by a car while flying downhill at 36 mph. That'll cure ya!

skinnyone

I hear you, I have been suffering from the bug myself.. I have bought about 500 bucks wortha shoes clothes computer and other accessories and just this week I offered to sell my 05 Felt F70 to a friend for 700 bucks so that I could buy a F2C or a soloist or a Kuota kalibur(to be honest the Kalibur was out of my budget)... I kid you not... Thankfully couple of my buddies at work asked me if I was crazy and I replied yeah and wimped out of the plans to sell it. I have been spending almost 100 bucks a week the past 6 weeks and did so today too. Well enough ranting and show me the rehab center..

Flynn

I can't say that I am looking forward to that. But yes, that probably would cure me. Do you speak from experience?

Flynn

That is funny! I have developed the ability to rationlaize ANY purchase that pertains to cycling. My weekly spending is right on target with yours.

skinnyone

I am nodding my head off in agreement.. mind becoming a founding father of Bikeaholics anonymous

Patriot

It sounds like you are coming down with OCP syndrome. I highly recommend you take lots of pictures of yourself in full kit with your bike, post them on BF, and begin posing as much as possible. Also, find your nearest convenience store, and hang out there in full kit to show off your cool bike, and fancy cycling shoes. Don't worry, you will be fine. This condition is quite common here on Bike Forums.
My condition has been so bad for months now, technically it should have killed me. It can definitely be terminal. However, as long as we come out and admit our condition, then the healing can begin.
Don't worry. We're all in this together. We're pulling for you.

Sincerely,

Patriot
President, OCP Club

Flynn

Before I started road biking, I would see the guys you are referring to. Standing outside of the local general store, looking like riders who took a wrong turn during a race and lost the pack. Human billboards for Oakley, Specialized, Gatorade, Look, you name it. Standing with their bikes with that crazy look in their eye. I wish I knew then what I know now. These people were just crying out for help. If only I had stopped and talked to them; if but for a minute. Maybe, just maybe, I could have saved one of them. Now, I am that person. But I am too far gone to be saved. Funny thing is.......I like it!!

Trsnrtr

I don't think you have a cycling addiction; you have a purchasing addiction. Big difference. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Flynn

True enough......but it is my passion for cycling that drives my addiction for purchasing.

Sprocket Man

I am speaking from experience, but alas, it had no affect on my addiction. After I went down hard on the road, my very first thought was,"Oh no, my bike!" After I got out of the hospital, I rode my bike with scabs up my entire right thigh and hip and a wrist cast. There are only two types of cyclists, those who have fallen and those who will.

Flynn

Well stated. I have seen some pretty frightening pictures of my buddies a few days after big crashes. Looks like it could be pretty bad. I guess the last thing you can think about while riding is crashing. Because of my disorder, instead of thinking about crashing, I think about what bike I can buy to make me go faster; despite the fact that faster speed = more painful crash.

feltrider

Just buy the bike and stop torturing yourself. That will ease the pain somewhat.

Hipcycler

This is your brain:

This is your brain cycling:

Welcome to the club.

Racaryu

Its healthy to have an addiction to RIDING your bike. However, being addicted to spending mass amounts of money on things you don't need is not healthy. Its a marketing specialists wet dream. Besides, whats the deal with buying expensive equipment just so you can shave a few grams? Most people could stand lose 10lbs off their body, imagine what that would do to improve your speed...

Flynn

6'3" - 180lbs......probably do not need to shave any weight off my frame.

jsharr

Flynn, are you married? If so, does the spouse ride? My doesn't so i have to ration out my purchases so that she does not realize how much we spend on my addiction. I just got back on the bike after a few years off, ( marriage and kids ) and in the last few months have gotten new bike, pedals, shoes, computer, lights, glasses with interchangeable lenses ( I love to ride at night) three pairs of shorts and three jerseys. Hopefully I am done with the purchasing side of my addiction for a bit and can just carry on with the, "Hey can you put the boys to bed, I really nide to get in a ride tonight" portion of my disease. Maybe we need to start some sort of 12 cranks program for our fellow addicts? I think Patriot could be our sponsor.

skinnyone

5'11" 138 pounds here... I CANT lose any more weight...

skinnyone

Do you think we need to give this OCP club a trail... I was actually taking pics of me in my CSC jersey yesterday after readaing Patriots suggestions ... None worked out to my satisfaction though.. I needed a cervelo.

Flynn

I will be married in July. And, lucky for me, my fiancee does ride. She is certainly not as crazy about it as I am. She is very understanding about my addiction. In all actuality, I think she would rather I was out riding than at home bugging her! The comlaints of not being able to ride would be much worse than the riding itself! On another note, I share your passion for riding at night.

jsharr

I wonder where Patriot found a CF tripod for his camera? Have never seen a full titanium Sony digicam, but I bet Patriots is SWEET. Yeah, I am thinking about joining the OCP, but as I only ride a Trek 1200 will probably be on double secret probation or only allowed junior member status.

hmai18

Plenty of manufacturers make CF tripods; Manfrotto, Slik, Velbon, to name a few.