ARE YOU ADDICTED TO CYCLING?

By Mr. Old Man

Why does cycling make us happy?

Are you hooked on it too?

Do you live to ride, or ride to live?

Of course, you can live and cycle if you like—but research says, if you want to live longer, then you’d better get on that saddle more often.

I have a confession to make. I’m addicted.

Why else would anyone willingly get up at 4:15 in the morning while the rest of the world is still snoozing, just to go spin those pedals? Why else would I end up with a small fleet of bicycles in my house?

I’ve dabbled in a bunch of sports—table tennis, volleyball, football, badminton, tennis—you name it. But none of them gripped me quite like cycling does. These days, most of my conversations somehow end up going, “Yesterday, I biked to…” followed by distance, route, and a play-by-play of saddle-related glory.

My Facebook? Yeah, it’s mainly about two things: international trade finance (my day job), and cycling (my slightly obsessive, totally exhilarating, borderline-unhealthy passion).

And I don’t think I’m the only one infected by this curious disease. Anyone who’s ever dropped serious cash on a decent bike and ridden it regularly ends up with the same symptoms. I just happen to be one of the early whistleblowers. I know a guy who’s got a secret stash of cash just to “upgrade his ride”—this, despite already owning three (okay, maybe four) bikes, each of which could fund a new motorbike.

But here’s the funny thing: no one can quite explain why they’re so addicted. Some say it’s joy. The thrill. The rush. But ask them why it feels that way and—poof—no answer.

Turns out, science has some ideas. Selene Yeager, in her article “Why Riding Makes You Happy”, explains that cyclists may be experiencing something similar to the runner’s high. It’s all about brain chemistry: leptin (a metabolic hormone) and dopamine (a feel-good neurotransmitter) are the culprits. When you’ve been riding for a while and your leptin levels drop, your brain nudges you to keep going. And when you finally stop and treat yourself to a snack—bam! —dopamine kicks in, making you feel like a rockstar. It’s a self-reinforcing loop of joy.

Even the folks at the University of Montreal ran tests on mice and found similar results. So yes, our cycling addiction has a scientific explanation… though personally, I think it’s easier to just take a quiz.

How addicted to cycling are you? Take the Mr. Old Man Test!

Answer the 10 questions below. For each “YES” or “TRUE,” give yourself 1 point.

Score 6–8? You’ve caught the bug.

Score 10? Well… you may need a gentle intervention.

1. Do you own more than one bike?
2. Have you spent more than two months’ salary on a bicycle?
3. Do you have a “secret bike fund” or savings for bike gear?
4. Have you ever gone into debt to buy a bike or bike parts?
5. Do your bikes have their own room in the house?
6. Do you regularly “bathe” your bikes?
7. Do you ride in bad weather—rain, wind, or worse?
8. Do you have a bike tattoo?
9. Do you get irritable if you can’t ride due to injury or lockdowns?
10. Have you ever skipped family gatherings or social plans to go cycling?

Take the test and see where you land. No matter the result, I hope your love for cycling stays strong and steady.

Happy riding, my fellow addicts.

—

Mr. Old Man