You know you've gone over to the dark side...

[KSH]

When you are considering buying a new vehicle so that your bike does not have to be strapped on a bike rack.....

I did this. I love my Mazda 3, 5-door hatchback.

Now, I just need a pretty new tri bike in the back. And I would love a new road bike too... but I can't have it all.

[betagirl]

You know you're on the dark side when almost all of the dish sized towels in the house have black stains on them.

Oh yeah.

...when you've said "I have enough bikes" and find yourself going to look at a fixed gear. And you justify it because it's *used* so you can't afford not to look at it.

...when you have a ton of laundry to do, you're out of underwear, yet you decide the higher priority items to wash are your bike clothes. The rest can wait.

...you have a chain imprint on your capri pant leg and you think it gives them character.

...you have a 100 degree fever yet commute anyway.

...you have an entire shelf in your cabinets dedicated to water bottles.

[Crankin]

Deb, the noise you heard when I stood on the pedals was the sound of someone being in a gear that was too easy to do that, so the pedals do not turn over smoothly. I'm pretty sure it's not my bike, because the same thing occured on my other 2 bikes. I am not that coordinated. I never stand on steep hills and tend to spin pretty quickly. I had a lot of problems just getting my uncoordinated body up to stand, so I tend to only do it only on little rollers. Plus, it was getting my mind off of the rest of my body that was hurting!

Going to check that seat out in a bit. Basically, if a tweaking doesn't solve it, along with 2 days of rest, I don't know what else to do. I have been fit (computer, trainer, 2 hours) by the owner of ATA Cycle. My husband is an excellent mechanic; we have a "bike shop" in our utility room and he did all the work for my son when he was racing. He bought me the Brooks saddle without me even asking. Now I am wondering if I got the right one.

Will keep trying.

Robyn

[Geonz]

When you're the passenger in the car, and preparing to pull out of the driveway, and you automatically say, "Car left!"

[Bluetree]

... When you are groping at the bottom of your handbag for lipstick and come up with a CO2 cartridge!

[pooks]

When you tell your hairdresser, "Cut it all off. I don't care how you do it, just anyway that's remotely cute. Now that I'm cycling and wearing a helmet, I just can't handle this mess any more."

When you tell your hairdresser two weeks later, "Cut more off. I'm on an off my bike several times a day. I may ask for a buzz cut next week. I DON'T CARE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. Just cut it OFF."

When you stop wearing makeup most of the time because you're slathering on sunblock several times a day, every time you go out on your bike.

When you decide you don't look that bad without makeup after all. (Wait, that's a sign of too much heat. Scratch that one.)

[Kitsune06]

... When you have said short hair, then say "Gel is my friend", crush little spikes under your helmet, commute, then remove helmet and re-wet with your water bottle, ruffle your hair/rehydrated gel to fix it and go on your merry way makeupless, and think it's perfectly feminine...

...when you slip a little on your bike and get a big black print on your calf from the big ring, look at it for awhile, then tell S/O "Wouldn't that look HOT as a tattoo?" as they stare at your calf with the expression...

...when you see a bump in the road and instinctively raise your butt out of the *car* seat!

[salsabike]

YOU are funny! Good ones. I have LONG discussions with my hairdresser about how cycling is the primary determinant for how we cut my hair. Nuts, eh?

When you tell your hairdresser, "Cut it all off. I don't care how you do it, just anyway that's remotely cute. Now that I'm cycling and wearing a helmet, I just can't handle this mess any more."

When you tell your hairdresser two weeks later, "Cut more off. I'm on an off my bike several times a day. I may ask for a buzz cut next week. I DON'T CARE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. Just cut it OFF."

When you stop wearing makeup most of the time because you're slathering on sunblock several times a day, every time you go out on your bike.

When you decide you don't look that bad without makeup after all. (Wait, that's a sign of too much heat. Scratch that one.)

[AuntieK]

...you have an entire shelf in your cabinets dedicated to water bottles.

...and it's not enough space for all the bottles!

[limewave]

...and it's not enough space for all the bottles!

. . . so true, so true.

[SouthernBelle]

When you are discussing cycling with a non-rider, and they comment on, 'how expensive those bikes are. Why some of them cost $300!'

& you snort and debate whether to tell what you spent.

[mimitabby]

When you are discussing cycling with a non-rider, and they comment on, 'how expensive those bikes are. Why some of them cost $300!'

& you snort and debate whether to tell what you spent.

or you LIE and agree with them because they would (multiple choice: Die, think you were nuts, decide you were rich) if they knew that you just spent 4 figures on a bike.