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

[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!

[KnottedYet]

When you try to clip out of the gas pedal.

[pooks]

... when NOBODY seems to notice or comment on the photo of a rattlesnake crossing the road that MTKITCHN posted in the "What will you NOT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT?" thread, because they're so focused on water, changing tires and sunscreen!

[wannaduacentury]

When you try to clip out of the gas pedal.

Sorry Knottedyet , I didn't see yours first LOL- I said brake pedal.

[Bikingmomof3]

When your doctor gives you potentially terrible news and the first thing you think is, "Thank goodness, it is not the bike. I can ride again!"

[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.)

[annie]

When your kids say, "Mom - you are really grouchy today. Would you PLEASE go out for a bike ride?! "

When you ride off to work on your bike, smiling and waving to the car sitting in the driveway.

When you shop for work clothing at second-hand shops so you can afford TE clothing for your biking!

When your bike(s) lives in the same room as your computer and every time you look at it, you smile.........

When some of your favorite wine has a label with a bike...... regardless of the quality of the wine!

There's more - I know there are. But not tonight. I need some sleepy time.

annie

[salsabike]

When you've gotten hardened to the "$600 is an entry level bike" definition (shocking three years ago), and now believe that $1200 is an entry level road bike--and that it will be your first, but not your last. The bike equivalent of what we used to call "mission creep" at my old policy center--you know, how your definitions just start to mutate...