What does it mean to get hooked on riding your bike? Chris Marshall-Bell investigates exercise addiction and comes face-to-face with its devastating consequences
Mark Bentley thought he was like any committed cyclist. Riding his bike wasn’t only a hobby, it also gave him a sense of purpose. A good training session made him feel alive and satisfied. But there was a problem: it could become allconsuming. Squeezing in training around his social life and work as a business journalist based in Frankfurt, Germany, sometimes caused friction. When we spoke by phone in early September, Bentley confided that he was thankful to have a “very understanding” girlfriend, but admitted that he frequently prioritised training over social events and household chores.
“A few weeks ago there was a party, my girlfriend Su wanted to go to but we didn’t go because I had an early morning club ride the following day,” the 54-year-old told me. “Su sometimes complains that I neglect things in the house because of my cycling. I was put on part-time hours during Covid, which halved my salary, and my girlfriend felt I should look for another job, whereas I thought, ‘Bugger that, it means more time to train’.”
Whether he realised it or not, Bentley was exhibiting multiple symptoms of exercise addiction. There is no strict definition of this form of addictive behaviour, but it describes the loss of control over exercise habits involving a dependence on exercise and, crucially, resulting in negative health, social and professional consequences. Multiple studies have found that cyclists (along with runners) are more at risk of exercise addiction than any other type of sportsperson. Indeed, one study of Spanish club cyclists found that 17% matched the criteria, compared to 0.3-0.5% of the general population.
It is vitally important that we, as cyclists, are aware of the dangers of exercise addiction and able to recognise the signs. I asked psychotherapist Katherine Cullen (née Schreiber), co-author of the book The Truth About Exercise Addiction, why cyclists are at particularly high risk. “Not everyone who cycles should be considered an exercise addict,” she said, “but it tends to be more prevalent among people who cycle versus those who do team sports.” As I began researching this piece, I didn’t realise just how catastrophic the outcomes of exercise addiction can be – but I was about to find out in the worst possible way.
Cycling dependency
First, let’s get this straight: riding your bike a lot and wanting to become fitter, stronger and faster does not mean you are addicted. Cycling, as we know, has innumerable benefits – it is a very healthy pastime. The problem comes when a rider grows dependent on cycling and feels they need to rid
