Hello,

Firstly I'd like to state that this article is true. It's the story of my life. The reason I am posting this is I'm hoping to find a like soul that has brought their addiction under control.

I'm addicted to bicycles. No, really I am.

Today I walked into my LBS for an innertube. I walked out with the innertube, a new Giant Bowery, and I put a Kona Jake the Snake on lay away. Not to mention other assorted bike paraphenalia. This type of thing happens a lot. I purchase 5 to 8 new bikes a year for the last 3 years. Not cheap ones either. New, quality bikes from a LBS. I live to ride and collect bicycles. Average day I will log 50 miles on a bike commuting around and running errands. Weekends I will ride until my body gives out.

My apartment is a cheap dump with very little furniture to accomodate bike storage and to cut down expenses for bikes and bike stuff. I'm perpetually cutting out things like cable, heat, entertainment, and the like to make room in the budget for bike spending. I wear bike clothes to work because that makes up the bulk of my wardrobe. My lovely wife of 6 years left me and divorced me a year ago. This is because I took an extended unpaid leave of absence from my job to ride the Lewis and Clark trail. Since she left I haven't seen my daughter. They moved in with her parents, 890 miles away. Other than the monthly child support checks I have no contact with them.

For some reason I can't control myself when it comes to bikes and bike riding. This is a serious addiction. It's costing me everything and I can't just stop. Riding has become my life. It's all I want to do anymore. Heck I don't even think about dating. I'd rather ride a bike. It's an all consuming obsession.

Has anyone else experienced this? For the past 3 years bicycling has steadily become the focal point of my existence at the cost of everything else. I used to have a nice house, a wonderful family life, friends, and all that. Now it's all about two wheels.

What do I do?