Category: Psychology
Latest News
Best of 2019: What your Instagram says about you as a cyclist
Most of us don’t give much thought to what we post on Instagram or why — if something seems interesting and worth sharing, we’ll post it....
One crash stole my confidence – three years later, one descent brought it back
I take a long, deep breath in, loosening my grip on the handlebars a little as I do. I shake out my arms, trying to release the tension t...
How Rohan Dennis won Worlds with the help of his psychological scientist
Dr David Spindler is an Andorra-based psychological scientist who works almost exclusively with professional cyclists. In the first part ...
What it's like to be a psychological scientist working with pro cyclists
Dr David Spindler is an Andorra-based psychological scientist who works almost exclusively with professional cyclists. You might recognis...
How to keep cycling after becoming a father
There aren't many bigger transitions in life than having your first child. Your entire world changes, including your cycling. So how do y...
Keeping Dirty Kanza fun: Five tips for 200 miles of enjoyable gravel riding
In 2019, CyclingTips is hitting the gravel roads of America in a custom VanDoIt van, taking a deep look at the sport of gravel riding, gr...
Ride on: The art of staying motivated on the bike
Michael Inglis is a sports psychologist who’s worked with professional and amateur athletes across a range of sports, including cycling. ...
Cycling as meditation: Can riding help us achieve mindfulness?
Have you ever been out for a ride, lost yourself in the moment, then come home and felt like your mind has been cleansed? Like you’ve fig...
Why the notion of confidence in endurance sport is flawed
We’ve all been there, waiting on the startline of a race or big gran fondo, worrying about how we’re going to go. “Will I be able to stay...
‘You can do it!’ Why you should practise positive self-talk on the bike
When it comes to improving on the bike, we all know the basics. Ride more, train hard, eat well, lose weight -- so much of the focus is o...
Mourning ride: When times get tough, a simple spin can work wonders
When I rolled my bike out the back gate, I thought I was just going out for an easy, hour-long spin. I didn’t even bring a water bottle o...
Mind games: Getting your head back in the game after a crash
Picture this. You’re riding down your favourite local descent, flying around the corners and having a great time. It’s raining a little b...
Cash bonuses for clean athletes: a better way to fight doping?
At the University of Adelaide’s experimental economics lab, a group of researchers are conducting a raft of experiments into doping deter...
Colouring books, yoga and other relaxation techniques for everyday athletes
It’s that time of year again, in the Northern Hemisphere the road season is starting up and while many are giddy with excitement, others ...
Light and dark: Exercise addiction, and the different forces of cycling
There is a saying that goes, “light cannot come without darkness.” This resonated with me a few years ago, when I was transitioning out o...
The problem with perfection: How parental pressure can leave children with positive attitudes about doping
Despite the fact most sports-lovers despise doping, many of us still find the psychology of doping intriguing. What is it that makes a pe...
How those around you can help your performance
When I first started racing a decade ago, I wanted to know what I could do to train my mind to become a champion. |Related: Mental Fitnes...
Why cyclists cheat: seven possible reasons for doping
There's a consensus in road cycling circles that the sport is cleaner than it was 10 to 15 years ago and yet barely a fortnight seems to ...
New year's resolutions and goal setting - approaches that work
Now that the calendar has ticked over most of us will be setting some new year's resolutions. According to Google search trends, most of ...
Why we race: the psychology of winning and what motivates us
For any given bike race there can only be one winner. For many of us, a win may come only once in a season and that one fleeting moment i...
All about the bike: what happens when cycling becomes an 'obsessive passion'
If you're reading this there's every chance you love riding your bike. You might even be a little bit obsessed with cycling. But at what ...