Wall Street Journal 10-10-05: research by Jeanne Nichols, professor of exercise and nutrition science at San Diego State University has startled many fitness buffs in the medical profession. She studied 27 master cyclists with an average age of 51 who had been bicyclists for an average of 20 years and compared them to 20 something bicyclists of the same competitive level and to age matched recreational gym users.

Persons who get most of their exercise from bicycling showed a startling loss of bone strength. The problem appears to have multiple causes: cycling is not a weight bearing exercise so it doesn't trigger bone replacement the way many other exercises do, bicyclists sweat a lot with resulting loss of calcium, and many maintain a very lean build, another factor in bone loss.

Besides, they look really silly in those spandex outfits they're so proud of.

Man, add all that to getting run over by cars and I think I'll continue my policy of staying off those things.