Psycle: Psychiatry, E-Bikes, and Mental Health on Two Wheels
Luís Altenfelder explains how he merged medicine and mountain biking to fight stigma and structure rehabilitation on the trail.
In a conversation on XTREMMA Sports with Shubi Guimarães, psychiatrist Luís Altenfelder detailed the creation of the Psycle project and advocated for e-bikes as a tool for athletic inclusion. The physician also previewed plans for a documentary exploring cycling's impact on mental health.
The intersection of medicine and cycling emerged organically for psychiatrist Luís Altenfelder. As the founder of the Psycle project, he merged psychiatry concepts with cycling to combat the stigma surrounding mental health care. Its logo—a brain fused with a bicycle chainring—first appeared in 2017 on two race jerseys in France and quickly grew into an identity movement among athletes and patients who view physical activity as a direct ally of mental well-being.
For Luís, wearing the brand or participating in project initiatives is a way to normalize psychiatric treatment and break mental health stigma. Far from traditional e-commerce ambitions, the initiative raises funds to support athletes, finance trail maintenance and cleanup, and host the annual Psycle All Day event, encouraging regular sports participation.
Inclusion through e-bikes and effort modulation
As a Specialized Turbo Levo ambassador, the physician actively champions electric mountain bikes against the prejudice of those who label the discipline as an easy way out. In Luís's view, pedal assist serves as a tool for inclusion and autonomy, enabling individuals in rehabilitation or with lower fitness levels to spend more time on the trail, tackle steeper climbs, and ride alongside high-performance athletes.
E-bikes make it possible to tailor physical exertion to individual needs. Instead of cutting a workout short after an hour due to premature fatigue, riders can extend their outdoor experience to three hours in classic riding spots like Serra do Japi, CEMUCAM, or Cantareira. For host Shubi Guimarães, the technology democratizes family rides and group trips across varying skill levels.
The documentary and the role of sport in treatment
After capturing footage and producing smaller video projects, the psychiatrist is now developing a documentary focusing on the history of the bicycle and its transformative impact on people's lives, particularly mental health.
However, the interplay between cycling and medication demands clinical responsibility. Luís emphasizes that physical activity does not replace medication in complex diagnoses, such as bipolar disorder, but it significantly improves quality of life and can allow dosage reductions under individualized treatment plans. Both the doctor and Shubi also warn against overdoing it: sports must respect physical and psychological boundaries to avoid turning into overtraining or a source of stress, serving instead as a balanced strategy for self-regulation and harm reduction.