Uhh, what's a cyclist?
#79
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When I was a teenager, I was moping around because I was not the best at anything I compared myself to others I knew and proceeded to list everyone who did this or that better than me. My Mom then asked me what about do this with that person or that with this person. I told her they don't do that. She then said I should be thankful that I do a lot of things things well enough to enjoy them. I have carried that with me my whole life.
I've done the 4 hour rides and the all day explores, but I've always been a hour or two rider. Just like everything else I do. I never surfed and then hung out at the beach all day. Never played golf and then sat around talking about it for hours.
I'm really not a cyclist, even though I've ridden road, for decades, and mountain bikes. I was almost 62 when I first started to ride trails. I crashed so much. That was such an eye opener and gave me so much respect for the skill of the good riders. I do okay, and certainly well enough to enjoy it.
John
I've done the 4 hour rides and the all day explores, but I've always been a hour or two rider. Just like everything else I do. I never surfed and then hung out at the beach all day. Never played golf and then sat around talking about it for hours.
I'm really not a cyclist, even though I've ridden road, for decades, and mountain bikes. I was almost 62 when I first started to ride trails. I crashed so much. That was such an eye opener and gave me so much respect for the skill of the good riders. I do okay, and certainly well enough to enjoy it.
John
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Cyclist = "a person who rides a bicycle"
Cycling = "an act of riding a bicycle"
That's all there is to it.
Cycling = "an act of riding a bicycle"
That's all there is to it.
#81
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https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionari...nglish/cyclist
A position is easy to assert if one perverts a common term.
Posted from my abacus.
A position is easy to assert if one perverts a common term.
Posted from my abacus.
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#82
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#83
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I think that a cyclist is someone who earns his or her living riding and competing on bicycles.
Everyone else is a person who rides a bicycle. Those who build exotics and vintage bikes may even be called enthusiasts.
Most who ride and post on this board are simply run-of-the-mill blokes who happen to enjoy bikes more than other things.
Many on these boards have an overinflated view of their interest and accomplishments as bicycle riders. They imagine that they're Jason Bourne, when in reality they're Elmer Fudd...
Everyone else is a person who rides a bicycle. Those who build exotics and vintage bikes may even be called enthusiasts.
Most who ride and post on this board are simply run-of-the-mill blokes who happen to enjoy bikes more than other things.
Many on these boards have an overinflated view of their interest and accomplishments as bicycle riders. They imagine that they're Jason Bourne, when in reality they're Elmer Fudd...
#85
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That would be a professional of some sort, and I don't think the people that deliver pizzas on bicycles for a living would be considered professional cyclists even if they are competing for employee of the month. But what do I know?
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Sort of a twisted example, but I'll bite. Any bicycle delivery person who is riding harder than every other delivery person, and doing so for the purpose of being recognized and rewarded as the best...is...[drum roll] a cyclist under my definition. Hey, can I get an order of the short ribs with that? Hold the sauce.
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Textbook definitions are for textbooks... and web forum debates.
My impression is that the debate is a proxy for a debate over a hierarchy -- real or imagined -- of people who ride bikes. This isn't limited to cycling. Musician forums have similar debates.
But the very act of cycling already creates natural hierarchies that make any artificial one seem silly. For instance, within my small circle of friends, while out on my bike, and even among some BF members, I know exactly who's faster than me -- often much faster. I don't need a special title to know who they are. The very act of riding a bike settles the matter. Similarly, I know who's more dedicated to utilitarian cycling than I am, e.g., who's out in worse weather, or makes a better effort to avoid driving a car. I know who's a more dedicate advocate of cycling, e.g., engaging in community activities, volunteering at the bike co-op, and so forth.
I also know who's slower than I am, few as they are, or less dedicated.
Creating a precise distinction of "cyclist" only runs the risk of exposing obvious exceptions, and is thus self defeating. This is true for a lot of terms that are better off left as understood but undefined.
My impression is that the debate is a proxy for a debate over a hierarchy -- real or imagined -- of people who ride bikes. This isn't limited to cycling. Musician forums have similar debates.
But the very act of cycling already creates natural hierarchies that make any artificial one seem silly. For instance, within my small circle of friends, while out on my bike, and even among some BF members, I know exactly who's faster than me -- often much faster. I don't need a special title to know who they are. The very act of riding a bike settles the matter. Similarly, I know who's more dedicated to utilitarian cycling than I am, e.g., who's out in worse weather, or makes a better effort to avoid driving a car. I know who's a more dedicate advocate of cycling, e.g., engaging in community activities, volunteering at the bike co-op, and so forth.
I also know who's slower than I am, few as they are, or less dedicated.
Creating a precise distinction of "cyclist" only runs the risk of exposing obvious exceptions, and is thus self defeating. This is true for a lot of terms that are better off left as understood but undefined.
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If you ride a bent or a trike you do not have to buy high priced lycra to protect you from your bike.
Please dont reply and tell me bent riders and trike riders are not real cyclist. Due to the long days of riding, more and more cyclist are choosing to ride them on cross country rides.
Please dont reply and tell me bent riders and trike riders are not real cyclist. Due to the long days of riding, more and more cyclist are choosing to ride them on cross country rides.
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I really don't know what you find so constructive about this thread. It's literally the kind of pissing contest you mention. Dividing cyclists into categories based on the kit they use and how much they ride. A cyclist is a cyclist and people react badly to these kinds of threads because they're pointless.
Why not leave it that everyone that rides a bike or trike or quad is a cyclist, and one form of riding is not superior to another.
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If you ride a bent or a trike you do not have to buy high priced lycra to protect you from your bike.
Please dont reply and tell me bent riders and trike riders are not real cyclist. Due to the long days of riding, more and more cyclist are choosing to ride them on cross country rides.
Please dont reply and tell me bent riders and trike riders are not real cyclist. Due to the long days of riding, more and more cyclist are choosing to ride them on cross country rides.
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I wear cargo shorts. I don't believe I've ever worn lycra anything in my entire life.
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