Happy Feet

I suspect people have somewhat varying definitions of group recreational rides, considering the references to crit and cat 1 and 2.

A lot of people do get together for social group rides that don't include pacelining. And, if you consider randoneuring, can just as demanding.

mcours2006

Someone who's been riding a bike all his life, whether it's a hybrid on the MUP or commuting to work, can likely pick up the necessary skills to ride with a local club B group easily. And with a few years or more serious training could probably hang with the A group. So in that sense, I agree with OP.

Riding competitively, however, is another matter. This takes some skills that some will never have--aggressive mindset, tenacity, smarts, quick thinking, and some big balls, and those are just the mental skills. It is very difficult to develop this skill set later in life, just like golf, tennis, basketball, hockey, etc.

Happy Feet

No. You are equating avid cyclists with road cyclists who ride in pacelines. I am an avid cyclist (and pretty good at it I think) and I never ride that way.

If you wanted to join me for a group ride all you would need is basic skills and endurance. If you tried to suck my wheel I'd say "cut that out".

Not everone who is avid wants to be a racer. Different strokes for different folks.

asgelle

I'd go even further. Riding side-by-side with someone for miles at even a low to moderate (or higher) pace so that you match speed without one or the other rider surging ahead or falling behind* while keeping a fixed distance between them takes considerable skill and many hours of experience. Picking up the subtle cues of changing pace and line isn't something one develops without lots of time in the saddle.

I'm pretty sure I could pick up a racket and hit a ball against a wall today with no experience. Anything is easy if you set the bar low enough.

*I'm talking about not more than 6 inches or so.

bruce19

There's riding a bicycle and then there's cycling.

Happy Feet

I thought it was already covered without dispute that mountain biking requires some technical skill. Not the genre under debate as far as I can tell.

Spoonrobot 

That’s not what I said but to clarify, training crits. Open field with a smattering of 1-2s and the bulk being 3s/4s with a few 5s. Not hard to stay in the pack, lots of 5s are strong enough to roll a reasonably flat 4-corner with the pack. Hell lots of non-licensed riders are too. Sitting in the pack isn’t the hardest skill to learn.

Anyway this is the extreme end of what the OP is talking about. Being able to and enjoying riding with high level, experienced riders outside of sanctioned races is possible for many neophyte cyclists. It is much less possible in other sports. Which I agree with.

A better example, I can easily ride with a randonneur who has been awarded Super Randonneur several times and is a well experienced and skillful rider. I could not keep up with a hiker who is as experienced in their own sport. I could not participate appropriately with a golfer as experienced.

gear64

My first inclination was to agree, but how many adults are truly starting from scratch late in life having never successfully balanced a bike as a kid? I have no frame of reference but suspect learning to ride a bike at 60 having never seen a bike in your entire life would be challenging. I wouldn't say any of my kids would consider themselves cyclists, but they struggled to ride as toddlers, got it and ride adequately now. Likely they could quit for decades and ride adequately again with minimal effort.

Contrast that with tennis. I picked it up in my 20s while travelling for work. I was working with a crew and after awhile we got tired of going to bars as main entertainment and one guy that had played off and on suggested we all get rackets. It was pretty ugly to start, but after a while not really all that long we were having competitive tournaments. We were playing everyday for at least an hour. In years after I've held my own against people who have played longer and were similar in general fitness. More years later my kids who would just want to beat the ball around every once in a while never really got it. Even though I hadn't played in 10 years I could still serve weakly and volley pretty well, but it was a challenge for them to return volleys even if I was trying to make it easy. They just never had the interest/time invested to get over the hump.

I think cycling appears to get picked up with ease later in life because the skill got set as a kid even if you weren't a 'cyclist'. For my generation it was THE means of transportation since parents didn't haul you around everywhere. In the same way I'd never have beaten a college athlete in tennis, I'd never beat a cyclist who trains at distance or speed either. I just ride because it's been a life long joy. Assuming you have the general skill to ride a bike, then performing well in terms of speed/distance is just a matter of how hard you train and how good are your genetics.

Flip Flop Rider

you mean, it's just like riding a bike!

rydabent

Granted some people have unique riding skills, but in the over all world of cycling they are a very tiny part Life is easier if you dont take yourself too seriously.

Wilmingtech

I don't know what you guys are talking about.

I used to be a top level skier and in no time at all I am a top level cyclist.

Just saying.

downhillmaster

OP never hinted at or stated that cycling at a high level isn’t hard.
He simply implied that cycling at a high recreational level is much easier to do than almost all other sports and he was correct.
Sorry about the bruised egos. I hope all the Pro-1-2 crit riders in here don’t take offense

mcours2006

Naturally folks get their chamois in a knot when someone has the audacity to suggest that a newbie with a few years of riding could do what they been doing for decades.

Paul Barnard

I am probably the odd person out on this, but I don't consider bicycle riding a sport. I do consider racing a sport.

Nachoman

Correct.

one4smoke

Such as...?

wolfchild

What's the difference between riding a bicycle and cycling ??

one4smoke

What's the line from one to another?

asgelle

Being able to eat and drink in close quarters, knowing how to take over the front without speeding up (slowing down might cause a crash, but the guy at the front will still be there), knowing when to pull off and still be able to rejoin at the back, knowing how to be in the draft in a cross wind, ...

not to to mention what’s necessary to not be a hazard to others.

Happy Feet

Now that we cleared that up... I'll add my opinion to those that think mountain biking, especially as terrain becomes more technical, requires some skills.

AlmostTrick

Nope, not odd at all. Most people would not consider cycling a sport, unless it was racing.

What's odd are riders who think they are cycling, while lesser newbies and regular schmucks are merely riding a bike.

tomato coupe

I've played competitive tennis (NTRP 5.0) my whole life and cycled (CAT 3) my whole life. I think the time needed to reach an equivalent level of competency in the two sports is about the same.

To answer the original question: An underrated aspect of cycling as a sport is ... just how tough those skinny little pro cyclists are.

Dr.Lou

Since many folks consider golf a sport, I've kinda lost track as to what a sport is and what it is not. To make myself still feel like an athlete, I classify cycling as a sport, even if I ride alone to the coffee shop - as long as I sweat it has to be a sport.

General Geoff

Anything can be a sport if you're competitive about it.

OBoile

Yep. Decent group riding isn't rocket science. Anyone who rides regularly with their local cycling club is almost certainly a competent group rider after the first year. You aren't going to be a decent tennis player, golfer, basketball player, baseball player etc. with only one year's experience.
How do you get "Pro-1-2 crit" from "fast group ride"? Or from the OP's comment No one said anything about racing. It was pretty clear what he meant IMO.