MSMechanic

I was talking to my friends about skills require in different sports when we were watching the snooker world championship. One of my friend (who is not a cyclist) said that cycling, as an endurance sport, does not require much skills. Where as football, tennis...etc emphasis much more on skill levels. I didn't know what to say then. Do you think this is true?

JustinNY

Hes right, cycling does not require much skills. But football, tennis, etc don't require much skills either.

However, to be great at any of these sports, you will need lots of skills

MRT2

Wow, that is just ignorant.

Out of curiosity, does this person do much cycling?

Bacciagalupe

Riding a bike for 10 miles on a Sunday afternoon is not rocket science.

Riding in professional race requires a great deal of skill and tactical knowledge. You need to know when to really put in the effort, you need to understand and/or motivate your team, you need to figure out how much you opponent has left in the tank, you need to know how hard you can push it without blowing up, you need to be able to descend a mountain at 50-60mph....

Football is about more than brute strength. Tennis is about more than having a good backswing. Cycling is about more than raw endurance.

Durockrolly

If you are an experienced road rider and you participate in club/group rides, you will definitely be able to recognize the skilled riders from the non-skilled riders.

LowCel 

To "just ride along" it does not take much skill. To become good, well that is a different story. Same way with all of the ones they mentioned. People can also just knock pool balls around on a pool table. However, when I went to Vegas to shoot it took a little bit of skill.

chasm54

I think that your friend needs to try racing.

Having the engine merely buys you a ticket. If you haven't got the bike handling skills, and the tactical ability, it won't be enough to get you the win. It's true it doesn't require the hand/eye (or foot/eye) coordination of some sports, but let's think of downhill skiing. Does your friend think that doesn't require a high level of skill? Bike racing is a bit like that with the aerobic demands attached.

Compsci523

My God how old are you? Backswing? Seriously? Tennis is much more than just having a good "backswing." When you compare Tennis to Cycling, the skill required for tennis just destroys it.

jsutkeepspining

he said tennis is about more than having a backswing.... aka u need more than that.

AddictedToMusic

I guess I can see your friend's point for different sports emphasis on different things. In motor sport, for example, "driving skills" or "car handling skills" would be the determining factor for winning and losing; whereas In road cycling, "bike handling" might not be as critical as motor sport. However, I can imagine that in a time trail, bike handling skills is as important as the physical strength of the cyclist.

dstrong 

It takes no skills to play snooker. To play it well takes skills. Same with most other endeavors.

LowCel 

When coming up to the line for a sprint finish with five people rubbing elbows handling is pretty important as well. Not to mention 60 mph descents.

HokuLoa

That's what I was thinking as an easy example for a noob. Tell the friend, "true if you mean just pedaling casually along the street but not true if you really ride the road extensively and/or aggressively. Try following me on a hairpin descent at 45-60mph if you think cycling takes no skill... Oh and BTW you might consider a bump in your health insurance and maybe even a life insurance policy..."

AngrySaki

I agree that cycling takes less skill than some sports, and more skill than others (like running). Generally, I would say the more physically demanding the sport, the less skill it requires. Even within cycling, i would rank different events something like this: time trialing < road cycling < mountain biking < bmx

StephenH

It may be true to an extent. I'm not sure what significance that fact would have.

You'll never hear of a champion bike rider called "Minnesota Fats", so I think it's reasonable to say that bike riding requires more fitness than pool and some other activities.

In any race-type activity, if you could only go 5% faster than anyone else out there without wrecking, it wouldn't take much skill otherwise. But since that is seldom the case at a high level, presumably skill enters more and more into it.

EventServices

This is where you lost me.

AddictedToMusic

still more interesting than golf

abstractform20

meh. MMA requires the greatest level of skill.

phee

Nah, I can get hit in the face at work without even trying

To the OP, I think your friend is right in a way. I love watching basketball, but can not play the game to save my soul. The skill level is just way too high and I would need to practice for hours upon hours to get even half as good as I would wish to be. Cycling on the other hand is downright hard. One of the hardest sports I have ever participated in, but as far as skill level goes it just doesn't seem to be in the same league as other sports. That isn't to say that there aren't skills in cycling. I love to watch videos of Cancellara descending, but other than bike handling there aren't a lot of what I would consider skills to be applied.

Triguy

This is about right, what most people who do in the 41 takes little "skill." To do what Taylor Phinney, Cav or or other people who make money riding bikes do, takes a **** ton of skill. From descents, to lead outs, to cornering without losing speed, to time trial(pacing, staying aero, picking lines) and even the little things like receiving first aid while hanging on to a car door, weaving through cars back up to the peloton, eating while riding.

on the path

I wouldn't want to follow his wheel..

Walter

Others have implied but it might as well be said straight out: To excel at any sport requires superb skill. To participate in any sport; not so much

abstractform20

you don't have to put on the red light...

abstractform20

depends on the talent pool...although, absolute events like powerlifting, running, etc. will ultimately come down to genetics. this however, does not take away from the amazing fact that some human beings can pick up 1000lbs w/o external assistance (...ok, maybe lifting suits).

Nachoman

Snooker? Really?