Cycling Tattoo?
 

I'm getting ready to get inked with my first cycling specific tatt, and was wondering what prompted others to get one. Feel free to submit a pic of it.

Edit: BTW, within the last 2 years I've beaten Stage 4 Lung Cancer which metastasized to my Lymph, Spine, and recently Brain, all of which are under control (so far). And my oncologist said if it weren't for my advanced cardio-pulmonary system (like many of us here at BF), the tumors the width of my fist that collapsed my left lung upper lobe, as well as large blood restricting clots in both lungs would have likely killed someone not as fit as us. So I'm going to get a tatt that symbolizes cycling and lungs, possibly lungs outlined by a bike chain, something like this, but without the bikes inside.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9aec22af1b.png

I don't have a cycling tattoo, or any tattoo, I voted for career miles ridden because the next day it becomes worthless and you have to explain it every time someone asks what that means and you've ridden more miles than that and you need to get it changed but haven't be able to settle on a number.

Any of the first 3 fit somewhat into that category.

The more prudent thing is to use fantasy mileage ridden, like 457,812 because it will always look impressive and it will keep reminding you that you only need 400,000 more miles to get there.

John

Note: Posted prior to OP’s edit.

I wasn't saying the tatt would be the actual mileage milestone ridden, or a tatt stating how many bikes you currently own, or have owned in your life, that would be odd since the number is always changing. But that you decided to get the cycling tatt (maybe of a wheel, sprocket, chain, etc.) because you finally hit the 100,000 mile mark; finally finished a 1,200km brevet; or because you realized you've owned 100+ bikes in your life and thought it was a milestone worthy of a tatt.

Ahhh, I see.

Maybe tattoo a pivot table so you could consolidate all the data.

John

Note: Posted prior to OP’s edit.

While I’m just funning you, the problem with milestone tattoos is that you have to choose them carefully. They can be impressive to a non-cycling world, but maybe less so to those that are hard core.

John

Note: Posted prior to OP’s edit.

Again, I'm not saying the tatt is itself representative of the milestone itself, but that the 100,000 mile milestone is what personally triggered you to get a tatt of, let's just say, an indiscriminate bike wheel, or a bike chain in the shape of a heart.

You missed one; for the love of riding bikes.

No tats, but I have idly thought about a 28 tooth chainring inside a heart. I <3 my granny gear. 😁

Agreed, getting a tatt of your best friend (the granny gear) is a sweet sentiment (mine's a 34!). And I kind of thought of "love of bikes" as a poll option, but I figured we all love bikes here, but we all don't have bike tatts (yet), and I was hoping to hear from those that did get the tatt, and what was the defining moment/event that caused them to pull the trigger and get it, after so many years of tattless bike love.

None of the above. I got it because I wanted to get it.


Sasquatch/Gorilla/BigThing on a bike. I am 6'5 210#...its close to how I figure I look when riding.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8ec1bc1fe.jpeg





If I did an Ironman, I would for sure get the classic IM tat. I would be like a vegan and let everyone know what I did.
...but that would require me to swim more than 100m and run more than 100m.

This ^^

Not sure why you're asking the question because no one is going to have a better reason for the tat than that.

I'm waiting to see the responses since I know there's a difference in acceptance depending on generation. Most people I know would consider tattoos the same as graffiti: a good way to deface the perfect surface.

You don’t put bumper stickers on a Porsche.

I got a tattoo in 1987 when I went into the military. Back then they were cool, not many people had one. And you never saw girls with them. They became mainstream in the 90's and today everyone has them. Now I don't want mine. When anything turns mainstream it stops being cool to me. Thankfully you can't see mine when I'm wearing a shirt.

But even back then most people didn't cover their bodies with them. It's out of control today. The worst is when I see a pretty girl or even a model or someone with a huge tiger covering their entire leg or something. I mean come on man.

The only "tattoos" I have are scars from injuries/surgeries. A few of them from are riding and going down, and a couple from working on bikes. I am not knocking getting inked, I'm just not interested.

I have no plans to voluntarily get a tattoo or scarification, but I understand the appeal of commemorating something important through those markings.

I have one tattoo, involuntarily applied by my brother. We were kids, taking shelter from a hurricane in a radio/TV station where our mom worked. My brother was sitting on the floor drawing and coloring on paper. I kept pestering him, as was my prerogative as the elder sibling. He got fed up and stabbed at my hand with the pencil. More than 50 years later I have a pencil mark on the back of my wrist.

He was killed in a collision more than 20 years ago. Some folks get tattoos to memorialize their loved ones. I already had one. It's enough.

I had thyroid cancer a few years ago, fortunately encapsulated by calcification, no metastasis or chemo. Surgery got it. Left a tiny whitish scar in the middle of my throat. My then-primary care doctor had an identical scar from her thyroid cancer surgery. I like my scar. It shows up better in summer when I'm tanned from riding and running outdoors, especially in midday summer heat... because no matter how hot and uncomfortable it gets, it reminds me that I'm lucky to be able to do something as stupid as exercise outdoors when the temperature is over 100F. And it reminds me that I'm still on borrowed time, still getting screened for cancer twice a year, because the Big C is always lurking. So I'll enjoy my time while I have it and be grateful for the physical abilities I still have.

My cousin's little boy was born with a serious heart defect and needed multiple open heart surgeries, starting during his first week of life, and a few more during his first few years. He has a prominent scar down his sternum. He calls it his zipper, because it's been reopened so many times, and actually resembles a zipper. He's only in his early teens now, too young to get a tattoo. But I won't be surprised if he decides to embellish his "zipper" with ink later. If that what he wants, he's earned it. Personally I think the scar is magnificent enough as-is. But it's his body, his life, his memories and experiences.

I like that graphic design concept, using the forks and chain to form the lungs and trachea. My background was in health care, including assisting in surgery and in the tissue bank, harvesting organs and tissue from donor cadavers. The human body is a fascinating and beautiful thing in its own way, including beneath the skin. I'd only suggest that you consider a few variations, perhaps from different artists, before committing to ink. On the one extreme, there's the H.R. Giger type approach, melding flesh and technology. Or the elaborately formal irezumi style. On the other extreme there's the contemporary Asian influenced minimalism, or stark black and grey graphics. Lots of possibilities. Be sure that the design you choose will translate to ink and the tattoo artist is capable of doing it justice. Fortunately now with computer rendering we can get a pretty fair preview of how tats will look.

Best wishes. Looking forward to seeing the results, if you feel like sharing.

Not a tat kind of person. No need to put a blemish on one's body, though it might seem like art. If you must, how about a cyclist rolling over the Grim Reaper like a speed bump? The Reaper is on the ground with an arm up as a shield. The cyclist is rolling over the top of him.

You rarely see bumper stickers on high end sports cars.
But not because they are perfect in any way.
It’s because the people that own them generally treat them with an unhealthy reverence. If you believe your vehicle is a perfect machine or a status symbol you are a tool and would never dare put a sticker on it :cry:

I forgot to mention that this drawing makes me think of the Tour De France. 2 bicycles surrounded by chains with the Eiffel Tower between them.

Tattoos are so establishment. Everyone has at least one. Nothing says anti-establishment and counter-culture than clear skin with no tattoos, no piercings and natural hair color.

Want to be a renegade, a radical or counter-culture? 86 the tattoo idea and save that money for something that you can actually use.



--

No tats. But I suppose if one of my kids passed I would tat up. But not with a cycling tattoo.

So there must be no counterculture because everyone has at least one tattoo. Got it.

Not a tattoo person myself, but without the bikes inside I think that design could look nice if done well (E.g., good line work so the chain is clearly readable.)

My tattoo is "Marcobarbie" in honor of Marco Pantani. Only trouble is, unless the viewer is a rabid Pantani fan, the viewer usually thinks it's in honor of a former husband. If you saw my husband ride up a hill in front of you, you might see the allusion.
My advice is, wait A YEAR before getting the tattoo so you can refine the design.