Originally Posted by
livedarklions
People also can ride the hell out of plain jane bikes both in terms of distance and speed.
One of the obvious advantages of bicycling as a hobby is that it has practical applications. Many of the people posting on this forum are pretty passionate about the commuting they've been doing, for example.
I don't know anyone who considers the drive or bus ride to work as something they actually enjoy. I'm just agreeing with your statement about fitness, but adding that I think it probably has some "mental health" benefits as well.
In the same vein, when I cycle commute (mainly for fitness), I think about the runners I pass, and mentally gloat about how much more utilitarian cycling is, even just because my cycling is
pleasantly taking me to a destination (work).
Originally Posted by
irwin7638
I've found that most Americans think of bikes in three ways: children's toys, exotic toys for fitness fanatics and transportation of last resort for the impoverished and disadvantaged.
It's socially acceptable for an adult to dress up like a circus acrobat with friends once a week, run around in circles as quickly as possible with no other purpose or destination, but to ride a bike somewhere for a purpose implies some sort of need and is looked upon as an act of desperation.
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
It took me a couple of readings to figure out that the adults who dress up like circus acrobats and run around in circles are joggers.
I've even thought about the distinction in military terms, as us cyclists the glamorous fly-boys in the Air Force, compared to the Army grunts on the ground.
Likely though, the runners gloat when they see me on the side of the road fixing a flat. 