Cycling does not require skills?
#27
Senior Member
I agree that relative to some other sports cycling relies less on skills and more on endurance. There are a number of pro riders who didn't start cycling until their late teens or early 20s. I don't think that is possible in ice hockey or tennis. Consider how much time a pro rider spends per week on skills vs endurance or power.
#28
SLJ 6/8/65-5/2/07
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).
__________________
“Life is not one damned thing after another. Life is one damned thing over and over.”
Edna St. Vincent Millay
“Life is not one damned thing after another. Life is one damned thing over and over.”
Edna St. Vincent Millay
#29
Speaking as someone who used to both power and olympic lift I'll concede the point about genetics (less so with Olympic style as there is more technique involved but it is true that if you don't have the fast-twitch it'll never, ever happen). However, to excel even in a straightforward sport such as power-lifting requires huge dedication and at least some skill. There is more technique in benching, dead-lifting and (especially) squatting than many realize and this technique must be continually practiced.
#30
Descends like a rock
I could see that argument maybe referring to time trials where its just you and the track. There's position and staying aero and all that, but not that much skill. Not compared to other sports.
#31
Resident Alien
The problem with this thread is you've got a bunch of hackers commenting on things they don't know much about. Saying time trials don't require much skill is one example.
For the OP show your friend the video below, then tell him to go get 3 of his snooker buddies together with their bikes and try this at 40 MPH.
Debating what sport requires more skill is like arguing that your favorite color is better. I've competed at a national level in three different sports and they all required a bucket load of skill to get to that point.
Likes For Racer Ex:
#33
VICTORY IS MINE!
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Ogden, UT
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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.
#34
#35
I never even knew that kind of race existed, whoa.
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: the Low countries
Posts: 283
Bikes: 1980 Koga Miyata Gents Touring; 1980 Koga Miyata Gents Racer; 1980 Koga Miyata Roadspeed; and aiming for the rest of that year's brochure
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Professional cycling is not just a sport. Would it be a sport, far fewer riders would win races. Instead 'cheating' in any way or form has been part of this activity since the late 19th century. Many a rider got wealthier from losing races than from winning them.
The Anglosaxon idea of 'fair play' has nothing to do with cycling. That's what makes it so interesting. Far more interesting than any other sport. So, I doubt there would be any activity labeled as sport that requires skills in more fields.
On the other hand, if you read biographies, like the one about Tom Simpson Get Me Back On My Bike, it never ceases to amaze me how stupid everyone in cycling was. Only having two liters to drink during a race, even on very hot days? Relying on pep instead?
The Anglosaxon idea of 'fair play' has nothing to do with cycling. That's what makes it so interesting. Far more interesting than any other sport. So, I doubt there would be any activity labeled as sport that requires skills in more fields.
On the other hand, if you read biographies, like the one about Tom Simpson Get Me Back On My Bike, it never ceases to amaze me how stupid everyone in cycling was. Only having two liters to drink during a race, even on very hot days? Relying on pep instead?
Last edited by ijsbrand; 05-07-12 at 06:57 AM.
#37
Pointy Helmet Tribe
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Offthebackistan
Posts: 4,338
Bikes: R5, Allez Sprint, Shiv
Liked 627 Times
in
295 Posts
Meh. Of course the cycling guys are going to claim that it requires skills.
To a certain degree, that is true: you need to have certain motor skills in order to ride a bike, to ride in a pack, descend (ask Andy Schleck), etc.
But you don't need any special talent - special hand-eye coordination, balance, reflexes, what-have-you: the stuff that separates the gifted from the hard workers. I cannot do the same training as Roger Federer and become as good as him (I know this from hard experience - I used to be a national level junior/collegiate squash player but was just a little bit behind the guys who would go on to become elite pros). I cannot practice more and have the same passing skills/vision as a Forsberg. Or play golf like Tiger Woods. Or drive a F1 car like Raikkonen.
A more talented tennis player may be able to overcome a fitter one based on tennis (John McEnroe made a career out of that) purely on talent and innate ability. That doesn't happen in cycling. While tactics, strategy, descending skills, etc matter, these are qualifiers to the engine: i.e., the best time to use the engine. It is still about the engine.
So from that point of view, yes, cycling is not a skilled sport, as in, one that requires innate talent other than the genetic markers that give you a big engine.
To a certain degree, that is true: you need to have certain motor skills in order to ride a bike, to ride in a pack, descend (ask Andy Schleck), etc.
But you don't need any special talent - special hand-eye coordination, balance, reflexes, what-have-you: the stuff that separates the gifted from the hard workers. I cannot do the same training as Roger Federer and become as good as him (I know this from hard experience - I used to be a national level junior/collegiate squash player but was just a little bit behind the guys who would go on to become elite pros). I cannot practice more and have the same passing skills/vision as a Forsberg. Or play golf like Tiger Woods. Or drive a F1 car like Raikkonen.
A more talented tennis player may be able to overcome a fitter one based on tennis (John McEnroe made a career out of that) purely on talent and innate ability. That doesn't happen in cycling. While tactics, strategy, descending skills, etc matter, these are qualifiers to the engine: i.e., the best time to use the engine. It is still about the engine.
So from that point of view, yes, cycling is not a skilled sport, as in, one that requires innate talent other than the genetic markers that give you a big engine.
Last edited by guadzilla; 05-07-12 at 06:22 AM.
#38
Senior Member
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Lake Claire, GA
Posts: 802
Bikes: 2008 Giant TCR Advanced
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
In general, the "skill" involved to be a provicient cyclist is much lower then most other sports. I'm okay with that.
the skill needed to be a great cyclist is limitless and equal to any other sport.
the skill needed to be a great cyclist is limitless and equal to any other sport.
Last edited by Vlaam4ever; 05-07-12 at 08:19 AM.
#40
Gluteus Enormus
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 2,245
Bikes: Yes
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#41
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NoVA
Posts: 1,421
Bikes: Specialized Allez Sport
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I agree that relative to some other sports cycling relies less on skills and more on endurance. There are a number of pro riders who didn't start cycling until their late teens or early 20s. I don't think that is possible in ice hockey or tennis. Consider how much time a pro rider spends per week on skills vs endurance or power.
#42
Senior Member
Cyclist requires skills, which take real practice, but the amount of skill for sure pales compared to almost all ball sports, and even swimming. Ok, maybe BMX type freestyle stunt biking does take extreme skills, but road cycling, not like that.
Road cyclists who think they have tons of skills compared to the sports I mentioned are fooling themselves - the engine plays a much huger role in cycling and de-emphasizes the skills relative to other sports. You do NOT have to start at youth in cycling to build the necessary technique to win, even at the top levels - there are plenty of stories of x-over athletes from other sports who then dominate in cycling even starting as an adult.
You NEVER hear of this happening in swimming, for example. You might be a world-class endurance athlete, but unless you swam a lot in youth, forget it. No amount of endurance with compensate for your lack of technique as an adult-onset swimmer trying to go world-class.
Road cyclists who think they have tons of skills compared to the sports I mentioned are fooling themselves - the engine plays a much huger role in cycling and de-emphasizes the skills relative to other sports. You do NOT have to start at youth in cycling to build the necessary technique to win, even at the top levels - there are plenty of stories of x-over athletes from other sports who then dominate in cycling even starting as an adult.
You NEVER hear of this happening in swimming, for example. You might be a world-class endurance athlete, but unless you swam a lot in youth, forget it. No amount of endurance with compensate for your lack of technique as an adult-onset swimmer trying to go world-class.
#43
Two-Wheeled Aficionado
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Wichita
Posts: 4,903
Bikes: Santa Cruz Blur TR, Cannondale Quick CX dropbar conversion & others
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
The kind of cycling that recreational riders enjoy requires a lot of cardio and endurance, some forethought and anticipation (in order to ride safely), and little skill.
Road racing requires inhuman cardio and endurance, strong tactics and anticipation, and considerable skill.
Road racing requires inhuman cardio and endurance, strong tactics and anticipation, and considerable skill.
#44
Senior Member
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?
Likes For Seattle Forrest:
#45
A more talented tennis player may be able to overcome a fitter one based on tennis (John McEnroe made a career out of that) purely on talent and innate ability. That doesn't happen in cycling. While tactics, strategy, descending skills, etc matter, these are qualifiers to the engine: i.e., the best time to use the engine. It is still about the engine.
So from that point of view, yes, cycling is not a skilled sport, as in, one that requires innate talent other than the genetic markers that give you a big engine.
So from that point of view, yes, cycling is not a skilled sport, as in, one that requires innate talent other than the genetic markers that give you a big engine.
#46
Two-Wheeled Aficionado
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Wichita
Posts: 4,903
Bikes: Santa Cruz Blur TR, Cannondale Quick CX dropbar conversion & others
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
skill in cycling:
- descending
- riding in congestion
- avoiding accidents
Likes For ColinL:
#47
Senior Member
The kind of cycling that recreational riders enjoy requires a lot of cardio and endurance, some forethought and anticipation (in order to ride safely), and little skill.
Road racing requires inhuman cardio and endurance, strong tactics and anticipation, and considerable skill.
Road racing requires inhuman cardio and endurance, strong tactics and anticipation, and considerable skill.
I climbed Mount Baker on mine Saturday. It's one of the switchbackiest roads I've ever been on in my life, in any kind of vehicle. I gained 3,600 feet of elevation in 16 miles, then descended them, without cooking my brakes. I'd say that descending gracefully and not crashing is a skill, and it's one that takes a lot of hard practice to master.
#48
Senior Member
The OP was referred to watching a high level competition and having someone comment on the lack of skill required in cycling. It isn't a stretch to assume that he was referring to competitive cycling. No one watches television coverage of your local charity ride.
Anyone can play snooker, just like anyone can ride a bike. Doing either competitively requires skill. Attempting to do one at a high level without the skill can lead to painful results for you, and those around you. We'll leave the decision as to which one as an exercise for the reader.
Anyone can play snooker, just like anyone can ride a bike. Doing either competitively requires skill. Attempting to do one at a high level without the skill can lead to painful results for you, and those around you. We'll leave the decision as to which one as an exercise for the reader.
#49
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Windham, ME
Posts: 177
Bikes: BMC SL02
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Every sport requires some skill, from running to football
yes some require more skills then other, biking is most likely on the low end of required skills.
I think golf might require the most skill.
yes some require more skills then other, biking is most likely on the low end of required skills.
I think golf might require the most skill.
#50
Senior Member
(Also, it's not like you're either racing or doing a local charity ride, and that's all there is to road riding. Maybe I'm just grumpy this morning, but it feels like the 41 is too myopic.)