phughes

Pretentiousness.

terrymorse 

Hearkening back to the SAT test taking days:

"Cyclist" is to "person who rides a bike"
as
"athlete" is to "person who exercises".

Polaris OBark

Good point.

I misunderstood your intent.

I'm not without my opinions, but I have been told previously to keep them out of General Cycling. Suffice it to say that in a healthy, functional society, this problem wouldn't arise, and I agree that inequality is increasing.

About 30 years ago my then touring partner was doing a medical residency and we showed up to a BBQ hours before we were to depart with fully loaded bikes. The physician he reported to was hosting the BBQ and when we arrived, he said with a sneer that we looked like a couple of homeless people.

That has since stuck with me. I'm still not entirely clear how to unpack that, 30 years on...

shelbyfv

It's been established here recently that the financial commitment needed to obtain a bike suitable for a cycling enthusiast is very low. Well within the means of any adult with an income. People w/o income probably have no more interest in becoming cyclists than in becoming golfers.

wolfchild

Sorry but no exercise alone is not enough to make one an athlete....An athlete is a person who regularly participates in competitive events and follows a strict workout protocol which is designed to make them better at whatever they are competing....Just going out to a gym and exercising or going out for a jog or a bike ride doesn't make one an athlete.

shelbyfv

indyfabz

No. Trolling. I recognize it from his work in other forums.

tcs

terrymorse 

Agreed. Nor does hopping on a bike and riding around make one a cyclist.

Nor does fixing a leaking toilet once make one a plumber.

Et cetera.

daihard 

I'm like you.

This YouTube video takes a deep dive into the difference between "cyclists (wielrenners)" and "people who ride bikes (fietsers)", and how it does not make sense to make that distinction.

wolfchild

Of all the different hobbies and activities out there, cycling seems to have most divisions between people who enjoy doing the same thing.

terrymorse 

Perhaps that's because bicycle riding, while deceptively simple at a basic level, can be done in so many different ways that it no longer resembles the "same thing".

phughes

Yeah well, I got that. I was only counter trolling.

daihard 

Yeah, kinda like driving a family sedan on the weekend vs driving a racing car.

3alarmer 

...???

RCMoeur 

A couple of decades ago, our bike club had a psychologist who rode with us and attended meetings. He said he found bicycling organizations fascinating, in that cycling seems to attract strong individualists, who then (attempt to) work cooperatively in group rides and in club management, and the tension between the two can cause some lively interactions. It might also help to explain a history of clubs begetting other clubs as riders broke away to do their own thing.

Eric F 

Meh. I’ve done that.

greatbasin

I didn't mention a financial commitment. What I mentioned was health, neighborhood, occupation, family, and education. Those 20-something bicycles that were found in the encampment under the freeway in the photo in the original post -- I'm pretty sure that nobody there had a financial commitment to them. The one in the photo was a Specialized, full-suspension Stumpjumper with Fox shock and fork. In 2013 when the photo was taken, it was most certainly suitable for a cycling enthusiast and it was quite apparently within the means of adults with no income to obtain because obtain it they did, and 20-something others. Nevertheless, we can fairly surmise that the inhabitants of the former freeway camp, despite obviously having an abundance of bikes suitable for cycling enthusiasts, did not have all the benefits of good health, a good neighborhood, good family, a good occupation, and good education. So are you saying that those circumstances preclude them from becoming cyclists (or golfers) despite their having ample equipment?

Eric F 

Tribalism. As someone who rides multiple different types of bikes on a frequent basis, the negativity between groups bothers me.

greatbasin

You mean like that one where it was asked if cycling is just for leftists?
Or the one where it was inquired whether concealed carry was just for proles?

rsbob 

An example: a lay person seeing a pro rider in the Giro or Vuelta would call them a bike rider. A pro rider may not see themselves as anything but a professional cyclist, or former pro, and the the majority of cyclists here, as recreational or fitness riders. It’s all a matter of perspective. And does any of it really matter? Only if your ego is involved.

retswerb

Established? I saw that claim being made and thought about challenging it yesterday but decided to let it go. It's been claimed here recently, with no evidence at all. And your assumptions about what people without income have interest in are equally unfounded.

Germany_chris

So now we get a bit of socio-political concern trolling with our dumpster diving in general..

Ahhh Sundays

shelbyfv

Did I say that? I certainly didn't intend to.

shelbyfv

How would you challenge this?