A real cyclist?

[Threevok]

What about real bikes but never on the road?

Bike Curious

 

[Dogtrousers]

Me and the boys saw you and had a good laugh. "Did you see that bloke, not obsessing about his drive train status? Hahaha what an improper cyclist!" we chortled.

 

[Sittingduck]

I think I passed you coming the other way as I was doing my daily Rosedale hill reps t'other day...

 

[Alex321]

Life is not a competition.

NOW you tell me. I could have relaxed for the last 63 years if I'd known

 

[Rain drops]

As Pawl said, I, too, was a keen teen cyclist in the early 1950's. (Raleigh roadster with transfers, and the luxury of a Sturmy (spelling?) Archer 3 speed. I wore similar to him since we only had pocket money, and didn't care anyway. (Knocked on peoples doors if far from home, asking please for a drink of water. (Sometimes got lemonade.)

I've cycled on and off ever since, though far more so over the last 15 years, as time grows shorter. People often wrongly assume what the effects of old age will be. Given decent genetics, a dollop of good luck, and CONTINUAL good exercising, maximum heart rate deterioration is the only real negative in hill climbing. That means easing down the rate of energy expenditure (i.e. lower gear and lower cadence) to keep out of getting out of breath, and going into the red. Stamina is not (I find) affected, and that makes all the difference. I don't get up so quickly, but I don't ever have to stop! On a long hilly ride with say 3.000 feet of climbing, I may only average about 10 or 11 m.p.h. but I get there just the same.

The only fear I have is of an enforced lay off owing to an accident. (I ride mountain bikes also, but avoid radical dangers.) At present age it would probably not be possible to return to fitness after a period of complete inaction. The great outdoors on two wheels, in one way or another (E road bike at 90?) is not negotiable to mere chronological age!

 

[roubaixtuesday]

It is most amusing. I conclude I simply can't be seen as a 'real' road cyclist. This, despite the fact that I ride every day in the hills of the Yorkshire Dales, and Yorkshire Moors (bike on car to get there) since I'm long since retired and have not a day to waste.

I conclude this for two reasons. 1) I don't obsess over gearing and drive train status. If it works, I just get on with it. All I demand is that I have a one to one bottom gear for the steep climbs ( 34/34 or 34/36 on the Rosedale Chimney bike) and a high top gear for downs and tail winds. Couldn't care less how many cogs between the two. (Nine speed one bike, eleven speed the newer one.) 2) I don't bother with 'proper' road bike clothing. A semi-breathable jacket, woolly type jersey, ordinary well ventilated shorts with cheap pad beneath if a long day in saddle, and trainers over pinned flat pedals and Tesco bundle socks.

It is interesting what reaction I sometimes get when I grin at passing others, but I'm too far into my mind set to burst out laughing at the funny side of life. (Each poor player frets and struts his hour upon the stage etc.)

All power to you, and enjoy the ride.

One of the wonderful things about cycling is the diversity of it.

I hope you can forgive me for observing it's perhaps just a teensy bit ironic that you care about such matters so little that you choose to post about them here...

 

[oldwheels]

As Pawl said, I, too, was a keen teen cyclist in the early 1950's. (Raleigh roadster with transfers, and the luxury of a Sturmy (spelling?) Archer 3 speed. I wore similar to him since we only had pocket money, and didn't care anyway. (Knocked on peoples doors if far from home, asking please for a drink of water. (Sometimes got lemonade.)

I've cycled on and off ever since, though far more so over the last 15 years, as time grows shorter. People often wrongly assume what the effects of old age will be. Given decent genetics, a dollop of good luck, and CONTINUAL good exercising, maximum heart rate deterioration is the only real negative in hill climbing. That means easing down the rate of energy expenditure (i.e. lower gear and lower cadence) to keep out of getting out of breath, and going into the red. Stamina is not (I find) affected, and that makes all the difference. I don't get up so quickly, but I don't ever have to stop! On a long hilly ride with say 3.000 feet of climbing, I may only average about 10 or 11 m.p.h. but I get there just the same.

The only fear I have is of an enforced lay off owing to an accident. (I ride mountain bikes also, but avoid radical dangers.) At present age it would probably not be possible to return to fitness after a period of complete inaction. The great outdoors on two wheels, in one way or another (E road bike at 90?) is not negotiable to mere chronological age!

I am with you on all of that. One difference with Pawl is that I never got on with clipless pedals tho' I do have them on my trike.

 

[tyred]

I ride a proper bicycle and look down at all the imposters on them there new-fangled safety bicycles. I am a real cyclist.

 

[Sittingduck]

I ride a proper bicycle and look down at all the imposters on them there new-fangled safety bicycles. I am a real cyclist.

View attachment 646089

Is that Stan Laurel giving you the finger?

 

[Sallar55]

We had one, if you wanted to be bored to death all you had to do was ask where he went. Nothing about the scenery or where stopped just a list of A/B road numbers.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Down with this modern rubbish

 

[cougie uk]

It is most amusing. I conclude I simply can't be seen as a 'real' road cyclist. This, despite the fact that I ride every day in the hills of the Yorkshire Dales, and Yorkshire Moors (bike on car to get there) since I'm long since retired and have not a day to waste.

I conclude this for two reasons. 1) I don't obsess over gearing and drive train status. If it works, I just get on with it. All I demand is that I have a one to one bottom gear for the steep climbs ( 34/34 or 34/36 on the Rosedale Chimney bike) and a high top gear for downs and tail winds. Couldn't care less how many cogs between the two. (Nine speed one bike, eleven speed the newer one.) 2) I don't bother with 'proper' road bike clothing. A semi-breathable jacket, woolly type jersey, ordinary well ventilated shorts with cheap pad beneath if a long day in saddle, and trainers over pinned flat pedals and Tesco bundle socks.

It is interesting what reaction I sometimes get when I grin at passing others, but I'm too far into my mind set to burst out laughing at the funny side of life. (Each poor player frets and struts his hour upon the stage etc.)

I think this is more of a bother to you than it is to anyone else.

 

[Rusty Nails]

I've often been told my cycling is unreal.

 

[Brava210]

I am a proper Bicyclist as I wear a sticker that says so

 

[Juan Kog]

Down with this modern rubbish

View attachment 646092

@Ming the Merciless is that you on the Trike