- Location
- Inside my skull
Real chamois was rubbish
You were lucky, we used to put a wire brush down there to keep you on the rivet.
Real chamois was rubbish
You were lucky, we used to put a wire brush down there to keep you on the rivet.
As a 'non proper' rider I note that there is concerted pressure, especially in the cycling press, for all cyclists to 'take it to the next level', 'goi harder and faster', 'MTFU', (the daftest advice of all) etc.
It seems to me that the reason for actually wanting to ride about on two wheels is often lost in all this coercion. (Propaganda?) Obviously not all do as they are told, but I'm surprised at just how many do see it that way. (Mountain biking even worse. 'Go big or go home', even if in some cases it results in life changing injury in the quest for notoriety!)
I was thinking this just recently while sitting in the car at the top of a local hill climb (Carlton Bank N.Yorks.) with a giant flask of tea and a box of egg sandwiches. (Always looked forward to, after any type of riding.) I watched a road cyclist slog his way to the top with a grin on his face, only to immediately turn about and belt back down. I bet to myself that he was on one of these utterly daft and boring Everest outings. Sure enough, by the time I'd exhausted the giant flask, and polished of the news and daily crossword, up he puffed again though this time with no grin on his face (it was hurting) only to belt back down again.
Now this, it seems to me, is the opposite to the sheer joy of riding a bike, and it is more of a self imposed repetitive and boring form of punishment. What on earth are they proving that couldn't be done in a more productive form? Whatever, suffering is a must for them!
I have just been reading some old Cycletouring. The magazine of the CTC when we were proper cyclists and non of this modern rubbish.
Photographs of real cyclists and not a helmet far less any hat to be seen. The obligatory primus hanging from the crossbar and cycle capes when it was raining.No lycra either. Real people and not the posed dummies we get now with artificial grins plastered on their faces.
Even adverts for plus twos and my Greenspot jacket.
They look as if they are really enjoying their cycling rather than trying to beat their best strava whatever that is.
Now it is just a business and not a pastime to be enjoyed.
Amen.Just enjoy your cycling whatever and however you do it.
I have just been reading some old Cycletouring. The magazine of the CTC when we were proper cyclists and non of this modern rubbish.
Photographs of real cyclists and not a helmet far less any hat to be seen. The obligatory primus hanging from the crossbar and cycle capes when it was raining.No lycra either. Real people and not the posed dummies we get now with artificial grins plastered on their faces.
Even adverts for plus twos and my Greenspot jacket.
They look as if they are really enjoying their cycling rather than trying to beat their best strava whatever that is.
Now it is just a business and not a pastime to be enjoyed.
I gave up buying cycling magazines on subscription.Got to technical for my feeble mind .I have just been reading some old Cycletouring. The magazine of the CTC when we were proper cyclists and non of this modern rubbish.
Photographs of real cyclists and not a helmet far less any hat to be seen. The obligatory primus hanging from the crossbar and cycle capes when it was raining.No lycra either. Real people and not the posed dummies we get now with artificial grins plastered on their faces.
Even adverts for plus twos and my Greenspot jacket.
They look as if they are really enjoying their cycling rather than trying to beat their best strava whatever that is.
Now it is just a business and not a pastime to be enjoyed.
That's rubbish because I enjoy my pastime. Even when I'm wearing Lycra !
I remember when I started cycling in the early 80s. Bike clothes were rubbish then. Kit is so much nicer now. Lighter, warmer, less flappy and so much choice.
I think the real difference is that the roads have become so much more dangerous. More cars. Bigger cars. Faster cars. More distractions at the wheel.
Just enjoy your cycling whatever and however you do it.
The issue is that people are aware that those sorts of metrics are important to the pro riders and now technology makes it easy for any ordinary Joe rider or Strava warrior to have access to them and to pretend it is important for their level of cycling.VO2 MAx who the hell is he some kind of super hero 🦸♂️ Watts output Thought that was about light bulbs
Of course, I didn't mention non-real virtual reality; indoor stationary 'riding' with make believe computer screen enhancement.
I assumed nobody would be silly enough to fall for that one, when they could be outdoors battling the elements!