A simpler time

[Levo-Lon]

I met my best life long mate when I was 5, we had a little fight after a minor bike accident or something.
Been mates ever since.
Life was simpler

As for the question, I seem to be trying to move away from all this modern madness, but you cant

 

[snorri]

Why is something so simple now so complicated, and are things any better, are we any happier with cycling today than we were back then?

Because big business saw a way of making money out of cycling.
Happy? I wasn't happy back then when I had to get off and push my bike up hills. Any less happiness now has been caused by government failing to provide for cycling whilst at the same time over providing for motorised transport and promoting car ownership as an indicator of "sucess".

 

[Mo1959]

I do remember going up one of our local cat 3 climbs on my old steel Rudge with just 3 gears and never remember thinking that I wished I had more gears, lighter wheels, etc.................but then I was about 50 years younger. Lol

 

[mcshroom]

As for the drugs, cyclists (and other sportspeople) have been taking drugs for as long as sports have existed. Taking strychnine for tired muscles, or cocaine to give you your 'second wind' was common even around the turn of the last century. What we've actually done is started to try and root it out of the sports, so now it's noticed more.

At risk of straying into CA&D territory, the idea that doping was less common in sport is up there with the idea that child abuse and paedophiles are a modern societal menace. Both existed at what appears now to be higher levels in the past than currently, but because they weren't being dealt with effectively at the time people didn't know about them as much.

 

[I like Skol]

Cycling is still a simple pastime. Some people choose to make it complicated but it doesn't have to be. I consider myself to be one of those simple cyclists.....

 

[FishFright]

Where the only drugs a professional cyclist might partake of was Woodbines? ?

What day was this ? I was probably busy.

 

[cyberknight]

It all started when gears were introduced, Henri Desgrange thought riders were a bunch of wimps when they couldnt manage on a fixie .

 

[classic33]

I remember hearing the firing line in a movie.

"You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow."

That's an over simplification of ever I heard one. That's not how you whistle: That's how you blow.

I forgot my point.

M.A.S.H. the series. Beautifaction of the compound. Mjr M. Houlihan to the young Korean after he'd brought the trees.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Because big business saw a way of making money out of cycling.

I'd agree with this. Updated models every year where the same bike gets a cosmetic upgrade driving sales rather like the motor trade.

However it has to be appreciated the choice of bikes is huge now and the quality at the upper end is superb.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Without all the complications, you won't know if you're 'smashing stuff' and 'being the ball'.

 

[Drago]

[QUOTE 4991765, member: 9609"]I only join in with one of those - and what the bollox is blue tooth connected gears ?
[/QUOTE]

Yes, I am afraid this a thing.

 

[classic33]

You don't have to become fixated with all of the above. I'm not. "I don't have any gizmos, or gadgets." 7(9
0 I just ride my bike when i want, and sod anyone or anything else.

One word.
"Mechanical Doping"!!

 

[Drago]

Because big business saw a way of making money out of cycling.
Happy? I wasn't happy back then when I had to get off and push my bike up hills. Any less happiness now has been caused by government failing to provide for cycling whilst at the same time over providing for motorised transport and promoting car ownership as an indicator of "sucess".

When I was young and full of vim even a two up Chopper got pedalled up the hills. Age is my foe there, not technology.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

[QUOTE 4991908, member: 259"]1957. You turn 18, you start drinking pints of mild and smoking woodbines, you get married, have all your teeth taken out on the NHS, start wearing a flat cap and buy a whippet.[/QUOTE]

Funny I was talking about just this to someone the other day. It was actually a thing in the fifties and sixties to get all your teeth taken out on the NHS. My mother and grandmother got it done and there were no questions asked about it.

 

[gaijintendo]

Funny I was talking about just this to someone the other day. It was actually a thing in the fifties and sixties to get all your teeth taken out on the NHS. My mother and grandmother got it done and there were no questions asked about it.

It is probably cheaper over time, and as a result may return as an option on the NHS