Cycling myths or common-knowledge you'd like to see dispelled

[Deleted member 1258]

I also have this vice (though I don’t club ride). So much of my time is spend head down, riding as hard as I can to keep the Strava gods placated. I’m not even that fast.
I have been making a point to stop and take photos of things I see whilst out, this is breaking up my pace a bit as I have to vary my speed and look around if I want to see anything.

I've never done strava, I was club cycling in the 1990's, even now I can sometimes forget to look round and just ride at flat chat, like you I'm not quick.

 

[byegad]

A none cyclist preconceived notion.
As a recumbent triker, my trike gets lots of attention from those who don't ride.
The preconceived idea is that it's hard work, and anything over a 5 mile ride is unbelievable or a feat equivalent to NASA's moon landings.

 

[Cycleops]

You definitely must have steel tourer with a triple chainset. Anything manufactured after 1979 doesn't count.

But this is correct isn't it?

 

[the_mikey]

Bananas ripen quicker in a saddlebag

Not in a saddlebag, but you can start the ride with a yellowy green banana in your jersey back pocket and it'll be a stickly brown mush a couple of hours later.

 

[Faratid]

Cars don’t pay road tax

Just in case there is anyone who doesn't already know; there is no such thing as 'road tax'. Motorists pay 'vehicle tax' based on their vehicle type. The roads are paid for from council tax in the UK, apart from motorways and some trunk roads, which are funded from general taxation. Nevertheless, the roads are for all of us to use.

 

[Juan Kog]

One of the reasons I stopped club riding, I was spending my Sunday mornings travelling at flat chat conentrating on holding a wheel and not seeing much of the area i was traveling through.

I’m fortunate my club has an easy pace group, our mission statement don’t ruin a Sunday morning bike ride by getting hot and sweaty and out of breath. Oh and if there’s a nice view we stop and look at it .

 

[Ming the Merciless]

All bikes legally need orange reflectors on the pedals.

 

[AndyRM]

Carbon fibre bikes melt in the rain.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It’s cool to ride a bike without mudguards when it’s raining.

 

[Blue Hills]

One of the reasons I stopped club riding, I was spending my Sunday mornings travelling at flat chat conentrating on holding a wheel and not seeing much of the area i was traveling through.

+ 1 to you and moonbunny. I intend to get back to Scotland as soon as I can camping on a bike. So I can see it. Last time I did a touring camping holiday there I was driving. And saw/experienced a fraction of what I am sure awaits me.
Back to main topic

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Steel frames last forever.

 

[Blue Hills]

Young unknowing children ride their bikes for fun and independent exploring, but are soon thankfully educated out of this by strava loving elders who teach them to ride where everyone else is riding so they can compare themselves to little johnny down the road. This way lies enlightenment, success and the regard/respect/awe of their peers.

(credit to @Moon bunny )

 

[C R]

Carbon fibre bikes melt in the rain.

Of course, everyone knows carbon fibre doesn't melt in the rain, it dissolves.

 

[AndyRM]

Of course, everyone knows carbon fibre doesn't melt in the rain, it dissolves.

Mea culpa - it melts when you take it inside to dry it off!

 

[Twilkes]

I’m fortunate my club has an easy pace group, our mission statement don’t ruin a Sunday morning bike ride by getting hot and sweaty and out of breath. Oh and if there’s a nice view we stop and look at it .

The flip side of this is, if you're going to ride fast you might as well do it somewhere scenic. It's not like 'blink and you'll miss it', if you look around every few minutes you'll see pretty much everything there is to see.

I never do group rides though, farking hate cyclists.