Define "Cyclist"

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

HobbesChoice

New Member
Location
Essex
I'm with you there Betty! I'm often the only one left at the lights and if 3 or 4 cyclists ride past me I can almost feel like I'm the one who's wrong! But I guess that's where the term peer pressure comes from.

But, I sit stubbornly at the lights until they're on the turn (then I'm off and wheezing away as fast as I can) and I'm sure this makes a lot of drivers show me more consideration.

One day we'll be the majority,but it's a lonely road for now ..... ;)
 

ultraviolet

it can't rain all the time....
Location
Hythe, Kent, UK
a true cyclist in my eyes doesn't drive
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
ultraviolet said:
a true cyclist in my eyes doesn't drive

Nonsense. A true cyclist may take the bike over the car, when ever possible, but you can hardly expect them to carry a family 100's of miles on a bike to go on holiday, or visit relatives etc.

Cars have their place. Beneath bikes of course, but they have their place.:biggrin:
 
Arch said:
Try as I might, I can't shift my inner snob, so I offer the following:

There are cyclists, and Cyclists. Within the former category, there are all people on bikes, but they are sub-divided into numpties and ordinary cyclists. Numpties are the no-lights, rlj, hoping on and off the pavement sort, whatever bike they ride. Ordinary cyclists are the rest, the ones who ride in an appropriate manner in the appropriate place (road or cycle path, depending on convenience and safety, but not on pavements, unless officially shared). Obviously, I'm in the second group.

Then there are Cyclists. These are a subgroup of Ordinary cyclists. They are the people who define themselves by their cycling. So not those who just use a bike to get about, and don't really mind much what sort it is, as long as it works, but those of us (and yes, I'm in this subgroup) who understand n+1, and that bikes can have different specialities, and who go on holiday on their bikes, and cycle for fun - but serious fun. People who see bikes as more than just transport - although they are transport as well of course.

The edges of these groups are fuzzy of course, as is all human classification. And people can move from one group to another, if they choose to.

I are inclined to agree with this one, certainly in so much as Cyclists who define themselves by their cycling. I have certainly encountered some of these on my way into uni, their ar*es always seem to be smirking at me as they disappear into the distance, which is a good trick if you can do it. But then I must look like them to the numpties I steam past in my helmet and hi-viz with my lights on. It's all a matter of perspective I suppose.
Myself, I'm just Ordinary, first time I've ever been called that though.
 

Dan B

Disengaged member
Arch said:
Ordinary cyclists are the rest, the ones who ride in an appropriate manner in the appropriate place (road or cycle path, depending on convenience and safety, but not on pavements, unless officially shared).
Surely Ordinary cyclists are the ones on penny-farthings

But what do I know, I'm not a cyclist at all, I'm a skater.
 

jimboalee

New Member
Location
Solihull
Correction to my previous comment.

There are TWO kinds of cyclist.

Those who carry a puncture repair kit with them, and those who don't.
 

dellzeqq

pre-talced and mighty
Location
SW2
J4CKO said:
Is anybody who swings a leg over a Bicycle automatically a "Cyclist"
yep
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
automatic_jon said:
I are inclined to agree with this one, certainly in so much as Cyclists who define themselves by their cycling. I have certainly encountered some of these on my way into uni, their ar*es always seem to be smirking at me as they disappear into the distance, which is a good trick if you can do it. But then I must look like them to the numpties I steam past in my helmet and hi-viz with my lights on. It's all a matter of perspective I suppose.
Myself, I'm just Ordinary, first time I've ever been called that though.

Hmm, I think anyone who cares enough to join a forum is a Cyclist - I don't mean just sporty types, but also keen commuters, tourers, utility cyclists. It's got nothing to do with speed or ability, just the mental attitude.
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
Arch said:
Hmm, I think anyone who cares enough to join a forum is a Cyclist - I don't mean just sporty types, but also keen commuters, tourers, utility cyclists. It's got nothing to do with speed or ability, just the mental attitude.

It's got nothing to do with mental attitude either. You're a cyclist as soon as you ride a bike. Capitalising it is just as snobbish, IMO.
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
BentMikey said:
It's got nothing to do with mental attitude either. You're a cyclist as soon as you ride a bike. Capitalising it is just as snobbish, IMO.

I know, I did say I can't help my inner snob.

I just don't feel I have anything in common with a chav on a BSO with his knees round his ears riding no hands through the lights as he rolls a fag, any more than I have anything in common with Jeremy Clarkson when I'm driving or Heston Blumenthal when I make my dinner.
 

Norm

Guest
Arch said:
any more than I have anything in common with Jeremy Clarkson when I'm driving or Heston Blumenthal when I make my dinner.
Ooo, ya bugger, that one just made my spit my coffee out! ;) :laugh: :thumbsup:

**Norm heads off to change his shirt...**
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
Arch said:
I know, I did say I can't help my inner snob.

I just don't feel I have anything in common with a chav on a BSO with his knees round his ears riding no hands through the lights as he rolls a fag, any more than I have anything in common with Jeremy Clarkson when I'm driving or Heston Blumenthal when I make my dinner.


Ah, I get it. Jealousy for the skillz!!!!!!!!!! ;):tongue:
 
Top Bottom