Lovacott
Über Member
I spent the majority of my youth living in Australia in the 1970's when the breaks were not crowded and you could have a wave all to yourself. It was a simple sport, no elitism, any board would do. It was fun.
Then some entrepreneurs came along, popularised the sport and turned every wave into a battleground.
I moved to North Devon in the early '80's and enjoyed empty waves yet again until some entrepreneurs came along, popularised the sport and turned every wave into a battleground.
The entrepreneurs were themselves surfers. They did everything they could to glamourise the sport, sell merchandise and make money. They designed new boards, new wetsuits, new accessories, new rules.
Something which was once fun, became a competition.
Unless you had the latest wetsuit or most up to date style of board, you risked being laughed at (or worse).
If you were not local to the break, you expected to have your car smeared with dog excrement.
What's this got to do with cycling?
Anyone can ride a bike and if it has two wheels and works, it's a bike.
If you ride a bike, you are a cyclist.
Riding a bike is fun.
You can make the rest of it up yourselves.
Then some entrepreneurs came along, popularised the sport and turned every wave into a battleground.
I moved to North Devon in the early '80's and enjoyed empty waves yet again until some entrepreneurs came along, popularised the sport and turned every wave into a battleground.
The entrepreneurs were themselves surfers. They did everything they could to glamourise the sport, sell merchandise and make money. They designed new boards, new wetsuits, new accessories, new rules.
Something which was once fun, became a competition.
Unless you had the latest wetsuit or most up to date style of board, you risked being laughed at (or worse).
If you were not local to the break, you expected to have your car smeared with dog excrement.
What's this got to do with cycling?
Anyone can ride a bike and if it has two wheels and works, it's a bike.
If you ride a bike, you are a cyclist.
Riding a bike is fun.
You can make the rest of it up yourselves.