Will British cyclist ever be urban heros?

[Origamist]

It'll be a nice epitaph for him...

 

[u9ge]

My first post! long time reader, first time poster.

Appart from telling other of my substantial 28 mile a day commute and laughing at colleagues in the lift as I stand there in bright dodgy looking lycra, what else do I personally do to promote things.

If all people here with views did something to convince or promote to others. I depair every time I see some tw*t blat straight through a red light as all it does is reinforce the stereotype of us and send things backwards.

So here's a challenge, everyday, fill out one fillthathole request from the roads you commute on and do one thing positive to promote cycling to others.

G

 

[John the Monkey]

If all people here with views did something to convince or promote to others.

S'what I'm doing.

Someone I know has an old bike that they're thinking of using again? I'm happy to give it a once over & a bit of a clean and fettle.

Someone mentions that they're thinking of riding to work? I'm happy to pass on my own experience & suggest a route if I know the roads.

also involved in the bike user group at work, etc etc.

 

[Landslide]

Four idiots from Yorkshire did have an effect.

Who they?
(I'm guessing you don't mean bonj, Marinyork, Dalestar and myself!)

 

[Goffins]

It's the high vis, stopping for lights, pootlers who are the reason why the hobby is not seen as fashionable.
I know that's going to disgruntle allot of people but I do believe it to be true.

Look at the whole car modding scene and the success of the Fast & the Furious franchise which is all about breaking laws, driving like a drunk and general irresponsible behaviour.

Or the big hitters from the street Skateboarding scene who spend their spare time videoing each other eating puke omelettes and punching each other.

Maybe even the parkour scene that's taken off because a crazy Frenchman came to the UK and jumped of the top of a battleship cannon onto the deck below.

BMX, Mountain bikes & Stunt Jumpers all have their heroes so we're really talking about skinny tyred road bikes having no icon and while I salute Mark Cavendish he's not going to be on kids walls wearing a pink lycra top.

I think someone already commented on the fixie crowd being the trendsetters and I reckon they're probably right, especially with videos like that 'messenger race' on Youtube. But that fly's in the face of most of the advice handed out here so be careful what you wish for.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

…And speaking only for myself, dragging yourself from a warm bed onto the bike for 6 miles in the wind and rain mid-January does not fit my definition of 'cool'.

but it fits exactly my definition of my winter commute

 

[J4CKO]

Last two posts have it, right there.

Start enforcing traffic law. Start punishing the people who don't give shoot about anyone who isn't in a car or a truck. And punishing them PROPERLY. Bans. Jail.

In tandem (arf!) with that, point out how you don't need anything special to do 3-5 miles at an easy pace. Point out that unless there's some medical problem you have, or you need to carry something REALLY big, there's no reason that you shouldn't ride instead of taking the car. If you're already "cool", you'll be no less "cool" riding a bike. If you're not, well, just ride the flipping thing, why not?

*Then* you'll see people doing "utility" cycling.

John, a lot of car drivers spend vast amounts of money to buy a car that is "cool", I cannot see those that use their cars as a substitute for a personality and an ego boost thinking a mere push bike will make them cool, the average BMW M3 driver enjoys having an advantage in terms of power, handling, gadgets and handling over other road users, they use it to project wealth, taste (?), manliness etc etc, they can best other male drivers and impress females, they pay 40 or 50 grand for the privilige so they arent going to ride a push bike as they lose all that and are reduced to going as fast as they can pedal rather than how fast 400 bhp will propel you. Not saying all car drivers are like that and that I am above it all but I recognise it for what it is, most dont.

It is in a lot of societys enshrined that riding a bike = poor, powerless, impotent and the bigger and flashier your car, the better and more important you are, most people crave status and affirmation but I think cyclists tend to be less prone but it does seem to have crept in via the Boutique Fixie/Carbon Roadie/Full Suss top end MTB route but unlike cars engine power isnt governed by how much you spend, that is a great leveller.

 

[HJ]

fixies aren't cool they just think they are.

+1

The problem as I see it is that, to a lot of people cycling does have an image, or rather a variety of images:

• oddball eccentrics who hug trees and only eat veg
• super-fit athletes who take drugs a lot
• poor people who can't afford a car
• kamikaze urban warriors who jump red lights
• recreational weekend potterers
• children with toys
• mountaineers on wheels

And so on. We need a public perception that cycling is just...normal.

Agreed but how?

 

[HJ]

It's the high vis, stopping for lights, pootlers who are the reason why the hobby is not seen as fashionable.
I know that's going to disgruntle allot of people but I do believe it to be true.

Look at the whole car modding scene and the success of the Fast & the Furious franchise which is all about breaking laws, driving like a drunk and general irresponsible behaviour.

Or the big hitters from the street Skateboarding scene who spend their spare time videoing each other eating puke omelettes and punching each other.

Maybe even the parkour scene that's taken off because a crazy Frenchman came to the UK and jumped of the top of a battleship cannon onto the deck below.

BMX, Mountain bikes & Stunt Jumpers all have their heroes so we're really talking about skinny tyred road bikes having no icon and while I salute Mark Cavendish he's not going to be on kids walls wearing a pink lycra top.

I think someone already commented on the fixie crowd being the trendsetters and I reckon they're probably right, especially with videos like that 'messenger race' on Youtube. But that fly's in the face of most of the advice handed out here so be careful what you wish for.

But none of that is going to bring cycling into the main stream, it won't get most people out of their cars to make short journeys, which could be made more quickly by bike. We need to get people to start thinking of cycling as a main stream activity, the more people who cycle as well as drive, the safer we will all be...

 

[Wigsie]

John, a lot of car drivers spend vast amounts of money to buy a car that is "cool", I cannot see those that use their cars as a substitute for a personality and an ego boost thinking a mere push bike will make them cool, the average BMW M3 driver enjoys having an advantage in terms of power, handling, gadgets and handling over other road users, they use it to project wealth, taste (?), manliness etc etc, they can best other male drivers and impress females, they pay 40 or 50 grand for the privilige so they arent going to ride a push bike as they lose all that and are reduced to going as fast as they can pedal rather than how fast 400 bhp will propel you. Not saying all car drivers are like that and that I am above it all but I recognise it for what it is, most dont.

It is in a lot of societys enshrined that riding a bike = poor, powerless, impotent and the bigger and flashier your car, the better and more important you are, most people crave status and affirmation but I think cyclists tend to be less prone but it does seem to have crept in via the Boutique Fixie/Carbon Roadie/Full Suss top end MTB route but unlike cars engine power isnt governed by how much you spend, that is a great leveller.

How very dare you , I love my car as I love the way it looks and drives, I have a reasonable circle of great friends, my penis is (maybe) slightly above average and I have no major appetite towards projecting my manliness on other car drivers. I have an Allez Elite and LOVE it like one of my children.

Ha ha I know what your saying though, but I actually think its a minority that have the attitude you describe. Where I acknowledge I have a nice car (many will disagree) and could have chosen a cheaper one I actually enjoy riding my bike a fair bit more.

Its all about appraisal, the way you look at the differences between car and bike and thats more important to identify and make people aware of. Its a far more pure experience, you are limited to your own ability and thus strive to impove this. If I increase my average speed on a ride I am really pleased and get a great sence of achievement, one you dont get by breaking your top speed (when visiting clients in germany or on a track day before I start to get abuse).

Its these positive points that we as cyclists should be emphasising rather than writing off people because they have a fast car and assuming they wont be interested in a £1k machine they have to pedal and get sweaty to use. I am a little suprised at the negativity and borderline snobbery in some crcles in cycling and this in itself will cause a huge barrier until there is a public 'hero' that can break down some of these barriers.

 

[Origamist]

Its these positive points that we as cyclists should be emphasising rather than writing off people because they have a fast car and assuming they wont be interested in a £1k machine they have to pedal and get sweaty to use. I am a little suprised at the negativity and borderline snobbery in some crcles in cycling and this in itself will cause a huge barrier until there is a public 'hero' that can break down some of these barriers.

The "hero brand" is very different to what your suggesting though - it's not about ambassadors or role-models. It is a marketing strategy predicated on conferring greater status to cyclists/cycling (which I'm all for), but the suggestions, such as a Vuitton/Brompton tie-in is hardly inspirational. Perhaps more imaginative ideas will surface.

In countries with a high modal share of cyclists, it is both normal and cool to ride a bike, but in this country cyclists are seen as little more than an eccentric sub-culture. Thankfully, things are slowly changing..

 

[Wigsie]

The "hero brand" is very different to what your suggesting though - it's not about ambassadors or role-models. It is a marketing strategy predicated on conferring greater status to cyclists/cycling (which I'm all for), but the suggestions, such as a Vuitton/Brompton tie-in is hardly inspirational. Perhaps more imaginative ideas will surface.

Not so sure, maybe the hero term is a little wrong. I dont necessarily mean a hero people worship, but a figure that people (normal people not label freaks) can look to and are inspired by..

But definately +1 on the LV/Brompton style marketing tie ins. Like those god awefull Dolce & Gabbana/Motorola mobile phone. I can see a Limited Edition Cannondale bad boy with gold rims, components and cabling and a nice D&G badge.

 

[snorri]

Its all about appraisal, the way you look at the differences between car and bike and thats more important to identify and make people aware of. Its a far more pure experience, you are limited to your own ability and thus strive to impove this. If I increase my average speed on a ride I am really pleased and get a great sence of achievement, one you dont get by breaking your top speed
Its these positive points that we as cyclists should be emphasising rather than writing off people because they have a fast car and assuming they wont be interested in a £1k machine they have to pedal and get sweaty to use. I am a little suprised at the negativity and borderline snobbery in some crcles in cycling and this in itself will cause a huge barrier until there is a public 'hero' that can break down some of these barriers.

I agree that cyclists are limited by their ability, but 'striving to improve'? As a utility cyclist I know how many minutes it will take to get to locations within my home area and have no need or desire to reduce that time. I don't need the stress of clock watching whilst travelling, and I definitely don't want to sweat. The satisfaction comes from having completed the journey, that is all a utility cyclist requires.
In my view the potential, and therefore attractiveness, of cycling is limited by our local authorities who design our streets to cater for the limitations of motor vehicles, designs which fail to take advantage of the versatility of the bicycle.
I am rather wary of heroes, we can all think of sporting heroes who have eventually disappointed, similarly with leading business people.

 

[dellzeqq]

Who they?
(I'm guessing you don't mean bonj, Marinyork, Dalestar and myself!)

the tube bombers - who, perversely, did more to promote cycling in London than any other individuals, with the possible exception of Jenny Jones and Ken Livingstone

 

[Woz!]

Of course, we're all missing the main thing that would get the average person on bikes: Get a few slebs pictured riding them in Heat magazine regularly.

It's already getting that way - Duffy on the Coke ad, and that MacDonald's (*spits*) advert with the bloke on the bike - will help to 'normalise' cycling.