Cycling UK Forum

An interesting article in Guardian

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... of-cycling

Oh how true......

"And the chat is about bikes and times, Strava segments, with the same fervour dull men use to talk about football teams. People are less and less likely to talk about experiences, the things they’ve seen, the places they’ve been, the fun and epic hardship they’ve experienced. They’re less and less likely to talk about the joy of cycling. "

I can identify with the feelings of the author, but I dont let it micturate me off. Being retired means that I avoid cycling at weekends. When the Strada crowd are not around, the woods and bridleways are empty off road except for grey haired ramblers, perfect peace. My daughter in law is caught up in the scene described where a corporate group cycle off on a huge distance cycling for a charitable cause. They see nothing, I keep my thoughts to myself. We are all different, there have always been competitive cyclists around, thats fine by me. I don't cycle with them anyway.

Al

Much of my cycling is "old fashioned" then.

View from the top of Cleeve Hill from Saturday. (Yes, I failed to get up this hill on my single speed bike ).



Cheltenham College.

I often go out with a Strava crowd and deliberately take no mobile phone or even a trip computer, forcing them to talk about 'real things'!!

pete75 wrote:Oh how true......

"And the chat is about bikes and times, Strava segments, with the same fervour dull men use to talk about football teams. People are less and less likely to talk about experiences, the things they’ve seen, the places they’ve been, the fun and epic hardship they’ve experienced. They’re less and less likely to talk about the joy of cycling. "

I disagree. Maybe that's how London's gone, but it's really not what I see elsewhere. It's just people on bikes with all the usual range of concerns. On Sunday's freewheeling group ride (32 miles or so with a lunch stop), top talking points weren't about speeds or Strava or anything like that: it was about the three rarely-used fords we crossed (well, some of us - most chickened out of the third one and took a diversion, which was sensible given the mud I found myself padding through), how nice the pub lunch stop was , looking forward to planned rides, the start of the cricket season, recent trips abroad and probably lots else I've forgotten.

I think the author is overplaying it. Cycling is what you want it to be. It would seem he's going out with the wrong people if all they care about is Strava times. Or perhaps it's just because it's London.

That Guardian article reads like an ageing pop fan bemoaning the stuff the kids like today.

By far the biggest cultural shift in cycling I can remember is the collapse of cycling as an everyday form of transport for many people, not the shift from touring as a hobby to Strava statistics gathering by Lycra clad new roadies as a hobby.

In the 1960s cycling for transport was still very popular with adults and children, but it declined very quickly during the 70s as car ownership rocketed. That really was a cultural shift.

As someone said already, its who you ride with.

For some reason (probably because I live on a busy road) on the weekends there are a whole bunch of riders out to ride fast, but similarly on the weekdays there are also more casually attired group just out for a gander. It just depends.

My LBS runs rides but I have bothered going as it seems to be much less of a social thing. Their average pace is a about 16-17mph and I sure that is much too quick for me. Anyway I dont want to race, I would just rather have a social ride.

He admits as much:

This sounds like a reactionary rant, and that’s because it is.

Mark1978 wrote:I think the author is overplaying it. Cycling is what you want it to be.

To a great degree this is true.

However, depending on your own personality, you may find it off-putting that the culture around you values Strava segments and new three-grand bicycles every year when you value something else. Some people are just fine with that, but others – maybe this author – long for a sense of shared experience and belonging.

That said, these forums are full of people who don’t view cycling as the new golf. Indeed, many of them have been getting lost in the countryside on rusting bikes since before golf was the new golf! Technology has made it easier than ever to share notes with like-minded people (in fact, maybe too easy – hence the deepening schisms in the cycling world, since we’re no longer forced to get along with people with even a slightly different view of the world).

mjr wrote:

pete75 wrote:Oh how true......

"And the chat is about bikes and times, Strava segments, with the same fervour dull men use to talk about football teams. People are less and less likely to talk about experiences, the things they’ve seen, the places they’ve been, the fun and epic hardship they’ve experienced. They’re less and less likely to talk about the joy of cycling. "

I disagree. Maybe that's how London's gone, but it's really not what I see elsewhere. It's just people on bikes with all the usual range of concerns. On Sunday's freewheeling group ride (32 miles or so with a lunch stop), top talking points weren't about speeds or Strava or anything like that: it was about the three rarely-used fords we crossed (well, some of us - most chickened out of the third one and took a diversion, which was sensible given the mud I found myself padding through), how nice the pub lunch stop was , looking forward to planned rides, the start of the cricket season, recent trips abroad and probably lots else I've forgotten.

There are groups around here like that and I'm in a much less London influenced area than you you are. Their talk is as described. I've heard 'em chatting at caffs and similar places. They are the new cyclists.......

I love the amazing things you see whilst out and about, I saw some ostriches on Sunday.

Stopped and had a gander ( so to speak ), who knew they made a noise similar to a bongo being struck.

I was out about six hours I suppose, I didn't get too far but saw loads, that's my choice other people have theirs.



Some people like strava etc, is that a lot different to posting on cycling forums really, it's just a pastime.

Good luck to 'em.

colin54 wrote:I love the amazing things you see whilst out and about, I saw some ostriches on Sunday.
Good luck to 'em.

I think that's an Emu.

I bow to your superior knowledge, lucky I never attempted to make a laboured joke about Ostriches, cyclists and sandy conditions.