How the spirit of cycling has changed

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
reohn2
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Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by reohn2 »

Tangled Metal wrote:I got shocked last year when I heard about the guy in the bike shop owning a 3 grand bike. Think I've never met anyone with a bike much over £1500! Mind you he'd just told me it was nicked from his garage and insurance didn't pay up because his anchor was only silver rated or something like that.

If it'd been gold plated they may have nicked the anchor instead :mrgreen:


There comes across that there's a growing core of curmudgeons on this forum who are only happy complaining....

Is that a complaint?
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
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blackbike
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Joined: 11 Jul 2009, 3:21pm

Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by blackbike »

The good thing about the Strava boys and girls on their expensive bikes and in their expensive clothes is that they help convince people that cycling is trendy.

Many people need to know something is trendy before they try it.
colin54
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Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by colin54 »

'' Gritty humour is that :wink: ''

There's bags of it round here.

P1060887 (800x455) (640x364).jpg
Nu-Fogey
Manc33
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Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by Manc33 »

I enjoy ending up at the top of a hill, with a view, whether its 600M long @ 9% or 3 miles long @ 3%.
We'll always be together, together on electric bikes.
roberts8
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Joined: 20 May 2011, 9:14pm
Location: Surrey

Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by roberts8 »

We used gps on our boat so I am not anti but the view of the overall area by looking at a map or chart is helpful and I often find interesting things I would have missed. Also, the stops to check the map are often a blessing but maybe that is just my lack of fitness. I still like to record distance etc on my cateye but it is a bit on the small side.
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al_yrpal
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Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by al_yrpal »

I have noticed that many of the Mamil types are completely flumoxed when they get a puncture and quite often they dont carry a spare tube, puncture outfit or a pump, or if they do they have no idea how to get a wheel out and effect a repair. I reckon that I will stop and assist one of them who is stranded every few weeks. If its a rear wheel I usually do the repair, get them to pump it up and then ride off leaving them to refit it. They usually look pretty lost because they havent got a clue how to refit it. It is cruel, but they need to think about punctures rather than being so focussed on how to look like a belisha beacon. :D

Al
Last edited by al_yrpal on 14 Apr 2016, 9:49am, edited 1 time in total.
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
pwa
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Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by pwa »

The phrase "Mamil" has applied to me so long that I will soon have to abandon it in favour of Old Aged Man in Lycra. I see myself as a touring cyclist (doing a bit of audax), in the long tradition of touring cyclists. Lycra, for me, goes hand in hand with traditional cycle touring.

The true spirit of cycling must include tolerance and a readiness to accept people who are cycling in a slightly different way. The Strava thing is just the latest variation. Let's not worry about it too much.
whoof
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Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by whoof »

al_yrpal wrote:I have noticed that many of the Mamil types are completely flumoxed when they get a puncture and quite often they dont carry a spare tube, puncture outfit or a pump, or if they do they have no idea how to get a wheel out and effect a repair. I reckon that I will stop and assist one of them who is stranded every few weeks. If its a rear wheel I usually do the repair, get them to pump it up and then ride off leaving them to refit it. They usually look pretty lost because they havent got a clue how to fit it. It is cruel, but they need to think about punctures rather than being so focussed on how to look like a belisha beacon. :D

Al


This is just people new to cycling and doesn't relate to either age or attire. I've worked with number of people who start to cycle commute and when I've asked them do the carry a tube/levers/pump and know how to use them the response is 'I've never punctured' or 'I'll be fine'. It usually takes a long walk pushing a bike to persuade people that they should carry these things.
pwa
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Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by pwa »

whoof wrote:
al_yrpal wrote:I have noticed that many of the Mamil types are completely flumoxed when they get a puncture and quite often they dont carry a spare tube, puncture outfit or a pump, or if they do they have no idea how to get a wheel out and effect a repair. I reckon that I will stop and assist one of them who is stranded every few weeks. If its a rear wheel I usually do the repair, get them to pump it up and then ride off leaving them to refit it. They usually look pretty lost because they havent got a clue how to fit it. It is cruel, but they need to think about punctures rather than being so focussed on how to look like a belisha beacon. :D

Al


This is just people new to cycling and doesn't relate to either age or attire. I've worked with number of people who start to cycle commute and when I've asked them do the carry a tube/levers/pump and know how to use them the response is 'I've never punctured' or 'I'll be fine'. It usually takes a long walk pushing a bike to persuade people that they should carry these things.


That's how most of us started. Knowing nothing and learning the hard way that we have to be prepared for punctures and other minor problems. If newbies started out getting everything right, that would be a change. In the early 1970s a school friend of mine pushed his bike home, over about 5 miles, because his chain had come off and he didn't know how easy it was to slip it back on. Nothing to do with Lycra, of course. He was probably wearing jeans and a T shirt. Newbies get it wrong, and if they are lucky an old timer comes along and shows them how to get going again. That is an aspect of cycling that has not changed.
Last edited by pwa on 14 Apr 2016, 10:02am, edited 1 time in total.
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al_yrpal
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Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by al_yrpal »

Its a bit like the tortoise and the hare. They go pelting past with one eye on their Strava with no greeting and wind up with a puncture because they are riding on thin slicks on the Chilterns' flint strewn roads. Or, they don't know the short cuts and wonder why the same old bloke with his trousers tucked into his socks and cycle clips they passed two miles back has magically appeared in front of them yet again! Its amusing, but as you say they will get it eventually. :D

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
thornie1543
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Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by thornie1543 »

I love all the people who spend tons of money on all the cycling gear they never use,in eight months time that's my new/second hand stuff,long may they continue
Geoff.D
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Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by Geoff.D »

pwa wrote:The true spirit of cycling must include tolerance and a readiness to accept people who are cycling in a slightly different way. The Strava thing is just the latest variation. Let's not worry about it too much.


Well said

pwa wrote:Newbies get it wrong, and if they are lucky an old timer comes along and shows them how to get going again. That is an aspect of cycling that has not changed.


Well said again. But it doesn't need to be an old timer. In my case it was my Dad taking me on my first YHA tour at 10, and showing me (letting me play at) repairs in our workshop cellar even before that. "Hands on" is as good a way to learn as any...whether you call it playing, fiddling, fettling, maintenance, adjusting, upgrading, customising, etc.
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Sweep
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Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by Sweep »

al_yrpal wrote:I have noticed that many of the Mamil types are completely flumoxed when they get a puncture and quite often they dont carry a spare tube, puncture outfit or a pump, or if they do they have no idea how to get a wheel out and effect a repair. I reckon that I will stop and assist one of them who is stranded every few weeks. If its a rear wheel I usually do the repair, get them to pump it up and then ride off leaving them to refit it. They usually look pretty lost because they havent got a clue how to refit it. It is cruel, but they need to think about punctures rather than being so focussed on how to look like a belisha beacon. :D

Al


I love seeing some of the better equipped ones trying to pump up their tyres with their oh so impressive suppository sized pumps.

I used to lead lots of rides. One chap, not exactly a mamil but with poseur tendencies came along without water. Can't remember why but it was either because it would spoil the lines of the bike or involve the carrying of surplus weight. Begged me for water half way through the ride. Reader, I refused.
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SpannerGeek
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Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by SpannerGeek »

Mamil: I've punctured, I. Can't believe it..

Me: Oh, well even though 10k bikes get punctures. Er, have you got a spare tube. A pump even..

Mamil: Er, no. I thought you'd have them.

Me: I've just got the one.

Mamil: Can I have it ?

Me: There's a railway station four miles up the road. Cheerio now!,
SpannerGeek
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Re: How the spirit of cycling has changed

Post by SpannerGeek »

#True Story # ;)
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