I am not a real cyclist , so I have been told

[Ben@Forest]

A real cyclist would never tell another cyclist that they are not a real cyclist.

Even a "real" cyclist can be a prat, so I don't think that's true. Telling someone they are not a "real cyclist" could be one of two things. It could be a seriously meant accusation, in which case it is silly. Or it could be a bit of humorous banter between friends.

I used to pass another commuting cyclist on a regular basis (as in going one way and t'other) and this was generally on a low traffic road with few cyclists, he had the expression of a bulldog chewing a wasp, with no time for any cyclist social niceties. He didn't like cycling and must've only been cycling to get to work, I once saw him on the pavement in the town, scattering pedestrians like ninepins. Not sure how real that is....

[PH]

Not a real facebooker either, or you'd know you can't win a fb argument elsewhere.
You may have written:

Has anybody thought if the saddle was designed to be more comfortable you wouldn’t need the padding.

They may have read:

I'm superior to you because I've thought of something you haven't

They trolled you for it and you rose to it, you've now lost, there isn't a way back.
You wrote:

asked if he fancied riding 300k Audax

They read:

My dad is bigger than your dad and is going to come round and punch him

They've stopped playing, but they already have the smug satisfaction and they'll get to play again.

You don't meet their criteria as a real cyclist, so what? You don't even know who they are, certainly not some gatekeeper to real cycling. I might have replied that I'm not the sort of person to judge someone by their underwear and left it at that.

[NUKe]

You deal with your ph and deal with it mine. I only thought people might find it amusing.

[ClappedOut]

Farcebook, dreadful platform

[richardfm]

Obviously, anyone is a real cyclist while they are actually cycling. But what is meant when someone chooses to use the phrase "real cyclist"? Because they clearly mean something more than just someone who is cycling. They must mean someone who does it with more commitment and perhaps more in depth knowledge, and probably more miles in their legs. What might once have been called a "cycling enthusiast" or something like that.

I suppose it's like walking. If someone is asked what their hobbies are and they say they 'like walking' we don't associate that with popping down to the local shop to buy a pint of milk. Generally we think at least of substantial walks around a park - and very possibly walking, rambling, hiking (however one wants to describe it) for anything from three to fifteen miles in a day.

Someone who commutes three miles each way on a bike each day may not describe themselves as a cyclist, they may not like it at all, even though their annual total of, let's say, 1,400 miles is greater than someone who describes themselves as a 'keen cyclist'.

As well as cycling (not sure if I am real cyclist) I enjoy walking but I don't really know what constitutes walking, hiking and rambling. Does anyone know the difference between the three?

[francovendee]

A real cyclist can mean so many things.
Racing machine costing ££££££'s. An old MTB. A trike or recumbent. An Ebike. All are ridden by cyclists.
The only difference is the personal choice of machine.
One thing that unites us all is the pleasure of riding our machines and knowing you are doing so without causing pollution.

[Mike Sales]

I have not been able to ride a bike for over a year.
If a cyclist is defined as someone riding a bike, then clearly I am not a cyclist.
On the other hand, in the shed I have half a dozen bikes and a box full of specialist cycle tools.
I have a shelf full of books on all aspects of cycling and you can see that I read at least one cyclists' forum.
I take a contnuing interest in all cycling issues and problems.
Am I a real cyclist? I think I am still a cyclist.
I incline to the view that whether somebody is a cyclist is best decided by themself.

[simonineaston]

Once those trainer wheels come off, you're a real cyclist !

[Hellhound]

I'm not a real cyclist as I don't ride a steel bike.
Apparently steel is real and everyone else is just playing at it!

Some people,sadly,have nothing better to do than label others who don't fit their remit.It seems to be the modern way
These types are best ignored

[francovendee]

I have not been able to ride a bike for over a year.
If a cyclist is defined as someone riding a bike, then clearly I am not a cyclist.
On the other hand, in the shed I have half a dozen bikes and a box full of specialist cycle tools.
I have a shelf full of books on all aspects of cycling and you can see that I read at least one cyclists' forum.
I take a contnuing interest in all cycling issues and problems.
Am I a real cyclist? I think I am still a cyclist.
I incline to the view that whether somebody is a cyclist is best decided by themself.

Still a cyclist but taking a break

[cycle tramp]

I might have replied that I'm not the sort of person to judge someone by their underwear and left it at that.

Thank you for writing that. You are a scholar and a gentleman. It's been a tough couple of weeks and the weather's been hot, and the washing machine has broke and to be fair I don't own that much of it in the first place... but it's so nice to hear that you don't judge people on their underwear. Many do of course, I guess it's only natural... but I had hoped that what with this social distancing and face masks and everything, my ....er. social difficulty... might have been unnoticed... but no, you can see it in their eyes! Their eyes! Oh Lord, their judgement is damning. But you sir have saved my faith in humanity. Thank you

[Traction_man]

Obviously, anyone is a real cyclist while they are actually cycling. But what is meant when someone chooses to use the phrase "real cyclist"? Because they clearly mean something more than just someone who is cycling. They must mean someone who does it with more commitment and perhaps more in depth knowledge, and probably more miles in their legs. What might once have been called a "cycling enthusiast" or something like that.

I suppose it's like walking. If someone is asked what their hobbies are and they say they 'like walking' we don't associate that with popping down to the local shop to buy a pint of milk. Generally we think at least of substantial walks around a park - and very possibly walking, rambling, hiking (however one wants to describe it) for anything from three to fifteen miles in a day.

Someone who commutes three miles each way on a bike each day may not describe themselves as a cyclist, they may not like it at all, even though their annual total of, let's say, 1,400 miles is greater than someone who describes themselves as a 'keen cyclist'.

As well as cycling (not sure if I am real cyclist) I enjoy walking but I don't really know what constitutes walking, hiking and rambling. Does anyone know the difference between the three?

I've always thought "hiking" is a bit of an Americanism, and "rambling" as a bit old fashioned English English, tweeds and hob nail boots like those chaps pictured on the front of 1930s OS maps! "Walking" is the modern equivalent, as rambling sounds a bit quaint, plus rambling has connotations of, well, rambling on a bit like I am now...

[Pebble]

"Hill Walker" would have been how I described myself when I was an obsessive bagger. not sure I would have been happy with the term 'bagger', but that is what I was, (500+ munros, 140 ish Corbetts ....) it was an obsession for a while.

But back to "Real or Proper Cyclists" I think they are fun terms, I will use it with tongue firmly in cheek for anyone who has overdone it with the lycra and the carbon fibre. Someone once said to me in sight of my 1980s steelie - "I thought for a second you were a proper cyclist until I realised you don't have any mudgaurds" how could I possibly take any offence at such an amusing and ridiculous observation?

[atoz]

A cyclist is someone who rides a bike. Period. Any half decent dictionary will say that.

Never met an "unreal" cyclist, although some of the performances of doped Pro teams in the past probably count.

This type of snobbery we can all do without, it's just yet more white noise, best ignored.

[Ben@Forest]

As well as cycling (not sure if I am real cyclist) I enjoy walking but I don't really know what constitutes walking, hiking and rambling. Does anyone know the difference between the three?

In NZ they call it tramping.