Cycling UK Forum

foxyrider wrote:

Paulatic wrote:

Mick F wrote:I had to look up what BAME stood for. Never heard that abbreviation before.

This is Cornwall.
We have very very very few black, asians and ethnic minorities here.

Also, I haven't seen anyone on small bikes other than children and kids on BMXs.

I’m sure I’ve seen a picture of a grown man in Cornwall riding a Raleigh chopper

I think its just a rural legend!

Mick is not a rural legend, he's a very naughty boy.

Mick F wrote:This is Cornwall.
We have very very very few black, asians and ethnic minorities here.

So what? But you do have TV, the internet and newspapers, presumably..?

I've seen a few adults on BMX type bikes and thought what a good idea if:
You only want to go a short way - better than walking:
You don't have much space at home to store;
You don't have buckets of spare cash;
Possibly able to take on buses and trains with no hassle (its my son's, I'm taking it home);
Take into shops, etc;
Much cheaper than my Brompton.

In Japan they have quite high spec road bikes with small wheels, not folders and I have been tempted.

Talking of daft, I have actually, really, literally seen people riding full suspension mountain bikes along the seafront cycle path. How can they??!!

thatsnotmyname wrote:

Mick F wrote:This is Cornwall.
We have very very very few black, asians and ethnic minorities here.

So what? But you do have TV, the internet and newspapers, presumably..?

We have the internet.

No telly, and don't take any newspapers other than the old ones given to us to line the parrot cage and to light the fire. We never read them, but I can't vouch for the parrot.

Chatting to one of the vets when we rode with them,he described BMX as "not proper cycling",he struggled for an answer when I asked him what was "real cycling".
It's petty and prejudiced and limiting to claim someone who "don't ride wot I does ain't doin' it reet" .
I despair at times with that attitude,I couldn't give a monkey's what bike they're riding or if their skin is sky blue pink with a finny addy boarder,THEY'RE RIDING A BIKE and I'm happy with seeing them doing so.

I'm going to be quiet now......

Mick F wrote:

thatsnotmyname wrote:

Mick F wrote:This is Cornwall.
We have very very very few black, asians and ethnic minorities here.

So what? But you do have TV, the internet and newspapers, presumably..?

We have the internet.

No telly, and don't take any newspapers other than the old ones given to us to line the parrot cage and to light the fire. We never read them, but I can't vouch for the parrot.

I expect he makes his views known

Mick F wrote:

thatsnotmyname wrote:

Mick F wrote:This is Cornwall.
We have very very very few black, asians and ethnic minorities here.

So what? But you do have TV, the internet and newspapers, presumably..?

We have the internet.

No telly, and don't take any newspapers other than the old ones given to us to line the parrot cage and to light the fire. We never read them, but I can't vouch for the parrot.

I mean in Cornwall - not just in your house. Someone must have told you about ethnic minorities before now..

nirakaro wrote:There's been a trend around here for quite a while for large young men – mostly of BAME appearance – to ride around on really tiny, almost kids' size, bikes. Saddle set low enough to sit on comfortably, feet flat on the ground, knees bent. I imagine they think they look well cool, though I just can't see how that works. Anyone else noticed this, or similar things?

In answer to your question: no, I haven't noticed what you describe, although throughout my life, I've always seen kids (of any race) using bikes 'casually' - i.e. often poorly sized/adjusted/maintained, but better than walking, which is good enough for their purposes. At that age, they've probably got more important things on their minds than rubbing dubbin into their trusty Brooks saddles. Of course, as already mentioned, there's also the sport/fashion aspects - BMX, trials and mountain biking are dynamic disciplines requiring dropped seat-posts to allow the riders to move their weight around the bike, and this 'look' will inevitably creep into general street riding.

Question for you: what conclusions have you drawn about these people from your observations? Obviously, the title you've given your post indicates you think they look stupid. The fact that you've highlighted that they're 'mostly of BAME appearance' jumps out from your post, so I have to ask: what are your views on ethnic minorities generally? 'BAME' is popularly seen as a noticeably respectful term for ethnic minorities (to the extent that the term is pejoratively described as 'politically correct') yet your use of it contrasts with the amount of respect you appear to have for the group you're talking about. There's a danger here that you might be accused of hiding an obviously racist agenda behind a politically-correct term - how would you respond to that?

There's been a trend around here for quite a while for large young men – mostly of BAME appearance – to ride around on really tiny, almost kids' size, bikes. Saddle set low enough to sit on comfortably, feet flat on the ground, knees bent. I imagine they think they look well cool, though I just can't see how that works. Anyone else noticed this, or similar things?

So what is your point? What's the significant of singling out BAME people?

Get back under your bridge Mr Troll

thatsnotmyname wrote:I mean in Cornwall - not just in your house. Someone must have told you about ethnic minorities before now..

Of course I know about ethnic minorities.

There are few in Cornwall. Rarely see them.

DevonDamo wrote: The fact that you've highlighted that they're 'mostly of BAME appearance' jumps out from your post, so I have to ask: what are your views on ethnic minorities generally? 'BAME' is popularly seen as a noticeably respectful term for ethnic minorities (to the extent that the term is pejoratively described as 'politically correct') yet your use of it contrasts with the amount of respect you appear to have for the group you're talking about. There's a danger here that you might be accused of hiding an obviously racist agenda behind a politically-correct term - how would you respond to that?

Sorry if I caused offence – I certainly didn't intend to. I believe it's possible to refer to people's ethnicity without a racist agenda.
Young men of all ethnicities seem to find new and creative ways of looking ridiculous – I know I did! I was simply delineating which particular group I was referring to.
FWIW, I've lived for the last forty years, from choice, in very racially diverse parts of town, and like it. My dentist's a Shia Muslim, the people who've fixed my cars for decades are Sikhs. All the GPs at my surgery are BAME. At the pharmacy or at Specsavers, most of the staff are Muslim. Most of them are just as English as I am, and I have no complaints or reservations about any of that.

Plus One to nirakaro for BAME, diversity
The BAME people are as English/British as most of us, but have one or more other identity too

I see a lot of teenagers riding BMX bikes with the saddles very low and it just looks really awkward and hard work. A bit daft? Yes. Stupid? No. Kids do daft things, but who cares so long as nobody comes to harm?

nirakaro wrote:

DevonDamo wrote: The fact that you've highlighted that they're 'mostly of BAME appearance' jumps out from your post, so I have to ask: what are your views on ethnic minorities generally? 'BAME' is popularly seen as a noticeably respectful term for ethnic minorities (to the extent that the term is pejoratively described as 'politically correct') yet your use of it contrasts with the amount of respect you appear to have for the group you're talking about. There's a danger here that you might be accused of hiding an obviously racist agenda behind a politically-correct term - how would you respond to that?

Sorry if I caused offence – I certainly didn't intend to. I believe it's possible to refer to people's ethnicity without a racist agenda.
Young men of all ethnicities seem to find new and creative ways of looking ridiculous – I know I did! I was simply delineating which particular group I was referring to.
FWIW, I've lived for the last forty years, from choice, in very racially diverse parts of town, and like it. My dentist's a Shia Muslim, the people who've fixed my cars for decades are Sikhs. All the GPs at my surgery are BAME. At the pharmacy or at Specsavers, most of the staff are Muslim. Most of them are just as English as I am, and I have no complaints or reservations about any of that.

Well said.