Are all cyclists wankers?

[rowskein]

Well I don't know about the rest of you but mostly out on the bike the only time I'm thinking ******!!! Nearly always involves a selfish, ignorant, self important or f**k you driver squeezing past with 1/2" between their steel battering ram and my much valued legs. Must get past....cant wait.....(no matter how fast your going) get off the road you have no right cylcing! You don't even pay road tax. I have a petrol gusling monster.....you must be elliminated.......you must die........ Rant over.

There are plenty of wankers out there to pick on. Us cyclists must rally and stick together............we must even accept those who would choose to shave their legs!!!

 

[ebola]

I think there is something about cycling that attracts type A personality a-holes. I don't know what it is, but there are a lot of them. You get together with the guys to play some hoops and no one is pretending like they are pros, but you get in a group of cyclists and a good percentage act like they are training for the Tour de France. It is amazing how important a 100 grams is to someone who's "racing" consists of charity rides.

yikes.
Racing consists of charity rides - check
Act like i'm training for the TDF - check
obsession with kit & saving 100's of grammes - check

oh no !

 

[bobbyOCR]

Well I don't know about the rest of you but mostly out on the bike the only time I'm thinking ******!!! Nearly always involves a selfish, ignorant, self important or f**k you driver squeezing past with 1/2" between their steel battering ram and my much valued legs. Must get past....cant wait.....(no matter how fast your going) get off the road you have no right cylcing! You don't even pay road tax. I have a petrol gusling monster.....you must be elliminated.......you must die........ Rant over.

There are plenty of wankers out there to pick on. Us cyclists must rally and stick together............we must even accept those who would choose to shave their legs!!!

Couldn't agree more. If i had a dollar for every time I have been honked at, yelled at, or passed dangerously closely (by trucks or cars) I'd be riding a better bike. Many impatient drivers can't wait two seconds because they will be late. Then, oh, they realise there is traffic lights and watch imaptiently as the angry cyclist who they honked at casually rolls past them to the front of the queue and beats them across the intersection. Then they go home and complain about spending so much money on fuel yet they drive an 8 cylinder fuel inefficient monster that is costing them more and causing more health problems than anything else in there lives.

Buy a fair bike for $500

Ride that the 3 kilometres to work and save the $500 back in a couple of months. Then go to work feeling fitter and healthier.

Rant Over

 

[pedalsquares]

Couldn't agree more. If i had a dollar for every time I have been honked at, yelled at, or passed dangerously closely (by trucks or cars) I'd be riding a better bike. Many impatient drivers can't wait two seconds because they will be late. Then, oh, they realise there is traffic lights and watch imaptiently as the angry cyclist who they honked at casually rolls past them to the front of the queue and beats them across the intersection.

I'm glad I don't live in your neighborhood. Lately mine is so "infested" with bikers that the drivers have had to adapt. Sure, you'll get your occasional a-hole express his control issues on the road every now and then. It's far more often that a driver will "help me out" by slowing down traffic and taking it a bit wide.

 

[stevebaby]

At one time I had somewhat of a superior ,elitist attitude, but I recognized my problem and reformed.
Now that I have shed that one flaw I am absolutely perfect and above ridicule unlike simple folks.
BTW: Call me MR. Asshole!

I had a problem...insufficient modesty.Now that I've been training...I'm the most modest person in the universe.

 

[mysrh]

Well to be honestly honest, I do **** even without subscribing to Bicycle Magazine. So to sum up my essay I don't think you need to subscribe to a bike magazine to do one

 

[willocrew]

...are most "cyclists" wankers?...

Call it the Pseudo Elite cyclist's Complex.

They are a select bunch suffering mid life crisis, and feel that they are bordering the wrong side of their 30s. They put themselves through ardous training regimes, planning and strict regimental diets. Not for fitness and health, but for the sake of seeking an identity. Those who experience some success and progress in their pursuits, feel the exhiliration of achievement. As such, when they see a newbie, they see their own image of the past. That is the very image and mold that they have worked so hard to break from.

As such, when they see that out of shape newbie decked out in latest bike gear, they feel that the newbs did not earn their right to owning these products. It is an attack on their status as uber cyclist of the suburb.

Why is this so? How else would ordinary people know i am a good cyclists if it wasn't for my gear and appearance? No passerby would be having a speed gun ready to measure your 60km/h "average" speed. Intuition of the uber cyclist tells him its all in the gear.

There is also the arrogant behaviour. This is due to the fact that many uber cyclists can't stand the fact that they have to share the same sport with so many amatures. Given a choice, they'll wish their sport was renamed to MACHO CYCLING.

The underlying moral of the story is this : There are too many cyclists trying to tell the world how good they are.

Buttom line is this. If you're not sponsored by T-mobile or the likes, you're just one of us... Ordinary folks partaking in an extraordinary sport. Spread the love.

 

[carrerahill]

Some cyclists are just damn right show offs that smoke from the ears when over taken by someone in combats and a t-shirt... but thats there nature, not because their a cyclist.

Its the same with golfers, you get the ones with the complete "outfit" top of the range clubs and bag, and when they T-off, they miss the ball.

I think equipment etc... can be taken a little to seriously sometimes, in the end, it is about getting cycling fit, or whatever sport in question.

 

[Dondare]

My observation that "cycling" culture fixates on a small portion of the bike-riding community (ie Landis et al) to the exclusion of the vast majority of people who rides bikes. I think its a case of the tailo wagging the dog.

Try subscribing to a different magazine. Some are aimed at a very narrow readership, who are unrepresentative of cyclists generally.
Don't get the one called "Cycling Wankers Weekly".

 

[jhuskey]

Try subscribing to a different magazine. Some are aimed at a very narrow readership, who are unrepresentative of cyclists generally.
Don't get the one called "Cycling Wankers Weekly".

Cycling Wankers Weekly is the primary economic driving force of Craggy Island where it is published.

 

[noonievut]

Call it the Pseudo Elite cyclist's Complex.

They are a select bunch suffering mid life crisis, and feel that they are bordering the wrong side of their 30s. They put themselves through ardous training regimes, planning and strict regimental diets. Not for fitness and health, but for the sake of seeking an identity. Those who experience some success and progress in their pursuits, feel the exhiliration of achievement. As such, when they see a newbie, they see their own image of the past. That is the very image and mold that they have worked so hard to break from.

Well said.

Before I started cycling (on the road) I was mountain biking. I've never met such a different group of people (I don't think I have to explain). In doing both activities I have had the same attitude towards other 'bikers' and sought the same benefits from each activity (health, fun, passion, etc.). Maybe this percentage of 'elitist' cyclists needs to hit the trails for a day and meet mountain bikers to see how it can be (as it does improve the experience).

Either way though, no skin off my back. I know a ****** whey I see one, it's just that they don't know how they portray themselves this way (and probably don't care).

 

[montreal5]

this has been a great thread. I'm glad I've found some people agree that some cycling fanatics are out of thier minds. I ride to improve my fitness, and I also enjoy the process. I respect people who are great athletes, but not when it comes at the expense of common decency or respect for others.

I usually ride laps in the park before or after work, and I never see anybody smile or say hello. In fact I usually get the opposite, a sneer as a "cyclist" passes. I've seen the "real studs," shout at ladies with baby carriages. I've been yelled at by wankers for blocking their path (even when they are going the worng way). It really creates an unnecessary tension when riding.

 

[fix]

this has been a great thread. I'm glad I've found some people agree that some cycling fanatics are out of thier minds. I ride to improve my fitness, and I also enjoy the process. I respect people who are great athletes, but not when it comes at the expense of common decency or respect for others.

I usually ride laps in the park before or after work, and I never see anybody smile or say hello. In fact I usually get the opposite, a sneer as a "cyclist" passes. I've seen the "real studs," shout at ladies with baby carriages. I've been yelled at by wankers for blocking their path (even when they are going the worng way). It really creates an unnecessary tension when riding.

I cannot condone anyone who mistreats others, endangers the lives of others, or infringes on the rights of others, nor do I suggest that you excuse them. Your latest post indicates the same idea.

However, as I read through this thread and what others have added, I'm not sure what the real issue is. Are other cyclists wankers because of their passion for how they choose to cycle -clothing, bike, speed, intensity, adoration of professional cyclists, etc. - that some people don't like, or is it how they treat others as they cycle that is upsetting to some people?

It always seems that a misunderstanding of others ultimately results in a hatred of their ways. This is not just confined to cycling, it is around us in so many other ways: Intolerance of religious differences; Intolerance of cultural differences; Intolerance of physical differences... I'll stop here, but I hope everyone gets the idea.

If someone wants to wear a clown suit while they ride their multi-colored, polka-dotted cruiser bike, who is the one that is to determine that it is wrong. If another person wants to pedal at a 105 Hz cadence, while wearing a DiscoTeam set along with a Livestrong band on a Trek madone with triathlon handle bars, as they suck down gel packs, are they supposedly any better or worse than the clown suited cruiser?

I've been riding for 4 years and don't know where I fit into someone's scrutiny of "proper cycling". I do know that I enjoy cycling and could be considered a ****** to those that are different from me - faster/slower; fanatic/casual; fully-outfitted/wearing non-cycling clothes; riding a clunker/riding a dream machine; unaware of others/waving to everyone they see; alone on the road/a part of a group ride; etc.

Enjoy cycling (and life) how you choose, and admire the differences that exist in this world. I suspect a world with no variety due to intolerance would be a lot less pleasant. Respect everyone's rights, including the right to be different.

 

[Aussie Steve]

Posted by bobbyOCR from Bunbury
".Couldn't agree more....Buy a fair bike for $500

Ride that the 3 kilometres to work and save the $500 back in a couple of months. Then go to work feeling fitter and healthier."

that entire post (extract above)from BobbyOCR sums it up perfectly, it hits the nail squarely on the head...

 

[bobbyOCR]

Posted by bobbyOCR from Bunbury
".Couldn't agree more....Buy a fair bike for $500

Ride that the 3 kilometres to work and save the $500 back in a couple of months. Then go to work feeling fitter and healthier."

that entire post (extract above)from BobbyOCR sums it up perfectly, it hits the nail squarely on the head...

ha thanks. Maybe we should change the name of the thread to "Are All Drivers Wankers?"

 

[mikesbytes]

this has been a great thread. I'm glad I've found some people agree that some cycling fanatics are out of thier minds. I ride to improve my fitness, and I also enjoy the process. I respect people who are great athletes, but not when it comes at the expense of common decency or respect for others.

I usually ride laps in the park before or after work, and I never see anybody smile or say hello. In fact I usually get the opposite, a sneer as a "cyclist" passes. I've seen the "real studs," shout at ladies with baby carriages. I've been yelled at by wankers for blocking their path (even when they are going the worng way). It really creates an unnecessary tension when riding.

Am I understanding correctly? You are upset with the attitude of the other riders in the park.
- Bad manners to pedrestians
- Not providing sufficient space for others.
- No friendly jesters
- Over equiped/dressed

BTW, I'm not sure what you mean by "real studs" is this "I think I'm cool, but I'm actually a **** head" ? lol

Its been an interesting thread and while we disagree with each others, we have managed to avoid a slanging match.

 

[Bigbananabike]

****** was being used in New Zealand in the 70's. Seems it have encircled the world.

Bike vs Performance as a measure of wankerism. Interesting concept. If I take out my 1980's steel rat bike and burn off some guys on flash bikes, does that make them wankers because I was quicker on a rat bike, or does that make me the ****** because I'm showing off?

===========================================================
Good to know us Kiwis have produced something lasting . I had heard or read the root of the word was German.
Re dragging them off on your old steelie = both!!

 

[mikesbytes]

===========================================================
Good to know us Kiwis have produced something lasting . I had heard or read the root of the word was German.
Re dragging them off on your old steelie = both!!

I thought it was Aussie slang that had made itself accross the Tasman Sea to NZ on or before the 70's. Perhaps it originates from the hills near Adelaide, South Australia?

 

[gclark8]

This topic should have been a poll:

Q. Do all cyclists masturbate?

A. 1. Yes, daily.
A. 2. Yes, weekly.
A. 3. Yes, weakly. (for the Over55s)
A. 4. No, I am a lyer.


Edit: "Little Jackie" just arrived from swimming training. She said my reply is too close to the bone!

 

[Scotttri]

Well...I am a ******, pure and simple.
Check out my signature at the bottom of this post.
However, If I played hockey, would you ask whether all hockey players were wankers? the fact that I cycle is not relevant to the fact that I AM a ******. It is just coincidence. Cause and effect.
I would definitely be a ******** and ****** whether or not I cycled.
Trust this will help you on your journey of self-discovery
(By the way, I assumed "******" was an Australian slang word and was unaware that Americans recognised it....well, we learn something new every day!)

Well thats just made my day, good Aussie humor LOL!!!!