Why do men cycle so seriously? (a monograph in draft, copyright assigned to Cycle Forums)

reflect and consider your drives, what and why?


TBC

 

(first rough draft, and I space the lines to help me with my poor near field vision....comments and slams always welcome)

I once asked my Brother, James,
"Do women smell differently (up close) than do men?"
He snorted in derision, "JUST WHAT the f do you think?"

Having never sniffed a woman up close, I cannot say.
Am talking about the natural, almost ineffable, odor of male v female bodies,
and how that affects our brain's response....

I am a virgin to women. And so, that is another reason for this monograph.
Men enjoy the society of men, especially in sport.
This is a trend as ancient as human life, older.

It is a tool for social bonding, for competition, friendly, between males.
It allows females to find and select the "best" males.
Camaraderie, provides a 'placebo' for sexual drive,
a partial outlet for the ever-horny male human.

The sport of cycling, with men predominating in all big events,
with men "in tights", affords good views, yes,

but this is key: cycling is perhaps about the least "gay" sport around.
Men just like to compete with peers,
they like each others' society in sporting and work events.
Women, likewise, most love to segregate, even in sports, yes?

What drives men to sport, to compete? Why not just run solitary, or bike, solitary?
Most look for a cycle club, or running partner.
Why? Do they unconsciously like each others' nearly,
but impalpable, trace of "pheromone" odor?
They are not "gay", but are men
who like to work out with other men,
and remain friends even to their rivals in the sport.

 

I would like to talk about animal nature, dear readers, is that alright?

You understand, we all are animals, just like tigers and mice.

And if you never saw mice in bed, well! I tell you, you missed a savage porn show!

The point is, that all of our natural behaviors are obviously good, and are not to be ashamed about.

Men apparently love to be with men, in part, I think, for the vague scent of male peers,

and women love that too. And that sense of smell, or of visual interest or just "belonging to the group of guys",

is vitally important to human society and the preservation of us all, as we all must care for each other.

Enough for now, I must think, too, and sort thoughts.

Your inputs, criticisms are always welcome, invited, just don't disagree too heartily? I might tear, boo hoo, : )

 

men like to pitch themselves against each other and it's very important for men to be good at stuff. In very general terms, women don't generally enjoy such things.. we tend to beat ourselves up over a defeat where a man would strive to perform better next time. Obviously, there are competitive women in the world, but mainly in professional circles... both in business and sport. You don't find as many women in the amature circles.... it's a great, great shame. Men tend to enjoy being quite amature and average at things I guess. AND, the main reason men take biking so seriously, is because of all the kit and technical stuff. They just LOVE all that and it adds another serious and encouraging dimension to cycling that us women don't really appreciate.

 

Thank you, SummerZest, for a great posting reply.
I thought about your words, for they resonated me deeply.

I wrote a post to another thread,
http://www.cyclingforums.com/forum/thread/485791/people-verses/240#post_4007198
(((posting number 243)))
It explains to even myself, why I am the way I am.

Thank you SummerZest, you are a gift from above too.


Reid

 

You are exactly right but I don't think it is a shame, I think it is smart! And I speak from 30 years of experience dealing with men engaging in BS pissing contests about stuff that doesn't amount to shite. Motorcycles, bicycles, you name it. My wife doesn't give a rat's ass about carbon fiber or what the group weighs, she is too busy being extremely successful in her career. At 54 I am now completely sick of listening to a little clique of middle-aged guys shooting their mouths off about how many grams something doesn't weigh. I don't have to listen to that crap anymore so I don't. That is why I have come to avoid "group" and shop rides as they are populated mostly by amateur braggarts who will take you out through some stupid move, and then annoy the F out of you with a bag of hot air after the ride./img/vbsmilies/smilies/ROTF.gif

 

Now that is a damned shame. Women smell just great as I can attest. Just get a prenup and STD test first!!!/img/vbsmilies/smilies/ROTF.gif

 

Thank you, d....just know that you are beloved by both sexes.

Remember, men and women are each, one half of what the other wants.

I am a man (Reid is male) but is "gay", and we don't know why, as Reid was never messed-with as a boy.

"I just turned out this way", and that is true. And men are not repulsive, for if they were, women would not pine for them.

Women are so sweet and soft and brave and delicious, but this guy cannot go to bed with a soul-mate sister.

Guys, even the straightest, love group or pack-behavior activities. They love to sport-adventure together, out doors,

and leave their women or girls at home to make the house cozy for their return.

It's all a pretty wonderful balance of powers, when we think of it.

And yes, as we guys get older we realize that we were snotty fools when young,

and we wish we could apprise the young guys, to not be jerk offs and posers,

and so do the women who want to "train" them to be their mates.

fwiw, more opinions? I like your inputs, guys!

Wait, I did not mean it that way, I mean, input in the -nice- way.

Meet Lydia?




PS to doiturself,

Guy, you are all male, and all straight, and brave enough to talk to me,

and I think you are a hero. I give you a brother-hug, a brother kiss the cheek,

and say, "I love you for your wisdom and valor".

And that is no shame, but an honor, for a good, a very good, man.


Reid


I you were to shout and poke me in the eye for that, I would tear, blink, and cry,

"why did you do that? I love you."

 

Guys give each other their lives every day in battles on the field,
and in battles for the mind. I ask people to be heroes to themselves,
and, please, give your hearts to yourselves, that you may give your heart to others.
It is not a sexual issue, but a personal security issue. You are gay, straight,
or probably, somewhere in between, male readers. You are a pack animal,
you like your brothers. In other societies than our own, males often hug and kiss,
non-sexually, at the least. But, in all societies, males join with, for work or sport, with legions of men,
because they like to bond that way, and packs of cyclists in lycra, are a modern
iteration of one of our most basic and beneficent behaviors.
Did you all ever study dogs at play? I never heard of a "gay" dog, did you?
No. But all dogs are sexually curious and driven, and will "hump" each other,
especially if there are sexually unreceptive "bitches" (the correct term) present.
Dogs are willy-nilly-silly sexual addicts, and men are the very same way, you see?

That's part of my view, and I say again, I love anyone brave enough to express thoughts in public,
for to be active is to be good and to be heard is a need of all great men and women.

 

You don't think Amish women are competitive in their quilting circles?

 

Good point, AlanG. Amish women are well known to be totally vicious in their circles. P )

Let's look for more examples of tough women tougher than mountain trails,

let's find the WILD WOMEN OF WONGO again...(((it was made right here in the Miami area)))


((double click on player for full screen option, and to see other clips, and also, MST3000's hilarious annotated version of WWOW))

Sociology is fun when it has breasts, right guys?

=Look it co-stars, "Johnny Walsh" and then later we learn, the director of photography is Harry Walsh.

=The opening scene is a wide view of Tahiti Beach's swimming lagoon, extant today, though now ringed by an asphalt paved walkway.
=All the outdoor scenes in this film are familiar to locals here today. All the scenes are out of doors, for they had no money to make a soundstage.

In the opening scene you see the "primitive" man seeking wisdom from a seer, a woman, who inhabits, what is, in real life, one of the great enigmas
of the world, "The Coral Castle".

It was all built by one, tiny man, in tribute, it is said, to the woman who spurned him.
I have been there many times in my life. It's a wonder. The pivoting, solid stone door, used to operate
by the mere touch of a hand, a light press, I recall working it as a boy. It was on "Model T rear axle bearings" then.

The builder of Coral Castle was not like normal men. He was totally withdrawn from the regular world. We don't understand him, even today.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Leedskalnin

Little side trips into worlds of mystery help us to better tolerate the odd man out.
Yes, why do men cycle so seriously? Some very good answers have already been given above by another observer,
but there are so many odd men in and out of bounds of all normal logic. Why? I don't know, myself. Do you?

 

a pointer, the inhumanity of mankind to itself, discuss or think, there,

this is merely a pointer to a travesty I intend to remedy,


http://www.cyclingforums.com/forum/thread/485791/people-verses/240#post_4007384

He gave me some of his rations. We shared a water cup, filled by slow drips from

the broken water tap, that would not operate. He bunked under the bare sheet metal "rack",

on the cold, tile, floor. The rack, it shielded him from the blast of incessant, cold AC.

I had no place to lay but on the "pan" that was the "bunk", no bedding at all, on bare, painted steel,

like a dead man in a morgue, but, I could not die...

 

It's good to get old, you become happy again with memories of the ten dollar, used Huffy of 1963.

I think of all the passion and money expended on bikes, instead of on women (or, worse, if you have both addictions) : )



Buy a good, name brand, value-oriented bike.
Inside of a week, begin throwing way the OEM parts,
and upgrade! Then throw away the bike and buy a better starter,
and throw away its groupset in snatches, and upgrade!

Ha ha!

Those round spoke wheels are so last-century. They gotta go.

What shall we get for this bike above? And then what next?

Put as much upgrade money into this bike as possible (fantasy upgrades),

then let it get crashed or stolen, and let's try again?

 

Now, watch me change gears fast.

My buddy, my life-witness, Alvaro, of The Home Depot, is a married man

who works out of doors outside the exit door of THD on most days,

offering roofing and window upgrades from a portable stand he sets up

and breaks down to put away every day. He is in his forties. Alvaro

rides a road bike to and from work, every day, rain or shine,

twelve miles each way. His bike has, he says, about fifteen thousand miles

on its frame, and it looks to me, nearly like new.

Some guys just cycle and do.

 

Men have always cycled to win, from A.A. to Z. , as in A.A. ZIMMERMAN,

http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA289&dq=racing%20safety%20bicycle&ei=u2gpTpaxO5O2twef_7XXAg&ct=result&id=tgoMAAAAYAAJ&output=text

http://bikeville.blogspot.com/2009/08/aa-zimmerman-zimmy.html


Quote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Augustus_Zimmerman#Retirement_and_death Zimmerman stopped racing in 1905 and retired to Point Pleasant, New Jersey on the coast near Asbury Park.

He ran a hotel and former colleagues such as Alf Goullet called in to remember old times.

Zimmerman still received invitations to race but turned them down, saying when he was 48, that he had rheumatism.[26]

He died in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 22, 1936, aged 67. He had had a heart attack.

Posters advertising his appearances are still auctioned.

In 2003, a battered black-and-white Raleigh poster proclaiming his status as world champion

– 'over 2,300 prizes during 1892' – sold for $800.

 

Well if you are a man and you are going to get in the proper gear. You would need to be serious or you look gay. Lol I mean come on the whole thing is slightly questionable with the tight pants. It all works in conjunction with speed, comfort, and so not to get in the way. Lean, mean, and ready to roll.

 

I'm not a man, but from my observations I wouldn't say that men cyclists ride THAT seriously. They can ride their bikes recreationally too, but they are also consistent in their rides which isn't anything bad, at least in my opinion.

 

I'm a man and I would not say that I take cycling too seriously. It's a hobby that I enjoy from many sides of the cycling world. I've been cycling consistently since 1995. Anywhere from 4,000-7,000 miles per year. I introduced my wife to cycling in 2006 and she has been riding consistently since then as well.

I enjoy riding so it has evolved into other aspects of cycling. Now I build my own bikes, maintain them, build my own wheels. I log all my miles on Strava and Garmin for fun and data.

This hobby has helped me stay healthy over the years and we enjoy it. It helps us keep in shape. I have done several solo centuries in 5:45. My wife has done a couple in 6:45 which is a good healthy sign for grandparents of 9 kids. When we ride on the weekends we ride the best we can. It helps us stay in shape. Last week we did 18.0 MPH average on our tandem, for a 45 miler. My wife can do 17.2 on her single bike on the same 45 miler. Some people think that is fast but we just ride to better our health and fitness as recreational riders.

If I were serious about my riding, I wouldn't have ever asked my wife to ride along. I'd say about 80% of my mileage within the last 18 years has been with her riding along.

So no, not serious, just found a hobby we can both enjoy together! B)

As far as tight lycra pants, you get the right tool for the job. I'd never show up to play ping pong with a tennis racket. Shorts are for comfort as most our rides are 40-60 milers. I don't like jerseys but I wear them to carry my camera in the rear pockets as I blog our rides. Other wise I would just wear a tank top or cotton t shirt.