I used to get a lot of stick from two lycra boys on my commute but now when then say "thats cheating" I usually reply "It's cheaper than EPO" or just mention Lance Armstrong. That tends to shut them up a bit.
I'm beginning to hate (some) cyclists
- Thread starter Phil the drill
- Start date
I've had a few roadie TC abusers over the last year of eBiking. It used to wind me up but I just ignore them now and whiz past. On a downhill stretch or even on the flat with wind assist they pass me so if you give them a serve in the first instance you might cop a return volley later.
Over time the roadies will get used to eBikes and contain their irrational resentment.
In my dreams however I pull alongside, produce a large wet herring out of the pannier and smack them in their ugly chops.
Over time the roadies will get used to eBikes and contain their irrational resentment.
In my dreams however I pull alongside, produce a large wet herring out of the pannier and smack them in their ugly chops.
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That's quite an interesting and light weight looking bike. Any chance of more details about it?
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It's a British thing. Cycling is a sport, not a means of transport. It is a view promoted by govermments and various sporting bodies (CTC, Sport England etc) which is why we spend fortunes on velodromes and TdF starts and very little on segregate bike lanes.
There was an interesting piece in the Guardian on cycing in Seville. Spain has a similar problem to Britain, but it can be changed. But it does rquire a lot of political will.
http://www.theguardian.com/cities/series/cycling-the-city
There was an inteview with Lance Armstong on BBC News a couple of days ago (has he got another book out?). I have put myself forward for a interview in which I will confess to an addiction to Watts, reveal how I secretly `charged my battery' during a daily commute, and how I arrive at work without raising a sweat. My agent will open negotiations at £5000. and i will want a power socket in my dressing room, just in case i need `topping up'. We cheats can prosper.
There was an interesting piece in the Guardian on cycing in Seville. Spain has a similar problem to Britain, but it can be changed. But it does rquire a lot of political will.
http://www.theguardian.com/cities/series/cycling-the-city
There was an inteview with Lance Armstong on BBC News a couple of days ago (has he got another book out?). I have put myself forward for a interview in which I will confess to an addiction to Watts, reveal how I secretly `charged my battery' during a daily commute, and how I arrive at work without raising a sweat. My agent will open negotiations at £5000. and i will want a power socket in my dressing room, just in case i need `topping up'. We cheats can prosper.
Hi Eddie,
Here's my thread on this rig:
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=64837
I hasten to add endless sphere is an awkward forum to use compared to this one.
Chris.
Here's my thread on this rig:
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=64837
I hasten to add endless sphere is an awkward forum to use compared to this one.
Chris.
That's an interesting explanation. I think it sounds deranged of the people involved, that they'd think the road this space of universal serious competition whose rules one voluntarily accepts or violates by riding on it. OK so if I compare academe, people do feel competitive with one another, it's a big driver. But there's something appropriate about that for students or researchers and something inappropriate about the road of all places taking that role. Key in all this is seems that the people involved invest the core of their identity in that role, i.e. cycling in this big road race and 'winning'. That would partially explain the bizarre disrespect and rudeness.
But there's something else strange because these 'race rules' don't sound like ordinary social rules (hence the abuse for just sharing the road). They sound actually like antisocial, pretty perverse givings-vent of hostile instincts by the lycra types. And you couldn't do that in a community proper - so it's as though the road isn't a community but it's a space in between where it's somehow 'ok' to be uncivil, un-amiable, shitty, aggressive - you'd never get away with that in your own community. If physical communities still exist in this digital age, that is :-(
I just wish people would be ordinarily courteous and decent on the road, and it not be treated any different from any ordinary community which ought to be about getting on somehow. The three same problems exist for me as a driver: competitiveness, aggressiveness, unaccountability (all on the part of others, of course). However maybe there's something extra involved in the biking example: ebikers often have physical disabilities, so the aggression takes on an additional tinge of 'strong' being hostile to 'weak' about which something the latter can do nothing about. That's pretty vile - and difficult to explain, but somehow familiar. Oh dear anyway back to contemplating my wise monkey figurines.
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I've always thought this is the case Jonathan, and the language often used in relation to roads tends to emphasise it, such expressions as fighting for road space, strugging with traffic etc., and this can affect all road users. Road rage is a very well known way in which this shows, "fights" are conducted by aggressive people.
I've posted in here many times that one's attitude to the use of roads needs the right foundation, we shouldn't think of fighting for road space, we should think in terms of sharing it.
That basis recognises the equal rights of others and promotes courtesy.
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Just finished a round trip of 15 miles on the Alien and have to say apart from two morons on drop bar racers who wished me dead,the majority of cyclists I met today were courteous,and one pulled along side me and commented that with the saddle bags i had on the rear carrier- it looked like a normal bicycle. One thing i've only just figured out,the pedelec function works better in a lower gear- if I stay in the second chain gear set and bottom cog,it feels like someone is pushing right in the small of my back !
On rare occasions I've suffered the odd bit of abuse from drivers but have never had a single adverse comment from a lycra. Quite the opposite in fact, a few have shown lots of interest in my e-bikes and asked questions about them. On one occasion when stopped looking at a view a lycra stopped to ask if I was ok or needed any help.
Perhaps one reason is that a number of pro riders use the North Downs where I live as a daily training ground, which it also officially became during the run up to a Tour de France which started from London. Their attitudes have always been ok, and with their presence I think the amateurs might perhaps tend to a bit subdued in attitude.
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Perhaps one reason is that a number of pro riders use the North Downs where I live as a daily training ground, which it also officially became during the run up to a Tour de France which started from London. Their attitudes have always been ok, and with their presence I think the amateurs might perhaps tend to a bit subdued in attitude.
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I saw the following on another forum recently, in which attitudes and opposite comparisons were being drawn between the typical British cyclist, to that of riders from across the other side our little stretch of water.
This made me smile.
Amsterdam.
London.
I saw the following on another forum recently, in which attitudes and opposite comparisons were being drawn between the typical British cyclist, to that of riders from across the other side our little stretch of water.
This made me smile.
Amsterdam.
London.
Yeah but look at the width of the cycle lanes and the number of motorised vehicles close to the cyclists to explain the helmets and jackets Eddie!
I also don't think it's fair to compare a Red Route with a continental city centre!
It's a very fair comparison, both groups are commuting. That it's a red route or having cycle lanes doesn't in any way influence how our lot are dressed, their body stances or the types of bikes chosen.
The photos show two entirely different attitudes to cycling, and that's a problem here in Britain.
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Disagree - one group looks like rush hour commuters, the other looks like shoppers travelling at 9am/10am in the morning. They don't look to be setup to be travelling to work!
Indeed you can see the veg shop in one of the baskets!
We've seen plenty of videos of commuting in the Netherlands and Denmark and they look exactly like that first photo. They commute on upright utility style bikes in normal street clothing.
I disagree John. It's just down to mental attitude, and fashion statement.
The fact is that UK riders just don't want to be seen riding comfy sensible bikes. They have no street cred. If all riders were on them, then the pace would simply become sensible, and probably a hell of a lot safer, with possibly fewer riders taking stupid chances.
The fact is that UK riders just don't want to be seen riding comfy sensible bikes. They have no street cred. If all riders were on them, then the pace would simply become sensible, and probably a hell of a lot safer, with possibly fewer riders taking stupid chances.
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It's pure fantasy to believe that the cycling infrastructure is always perfect in such as the Netherlands and Denmark, and we've had the odd video link to posted in here showing that tough conditions also exist. One posted by someone living there showed a very scary narrow road section with cyclists and cars mixing it, presumably in one of their older towns. The natural tendency to post photos of the ideal there for cycling can be very misleading.
The proposition that the hugely experienced Dutch cyclists couldn't cope in Central London I find unbelievable and your belief that it's all about the infrastructure shows you are in denial of the obvious huge difference in cycling attitudes in the two places. Do you really believe that Dutch cyclists called upon to cycle commute in London would immediately change their bikes, dress in Lycra and put on cycle helmets?
I'm betting the subject of this thread, abuse of e-bikers by another group of cyclists couldn't crop up in The Netherlands and Denmark, I'm confident that it doesn't exist there, further showing the huge difference in attitudes.
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I can't post a direct link to the video, but I bet that they get fewer incidents such as this one posted on the 28th Jan from this persons FB time line.
https://www.facebook.com/arthur.debellotte
https://www.facebook.com/arthur.debellotte
I'd be interested to see how many dutch riders commute, say 10 or 15 miles each way, 5 days a week.
I am also curious as to if dutch cyclists ride for leisure in the same way that UK riders do.
From the photo and others that I have seen, it would apear to me that they see their bikes as a tool for a specific job.
In th UK, bikes can mean much more to a lot of owners.
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