Helmet Head

How many people have you inspired to take up cycling?

By inspired I mean: talked to them about cycling, buying bikes, riding in traffic, fixing bikes, etc., such that they either began cycling or got a lot more serious about cycling because of your involvement.

Tapeworm21

Ooops... thought the question was "How many people inspired you to cycle." Easy on that... my dad owns a bike shop and has owned it for almost 30 years. But, now I work in a bike shop and have no idea if I've inspired someone.... hopefully I have, that would be super sweet. I love going into work and KNOWING I'm going into work and B.S. about bikes all day... love it.

eubi

At last count, my Scout cycling program has taken 67 people on a total of 6359 man-miles.

However, not too many decide on cycling as their new pastime. At lease they get exposed to it.

This weekend we take the Metrolink out 18 miles and ride back!

genec

In recent memory, only 4. But I have also kept folks cycling that had pretty much put their bikes away.

I visit, lay on the guilt, and they break the bikes out and we go for a few short rides. They report later that they have done a few more rides... but I suspect that after that, and until my next visit, the bike goes back into the garage.

Bekologist

Thousands.

Why the poll, armchair rider?

chipcom 

I'm not arrogant enough to think that simply providing information and/or instruction has inspired anyone to do something that they didn't already want to do in the first place.

donnamb 

+1. I'm just their talking reference manual.

Bekologist

good point, chip. Okay, I talk to thousands of people about biking, safe lights, taking the lane, etc. but these people are certainly not raw silk waiting to be made into cycling clothes, they're already considering it or there in some way.

I've certainly pimped out hundreds of Superflashes to riders here in the Northwest; the Superflash is approaching critical mass- riders are coming in looking for the blink-blink-BLINK light........ and buying in droves. Helping to make cyclists safer, one blinky at a time!

I wonder why the resident A&S neophyte traffic cyclist has started this poll?

recursive

I wouldn't be either, unless I saw it happen. Twice. Now I am that arrogant.

chipcom 

Ifin ya can walk the walk....

Bekologist

you arrogant so and so's......

Helmet Head

It's 1:1 advocacy. Inspiring family members, friends and colleagues to take up the activity regularly. Just curious how much of it is going on with forum members.

cyclezealot

The polls fine. SOme might feel better with the word encouraged. I sort of feel I encouraged one rider. He had previously taken up cycling. But, after he had a couple years pause, I invited him to join our group. After one ride he was hooked. Bought a new Giant couple weeks later.

Helmet Head

It's not necessarily something that they didn't already want to do.
But it might be something they've always thought about, but never got around to trying.
I mean, if you don't have a bike, or if your bike is really old, taking up cycling, particularly as a sport, presents a significant effort for most people. You not only have to buy a new bike (which involves picking a bike from a myriad of choices), or get an old bike in good running order, but you have to learn the gears, about clip pedals, buy all the accessories (pedals, shoes, helmet, pump, tool/patch kit, tube, clothing, etc.). Having a family member, friend or colleague who will help you can make it less daunting, and make the difference between doing it, or not doing it.

I suspect that almost every BF member has someone, maybe several people, in his or her social circle, for whom the difference between getting into bicyling or not, or getting into it more seriously, can be made by inspiration from the BF member.

I'm not talking about picking someone who has shown no interest and trying to coax him or her into it. I'm talking about making yourself "known" as a bicyclist in your social circle, and talking a little bit about it when the opportunities present themselves.

• At a party mention the great bike ride you went on that day.
• Complemented on your physique? Mention the biking you do regularly.
• Hear someone complaining about traffic and congestion? Bring up how you deal with it - by biking to work.
• If someone mentions something about how dangerous it is to ride a bike out there with all those inattentive drivers, explain how and why it can be safe.

Stuff like that. Eventually, someone is likely to ask follow-up questions. Be inspiring in your answers. Next thing you know they might be asking you to help them shop for a new bike...

That's what I mean, and I've seen it happen for me three times now. Does that make me arrogant too?

Jeez, this is an advocacy forum, is it not? I can't believe you give me grief for even a pure advocacy thread like this one.

Helmet Head

That's what I'm talking about.

Yes, encouraging others to take up cycling, successfully, counts too, but that's different (though no less valuable) from inspiring. Often they go together.

SingingSabre 

I got my girlfriend to start cyclocommuting, but that doesn't count because she lives just off campus and doesn't have a car. I got her familiarized with the particulars, though.

I also managed to get one of her friends interested. She should be starting really soon, in fact.

Scot_Gore

Alone in the dark I like to give myself credit for 20+. But in reality, I give the credit to the fight to end the devastating effects of Multiple Sclerosis.

I think the vairous "rides for a cause" do more to attract people to cycling than any other single thing.

IMHO: It has bigger effect than the Lance effect, advertising, peer to peer encouragement, or any other single thing.

Scot

invisiblehand

I figure that I chased away thousands with my ugly appearance.

However, my wife probably bought an equal number back ...

Helmet Head

Good examples. Inspiring, in fact.

chipcom 

Down boy...I didn't mean that to sound like I thought you were arrogant. (Ok maybe I do, but not from this thread ) I mean't that I don't feel that I am arrogant enough to make such a claim, I just don't give myself that much credit when it comes to inspiring or influencing other people. Capice?

Brian Sorrell

The wife and I (arrogantly) inspire one another.

Brian Ratliff

Sounds sexy .

HAMMER MAN

my twin brother and my son, both my riding partners.

LittleBigMan

It's really hard to say. I've read many posts over the years in the Commuting forum in which people report that it was the people on Bikeforums (Commuting subforum, in particular) that inspired them to ride. But who can claim credit for that, individually, I don't know. Yet it does show that one's fervent love of cycling can be very infectious.

I always encourage people to ride if I can. But I've learned over the years that people are more inspired by example than they are talking. Sometimes talking about riding can make people feel uncomfortable (or bored out of their skulls.)

In particular, I can think of one person here at work in his mid 50's. When I met him, he was a bit overweight. Talking, I found out he used to do triathalons, but a nerve condition in his thigh made it painful. One day when I bumped into him again, his head was shaved and he was as thin as a rail. He was back into amateur competition. I sometimes wonder if my riding helped give him one more reason to go back.

chipcom 

I'll put my vote in for these folks:
https://www.cnn.com/video/player/play....memorial.affl