General Cycling Discussion - Do you feel like a cyclist?

Do you "feel" like a cyclist? Or do you wonder,"Am I a REAL cyclist?". When you get around other cyclists do you suddenly feel doubtful? I do sometimes, I don't know why, but I have to do alot of soul searching to get over it sometimes. I think I get so caught up in what a "real" cyclist is and being able to recite the specs of any bike, knowing all the latest stuff, and being able to drop everybody that I can't measure up to my own standards, and so I begin to doubt myself.

Nope. Not because of how others make me feel but when I think cyclist I think roadie and light xc. Doesn't 'feel' like it applies to how I ride.

I feel like a cyclist 'cause I am one.:)

The most important thing is to enjoy this sport. What really matters is your personal development. Most "good" cyclists know this and will want to do nothing but encourage you. If you pretend to be something you aren't, then you will lose their respect.

What is a cyclist?

To me, a cyclist is someone who cycles, and I do. I cycle for transportation, I cycle for fun, I know and apply the rules of the road. I feel comfortable and at ease on a bike, and most importanly, I feel good on a bike.

So, by my definition, I am a cyclist. I don't know what others think of me, and I don't care either.

Regards,

I'm a cyclist because most of the people I know don't love to ride as much as I do. I commute and ride trails when I can; that's what I do. I appreciate it when I see people out riding and I like to check out other people's bikes, read magazines and pore over catalogs, dream about riding sometimes, that kind of thing.

what I'm not, on the other hand, is a roadie, nor a light XCer, nor a DH guy, nor whatever other label is out there. I don't know enough people in any of those things to say whether I fit into their groups. I don't know if I'll ever fit in with any of those guys, but at this stage, I don't much care. maybe later, for some undefined day when I don't work as much or have as many demands on my time.

--alex.

what I'm not, on the other hand, is a roadie, nor a light XCer, nor a DH guy, nor whatever other label is out there

I agree. I ride a road bike and a rigid MTB equal amounts. I am also thinking about doing some XC riding again. I even spent two years doing nothing but dirt riding on a full suspension bike, I still have the bike but no longer the trails.

All this makes me a cyclist and that's it. No labels. Most weekends I don't even know which bike I am going to ride until I make a conscious decision as to my destination. If I can't decide I usually take the MTB.

Regardless of the bike, I always have fun.

CHEERS.

Mark

(script)
: (ChipR stands to address the room)
ChipR: Hi. my name is Chip and I...(shifts restlessly) I am...Uh, I am a cyclist.
: (group claps: standing as well)
Group (in unison): WELCOME!!
(/script)

I am a cyclist. It matters not what anyone else thinks. Sure there are lots of people who are more hadrcore than me. That is a matter of degrees. I get PLENTY of funny looks. I imagine I'll get TONS more funny looks when I finally throw on a pair of cycling shorts and a jersey. But ultimately, I don't care. I know how much I am enjoying the ride and the personal challenge of riding further and faster that my personal best. 6 mos or a year from now those giving me the funny looks when they pass me will be looking quite differently when it's me giving the "Passing" call from behind.

ChipR

i am a cyclist...

i am not just a recreational cyclist, but also a bike commuter.

i guess i have thought this way for about the last 6 years since i decided cycling was a really important thing for me (for example, i try to live/work so that i can cycle to work and make housing and work choices with this in mind, etc)

i ride almost every day of the year and when i'm not on the bike for a few days i feel like something's missing...

i also race XC and i am now a MTB tour guide in the Alps...

I like being one, and I feel good when am I one. There is something cool about riding a bike. I have a Jekyll and Hide head change when I ride. I snarl and curse at cars that get in my way or make riding potentially unpleasant. When I'm back in my car though, I always check out the bikes that others are riding.:)

I am a cyclist because cycling is what I do. I build my days around my ride schedule and my weeks [these days, at least] around races.

I live to ride.

I am a cyclist.

Its hard to pick between being a student and being a cyclist. I try to integrate both into my schedule as best I can, be when crunch time comes, being a student always winds up on top.

If I am not a cyclist- sure don't know what I do with the 6,000 plus miles I put on my bikes each year.
I cycle to commute, I cycle for fun, I cycle for fitness, I cycle to be capable of touring..
You might choose to live your life by someone else's definitions, but we are happier people if we live our lives by our own definitions.. That is what I think.
you define what you want out of cycling and life that expectation and you will be a cyclist by your own definition.. If that fits with others' cycling expectations- great... If you need communal support for your cycling- I am sure you will find the right element.. I feel I am a cyclist..God, knows I put enough time and money into it...

Don't hold yourself to a preconceived notion of a cyclist. A cyclist is not defined by what you ride, how much you ride, what you wear when you ride, or even what you do and don't know about bicycles.

A cyclist is someone who loves to ride their bike.

Ride when you can, have fun while you do, and never take it for granted.

Originally posted by mgagnonlv
What is a cyclist?

To me, a cyclist is someone who cycles, and I do.

Nothing more, nothing less, :beer:

I ride a bicycle frequently. Better than some. Not as good as most. Sometimes I call myself a "cyclist." Sometimes I call myself a retired soldier. Other times I refer to myself as a driver or motorist. I am also a father, husband, manager and a member of a church. Occasionally I refer to myself as a veteran of foreign wars. Once in a while I'm a gambler. Let's see. I am a father-in-law, brother uncle, nephew and pet owner. I guess I'm a homeowner too. And, weightlifter, politician, reader and watcher of TV and a friend to many.

I ride a bicycle frequently. Who I am is not exclusively a "cyclist" though. When I am cycling, that is what I work at, play at and pay attention to.

Carl

I AM a cyclist!

I commute EVERY day unless the weather is so bad as to make cycling impossible or very unsafe, like the extreme wind that broke my one year plus string of consecutive commutes. You can't ride if you can't stay upright. I also ride with a group on weekends. I wear the shorts, jerseys, shoes, etc., not to impress, but because they are comfortable and functional...and I like the pretty colors.

However, because I have only been at this a couple of years now I am sometimes reluctant to FEEL like a cyclist. It's not that I doubt that I am, just that I hesitate to equate myself with the old guard who have been doing it for so many years. Just as a young pro is expected to show a certain amount of respect for the "patrons" in the peloton as well as the sport itself. Maybe in a couple of more years I will FEEL like a cyclist.

Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don't. In either case, I always feel like a cyclist, but more importantly, a mountain biker. :D :D

Originally posted by Baboon
Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don't. In either case, I always feel like a cyclist, but more importantly, a mountain biker. :D :D

There are various degrees of cycling. And, IMHO a cyclist is one who cycles more then a person who sits a bike every now and then.

I "borrowed" this from another website so can't take credit. I can definitely identify with some of these statements. :)
Especially #10, 15, 18, and 19. :p


You Know You're a Real Bicyclist When....

1. You think that working on your bike is almost as much fun as riding it.
2. At some point you caught yourself wondering if your bike might look good if you added fenders.
3. You discover that you have forgotten to remove your reflective ankle straps hours after you have arrived somewhere by bicycle.
4. You would recognize that threaded washer from a Presta valve stem anywhere.
5. You make decisions about car purchases based on which one more easily accepts a rooftop bicycle rack.
6. You skip that last beer because there is a group ride the next morning.
7. Colorado Cyclist sent you a Christmas card last year.
8. Your bicycle(s) is(are) worth more than your automobile.
9. "Once you try bibs, baby, you'll never go back!".
10. You can tell your significant other with a straight face that its too hot to mow the lawn then take off and ride a century.
11. Your bike rack and attachments are worth more than your car.
12. You pull up hard on the steering wheel trying to jump your car over a pot-hole.
13. The first thing you ask when you regain consciousness is "How's my bike?"
14. You actually move farther from work so your bike commute will be longer.
15. You take a perverse pride in your mid-thigh and mid-bicep tan lines, and even more in that funny little circle on the back of your hand.
16. You learn you have some money left over after paying bills and the first thing you do is reach for the nearest bicycling catalog.
17. Most of the tools you own are made by Park or Blackburn.
18. Someone in a car asks for directions and you give them a route that bypasses freeways and busy surface streets.
19. When not on the bike you find yourself looking up to the left (where your mirror would be) to see if someone is behind you.

I guess I'm in! The only one I haven't done is #14. I even have the funny little circles; just noticed them about a month ago! Not only is my bike worth more than my car, I have to charge the battery every time I want to start the car!

I think that if we all take the time to come here and post, we're probably cyclist, as for myself, I build my bikes including the wheels, I repair, tune and maintain my bikes. I have 5 that I ride regularly. I ride to run errands, I commute to work 95% of the time, I ride every day that I don't work, I plan my vacations around my bike, I ride well over 10,000 miles ayear. I promote cycling on a daily basis.

You decide.

Does this make me a cyclist? Or, does this mean that I have an excessive compulsive personality? Or, Am I just some old guy without much else to do?

Not only do I ride 200-250 miles a week for fun, but the bicycle is my only transportation.
This reminds me of the commercial that ran shortly after 9/11 where there were video shots of people from different ethnic backgrounds and they would say "I am an American"
So here goes:

I am a cyclist.

All I have to do is look down at my tanned arms and legs with white hands and feet and I think "yep, I'm a cyclist."

Originally posted by fubar5
Do you "feel" like a cyclist? Or do you wonder,"Am I a REAL cyclist?". When you get around other cyclists do you suddenly feel doubtful? I do sometimes, I don't know why, but I have to do alot of soul searching to get over it sometimes. I think I get so caught up in what a "real" cyclist is and being able to recite the specs of any bike, knowing all the latest stuff, and being able to drop everybody that I can't measure up to my own standards, and so I begin to doubt myself.
Matt, you are becoming introspective...

THANKS A LOT FOR GIVING ME SOMETHING ELSE TO WORRY ABOUT!

:D

Just kidding. :)

Seriously, my biggest prob is not how I stack up against other cyclists, but being the only one in my workplace.

"Still riding your bike to work?" :rolleyes:

"No, I'm trying a camel, now."

Damn you have my extra large pig beat. :)