General Cycling Discussion - What am I?

I just bought a bicycle recently, a trek hybrid. The guys in the shop were commenting things like, "that's an awesome commuter bike." I was left confuzed. You see my bike ride to work is only 8 minutes long. I ride my bike everywhere else and clock many many more miles just doing stuff around the city. I don't think I'm a communter... or am I?
Is there a name for people who don't own cars and ride their bikes everywhere and not just to work?

I haven't posted to the forum in a while but this is the thought that I have at the moment.

Originally posted by kittyfury
Is there a name for people who don't own cars and ride their bikes everywhere and not just to work?
"Chosen."

You are a cyclist. I really don't like to wear labels, like "what kind of cyclist are you?" Labels are something people give you to put you in a box for easy classification. It doesn't tell who you really are.

Good point about labels, but still they can be handy sometimes. I think "commuter" should be defined broadly enough to mean somebody who uses bikes for actual transportation, including at least some shopping, and riding to and from work some or most of the time if employed. That way somebody lucky enough to be retired, like yours truly, can still fit under the wire.

To me, "commuter" points toward a set of needs that are secondary or non-existent to purely recreational cyclists: lights, rain gear, luggage (see excellent thread on luggage!), and advanced skills in coping with moderate-to-heavy traffic (since a lot, perhaps most, purely recreational cyclists these days transport their bikes by cartop to a relatively traffic-free haven for riding).

"Commuter" may also suggest a cyclist who's determined to avoid using motor transport by pressing the bike into service in its place, and thereby cleaning up the environment a little bit.

Perhaps you should read my piece I'm a cyclist, Get over it!

Chris

No name, but a couple of adjectives.
committed
and
lucky
Enjoy, 'fury. It's a good time to be car-less.

Most of all, Chris, you are one of US. It is good to hear from you. I always enjoy your posts.
Regards,
Raymond

Originally posted by kittyfury
I just bought a bicycle recently, a trek hybrid. The guys in the shop were commenting things like, "that's an awesome commuter bike." I was left confuzed. You see my bike ride to work is only 8 minutes long. I ride my bike everywhere else and clock many many more miles just doing stuff around the city. I don't think I'm a communter... or am I?
Is there a name for people who don't own cars and ride their bikes everywhere and not just to work?

I haven't posted to the forum in a while but this is the thought that I have at the moment.
I think you are called "KITTYFURY'
just kidding

As Ba-dg-er said, if you ride your bike all the time, you are a cyclist. But the argument can be made that there are all sorts of cyclists.I think of myself as more of a commuter and enthusiast rather than "cyclist", "cyclist" sounds more like a racer that only rides to train.
I would be careful before calling myself a "commuter", we tend to be a wierd group with a a high"dork" factor.

Originally posted by fubar5
I would be careful before calling myself a "commuter", we tend to be a wierd group with a a high"dork" factor.
Heeyyyy...!

Originally posted by Pete Clark

Heeyyyy...!

Pete, I consider myself a commuter, so when I say we have a high dork factor, I am including myself. Besides, you can't deny it, only commuters understand commuters. Wouldn't you say?

Ok, I think I'm ok now. Of course my girlfriend calls people Bikelists. I think it's cute. Thank you for the input.

Originally posted by fubar5
I would be careful before calling myself a "commuter", we tend to be a wierd group with a a high"dork" factor.

Hey, I resemble that remark!!!

Considering what it means to be a NON-dork (unable to program VCR, don't understand email or how to get on the Internet, probably don't know where food comes from, etc.), I'm as nearly proud of my well-earned DORK status as of anything I can claim title to.

Let's take me, for example. I do not own a car, and use the bike as my transportation. I own a MTB and do hit the trails occasionally. Also, half of my commute is on a highway, so I guess I am also part roadie.

The Cyclist I am.

Originally posted by JonR
...probably don't know where food comes from, etc...
Ever seen how "Zorro" showed people he could have killed them, but instead just marked a "Z" on their jacket and let them go?
Well, consider this a "Z" on your jacket, Jon: I could have started another SPAM thread, here (yummy!)

Originally posted by Pete Clark
Jon: I could have started another SPAM thread, here (yummy!)


Your wish is my command:

http://www.spam.com/assets/hp/spam_cartoon.gif