General Cycling Discussion - Sheldon or Lance?

I couldn't give a crap about Lance Armstrong or professional road cycling, but many seem to revere him. I prefer Sheldon Brown, honestly. So what do you fellow bike geeks prefer? Eccentric graybeard liberal types who know random crap about strange bicycles and ride them everywhere for everything? Or really fast guys with expensive gear who win races? I'd also include grant peterson and floyd landis, but that would be trolling. Or I could include Major Taylor, Eddy Merckx or Tulio Campagnolo, but they are dead.

So who is it?

Or I could include Major Taylor, Eddy Merckx or Tulio Campagnolo, but they are dead.


Boy, that must have been a recent death.... he was just in France on the podium a week ago....

oh, my bad.

ditka

Neither. I revere no one.

I would lean more toward the eccentrics among us.
I don't follow racing.

- Sheldon is The Man... to me, he epitomizes the 'every man' cyclist ethic... although corporations would have you believe that the mechanics of cycling is rocket science, Sheldon proves that anyone with a will, interest, and love of craft can become more than just a recreational rider... he has done some amazing stuff, and i love his collection of rides...

- but even more important: he shares his information! this is the mark of a true aficionado and a gentleman in the best tradition...

- we need more people like Sheldon in this world...

Also.... Sheldon is a paid-in-full member and contributor to the BikeForums website. I'd not be surprised if he popped into this thread to say hello, though I think he mostly checks in over at the bike mechanics sub-forum.

There are many reasons to admire both of them in different ways.............

Both Lance and Sheldon have been inspirational to my returning to cycling in ways... However, Sheldon has been the greater influence.

Sheldon's web site was one of the early sites I ran into on the net when I was getting back into cycling. I was pleasantly surprised to see him in the forum after I joined in...

I like Sheldon because he has helped me to remember that I should do whatever I like to my bike and not necessarily just go for what pleases the masses... I love the creative things he has done to some of his bikes, and have decided to make my own creations (although not going to the extent he has in setting the example).

Most recent impact was in mounting the fenders on my commuter, I needed to fabricate drop bolts to clear the V-Brakes... I bought some aluminum stock, and even though the holes aren't centered the way I was trying to do it, I now am fully fendered, and have customized my bike. I could have brought it to the shop, but I wanted to put a little of myself into the project.

I am now in the process of gathering the parts to recreate a bicycle from my youth... A frankenbike like no others, that will handle poorly and not stop well, but let me ride with the wind in my face and laugh like I haven't laughed in a long time. (I will wear a helmet now though). A three speed monstrosity that only its creator could love. A bike I used on the road as a loaded tourer for one trip, keeping pace with a friend's store bought 10 speed (of course it is about the motor)... A bike I used to ride around the trails before there was such a thing as a mountain bike... And it will rise again!!! Sure, it will be slightly different based on available components, and inability to find the exact frame etc. But, I am different too... I may actually follow through and paint it this time instead of riding it for years with gray primer with rust coming through... I am thinking neon orange!

Thanks Sheldon, for giving me the desire to ride my bike the way I want to ride my bike... You have awakened a sleeping giant!

Darwin "I voted for Sheldon" Gregory

Also.... Sheldon is a paid-in-full member and contributor to the BikeForums website. I'd not be surprised if he popped into this thread to say hello, though I think he mostly checks in over at the bike mechanics sub-forum.

Sheldon OR Lance? Why not BOTH!

http://sheldonbrown.com/nanodrive/sheldon-lance.jpg

Actually I do monitor the Bike Mechanics forum, but i also do a regular search for "sheldon" on the whole site, egomaniac that I am...

Sheldon "You Called?" Brown

+----------------------------------------+
| It is easier to ask forgiveness |
| than it is to get permission |
| --Admiral Grace Hopper |
+----------------------------------------+

Sheldon. No contest.

-Psimet "Lance Who?" 2001

Sheldon.
To cycling what James Brown is to soul.....
The Godfather :beer:

wow, I was really expecting this to go the other way... and that picture will give me nightmares.

Both of them are positive role models in my opinion. Cheers to both Sheldon and Lance.

Sheldon answers my emails.

Lance doesn't.

Sheldon... the commonman biker for all of us.

I have yet to hear Lance support anything common about cycling... it is either TdF, Lance, or Cancer.

Let me know when Lance "bike commutes" to work.

Sheldon, no contest. He represents to me the cameraderie of cycling, not just the competitive aspect. The main reason I love riding old 3-speed crocks is that Sheldon made the knowledge so accessible.

Sheldon has been a great resource. Lance rides a bike real well, but he has never helped me fix my bike.

uh.... i guess shelon... he's actually usefull.

Sheldon OR Lance? Why not BOTH!

http://sheldonbrown.com/nanodrive/sheldon-lance.jpg

Actually I do monitor the Bike Mechanics forum, but i also do a regular search for "sheldon" on the whole site, egomaniac that I am...

Sheldon "You Called?" Brown

+----------------------------------------+
| It is easier to ask forgiveness |
| than it is to get permission |
| --Admiral Grace Hopper |
+----------------------------------------+


Sheldon, I fear that eagle is inhibiting the tan on your face. :D

I voted for Sheldon. But I like em both.

You rock sheldon!
I bought a pair of kneesaver adapters from harris about a week ago so I could put egg-beaters on my '77 schwinn. All the LBS's in town told me there was no possible way to put clipless pedals on a one piece crank, thanks to you the next time I ride in, I'll get to see one more astonished face as I did something someone told me wasn't possible.

I was up in Brockton last weekend for a wedding, and thought of heading over to Newton to go shopping at Harris, but I just didn't have the time. (The groom and I did however, catch as much of the tour as we could, sadly the last stage was on oln at the exact time of the wedding)

Lance, not because of anything cycling related, but because he's trying to fund a cure for cancer.

I couldn't give a crap about Lance Armstrong or professional road cycling, but many seem to revere him. I prefer Sheldon Brown, honestly. So what do you fellow bike geeks prefer? Eccentric graybeard liberal types who know random crap about strange bicycles and ride them everywhere for everything? Or really fast guys with expensive gear who win races? I'd also include grant peterson and floyd landis, but that would be trolling. Or I could include Major Taylor, Eddy Merckx or Tulio Campagnolo, but they are dead.

So who is it?

SB is an old fart.

SB is an old fart.

I WILL KILL YOU!

haha, ive learned more from sheldon than anyone else. i also do a search for "Sheldon Brown" but that's just so i can read his post to learn more (i have too much time at work)

The day Lance publishes a free "wattage" calculator that is as useful as SB's gear inch calculator, I'll give a nod to him.

Lance may be funding a cure for cancer, but SB is funding a cure for ignorance.

Neither. The Iron Chef of roadkill himself: Victor Vincente.

The day Lance publishes a free "wattage" calculator that is as useful as SB's gear inch calculator, I'll give a nod to him.

I don't think most bikers want to run that calculator and find out what kind of wattage they're actually outputting.

That gear calculator took over my life for a several month period.

Ken Kifer for me. Thoreauvian , tour master and died with the handlebars in his hands.

I kind of lost interest with 'The Tour' after Marco. Lance may have an ego the size of a Buick, but to see him with kids with cancer shows he knows whats really important with life.

Sheldon makes me want to buy a complete set of Park tools somehow.

Ya, Ken was the man.
Years ago I emailed him soliciting some advice on building some homemade panniers.
He was more than accommodating, and seemed like as nice a guy as his website (http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/index.htm) portrayed.


Ken Kifer for me. Thoreauvian , tour master and died with the handlebars in his hands.

I kind of lost interest with 'The Tour' after Marco. Lance may have an ego the size of a Buick, but to see him with kids with cancer shows he knows whats really important with life.

Sheldon makes me want to buy a complete set of Park tools somehow.

Sheldon is Kool.

- Sheldon is The Man... to me, he epitomizes the 'every man' cyclist ethic... although corporations would have you believe that the mechanics of cycling is rocket science, Sheldon proves that anyone with a will, interest, and love of craft can become more than just a recreational rider... he has done some amazing stuff, and i love his collection of rides...

- but even more important: he shares his information! this is the mark of a true aficionado and a gentleman in the best tradition...

- we need more people like Sheldon in this world...
Preach on!

Three cheers for Sheldon Brown. I would never have thought repairing and tinkering with my bike could have been so fun and easy if I hadn't stumbled across his site one day in 2003. I would never know how to unbend my chainring if Sheldon hadn't personally replied to my r.b.t post with info on how to do it. I would never have built my own fixed gear bike if Sheldon didn't have his great site on fixed gear. Despite the fact that Sheldon is a PROFESSIONAL bike mechanic and dealer, he freely gives out mechanical advice and tips on how to improvise tools and parts so that you can save money... very appreciated by us frugal grad students.

Sheldon, if we ever meet, I'm buying you a beer or ten (or whatever your drink of choice may be)! And if you're still reading this thread, do you ever have trouble coming up with nicknames to add to your posts?

PS- Why do I find so many fellow Linux geeks on BF? :D

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I just wanna mess with Sheldon's next search..... :D
He did answer my e-mail ....... Lance didn't, so I vote for Sheldon.

...

This is completely off-topic, but I had no idea you could put ™ or other interesting characters in your username. Cool!

Maybe I'll change mine to ɱøẋƒÿrę :)

VV of A had the facial hair thing going on before Sheldon. :p

Dumb poll. At best, I think it's crude to nickname Lance "one nut" in your poll. Both guys have done a lot for cycling, but in different ways. I respect both guys, and if you're truly a proponent of cycling in general, I don't know why you'd feel the need to disparage either one.

Who do I prefer...like, as a human being? Both are exceptional at what they do, and I respect both Sheldon and Lance for different reasons. They are both among the very best in the world in their fields, and I think I'd enjoy riding and having a post (or during) ride beer with either.

I wouldn't want to discuss politics with Sheldon though, and liberal thinking drives me insane. Doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy his company otherwise though.

I guess I don't understand the point of the question, I certainly can't answer it.

I wouldn't want to discuss politics with Sheldon though, and liberal thinking drives me insane. Doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy his company otherwise though.

How does anyone know what Sheldon's political beliefs are? I saw he (briefly) had a Kerry-Edwards banner on his site before the 2004 election. I voted for Kerry, and I consider myself a pretty dead-middle moderate on balance (though not on any one issue).

Apparently I've read more of his web site than you have. I don't judge him poorly for his views, he articulates them pretty well.

Edit to clarify: I have spent considerable time browsing Sheldon's journals, going back quite some time. That much thought is quite revealing, and as I said, he does tend to articulate his view clearly when he reveals them. He thinks about what he's saying, which is far more appealing to me than the regurgitation that goes on when most people address politics.

Lance used to entertain for a few days in July. Sheldon's pages are hecka useful year round, making a positive impact on people who need help. SB all the way.
-Nate 'North Road' Ted4

Lance has done a lot for bicycling.
Sheldon has done a lot for bicyclists.

Lance has done a lot for bicycling.
Sheldon has done a lot for bicyclists.

That's along the lines of my thoughts on the question once I had digested it a little more, only better articulated. Lance has brought a lot of people to cycling, Sheldon has helped keep them there.

Lance has done a lot for bicycling.
Sheldon has done a lot for bicyclists.
Very well put.

Massachusetts home of the true "blue" yanks. er sox. Wait a minute, that would make us red. Heaven forbid. :fight:

How does anyone know what Sheldon's political beliefs are?

From his website:


Some Things I Believe In
Democracy
Duty
Equality
Exogamy
Family
Freedom
Justice
Kindness
Law
Love
Loyalty
Mathematics
Science
Truth
Some Things I Do Not Believe In
Angels
Astrology
Death Penalty
Devils
Elves
Faeries
Gods
Leprechauns
Luck
Magic
Racial Purity


Not exactly political.

Dumb poll. At best, I think it's crude to nickname Lance "one nut" in your poll. Both guys have done a lot for cycling, but in different ways. I respect both guys, and if you're truly a proponent of cycling in general, I don't know why you'd feel the need to disparage either one.

I agree...you can not fairly call Lance "one nut" without first determining whether or not Sheldon has one or two. Fair is fair.

Psimet "1 lump or 2?" 2001

Lance, not because of anything cycling related, but because he's trying to fund a cure for cancer.

I may have to look at his stuff closer. In previous resding, it does not seem that he is funding a cure for cancer as much as providing support for cancer survivors.

This is a significant difference.... one I still support, but it is different.

That's along the lines of my thoughts on the question once I had digested it a little more, only better articulated. Lance has brought a lot of people to cycling, Sheldon has helped keep them there.

Just playing devils advocate here... what has Lance done for cycling? Has he really brought non-cyclists into cycling?

Seems to me he spends most of his time on Livestrong and cancer related issues. I honestly have not heard him promote cycling at all.

Just playing devils advocate here... what has Lance done for cycling? Has he really brought non-cyclists into cycling?

Seems to me he spends most of his time on Livestrong and cancer related issues. I honestly have not heard him promote cycling at all.

His influence is almost surely limited to the U.S., and it would be hard to quantify exactly what influence he has in bringing people to cycling. However, his consecutive wins and being from the U.S. has surely gone a long ways toward feeding the American collective ego. Look at the Olympics. How many people that have never in their lives followed gymnastics know who Mary Lou is? Trek has certainly seen a huge increase in sales. Every redneck in the country likes to yell "hey Lance!" or something similar when they see a roadie. Lance's wins have brought us daily coverage of the Tour and his past relationship with a rock star have surely made at least a couple of people pull on Spandex.

His influence is almost surely limited to the U.S., and it would be hard to quantify exactly what influence he has in bringing people to cycling. However, his consecutive wins and being from the U.S. has surely gone a long ways toward feeding the American collective ego.

Yup, he's definitely seen as a very American athlete outside the US. Sheldon's reach is much more international in scope. And more cross-generational, come to think of it.

I recall skimming his autobiography where he stated that he chose cycling in a very calculating manner- it was a sport where he had good chances of doing well in. So my impression is that he was more focussed on winning, and that cycling was just a convenient field for him to compete on.