Fifty Plus (50+) - Empirical observation, bikers seem to have an intelligence edge on the average

I don't mean this in a self congratulatory fashion, its just the result of a couple of years of observation on the trail and at the LBS. The observation is that bicyclers seem to be noticeably sharper on average than the general population. Not sure what is cause and what is effect though. It may just be that people who are concerned with fitness are a standard deviation or so above the mean. Maybe it's a function of the subset of people with sufficient discretionary income to be willing to buy bikes costing $thousands.

But, almost without exception, when I meet someone in a biking context, they are bright. Not saying it is a sport populated by geniuses but definitely noticeably above the mean.

BTW: I refer to sport bikers as opposed to those biking because they lost their license.

BS

The closest to Einstien we have in this generation is Stephen Hawking, not a cyclist I am afraid.

In my line of work I know a lot of brilliant people, few cycle.

I doubt you could find a strong correlation.

The fitter people I work with are the smarter ones. Some bike, some run, some walk. I do know some genius sloth like people however. Overall I think you are correct.

I am knot scmart butt i nose whats i likes, ridin my bicycle...

I am knot scmart butt i nose whats i likes, ridin my bicycle...

Nicely done, Sir!! (other than you misspelled bisikl, that is)

cyclinfool: "In my line of work I know a lot of brilliant people, few cycle. I doubt you could find a strong correlation."

I'm talking above average, not brilliance. In my neck of the woods, most bikers that I've met are professional sorts of people, accountants, engineers (me), physicians, Navy pilots (in my area), not PhD astro-physicists. Notice that I said in my OP "a standard deviation or so above the mean". Hard to interpret that statement as referring to Hawking levels of intelligence.

We're good looking, too.

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z284/JanMM/goodlookin-3.jpg

You apparently haven't read Advocacy and Safety recently.

A lot of folks I know think I'm pretty dumb for riding on the road around here. Sometimes I think they're right.

You apparently haven't read Advocacy and Safety recently.

The horror, the horror!!! Heh-

Maybe mountain bikers but not so much with road bikers. I have sure seen some dumb stunts by roadies. Some of them think there is no law that applies to them, and that everyone should look out for them too.

Maybe mountain bikers but not so much with road bikers. I have sure seen some dumb stunts by roadies. Some of them think there is no law that applies to them, and that everyone should look out for them too.

Well you have to toss out the chances of mountain bikers being any better. They invented down hill as if they can break the laws of gravity. 50 pound bikes down a rock face into bowling ball sized rocks onto a 50 degree root covered foot path doesn't show wisdom. :lol:

Well, I agree with you for a few reasons.....I think a stronger correlation could be made with cycling and education. That's very general but certainly fits with my experience with humanity. Few 290 pound drop outs with stretch pants ride Colnagos. I'm not puting anyone down here, just citing observations.

Maybe mountain bikers but not so much with road bikers. I have sure seen some dumb stunts by roadies. Some of them think there is no law that applies to them, and that everyone should look out for them too.


Well you have to toss out the chances of mountain bikers being any better. They invented down hill as if they can break the laws of gravity. 50 pound bikes down a rock face into bowling ball sized rocks onto a 50 degree root covered foot path doesn't show wisdom. :lol:

Was about to post the same as Bob on the mountain bikers. Must be the youth in them but occasionally I just get the feeling that Cycling keeps you young so roadies in the first 50 miles of a double century ride with the sense of a youngster. By the time the 2nd century starts- they realise what they have let themselves in for. Sanity takes over.

Some interesting profiling here.... " Maybe it's a function of the subset of people with sufficient discretionary income to be willing to buy bikes costing $thousands." Smarter people have greater discretionary income...

Or how about this one... "Few 290 pound drop outs with stretch pants ride Colnagos. " Large people drop out

Good thing being politically correct is not one of the criteria for posting on this forum.

One might expect (or hope) this was the case but it's not in my personal experience. In terms of interest groups I'm involved in, cyclist rate well below average.

One might expect (or hope) this was the case but it's not in my personal experience. In terms of interest groups I'm involved in, cyclist rate well below average.

Well, gee. Thanks a lot! But, then again, you are a cyclist.

Some empirical observations do not really support some conclusions.

We always seem to put those which we compare ourselves to on a pedistal. Some type of self-gratification I guess.

It's not the bicycling. Regular physical activity supposedly improves not the intelligence, but the mental sharpness of people.

An interesting thread. I'd like to agree that cyclists are smarter than average, but I've made some observations of my own that make me wonder. i.e. The woman I knew at a former employer who had a Master's Degree in engineering, but stated that she didn't need to wear a helmet, because she only rode on the sidewalk. Another present co-worker feels that he must have a red blinkie facing front. I told him that MA state law requires a white light facing front. The response? A totally blank stare. Not "deer in headlights", just totally blank, sort of like a Best Buy employee.

Then, there are the cyclists who adamantly refuse to obey simple traffic laws. Yet, they are college degreed, and have good-paying jobs. What's "the disconnect" here? :innocent:

Ibtl

:popcorn

Some interesting profiling here.... " Maybe it's a function of the subset of people with sufficient discretionary income to be willing to buy bikes costing $thousands." Smarter people have greater discretionary income...

Or how about this one... "Few 290 pound drop outs with stretch pants ride Colnagos. " Large people drop out

Good thing being politically correct is not one of the criteria for posting on this forum.

Firstly, I believe political correctness is a weakness. Second, I don't know about your great country, but the USA suffers from levels of obesity heretofore never seen in our history. It is, per capita, more prevelant in the lower income and lower educational stratas. Our health care costs are connected to this scourge as are life spans and an overall healthy community. It's not just bicycling, it's the consciousness that, if you exercise at high levels, a lot of good things will happen for you (this is grounded in my point about education). I'm not some elitest jerk, I just think there is power in truth.
BTW, it's an inaccurate stretch to say "large people drop out" just because of my point about obesity.

WOW! What a self-congratulatory, condescending, non-substantiative thread. Not sure if you could have made a more arrogant or offensive thread if you tried.

I have MANY friends that are more intelligent/sharper than me that don't cycle.

Ok,lets look at this from a perspective that really none of us on here want to. What does it take to cycle? Nice bike,helmet,shoes,peddles,clothes,gloves.Put yourself and bike out in the road and elements,always looking to buy something for cycling,fall,winter,spring,too busy in summer to buy anything.The magazines and books pile up around the house about cycling,cant throw any away,might need it someday.Use terms like peleton,paceline.etc.you see peoples eyes glaze over.Take week off to watch tour,your dream vacation someday.Get up at 4 on a sat.morning to go on a big bike ride rain or shine.You cannot wait till one rides over to start another in a couple days.I love this time of year.

I haven't noticed especially compared to the folks I worked with and meet regulary. Possibly the higher energy level due to the fitness is confused as greater intelligence.
Al

This is all pretty interesting but we have no evidence as to what intelligence is or what it's good for. It has been shown that IQ tests are culturally biased. Next, even if someone were to be proven intelligent, what exactly is it good for. It should be clear that most important human decisions are based on hormones. It ought to be perfectly clear that cyclists who blast through an intersection, for example, with no regard to rules of traffic, undermine human interaction. We are, after all, social animals whose survival is dependent on cooperation. Without that cooperation we are toast, along with all the other species.

Let's settle this once and for all:

See how you do? (http://www.iqtest.com/prep.html)

Share your score.

Better than average?

Let's settle this once and for all:

See how you do? (http://www.iqtest.com/prep.html)

Share your score.

Better than average?

129

Dang, 137. 3 points stupider than I was in 6th grade.

I couldn't get beyond Step 2 so I haven't the foggiest.

Dang, 137. 3 points stupider than I was in 6th grade.

That's pretty high though.

Oh also, use http://10minutemail.com/ for the registration thing. They send the score to that. NO SPAM

This is my biking partner. He rides too many hills....
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h88/RevRyp/OL-SixthFinger1.jpg

I would make the generalization that folks who get out and do something are more functional than folks that don't get out and do something. Whether that makes them smarter or not I don't know, but at least their brains are active once in a while.

I just pooped my pants. You decide BF, intelligent or not?

I just pooped my pants. You decide BF, intelligent or not?

Yes!!

This is my biking partner. He rides too many hills....
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h88/RevRyp/OL-SixthFinger1.jpg

I love that episode! :D "Your ignorance makes me ill and angry...."

130+ Btw I do notice that there is a high percentage of professionals and several self made small business owners in the 2 bike clubs I ride with.

130+ Btw I do notice that there is a high percentage of professionals and several self made small business owners in the 2 bike clubs I ride with.

Same with my swimming club. And softball team.

The 50+ bicycle forum, where all the people are above average...

Firstly, I believe political correctness is a weakness. Second, I don't know about your great country, but the USA suffers from levels of obesity heretofore never seen in our history. It is, per capita, more prevelant in the lower income and lower educational stratas. Our health care costs are connected to this scourge as are life spans and an overall healthy community. It's not just bicycling, it's the consciousness that, if you exercise at high levels, a lot of good things will happen for you (this is grounded in my point about education). I'm not some elitest jerk, I just think there is power in truth.
BTW, it's an inaccurate stretch to say "large people drop out" just because of my point about obesity.

75% of health care costs go to the lowest 25% of the income level. This is due to drug addiction, obesity, smoking (all the addictions), environmental exposure and also depression. Some really intelligent people don't give a crap about anything including their body
More people are getting fatter, does that mean the country is getting dumber?

I wonder how the correlation works in Fifty+. If you're a really dumb cyclist you may not make it to 50. Just musing...

The 50+ bicycle forum, where all the people are above average...
And the women are strong, and all the men are good looking.

It's not the bicycling. Regular physical activity supposedly improves not the intelligence, but the mental sharpness of people.

This has been my observation.

Anyone who appreciates and participates in the activities that I appreciate and participate in is really a smart cookie, in my book!

bicyclers seem to be noticeably sharper on average than the general population..


I knew that.

Read the following thread and see what impression it leaves with you wrt the average intelligence of cyclists:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/739407-Wear-your-helmet.

Doesn't everybody think that people who agree with them are more intelligent than people who don't?

Doesn't everybody think that people who agree with them are more intelligent than people who don't?

And in my case, it's true.

Read the following thread and see what impression it leaves with you wrt the average intelligence of cyclists:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/739407-Wear-your-helmet.

I like the guy who was attacked by the chicken. I was attacked once by a grouse. We were doing about 80 on a motorcycle and the grouse lowered his head and charged the front wheel. Didn't feel a thing, but saw the grouse in my mirror bouncing down the road shedding feathers.

That thread certainly proves that cyclists are possibly smarter than a chicken or a grouse.

Al