Southern California - What makes you officially a "cyclist"...

Every time I'm out riding, I see all kinds of people. Kids riding their bikes. Adults without helmets. There's always those über-cyclists (of which I'll admit I'm not one) with the tricked out gear doing 35mph without breaking a sweat and those posers with the tricked out gear who need to learn how to ride.

Then, there's folks like me. People who have some of the gear and can ride fairly well... I guess.

I was out this morning on the SART when I got my first rear-wheel flat. With the kind of help of someone riding by who showed me how to get my wheel off (and a great big, thank you goes out to that kind soul), I was able to repair my flat and keep going. And that got me thinking. Is this what makes me officially a "cyclist"?

I've ridden tons of metrics and around a dozen centuries. I've adjusted my brakes and chain. I've crashed. But that rear-wheel change is something I've been dreading for a while. Now that I know I can do that, I am feeling pretty unstopable.

So, I throw the question out to you good people. What hurdle must one overcome to be considered a real "cyclist"? Not a pro. Not a contender for the Tour. But real enough.

What do you say?

I'd say riding a bicycle, maybe even a tricycle, makes you a cyclist. Recumbent cycle riders are also cyclists. People riding unicycles don't get a special category. I recognize them as fellow cyclists too. Anyone can be a cyclist, if they pedal a bike and the wheels turn.

Your a cyclist when you spend more time on your bike than your wife.

To paraphrase a former Supreme Court justice:

"I can't describe it, but I know it when I see it".

Some factors are: regularly bicycles because they want to, takes into account the current conditions and adjust riding style (road conditions, traffic volume on street or MUP like SART, closed course at a race, weather condtions, time of day/nighttime, etc.). Defiantely not type of bicycle, its composition, or the clothes the rider is wearing. And you have to be able to fix flats on any wheel - practice at home until you get comfrotable with it.

Your a cyclist when you spend more time on your bike than your wife.

Hehe... I think it's a mindset... how you identify yourself as a person that makes you a cyclist.

When you ride a bike for whatever reason in whatever manner. This labeling stuff is a bit off-putting to me.

My 2 cents is - if you couldn't change a rear-wheel flat without help; you aren't a "cyclist."

Whatever you do, don't ask the government to make that definition (cyclist). Especially the Supreme Court.

"Spandex"- Nuff said

I'm a bit shocked somebody who's ridden that much was intimidated by a rear tire. In my over fantasized definition of a cyclist the person probably would have wanted to learn how to do such a task soon after getting the bike just for the sake of knowing. I got a simple repair book a week or two after buying my bike so I'd know how much of the machine is serviced.

'Cyclist' is just a word. If it's important to label yourself as a real cyclist then go for it. It's cool. If not, then that's cool as well.

I'm more interested in what kind of tires you use since you've never had a rear flat while out on the road before. I have a few every year.

So, I throw the question out to you good people. What hurdle must one overcome to be considered a real "cyclist"? Not a pro. Not a contender for the Tour. But real enough.

What do you say?
Its not really a hurdle but a state of mind. There is one thing that sets the serious enthusiast apart from the casual one. It isn't really a big cost item and it is most often taken for granted. This one thing is: gloves.

Get some cycling loves on your hands and your whole outlook will change. The mere act of donning gloves turns you from casual to earnest.

I mean, think about it. When you have some serious work to do, when the job is one of those kind, what do you do? You put on gloves.

Any yokel can buy a fancy bike or wear a helmet. But gloves set you apart as SERIOUS.

I don't consider myself a cyclist. I am just a dude that likes to ride my bike. :thumb:

I don't consider myself a cyclist. I am just a dude that likes to ride my bike. :thumb:

See, now... I was going to say "real cyclists" don't ride the SART. And here, Beanz proves the point. :roflmao: j/k

Its not really a hurdle but a state of mind. There is one thing that sets the serious enthusiast apart from the casual one. It isn't really a big cost item and it is most often taken for granted. This one thing is: gloves.

Get some cycling loves on your hands and your whole outlook will change. The mere act of donning gloves turns you from casual to earnest.

I mean, think about it. When you have some serious work to do, when the job is one of those kind, what do you do? You put on gloves.

Any yokel can buy a fancy bike or wear a helmet. But gloves set you apart as SERIOUS.
I hate gloves, I wear them when the weather requires it and that's all. I will be wearing some when I start racing in a few weeks though.

See, now... I was going to say "real cyclists" don't ride the SART. And here, Beanz proves the point. :roflmao: j/k

It's true, It's true! :D

Your a cyclist when you spend more time on your bike than your wife.
So, those of us who ride tandem with our spouses are just never going to make it, I guess.

Actually, asking what is a cyclist is one of the most divisive questions asked in the cycling community. Some folks want to call all the folks who don't ride like they do "people on bikes" and some folks don't want any requirement beyond being on a bike (or bike-like object). While I tend to consider anyone on a human-powered machine to be a cyclist while they are on that machine (Don't tell me you're a cyclist when I'm trying to restrain myself from striking you with my foot after you just hit me with your car!), I admit that I don't really take people seriously as cyclists until they have at least 100,000 miles in the saddle. I guess that's because I have seen so many people come and go from cycling over the years that I assume almost all newbies are just on a lark and will disappear within a couple of years. I hope to be proven wrong on this (and often am).

I hate gloves, I wear them when the weather requires it and that's all. I will be wearing some when I start racing in a few weeks though.
See? Racing = serious = gloves.

Tons of metrics and doezen centuries with no flats ? What type of tires do you use ? I want those.

Its not really a hurdle but a state of mind. There is one thing that sets the serious enthusiast apart from the casual one. It isn't really a big cost item and it is most often taken for granted. This one thing is: gloves.

Get some cycling loves on your hands and your whole outlook will change. The mere act of donning gloves turns you from casual to earnest.

I mean, think about it. When you have some serious work to do, when the job is one of those kind, what do you do? You put on gloves.

Any yokel can buy a fancy bike or wear a helmet. But gloves set you apart as SERIOUS.


Wrong! Wrong! It's a rear view mirror!!! :)

Funny. We're all united by English, but every word has a slightly different flavor. If you say the word "bars" aloud, every person who hears you will form a completely different mental image. Same thing with "cyclist (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cyclist)."
Anyone who rides a bicycle or motorcycle is a cyclist.
There is always a bigger fish in the sea, and there's always a bigger dude in the gym shower. I have 5 bikes in my living room, I've built my own wheels, I've woken up disoriented in the hospital, and can usually ride a century in less than 5 hours if it isn't too hilly, but there is always someone with more bikes, or who's faster.
Drawing the line is silly, because everyone draws it differently.

Wait...did I say mirror? I meant bell, what ever was I thinking...

But bars on bikes are good, too.

What hurdle must one overcome to be considered a real "cyclist"?Go out in public wearing socks and Crocs.

I don't consider myself a cyclist. I am just a dude that likes to ride my bike. :thumb:

+1

Wait...did I say mirror? I meant bell, what ever was I thinking...

But bars on bikes are good, too.
Going to bars on a bike aint bad either.

Giving a complete stranger a tube and a Co2 in the middle of your ride.

When you think about how much faster you could have gotten somewhere had you rode your bike instead.

Giving a complete stranger a tube and a Co2 in the middle of your ride.
I've done that before. I don't like the need to label. Also if you ride so much you should know how to change a tube. Seriously be prepared.

OP, you've ridden several centuries and done metrics as well but don't know how to change a flat tire let alone get your wheel off? I find that hard to believe, repairing a flat should be one of the first things you learn when riding.

To answer the question, people consider me a cyclist when they see the spandex, shaved legs, and extremely bad tan lines on my legs, arms, and head.

Going to bars on a bike aint bad either.

214847

Wait...did I say mirror? I meant bell, what ever was I thinking....

I am still ashamed to say I don't have a bike with dual bells. Have to start working on that Alice :).

Rick / OCRR

Giving a complete stranger a tube and a Co2 in the middle of your ride.
No man is a "stranger" on a bike... he is by default, my friend.

214847
Riding a bike that is a bar?

PRICELESS!!

Thanks for that pic...

http://vimeo.com/27591364

Riding a cycle.

Right on brother

Right on brother

I haven't heard that phrase since the 60's. Reminds me of Marvin Gaye's lyrics:

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on - Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby

Shoes - shoes make you a cyclist. They must be click-clacky, impossible to walk in clip-less ones, of course.

Shoes - shoes make you a cyclist. They must be click-clacky, impossible to walk in clip-less ones, of course.

I was going to say that as well. As soon as you start wearing dedicated footwear you know you're on the way. Even as a teenager my first cycling shoe purchase really made me feel like a pro, Detto Pietro's with cleats, I think they were 30 bucks (1980).

If I considered myself one, it would mean:

1. Some coaching / instruction,
2. A training plan/discipline,
3. Continuous improvement,
4. Ride for money or achievement recognized by a cycling org.
5. Membership in a cycling org. that expected 1,2,3 and 4.

I am fairly certain there are no officials keeping track of who is a cyclist.

My wife and I were walking to have lunch at a local restaurant. Our route took us across a bridge over a freeway with narrow elevated walkways. Since it is in a business district it is illegal to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk. As we crossed the bridge a scruffy man wearing smelly tattered clothing rode unsteadily toward us on a beat department store MTB with underinflated tires and an out of true rear wheel. There was not enough room on the walkway for a bike to pass a pedestrian. When he reached us he stopped suddenly and nearly fell off the walkway into the street. He let out a volley of profane, alcohol fumed invective, cursing us for not getting out of his way. We brushed past him and continued on our way. I looked back as he remounted and continued to weave unsteadily down the walkway where he encountered another couple head on who jumped down into the street to avoid him. They failed to look back before leaving the walkway and jumped down directly into the path of a young lady riding a city bike on the street in the proper direction. She had to swerve out into the lane to avoid them and a passing car had to swerve into the median to avoid her. The young lady on the city bike was a cyclist in my estimation. Was the bum also a cyclist or was he just a non compos mentis drunk in public?

Its not really a hurdle but a state of mind. There is one thing that sets the serious enthusiast apart from the casual one. It isn't really a big cost item and it is most often taken for granted. This one thing is: gloves.

Get some cycling loves on your hands and your whole outlook will change. The mere act of donning gloves turns you from casual to earnest.

I mean, think about it. When you have some serious work to do, when the job is one of those kind, what do you do? You put on gloves.

Any yokel can buy a fancy bike or wear a helmet. But gloves set you apart as SERIOUS.

I wear gloves to protect my hands from sunburn (I have a loss of pigment in my hands), so since I wear gloves every ride, that makes me serious?

As we crossed the bridge a scruffy man wearing smelly tattered clothing rode unsteadily toward us on a beat department store MTB with underinflated tires and an out of true rear wheel.

He's headed toward you and you can tell his rear wheel is out of true, you have really really good vision.:D




The young lady on the city bike was a cyclist in my estimation.

Not a very smart one! If I were on he road next to a very narrow walk way, once I had noticed a drunk on a bike heading toward two pedestrians on a walkway "not wide enough for one ped and bike to pass safely", I would have slowed or taken some other precautionary measure to avoid the situation knowing what was about to happen once I arrived at the point of intesection of the 3.

I surely would have not risked my life by swerving blindy into traffic.

My wife and I were walking to have lunch at a local restaurant. Our route took us across a bridge over a freeway with narrow elevated walkways. Since it is in a business district it is illegal to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk. As we crossed the bridge a scruffy man wearing smelly tattered clothing rode unsteadily toward us on a beat department store MTB with underinflated tires and an out of true rear wheel. There was not enough room on the walkway for a bike to pass a pedestrian. When he reached us he stopped suddenly and nearly fell off the walkway into the street. He let out a volley of profane, alcohol fumed invective, cursing us for not getting out of his way. We brushed past him and continued on our way. I looked back as he remounted and continued to weave unsteadily down the walkway where he encountered another couple head on who jumped down into the street to avoid him. They failed to look back before leaving the walkway and jumped down directly into the path of a young lady riding a city bike on the street in the proper direction. She had to swerve out into the lane to avoid them and a passing car had to swerve into the median to avoid her. The young lady on the city bike was a cyclist in my estimation. Was the bum also a cyclist or was he just a non compos mentis drunk in public?was he wearing gloves?

He was...

215673

He was...

215673On the Rivendell site those are called beausage.

OK, let me be the official who will explain what makes you officially a cyclist. :D
1) Get a road bike, cyclists ride road bikes. Mountain bikers are just that - mountain bikers. Don't get me wrong here, there is no disrespect for mountain bikers. They are great athletes but they are not cyclists in the strict meaning of the word. Just like kayakers are not rowers.
2) Wear proper cycling clothing. Cycling shorts and jerseys must be skin tight - this is for aerodynamics, comfort and practicality. Wear bright colors, so you have a better chance to be seen by all the blind drivers out there. :notamused: Plain black, gray or dark blue cycling jerseys are hard to see and merely ugly. Baggy shorts and t-shirts look pathetic on a bicycle, so do cycling jerseys that are two sizes too big on you. It's OK to wear pro-team kits even if you are a beginner - this is part of the culture of the sport. It shows your support for the particular team and for the sport of cycling in general. It's like going to a hockey game with your Ducks jersey even if you can't skate. If you've got a problem with any of the above - cycling is not for you.
3) Use clip pedals and corresponding shoes. This is the most significant improvement in cycling since inventing the gears.
4) Unless you are a good looking woman, learn how to fix a flat. :D

The last two are optional, but highly recommended:
5) Set your computer in kilometers. Distance in cycling is measured in kilometers, just like distance in football is measured in yards, period. Get used to it. As an added bonus:
- It will make your rides look more impressive (100 km at 30 km/h avg speed looks better than 62 miles at 18.5 mph). Your "century-a-month" challenge will become a lot more achievable goal; :p
- you'll be able to figure out the average grade of a climb without having to obtain a degree in math (if you gain 50 meters in 1 km you know the avg grade is 5%, if you gain 200 feet in 1 mile you have no idea what the avg grade is unless you've got a fokken conversion table in your head);
- you'll easily compare your rides to everybody else's in the world.
6) Shave your legs - it is appropriate and besides the ladies like it. ;) I know Beanz will never do this, that's why I made it optional. :D

6) Shave your legs - it is appropriate and besides the ladies like it. ;) I know Beanz will never do this, that's why I made it optional. :D

Meh! What do I know, I wear MTB shoes on my roadie, no Garmin, use my bell and wear a baggy blue jersey. :roflmao2:

Meh! What do I know, I wear MTB shoes on my roadie, no Garmin, use my bell and wear a baggy blue jersey. :roflmao2:
I didn't say anything about MTB shoes on roadie - as long as you clip them to the pedals, you're good. ;) I don't have Garmin either, just a cheap, old-fashioned cycling computer. As for the jersey - I don't bellieve they make big enough cycling jersey that will flap around your biceps. :D