Road Cyclists...
05-13-05, 02:03 AM
#1
bad, bad leroy brown
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Road Cyclists...
...take themselves way too serious. maybe it's the effects of wearing lycra in public but they act very serious when they are out and about riding. solemn faces and hardly ever a grin on the road cyclist i see around town. where as i'll ride by ms.grandma on her old jalopey bicycle grinning from ear to ear.
it's just a bicycle after all?
it's just a bicycle after all?
05-13-05, 02:10 AM
#2
the great shark hunt
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just because people aren't grinning doesn't mean that they aren't enjoying the action immensely. plus, your cheeks get tired from too much smiling 
05-13-05, 02:10 AM
#3
Whateverthehell
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how do you feel about MTB racers who wear lycra? i bet you think they're cool. this is not the place to battle your inadequacy issues. 
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"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." - Leonardo daVinci
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05-13-05, 02:17 AM
#4
bad, bad leroy brown
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MTB and any related attire isn't my cup of tea actually so cool or not i have no opinion. i've worn lycra and will wear it again in the future.
05-13-05, 02:21 AM
#5
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cool
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"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." - Leonardo daVinci
"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." - Leonardo daVinci
05-13-05, 05:17 AM
#7
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Originally Posted by mooncricket
well, i have two theories ...
1) they are in too much pain to smile
2) like models, they know they'd look silly with a grin
1) they are in too much pain to smile
2) like models, they know they'd look silly with a grin
i think its a concentration thing too. when you're riding fast downhill, on a rough road surface or in busy trafic then you're concentrating quite alot and dont automatically think about smiling. dosnt mean folk aren't enjoying it though.
05-13-05, 05:17 AM
#8
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When I was rollerblading, I used to have people tell me, "smile, it's supposed to be fun." My face was usually set in a grimace either from intense concentration on the road surface, or from physical exertion. It's that way on the bike most of the time -- I'm concentrating on so many things that Grandma is not (traffic, cadence, gear, lights, clipping in/out, potholes, road debris, etc.) that there's not much mental space left for a smile. The only time I really feel relaxed is when the road opens up, I can see a mile in either direction, there's no traffic, and a wide shoulder. Then I'll chill out, sit back, and maybe smile a little, but there's usually no one around to see it.
So the point I'm making is, if you're close enough to a cyclist to see his/her facial expression, chances are he/she is concentrating too hard on you and other cagers or peds to appear happy.
So the point I'm making is, if you're close enough to a cyclist to see his/her facial expression, chances are he/she is concentrating too hard on you and other cagers or peds to appear happy.
05-13-05, 05:48 AM
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It's a concentration thing. On my road bike I tend to focus on speed, power, time, etc. Don't get me wrong, it's fun and I love it, but it dosen't always show on the outside.
05-13-05, 09:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Dr. Moto
When I was rollerblading, I used to have people tell me, "smile, it's supposed to be fun." My face was usually set in a grimace either from intense concentration on the road surface, or from physical exertion. It's that way on the bike most of the time -- I'm concentrating on so many things that Grandma is not (traffic, cadence, gear, lights, clipping in/out, potholes, road debris, etc.) that there's not much mental space left for a smile. The only time I really feel relaxed is when the road opens up, I can see a mile in either direction, there's no traffic, and a wide shoulder. Then I'll chill out, sit back, and maybe smile a little, but there's usually no one around to see it.
So the point I'm making is, if you're close enough to a cyclist to see his/her facial expression, chances are he/she is concentrating too hard on you and other cagers or peds to appear happy.
So the point I'm making is, if you're close enough to a cyclist to see his/her facial expression, chances are he/she is concentrating too hard on you and other cagers or peds to appear happy.
Exactly!
05-13-05, 09:46 AM
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Originally Posted by OliveDrab2005
...take themselves way too serious. maybe it's the effects of wearing lycra in public but they act very serious when they are out and about riding. solemn faces and hardly ever a grin on the road cyclist i see around town. where as i'll ride by ms.grandma on her old jalopey bicycle grinning from ear to ear.
it's just a bicycle after all?
it's just a bicycle after all?
05-13-05, 09:46 AM
#13
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a lot of people use road cycling as their main exercise. you won't see some guy smiling at you in the gym when he's in the middle of a bench press, would you? those 'serious' and 'grim' looking cyclist out on the road are working out too.
05-13-05, 10:03 AM
#15
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I have three cycling expressions...
1. Pain (suffering)
2. Concentration
3. Happiness
1 and 2 dominate 99 percent of my cycling time, either I am intensly concentrating on the road, on the paceline, on the race, etc and there is nothing left in me to smile or even think about it. Plus I look funny when I smile (see someone's avatar). When I am pushing the limits and suffering you can see it on my face, that is just the way it is. At that point all I am doing is thinking... pain, how to get rid of it, eliviate it, push somemore.
Smiling is eratic for me. Last time I can remember smiling on the bike was after I bridged an approximatly 60 or so yard gap to catch some attackers at nearly 34 MPH. I was suffering but for a second you could not tell. I also smiled when I first saw my new tt bike for the first time and after experiencing its shear speed down the road.
Other than that... 1 or 2.
My avatar is number 1... if you can not tell... emotions are all over my face...
1. Pain (suffering)
2. Concentration
3. Happiness
1 and 2 dominate 99 percent of my cycling time, either I am intensly concentrating on the road, on the paceline, on the race, etc and there is nothing left in me to smile or even think about it. Plus I look funny when I smile (see someone's avatar). When I am pushing the limits and suffering you can see it on my face, that is just the way it is. At that point all I am doing is thinking... pain, how to get rid of it, eliviate it, push somemore.
Smiling is eratic for me. Last time I can remember smiling on the bike was after I bridged an approximatly 60 or so yard gap to catch some attackers at nearly 34 MPH. I was suffering but for a second you could not tell. I also smiled when I first saw my new tt bike for the first time and after experiencing its shear speed down the road.
Other than that... 1 or 2.
My avatar is number 1... if you can not tell... emotions are all over my face...
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Just your average club rider... :)
Just your average club rider... :)
05-13-05, 10:07 AM
#18
bad, bad leroy brown
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Originally Posted by ckleps
I love how quick people are to claim their personal preference should be the standard.
05-13-05, 10:12 AM
#19
bad, bad leroy brown
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Originally Posted by PenguinDeD
Damnit man, not everyone that smiles is happy!!!!!!
<---- really crying inside
<---- really crying insideonly been cycling for about half a year but after seeing the different styles of cycling out there i've just notice the road cyclist is the most serious of the bunch. add the superhero lyrca style clothing and super fancy gear to the mix and it's just an interesting observation. next time you go on a ride take a step back and try to picture yourself on your bicycle. hope your happy with what you see!
05-13-05, 10:18 AM
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yeah its pretty messed up that guys that are seriously training for serious races take themselves pretty seriously while riding. makes NO sense. seriously.
05-13-05, 10:18 AM
#21
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Originally Posted by OliveDrab2005
swoosh. right over my head there. sorry.
05-13-05, 10:21 AM
#22
Nonsense
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Originally Posted by OliveDrab2005
very true.
only been cycling for about half a year but after seeing the different styles of cycling out there i've just notice the road cyclist is the most serious of the bunch. add the superhero lyrca style clothing and super fancy gear to the mix and it's just an interesting observation. next time you go on a ride take a step back and try to picture yourself on your bicycle. hope your happy with what you see!
only been cycling for about half a year but after seeing the different styles of cycling out there i've just notice the road cyclist is the most serious of the bunch. add the superhero lyrca style clothing and super fancy gear to the mix and it's just an interesting observation. next time you go on a ride take a step back and try to picture yourself on your bicycle. hope your happy with what you see!
And i'm damn sexy. Oh yes, I like what I see...you minx you...
05-13-05, 10:22 AM
#23
bad, bad leroy brown
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Originally Posted by chairsmissing
yeah its pretty messed up that guys that are seriously training for serious races take themselves pretty seriously while riding. makes NO sense. seriously.
05-13-05, 10:28 AM
#24
bad, bad leroy brown
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Originally Posted by PenguinDeD
And i'm damn sexy. Oh yes, I like what I see...you minx you...
05-13-05, 10:30 AM
#25
bad, bad leroy brown
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Originally Posted by ckleps
You say that road cyclists take themselves "too seriously." Perhaps how they ride is too serious for you and probably me, but its the perfect level for them. In general people pursue activities that make them happy and who are we to say that hallucination inducing cycling is good or bad. Different approaches for different people.