Originally Posted by
stevegor
These days it seems, as cycling has become increasingly more popular worldwide, that every man/woman and their dog are riding. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, housewives, disabled etc etc, and the bike machinery they ride is high end. I have no problem with this, I think it's great that I, as a humble manual worker have been able to ride with such an eclectic group of people, and be respected for my ability, not my lowly station. Cycling has a way of equalizing us..... and if not, I can usually ride the legs of them anyway.
Here in Oz the last generation was different. Most competitive riders had a trades background, plumbers, bricklayers, builders etc, guys who worked tough jobs then went out racing/training. Hard men who rode hard, tough as nails, faces like leather. Their work gave them great endurance and a mental toughness most lack today.... or pay $$$ to go to a sports psychologist to convince themselves "they can do it". Get into a race with these guys and you quickly learn what pain is, you'll discover a hurt you never knew existed and if you're smart you'll learn invaluable lessons on how to REALLY ride a bike.
Stay active, guys.
I think there is something to this. I am reminded of the sport of rowing, and how Jack Kelly - a bricklayer - was not permitted to compete at England's Henley Regatta. Amateur rules at the time made people ineligible if they were paid professionals (obviously), or if they made their living through manual labor. Jack Kelly got his revenge at the Olympics, which did not have such rules.
I think that the upper class who were practicing rowing were, at the time, able to control the competition because they, at some level, must have known what you know - that working manual labor develops a very different psychological and physical endurance that is very difficult to develop through other means.