If you ride a bike, you're a freakin' cyclist, whether you're riding in the dark, without lights, dressed in black, on the wrong side of the street, on the sidewalk, or Lance Armstrong. Making a distinction between those in the "know" and those who aren't smacks of condescending pride.

You don't have to be a race car driver to be considered a "driver." You have to be in control of the car. That's it. You don't have to be a marathon runner to be a runner. You just need to get out and run every once in a while. You don't need to be working on a Ph.D to be a student, you just need to be going to class.

It's pretty freakin' simple. You're riding a bike, you're a cyclist.