Originally Posted by
carpediemracing
I actually think it's Lance Armstrong and power meters ....
I agree completely with all that.
Originally Posted by
revchuck
I got into cycling for fitness about five years ago.... I'm physically stronger but race-stupid, and will have to remain that way until I learn on my own because there is no alternative.
... but remember - there's no way for us to learn them but the school of hard knocks.
Read my book. Please. You are the target audience.
Originally Posted by
gsteinb
Still, I don't really have a recollection of the good old days being safer, or faster or in any way better.
I agree. They were never safer or faster, but I think they were a lot more tactical.
Originally Posted by
needmoreair
And that stuff is absurd.
There's no need for it and there shouldn't be a place for it.
I absolutely don't think there should be any sort of "mindset" for it, either.
It's not absurd. It's just the way they learned it.
I think what you're seeing is a clash of generations. Old school vs New school. Those who learned to race in the 70s, 80s, and 90s bring a lot of those (what you would consider) "bad behaviors" with them, and guys who came up recently see it all as aggressive, mean, and unnecessary.
For example, a guy that we race against here in Michigan is unafraid to hook you into the curb in order to block you from chasing his teammate. Guys who've been riding a while accept it as just another tactic. But new guys who weren't around in the 80s and 90s get all bent out of shape and want him DQ'd. They even yell! <gasp!>