Is it just me or are there actually no...
 

Black riders. I haven't seen any. Why? Is biking considered a 'white' sport like basketball is a 'black' sport?

I too have noticed this, and have wondered why. I occasionally see them riding around here, but never in the pro ranks.

Money? Interest? You can say the same for most winter sports and water sports.

I believe there are some phenomonal black bmxers but other than that I haven't noticed too much.

Q: Name two African-American professional cyclists.

A: Major Taylor and Nelson Vails.

Q: In the long history of professional cycling, why haven't there been more African-American pros?

A: I don't know.

Is it just me or are there actually no...


Really cool bike trails in SC??? No, you're right. :D That's why I can't wait to get out of here. My dad is putting in for orders to St Louis, Dayton, and San Antonio. He won't budge towards Washington or California, or even Boston for that matter. I just don't understand....I've got to get him into MTBing...SOON!!!!

If you make it to St. Louis Fubes, look me up. I'm only about 2 hours from there. Some great riding in St. Louis.

Well lets see, there is Shaums March (sp?) who took 4th at the Red Bull Rampage. Then there is the guy who won the Beg. Clydesdale championship also a black guy. 4 guys I ride with are from Jamaica (very black). There are also a few blacks I regularly see on our local trails.

Granted it is mostly whites but there is a good sare of blacks that ride and can tear it up.

Slainte:beer:

Must be your area. I am pleased to say that there are pleny of black riders in my area.

PG County in Maryland (and the DC suburbs in general) has one of the most affluent communities of African Americans in the country, so maybe it is an issue of having disposable income.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2002Oct19.html

For most people, this (cycling) is a rather expensive endeavor.

In many cases yes. African American kids are told by their friends that you should only certain sports. I never got any strange looks from my friends when I played basketball, I got a few when I started playing tennis, and was told I was strange because I started rollerblading and cycling.

As a kid you see the big money sports are football and basketball, and its those athletes the kids emulate. I would guess that if you are seeing african americans on bikes, they are young kids or adults who could care less what their friends say.

Just my .02

I saw some black cyclists in and around Washington D.C. But yes, there were more white cyclists.

I like very much the actress - Rachael Crawford. In a way, she influenced my attitude to black people.

I have not seen even a single cyclist from the FSU on my 1500 km tour in the USA for that matter. Not a single one. Though there are plenty of immigrants from FSU in the US.

I've only seen one, a man and he was helping himself to a snowcone which looked like a good idea since it was borderline 100 degrees outside. Cycling just isn't a black thing really. I do see alot riding around on BMX bikes and mountain bikes but no road bikes.

There is a black bicycle courier around, he looks extremely fit. I see his on a very regular basis around town (of couse I don't know him, I just see him pass by again and again... doing his job)

Interesting...there was a show on PBS that I watched about this...
http://www.ltolman.org/99arch/01819ironriders.htm

Keep in mind that blacks make up about 10% of the population. Are you saying that less than 10% of the riders you see are black? That could be, but 10% black riders is about what I see here.

Hey, if I understood correctly, Koffee Brown is a black female who bicycled through Italy and reported regularly on BicycleForums.Com under the Touring section. She is an excellent writer and really managed to bring the sounds, smells, tastes, and emotions of the experience to us through her writing.

Check it out: http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdispl...168&daysprune=

To be honest. This is definately an issue with where I live but 0% of the riders are black. But then again I don't bike around watching other people ride. In fact I can barely tell anything about a person till he/she remove full faced helmet and body armour. But still I have never seen a black person on a bike here. A few bmxers but thats it.

Thats a cool storey :)

I notice it too but I see more black cyclists now. I guess it's like Brazilians playing soccer, blacks are 'expected' to play basketball or whatever. In Europe, where everyone plays soccer or cycles or plays hockey, they'd think playing baseball is odd.

However, what's cool for me is how so many cyclists are jewish! In europe anyways, but here too- I see more jewish names in cycling at all levels than I see in any other sport, going way back and still today. I was thinking that Michael Rich, who came second in the world champ TT might be jewish or half, since all people I've known named Rich were jewish. Proportionately, there are about as many jewish cyclists as there are jews in the population, which in sports terms is HUGE!

Yes, the black percenage of riders does seem to be really low. There are a couple very good track riders in the U.S., but it doesn't seem like there are any anywhere else. And, when you look to the road and the mountain, there are hardly any .

As a percent of population, I'd say there are fewer relative to anglos, but there are a few around here.

Why are there no Black Nascar drivers? Matter of fact I can never remember seeing anyone other than anglo with a Nascar advert. shirt etc..

I rode 63 miles today and guess how many people I saw on a bike? Any takers?
None!!
I did mannage to almost spook a horse out from under a fella today, but that's another story. (the rider is ok and I said, "sorry")

I live in a very intergrated town and can count the number of road riders I know of on one hand and only two of us are "home grown", all the others are imports from some more biker friendly area of the country. There is a town, about 65 miles from here, that has many riders.

There are many black racers here in southern california. Rashaan Bahati, a race prodigy that races for Saturn, is from Los Angeles.

For him, there was a huge economic hurdle to overcome. Racing is expensive and there is no infrastructure like ones in europe.

B-ball, football, baseball all have a great infrastructure from little leauges to high school sports to college and right into pro ball. They are well advertised, televised and sponsored.

I think for such a small sport in america, cycling is pretty diverse. I see Blacks, Asians and all shades of white in the amateur pelotons.