Bike Forums - Is Cycling a "Sport"

Bike Forums (https://www.bikeforums.net/forum.php)

- Road Cycling (https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/)

- - Is Cycling a "Sport" (https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/321784-cycling-sport.html)

I really feel there has to be some element of competition for something to be a sport. Gram and Gramps out on the MUP riding their cruisers... that's certainly cycling, but unless Gramps is going for a record speed or at least trying to beat Gram to the next set of bollards, there's no sport involved.

Can a specific activity be considered both a sport and a hobby?

Dare we conceive of such a thing?

What's next, a floor wax and a dessert topping?

Cycling a sport? Pretty easy to answer and prove. Just why do some claim it is not? I've never seen a claim against cycling that is not equally valid for track and field and swimming. No one questions those being sports (or athletic). Game over, cycling is a sport.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VT Biker

Well – here is my take. They are all sports. Sport is merely a competition which most people associate being related to athletic achievements. However, all sports have in essence a mixture of the following three elements:

- Athleticism – how naturally gifted in terms of sheer power or endurance one must be.
- Skill/Technique – how naturally gifted one must be in terms of performing a specific task or technique. A golfer is a perfect example.
- Strategy – how much of the contest is dependent on mental games, game plans, determining when to make a move. Chess would be the ultimate strategy sport.

That's not bad - could be refined a bit maybe but it makes for some interesting comparisons between sports, athletic contests, and other kinds of competition. Usually these "cycling is not a sport" guys make up ridiculous criteria to justify their opinions (which are based more on starting arguments for ratings sake).

You didn't say this explicitly but each of the three categories gets a score 0 - 100 and you could add the three up for a combined score of 0 - 300.

Bocce: A1, T10, S5 = Total Sport Rating of 16
Competitive Eating: A0, T1, S1 = TSR of 2

Bike riding around the neighborhood: A1, T5, S0 = TSR of 6
Century riding: A20, T20, S0 = TSR of 40
TdF riding: A90, T70, S60 = TSR of 220 (I gave techinque a higher score than you did but you gave baseball a 215)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gromit

There has been obviously way too much thought on this issue. However, I'll add my .02. and say that anything that you can do while smoking or while drinking alcohol (being inebriated) is not a sport.

I can ride a bike while drunk and smoking a cigarette, can't you? :eek:

You bet is an Sport and a heck of a good one !!!!!!!!!!:D:D

Isn't a sport something you do like swim ski or cycle and the other ball events are games.....