ftfy

Although I commute year round, as long as the car in my garage is there as an option it's a hobby.

I think that when people call something a hobby they are referring to a recreational pursuit and for me cycling is that but it is also my business and a way of life.

If you are a commuter = it is your transportation

If it is your livelihood = it is your profession

If is your physical fitness activity = it is your hobby

Calling it an obsession only describes the level of importance you place on it.

I think cycling other than at a high competitive level will always be considered a hobby by someone who is not a cyclist themselves. No matter how much you spend, how much time you spend, how dedicated, or much you love it, it will still be just a hobby to them. This isn't meant to cheapen or insult you as a cyclist. This is just fact. Same as you would call a lawyer who collects stamps a hobbyist even though they've been doing it for 25 years and have spent over $10,000 on a single stamp before. That person's profession is law, not stamp collecting.

I think the book definition is crossed when your hobby ceases to become something you do on your own for fun and begins being something you do to earn money. That said, it still still possible to maintain cycling as a hobby while you work as a bike mechanic or work in the cycling industry. I'd guess there are hundreds of people that work for Canon as non-photographers that would call photography their hobby. Same with auto mechanics that race cars as a hobby, etc.

I'd say it's more than just a hobby for you since you've got a business at stake. It's not just getting paid to ride that would make it more than a hobby, but riding and working on your bike (and spending as much time as me and some other do on BF) is still a hobby, just a hobby that a lot of others would not understand how much we put into it.

I'd say its a hobby and a bit of an obsession.

The test is simple: If you've ever bought a bike or bike part that you didn't need to continue cycling, or upgraded something when staying at that level would have worked just fine, then it's at least partially a hobby. Plenty of people get the AMA recommended amount of exercise on a $200 Xmart bike without problem. There's no reason anybody HAS to do it on a full carbon frame with Campy Record for 100 miles at a time.

We're all posting on an internet forum about the activity when we're not actually engaged in it. Yes, it's a hobby.

That made me laugh..thanks!

Now, THAT was funny!


No offense, thirdgen...

Did you really think cyclist are the only amateur athletes that suffer? That would be really ignorant.

Non-sporting hobbyists suffer too. Ever do any gardening? It's hard work. Woodworking? Hard work. Heck, working in a kitchen can be sucky but there are no shortage of amateur chefs slaving away.

i dont get offended by ignorant people.

it is a 944 series car. it is the automotive equivalence of an early aluminum bike with 8spd chorus components. i dare to bet a lot of people here have more money in cycling accessories that are "above" their talent level than i have in my car.

I don't think normal hobby's take so much time and hurt so much....I think bike racing and riding is a sport; a beautiful, hard, amazing and addictive sport.

A 944? That's cool! I've always liked those, and felt they were very under rated.

Wait, are you saying that I am ignorant!?

It can only be considered a hobby if you are scrapbooking while riding.

colombo made a very ignorant statement. he assumed i had an "overpriced" car when in actuality i have an "underpriced" 24 year old car that has a lower resale value than some bikes. nothing screams insecurity and immaturity like judging people's possessions and their "size".


i have no hard feelings for you.

As tragically poetic as that was is cycling really that much different in those respects than say rock climbing? Or running? Or whatever else people want to get nutty and passionate over that doesn't pay the bills?

As long as we're cool...

bdsm

So you're not allowed to ride a nice bike if you're not fast? You have to ride a cheap bike, even though you may make $100K?

If they have the money, they can spend it how they like. There are no qualification tests to buy nice bike stuff. Until there are, forget about it.

I think the point he was making is if you spend more than you "need", then it's probably some sort of hobby. I'm sure there are exceptions to that. If someone can buy a Corvette to go to work and do errands with, I'm sure someone could spend $2000 on a commuter bike to get 5 miles to work.

that is not at all what i said. you are making the same point i was. i was accused of "compensating" by driving a porsche on a site where people ride bikes that cost more than the car (even though a "lesser" bike would suit there needs just fine.)

Ah, so you were using that concept for comparison and weren't serious about it. Please disregard then .

As heroin is to the junkie, as alcohol is to the alcoholic, as money is to the wall streeters- so is cycling to the roadie.