Or, are those who ride a bicycle for the sake of riding a cycle the only "real" cyclists?

A child teeters off a curb on a 10 inch 2-wheeler and the media calls him or her a young "Cyclist."

Aren't there many people on a bike who are simply riding a bike, rather than being "cyclists?"

One rents a cruiser on vacation at the beach once every year or so. Are they "Cyclists?"

A kid rides after dark, in dark clothes on a black BMX bike, without lights and against traffic. Is that kid a cyclist?

Every once in a while, one can read a story about a toddler moving a motor vehicle. The media generally doesn't refer to the toddler as "the driver."

I someone who rents a Vespa scooter in the Bahamas once in a lifetime a motorcyclist?

Maybe sometimes we should say, I saw someone on a bike..... Rather than I saw a cyclist.......

Cyclists are people who ride a bike.

Anyone who drives a bike isn't a cyclist.

Cyclists are people who ride a bike for more than transportation.

Someone who jumps on a bike to go to the store is not a cyclist

The kid who rides against traffic with no lights is not a cyclist

The boy who rides his bike to school is not a cyclist.

It is the people who ride a bike for the ride and not for a need is a cyclist. Cyclists enjoy the ride, savor every moment on the bike, take the long way home, ride ti unique and nice locations instead of driving. Cyclists ride for sport, for recreation, for fun, for enjoyment. Anyone can be a cyclist, the little kid, the parent, the racer, the guy riding his bike to work.

Now wikopedia says something different

Transportation bothers me. Many people ride a bike because they have no other option (kids going to school, to the store, etc). I think cyclists are those who transport on a bike for choice, free will...

But everyone will have thier own opinion!

Well I guess Koffee isn't a cyclist...she uses her bike as transportation.

Exclusively? I bet not. She no doubt rides for fun also.

I think you are answering my point. Though I think I list messengers, bike cops and commuters among cyclists as well. My point though was to ask whether anyone with a bike bewteen their legs at a given moment was actually a "cyclist." Conversely, though not made a point of my original post, a cyclist would still be a cyclist even if not actually on a bike. No?

I like to think of myself as a cyclist eventhough I primarily started riding again for excersize. I used to race as a kid in the late 70's and early 80's and am beginning to wonder why the he77 I ever stopped.

The more I ride now the more I get a hunger to put more and more miles on the bike and improve my riding (speed, distance, time etc...).

My bonus from work is coming in Friday and I know I'll be hitting the LBS to share most of it with him, but, just 3 months ago, a 20" thickness planer was all I wanted.

Im a messenger and I do NOT consider myself a cyclist,others might,I dont.

I don't know the definition of a cyclist, but I know one when I see one!

Oh and yes, the smucks that ride against traffic are definitely not!

Yes anyone riding a bike is a cyclist. And anyone playing football, any version, American Gridiron, Australian Rules, Soccer, Rugby Union, Rugby League or Galic Football is a football player.

Now some people on bikes are pretty poor cyclists and many football players are pretty poor football players. But the terms refer to the actvity and nothing else.

Thanks, Keith, well said. This thread does nothing more than confirm my suspicions about the ridiculous elitist attitude of some bicyclists.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A cyclist is a person who engages in cycling whether as a sport (bicycle racing) or who rides a bicycle for recreation or transportation (utility cycling). The words bicyclist or 'biker' are also used although 'biker' is usually taken to mean someone who rides a motorbike or sometimes a mountain bike.

I don't care what you call me as long as I can have fun on my bike.

I think a true cyclist is anyone who is "addicted" to riding. Someone who can work on thier own bike. Someone who envees bike messengers. Thinks "Hurt City" is a great book. Logs onto the bike forum everyday just to see what other cyclist have to say.
Someone who just loves bikes!

I think a lot of folks take "cyclist" to also include "bicycle enthusiast," which while appropriate, doesn't cover the full gamut of cycling. So I'd say a cyclist is one who rides a bike.

(of course, I won't feel comfortable calling myself a 'cyclist' until I complete my first century. Until then, I say I like to ride bikes. To me, 'cyclist' in that context is the same as 'runner.' I wouldn't call myself a 'runner' unless I'd done a marathon)

Well said, randya.

You ride a bike, you're a cyclist. Period.

I'm not addicted to anything. But I consider myself a cyclist. A skier. An aviator. All activities I enjoy in varying degrees of participation. I can work on my own bike, but not my skis (well, I can sharpen and wax them) or airplane. Does this detract from my being a skier or aviator?

As for a bike messenger... I don't for a second envy them; wouldn't want to be one, wouldn't want to get paid like one, wouldn't want to ride in the concrete jungle. Does that make me less of a cyclist in any way whatsoever? I don't think so.

I drive a car, but don't race. Does that make me not a driver? I drive to and from work. Sometimes I enjoy the drive, regardless of the destination. Does that make me a driver?

For those that try to exclude others from their own little classification - does it make you feel more important to say that someone who rides less than you isn't in your group? I don't get the point of the whole question, I guess.

Yawn, I think I'll go ride my bike around the block. If that makes me a "cyclist" so be it.

I think there is a difference between a cyclist and a person riding a bike.

Woohoo looks like I'm a cyclist!

A cyclist is someone on a bicycle that I like - someone who is in my way, or pissing me off is "some schmuck on a bike".

There, I said it.

Never mind. I stand Corrected.


(@#$!& drivers.)

I love people who say "I can tell a cyclist if I see them"...I know right now, if you saw me on my bike (or even half the people I know) you wouldn't think we were cyclists. And thats the way we like it.

But am I a cyclist, sure why not. I ride, often. Up down all around any way I can get it. As long as I am in the trees and not on concrete I love my ride Ironically...I don't really like commuting, I don't ride early mornings so I tend not to ride to work anymore But I am pretty open, my buddy who just bought a 200$ CDN cruise bike from the bike shop, commutes and just chills wearing his beach shorts and t's is also a cyclist. My friends who ride bmx are cyclists (but I wouldn't dare call them that to their face) haha

I have wanted to post this same thread for some time. I think every town has a couple 3 or 4 guys that ride around town, usually on WalMart bikes, shirtless and no helmet. They usually ride against traffic with no thought to safety for themselves or others. One guy I see always has a smoke going in one hand and steering with the other and usually has a brown bag of some kind with him. One can only imagine what it contains.

So I am going to lunch one day with a co worker and this guy crosses the street in front of us. My buddy ask "So your bike like that one. And do you ever ride with him?"

All I really am sure about is that I AM A CYCLIST.

Interesting thread. Thanks

Soo if somone has a car and chooses to ride the bike instead of driving the car he is a Cyclist? I have both and lvoe to ride my bike sometimes i drive thow but weather permiting i will ride my bike..

oh and here is mw deff for a cyclist

Main Entry: cy·clist
Pronunciation: 'sI-k(&-)l&st
Function: noun
: one who rides a cycle

https://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionar...yclist&x=0&y=0

Ok - Hate to hijack this thread but what we really need is a
"You are a cyclist if ....." thread.

I'll start.

You are a cyclist if you "post here".