Sitting at home sulking at having destroyed the taper on a Dura Ace 7400 crank (non drive side in 175 in case anyone has a spare), blustery rain hitting the window, I pondered on why I cycle. And more importantly, what is a cyclist? I can be as pedantic as the next man (note to self: person would probably be more appropriate), indeed I'd be disappointed if I wasn't much better than most, but I don't want a dictionary definition of "cyclist" as I can Google that myself. No, I want something more erudite, personal even.
What does being a cyclist actually mean? I don't know but I'm pretty much certain that I'm not one. Sure, I ride a bike and for all sorts of purposes. But that makes me a cyclist in the same way as writing some self-serving shit on the Internet makes me a published author. I've friends who meticulously set up their bikes, measure everything to the mm, use a plumb bob. They also weigh their food, have strategic fluid intake strategies and spreadsheets to record all manner of scientific data. I think they may be cyclists. But then I can ride past them up hills. Merckx is a cyclist. Boardman is a cyclist. Wiggins is not. This is clearly far more complicated and nuanced than it first appears.
There is only one scientific way to resolve - using the collective wit and wisdom of the internet. So, why do you cycle?
Disclaimer: this is clearly a bit of fun (although the fact that there is a disclaimer probably means not clearly enough) so please try to keep answers in that spirit
What does being a cyclist actually mean? I don't know but I'm pretty much certain that I'm not one. Sure, I ride a bike and for all sorts of purposes. But that makes me a cyclist in the same way as writing some self-serving shit on the Internet makes me a published author. I've friends who meticulously set up their bikes, measure everything to the mm, use a plumb bob. They also weigh their food, have strategic fluid intake strategies and spreadsheets to record all manner of scientific data. I think they may be cyclists. But then I can ride past them up hills. Merckx is a cyclist. Boardman is a cyclist. Wiggins is not. This is clearly far more complicated and nuanced than it first appears.
There is only one scientific way to resolve - using the collective wit and wisdom of the internet. So, why do you cycle?
Disclaimer: this is clearly a bit of fun (although the fact that there is a disclaimer probably means not clearly enough) so please try to keep answers in that spirit