Is cycling the new golf?
Road cycling, it has been said, is the new golf.
I think this means it is the hot new hobby. Suddenly, there are a lot of middle-aged men out on the roads, on their horrendously expensive bikes. They’re dressed in all the flashy gear - more Lycra than you can poke a stick at - with no idea of how to ride.
Often, it’s these cyclists who give the rest of us a bad name as they come to grips with road etiquette and fall foul of everybody else on the highways.
This could be a little unfair. Everyone has to learn the code of road cycling conduct somehow, and the old chestnut is true: there’s no teacher like experience.
Perhaps all of these cyclists have always wanted to take up the hobby and it’s not their fault they’ve all adopted it at the same time biking has become a fashionable pastime.
Plus, we need a few Freds on the road to keep things interesting - you know, dressed to the nines in cycling teams' logos, but averaging about 20kmh on a good day.
Or, to put it another way, all the gear and no idea. To be fair, there are also a fair few Dorises out there, which are the female versions of Fred. (According to some, my speed could make me a Doris, but I really don't have all the gear. Plus I know how to ride, so I think I'm safe.)
This blog post is not (only) motivated by jealous spite because they can afford nicer bikes than I can. I have noticed a steady increase in the number of riders out on the roads. On a good day at least. Add a roaring Wellington southerly and not so much.
Then again, I don’t much enjoy riding in a roaring southerly either, so they’re probably taking the sensible option. That’s not going to stop me calling them big girls’ blouses though. I’m allowed to be cynical. My sizable rear end has been well acquainted with my bicycle seat since well before it was fashionable. Plus I’m a journalist. Cynicism is in the job description.
Of course, as usual, I’m basing my theory on anecdotal evidence. But if I needed further proof cycling is the new golf I think I’ve found it, with the unveiling of BMW’s new bicycle. This bike appears to me to be a shameless attempt to cash in on the phenomenon.
I didn’t know BMW made bicycles, but apparently, they do. The new bike is very pretty, sure, but it’s also a hybrid – at 12 kilos it’s heavier than an average road bike and it has straight handlebars. It’s just perfect for those looking for a status bike. And although the price is yet to be revealed, I imagine the price tag will make it just that - a status bike.
I don’t commute to work (400 metres from door to door does not count as a commute) so I’d be interested in hearing from those who do, be it by bike, or via some other vehicle, on whether you’ve noticed more cycling commuters on the roads.
What do you think? Is cycling the new golf? If so, is this a good or a bad thing?
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landrover, porsche, hummer, and a couple of others "make" bikes. they should stick to what they know.
heaps of 'freds' where i live. I'm sure the bike shops just love them. and the cafes.
i just want my knees back so i can put these ppl in their place...
I commute - Tried cycling to work but the wind (Wgtn) along with the peak hour traffic to contend with at the end of the day made it not as enjoyable, plus I used it for fitness and 25min either way isn't really what I call fitness.
So now I run the 11km to and from work - far more enjoyable; no stupid drivers to contend with and keeps my fitness up (a good hour each way).
There are definitely more middle aged people riding bikes. Just check out the weekend bunch rides around Auckland.
It has it's positives and negatives. Positives being a healthy sport to get into and more races becoming available because of more entry fee funding. Negatives are there are so many incapable riders on the road and more competition in races.
The same can be said with open water swimming. Cycling and triathlon are the 2 fastest growing sports in NZ, or so I've heard.
I actaully hate it, when I started it wasn't such a big deal and not many people do it. Now everyone asks me questions about it and everyone thinks they are an expert on cycling, where most of them have no idea. Their bikes are also 2-3 times the price of mine! Damit!
Who cares? At least they're out there doing it... they'll get bored soon and move onto the new 'golf'... and anyway, as soon as the Taupo Cycle Challenge comes and goes they all go back to their booze fulled power-lunches and the roads go back to normal.
I'm in Chch, and have a friend who does Le Race. She mentioned a couple of years ago that the roads empty out after Le Race, and there's only a few hardy souls who keep up training rides through the winter. I've certainly noticed that, they drop off just after the Coast to Coast & then again after Le Race. They may get out on nice weekend days, but the roads certainly empty of cyclists during rush hour after the big events.
I've certainly noticed more cycling commuters, like Petra says, they're distinguishable from the racing/training cyclists - half-dressed for work, with a backpack or pannier. I'm not usually fussed by what they're riding, unless I can hear the dry chain from 100m away. It's the black jackets & lack of lights that are annoying me right now.
Yup, there may be a recession on but we still have an intrinsic desire to one-up each other. Whether it's carbon-fibre sports equipment, pedigree pet, designer handbag or other outrageous ostentation, something in the human psyche refuses to be content with "good enough", and hankers for "better than yours, mate".
Now if I could just get up the courage to try commuting on my roadie instead of my mtb (there's a wee Wgtn hill called the Ngauranga Gorge that my middle-aged legs don't enjoy), then perhaps I could aspire to Level-zero Fredness!
This post is rather snobbish.
There are a lot of 'try-hards' out there, many who have absolutely no clue, all dressed up and with all the gears, they think they're all that and a bag of chips, it frustrates me, it shouldn't, but it does. Its probably because I'm not as good at cycling and Triathlon as I want to be, so its probably more just my own jealousy. But I know I'm not one those try-hards, I'm not a pretender, I work hard, just want to be better! Gee, I sure hope those try-hards aren't the ones kicking my but at the Triathlons, that would be really annoying! LOL!
This blog seems to smack of sour grapes to me. So what if there are people over spending on bikes, or only riding on nice days? Hell- at least these people are out there doing something positive for their health. Who cares if its only "20km on a good day" - what kind of elitist BS is that?? My parents (in their 60s) go out riding on the weekends and in the evenings some times in summer. They might only average 6km- so what?? At least they are out there exercising.
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I live in Christchurch and commute by bike, and I've noticed more bicycle commuters on the road. But these guys aren't try-hards, they are just trying to get around. Reflective jackets, mostly old mountain bikes, hardly any lycra. I have also noticed more road bikers, but mainly on the weekend. Yes I have noticed many seem to be middle-aged and above men. I've seen a few with quite big stomachs and wearing lycra.
I'd like to see more commuters ditching the mountain bikes and getting bikes more suited for road biking. Narrower less bumpy tires would be a good start!