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Define thy tribe

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RDV4ROUBAIX

RDV4ROUBAIX

Mar 19, 2009
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I admit that I do read Bike Snob NYC almost on a daily basis, pretty entertaining. But the whole bike cult, tribe, stereotyping, pigeonholing thing I don't really connect with. We are cyclists no matter how you slice it.

Here's what my posse looks like in a short film. If you look hard you can spot me going up a climb, and stirring oatmeal that just came off my dad's 40 year old Optimus camp stove:

http://vimeo.com/13189748
 
Bike Opera

Bike Opera

Jul 29, 2010
70
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RDV4ROUBAIX said:
I admit that I do read Bike Snob NYC almost on a daily basis, pretty entertaining. But the whole bike cult, tribe, stereotyping, pigeonholing thing I don't really connect with. We are cyclists no matter how you slice it.

Here's what my posse looks like in a short film. If you look hard you can spot me going up a climb, and stirring oatmeal that just came off my dad's 40 year old Optimus camp stove:

http://vimeo.com/13189748
Click to expand...

Wow, what a cool film. Really beautiful cinematography and music, and great editing.

I'm a "Jack of all trades, master of none", but yeah, for me too, it's about doing it...despite the person in the back of my head saying no.

Looks like you've got a cool posse to hang with. Thanks for the film...it makes me want to get out in the pouring rain.
 
Polyarmour

Polyarmour

Jul 20, 2010
744
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I think I started out as the Europhile Righteous Cyclist but I have evolved into a Roadie. In the beginning it was all about commuting and saving carbon for me and I remember holding Lycra clad riders in contempt. However my daily commute turned into a daily race and I ended up buying a roadbike, joining a club and racing. I still commute and I still view this as the noblest purpose of the bicycle as it is only by commuting that we get rid of cars, however these days I'm commuting on a roadbike in Lycra.
 
E

Elegant Degenerate

Jun 4, 2010
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Polyarmour said:
I think I started out as the Europhile Righteous Cyclist...and I remember holding Lycra clad riders in contempt...these days I'm commuting on a roadbike in Lycra.
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Tell me about it! Isn't this always how it goes?

You start out with good intentions, and before you know it you're shaving your legs and spending your money on lycra.
 
RedheadDane

RedheadDane

May 5, 2010
48,040
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Elegant Degenerate said:
Tell me about it! Isn't this always how it goes?

You start out with good intentions, and before you know it you're shaving your legs and spending your money on lycra.
Click to expand...

Not in my case. You ain't gonna see me in lycra (besides; I don't wanna be bothered with having to change) as for shaving my legs. Well, I'm a girl! :p
 
Spare Tyre

Spare Tyre

Nov 2, 2009
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RedheadDane said:
Not in my case. You ain't gonna see me in lycra (besides; I don't wanna be bothered with having to change) as for shaving my legs. Well, I'm a girl! :p
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I think I'm in RedheadDane's tribe, although I live on the far side of the world and I'm way too old to be called a girl. :p

Edit: I'd like to say that I am aspiring to Copenhagen cycle chic (which seems to bear some resemblance to the Beautiful Godzilla although I don't see how the sense of entitlement naturally follows) but the truth is that I'm not that chic at the best of times and definitely not when riding a bike. I'd say I fall between categories (as usual), unless RedheadDane is happy for the two of us to form a "Just getting about town on my bike in my normal clothes" tribe.
 
Barrus

Barrus

BANNED
Apr 28, 2010
3,480
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I don't think these tribes work for European cyclists, at least not for Dutch cyclists
 
Barrus

Barrus

BANNED
Apr 28, 2010
3,480
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RedheadDane said:
Not for Danes either. The make it sound like almost every commuter cyclist (which by far is the most common group around here) ride fixed gears. I haven't seen one fixie around...
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Neither have I. I believe it's even illegal to ride one here, outside of the track.
 
badboyberty

badboyberty

Jun 16, 2009
759
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I'm in the ex-messenger now bikeshop-proprietor-in-wine-country tribe. My tribe commutes in lycra or street clothes depending on the weather and mood; on a cx bike, or a mtb,or a roadie, or a ex-mtb now battered commuter, depending on the weather, time constraints, my mood and which bike needs to go to work to get something done to it; trains on a road bike, cx bike or mtb; races road and occasionally xc-mtb; mucks around on an mtb or cx bike; goes for jaunts with friends on a roadie; logs up heaps of hours towing an infant trailer or with a co-pilot in a small seat above the top tube; but doesn't own a fixie because 15% kickers abound around here and there's no velodromes in the region.

If I could find the time I'd also go cycle-touring/ bike camping...

Cliques and stereotypes are for folk who want an excuse for not trying new things.
 
H

Hoekstyn

Aug 29, 2009
33
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Barrus said:
I don't think these tribes work for European cyclists, at least not for Dutch cyclists
Click to expand...

Or ones who started there. Never had to shave my legs, never had enough hair on my legs to make it worthwhile. I spend the first 19yrs of my life in Holland and Dad build me my first road bike at the ripe old age of nine. I am sure he regretted that shortly after when I came whizzing out of an alley and cut across the road in front of his bus. I rode back and forth to school, later to college and after that to work. For 3 summers we vacationed on the bike (try a single speed in the Ardennes!). Did some kermis races, early CX (see the video in CX Forum) and generally lived on the bike/with the bike. Then moved to Canada and 10yrs of no bike. Got back into it when we moved to very cycling active Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Been back on the bike ever since. Have biked in a number of different countries all over the world. Here I go to the store, or downtown in streetclothes, with a stiff soled pair of shoes (velcro fasteners. no laces in my crank), but I ride my weekend runs and my commutes (13km 1 way) in lycra. Why not? I have them, much easier on the backside and designed for all types of weather. I have a few roadbikes and a couple of cyclocross bikes for off road and the commute (cracks and potholes galore). At 62, I don't really care if I'm in lycra and get passed by a 12yrs old on a mountain bike, got nothing left to prove. It is purely for MY enjoyment.
 
F

flicker

BANNED
Aug 17, 2009
4,153
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sagard said:
Without reading the article, I'm pretty sure I'm in the same tribe as Fred.
Click to expand...

Good lets' hear it for male bonding. Must go to back alleys now to hear all the gossip on the riders at the Tour of California....
 
Martin318is

Martin318is

Jun 16, 2009
3,035
0
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Hmmm.... interesting article but I find it hard to see where I fit other than Roadie even though I regularly do the following:

Race road,
Race track,
race MTB (and generally ride trails on MTB)
Commute,
etc....
 
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