Cycling cool/uncool?

[jimo746]

perhaps "cool or uncool?" was not the best title line to describe the issues I mentioned... maybe "nerdy or not nerdy?" would have been better? or "popular or unpopular"?

Anyway, the crux of my 1st post was that many non-cyclists perception of cycling is that is indeed the poor mans transport, that regular cyclists are a bit "left-field", and that modern attitudes towards cyclists in general leave much to be desired. All imo of course.

 

[Neil]

I mean some may look for affirmation, empathy or acceptance - but at the end of the day, people (en masse) are idiots -

Agree.100%

The irony of this statement and its posting on a website established for the gratification of a particular niche, and which dedicates regular sections to various incarnations of "Bike of the Month".... ISNT lost on me....

Which statement - Tony's or mine?

'cos I stand by what I wrote - either for cycling in general, or my interest, here. I'm not looking for affirmation, empathy, or even acceptance.

As to what society, en masse, thinks about cycling as a hobby / sport / pastime, I struggle to care. The only aspect I do care about, is where it spills over to hostility or aggression whilst on the road in traffic.

I didn't join retrobike for affirmation, empathy or acceptance - I joined here as a resource for bikes from the era I prefer - initially as a source of info. That I hang around and make a monkey of myself is not my primary reason.

The retrobikes I own I do so for myself - I couldn't care less whether other people approve, or not, though - I'm not into this whole "learned culture" thing that evolves in some over time.

Some people do seek those things - either for themselves, or by extension the bikes they own - and I'm not critical of that, I'm ambivalent. All I would say, is it leaves them vulnerable to the passing flights of fancy in society over whether such things are "cool" or "uncool", or others generally approve, or not.

Noth Neil, both

Just thought it was ammusingly ironic that is all.....

Is that in the Alanis Morissette sense of the word?

didnt need a detailed, in depth waffle about the psychology of retrobiking.

Well in the words of Mick Jagger, "You can't always get what you want...". The forum, threads, replies, don't just serve your needs, nor your prescriptive concepts on what you want in reply. Still, you can just ignore it, eh.

 

[xerxes]

Surely, if you worry about being cool, you're not cool.

 

[unkleGsif]

I mean some may look for affirmation, empathy or acceptance - but at the end of the day, people (en masse) are idiots -

Agree.100%

The irony of this statement and its posting on a website established for the gratification of a particular niche, and which dedicates regular sections to various incarnations of "Bike of the Month".... ISNT lost on me....

Which statement - Tony's or mine?

'cos I stand by what I wrote - either for cycling in general, or my interest, here. I'm not looking for affirmation, empathy, or even acceptance.

As to what society, en masse, thinks about cycling as a hobby / sport / pastime, I struggle to care. The only aspect I do care about, is where it spills over to hostility or aggression whilst on the road in traffic.

I didn't join retrobike for affirmation, empathy or acceptance - I joined here as a resource for bikes from the era I prefer - initially as a source of info. That I hang around and make a monkey of myself is not my primary reason.

The retrobikes I own I do so for myself - I couldn't care less whether other people approve, or not, though - I'm not into this whole "learned culture" thing that evolves in some over time.

Some people do seek those things - either for themselves, or by extension the bikes they own - and I'm not critical of that, I'm ambivalent. All I would say, is it leaves them vulnerable to the passing flights of fancy in society over whether such things are "cool" or "uncool", or others generally approve, or not.

Noth Neil, both

Just thought it was ammusingly ironic that is all.....

Is that in the Alanis Morissette sense of the word?.

No... it was in the Family Guy sense of the word
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abWi8RiR7FU

didnt need a detailed, in depth waffle about the psychology of retrobiking.

Well in the words of Mick Jagger, "You can't always get what you want...". The forum, threads, replies, don't just serve your needs, nor your prescriptive concepts on what you want in reply. Still, you can just ignore it, eh.

Eh? You make no sense sometimes dude....
Who said I wanted anything at all? Not me, certainly. I was merely pointing out that I found something ironic, and therefore mildly amusing,it made me chuckle.

Who said I expected the forum to serve anything at all?
Prescriptive concepts on what I want in reply? Sorry, that has bugger all to do with anything

If you want to get your back up again, be my guest. However unlike others, I wont be goaded into anything... with or without complex sentances

 

[Neil]

didnt need a detailed, in depth waffle about the psychology of retrobiking.

Well in the words of Mick Jagger, "You can't always get what you want...". The forum, threads, replies, don't just serve your needs, nor your prescriptive concepts on what you want in reply. Still, you can just ignore it, eh.

Eh? You make no sense sometimes dude....
Who said I wanted anything at all? Not me, certainly. I was merely pointing out that I found something ironic, and therefore mildly amusing,it made me chuckle.

Who said I expected the forum to serve anything at all?

Um, you did...:-

didnt need a detailed, in depth waffle about the psychology of retrobiking.

OK, so I took a flyer and deliberately conflated "need" and "want" - which were as near as suited my purposes, but all the same, it's not a crime on par with Alanis and your, sorry, her "ironic"

Prescriptive concepts on what I want in reply? Sorry, that has bugger all to do with anything

And again:-

didnt need a detailed, in depth waffle about the psychology of retrobiking.

If you want to get your back up again, be my guest. However unlike others, I wont be goaded into anything... with or without complex sentances

I'm perfectly reclined, thanks for the concern. Not trying to goad you into anything - you took exception to my words, not the other way around - I was just realligning your misconceptions in surmising them, that's all - I mean that making sense thing seems uncannily elusive for you, too.

You try and help somebody... s'always the same, you make one bad judgement call...

 

[unkleGsif]

:roll:



G

 

[azaro]

I'm the most uncool person in the history of anything vaguely fashionable. I don't care what people wear, and care even less what others think of my attire and mode of transport.

Anyone who lets the perception of others rule their decision making isn't worthy of consideration anyway.

+1

Couldn't give a monkey's.
Ride a bike,used to ride motorbikes, drive a car, go to the gym - all my choice and nowt to do with others. I think some of it comes from the realisation by many that they are actually lazy, and it's a bit of jealousy that they don't have the get up and go to do any physical activity.

As for what you wear, then cycling kit has nothing on the elasticated supersuits (ultra-supportive leotards) I used to wear as a power-lifter! Did I care? Not a jot! I wear what's needed to get the job done! It's exercise, not a fashion parade.

 

[Neil]

I'm the most uncool person in the history of anything vaguely fashionable. I don't care what people wear, and care even less what others think of my attire and mode of transport.

Anyone who lets the perception of others rule their decision making isn't worthy of consideration anyway.

+1

Couldn't give a monkey's.
Ride a bike,used to ride motorbikes, drive a car, go to the gym - all my choice and nowt to do with others. I think some of it comes from the realisation by many that they are actually lazy, and it's a bit of jealousy that they don't have the get up and go to do any physical activity.

As for what you wear, then cycling kit has nothing on the elasticated supersuits (ultra-supportive leotards) I used to wear as a power-lifter! Did I care? Not a jot! I wear what's needed to get the job done! It's exercise, not a fashion parade.

Totally agreed - I'll be cycling when it's cool, uncool, razor - it's really all the same to me.

As to lifting suits - how much did you find it added? People I've trained or trained with, for some, it seemed to benefit them more than just physiologically - there seemed to be some psychological boost going on, too.

Personally, I didn't partake - nor inhale - but some of that was because when I based stuff around the powerlifting exercises, I was a bit past going all out, and more risk averse in terms of injury.

 

[azaro]

"As to lifting suits - how much did you find it added? People I've trained or trained with, for some, it seemed to benefit them more than just physiologically - there seemed to be some psychological boost going on, too."

Probably was partially psychological, certainly when squatting. With knee wraps and belt, felt like I was very compact and squatting in some sort of elasticated cage. Not sure about the dead lift though - seemed to restrict my breathing to a degree, so I had to use different suits for the 2 lifts.
A lot of the lads I lifted with who still compete are now using bench press shirts and it does seem to have helped them with that lift.
There are now different categories of competition - equipped and unequipped, but I'm not sure of the criteria. I was a qualified referee at one point, but that was before the equipped/unequipped categories came in.