Martin Harris - Moderator Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Where does all the interest in bicycle road racing come from in this forum? Dozens of blokes in brightly coloured lycra pedalling furiously - go to watch it and surely it's a swift bright blur and then you go home? Get out the night before with a can of white paint maybe and leave a message on the road... At least the much decried association football provides an opportunity to gauge the skill and (possibly more topical) commitment of the two teams and individual performances over 90 minutes or more - rugby, a beautiful flowing game punctuated by moments of commitment and bravery, with the dark arts in the scrum to provide added spice, cricket - a fascinating game of skill, bravery and intricate decision making where a draw over 5 days can be the most fascinating contest... I can see how indoor cycling can be a spectator sport but going out to watch a road race? So over to the cycling cognoscenti - educate me - what's the attraction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 The interesting thing is that these footballers play a couple of 90 minute games and then claim that they are tired...and I am sure that they are worn out with all that excercise. I wonder why the cyclists can cycle for severl hours a day including up mountains and they don't claim to be tired. Oh Sorry, they do get two rest days over txeh txhree weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Who cares ? As long as they do not impede on our legal rights as other road users, it gives us something to laugh at. Fun they are. Harmless they definitely aren't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Ask a biological chemist, partnered by a doctor, partnered in a dream team with a minister of sport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 My wife and I were enthusiastic cyclists - my wife still is and does several 1000 miles/years even at 75 and I ride fewer. I was riding around 9 to 10 thousand/ year until a serious accident limited me and I ended up playing with toy aeroplanes. We regularly cycle-camped in both the Pyrenees and the Alps and included watching a Tour stage as part of the holiday. The atmosphere on a big mountain stage is tremendous and the chat between spectators is entertaining even before the huge pre-race caravan comes through throwing out goodies. Then the riders come through relatively slowly and over a long time so you see more than a swift colourful flash. Our climbing speed with lightweight camping gear was about 8 kph - top climbers are going 3 times that and over several cols/day over several days where we would one or perhaps two and have a 'rest' day. The athleticism is tremendous and supremely demanding. Footballers seem to need a few day's rest after running around for 90 minutes. Even amateur bike racers often ride several time trials a week and many are probably fitter than most professional footballers. For me it is somewhere to go and ride our bikes and enjoy a day out with like-minded folk. Now I watch the Tour on Eurosport via the PC in my workshop. Today was superb because we've ridden most of the roads ourselves and the French scenery is second to none and we've cycled in the foothills of the Himalayas in Nepal! Chris Froome's descending was a revelation - he was going at 85kph at times - I find 50kph on our much more stable and better braked tandem quite sufficient. We used to to the Isle of Man ever year to watch the TT and Scotland to watch the 6 days trial around Fort William for much the same reasons - to spend quality time with other enthusiasts. July is the best sporting month of the year and I'm always sad when the last stage is over. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted July 9, 2016 Author Share Posted July 9, 2016 Posted by Donald Fry on 09/07/2016 19:02:11: Ask a biological chemist, partnered by a doctor, partnered in a dream team with a minister of sport er... Any chance of expanding on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Yes I start counting down to next years event after the final stage, never been to watch it other than on T.V but as Geoff says, the atmosphere at a sporting event is magic, more to life than playing with toy aeroplanes for me, sport, music plays a big part and attending live events takes some beating. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Posted by kevin b on 09/07/2016 19:01:13: Who cares ? As long as they do not impede on our legal rights as other road users, it gives us something to laugh at. Fun they are. Harmless they definitely aren't. driving is a privilege not a right. As for the OP question it a more subtle sport like cricket you need to spend some time watching and learning it go gain an appreciation. Just as a physical challenge there is not much to match it in the sporting world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Martin, whilst I don't make a habit of watching the cycling, I can see why it might be an interesting sport to watch. On TV at least! However, arriving at your chosen spot a few hours ahead, then watching various miscellaneous media and support cars drive past, then WHOOSH - the Tour hurtles past... Not sure why you'd do that. Other than perhaps taking-in the atmosphere. (I have in the past been to every F1 race held in the 1980's at Brands Hatch. Great atmosphere, but it was only watching the TV coverage afterwards when I really got to know what had actually happened in each race!) Back to cycling, I did actually go and watch the Olympic men's road event in 2012. But I went to the Box Hill Loop which they cycled round 7 times. I think I'd have felt very cheated if they'd just gone past once! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell Woodward Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Posted by kevin b on 09/07/2016 19:01:13: Who cares ? As long as they do not impede on our legal rights as other road users, it gives us something to laugh at. Fun they are. Harmless they definitely aren't. Cars have no more legal right to be on the road than cyclist, horses of pedestrians..... the twerp that stopped me from cycling had the same attitude as you. You would know that IF you wernt of twerp attitude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 I think for the people who line the roads it is more of a social event and a spectacle more than it is a spectator sport Edited By Phil 9 on 09/07/2016 19:36:01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Dream team is Russia. Works down from there. Cycling at a professional level has been corupt for as long as I have been able to vote. As weightlifting, as athletics. Football is the next sport to be visited I suspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Posted by Darrell Woodward on 09/07/2016 19:31:24: Posted by kevin b on 09/07/2016 19:01:13: Who cares ? As long as they do not impede on our legal rights as other road users, it gives us something to laugh at. Fun they are. Harmless they definitely aren't. Cars have no more legal right to be on the road than cyclist, horses of pedestrians..... the twerp that stopped me from cycling had the same attitude as you. You would know that IF you wernt of twerp attitude There are other road users apart from car drivers. Horse riders and road runners for instance. Not to mention motor cyclists and farmers. Most of them, however do not tend to dress up in fancy dress (a general opinion), or attempt to race each other on the public highway. It us usually the minority that get a sport, hobby. pastime a bad name, but with cyclists it does seem to be a larger minority. As regards to twerps, I retain that description for those who discard their rubbish in our gardens as they ride past shouting at each other to be heard (last summer 12 lip salve containers and a considerable number of drinks containers, all from cyclists). I don't dislike cyclists who are polite and obey the rules of the road, in fact I try to give them as much space as possible and only overtake when I can see it is safe to do so. Just those who are arrogant, ignorant, or both. They fall into the same category as those who drive (or ride) through red traffic lights. or those who"dump" their transport at the side of the road in often dangerous positions. Sorry about the rant mods, but I don't think there is any place on the forum for personal insults. kevinb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hopkin Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 At first glance road racing just seems to be a procession, and in the long flat stages it quite often can be (hence the introduction of intermediate sprint points) - but in the mountains its incredibly tactical, the individual time trials, the team time trials all have there own tactical subtleties - all this set against a background of an incredible endurance race..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bran Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 In the case if the Tour de France, the "show" starts way before any cyclists are due, and there are a lot of mobile sponsors etc displays and handouts going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owdlad Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 I think this thread is a tongue in cheek dig at cyclists by the author Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell Woodward Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Kevin b., Twep: **LINK** Being called annoying or silly is hardly an insult - my 70yo mother calls me a twep at least twice a week and you wont see me blubbing! I gave up cycling with clubs shortly after the 'Wiggo' movement took hold as 'Wiggistas' were not only a danger to themselves, they were a danger to myself AND car drivers....... on one ride I got asked why I raced ahead when we were about to turn at a junction to wit I replied: "You have no proficiency, so I'm safer making the turn on my own." I urge you with all sincerity to find out who the local clubs are that litter your garden and go complain to the council (you pay the fee so you have a genuine Right) rather than playing devils advocate / back sliding to cover one posterior on an AEROMODELLING forum. P.S. I'm a Senior Moderator / Server Admin of a Sim-Racing forum (100Mbitracing.com) on which your 'attitude / devils advocate' post would be jumped upon from a huge height under 'Trolling' rules - which I happen to know a fair bit about because we (UK) have the staunchest rules / LAW regarding such. Having said this, I would never use my knowledge of such to bend Any forums rules. Should the Modelflying.co.uk moderation team feel the need for me to make pennance, then I will with all sincerity via a public posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 The bickering and point scoring stops now please - or we'll bang both your heads together! Whatever your background! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Posted by john stones 1 on 09/07/2016 19:19:32: more to life than playing with toy aeroplanes John Wash your mouth out! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Cycling? Mmmmm. Motor bikes without engines,..... Sorry but I see them a bit like I see gliders, alcohol-free beer and decafinated coffee - i.e something that was fun until someone took the good bit out! BEB (very tongue in cheek!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 11/07/2016 18:53:26: Posted by john stones 1 on 09/07/2016 19:19:32: more to life than playing with toy aeroplanes John Wash your mouth out! BEB Oooh I've been modded Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Earlier post deleted, forum language infringement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owdlad Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 11/07/2016 18:56:43: Cycling? Mmmmm. Motor bikes without engines,..... Sorry but I see them a bit like I see gliders, alcohol-free beer and decafinated coffee - i.e something that was fun until someone took the good bit out! BEB (very tongue in cheek!) BEB For the past few years technology has allowed hidden electric motors into the frames of race bikes leading to riders bieng banned. Bikes now have to be tested for such dispicable technology and are also monitored during the race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell Woodward Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Posted by Owdlad on 11/07/2016 21:02:52: Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 11/07/2016 18:56:43: Cycling? Mmmmm. Motor bikes without engines,..... Sorry but I see them a bit like I see gliders, alcohol-free beer and decafinated coffee - i.e something that was fun until someone took the good bit out! BEB (very tongue in cheek!) BEB For the past few years technology has allowed hidden electric motors into the frames of race bikes leading to riders bieng banned. Bikes now have to be tested for such dispicable technology and are also monitored during the race. One reported case of this in cyclo-cross - dirty bunch of what-nots they are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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