This woman talks a lot of sense

Everything to do with cycling
Post Reply
User avatar
JohnToo
Hero Member
Hero Member
Posts: 620
Joined: 6 years ago
Location: Leatherhead

This woman talks a lot of sense

Post by JohnToo » 5 years ago

New word needed to differentiate cyclists, says Britain's top Paralympian

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... _clipboard
0 x

User avatar
Rutabaga
Hero Member
Hero Member
Posts: 1727
Joined: 5 years ago

Re: This woman talks a lot of sense

Post by Rutabaga » 5 years ago

Really? My first thought was that we'd need at least one more category - for all those strava-using, silly-commuter-racing, NY-courier-imitating, (mostly) blokes who think they're in the sport category when actually they're not.

How about dividing motorists up in the same way?
0 x

User avatar
Joan
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 3117
Joined: 6 years ago

Re: This woman talks a lot of sense

Post by Joan » 5 years ago

I'm not happy with the idea of a new word. I'm not sure what problem it's addressing. I am both a fietser and a wielrenner on different days. I don't see the value in separating them. And to do so seems to be joining the narrative of "lycra louts". I'm not going to say "I'm a good fietser, not like those terrible wielrenners. You can steer your car into them, if you like, but be nice to me.

And if it's because "cyclist" is somehow tainted, then picking a new word will just start us on the euphemism treadmill, Better to address the thinking behind it.
1 x

User avatar
JohnToo
Hero Member
Hero Member
Posts: 620
Joined: 6 years ago
Location: Leatherhead

Re: This woman talks a lot of sense

Post by JohnToo » 5 years ago

In my thinking, the objective is to get cycling seen as a mode of transport rather than a sporting activity, and as something that you, your friends and neighbours do ,rather than something fit people do. I accept what you both say, that the suggested method (of different terminology) has problems, but I'm still inclined to think it also has merits.
0 x

User avatar
Regulator
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 1880
Joined: 6 years ago
Location: Cambridge

Re: This woman talks a lot of sense

Post by Regulator » 5 years ago

When we talk about drivers, we tend to differentiate them by the type of motor vehicle they are driving (e.g. a lorry driver, a car driver, a coach driver).

I think it's perfectly acceptable to differentiate between cyclists by the type of cycling they're doing (e.g. shopping, commuting, touring, downhill, audax*) but the basic fact is they're all still cyclists as they're using cycles.

I don't see the utility in having another word to describe people who are using cycles...




*Did anyone see that 'audax' was the answer to a question on University Challenge this week?
1 x

Iris
Hero Member
Hero Member
Posts: 755
Joined: 5 years ago

Re: This woman talks a lot of sense

Post by Iris » 5 years ago

Regulator wrote:
5 years ago
*Did anyone see that 'audax' was the answer to a question on University Challenge this week?
And along with Madison and cyclo-cross it's apparently a branch of "sport cycling"

For what it's worth, I think more and more people see "cycling" as a mode of transport or a fun leisure activity, not a sport. But then I live in a middle class London commuter bubble, not at the foot of Box hill.
0 x

Post Reply