http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: "You Don't Have to Be Superhuman to Commute by Bicycle" en Wed, 13 May 2026 03:38:36 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381&page=2#post-98694 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:07:51 +0000 wee folding bike 98694@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And in homage to Norm the guy who sits at the bar in Quark's is called Morn (Deep Space Nine). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381&page=2#post-98692 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:49:05 +0000 crowriver 98692@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hmm. Quite a good discussion there. Criticism of structure, arguments over meaning and some comparative analysis.</p> <p>Okay, for our next assignment perhaps a close reading of Paul Fournel's 'Need for the Bike', followed by reactions, thoughts, criticisms? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381&page=2#post-98653 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:35:25 +0000 Cyclingmollie 98653@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I stand corrected.</p> <p>All: (as Norm walks in) "Norm!"<br /> Woody: "Room for a beer Mr. Peterson?"<br /> Norm: "Nope, but I'm willing to add on". </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381&page=2#post-98632 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:21:00 +0000 SRD 98632@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Baseballer surely? </p> <p>(SRD - never one to lose a chance for an argument) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381&page=2#post-98625 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:06:31 +0000 Cyclingmollie 98625@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Reminds me of the episode of "Cheers" in which Ted Danson, as an ex pro-footballer is invited onto a sports show to provide expert analysis. After listening to a series of complex, contentious issues raised by the phone-in audience he suggests that "things would go better if we all just learned to get along". He's not invited back. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381&page=2#post-98613 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:48:08 +0000 mgj 98613@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My brother who lives in California tells me that cyclists in the States are much more likely to be what <strong>we</strong> might consider 'outliers' in any case. Fewer ordinary commuters over short distances, far more recreational club cyclists doing long road trips at the weekend. He is starting a business in his spare time to import Italian-made frames and turn them into custom road bikes for a big mark up; that's what the guys who used to buy Porsches are into now, at least on that coast. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381&page=2#post-98612 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:45:41 +0000 chdot 98612@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Followed by random topic jump"</p> <p>ABSOLUTELY! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381&page=2#post-98610 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:41:37 +0000 Min 98610@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Oh I don't know, this CCE.</p> <p>Bit of misreading, assumptioning, literary criticisming.</p> <p>Normal really... </em></p> <p>Followed by random topic jump! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381&page=2#post-98609 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:38:58 +0000 chdot 98609@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"</p> <p>Ramblers Scotland (@ramblersscot)<br /> 31/01/2013 10:10</p> <p>Ramblers Scotland is today launching TAKE 30, a campaign to support the UK Chief Medical Officers’ recommendation that we should all be aiming to take at least 30 minutes of moderate activity 5 times a week.</p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://www.ramblers.org.uk/scotland/media-centre/press-releases/2013/january/take30.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.ramblers.org.uk/scotland/media-centre/press-releases/2013/january/take30.aspx</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381&page=2#post-98606 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:28:15 +0000 chdot 98606@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"I must say I am a bit surprised at the controversy this is causing!"</p> <p>Oh I don't know, this CCE. </p> <p>Bit of misreading, assumptioning, literary criticisming. </p> <p>Normal really... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381&page=2#post-98605 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:23:39 +0000 Min 98605@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I must say I am a bit surprised at the controversy this is causing! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381&page=2#post-98603 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:22:31 +0000 Smudge 98603@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That's what I said! ;-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98601 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:18:11 +0000 kaputnik 98601@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Still want to know more about that picture at the top.<br /> </em><br /> Meet <a href="http://gudphoto.com/bikenyc/2011/06/24/new-york-bike-portrait-cynthia/">Cynthia and Adam</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98600 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:09:23 +0000 Smudge 98600@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Here you go:<br /> <a href="http://gudphoto.com/bikenyc/2011/06/24/new-york-bike-portrait-cynthia/" rel="nofollow">http://gudphoto.com/bikenyc/2011/06/24/new-york-bike-portrait-cynthia/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98598 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:06:59 +0000 Smudge 98598@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The picture on top is from #BikeNYC thatchdot linked to earlier, half a mo' and I'll find it... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98597 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:58:18 +0000 kaputnik 98597@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>"who ride as much as 40 miles each way"</p> <p>And nowhere does she call people who do that 'freaks'. </em></p> <p>My mistook. I read it as a 40 mile commute, so divide by 2 to get the each-way figure. </p> <p>Perhaps what I've overlooked is this article is written by an American journalist, so every time she's actually throwing an olive branch ("a round of applause to...") I've taken as being a hearty does of acidic British sarcasm. </p> <p>I note that her comments aren't immune from chipwrapper-type trolling;</p> <p><em>Well, if a bike had its own climate control, could carry up to five people and/or hundreds of pounds of cargo, and was capable of speeds of up to a hundred miles per hour, I'd consider spending $30,000 on it.</em> </p> <p>(according to googling, highest speed limit in New York state is 65mph, but never mind).</p> <p>Still want to know more about that picture at the top. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98596 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:52:41 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 98596@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ah, have seen the author pic at the bottom of the piece, so the lead picture is <em>not</em> the author. Still neither here nor there (in my opinion). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98595 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:52:10 +0000 chdot 98595@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"There's nothing freakish about a couple of hours of moderate exercise a week."</p> <p>You sure...</p> <p>No obesity problem then?</p> <p>I think you mean 'shouldn't be seen as odd/unusual'. </p> <p>But it is. </p> <p>That <em>doesn't</em> mean that those who do are "freakish" - even if other people think so. </p> <p>That '3 minute intense exercise' programme was on telly again last night. </p> <p>I think basic message was not even about type/intensity/frequency of "activity", more that the basic 'sitting at a desk for hours on end' is a REAL problem for a lot people. </p> <p>SO if you've been staring at this screen for an hour - time for a walk. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98594 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:51:59 +0000 AKen 98594@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>If people want to ride 40 mile each way in high tech gear, great. If they want to ride 1 mile in a suit, also great.</em></p> <p>But maybe not a good idea today...... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98593 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:49:57 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 98593@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I assumed the picture <em>was</em> of the author.</p> <p>The first few paragraphs are setting the scene based on that NY Times article. Without that there the article is simply 'yay, ordinary people ride bikes' in a sort of disconnected Cycle Chic way (which doubtless people would complain about).</p> <p>The author sets the scene of there having been a lot of coverage of cyclists as 'extreme' commuters; balances that with mention of those who won't be subject to a NY Times article because they're 'man on the street'; and finishes by saying that all cycling is good...</p> <p>Honestly, I really am totally non-plussed by the dislike for this piece. It's <em><strong>positive</strong></em> about cycling of <em><strong>all</strong></em> kinds!?!?? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98591 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:46:09 +0000 Instography 98591@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It's like a compressed version of the kind of long-form story that is common in The New Yorker. The sort of thing Malcolm Gladwell does. It starts with a human story, moves out to give a broad, often statistical overview and then comes back in to the personal story again, making some general point along the way. It suffers from the compression. For a web article, it's much shorter than it needs to be.</p> <p>But she's not taking a swipe at the lycra-wearing cyclists. She's having a swipe at the New York Times for focusing on this elite group of long-distance commuters and trying to show how atypical they are. It could certainly have been better structured. A Gladwell would probably have started with the counter-example - the woman in the picture - as the lead in to arguing that the focus on extreme commuters is not helping to build cycling as an everyday option for most people making short journeys. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98588 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:44:49 +0000 kaputnik 98588@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I come away from the article wanting to know more about the lady in the picture in her civvies, with a store-bought kind of a bike, with her child, but the article doesn't take the trouble to even mention her name. It spends 3 out of 9 paragraphs focussing on the <em> image of the road warrior in space-age gear</em> and the only real focus on the <em>average people on average bikes</em> is on the author themselves. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98587 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:41:35 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 98587@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The 'freak' reference (also quoted above) is simply about bikes (you'll notice she has in that list the carbon fibre brigade, the fixies, the folder etc etc etc so the reference to 'freak' is about Joe Bloggs thinking <em>cycling</em> is in and of itself freakish). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98586 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:40:03 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 98586@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<em>I mildly object to being able to ride <strong>20</strong> miles each way a couple of times a week being described as "some kind of a freak".</em>"</p> <p>"<em>who ride as much as <strong>40</strong> miles each way</em>"</p> <p>And nowhere does she call people who do that 'freaks'. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98585 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:37:53 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 98585@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Lycra's bad?</p> <p>"<em>The article profiled a number of high-achieving riders who definitely qualify as outliers</em>" Well c'mon, a 40 mile commute at 17mph average, twice a week, getting up at 4.40am to do it <em>is</em> outlier territory.</p> <p>"<em>Long-distance commuters such as Edstrom and the others interviewed for the piece – including a 20-strong group from Ridgewood, New Jersey, that rides in a pace line at around 22 miles per hour – <strong>are fun to read about</strong></em>"</p> <p>Okay, so there <em>is</em> this line: "<em>pedaling a custom-built bike worth thousands of dollars over icy predawn roads, is off-putting to most ordinary folks</em>" but it's hardly cycle chic territory, and I was just happy she didn't write 'peddling'.</p> <p>Not sure I see it as a weak piece.</p> <p>Intro - mention of article in NY Times on 'extreme' commuters (and they really are);</p> <p>Middle - explanation of who makes up the majority of commuters in NY;</p> <p>End - They're all (the 'extreme' and the norm) on bikes, isn't that cool. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98584 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:36:31 +0000 kaputnik 98584@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I mildly object to the implication that being able to ride 20 miles each way a couple of times a week makes one "<strong>some kind of a freak</strong>". </p> <p>There's nothing freakish about a couple of hours of moderate exercise a week. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98582 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:33:05 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 98582@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm with Min, cc, chdot and fimm. The headline is relating back to an article in the New York Times, so it's an 'answer' piece really.</p> <p>And <em>this</em> is the crux:</p> <p>"<em>But everyone who bikes in New York or any other city has certain things in common. The Type-A strivers on their carbon-fiber steeds; the skinny-jeans-wearing fixie riders; the elevator repairman in work clothes on his anonymous hybrid; the fashionable businesswoman on her folder; the 82-year-old photographer on his cruiser. All of them benefit from an increased recognition that bicycles are a legitimate way to get from one place to another, and that <strong>you don’t have to be some kind of a freak to use them</strong></em>"</p> <p>Simple, straightforward.. Reminds me of something like... "No matter what you ride, as long as you do..." ;) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98580 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:32:34 +0000 kaputnik 98580@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>To elaborate, what I really didn't get about the article was it felt for the first 3 or 4 paragraphs it was yet another monotonous "lycra's bad, mmmm'kay" article. Then it kind of lost its way and decided perhaps lycra wasn't so bad after all, just a minority fetish. And then it sort of wandered into "cycling's all good" territory. It spent a good half of the article having a rather thinly-veiled swipe at the lycra-clad, carbon-spaceship-riding supercommuter, then didn't trouble itself to elaborate on or further explore the other 98% of commuters it was holding up as everyman.</p> <p>Perhaps the problem with the article is that it is just a rather poorly thought-through piece of writing, immaterial of the subject matter. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98579 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:32:15 +0000 SRD 98579@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I agree with Insto &amp; cc &amp; chdot :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9381#post-98578 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:28:24 +0000 fimm 98578@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>As someone who sits firmly in <em>both</em> "camps" (this morning at PY with my Brompton I was joking about being the person who looked least like a cyclist; tomorrow I intend to don my lycra (and warm layers) and do my 16 miles each way version of my commute on my road bike) I do get a bit annoyed by this sort of thing. Why the need to categorise?</p> <p>I agree with cc and chdot </p>