Cycling as the new golf
Written 22 March 2012
Cycling is going through somewhat of a renaissance at present. Not just the sport of cycling but the joys of commuting by bicycle too.
The rise of the bicycle commuter can be put down to a number of contributing factors, but in large part to the desire to be a clean, green individual.[insert image of beautiful woman riding home from the market with her shopping in her basket while elegantly ringing her bell at passers by].
But what about the sport of cycling, and the rise of the full time corporate part time weekend athlete? How do we explain that phenomenon and what does it mean for our sport?
BikeSnob NYC attributes the boom in cycling of the '00's' to the "Lance effect", and it is true that the impact of Lance Armstrong cannot be underestimated. Until his story captured the attention of middle class western society, the Tour de France was just a three week race no one understood full of skinny European guys no one knew. But then Lance stormed back from cancer to win the tour seven consecutive times. His story inspired even the most cynical amongst us and gave many the motivation to buy their own two wheeled machine.
However, given Lance's last tour win was in 2005, there is more to the incessant growth of cycling than just the Lance effect.
Riding down Beach Road in Melbourne or Tamaki Drive in Auckland it is clear to any observer that cycling really is the new golf, not only because it is so popular, but because it is popular with a very specific demographic. A demographic some in the bike business like to call MAMILs, or middle aged men in lycra. From all observations these MAMILs, and female corporates too, are made up in large part by CEOs, CFOs, accountants, financiers, lawyers and corporates from all industries.
What is it about cycling that attracts this demographic? Probably the ability to buy a flash new toy, get out and about with their mates, race those mates to the coffee shop, while all the time burning off their indulgences.
The popularity of the sport amongst this demographic has many good and bad side effects on our sport.
What they expect out of their bike rides
Most corporates are time poor and live for the weekends to cram in their decent bouts of exercise. Thus come Saturday morning they want their bunch ride to be on time and to be fast enough to burn as many indulgent calories as possible (often consumed that week at various corporate lunches and over dinner out at a 2 hat restaurant on Friday night). There is no time for easy rides amongst their training program, resulting in every bunch ride these days being a smash fest with the obligatory race to the self imposed landmark finish line.
Your average corporate has also worked pretty hard to make it where they are in the world, and hence often have a type ?a? personality with a built in competitive spirit. They will therefore race you to the landmark finish line/coffee shop every time, and will make up excuses when you beat them.
How they expect road users to treat them
Cycling Tips and many other cycling related websites have tried in vain to push the cause of the well behaved cyclist, as have I. It appears to me that many corporates on bikes treat the road like their board room or office and expect other road users to simply fall around them depending on which direction they choose to take. I am lion hear me roar!!
Unfortuantely the guy in the Holden who passes you with millimetres to spare does not care who you are Monday to Friday, you are just another guy in lycra in his way on the weekend.
What they ride
Given most corporates can afford to, the purchase of a ludicrously expensive bike is all part of taking up the sport of cycling. The thought of possibly buying a second hand bike is never even considered. This has created a large amount of status anxiety amongst the cycling community. What componentry have you got? What wheels are those? How light is it? Does anyone in the tour ride that model?
Those in the know like to call this $10,000 bike, $10 legs syndrome.
To improve their weekend performance in the race to the coffee shop, most people could do with losing 5kgs and doing a few extra mid week training sessions rather than buying the latest gadgetry.
What does this tell us about our sport? It tells us that it is changing for the better and for the worse. Perhaps the influence of these MAMILs (and female corporates) will help the cycling cause by influencing those at the top to give us more bike lanes and infrastructure. It may also mean that the sport may get more sponsorship from those holding the purse strings. It also would appear to be great for those in the bike industry, selling Mr $10 legs his completely unnecessary $10,000 bike.
However is it good for the sport overall? I think it is but we need to make sure that those of us from the old school, who maybe also happen to be corporates, get out and get heard. Rant freely about bunch etiquette, the use of chamois cream and how to treat other road users. If we don?t, the remaining cycle sport etiquette may be lost at the bottom of some MAMILs latte.
Disclaimer - I am also a time poor corporate who knows many well behaved and fabulous MAMILs.
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