4 ms·

Another way in which biking in (some parts of) the US isn't casual: pretty much every biker you see in Silicon Valley has bike shorts, a jersey advertising a ra

by tlb 8y ago

Another way in which biking in (some parts of) the US isn't casual: pretty much every biker you see in Silicon Valley has bike shorts, a jersey advertising a race or energy drink, clip-in shoes and is riding at VO₂ max. I feel out of place tooling around in street clothes.

skookumchuck 8y ago
In Seattle, too. They look like they took a wrong turn at the Tour de France.
- twoWhlsGud 8y ago
  What part of Seattle are you talking about? During commute periods I see mostly people wearing "normal" clothing (well, normal for Seattle, anyway...) on bikes. Folks kitted up are usually out biking on the weekends.
  - skookumchuck 8y ago
    I see a "normal" biker about only 1 out of 10 or so. The rest are wearing spandex racing outfits.
kazen44 8y ago
This is suchs a strange concept to me as a dutchman. Americans seem to think biking is mainly a sport instead of a mode of transportation. Most dutch people ride on bicycles which are either A) in a constant semi-broken state (students are notorious for this) or B) riding a luxery city bike (usually high income families).
- walshemj 8y ago
  Isn't that because of endemic bike theft and city bikes are not really expensive they start to top out where a good entry level MTB starts.
  - KozmoNau7 8y ago
    In Amsterdam and Copenhagen alike, a lot of bikes are sort of community property, usually involuntarily. I ride a reasonably nice bike for transport, which I keep well-maintained and always secure with two locks. But most bikes I see are in a rather sorry state, with rusty dangling chains, wobbly wheels, flat tires and busted accessories. Yet they seem to still perform adequately well for their task.
    - rorykoehler 8y ago
      In Berlin the joke is you rent your bikes for an indefinite time-period when you buy it. Having your bike stolen every few months hurts less when you paid €20 (and suspected it was already stolen before).
- d1zzy 8y ago
  But it makes sense if you think about it: it's a highly risky, not very rewarding experience to bike to work in the US so only the people really into it/passionate about it do it. I would expect a large overlap between people passionate about biking and those that dress in lycra and ride road bikes. Other reasons that I could see for that: - longer average commute distance for US bike commuters vs other places (which means, you want a nicer/faster bike and comfortable/aerodynamic clothing) - there is a cultural element to it, especially for a certain age group (aka MAMILs) plus the higher relative price of racing equipment isn't an issue for this group Plus, racing bikes are really very nice bikes. I like to compare it like driving a Ferrari to work, sure, it's not the best place to take advantage of such a car/engine, but it's still a better experience than a regular car (but YMMV, depends on the quality of the road).
- wyclif 8y ago
  I'm an American, but I'm a big fan of the basic black opafiets. It's so practical and functional.
- rorykoehler 8y ago
  You only have to drive across the border to Germany to find full-kit alpine hikers (poles and all) walking their leisurely stroll in their local park. This reflects essentially the same attitude as what the GP described.
  - adrianN 8y ago
    Maybe it's different in west Germany, but I've never seen anyone wearing hiking gear in a park.
    - rorykoehler 8y ago
      It was a slight exaggeration... but only slight. When I was visiting my bro in Freiburg I was amazed at the number of full-kit w*s walking up and down the relatively flat paved path that hugged the Dreisam river. Half of them were practically dragging the poles behind them too.
- jimmaswell 8y ago
  Bicycling being slower, less comfortable, less safe, taking constant physical exertion, being unable to reasonably transport much on a bike etc. does make it seem like a sport or frivolity more than a practicality unless you can't afford anything better, even a motorcycle or electric scooter. Especially during uncomfortable weather.
Lio 8y ago
As a sport cyclist and bike commuter in the UK I’m able to separate these two activities in my mind. If I’m pootling to the shops a mile away on my Brompton I generally don’t even bother with a helmet. If however, I’m off for a 60-100 mile training ride with my club mates I wouldn’t dream of doing it in anything other than bib shorts, jersey and cleated shoes. I mean you wouldn’t wear a business suit to the gym or jeans to go swimming would you? Padded shorts and tight fitting lycra are the most comfortable things to wear if you’re going to cycle a long way, long time or just want to go fast on a bike. If you don’t want to do those things wear what you like, that’s fine too.
scottlamb 8y ago
> pretty much every biker you see in Silicon Valley has bike shorts, a jersey advertising a race or energy drink, clip-in shoes and is riding at VO₂ max. Where and when are you looking? That's more or less how I look biking past Portola Valley on the weekends (on the rare occasions I get out anymore). But on the weekdays during commute hours, you'll find me on the Stevens Creek trail or Mountain View's bicycle boulevard instead, wearing normal work clothes, biking more slowly, and pulling a two-kid trailer. Most cyclists I see there don't look anything like what you're describing.
kqr 8y ago
Try tooling around on an old bike in street clothes – but at VO₂ max. Easy way to make the bike short-race jersey-energy drink-clipin shoes feel very out of place...

by tlb 8y ago

skookumchuck 8y ago

In Seattle, too. They look like they took a wrong turn at the Tour de France.

twoWhlsGud 8y ago
What part of Seattle are you talking about? During commute periods I see mostly people wearing "normal" clothing (well, normal for Seattle, anyway...) on bikes. Folks kitted up are usually out biking on the weekends.
- skookumchuck 8y ago
  I see a "normal" biker about only 1 out of 10 or so. The rest are wearing spandex racing outfits.

kazen44 8y ago

This is suchs a strange concept to me as a dutchman. Americans seem to think biking is mainly a sport instead of a mode of transportation. Most dutch people ride on bicycles which are either A) in a constant semi-broken state (students are notorious for this) or B) riding a luxery city bike (usually high income families).

walshemj 8y ago
Isn't that because of endemic bike theft and city bikes are not really expensive they start to top out where a good entry level MTB starts.
- KozmoNau7 8y ago
  In Amsterdam and Copenhagen alike, a lot of bikes are sort of community property, usually involuntarily. I ride a reasonably nice bike for transport, which I keep well-maintained and always secure with two locks. But most bikes I see are in a rather sorry state, with rusty dangling chains, wobbly wheels, flat tires and busted accessories. Yet they seem to still perform adequately well for their task.
  - rorykoehler 8y ago
    In Berlin the joke is you rent your bikes for an indefinite time-period when you buy it. Having your bike stolen every few months hurts less when you paid €20 (and suspected it was already stolen before).
d1zzy 8y ago
But it makes sense if you think about it: it's a highly risky, not very rewarding experience to bike to work in the US so only the people really into it/passionate about it do it. I would expect a large overlap between people passionate about biking and those that dress in lycra and ride road bikes. Other reasons that I could see for that: - longer average commute distance for US bike commuters vs other places (which means, you want a nicer/faster bike and comfortable/aerodynamic clothing) - there is a cultural element to it, especially for a certain age group (aka MAMILs) plus the higher relative price of racing equipment isn't an issue for this group Plus, racing bikes are really very nice bikes. I like to compare it like driving a Ferrari to work, sure, it's not the best place to take advantage of such a car/engine, but it's still a better experience than a regular car (but YMMV, depends on the quality of the road).
wyclif 8y ago
I'm an American, but I'm a big fan of the basic black opafiets. It's so practical and functional.
rorykoehler 8y ago
You only have to drive across the border to Germany to find full-kit alpine hikers (poles and all) walking their leisurely stroll in their local park. This reflects essentially the same attitude as what the GP described.
- adrianN 8y ago
  Maybe it's different in west Germany, but I've never seen anyone wearing hiking gear in a park.
  - rorykoehler 8y ago
    It was a slight exaggeration... but only slight. When I was visiting my bro in Freiburg I was amazed at the number of full-kit w*s walking up and down the relatively flat paved path that hugged the Dreisam river. Half of them were practically dragging the poles behind them too.
jimmaswell 8y ago
Bicycling being slower, less comfortable, less safe, taking constant physical exertion, being unable to reasonably transport much on a bike etc. does make it seem like a sport or frivolity more than a practicality unless you can't afford anything better, even a motorcycle or electric scooter. Especially during uncomfortable weather.

Lio 8y ago

As a sport cyclist and bike commuter in the UK I’m able to separate these two activities in my mind. If I’m pootling to the shops a mile away on my Brompton I generally don’t even bother with a helmet. If however, I’m off for a 60-100 mile training ride with my club mates I wouldn’t dream of doing it in anything other than bib shorts, jersey and cleated shoes. I mean you wouldn’t wear a business suit to the gym or jeans to go swimming would you? Padded shorts and tight fitting lycra are the most comfortable things to wear if you’re going to cycle a long way, long time or just want to go fast on a bike. If you don’t want to do those things wear what you like, that’s fine too.

scottlamb 8y ago

> pretty much every biker you see in Silicon Valley has bike shorts, a jersey advertising a race or energy drink, clip-in shoes and is riding at VO₂ max. Where and when are you looking? That's more or less how I look biking past Portola Valley on the weekends (on the rare occasions I get out anymore). But on the weekdays during commute hours, you'll find me on the Stevens Creek trail or Mountain View's bicycle boulevard instead, wearing normal work clothes, biking more slowly, and pulling a two-kid trailer. Most cyclists I see there don't look anything like what you're describing.

kqr 8y ago

Try tooling around on an old bike in street clothes – but at VO₂ max. Easy way to make the bike short-race jersey-energy drink-clipin shoes feel very out of place...