4 ms·

Just so no one gets the wrong idea: the vast majority of competitive and enthusiast cyclists and mountain bikers within the US own and use vehicles. Nearly ever

by dvzk 4y ago

Just so no one gets the wrong idea: the vast majority of competitive and enthusiast cyclists and mountain bikers within the US own and use vehicles. Nearly every group affiliated cyclist I know routinely transports bikes to trails, meetups, and events. Our average carbon footprint is likely higher. Cyclists without cars are rarely met and usually the butt of jokes.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
kqr 4y ago
I think in this thread we are not discussing people who ride bikes on trails, but people who use them on public roads to get from point A to B, e.g. home to work and back again. I don't care how many cars you have parked in your garage. If you take the bike one day a year, then you're doing better in terms of the environment than someone who does it zero times a year. Also bicycles are vehicles, by any definition.
- dvzk 4y ago
  > If you take the bike one day a year, then you're doing better in terms of the environment than someone who does it zero times a year. This isn’t true. I think it would shock many HN nerds just how much flight and driving many athletes do. Nobody is cycling 100-3000 miles to attend a tour or enduro event. That’s not even counting the emissions from our eight-cylinder 4WDs, trucks, SUVs, vans, RVs, etc.
  - kqr 4y ago
    Take the bike instead of plane/car/train/etc, not in addition to. Wasn't that obvious from context?
    - dvzk 4y ago
      I understand the prescription, but it’s descriptively untrue that American cyclists are climate neutral, or always better for the environment. If you see a road cyclist athlete, chances are high that the person travels around the state/country/world, and you aren’t seeing their sport- and lifestyle- related emissions. It’s like observing someone behind a desk and claiming, “Wow! You are so climate-friendly!” even though they drove to work. You can try to restrict the subject to the minuscule echelon of car-opposed cyclists, who nobody in our cycling communities takes seriously, but it’s a misleading look at our actual cycling culture. No athlete is going to forgo the conveniences of flight/driving and wear themselves out before a distant meetup or race. It’s not even logistically possible. Our vehicles also carry our supplies, tools, components, and backup bikes. Nobody is going to bikepack up 13,000 feet of elevation for 12 hours, to begin a brutal 100-mile race through the mountain passes, when they can chill in an air-conditioned SUV instead. Is cycling instead of driving better when you can? Yes, obviously. But it’s not a complete picture. The smug superiority that comes from message board commuter cyclists is clueless. The disdain toward drivers is a self-blow. It is hypocritical naïveté. It just makes the reputation of cyclists unjustifiably worse.

by dvzk 4y ago

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

kqr 4y ago

I think in this thread we are not discussing people who ride bikes on trails, but people who use them on public roads to get from point A to B, e.g. home to work and back again. I don't care how many cars you have parked in your garage. If you take the bike one day a year, then you're doing better in terms of the environment than someone who does it zero times a year. Also bicycles are vehicles, by any definition.

dvzk 4y ago
> If you take the bike one day a year, then you're doing better in terms of the environment than someone who does it zero times a year. This isn’t true. I think it would shock many HN nerds just how much flight and driving many athletes do. Nobody is cycling 100-3000 miles to attend a tour or enduro event. That’s not even counting the emissions from our eight-cylinder 4WDs, trucks, SUVs, vans, RVs, etc.
- kqr 4y ago
  Take the bike instead of plane/car/train/etc, not in addition to. Wasn't that obvious from context?
  - dvzk 4y ago
    I understand the prescription, but it’s descriptively untrue that American cyclists are climate neutral, or always better for the environment. If you see a road cyclist athlete, chances are high that the person travels around the state/country/world, and you aren’t seeing their sport- and lifestyle- related emissions. It’s like observing someone behind a desk and claiming, “Wow! You are so climate-friendly!” even though they drove to work. You can try to restrict the subject to the minuscule echelon of car-opposed cyclists, who nobody in our cycling communities takes seriously, but it’s a misleading look at our actual cycling culture. No athlete is going to forgo the conveniences of flight/driving and wear themselves out before a distant meetup or race. It’s not even logistically possible. Our vehicles also carry our supplies, tools, components, and backup bikes. Nobody is going to bikepack up 13,000 feet of elevation for 12 hours, to begin a brutal 100-mile race through the mountain passes, when they can chill in an air-conditioned SUV instead. Is cycling instead of driving better when you can? Yes, obviously. But it’s not a complete picture. The smug superiority that comes from message board commuter cyclists is clueless. The disdain toward drivers is a self-blow. It is hypocritical naïveté. It just makes the reputation of cyclists unjustifiably worse.