One of the things I like about the net is the availability of short independent films. Tonight I happened to come across this trailer. Looks like one that will be on my watch list:
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The subculture of cyclists
When I was growing up, nearly every kid I knew had a bike. There were banana seat Schwinns, BMX bikes, three-speeds, five-speeds, and the occasional ten-speeds, and even rarer the balloon tire oldie.
One of my favorite rides was a bike with a banana seat and sissy bar. It looked a lot like this bike:
We all rode across the small Army base where we lived in relative safety. The MPs all knew us, and they knew our parents. Which meant that we couldn't get in trouble without having to hear about it when we got home.
We rode because it gave us freedom. We rode because it was faster than walking and easier than asking our parents to drive us. We rode because, at the time, it was what friends did together.
A lifetime later my friends and I ride for slightly different reasons: for health, to raise money in charity rides, competition. But, still the same: hanging out with friends and freedom.
That also means that there is a bit of a sub-culture going on. Back then when riding with friends, no one ever thought of riding with a helmet. If you did, you might as well had been riding in a clown outfit with an active case of cooties. Helmets were not part of the picture, although it would have saved you from head injuries from your friends throwing things at you.
Today, helmets are required (at least with the group I ride). There are specialized clothes, shoes, bikes, and even some odd food. We talk about the ride, work, wives, kids, races, football, baseball -- you name it. A lot of guys have their place to talk about life. We ride.
When I first started doing this seriously about twelve years ago, I was in for a shock. Cyclists have their own "code". That meant not just buying a bike at the department store and riding in a pair of gym shorts and t-shirt. I live in an area where there are a lot of "serious" cyclists, amateur and pro racers, and even some that have gone to the Olympics. And yes, some of them, although very few, are Christians. So, to get to know these guys means you need to be approachable and comfortable.
The guys I ride with come from all walks of life. Except for two or three of them, we don't have a history of being athletes. Two of the guys I ride with have a lot of triathlons under their belt. One is just a bit older than me, and the other is a little over 70. Both can leave me in the dust. (By the way, in my defense, that 70+ guy: it's like riding with a retired Lance Armstrong.)
So -- about that bit of sub-culture --
Early on, I started checking out cycling jerseys. They're a special fabric to wick away sweat and have pockets in the back to carry your cell phone, food, money, etc. Then there are the shorts. If you're going to sit on that little seat for a long ride, you need to bring your own padding, and that's what's in these. (By the way, you get major points off for wearing anything else under those shorts. It's commando or stick to riding the boardwalk looking for fries and lemonade.)
Shoes are specialized here, too. They have cleats that clip in to the pedals. Believe me, it's much more efficient than just stomping down on the pedal all day. Of course, everyone falls at least once in the beginning. Most often it's coming to a stop and forgetting to "un-clip". Ninety percent of the time, you slowly fall to your side still stuck to your bike. If you're lucky, you'll be by yourself and no one will see you lying there with a bike stuck to your feet.
Lastly, if you're going to commute to work, then you might as well look for a courier bag. The real ones are near bullet proof and can shed water like a duck.
Here's the one part it took me some time to get the nerve to do: shaved legs. Unless you're an Olympic athlete, shaving won't make you faster. But, you won't have to pull hair out of a wound if you fall (read "nasty infection") and when you get a massage it's much nicer for you and the masseuse. Oddly, this rite of passage is usually skipped by mountain bikers and cyclocross riders.
Ok -- with that all said -- Here is when I knew something had gone a bit odd for me. I was at home minding my own business having a bowl of cereal for breakfast and looking at a popular catalog for cyclists. I was looking at the shorts because I only had one pair. Then I looked at the shoes because mine were a used pair that I bought at a flea market at the local track. When I was looking at the courier bags, I was suddenly hit with an eye-opening and shocking thought: Here I am looking at spandex, shoes, purses, and I'm shaving my legs. What's wrong with this picture??? I'm still not over it completely.
Getting back to the group ride: When the issue of the day comes up, I don't get flack for taking my position with the teachings and principles of Jesus. It's easy to use cycling as analogies with these guys, because they get it. When it's coming from "one of them", they get it.
"Posers" are an issue for some cyclists. Some guys like to talk about how fast or long they ride. They even have the $2,000 carbon/titanium bike and latest {insert company sponsor name here} jersey to prove it. They tell a good story, but their riding tells another one. By the time the group is warmed up, these guys are ready to stop for their latte and call it a day.
Now, I will be the first to admit I'm not the fastest or have the most endurance. I have a nice bike because my very generous brother surprised me with a birthday gift. I've got the clothes and the equipment, but that's about it.
When Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, he covered this as well. He said that even though he is "free", he belongs to no one. Take a look at 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. Does this mean we have the "freedom" to act any way we like? I don't believe so. In loose translation, I may have the freedom to do what I want, but not everything is beneficial. (1 Corinthians 6:12) There is a very distinct line between preferences and principles.
Posers aren't usually tolerated. Not in cycling and not in our walk of faith. We're either serious about what we do, or we're just posers. We may have the "look" and the "talk" but our ride and our life tells the true story. Are we ready to turn it in when the going gets tough? How about when we're confronted by someone that is vehemently opposed to anything to do with Jesus' teachings?
The pros train all winter. Some even travel to Australia or South Africa to train in their summer while we're all inside complaining about six inches of snow. How about us? Are we training in the off-season? When we get into a situation, you better believe that others are watching. When illness hits our family. When we get laid off from work. When a moment of weakness is at its weakest. Are we strong enough? And, if we do blow it (and we will), are we strong enough to admit it? Are we reading the bible even when we don't "feel like it" ?
We all know when we blow it, whether we're a Christian or not. When another cyclist rides along side and offers up encouragement and guidance it carries weight. He can say, "He's been there. He understands."
Jesus had been there. He understands. Compared to what he had been used to, Jesus wore some funny clothes and maybe ate what might have been some odd food. He did it because he wanted to restore a long term relationship with us.
That's my message to my fellow riders that share the faith. Wearing those funny clothes and coughing up a lung as we climb hills together allows that message to be heard.
One of my favorite rides was a bike with a banana seat and sissy bar. It looked a lot like this bike:
We all rode across the small Army base where we lived in relative safety. The MPs all knew us, and they knew our parents. Which meant that we couldn't get in trouble without having to hear about it when we got home.
We rode because it gave us freedom. We rode because it was faster than walking and easier than asking our parents to drive us. We rode because, at the time, it was what friends did together.
A lifetime later my friends and I ride for slightly different reasons: for health, to raise money in charity rides, competition. But, still the same: hanging out with friends and freedom.
That also means that there is a bit of a sub-culture going on. Back then when riding with friends, no one ever thought of riding with a helmet. If you did, you might as well had been riding in a clown outfit with an active case of cooties. Helmets were not part of the picture, although it would have saved you from head injuries from your friends throwing things at you.
Today, helmets are required (at least with the group I ride). There are specialized clothes, shoes, bikes, and even some odd food. We talk about the ride, work, wives, kids, races, football, baseball -- you name it. A lot of guys have their place to talk about life. We ride.
When I first started doing this seriously about twelve years ago, I was in for a shock. Cyclists have their own "code". That meant not just buying a bike at the department store and riding in a pair of gym shorts and t-shirt. I live in an area where there are a lot of "serious" cyclists, amateur and pro racers, and even some that have gone to the Olympics. And yes, some of them, although very few, are Christians. So, to get to know these guys means you need to be approachable and comfortable.
The guys I ride with come from all walks of life. Except for two or three of them, we don't have a history of being athletes. Two of the guys I ride with have a lot of triathlons under their belt. One is just a bit older than me, and the other is a little over 70. Both can leave me in the dust. (By the way, in my defense, that 70+ guy: it's like riding with a retired Lance Armstrong.)
So -- about that bit of sub-culture --
Early on, I started checking out cycling jerseys. They're a special fabric to wick away sweat and have pockets in the back to carry your cell phone, food, money, etc. Then there are the shorts. If you're going to sit on that little seat for a long ride, you need to bring your own padding, and that's what's in these. (By the way, you get major points off for wearing anything else under those shorts. It's commando or stick to riding the boardwalk looking for fries and lemonade.)
Shoes are specialized here, too. They have cleats that clip in to the pedals. Believe me, it's much more efficient than just stomping down on the pedal all day. Of course, everyone falls at least once in the beginning. Most often it's coming to a stop and forgetting to "un-clip". Ninety percent of the time, you slowly fall to your side still stuck to your bike. If you're lucky, you'll be by yourself and no one will see you lying there with a bike stuck to your feet.
Lastly, if you're going to commute to work, then you might as well look for a courier bag. The real ones are near bullet proof and can shed water like a duck.
Here's the one part it took me some time to get the nerve to do: shaved legs. Unless you're an Olympic athlete, shaving won't make you faster. But, you won't have to pull hair out of a wound if you fall (read "nasty infection") and when you get a massage it's much nicer for you and the masseuse. Oddly, this rite of passage is usually skipped by mountain bikers and cyclocross riders.
Ok -- with that all said -- Here is when I knew something had gone a bit odd for me. I was at home minding my own business having a bowl of cereal for breakfast and looking at a popular catalog for cyclists. I was looking at the shorts because I only had one pair. Then I looked at the shoes because mine were a used pair that I bought at a flea market at the local track. When I was looking at the courier bags, I was suddenly hit with an eye-opening and shocking thought: Here I am looking at spandex, shoes, purses, and I'm shaving my legs. What's wrong with this picture??? I'm still not over it completely.
Getting back to the group ride: When the issue of the day comes up, I don't get flack for taking my position with the teachings and principles of Jesus. It's easy to use cycling as analogies with these guys, because they get it. When it's coming from "one of them", they get it.
"Posers" are an issue for some cyclists. Some guys like to talk about how fast or long they ride. They even have the $2,000 carbon/titanium bike and latest {insert company sponsor name here} jersey to prove it. They tell a good story, but their riding tells another one. By the time the group is warmed up, these guys are ready to stop for their latte and call it a day.
Now, I will be the first to admit I'm not the fastest or have the most endurance. I have a nice bike because my very generous brother surprised me with a birthday gift. I've got the clothes and the equipment, but that's about it.
When Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, he covered this as well. He said that even though he is "free", he belongs to no one. Take a look at 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. Does this mean we have the "freedom" to act any way we like? I don't believe so. In loose translation, I may have the freedom to do what I want, but not everything is beneficial. (1 Corinthians 6:12) There is a very distinct line between preferences and principles.
Posers aren't usually tolerated. Not in cycling and not in our walk of faith. We're either serious about what we do, or we're just posers. We may have the "look" and the "talk" but our ride and our life tells the true story. Are we ready to turn it in when the going gets tough? How about when we're confronted by someone that is vehemently opposed to anything to do with Jesus' teachings?
The pros train all winter. Some even travel to Australia or South Africa to train in their summer while we're all inside complaining about six inches of snow. How about us? Are we training in the off-season? When we get into a situation, you better believe that others are watching. When illness hits our family. When we get laid off from work. When a moment of weakness is at its weakest. Are we strong enough? And, if we do blow it (and we will), are we strong enough to admit it? Are we reading the bible even when we don't "feel like it" ?
We all know when we blow it, whether we're a Christian or not. When another cyclist rides along side and offers up encouragement and guidance it carries weight. He can say, "He's been there. He understands."
Jesus had been there. He understands. Compared to what he had been used to, Jesus wore some funny clothes and maybe ate what might have been some odd food. He did it because he wanted to restore a long term relationship with us.
That's my message to my fellow riders that share the faith. Wearing those funny clothes and coughing up a lung as we climb hills together allows that message to be heard.
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