THE HYBRID RECREATIONAL CYCLIST by Jimmy Bee

Some of our group of Hybrid Recreational Cyclists touring on their Scott hybrids in New Zealand

I've been pushing the point that I am a recreational cyclist for some time, when in fact, all but bicycle commuters and couriers are recreational cyclists and most of these groups ride on their RDO (rostered day off).

A sample of surfaces that Hybrid Recreational Cyclists travel on

 

 

My true description is Hybrid Recreational Cyclist. Why hybrid? well! the people I ride with, in the main, ride hybrid bikes and we ride on a combination of surfaces from bitumen to single trail. On any given ride, we can change a number of times from riding on a bitumen road, usually within a dedicated bike lane but not always, to off road cement shared paths to dirt tracks through the forest.

 

 

 

Discussing anything except bikes....perhaps because few of us know anything about them

 

We are different from the groomed lycra 'roadies', in that when we stop for a coffee break, they look immaculate and ultra fit as if they don't really sweat when they are riding. Even if you are blind, the roadies can be heard crossing a hard surface when their exposed cleats make contact with the floor. Their conversations usually centre around their expensive bikes, bike parts and pb's (personal best times). On the other hand, the 'hybrids' usually look like something the cat has dragged in, of all shapes and sizes, dressed in an assortment of hand me downs, seldom in lycra and overall, looking like the poor country cousin. The majority of our group don't use cleats, they don't even wear proper cycling shoes and therefore can glide across the floor of a coffee shop like a Ninja, without an audible sound. The conversation differs as well, we usually spend our half hour solving the problems of the world.....a casual listener would wonder in awe, on listening into our conversation. 'Why should we bother voting for politicians at all', as it would seem, listening to this group, that all politicians are useless and our little group had all of the answers and would cost a whole lot less.

 

Like religion, there are differences, but, in general the creed is the same. We all love cycling and how it makes us feel. We all cycle to keep fit and the vast majority see the bicycle as being far superior to the automobile. As far as doing our fair share in keeping the coffee culture alive, I believe we well and truely subscribe to that culture.

 

 

Wikipedia Commons image

 

What about the rock hoppers, commonly called mountain bikers? I can't really tell you much about them as they are a secretive lot, somewhat like the Masons and like them, their heritage stems from rocks. I do know however, that there are few if any coffee outlets in the areas where they perform so they can't possibly be pulling their weight in keeping the coffee culture alive.

I'll finish this post with the following quote attributed to Daniel Behman :

        I suppose that was what attracted me to the bicycle right from the start. It is not so much a way of getting somewhere as it is a setting of randomness; it makes every journey an unorganised tour....Daniel Behman (The man who loved bicycles).

 

 

 Cheers and safe riding,

 

 

Jimmy Bee