Black cyclists

[2Loose]

I never considered cycling to be 'elitist' personally, but that perception is an interesting thing to ponder too.

If only we could make more drivers believe it, they might join us.

 

[Garz]

It is definitely a sport that has elitist members for sure. I have a work colleague who is involved with a pro team although he isn't a pro rider he does view someone like myself as a 'weekend warrior' and looks down upon others. I don't get phased by this but can see why it is highly annoying.

 

[Bayerd]

FFS Keep your hair on ....

Whether you like it or not, cycling as a hobby has been a pretty white affair. If you live in an area with a high percentage of non-whites you'll have seen very few on a road-bike or MTB'ing relative to the poulation. There may or may not be good reason for this, cultural, lack of role models, money, whatever .... it's an interesting fact to ponder. Much like the level of women cycling as a percentage of the overall population being small too.

Chilly UK has noticed a significant change in Black/ethnic cyclists, he found it interesting enough to comment in a positive manner. It's a trend he's spotted. I find it interesting to ponder. There are more regular women cyclists no doubt and the media have certainly started targetting women cyclists. If there is growth in Black/Ethnic cyclists that's interesting and it would be good to know why, is it a local effect (to Chilly) or is int Nationwide? What sparked it? Can we learn from this to encourage others, Is it only one segment of the ethnic population or all? Why Cycling and not another sport yadda yadda yadda

We could of course smash-out some semi-PC ranty-fiddle-twaddle instead of thinking .....

+1

From how I read Chilly's post, I thought s/he was questioning from the point of view that black athletes are genetically quicker than whites and seem to be genetically more athletic, meaning that black cyclists would probably be quicker than white ones.......

 

[lukesdad]

Its a fair comment to make that black and asian cyclists are not represented proportionately to the size of the black and asian population.

No idea what the reason for this is,I am sure the huge majority of cyclists would be welcoming to new cyclists of any ethnic origin.

We even have a few english members in my club

Oi ! Im a minority, and elitist

 

[Bman]

We are all individual!

When filtering, who can *not* say they are elitist

Acutally, I prefer the term "1337"

 

[2Loose]

We are all individual!

When filtering, who can *not* say they are elitist

Acutally, I prefer the term "1337"

L33t speak ain't allowed outside the electric forum - consider yourself told off!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

All the cyclists I saw today and yesterday were black.

but then I am currently in Nairobi.

 

[snailracer]

< begin mini-rant>
< begin offend half the forum>
Ok, usually I won't touch a conversation like this, but what possible difference does it make what colour they were? or which ethnicity? or religion.. or any other damn thing really, they were cycling and hopefully enjoying it. As long as we as a society fixate on everything which makes us different, be it colour, creed, religion, lifestyle preference or anything else, we're never going to evolve beyond the state we're in now.
Really, we need to knock this off. It doesn't matter how cycling has been, or been perceived to be -- what matters is where it's going, and at the end of the day for better or worse, we're all human beings- so can we just start acknowledging cyclists as being cyclists and leave it at that? It's no wonder that cycling gets a reputation for being a white elitist sport when we're so ignorant as to point out various people for their colour or background..etc.. as if they represent some kind of a novelty to gawk at.

</end rant>

Well, you have touched upon one of the many conundrums for race issues:

Unless you count up the white faces and black faces, how do you know there isn't any racism?

If the act of counting is itself racist, does this not imply the counter is also racist, whose opinion is therefore suspect?

If, as some claim, there are actually no races, then why is racism not considered no more or less controversial than, say, discrimination by hair colour, or height?

 

[snailracer]

It is definitely a sport that has elitist members for sure. I have a work colleague who is involved with a pro team although he isn't a pro rider he does view someone like myself as a 'weekend warrior' and looks down upon others. I don't get phased by this but can see why it is highly annoying.

Elitist?

It is outrageous we don't all have the opportunity to train 40hrs a week until we puke, just to race 2 minutes at the Olympics .

 

[GrumpyGregry]

just remember chaps, those of us who are white are the mutants, and those of us who use bicycles for sport, recreation and through choice are a tiny minority of the world's cyclists.

Cycling comes with all sorts of socio-economic baggage, especially if your ancestry and social norms come from a culture other than that of the richest societies on earth. Only a few weeks ago a colleague from Sudan said to one of my UK colleagues "It is shameful that Mr Greg bicycles to work, can he not afford a motor car?"

For many cycling is only something you do if you can't afford a car.....

 

[Norm]

... especially if your ancestry and social norms...

You think they are bad, you want to try some of the anti-social ones.

 

[snorri]

It's no wonder that cycling gets a reputation for being a white elitist sport

I don't think anyone believes I'm taking part in a 'white elitist sport' as I struggle home from Lidl with a week of shopping in the panniers, in fact the suggestion is quite hilarious.

 

[ramses]

Have you got a bigger can numbnuts? You might need it!

 

[dellzeqq]

loads of black cyclists round here.....

 

[Smokin Joe]

It's no wonder that cycling gets a reputation for being a white elitist sport

That's a myth.

Cycling has always been a working class sport in my experience, virtually everyone I rode and raced with came from that background.