When do we stop being 'beginners'?

[Dayvo]

IF

you can ride uphill, backwards, no hands, in the dark, without lights, no helmet, adjusting your front brake, in a foot of snow, with no gloves, ignoring the abuse from the fools on four wheels, with five litres of tea inside you, and an entire fruit cake just eaten, IF you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds’ worth of distance hard cycled, yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, and—which is more—you’ll no longer be a beginner, my son.



Get out and enjoy!

 

[Paulus]

You are no longer a beginner when you look at the bike instead of the rider, and you have as many cycling jerseys as you do formal/work shirts.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

You are no longer a beginner when you look at the bike instead of the rider, and you have as many cycling jerseys as you do formal/work shirts.

Well I hav 7 shirts and 3 jackets,, I have a load of old t-shirts that don't fit to well (to large) a couple of shirts, no jackets and only one coat, where does that put me.

 

[Paulus]

Well I hav 7 shirts and 3 jackets,, I have a load of old t-shirts that don't fit to well (to large) a couple of shirts, no jackets and only one coat, where does that put me.

But do you look at the bike first?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

But do you look at the bike first?

Bike comes first. without it I can't ride. I am not listing what it's had this year, not much compared with some, but I do seriously have limited funds.

 

[sutts]

IF

you can ride uphill, backwards, no hands, in the dark, without lights, no helmet, adjusting your front brake, in a foot of snow, with no gloves, ignoring the abuse from the fools on four wheels, with five litres of tea inside you, and an entire fruit cake just eaten, IF you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds’ worth of distance hard cycled, yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, and—which is more—you’ll no longer be a beginner, my son.



Get out and enjoy!

Lol...

 

[Rob3rt]

You stop being a "beginner" when you stop posting in the Beginners forum. It's really simple!

Welcome, BTW.

If that is true then this section would become a terrible place simply containing a load of 'the blind leading the blind' type scenarios.

 

[The Jogger]

... when you can relate to this thread: http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/you-know-youre-a-cyclist-when.140325/

A lot on that thread would like to be up to your standard sutts. You have a great average speed and mileage.

 

[sutts]

en

You are no longer a beginner when you look at the bike instead of the rider, and you have as many cycling jerseys as you do formal/work shirts.

A lot on that thread would like to be up to your standard sutts. You have a great average speed and mileage.

Thanks! I guess the speed is ok, but I do struggle on the up-hill climbs (that's because I live in a really flat area, so no chance to improve). Incidentally, talking as the relative beginner that I am, I tried cleats today for the first time and I found my left knee to be very uncomfortable and bordering on painful. I will adjust them and try again of course (as per the advice on many threads on here), but I think I quite like the freedom to move my feet a bit! My left foot seems to adopt an unconventional position on the pedal anyway and no cleat/shoe combination would be able to achieve it...but it's comfortable and that's important of course! I also think I do too many days without a day off...but that's because I don't really want a day off. I expect the cold weather will force some days off...I don't like the cold!

I'm off to Majorca again in two weeks, I'm going to go up those hills in Puerto Pollensa on a bike with a shopping basket on the front!

 

[totallyfixed]

You stop being a beginner when you don't feel the need to tell absolute strangers how high your average speed is .

 

[Deleted member 1258]

You stop being a beginner when you don't feel the need to tell absolute strangers how high your average speed is .

So after 40+ years I'm still a beginner?

 

[avalon]

You stop being a beginner when you join a club and start to do there sunday club runs !

I stopped doing the Sunday club run years ago. That would make me a beginner again, right.

 

[Paulus]

I stopped doing the Sunday club run years ago. That would make me a beginner again, right.

Possibly a Veteran now?

 

[avalon]

Possibly a Veteran now?

According to my age, yes. But there are plenty of people that I would consider beginners (having been born a long time after I became a cyclist) that believe they know a lot more than I do.

 

[totallyfixed]

So after 40+ years I'm still a beginner?

Ah but, you are excused all transgressions of this rule because you ride fixed.