You know cycling's become mainstream when...

[Smokin Joe]

...both the Sun and the Mirror are giving away cut-out Bradley Wiggins sideburns on their front page.

Makes you almost nostalgic for the days when the Tour de France merited a tiny paragraph tucked away beneath the Billiards results.

 

[TVC]

In two days at work this week I've had five people ask my advice about buying a road bike, two to upgrade from their Halfrauds commuters, and three entirely new to it, including my FD. Good stuff.

 

[Risex4]

...friends, family and co-workers start acknowledging/taking an interest in what you do on a bike.

Previously, when I'd answered "cycled 100 miles" or whatever to the question what did you do at the weekend, I was usually met with an indifferent/uncomprehending "oh, cool" or something equally blasse.

Now, people actually want to know about it - I mean show a proper interest - and a few have even (sheepishly) fished about joining me on a distance ride; where as the underlying prevailing attitude a month ago was "why would you bother doing that"?

Strange that. And, as good as it is that people may be taking it more seriously, Im finding its actually quite un-nerving at the same time...

 

[Melonfish]

i might pick up a mirror, i can't grow sideburns so it might be worth getting the fake ones to increase my average times to and from work.

 

[Yellow Fang]

I've only just had my sideburns shaved off. I didn't know they had become cool.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I've only just had my sideburns shaved off. I didn't know they had become cool.

Now you're no longer sporting them, they are ....

 

[Paulus]

I have had people at work watching the tour and the road race and coming up with sensible questions? Things are improving no doubt.

 

[MattHB]

Its been a while since we've had a properly dominating British sporting hero to all get behind it's a great thing to experience and I'm very proud! Regardless of my own love of the sport

 

[buddha]

My sister is now known at work as the "Cycling Nerd".
She doesn't even ride a bike, but, because of me, knows a few snippets of information (eg. why the peloton might let a breakaway go, that kind of thing ...)

 

[defy-one]

when some normal bloke from London wins the TDF and Olympic Gold!!

 

[Smokin Joe]

Quite a few of my neighbours have started asking me about how racing works and why they use the tactics they do.

 

[Davidc]

... you're asked by a complete stranger which of the bike shops in town is the best!

 

[Night Train]

...When developers concede and fit their new build garages with secure bike racks as cars won't fit anyway.

 

[Peteaud]

Ive bought a rowing boat

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Quite a few of my neighbours have started asking me about how racing works and why they use the tactics they do.

I like the orange and lime ones.