Ethnicity and the Cycling

DonDaddyD

Firstly I want to establish that I mean this question with no ill intent. Knowing this information will not affect how I interact with anyone on this site. I don’t mean any offence. I don’t intend for this question to be interoperated as an insult.

I am totally comfortable talking about ethnicity and my ethnic background as long as it is done in a respectful and non-derogatory manner. It is a manner I will conduct myself in whilst participating in this thread.

I have no real purpose for this question save for sheer curiosity.

Yes sometimes I wonder whether there are a disproportionate number of cyclists (commuters) from ethnic minorities.

I’m (Dizzee Rascal moment) Black British with my most immediate family stemming from Jamaica. Working back from that I suspect West African originally.

What is your ethnicity?

(I was unable to include a poll large enough to encorporate offical ethnicity groupings and I didn't want to exclude any so none at all)

lost_in_thought

White British/Australian (so British criminal).

Why, DDD?

cjcp

Welsh. 8)

b0y1nterupted

my dads side irish & my mums germany

Stewie Griffin

Half English and half Irish Honky. I dont commute by bike* though so I probably dont count .

Quick edit
*I will be soon though :P

DonDaddyD

lost_in_thought wrote:

White British/Australian (so British criminal).

Why, DDD?

I figured this question would come up and I was going to put something in the original post. Couldn't really come up with anything other than:

"Curious is all."

roger_merriman

welsh homeland but blood is mostly english/french.

i'd personally say that ethnic minorities are under repusented within the biking world be that in the racers or poping down to the shops, most bike clubs are a sea of white.

if you see a lot of ethnic minorities on bikes my hunch would be the area it's self one of teh curious thing about moving to london is how people do tend to cluster together.

need a ethnic Hoy maybe?

passout

White British. I know a couple of Afro-Carribean cyclists (commuting & MTB) but non from any other ethnic minority. I live in a region with a significant Asian population but see very few cyclists from those groups - a cultural thing I guess.

Anyway, as cyclists we are all a minority together.....kinda??!

DonDaddyD

roger merriman wrote:

if you see a lot of ethnic minorities on bikes my hunch would be the area it's self one of teh curious thing about moving to london is how people do tend to cluster together.

need a ethnic Hoy maybe?

Psychologically (subconciously) people gravitate to what they're familar with (this was tested at Uni we were told to sit in groups - before we knew each other - and yep, we all sat pretty much in groups of ethnicity and gender, we all felt a little bad once this was pointed out.)

il_principe

Well I'll bet that this forum is overwhelmingly white.

Why? Good question really. Most black guys I see on bikes are teens riding rather double sussers or bmx jobs. Not really the sort of fellas that are going to post on an internet forum about cycling. I guess that for them a bike is simply a means of transport before they can afford/legally own a car/scooter etc (as it did for so many of us as kids). I rarely see black adults on bikes, and those that I do don't look like they are particularly serious about cycling. No idea why this should be.

I rarely see Asian (as in Indian, Pakistani etc) guys on bikes, in fact I'm not sure I ever have in London. A bit odd this really.

And i never see black or asian females riding.

There are 2 serious black roadies I see on ocassion around my neck of the woods, but they are hugely outnumbered.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but given the natural athleticism of many Black Africans I reckon they would make awesome cyclists... how to get them interested though? Hopefully the success of Shanaze Reade will inspire some people.

Edit: my Black friends (majority female) are far more interested in spending their money on their cars and have no desire to cycle anywhere.

chuckcork

lost_in_thought wrote:

White British/Australian (so British criminal).

Why, DDD?

I resent the implications of that statement, LiT. You didn't have to be a criminal to end up in Oz in the 19th century.

Or as I used to say to my former coworkers (Irish, in my last job), who would sneer and mutter about criminals etc coming back from Oz (me)...."yeh, my ancestors were the unlucky ones, to be transported to Australia, whereas yours got to stay and die from famine"

lost_in_thought

All the black people I see on bikes are as jashburnham says - male teenagers or early 20s riding full-sussers on the pavement. Not being derogatory, just stating fact. And I totally agree that it's just their form of transport.

There is one indian-looking fellow out my way who rides a fast hybrid, and he's fast on it too, seems to hold 17-20mph.

Very rarely see any other people who aren't white on bikes.

I think tbh that ethnicity is more a barrier in the heads of those who find themselves in a perceived ethnic minority. The fact that a british person can come from humble beginnings and go on to success in cycling should be enough for anyone to follow regardless of colour.

il_principe

DonDaddyD wrote:

roger merriman wrote:

if you see a lot of ethnic minorities on bikes my hunch would be the area it's self one of teh curious thing about moving to london is how people do tend to cluster together.

need a ethnic Hoy maybe?

Psychologically (subconciously) people gravitate to what they're familar with (this was tested at Uni we were told to sit in groups - before we knew each other - and yep, we all sat pretty much in groups of ethnicity and gender, we all felt a little bad once this was pointed out.)

There are several reasons for the graviation of ethnic cliques though, not least simple factors such the proximity of specialist supermarkets or hairdressers, so it becomes self perpetuating.

Doesn't explain the cycling thing though, I've been to Africa 3 times and saw loads of people on bikes.

prawny

White with a ginger beard, so i'm guessing there's some scottish blood if I go back far enough, my grandad was from south shields so it wouldn't take a huge jump north from there.

My immediate family is from cannock and stoke! Lovely :shock:

iain_j

White British English, though I suspect some Welsh somewhere up the line. A few relatives have got going with doing a family tree and haven't found any Welsh though.

il_principe

I was in Turkey recently and saw (I think) 3 cyclists in1 week, and I was in a busy, coastal city, with good weather and good roads. I was itching to be on a bike, but the Turks are not interested. My missus is half Turkish half German and says that Turkish people all aspire to car ownership as teens, no interest in bikes really as they "suggest you can't afford a car." The German in her is keen on cycling though!

Edit: I actually found Turkey quite depressing. I was in Antalya, pathetic public transport, awful smog at night and cars everywhere. There are mountains 20 mins away and empty roads outside the city, it could be a cycling nirvana but it's just not in their culture.

DonDaddyD

jashburnham wrote:

Well I'll bet that this forum is overwhelmingly white.

Why? Good question really. Most black guys I see on bikes are teens riding rather double sussers or bmx jobs. Not really the sort of fellas that are going to post on an internet forum about cycling. I guess that for them a bike is simply a means of transport before they can afford/legally own a car/scooter etc (as it did for so many of us as kids). I rarely see black adults on bikes, and those that I do don't look like they are particularly serious about cycling. No idea why this should be.

I rarely see Asian (as in Indian, Pakistani etc) guys on bikes, in fact I'm not sure I ever have in London. A bit odd this really.

And i never see black or asian females riding.

There are 2 serious black roadies I see on ocassion around my neck of the woods, but they are hugely outnumbered.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but given the natural athleticism of many Black Africans I reckon they would make awesome cyclists... how to get them interested though? Hopefully the success of Shanaze Reade will inspire some people.

Edit: my Black friends (majority female) are far more interested in spending their money on their cars and have no desire to cycle anywhere.

Jash, you never explained what your ethnic background is?

il_principe

Ah sorry, British White. There's some Irish in there as well on my Grandad's side.

don_don

DonDaddyD wrote:

Yes sometimes I wonder whether there are a disproportionate number of cyclists (commuters) from ethnic minorities.

Not sure I understand. Do you mean there are disproportionately few cyclists from minority communities? If so, then yes I would agree, although Cheltenham seems to be an overwhelmingly white community.

I'm sure there was an article on this site recently, about someone trying to help a really talented African cyclist get into the pro ranks. Imagine the positive impression it would give if we had someone like a Black or Asian Chris Hoy!

Obviously Shanaze is up there too, and we have many amazing Black track & field athletes to look up to. Cycling, however, does seem to suffer in that respect for some reason.

il_principe

@ DDD: What do your Black mates make of your cycling enthusiasm? You talked any of them into taking it up? Actually you talked any of your mates into trying it yet? I've given up with mine, 2 bought hybrids and never use them!

don_don

Edit: my Black friends (majority female) are far more interested in spending their money on their cars and have no desire to cycle anywhere.

But doesn't this apply to most of the British public though, regardless of ethnicity?

DonDaddyD

I think tbh that ethnicity is more a barrier in the heads of those who find themselves in a perceived ethnic minority.

As I sit here, the only black person in HQ at work I disagree with you. In this Country I am part of an ethnic minoirty group. For me, what is important is what it means to me. All it means is that there are less black people in this Country than white people. Yes there are other implications but none of that has ever been a barrier for me.

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

I was in Turkey recently and saw (I think) 3 cyclists in1 week, and I was in a busy, coastal city, with good weather and good roads. I was itching to be on a bike, but the Turks are not interested. My missus is half Turkish half German and says that Turkish people all aspire to car ownership as teens, no interest in bikes really as they "suggest you can't afford a car." The German in her is keen on cycling though!

Edit: I actually found Turkey quite depressing. I was in Antalya, pathetic public transport, awful smog at night and cars everywhere. There are mountains 20 mins away and empty roads outside the city, it could be a cycling nirvana but it's just not in their culture.

I was in those mountains in September at a Club Med resort, could see antalya across the water and sailed there one day. The Club Med did offer cycling trips, I signed up for one while I was there, but it was cancelled due to hot weather (erm d'uh) and lack of interest!

don_don

chuckcork wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

White British/Australian (so British criminal).

Why, DDD?

I resent the implications of that statement, LiT. You didn't have to be a criminal to end up in Oz in the 19th century.

Or as I used to say to my former coworkers (Irish, in my last job), who would sneer and mutter about criminals etc coming back from Oz (me)...."yeh, my ancestors were the unlucky ones, to be transported to Australia, whereas yours got to stay and die from famine"

I think you've missed a self-deprecating joke Chuck. LiT is Australian, or was brought up there. She was the subject of much mickey-taking about it a while back, so she's probably anticipating more of the same!!

DonDaddyD

jashburnham wrote:

@ DDD: What do your Black mates make of your cycling enthusiasm? You talked any of them into taking it up? Actually you talked any of your mates into trying it yet? I've given up with mine, 2 bought hybrids and never use them!

And I quote:

"Ay bruv/blood ur nuts ya get me!"

Or

"Ay bruv that's a mission blood, dems be far to ride, Manz must be nuts!"

This is generally from both my white and black friends as these days you generally can't tell the difference in accent/dialect.

Variation of the above happens when I'm with my Uni friends or those that went to Allyens (sp) in Dulwich they will say the same thing but a lot more coherent.

I've given up with trying to persuade anyone to cycle - that said my friend did get a Carrera Subway on Cycle to work....

lost_in_thought

don_don wrote:

chuckcork wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

White British/Australian (so British criminal).

Why, DDD?

I resent the implications of that statement, LiT. You didn't have to be a criminal to end up in Oz in the 19th century.

Or as I used to say to my former coworkers (Irish, in my last job), who would sneer and mutter about criminals etc coming back from Oz (me)...."yeh, my ancestors were the unlucky ones, to be transported to Australia, whereas yours got to stay and die from famine"

I think you've missed a self-deprecating joke Chuck. LiT is Australian, or was brought up there. She was the subject of much mickey-taking about it a while back, so she's probably anticipating more of the same!!

Chuck, don_don's hit the nail on the head! My mother is Aussie, and definitely not a criminal, and nor are any of my aussie relatives or descendants. Well, as far as I know, anyway!

don_don

jashburnham wrote:

I was in Turkey recently and saw (I think) 3 cyclists in1 week, and I was in a busy, coastal city, with good weather and good roads. I was itching to be on a bike, but the Turks are not interested. My missus is half Turkish half German and says that Turkish people all aspire to car ownership as teens, no interest in bikes really as they "suggest you can't afford a car." The German in her is keen on cycling though!

Edit: I actually found Turkey quite depressing. I was in Antalya, pathetic public transport, awful smog at night and cars everywhere. There are mountains 20 mins away and empty roads outside the city, it could be a cycling nirvana but it's just not in their culture.

What the hell is going on with the men on this forum???

First Bassjunkie discloses he's a bigamist, now there's some sort of kinky cycling wife-swapping going on :shock: :shock: :shock:

Sorry to lower the tone DDD

DonDaddyD

don_don wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

I was in Turkey recently and saw (I think) 3 cyclists in1 week, and I was in a busy, coastal city, with good weather and good roads. I was itching to be on a bike, but the Turks are not interested. My missus is half Turkish half German and says that Turkish people all aspire to car ownership as teens, no interest in bikes really as they "suggest you can't afford a car." The German in her is keen on cycling though!

Edit: I actually found Turkey quite depressing. I was in Antalya, pathetic public transport, awful smog at night and cars everywhere. There are mountains 20 mins away and empty roads outside the city, it could be a cycling nirvana but it's just not in their culture.

What the hell is going on with the men on this forum???

First Bassjunkie discloses he's a bigamist, now there's some sort of kinky cycling wife-swapping going on :shock: :shock: :shock:

Sorry to lower the tone DDD

No worries, I was going to post

"The Jash in her is keen on cycling as well"

:shock:

il_principe

I knew someone would bite the old "german in her" bait.

thanks Don Don!

lost_in_thought

DonDaddyD wrote:

I think tbh that ethnicity is more a barrier in the heads of those who find themselves in a perceived ethnic minority.

As I sit here, the only black person in HQ at work I disagree with you. In this Country I am part of an ethnic minoirty group. For me, what is important is what it means to me. All it means is that there are less black people in this Country than white people. Yes there are other implications but none of that has ever been a barrier for me.

DDD, you've clearly done well for yourself, and I know nothing about your background apart from what you've said on here. I think it's great that it's not a barrier for you, I applaud you for that, however I think others in an ethnic group other than 'white' see their colour as something that stands in their way, which I just don't think is true any more.

biondino

In decreasing order of blood: Italian - Scottish - English - Irish - Australian (the latter being 1/32 - a great-great-great-grandfather who was probably british anyway - but it's exotic so I'll leave it in!)