Definition of a MAMIL

secretsam

So, come on then - when is a male over 30-ish a MAMIL and when is he just a bloke on a bike?

It's a new term for disparaging prejudicial remarks, I feel we need some parameters

gtvlusso

I consider myself to be a MAMIL - 37 years old, kids blah blah blah.....at least I am still in reasonable shape! Just need to sort out the arms a bit more....

Moodyman

The MAM stands for Middle Aged Man, which to my understanding is usually in early 40s going to mid-50s.

If you're 30 ish, you're just a bloke a on a bike.

Just enjoy your rides and stop worrying about silly terms.

nmac_2011

Physique must surely play a part in any suggested parameters.

An all the gear no idea type who has not cycled/exercised since his teens is unlikely to look at his best in tight fitting clothing.

I seem to remember something about born again bikers going out & buying high powered motorbikes generally coming off worse.

My definition of a Mamil would include anybody with enough disposable income writing out cheques that their body cannot cash.

Fair play to anybody with serious determination but, anybody who thinks that a £180 bikefit coupled with a £5000 carbon rocket will somehow be magically transported to a magic potion of youth is sadly deluding themselves.

A Mamil is somebody undergoing a mid life crisis who thinks throwing cash at the problem is the answer.

Mamils should not be confused with dedicated veterans who have been in the sport for years

clarkey cat

its a bit disparaging and elitist tho innit.

fair play I say, and means scalping low-numbered FCNs is a bit easier.

wish my old man would get out on a bike every so often rather than just loafing about getting fatter.

cycling psychologist

Ahhh I see and a FCN is.....??

nmac_2011

In the depth of your heart would you really claim the scalp though?

In the words of Storming Norman " It's like a turkey shoot. "

nmac_2011

FCN = Food Chain Number. People with high end road bikes with shaved legs dressed in lycra etc have a higher FCN than somebody on a mountain bike dressed in normal clothes. Points can be gained by overtaking a perceived higher FCN than your own

nmac_2011

Or lower FCN depending on mathematical perspective

cycling psychologist

nmac_2011 wrote:

FCN = Food Chain Number. People with high end road bikes with shaved legs dressed in lycra etc have a higher FCN than somebody on a mountain bike dressed in normal clothes. Points can be gained by overtaking a perceived higher FCN than your own

Crikey, I'm probably primordial! Explains some of the 6.15am behaviour on the way to the station tho - now I know its a game I can start giving scores :-)

cycladianpirate

Blimey! Am I the only inverted snob on a bike?

Nothing better than being passed by some moron in lycra on a carbon bike who can't understand the joy of a quiet country lane.

Every time I'm "scalped" I experience a deep sense of schadenfreude.

nmac_2011

schadenfreude could explain why those with low self esteem over compensate by splashing out cash on high end bikes when, any serious cyclists know that the law of diminishing returns exists :?:

MrChuck

For me there's a bit of a fad or midlife crisis impled in the term. I'm 40 and I wear lycra so I suppose I am one, but I've been riding for over 20 years and it's not a fad for me, and so I like to think I'm not really a MAMIL

dhope

cycladianpirate wrote:

Blimey! Am I the only inverted snob on a bike?

Nothing better than being passed by some moron in lycra on a carbon bike who can't understand the joy of a quiet country lane.

Every time I'm "scalped" I experience a deep sense of schadenfreude.

Is it schadenfreude if you're only imagining their misfortune?
Think how many more quiet country lanes they'll experience.

cycladianpirate

dhope wrote:

cycladianpirate wrote:

Blimey! Am I the only inverted snob on a bike?

Nothing better than being passed by some moron in lycra on a carbon bike who can't understand the joy of a quiet country lane.

Every time I'm "scalped" I experience a deep sense of schadenfreude.

Is it schadenfreude if you're only imagining their misfortune?
Think how many more quiet country lanes they'll experience.

Aah, but my point is that they don't "experience" them

nmac_2011

dhope wrote:

cycladianpirate wrote:

Blimey! Am I the only inverted snob on a bike?

Nothing better than being passed by some moron in lycra on a carbon bike who can't understand the joy of a quiet country lane.

Every time I'm "scalped" I experience a deep sense of schadenfreude.

Is it schadenfreude if you're only imagining their misfortune?
Think how many more quiet country lanes they'll experience.

Now we are starting to talk Zen philosophy.

If you put a cyclist into a country lane inside a box will they be in a state of overtake or, a state of pootling karma when you open the box? Does opening the box change the outcome?

This is all starting to get a bit baffling

MrChuck

cycladianpirate wrote:

dhope wrote:

cycladianpirate wrote:

Blimey! Am I the only inverted snob on a bike?

Nothing better than being passed by some moron in lycra on a carbon bike who can't understand the joy of a quiet country lane.

Every time I'm "scalped" I experience a deep sense of schadenfreude.

Is it schadenfreude if you're only imagining their misfortune?
Think how many more quiet country lanes they'll experience.

Aah, but my point is that they don't "experience" them

How do you know what they experience? And who are you to say that your experience is better than theirs?

IMO there's nothing better than a good country lane on a summer evening, at a reasonable pace- the hum of the tyres, the quality of the light and the way it flickers through the trees, the smells, the way the hedges in your peripheral vision blur, the sense of your body working well.

Sometimes I pass people bimbling along. I've got a carbon bike. Maybe they think I'm not experiencing it properly.

EDIT: This is a bit snappy, and maybe I totally missed the point of the wink- sorry if so! Time to go home I think :?

Valy

cycladianpirate wrote:

Blimey! Am I the only inverted snob on a bike?

Nothing better than being passed by some moron in lycra on a carbon bike who can't understand the joy of a quiet country lane.

Every time I'm "scalped" I experience a deep sense of schadenfreude.

Huh?

nmac_2011

Valy wrote:

cycladianpirate wrote:

Blimey! Am I the only inverted snob on a bike?

Nothing better than being passed by some moron in lycra on a carbon bike who can't understand the joy of a quiet country lane.

Every time I'm "scalped" I experience a deep sense of schadenfreude.

Huh?

Hope this helps http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude

Valy

Yeah I just have no idea as to how the guy knows whether someone...

can't understand the joy of a quiet country lane.

or not.

It literally boggles my mind.

Valy

Yeah I just have no idea as to how the guy knows whether someone...

can't understand the joy of a quiet country lane.

or not.

It literally boggles my mind.

nmac_2011

Hehe maybe the point of a country lane is to go with the flow & resist the must overtake competitive impulse. I guess it all depends on your point of view. One mans meat equals another mans poison etc.

Valy

nmac_2011 wrote:

Hehe maybe the point of a country lane is to go with the flow & resist the must overtake competitive impulse. I guess it all depends on your point of view. One mans meat equals another mans poison etc.

Oh now I see and that does make sense, but at the same time that is making an assumption that if you go eyeballs out all the time you can't chinchll and take in the scenery.

Failing to refrain from saying it's narrow minded, but I dono how srs the guys was.

MaxwellBygraves

MrChuck wrote:

For me there's a bit of a fad or midlife crisis impled in the term. I'm 40 and I wear lycra so I suppose I am one, but I've been riding for over 20 years and it's not a fad for me, and so I like to think I'm not really a MAMIL

Dude you're definitely not a MAMIL, there's a big difference between MAMIL and experienced roadie!!

nmac_2011

Valy wrote:

nmac_2011 wrote:

Hehe maybe the point of a country lane is to go with the flow & resist the must overtake competitive impulse. I guess it all depends on your point of view. One mans meat equals another mans poison etc.

Oh now I see and that does make sense, but at the same time that is making an assumption that if you go eyeballs out all the time you can't chinchll and take in the scenery.

Failing to refrain from saying it's narrow minded, but I dono how srs the guys was.

My own personal experience is if you are really going for it on public roads then hazards such as imperfections in the road surface & other traffic on the road must be accounted for. In your own personal risk assessment. If you feel you can afford to take into perspective the scenery whilst understanding a load of cow shoot or spilt diesel from a tractor may be lurking around the next corner then that is your choice. A local bimbling along may signify something. Or maybe they just happen to be a slow person?

Valy

I don't mean that you go flat out AND look at the scenery, I mean that if you do one, does not mean you can't do the other at different times.

nmac_2011

Very true & I agree with you 100% however my spidey senses say go with the local flow

Stone Glider

Well, I must be an OMIL. The joy of advancing years is the disinterest in the opinions of others. Make your own minds up, I shall make mine.

It is a wonder however, the sudden popularity of cycling in the past few years. Perhaps people are already preparing for a time when a motor car is an occasional luxury rather than a feature of everyday life?

PedalPedant

nmac_2011 wrote:

I seem to remember something about born again bikers going out & buying high powered motorbikes generally coming off worse.

I've heard the term "Power Ranger" used for motorcyclists that have the garish race replica bikes with matching leathers. That's analogous to my understanding of the term MAMIL

nmac_2011 wrote:

A Mamil is somebody undergoing a mid life crisis who thinks throwing cash at the problem is the answer.

Mamils should not be confused with dedicated veterans who have been in the sport for years

Sounds reasonable to me.

PP

CrackFox

Stone Glider wrote:

Well, I must be an OMIL. The joy of advancing years is the disinterest in the opinions of others. Make your own minds up, I shall make mine.

Well said.

deptfordmarmoset

I'm a RoadENT - Road Exhibitionist (No Trousers). I'm far too long in the tooth to be a MAMIL