The Wiggins Effect...

Cressers

Will there be one and if so what will it be? I'm dreading roads filled with new and incompetent riders as well as the inevitable price increases that a cycling boom will fuel... But then again give it a few months and there should be plenty of nearly-new bikes for sale...

halfmanhalfsnookermachine

Forget cheap bikes, I fear an outbreak of sideburns!

snoopsmydogg

halfmanhalfsnookermachine wrote:

Forget cheap bikes, I fear an outbreak of sideburns!

quite happy with that, have kept mine since the 90's so may be inadvertently back in fasion :oops:

saying that though Wiggins sideburns are nothing compared to Wolverine himself 'Guy Martin' motorbike racer

Bunneh

Seriously tempted to wait until late summer when all the road bikes go on sale at vastly lower prices because Mr 'Cycling looks easy' has given up. Heh *rubs hands in anticipation!

sungod

he just better win, otherwise white van man will take it out on the rest of us for failing inguhlund

Frank the tank

Bunneh wrote:

Seriously tempted to wait until late summer when all the road bikes go on sale at vastly lower prices because Mr 'Cycling looks easy' has given up. Heh *rubs hands in anticipation!

I to think a lot of folk wll "give it a go" and then end up selling after less than half a dozen short dry rides.

Postie John

Cressers wrote:

Will there be one and if so what will it be? I'm dreading roads filled with new and incompetent riders as well as the inevitable price increases that a cycling boom will fuel... But then again give it a few months and there should be plenty of nearly-new bikes for sale...

Yeah that's the spirit, because when you started on a bike you were riding for US Postal.

You're quite right all these people ditching there cars and riding will be terrible.
It will completely ruining everything for you.
It'll be hard to maintain your smug feeling of superiority over every new cyclist on the road.

Bozman

I've got sideburns and I'm starting to think that I should shave them off, I've had the things for twenty years though and it'd be like cutting an arm off........Bloody Wiggins

nunowoolmez

Agree with postie John.

Also, instead of having 'Go on Lance', or 'Go on Cav', shouted at us from non cycling motorists, it will be 'Go on Wiggins'!

colsoop

I hope there is a postive effect with more people taking up cycling.
The more of us on the road the safer it will be.

kanto

I don't see a problem with loads of new cyclists on the road. The good thing about more cyclists on the road is that it isn't like a Wimbledon bumrush where there might only be 4-5 local courts, you have wide open roads for miles, and all these fools who show up playing tennis only a few weeks either side of Wimbledon, take the courts from genuine players. If there are hundreds of new cyclists on the roads in your local town, it won't effect you, so it is all good to see newcomers on the road. Watching Contador rip it up in the mountains several years ago in the TDF was my first exposure to cycling and made me want to take up cycling, and my love for cycling has grown over the years.

pottssteve

Having ridden in the UK and now in the Netherlands I can only think that more people riding bikes will be a positive thing.

Kerguelen

Postie John wrote:

Cressers wrote:

Will there be one and if so what will it be? I'm dreading roads filled with new and incompetent riders as well as the inevitable price increases that a cycling boom will fuel... But then again give it a few months and there should be plenty of nearly-new bikes for sale...

Yeah that's the spirit, because when you started on a bike you were riding for US Postal.

You're quite right all these people ditching there cars and riding will be terrible.
It will completely ruining everything for you.
It'll be hard to maintain your smug feeling of superiority over every new cyclist on the road.

<Ron Burgundy>

Well, that escalated quickly.

</Ron Burgundy>

t.m.h.n.e.t

Is in action already.

Have seen only two cyclists in the past week, passed 6 today on the way home from work. I passed them at a suitable 6inches distance and swore at them for effect.

Blood arrogant lycra clad road tax non-payers

Postie John

Kerguelen wrote:

<Ron Burgundy>

Well, that escalated quickly.

</Ron Burgundy>

I'm already so sick and tired of the negative response, the last 3 weeks have been getting.
'Oh Le Tour is so boring'
''Wiggo is $hite'
'Sky are killing the race'

or

'All these newbies will kill road cycling'
'I won't be able to afford a bike'

If we were Texan's in a compound, tomorrow is THE day.
It's the day the mother ship lands.
It's the day we head off for pastures new.
It's the day that can only be positive.
It's the day you should have been waiting for all your cycling life.

If you can't embrace a British 1-2 , dominant performance, 5 (hopefully 6) stages wins, then perhaps cycling isn't for you.

veronese68

I heard the unmistakeable sound of stabilisers rattling past the side of my house and heard the kid saying something about being Bradley Wiggins. I presume at least one of his parents has been getting rather excited by the tour.
That really made me chuckle.

t.m.h.n.e.t

Veronese68 wrote:

I heard the unmistakeable sound of stabilisers rattling past the side of my house and heard the kid saying something about being Bradley Wiggins. I presume at least one of his parents has been getting rather excited by the tour.
That really made me chuckle.

It would be surreal if he was indeed called Bradley Wiggins

ALaPlage

Postie John wrote:

Kerguelen wrote:

<Ron Burgundy>

Well, that escalated quickly.

</Ron Burgundy>

I'm already so sick and tired of the negative response, the last 3 weeks have been getting.
'Oh Le Tour is so boring'
''Wiggo is $hite'
'Sky are killing the race'

or

'All these newbies will kill road cycling'
'I won't be able to afford a bike'

If we were Texan's in a compound, tomorrow is THE day.
It's the day the mother ship lands.
It's the day we head off for pastures new.
It's the day that can only be positive.
It's the day you should have been waiting for all your cycling life.

If you can't embrace a British 1-2 , dominant performance, 5 (hopefully 6) stages wins, then perhaps cycling isn't for you.

+1 it's a great time for cycling and the more the merrier say I. Loads of work colleagues showing an interest in the Tour and the forthcoming Olympic RR.

alihisgreat

I would like a load of new cyclists on the road... it will give me more to overtake.

Bunneh

Did get some kids shouting encouragement this evening, although they got his name wrong and shouted 'Keep pushing Woggins!' I nearly fell off laughing Also saw this lil kid on his BMX trying to race me, I let him win (no really, I let him, honest!), said 'well done!' - never know he may be a Wiggins, er, Woggins of the future!

dw300

We're all going to rise to a higher percentile on Strava leaderboards without turning a pedal!

redjeepǃ

I'm just wondering if it's now OK to buy team kit......

I've only ever bought vintage team gear, but need to confess that I'd quite like to buy a Team Sky jersey. Will I be shunned ?

raymondo60

Commuting to work on Thursday morning, I got to the rear of a huge line of cyclists at Clapham Common, waiting for the lights to change. I made a comment to a guy on his bike next to me, along the lines of 'So many cyclists - looks like a Sky-ride' or something banal, to which he replied 'Yeah, its getting worse and worse!' I replied 'No, its getting better and better!' but I don't think he heard me. Cycling is a fantastic, wonderful, brilliant way to live one's life, and IMHO the more people who try it, enjoy it and benefit from it the better. I like nothing more than helping/advising/cautioning people if I'm asked - if not I'll keep quiet - but if others enjoy cycling half as much as I do, and many of my friends do, and the thousands of you on this forum do, then that can't be a bad thing surely....

Jez mon

Redjeep! wrote:

I'm just wondering if it's now OK to buy team kit......

I've only ever bought vintage team gear, but need to confess that I'd quite like to buy a Team Sky jersey. Will I be shunned ?

I ride in Team Astana kit, but then I like being shunned!

I actually think riding in matching shorts and top is far more important than whether you obey "rules" about wearing team kits.

Having said that anyone riding in (un-earnt) prize jerseys deserves to be shunned by all and sundry. :shock:

hjghg5

Redjeep! wrote:

I'm just wondering if it's now OK to buy team kit......

I've only ever bought vintage team gear, but need to confess that I'd quite like to buy a Team Sky jersey. Will I be shunned ?

I've just been though the same though process and bought a sky jersey. I feel slightly dirty but it just had to be done.

Secteur

The more cyclists the merrier.

The only thing I'm dreading is the thousands MORE "which bike" threads in Road Beginners

;-)

alanp23

The biggest issue today is trying to avoid a suited reporter from Sky Sports News. They appear to be interviewing everyone in Lycra, particularly at the top of Box Hill.

Sky Sports News has gone totally Wiggo crazy today. I've got to say - I am loving it and I am enjoying them trying to explain how he has already won, despite the fact that they still have a last stage to go.

A most enjoyable day.

evil_breakfast

alanp23 wrote:

The biggest issue today is trying to avoid a suited reporter from Sky Sports News. They appear to be interviewing everyone in Lycra, particularly at the top of Box Hill.

Sky Sports News has gone totally Wiggo crazy today. I've got to say - I am loving it and I am enjoying them trying to explain how he has already won, despite the fact that they still have a last stage to go.

A most enjoyable day.

Chris Boardman was explaining this to Andrew Marr this morning, in the style of a teacher talking to a rather dim child.

VmanF3

'ere Wiggo , 'ere Wiggo, 'ere Wiggo
'ere Wiggo, 'ere Wiggo, 'ere Wiggoooooo


Nuff said

Bring it on Wiggo - top marks from me for calling the President of France a "contestant from Big Brother"

paulus69

More bikes on the road is always going to be a good thing, as someone else commented its not like the wimbledon effect where there are a limited amount of courts/facilities to use being booked up. The more people who cycle the less suspicion heaped on those who chose to cycle.

More bikes being sold is great as it means the possibility of some cheap second hand bikes six months down the line.

Also some brand new riders will inevitable make my strava times look more enviable.

thegreatdivide

ALaPlage wrote:

Postie John wrote:

Kerguelen wrote:

<Ron Burgundy>

Well, that escalated quickly.

</Ron Burgundy>

I'm already so sick and tired of the negative response, the last 3 weeks have been getting.
'Oh Le Tour is so boring'
''Wiggo is $hite'
'Sky are killing the race'

or

'All these newbies will kill road cycling'
'I won't be able to afford a bike'

If we were Texan's in a compound, tomorrow is THE day.
It's the day the mother ship lands.
It's the day we head off for pastures new.
It's the day that can only be positive.
It's the day you should have been waiting for all your cycling life.

If you can't embrace a British 1-2 , dominant performance, 5 (hopefully 6) stages wins, then perhaps cycling isn't for you.

+1 it's a great time for cycling and the more the merrier say I. Loads of work colleagues showing an interest in the Tour and the forthcoming Olympic RR.

Another +1