Is cycling a religion?

simonhead

According to the Economist in 2011 there were over 1 billion bikes in the world, so if cycling was a religion it would be the third largest in the world.

capt_slog

no.

Cleat Eastwood

God knows

RDW

Cycling is not a religion. Campagnolo is a religion, and we must crush the unbelievers! Or convert them.

VTech

If it is a religion, you can stop paying your council tax

team47b

half a billion of these bikes are (still) in China.

"As recently as 1965, world production of cars and bikes was essentially the same, with each at nearly 20 million, but as of 2003 bike production had climbed to over 100 million per year compared with 42 million cars. Bicycle production was 105 million units globally in 2004, a 1.5% increase over 2003 (WorldWatch Institute)."


'Interesting' bike numbers per country...

http://www.worldometers.info/bicycles/

I liked the bicycles produced so far this year real time counter

dmclite-3.0

team47b wrote:

half a billion of these bikes are (still) in China.
"As recently as 1965, world production of cars and bikes was essentially the same, with each at nearly 20 million, but as of 2003 bike production had climbed to over 100 million per year compared with 42 million cars. Bicycle production was 105 million units globally in 2004, a 1.5% increase over 2003 (WorldWatch Institute)."


'Interesting' bike numbers per country...

http://www.worldometers.info/bicycles/

I liked the bicycles produced so far this year real time counter

But for sale on ebay

finchy

If cycling is the third largest religion based on numbers out there, does that make underpants the number 1 religion? :?

'Cos I've got some very hole-y ones.

team47b

...and that makes food the number one religion...and growing clearly

Lagrange

As always, you people are looking at this the wrong way. My interpretation is that Catholocism is the second largest cycling club in the world. Is that not obvious?

Lagrange

team47b wrote:

half a billion of these bikes are (still) in China.

I was in Peking last year and it was pretty cold.

Anyway you can still see on some of the older bikes the registration plate which used to be mandated to prevent you becoming a capitalist or as a control for whatever risk the politbureau had assesed as attaching to unregistered bicycles.

And before you start... it used to be a requirement in the UK to license radio recceivers and dogs.

and you do have to pay VAT on hay for your rabbit but not for your horse.

solosuperia

Well just looked up "Religion" on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion
The practice of a religion may also include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration of a deity, gods or goddesses, sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trance, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, public service or other aspects of human culture. Religions may also contain mythology.


Yep 99% of the things mentioned above can be applied to cycling well mine anyway.

Blacktemplar

As Jim Burlant is oft-quoted as saying;

"Cycling is like a church - many attend, but few understand" (especially those not running Campag.... )

dmclite-3.0

Blacktemplar wrote:

As Jim Burlant is oft-quoted as saying;

"Cycling is like a church - many attend, but few understand" (especially those not running Campag.... )

Do not take Shimanos name in vain..............or I shall smite thee with thy sword of Dura-ace to defeat the heathen Roman indexed gear imposter that is Campagnolo...........here endeth.

RDW

Can we at least agree to burn the temples of the SRAMelites?

CrunchyToes

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

The Ors

So; if cycling is a religion, who/what is it's God?

nevman

I hope she is not a small fellow from the IOM.

ballysmate

It does produce fanatics, so cycling could be a religion
But there again, it is difficult to pack lycra shorts with explosives without drawing attention to yourself.

solosuperia

What I pack in my lycra shorts is pretty explosive anyway!

I voice in my head is saying "You aint going to post that are you?"

Will I ............... wont I?

CHRISNOIR

"Push bike devotees are scheming to subjugate the Western world to their deity Shimano, it emerged last night..."

The Ors wrote:

So; if cycling is a religion, who/what is it's God?

The Daily Mash seems to think it's Shimano. They may be unaware of the opposing Campagnolo and SRAM Jihadists.

"Push bike devotees are scheming to subjugate the Western world to their deity Shimano, it emerged last night..."

fnb1

I prefer to think of the church of cycling is more akin to a modernist type of Bhuddist religion, with the the holy state of 'smooth cadence' being the state of enlightenment we seek but with many schools following slightly different paths, even the 'Road School' has many firm sub-divisions some choosing to follow the various gurus such as Camagnolo, Shimano (my chosen path) and SRAM and then the other schools, such as MTB, Fixie and even the Commuting School which has many mixed teachings.
Like Bhuddism some may argue Cycling is more a brotherhood than a religion as it is less of a theology or religion but more a promise that certain meditative practices and trainings can awaken our inner cyclist and liberate us to a higher state that the non cyclists.

Meantime, Happy Easter

The Ors

Yes, these replies are all very well and good but I have both Shimano & Campagnolo.

Who am I supposed to kill? :?

fnb1

The Ors, no-ne, live in harmony and understanding and pity the un-enlightened

ballysmate

The Ors wrote:

Yes, these replies are all very well and good but I have both Shimano & Campagnolo.

Who am I supposed to kill? :?

Wiggle!

nevman

What about the tandemists-are we meant to embrace them or will there be a schism?

ballysmate

Or that sect that ride trikes?

nevman

Troikists ?Seriously weird.