You are officially a cycling amateur if...

pblakeney

matthew h wrote:

you only have one bike

If you buy your bikes.

tlw1

PBlakeney wrote:

matthew h wrote:

you only have one bike

If you buy your bikes.

and when you get rid of them you don't provide a certificate of authenticity

bianchimoon

You use fabric conditioner on your kit when you wash it

Manc33

You have the same amount of spokes on front and back wheels.

my_grandadʹs_bike

You post in pro racing on Bikeradar

Stevo_666

my grandad's bike wrote:

You post in pro racing on Bikeradar

If you have to ask why anyone riding an 18kg downhill bike and wearing full body armour needs to take a van to the top of the hill

tlw1

bianchimoon wrote:

You use fabric conditioner on your kit when you wash it

you wash your kit?

AlexMac1973

If you stay in just because the temperature's under 10 C.

team47b

AlexMac1973 wrote:

If you stay in just because the temperature's under 10 C.

Matthewfalle

If you wash your own bike

Manc33

- You put your foot on the back wheel to stop. In certain areas of Manchester you're a d*ck if you don't brake that way. :roll:

- You use "Gripshift". More like Blistershift.

- You spend over £1,000 and never ride it.

- You "clean" your chain with something water based.

- You jet wash your bearings.

mugensi

You are officially a cycling amateur if...

...you have your bike more than one year and have never replaced any of the original parts.

...you have never had a slow speed fall/topple because you forgot to unclip.

...your wife/partner knows the actual amount of money you have spent on your bike/parts/clothing.

...you dont use your mums, friends or work address to get your online parts sent to.

RDW

You have to cycle to the start of the race, and home again afterwards. You are also pretty heroic, and an amateur only in the original positive and literal senses: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30838464

pinno

...if you have never had to make 'that' call...

debeli

I am an amateur cyclist.

I don't know my ramp test figures.

I don't measure wattage.

I don't have a Garmin thingummy or do Strava.

None of my clothing matches other than by coincidence.

I re-use bar tape.

I don't know how many miles I did last yer.

I still talk about cross bars and steering heads and do not trust carbon.

Although I inflate road tyres to a set pressure, I pump MTB tyres until they are 'just squidgy enough'.

I liked Armstrong, Pantani, Evans, Hinault, Fignon, Ullrich, Big Mig and the rest despite the juicing and I still sort of like them all now. All that love-hate am-dram stuff and effigy-burning was way too pro for me. None of them really let anybody down. We all knew and we sort of bought into the 'Don't ask, don't tell' BS. It's just a sport.

After several broken ribs and little cracks on various joints, I think very carefully before cycling in very cold weather.

I eschew the use of billions of powerful lamps to front and rear.

I do not feel the need to film myself riding a bicycle.

I am obviously a very, very amateur cyclist. But I do quite enjoy it.

veronese68

Debeli wrote:

I am obviously a very, very amateur cyclist. But I do quite enjoy it.

I would think we all fit this description, enjoying it is certainly the important bit. Although there are times I ask myself why I put myself through it I always* look back glad that I did.

* Except when some wazzock knocks me off.

pinno

Good post Debeli - like VN said. No one on here is saying they are pro's, although some of them are prossies.
I do record my mileage, that's the only difference.

slowmart

Your body fat is above 8%

pinno

Slowmart wrote:

Your body fat is above 8%

No it ain't.

Which thread is this> Do I ban you or do I start a pointless argument or do I get the tin foil out?

Manc33

I'm a fitness cyclist (below amateur). :x

tramuntanacycling

You drive more distance in a year than you ride!

capt_slog

RDW wrote:

You have to cycle to the start of the race, and home again afterwards. You are also pretty heroic, and an amateur only in the original positive and literal senses: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30838464

I read Graeme Obree's biography a while back, and that's what he used to do. If I recall correctly, cycling down from Scotland to take part in a pennines race.

FishFish

you don't have a dynamo to power your lights. And you don't sodomise your (or my) wife.

CHRISNOIR

Debeli wrote:

I am an amateur cyclist.

I don't know my ramp test figures.

I don't measure wattage.

etc

This deserves its own thread.

Manc33

You are officially a cycling amateur if you buy new brake calipers before trying out new brake pads.

You are officially a cycling amateur if you buy a new derailleur and/or shifter before trying out new cables.

slowmart

you have a cake stop after 20 miles

Ber Nard

If 100 miles is an unfathomably long way to ride a bike.

Manc33

You are officially a cycling amateur if you plan routes around what pubs there are wait wut.

You are officially a cycling amateur if you don't use or have never used a toe strap outside of its intended function.

You are officially a cycling amateur if you can pedal with your heels without having to move your hips.

You are officially a cycling amateur if you use brakes EVER - except to finally stop for the day.

jawooga

They say that a real chippy can "saw with a file, and file with a saw." i wonder what the cycling equivalent is!

Frank the tank

If you're posting on bike radar.