Are Pro-Cyclists uncommonly stupid?

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Comments

  • jawooga
    jawooga Posts: 530
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    This has to be up there as one of the most unbelievably patronising OP + thread titles ever
    I think you mean condescending :wink:
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    jawooga wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    This has to be up there as one of the most unbelievably patronising OP + thread titles ever
    I think you mean condescending :wink:


    Yeah, that too. Can think of a few other additional adjectives.
  • jawooga
    jawooga Posts: 530
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    jawooga wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    This has to be up there as one of the most unbelievably patronising OP + thread titles ever
    I think you mean condescending :wink:


    Yeah, that too. Can think of a few other additional adjectives.
    Sorry couldn't resist being a patronizing twat myself.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    jawooga wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    jawooga wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    This has to be up there as one of the most unbelievably patronising OP + thread titles ever
    I think you mean condescending :wink:


    Yeah, that too. Can think of a few other additional adjectives.
    Sorry couldn't resist being a patronizing fool myself.


    Ah. *fills up on coffee to stay more alert*
  • jerry3571
    jerry3571 Posts: 1,532
    I think it's tricky to say that riders are dumb especially these days as race radios have put a stop to riders having their say on the road. Some might be cheeky enough to suggest Race Radios might have been brought in to minimise any chance of brainless tactics by riders. I think cycling draws in similar people who would be otherwise be using sport as a way to out of a mundane existance. You don't see many from Eaton or Harrow on 30k a year dragging a Peloton up the Col de la Croix de Fer. If they had a good job lined up then they'd be doing that.

    This is not to say that riders are dumb but I'd say they ain't Rocket Scientists otherwise they'd be making Rockets.

    It's a shame really as a lot of rogue bike riders used to make crazy attacks which made no sense. Chiapucci was a man with very little tacticle nouse. I think Johnny Hoogerpand is said to ride without his earpeice and brain turned on sometimes.

    This question of whether bike riders are dumb is a question from the past. I've heard this on numerous occassions by Commentators or writers. I have done road racing on the amateur side and have wondered why riders drag me along for me to outsprint most of them at the finish.

    Jerry

    Ps- I'm enjoying being cheeky on this one. ;)
    “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”- Albert Einstein

    "You can't ride the Tour de France on mineral water."
    -Jacques Anquetil
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    You have to remember that cyclists and most professional sports people are at the top of their game in their 20s and early 30s. Regardless of anyone's intelligence or academic achievements it's probably not the best time to judge someone by what they say, most people aren't at their wisest in their 20s! My OH (not in her 20s) has a PhD, doesn't stop her from talking like a numpty occasionally even and she rarely has to answer questions off the hoof by reporters

    I think you only have to look at the number of ex riders (and other sports people in general) who are doing well for themselves to answer this question. It seems there are a lot of cyclists and sports people in general who when they retire (generally they don't have millions in the bank to fall back on or invest) manage to engineer a pretty decent looking business for themselves. So I'd say that pro cyclists and other sports people are generally anything but stupid.

    Perhaps judging them while they're competing from the information we get through the media isn't the best time to do so.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    I wouldn't call it 'being thick' but there is a certain dullness in the eyes of Wilko and Bibby that leads me to believe that they have a far higher pain threshold than me. Proper hard men.

    Anyone who gets to ride a bike for a living is far smarter than me and I bet most of us would trade places at the drop of a hat.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • shinyhelmut
    shinyhelmut Posts: 1,364
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    I wouldn't call it 'being thick' but there is a certain dullness in the eyes of Wilko and Bibby that leads me to believe that they have a far higher pain threshold than me. Proper hard men.

    Anyone who gets to ride a bike for a living is far smarter than me and I bet most of us would trade places at the drop of a hat.

    I definitely wouldn't. I love riding my bike but I'm also very glad it's just a hobby.
  • rickyrider
    rickyrider Posts: 294
    ShinyHelmut wrote:
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    I wouldn't call it 'being thick' but there is a certain dullness in the eyes of Wilko and Bibby that leads me to believe that they have a far higher pain threshold than me. Proper hard men.

    Anyone who gets to ride a bike for a living is far smarter than me and I bet most of us would trade places at the drop of a hat.

    I definitely wouldn't. I love riding my bike but I'm also very glad it's just a hobby.

    Second that. It's a lifestyle that wouldn't suit many people for sure. No way I'd want all the crap that goes with being a pro

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