Total Members Voted: 30
Clearly I'm in a bit of a minority, but I stand by it.An intrinsic part of the satisfaction I get from audax is that I'm covering distance on my bike through my own resources. If something breaks, I need to fix it or bodge it, not just walk 100 yards off-route, rendezvous with the support team and get one of the spare bikes off their roof. If I want to eat, I need to carry food (or buy it from somewhere and eat it on the spot). It doesn't get handed up in a musette as I ride past.There's nobody to massage me in the back of a mobile home on a miserable winter 200km in Scotland, and I'm glad of that (afterwards!).The beauty is that everybody gets to make their own choice. If you ride only for "fun" and give up at the first sign of trouble, good on you. I think less of you, but why should you care? In the most sincere way possible, you don't need my respect.I'm not embarrased to say that personally, I value and respect a bit of a struggle. If you don't, don't mind me... but I'll still say it if asked.
An intrinsic part of the satisfaction I get from audax is that I'm covering distance on my bike through my own resources. If something breaks, I need to fix it or bodge it, not just walk 100 yards off-route, rendezvous with the support team and get one of the spare bikes off their roof. If I want to eat, I need to carry food (or buy it from somewhere and eat it on the spot). It doesn't get handed up in a musette as I ride past.
If you ride only for "fun" and give up at the first sign of trouble, good on you. I think less of you, but why should you care?
I'm not embarrased to say that personally, I value and respect a bit of a struggle. If you don't, don't mind me... but I'll still say it if asked.
being nursed round
"thinking less" of another rider is going too far. There are too many variables - everyone has a different fitness baseline, different family/job factors, injuries/sickness ... you just never know.
I expect that truly self-sufficient AUKs reject the organisers' route-sheets, road signs, maps (other than self-drawn) and studiously ignore PBP arrows, carry all their own food and water and eschew sleeping at controls or random bus stops.
I like a ride that leaves me feeling stretched, which can include bad weather and hilly terrain. That's what I signed up for. It can be satisfying to overcome uber grotty roads, mechanical problem and inadequate controls but really they just spoil the day.
I am struggling with the poll question 'You just finished a tough brevet. Did you value the day...more or less' than what? In general, I value a day that included a though brevet and more often than not I also value a day that included gentle brevet. Most days with much cycling are good days.
I think what both the two posters prior to mattc are saying is that they prefer a smooth passage, but I suspect mattc does too
Quote from: LittleWheelsandBig on 14 February, 2011, 11:34:58 amI expect that truly self-sufficient AUKs reject the organisers' route-sheets, road signs, maps (other than self-drawn) and studiously ignore PBP arrows, carry all their own food and water and eschew sleeping at controls or random bus stops.Of course, if you did not mine the ore that makes up your frame, melt it down, weld it together, you are a failure of a man.What do you mean, you *buy* your chain oil? A genuine AUK would swim down to the seabed and bring back a mouthful of crude to be refined in their kitchen!Did you not grow the raw turnip you're trying to subsist on? What, you bought the seeds in a packet? etc.
QuoteIf you ride only for "fun" and give up at the first sign of trouble, good on you. I think less of you, but why should you care?"thinking less" of another rider is going too far. There are too many variables - everyone has a different fitness baseline, different family/job factors, injuries/sickness ... you just never know.
TBH, the sense of achievement went a long time ago and I cannot connect with the "If it ain't hard you ain't doin' it right. Right?" mentality.The inevitable and unavoidable moments of battling into <insert weather phenomemon of choice> with a <insert mechanical disaster of choice>, feeling like <insert bio-mechanical disaster of choice> and wishing I was <insert far more interesting and pleasureable passtime> I choose to relegate to the same mindspace occupied by root-canal treatments and trapping Little Hummers in my flies.I find that effort in overcoming adversity tends to detract from an otherwise enjoyable ride.Hope this helps.H
Quote from: mattc on 14 February, 2011, 11:20:04 amQuoteIf you ride only for "fun" and give up at the first sign of trouble, good on you. I think less of you, but why should you care?"thinking less" of another rider is going too far. There are too many variables - everyone has a different fitness baseline, different family/job factors, injuries/sickness ... you just never know.These all need to be taken into account. I have a friend who lost a leg (below the knee) literally the week before last. Do I think less of him because I walk unaided while he needs a prosthesis and parallel bars (and a team of physios)? Of course not - it blows my mind that he is even moving around, let alone the way he is.
... someone who's decided to make their personal challenge harder by riding a bike that's completely unsuitable for long-distance riding (like the chap with the two-geared bike that one of the gears involved pedalling backwards
Quote from: EdinburghFixed on 14 February, 2011, 01:18:44 pmQuote from: mattc on 14 February, 2011, 11:20:04 amQuoteIf you ride only for "fun" and give up at the first sign of trouble, good on you. I think less of you, but why should you care?"thinking less" of another rider is going too far. There are too many variables - everyone has a different fitness baseline, different family/job factors, injuries/sickness ... you just never know.These all need to be taken into account. I have a friend who lost a leg (below the knee) literally the week before last. Do I think less of him because I walk unaided while he needs a prosthesis and parallel bars (and a team of physios)? Of course not - it blows my mind that he is even moving around, let alone the way he is.You're (all) still making the general assumption that if someone steps back from a 'more challenging' situation it's because they somehow need to, and not because they might actually want to. You're judging them on your terms, when actually there's no need to judge them at all, because randonneuring is such a broad church.Here's my judgement -Quote from: marcusjb on 14 February, 2011, 11:30:42 am... someone who's decided to make their personal challenge harder by riding a bike that's completely unsuitable for long-distance riding (like the chap with the two-geared bike that one of the gears involved pedalling backwards I actually think this sort of thing is disrespectful of PBP, and turns it into a bit of a freak show.But there - I'm in a minority of 1 on that one.
I actually think this sort of thing is disrespectful of PBP, and turns it into a bit of a freak show.But there - I'm in a minority of 1 on that one.