#41
|
|||
|
|||
"Rich Clark" wrote in message ... "Chris Zacho "The Wheelman"" wrote in message ... I have been riding for over 30 years now. I've been the member of many clubs, large and small, on both coasts and in the middle. I've been to and done many organized rides (short, long and "are you nuts?") and bike rallies boasting attendances ranging from the hundreds to the thousands. Yet at any one of these organizations or events, I could count the total number of "Afro-American" riders with the fingers of one hand. And yet, riding to and from work every day (which is as organized as *I* ever get about riding) I see blacks represented in roughly the same proportion as they exist in the general local population. The portion of South Carolina where I live now, according to the latest census, has a population that is about 60% black. Yet the local club, which has nearly 100 members, to my knowledge has only one black cyclist. Hardly an accurate representation of the population at large. In fact, I'll be willing to bet, that out of all the posters on this board, only one, maybe two, max. are black. If indeed anybody here is. Where are all the black riders? What is it about our sport that makes it so unappealing to an entire race of people? Anybody have any theories? My theory is that some people don't find it necessary to pay dues, join organizations, and wear uniforms in order to ride a bicycle. My theory is the black people you're seeing on bikes are riding for transportation because they have no other means of transportation. I see two distinct classes of white cyclists where I live. There are enthusiasts, those riding LBS bikes and wearing the gear, riding for the experience of riding. Then there are the DUI cyclists riding 'mart bikes or old road bikes with inverted drop bars, usually with a rear rack/milk crate combination. They ride because they have to, not because they want to. That's the rub. :-) |
Ads |
#42
|
|||
|
|||
"Chris Zacho "The Wheelman"" wrote in
message ... And to the one that implied that I was trying to "start something", you're right, and it seems I did. What inspired it up was a discussion I heard at the bike shop by a customer who was under the impression that bicycling was somehow like baseball in the pre-Jackie Robinson days. That we, as cyclists, simply didn't welcome blacks. Cycling's a great solo sport, so I don't think whether other cyclists were welcoming or not would make much difference. Certainly in Chicago you see a considerable number of Afro-American cyclists, but less than one would expect. To a certain extent I would think this is cultural: 1. Afro-Americans are less likely to attend college, particularly those nice campuses where you do without a car and bike around campus. 2. I would guess -- but don't know -- that the general attitude of "people only bike ride if they can't drive" would be particularly common among lower income groups. In higher income groups, there's more ability either to buy an expen$ive bike (turning the attitude on its head) or simply ride a bike out of a sort of reverse snobbery. |
#43
|
|||
|
|||
maxo wrote:
On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 17:40:11 +0000, Neil Brooks wrote: I think it's incendiary based on the potential for ill-conceived, mean spirited responses that are based more in ignorance, prejudice, preconception, or bigotry than in any semblance of fact. It also gives us to potential to laugh at our ridiculous, mostly pale, lycra-wearing selves. I resemble that remark... ;-) Perhaps it's because I grew up a really square white guy in a black neighborhood, or maybe I'm just insensitive--but I find laughing about our cultural differences to be quite healthy and cathartic. Serious discussions about race have their place, but I'd rather point out the fact that I can't dance. I agree entirely. The healthiest relationships between cultural groups I've seen are those where the members of those groups aren't walking around trying to spot a demon under every rock. The Navy guys I worked with in Key West were a really great example of that - lots of banter, no hard feelings. As for the why there aren't more black cyclists? I dunno, but it's always been that way - remember the scene from 'American Flyers'? Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame |
#44
|
|||
|
|||
Gooserider wrote:
"Roger Zoul" wrote in message ... Chris Zacho "The Wheelman" wrote: I have been riding for over 30 years now. I've been the member of many clubs, large and small, on both coasts and in the middle. I've been to and done many organized rides (short, long and "are you nuts?") and bike rallies boasting attendances ranging from the hundreds to the thousands. Yet at any one of these organizations or events, I could count the total number of "Afro-American" riders with the fingers of one hand. One hand? Dang! The portion of South Carolina where I live now, according to the latest census, has a population that is about 60% black. Yet the local club, which has nearly 100 members, to my knowledge has only one black cyclist. Hardly an accurate representation of the population at large. You must be down in the low country. I'm in Upstate SC. Sadly, the numbers here aren't much better (should be ever lower, though). On organized rides up here, I've seen maybe five (at most) other black folks, and one was a girl. Two guys I saw seemed to be pretty skilled riders, whereas I'm a noob. I saw one guy (who claims to have a twin brother who rides, but I think he was pulling my leg) on different charity ride events. In fact, I'll be willing to bet, that out of all the posters on this board, only one, maybe two, max. are black. Dang! Does that mean I'm just about the only black poster here? If indeed anybody here is. Where are all the black riders? What is it about our sport that makes it so unappealing to an entire race of people? Anybody have any theories? Well, I don't claim to have any answers beyond the obvious: Be like Mike. I personally have no interest in organized team sports, other than cycling, which I discovered only recently. I see lots of black guys playing golf on a course along one of my riding routes. Of course, lots of black guys go to the gym to lift weights and play basket and racquetball. I predict that the numbers will increase, though. I'm a regular on the roads around here and I got my last girlfriend into it. Maybe I can draw my current girlfriend it, but she's pretty committed to running, so maybe not. The LA thingie will draw some more in, too, maybe. Hey, you better watch it, Roger. You keep making generalizations about black guys liking to lift weights and play basketball and Brendon's going to insinuate you're a racist. :-) Yeah. I thought about that. I don't play basketball (or football) but I do lift weights. But those other guys play racquetball. Go figure. |
#45
|
|||
|
|||
Pat wrote:
: Could overlap with social class issues. Possibly in poorer : neighborhoods, as : in poorer countries, bikes are used as transport because people do : not have : the option of cars. So when they become upwardly mobile, they eschew : what they see as symbols of poverty. Among social elites, instead, : the bike is seen as ecological, intellectual and aware. People take : it for granted that : they _can_ afford cars, and therefore the bike is the conscious : choice of the green and handsome and fit and hip. Hell, I can't even get my sons to ride bikes. One of them said, "You do know that cars have been invented, right?" |
#46
|
|||
|
|||
|
#47
|
|||
|
|||
I don't know the reason, but I do know it is a much broader question than
just bicycles. I happen to belong to a woodturning club. Guess what? We don't have any black members, and only an occasional Asian. I have been in the group for several years, and I am as convinced as I could be that it is not due to prejudice. Everyone is welcome in the group, and , in fact, we have tried to figure out how to achieve more diversity. Whatever it is, I am convinced that it is a combination of factors, including some cultural, some historic, some economic, and some probably unknown, at least to the lay public. Surely, a question as important as this has been studied--does anyone know? |
#48
|
|||
|
|||
Gooserider wrote:
"Chris Zacho "The Wheelman"" wrote in message ... (Gooserider) wrote: snip 3) Our sport is very expensive. a $2000 bicycle is far more expensive than a basketball and a pair of Nikes. /snip Sorryt bout the double post, my finger slipped. Who needs a $2000 bike ? Maybe if you're seriously into competition, perhaps considering going pro, maybe, but you don't need to go overboard for an ordinary club ride. Hell, I've done fine for years, pulling off single, double, and even triple centuries on a Schwinn valued at _maybe_ $400-$500. Hey, I ride a $600 Schwinn, too. But have you been to a bike shop lately? There is definitely a snob factor evident in cycling. I see far more affordable hybrids in my LBS than affordable road bikes. The affordable road bikes are made, but they're not huge sellers. People tend to get all hopped up on Lance and buy what he rides. As for the "status factor", I would think that being able to fork out $2000+ "just for a bicycle" would qualify very nicely. I am considering ordering a custom Rivendell. It's going to be $3500-$4000, but it will take two years to build, so I can do it in installments. When I tell non-cycling friends they're flabbergasted. There is no status in having an expensive bicycle---except to other cyclists. If you spend that much on a bike you're considered a weirdo. :-) Definitely. |
#49
|
|||
|
|||
In article ,
RonSonic wrote: On Fri, 4 Mar 2005 09:21:48 -0800, (Tom Keats) wrote: In article , RonSonic writes: The OP was, I am sure, being deliberately provocative. But did manage to stay IMO in fair territory while making a feint for the sideline you were covering. We'll see if he actually had a point beyond seeing if he could get other people to argue. Nah, Chris has posted to the newsgroup for quite a while, and I know he's no troll. I'm sure he has genuinely perceived a dearth of black cyclists (particularly in club circles,) and he sincerely and innocently wonders why that is. I've similarly noticed in my own local experience how pre-college-aged youth appears to be under-represented among cyclists, although there seems to be a recent trend away from that. Competitive cycling has suck all for a youth program. Yeah, yeah, you hear about such things, but mostly they don't much give a **** beyond finding out who's likely to go to the Junior worlds next year. If you don't get 10 year olds to think it's cool you won't have 14 year olds with an interest or 16 year olds with a chance. Locally, believe it or not, the youth development system is remarkably good, at least by North American standards. My own club has more than 20 members in its development club, and there are others. I think a certain amount of draw in Vancouver happens from the avid mountain-biking scene: there is even a high-school mountain bike racing league, plus tons of recreational mountain bikers. It's not impossible to build up a youth program: it just takes patience and effort. Cycling, especially racing, is a reasonably expensive, elitist sport. The equipment costs are pretty dire; up in golf territory, though perhaps with slightly better green fees. What I see grossly overrepresented in my own club are comfortably well-off professionals. Several lawyers, an entrepreneur, a property developer, an architect, an aerospace engineer, some teachers, and then a bunch of rather fast youngsters who are typically still in university. Precious few construction workers. I'm the poor and stupid (and slow) member of the club, since I only have an arts degree and work as a computer tech. The demographics probably change when you peek into the semi-pro clubs locally, which are largely composed of young, strong riders, but even they probably got into racing while going to university (only natural, since the Tuesday night crits happen at the biggest local university). Demographically, cycling is golf for people with bad knees and a desire for fitness. -- Ryan Cousineau, http://www.wiredcola.com Verus de parvis; verus de magnis. |
#50
|
|||
|
|||
Leo Lichtman wrote: I don't know the reason, but I do know it is a much broader question than just bicycles. I happen to belong to a woodturning club. Guess what? We don't have any black members, and only an occasional Asian. I have been in the group for several years, and I am as convinced as I could be that it is not due to prejudice. Everyone is welcome in the group, and , in fact, we have tried to figure out how to achieve more diversity. Whatever it is, I am convinced that it is a combination of factors, including some cultural, some historic, some economic, and some probably unknown, at least to the lay public. Surely, a question as important as this has been studied--does anyone know? I don't mean to single out Leo as the only offender- he may not be an offender and even if he is, he's hardly alone- but IMO the unspoken assumption that diversity is a goal to be "achieved" is silly. It's not unlike the idea that having a positive self-image is a worthy thing of itself. Treating all people fairly as individuals and deserving a positive self-image are what should count, not some artificial and paternalistic attitude, "We need diversity" or "We have to be sure Junior feels good about himself". Regards, Bob Hunt For sale or lease: One soapbox, slightly used. g |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Senior Olympics | gcdoss | Recumbent Biking | 310 | August 22nd 04 04:34 PM |
Matthew White's "crash" | Steve McGinty | Racing | 1 | July 4th 04 09:34 PM |