Is Mountain Biking Healthful Exercise?

Peripheral vision is an essential part of perception of self-motion. Doesn't matter how many times you deny it, you're still wrong, "Berkelery" Ph..D. and all.



We aren't talking about "perception of self-motion". We're taling about enjoyment of nature.

Well, yes, we were until you derailed the conversation ... but then, quite correctly, Shraga pointed out the errors in your assertions regarding peripheral vision. When he did so, suddenly, you want to come back on topic having lost the argument.

So, let's cut to the core. I am a Mountainbiker as of relatively recently and since I, and my fellow riders, enjoy the sights, sounds, smells and all the sensations of being in a natural environment on our bikes your core assertion is provably wrong. It is far more enjoyable than being on a road or other paved and developed area. We are therefore enjoying the nature.

You seem to have the view that the nature can only be enjoyed in certain, prescribed ways ... when, clearly, each individual can make a judgement on what they do or don't enjoy. You can have your view as to the impact of such enjoyment but you can't question the enjoyment itself because it is axiomatically determined by simple assertion on the part of those participating.

Why else do you think that more and more parks and other wild recreation areas are promoting mountainbiking ? Why else would anyone bother to mountainbike ? I sincerely doubt that there are 50 million masochists in the US who are hating every moment yet still spending time, effort and cash going mountainbiking.

On Tuesday, January 15, 2013 11:04:56 PM UTC-5, Mike Vandeman wrote:
On Tuesday, January 15, 2013 6:05:59 PM UTC-8, wrote:

BS. The topic is whether mountain bikers are "enjoying nature". They aren't. It's physically impossible.


As Blackblade correctly stated, I was primarily responding to your false statements about peripheral vision. I guess the lesson here is that if you don't like supposedly off topic side discussions, you shouldn't change the subject to something you don't know anything about.

Regarding the topic of whether mountain bikers, "enjoy nature," I'll just repeat what I wrote before.

(1) You don't get to define someone else's enjoyment. Your exclusionary, elitist point of view on this is ridiculous.

(2) The varied terrain inherent to mountain biking, in particular the common lengthy uphill climbs that force reductions in speed make it quite safe for someone on a bicycle to turn his or her attention from the trail in front of the tire, even for several seconds (just like an equestrian could). This would allow someone with even basic bike riding skills to enjoy nature.


We aren't talking about "perception of self-motion". We're taling about enjoyment of nature.

Yes we were. That conversation started when you wrote that, "Mountain bikers don't need 'peripheral cues'..."

But we seem to be done now. Thank you for the lively conversation.

On Wednesday, January 16, 2013 6:52:46 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Tuesday, January 15, 2013 11:04:56 PM UTC-5, Mike Vandeman wrote:

On Tuesday, January 15, 2013 6:05:59 PM UTC-8, wrote:



BS. The topic is whether mountain bikers are "enjoying nature". They aren't. It's physically impossible.





As Blackblade correctly stated, I was primarily responding to your false statements about peripheral vision. I guess the lesson here is that if you don't like supposedly off topic side discussions, you shouldn't change the subject to something you don't know anything about.



Regarding the topic of whether mountain bikers, "enjoy nature," I'll just repeat what I wrote before.



(1) You don't get to define someone else's enjoyment. Your exclusionary, elitist point of view on this is ridiculous.



(2) The varied terrain inherent to mountain biking, in particular the common lengthy uphill climbs that force reductions in speed make it quite safe for someone on a bicycle to turn his or her attention from the trail in front of the tire, even for several seconds (just like an equestrian could). This would allow someone with even basic bike riding skills to enjoy nature..





We aren't talking about "perception of self-motion". We're taling about enjoyment of nature.



Yes we were. That conversation started when you wrote that, "Mountain bikers don't need 'peripheral cues'..."



But we seem to be done now. Thank you for the lively conversation.

I'm not going to waste any more time responding to dishonest mountain bikers. You don't answer questions, proving that you have something to hide and aren't being honest, you lie frequently, you can't reason logically. and you keep repeating assertions that I have already refuted.

On Wednesday, January 16, 2013 6:52:46 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Tuesday, January 15, 2013 11:04:56 PM UTC-5, Mike Vandeman wrote:

On Tuesday, January 15, 2013 6:05:59 PM UTC-8, wrote:



BS. The topic is whether mountain bikers are "enjoying nature". They aren't. It's physically impossible.





As Blackblade correctly stated, I was primarily responding to your false statements about peripheral vision. I guess the lesson here is that if you don't like supposedly off topic side discussions, you shouldn't change the subject to something you don't know anything about.



Regarding the topic of whether mountain bikers, "enjoy nature," I'll just repeat what I wrote before.



(1) You don't get to define someone else's enjoyment. Your exclusionary, elitist point of view on this is ridiculous.



(2) The varied terrain inherent to mountain biking, in particular the common lengthy uphill climbs that force reductions in speed make it quite safe for someone on a bicycle to turn his or her attention from the trail in front of the tire, even for several seconds (just like an equestrian could). This would allow someone with even basic bike riding skills to enjoy nature..





We aren't talking about "perception of self-motion". We're taling about enjoyment of nature.



Yes we were. That conversation started when you wrote that, "Mountain bikers don't need 'peripheral cues'..."



But we seem to be done now. Thank you for the lively conversation.

I'm not going to waste any more time responding to dishonest mountain bikers. You don't answer questions, proving that you have something to hide and aren't being honest, you lie frequently, you can't reason logically. and you keep repeating assertions that I have already refuted.

On 1/14/2013 11:50 PM, Blackblade wrote:

Your responses are an ever-increasing testament of your complete ignorance of mountain biking. Maintaining awareness beyond the "trail in front of their front tire" is an essential part of mountain biking.

Explain WHY. (Hint: you CAN'T, because it isn't true.) You haven't explained it.

Because, if you focus only on the trail in front of your front tyre you will not see obstacles ahead and then, yes, you will crash. You need to look at where you will be ... not where you are. This is also true of driving.

Change the subject? When did the "subject" become my name?

When I asked you what your name is, long ago. What are you afraid of? Anyone who won't give his real name is an obvious liar.

Explain WHY. There are many reasons someone may quite validly wish to maintain their anonymity.

On the other hand, Mikey V. has had to give up messing with people he
argues with on Usenet in real life, or he will end up in the state pen.

--
Tom $herman

On 1/15/2013 7:33 AM, wrote:
Why did you snip off the question about vampires? I'd LOVE to hear someone with a world-class education from Harvard and Berkeley explain what happens when you put salt on one.

Mikey V. fights off vampires with a HANDSAW.

--
Tom $herman

I'm not going to waste any more time responding to dishonest mountain bikers. You don't answer questions, proving that you have something to hide and aren't being honest, you lie frequently, you can't reason logically. and you keep repeating assertions that I have already refuted.

The only one lying here is you.

You said, in this thread ...

"As to the beautiful scenery, only hikers & equestrians are able to enjoy it. Mountain bikers are doing nothing but looking at the trail directly in front of them, & have no time to "enjoy scenery""

But in another thread you said ...

"It sounds logical that they would be satisfied, building their own
mountain biking "park". But it's not true, for two reasons: (1) most
of them enjoy being in nature. It's a MAJOR component of the sport.
Especially, exploring NEW territory." (https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rec....8/OY4WC2elZ0AJ)

LIAR !