Golf or bushwalking?
Posted October 26th, 2006 in Industry, Culture
There was a nice positive piece on cycling in yesterday’s SMH Online Business section. It also included a cross section of riders and well known local cycling identities from the Randwick Botany Cycling Club and the Sydney Cycling Club.
Interestingly, they also included a paragraph header describing mountain biking as the new bush walking, but we do know that all forms of cycling are really the new golf, don’t we?
Anyone who has spent any time on a bike will know that the more comfort there is between you and the seat, the better. A good pair of cycling shorts from a brand like the Swiss-made Assos can cost $400. And then you must have multiples. Of everything. From shirts to shoes to bikes. Every person interviewed for this story had more than one bike - some had five. Some are reluctant to say how much they spend on bikes, because they have already copped an earful from their spouse. Others say they have had bikes stolen.
Then there are the health benefits. Ford has ridden with men who have lost 20 kilograms. David Levin started Wigs on Wheels, the Victorian Bench and Bar Bicycle Users Group, in 2003, with health in mind. There are 118 members, including 12 judges and court administration staff.
All the sport needs next is it’s first cycling country club and it’s status as the new golf will be complete. Not that I’m complaining.
technorati tags: cycling, bicycles
What others have to say…
Really? I can see how that’s possible for MTN biking on a large acreage of private land, thankfully road cycling will always take place on public roadways.
Mountain bikers are unfortunately being forced into special mountain bike parks because the freedom of access to the trails is being taken away. Thanks to the work of our illustrious former leader, Bob Carr, most of the State Forests have been annexed to existing National Parks which has removed accessablity for everyone wanting a bit of outdoor activity. This includes MTB’s, 4WD’s and in a lot of cases even bushwalkers. National Park policy is ‘if it’s not on a map we close it, if we can’t maintain it, we close it!’ so there are far less trails available to us than there was even 5 years ago. Instead of involving the trail users in the maintanance and management of the parks they just shut them down. So much for public parks.
In NZ the forests are managed properly with full access available and massive participation in trail management to keep that access available. For example, to ride in a Carter Holt owned forest every rider must pay a yearly licence fee and for this they get a newsletter stating when and where logging will take place and when trail work days (in conjunction with an MTB club) will take place. Bring it on!!
No MTB management exists in NSW as far as I know but it most certainly does in other states. The Royal National Park is a brave attempt but at the loss of many kms of trails. Good start though.
(rant mode off)
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On one of the cycling forums at Flickr there was some grumbling recently from poor cyclists complaining about how cycling is a rich man’s sport, complete with special mountain bike parks in some locations.