Am I a real cyclist now??

[kiwi in oz]

I bought my first road bike less than 2 weeks ago and have been doing some gentle rides to get used it and all has been going well. Until today...

I had my first fall :) I know that's a smiley face - cos I'm okay with it! I have been waiting for it to happen - I'm not the most co-ordinated of beings. I had been having a wee rest at the top of a hill about 35-40km into the ride and when I went to get going again, I kinda forgot I was in the lowest (highest? I get confused!) gear I could be in, so had no traction going up a wee slope and forgot about my feet being clipped in and, well, just kinda, well, fell over. There was someone coming up the hill behind me, so I leapt back on and pedalled furiously to avoid any discussion! So, pedalling away - straight into a black cloud of bugs :(

So my first fall and first swallowed bug - all in one day! Woo hoo - I reckon I just about qualify for lycra now!
xx

[Geonz]

Saying you were "35 km into the ride" is 30 biker points, falling is 35, hopping back up is a bonus of 25 and eating bugs is a bonus 15... so you're over the 100 points needed to earn your "real biker" badge! You bug-chompin, pavement-eating RIDER! (200 points means you get to wear... hmmm... the weird jersey of your choice...

[CorsairMac]

Kiwi the day you got on a bike you became a real biker but welcome to the "I've fallen and gotten back up" club! As for swallowing the bug?.....just think of it as protein and much-neede fuel for the rest of your ride. How kind of the protein source to be Right there when you needed it??


Geonz: Loved your pt system!!!!

[lnewv5]

When I started, I was anxiously anticipating my first fall...I knew it was only a matter of time. And when it happened, I thought - phew, glad that's over with.
But, the most important part is that you got back up and kept going! Congrats on being a real cyclist - glad to hear that you're not going to let a silly thing like coordination keep you down :)

[kiwi in oz]

VERY cute points system Geonz!

And CorsairMac - this body doesn't really need any little protein/fuel boosts - I have plenty in store - kinda why I started cycling ;)

[bikerchick68]

kiwi... oh yeah, you're IN! LOL... ya know, the falls can NEVER happen when you're all alone with no one watching... noooooo, it's gotta be in front of a nice crowd of open-mouthed, wide-eyed onlookers! :eek: :D

[Prairiedog]

Well, I'm LOL at your Lycra comment!! :D

I am EVER-SO-GRATEFUL for the manufacturer's of baggy bike shorts! I just don't like anything to cling to me and I could never get used to lycra. I don't even like my shirts to fit snug either.

This is why I had to turn down the job of prima ballerina in the Moscow ballet. Just could not wear the prerequisite tights. :rolleyes: :p :rolleyes:

[salsabike]

Geonz had the point system exactly right! Congratulations and well done, kiwi in oz.

[Duck on Wheels]

Well, I'm LOL at your Lycra comment!! :D

I am EVER-SO-GRATEFUL for the manufacturer's of baggy bike shorts! I just don't like anything to cling to me and I could never get used to lycra. I don't even like my shirts to fit snug either.

This is why I had to turn down the job of prima ballerina in the Moscow ballet. Just could not wear the prerequisite tights. :rolleyes: :p :rolleyes:

And here I thought I could have tried for that job if only I'd learned Russian. Oh well. Just as well I never got past book one. I haven't got a figure for spandex anyway, and my size 12 feet could never squeeze into toe shoes. Mt. Borah baggy shorts and mtb shoes are more my speed.

BTW, speaking of membership in the "real cyclist" virtual club, and speaking of wierd jersey of ones choice ... anybody out there who could draw my idea for a Fredwina Athena Phantasy Bike Club jersey? I'm thinking a zaftig woman on a bike, showing the seat down at pocket level, head and torso scaled down to fit the shirt, maybe a glimpse of handlebar on one side, overall impression that she's just passing you as you see her from behind and to the right. She'd be halfway turned back with a big friendly grin and a wave to the viewer and the text "on your left" overlaid somewhere, maybe on the back of her jersey. I've been trying to draw this, but can't get it right.

[RoadRaven]

"They" say there are two types of cyclists...

Ones who have just fallen, and ones who are going to fall...
Like Corsair says, you became a cyclist when you hopped on your bike!

Lurve the points system, GEONZ!!!