I recently sent a message to a cycling company telling them I found their use of the word 'epic' as it relates to rides to be pretentious and overused.
I had completely forgotten about it, didn't really expect an answer. I was sort of just poking a stick at them, you know? Like giving your little sister a wet willy.
Imagine my surpriseto find a response in my mailbox. It made me think and consider the use of the word from various angles. When I finally formulate my answer I'm sure it will be well reasoned and insightful
.
What it comes down to is this- the writer challenged me to come up with a suitable substitute for 'epic'.
I don't think there is one.
To me, 'epic' is subjective.
Is there another word?
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Thread: What's the new 'epic'?
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08-05-2008, 06:11 PM #1
zippadee-doo-dah
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What's the new 'epic'?
2008 Trek FX 7.2/Terry Cite X
2009 Jamis Aurora/Brooks B-68
2010 Trek FX 7.6 WSD/stock bontrager
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08-05-2008, 06:12 PM #2
Inner Geekette
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Noooo. You? Really?
Originally Posted by Zen
Frends know gud humors when dey is hear it. ~ Da Crockydiles of ZZE.
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08-05-2008, 06:15 PM #3
In-app purchases
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I don't think anyone who hasn't spent a semester translating Beowulf, the Iliad, the Odyssey or the Aeneid should be permitted to use the word "epic" at all.
Just MHO.
Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler
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08-05-2008, 06:14 PM #4
What's next? A half iron?
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How about 'awesome'?
It is never too late to be what you might have been. ~ George Elliot
My podcast about being a rookie triathlete:Kelownagurl Tris Podcast
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08-05-2008, 08:58 PM #5
renouncing weeniedom
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(I nominate Zen to be one of the founding editors of the new magazine for women bikers....) as for synonyms for epic...how about Long or Difficult?
Last edited by elk; 08-05-2008 at 09:00 PM.
Discipline is remembering what you want.
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08-05-2008, 11:37 PM #6
Registered User
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Hey, I think we saw this and had exactly the same reaction! Was it a catalog, maybe? Or some kind of marketing publication, anyway, I think. They described several rides all as being "epic" and we kind of rolled our eyes at each other and said, "Boy, that's kind of grandiose, isn't it?"---I guess epic to me implies extraordinary magnitude. I can't remember the specifics anymore about the rides, but they weren't THAT dramatic.
"My predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved;I have been given much and I have given something in return...Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and an adventure." O. Sacks
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08-06-2008, 03:20 AM #7
zippadee-doo-dah
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Salsa, you probably did see the same thing.
It was Rapha and their site says "we welcome your ideas and feedback".
So...I fed them
I think the whole thing is testosterone-related.2008 Trek FX 7.2/Terry Cite X
2009 Jamis Aurora/Brooks B-68
2010 Trek FX 7.6 WSD/stock bontrager
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08-06-2008, 03:51 AM #8
Ride your ride.
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Didn't the use of "epic" originate with mtb'ers? To me, it's like the slang that skateboarders and surfers use, totally serious yet tongue-in-cheek at the same time.
"How about if we all just try to follow these very simple rules of the road? Drive like the person ahead on the bike is your son/daughter. Ride like the cars are ambulances carrying your loved ones to the emergency room. This should cover everything, unless you are a complete sociopath."
David Desautels, in a letter to velonews.com
Random babblings and some stuff to look at.
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08-06-2008, 04:58 AM #9
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It was epic, like, you know, totally awesome, dude
Beth
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08-06-2008, 05:07 AM #10
Slow and Steady
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The English language is rich with adjectives, but we seem to get stuck in ruts using the hip and trendy adjectives du jour. No different, I suppose, than people who use the f-bomb. Instead of one-size-fits-all it is one-word-describes all. Until the next great word comes along.
As an aside, we did a bike tour with one of these "wine and dine" companies. The brochure promised 20-60 miles/day so we signed up expecting to do the long option every day. Oh, those were the "epic routes"--were we sure we wanted to do them? Uh....one of the "epic routes" was 40 miles with a 1% gradient down a long, straight road. Besides the fact that few did the route, what made made it "epic"? It was just a nice ride. No beasts were slain. No battles won.
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