Is cycling the new golf?

[Deborajen]

wait, isn't golf boring and sucky? and cycling the opposite of that?

Are you kidding? It's great to smash a golf ball, pretending it's your boss' head! (Just kidding - I'm not really a violent person.) But I love golf - usually. It really tests you mentally. Cycling is more of a physical challenge.

Back to the original question, around here, I would have to say no. Cycling gained in popularity after Lance Armstrong, but it's never really taken off enough to compete with golf as the thing to do. I work for a group of 7 doctors and one is a golfer and another is a cyclist. The golfer is somewhat competitive but he's very social with his golf. He plays in friendly tournaments with his peers, plays golf while discussing work and business, etc. The cyclist is an egomaniac. He's a racer, seldom talks about riding except to brag that he beat x number of people over the weekend, etc.

That's pretty much the story all around. Besides at work, some people ride but lots of people play golf. The city is trying to become more cycling-friendly so it may change, but cycling isn't the new golf here - not yet.

[WindingRoad]

MAMIL --- LMAO!!!!! ROFL!!!! LOL!!!!

OMG that was friggin' hilarious!

[Crankin]

Well, I am not a fan of sports that require eye hand coordination, because I have none, but I have always seen golf as the sport of "the rulers of the world." I know that is not necessarily true, and a lot of women do play. It seems like a certain subset of "white, middle aged males" play this sport, just as a certain subset of people ride... when I think of golf, I picture guys in polo shirts and caps, usually with a gut hanging over their shorts or pants. I know this is a stereotype, but...
DJ played when we were younger, but it took up so much time away from the family, he stopped. He played tennis, too, but that stopped after he hurt his foot, had surgery to fix it, and didn't want to do anything that would interfere with riding. You know, I kind of see tennis in the same category.
Hmm, around here I would say golfers are Republicans and cyclists are Democrats. Just sayin...

[Velocivixen]

I think that biking could be the "new black"!

[tangentgirl]

Are you kidding? It's great to smash a golf ball, pretending it's your boss' head! (Just kidding - I'm not really a violent person.) But I love golf - usually. It really tests you mentally. Cycling is more of a physical challenge.

My boss' head, you say? Intriguing. I'm picturing me, a nice 9-iron, and one of those ball pits for kids, filled with golf balls. If we could rig the golf balls to spurt blo...well, I digress.

[oz rider]

I think that biking could be the "new black"!

Strong is the new thin.

[Velocivixen]

Oh I like that even better!

[Kitsune06]

My boss' head, you say? Intriguing. I'm picturing me, a nice 9-iron, and one of those ball pits for kids, filled with golf balls. If we could rig the golf balls to spurt blo...well, I digress.

I think you might be on to something. I wonder how cheap you could get a big bucket of paintballs, a super cheap rain poncho and a whiffle ball bat for? OOOOOHHHH Ladies, I now have new birthday party plans.

[Bike Chick]

Strong is the new thin.

Ewww, I like that! I just lost 20 pounds

[Bike Chick]

MAMIL --- LMAO!!!!! ROFL!!!! LOL!!!!

OMG that was friggin' hilarious!

Agreed! How funny!

[crazycanuck]

and..for us women..don't shoot the messenger please.

MAWILS...

No, i didn't create the acronym...have a peek at http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/vi...mawils#p484297

[Pax]

Strong is the new thin.

Cool!! It only took me to age 50 to be hip.

[Bike Writer]

I'd say in business cycling is not the new golf because it's not mainstream enough yet, however in mainstream middle America, at least, I believe it might be nearing the tipping point.

Note the number of advertisments that feature bikes and biking. I'm not talking cycling all decked out in traditional cycling garb, but more and more advertising is showing people enjoying city, cruiser or hybrid type bikes around town. The persons biking are portrayed doing errands, going to market or just out crusing and having fun with their family.

Much of this can also be attributed to the economy, in the 1970's during a very poor economic time in the USA, bicycling enjoyed a big resurgance here. It can be a very inexpensive pastime. People can go to a big box store and for under $120 pick up a new bike, hop on it and find a source of cheap entertainment. Add craigslist into the mix and voila, for under $50 bucks you have wheels and your on the path right along side the $2700 cyclist.

Just my own opinion on the matter........

[Crankin]

I have noticed the trend of placing cyclists of all kinds in advertising. Maybe in the last 5 years; it's become a lot more noticeable.
I wouldn't say that cycling is the new golf in mainstream America. Maybe more people are using bikes for plain old recreation, but around here, cycling seems to be divided into 3 groups of riders: fitness riders/racers who tend to be upper middle class, college students and the urban "hip" who ride for transportation in the city, and the "invisible" cyclists who are often immigrants on beater bikes, or those who just can't afford any other type of transportation, including the subway.
We have a lot of high tech and medically oriented businesses here, as well as all of the universities. It seems that there are a large number cyclists in all of these professions. In the group I ride with, which consists mostly of people in their 40's to 80's, I'd say about a third are professors or work in a university, another third are doctors or nurses, and the rest are divided between engineers, artists, teachers, or other medical professionals.