A couple weeks ago you might remember this post where Herald Sun columnist Wendy Hargreaves rubbed many thousands of cyclists the wrong way. Well on Friday Wendy took me up on the challenge of stepping into our shoes for a morning and went for a ride with a few of us.
To my surprise Wendy was lovely. She was nothing like the dragon reporter that many of us might have expected. I give her full credit for the amount of courage it would have taken her to wake up with the sparrows and come into this with an open mind. Especially meeting up with 4 unknown cyclists who she knew nothing about with her 30kg commuter bike completely out of her comfort zone. And you know what? I’m quite sure that she genuinely enjoyed it. We certainly did. For a total newbie with 2 kids and a full time job, she did remarkably well. Good on her! We’ve already talked about going out again next Friday…
You can read Wendy’s latest column in the Herald Sun below:
Killer hills grind out a few regrets
GRUNTING in pain as I struggle to ride my crappy bike up another killer hill, there’s no time for regrets. But now I have a few.
In recent weeks, I’ve had the odd crack at veranda-gutted middle-aged men squeezing into outrageously coloured spandex to ride bikes worth more than a small car.
For anyone who missed it, words such as arrogant road hogs, neon nuff nuffs, lycra losers and poncey prats were thrown around.
I’m not backing down. There are still blokes who deserve a whack for playing out their mid-life crises like sausages in skin-tight spandex. The more garish Italian advertising on their lycra, the better. It’s laughable.
But for the dozens and dozens of outraged cyclists who wrote hate mail baying for my blood, I’ve got some good news for you.
I have paid. I’m still paying. First I paid in sweat and screaming lungs. Now I’m having trouble walking without a slight waddle.
In the early hours of Friday morning, yours truly joined a hardcore riding group on a suburban road trip.
“Nothing too hard,” promised cycling blogger Wade Wallace when he set the challenge. “I just want to show you how much fun cycling can be.”
It couldn’t be that difficult. I ride my bike to work and do the odd spin class. Nothing to be scared of.
Or so I thought.
Within a few metres, I was puffing like a steam engine, my cheeks radiating heat. I looked like a heart-attack victim.
I was on one of Melbourne’s cycling havens — the oh-so-hilly Yarra Boulevard in Kew.
Cyclists flock to these hideous, winding turns. Masochists, all of them, for these aren’t just hills. They’re torture.
They don’t look that hard at first, but each time you think you’ve made it to the top, there’s more hell around the corner.
The downhill respite lasts only a few blissful seconds, then you’re grinding again.
“This is a good hill,” chirps Wade, resplendent in skin-tight lycra on a carbon-fibre treddly that weighs less than my sneakers.
This is a man who shaves his legs to ride. His chiselled calves ripple when he walks. His hips are not much wider than my thighs. No veranda gut.
And he’s asking me questions as we ride. Talking.
“So how did you come up with that column?” Wade asks, genuinely perplexed by my venomous diatribe against cyclists.
I knew it was coming. Wade had politely ripped my words to shreds on his blog cyclingtipsblog.com, so I knew where he stood.
But even if I wanted to respond with any sort of alacrity, I was puffing way too hard.
And my pre-dawn porridge was threatening to make a reappearance.
“It was just my opinion . . .”, I blurted between gasps, but the hills were killing me.
My legs were turning to jelly as the climbs went on and on. The others were chatting away without a single gasp for air.
Not that we were going fast, of course.
Wade and his three similarly fit cycling mates courteously insisted on me riding up front to set the pace — a snail’s pace by their standards.
It must have been slow because a steady parade of lycra-clad riders were whipping past us at breakneck speed .
And then there was the fact that Wade was using his brakes more than his gears.
So I mumbled a heaving apology for restricting my little peloton to such a slow pace.
“That’s OK,” they all chorused, clearly enjoying my pain. At least that’s what my oxygen-starved brain was hearing.
About an hour later, red-faced and mangled, I pulled into a Victoria St cafe with my new-found cycling mates.
David and Lisa Rafferton had ridden 50km before meeting for our hilly ride. The Northcote couple go on hardcore rides almost every day.
For David, cycling has become more than a hobby. It may have saved his life.
The 40-year-old graphic designer was a morbidly obese 142.6kg when he decided to give cycling a crack less than two years ago.
He had to buy 8XL bike nicks after his tracky dacks caused painful chafing on his first ride.
Within 13 months, he was 45kg lighter and competing in road races most weekends. His next challenge will be riding up the perilously steep road to Mt Baw Baw and to shed a few more kilos.
“But if I had read your article when I was starting out, I reckon I would have given up,” David said, visibly upset at the prospect. “I wanted to make sure you knew that.”
Of all of the abuse copped from cyclists in the past fortnight, this comment cuts through like no other. I’ll think twice before whacking a lycra-clad warrior again. Well, at least for a while.
Thank you for the positive column Wendy and for taking the time to step into our world for a morning. I’m please that I got to meet the real person behind the words and I think you got a glimpse into the real people behind the lycra. Who knows, perhaps you’ll get hooked and be one of us one day. I’d be happy to give you some tips on “how to” and “how not to” dress in a cycling kit and look semi-stylish. I agree that some of us could use a lesson on that aspect of cycling as well.
Speaking of bike challenges, I think Russell Crowe wants to prove he’s such a hero on the bike he’d go out for a ride with a “cyclist” rather than beat up on a gossip columnist who has clearly hardly ever ridden a bike before. General Maximus, you reading??? You wouldn’t stand a chance against these “chiseled calves” ;-)
{ 47 comments }
Like Wade said, she was far nicer than her earlier column would suggest. And also as Wade said- she did great given her newbie status, her heavy as heck bike and her having to talk while riding up the bouli hills.
As people would have read, I am the guy she talks about later in her article. Only she got one thing wrong… I started out at 147kg. Yep.. I was big, VERY B-I-G.
My first time on the bouli I wasn’t even able to complete one half lap before having to stop, rest and turn off at the overpass. So even though she originally pissed me off with her columns, I give her bonus points for getting out and putting her money where her mouth is.
You’re an inspiration David… congrats on sharing yourself and your vulnerability, which obviously got through to Wendy… by the sounds if it, it was your personal story that hit the mark: “Of all of the abuse copped from cyclists in the past fortnight, this comment cuts through like no other. I’ll think twice before whacking a lycra-clad warrior again.”
Big kudos to you!
Thanks Grace.
I’m a bit embarrassed to be name checked like that in the story but when I heard about Wendy taking up the challenge with Wade, I knew I had a story that would hit home with her. I can live with the outing given the good result in the end. ;)
You are to be commended and your triumph celebrated David.
Like Grace said, you are an inspiration. I’m sure a few people out there will read that and stop making excuses. Starting with myself. ;)
So Kudos x2.
Perhaps a job in HR Wade?
Your ability to manage an inflamed situation and bring about a positive result is a rare skill. One many employers would find attractive.
Perhaps a cigarette company would be a good start for you…
Forget IT, you are a people person.
I concur. This for me has been the single most impressive element of this saga.
I expect the herald sun to print rubbish, and I expect cyclists to defend the love of their sport.
I did not expect someone to say “Hey, want to come for a ride?”
Very mature, and a measure for myself (and possibly us all) in how to react to inflamed situations.
So are we going to see Wendy down at the Port Melbourne crits this season – perhaps the latte laps?
Nice work Wade and Wendy.
Hats off indeed, well done Wade & props Wendy for showing the courage to experience what so many of us cyclists see as not only the best sport but also the best health choice in life.
Great work Wade. You’re representing cycling in a very good light. And three cheers for Wendy. It’s so much easier to stand back and sling mud. But to get on the bike, put the effort in, sweating and feeling the pain takes guts. I hope she enjoyed it enough to ride some more.
If Wendy did make it all the way around the vard, that is mightily impressive…she should sign up for the Alpine Classic before places run out. Hey Wade, did you take her up Hodgson St? :P
I still don’t get why cyclist wear such silly kit. No really, please explain to me why you would go out and spend cash to wear a jersey with advertising written all over it? I understand why the pros do it – they get paid by the advertisers to wear them. I’m not trying to be an ass but just trying to understand. When i race i wear a white t-shirt with semi-baggy shorts w/ some padding for my ass. Someone please clear this up for me because I can’t help but laugh at the other guys I race with…
PPP for some people and I dont speak for myself here it’s like people wearing thier favourite football team jumpers. Like in any sport we all have heroes and some people feel they are supporting their heroes by wearing their team kit. For me the only gear I’ll wear is either free kit I get from my local bike shop or advertising for my own company.
Thanks Pierre. I guess I would be more comfortable with it if the teams weren’t for the most part named after faceless greedy corporations. They already get enough money out of people – do they really need them to become free advertising for them as well? Cycling should adopt real team names like in other sports.
The money has to come from somewhere and if people love the sport so much and show their passion by wearing logo-splayed gear – so be it! It gives sponsors bigger bang for their buck, which ultimately puts money back into cycling.
As for the “Why” question – people are individuals with tastes and preferences that is ultimately their self-expression. Do we dis the little kids dressed up as Batman and Spiderman? Why should we dis adults dressing up as their heroes – is it really THAT bad?
My husband’s grandmother, 85, still cycles an average of 200km a week wearing her logo-splayed kit. She’s collected the signatures of Phil Anderson, Stuart O’Grady and Anna Meares on her jerseys and wears them with as much pride as a child who’s had their footy jumper signed by their hero. It’s her childlike spirit that has kept her turning the pedals with such enthusiasm for so long.
We should celebrate diversity, it’s what makes us rich beings. Having heroes inspires us to be better, fitter, stronger – don’t underestimate the power of worship. Self expression is freedom – and wearing brighter clothing is something we all ought to aspire to!
Whether you like colourful branded lycra or not is your personal taste and I respect that. However I don’t feel it’s in our best interest to push our preferences onto others to conform to our more conservative tastes. I believe people ought to do what they want to do, be what they want to be.
PPP – if you are racing and you belong to a club or team you HAVE to wear the team/club kit. If you do not you will be heavily fined (at UCI sanctioned races) as this can confuse other teams in the race. If you are not on a team then you should NOT be wearing shorts or jerseys with any sponsors or logos (again you can be fined for this infraction).
Being heavily involved with the admin side of a club and team (I also race for the team) you need sponsors to help subsidize the cost of racing and/or running a cycling club. Sponsors what something for their money… hence the logos.
You of course avoid all this by going all lone wolf and never ride in a club or on a team, but you are missing out on some amazing experiences if you find a good club/team to ride with. I should know I raced for a few years as a lone wolf, but I just excelled in the team environment.
Finally, why spandex (as others eluded to this is a separate issue)? It’s all about performance! Ha! No seriously, it is. The human body is pretty weak (compared to cars, horses etc) and in a long race its all about maximizing efficiency. The closer you are to +40km/hr there is disproportionately higher importance of aerodynamics compared to slower speeds. From personal experience I would not be surprised if I can cut as much as 1-2 min off my time in 15 km TT (time trial) by ditching baggy clothing and going to spandex. 80 km TT – wow I would hate to think how much time I would loose.
Also baggy cloths start to chaff on longer rides, much more than spandex that keeps out of the way.
Feel free to be style hero and ride baggy anyway to show your style consciousness (and I remember doing this as a 19 year-old), but as you move up categories there just become limits to human performance. You quickly traditions, are traditions for a reason.
Finally, for better or worse road riding is a clique. Putting on the kit, shaving the legs is also a way to show commitment to the sport and the lifestyle. Road riding is very much about details, how you look is just one component of this.
Hi PPP,
I reckon there are 2 different issues to be answered in your question: one is why wear Lycra, and the other is, why wear stuff that is printed with sponsors logos for a pro team.
On the Lycra question, that is partly practical, and partly for aesthetics (even if you personally don’t appreciate those aesthetics). Practically, Lycra dries quicker, is cooler in the heat and warmer in the cold, doesn’t chafe, is light, and doesn’t flap in the breeze or catch on your bike. It also has pockets in the right places, and is shaped for riding. Note also that cyclists have been wearing Lycra for a long time, but now most athletes wear it: runners, pole vaulters, rugby players, rowers etc. There must be something to it, right? Aesthetically it holds colour better than cotton, and looks “new” for a long time.
As for wearing clothes printed with a pro team sponsors’ logos, well personally I don’t. However, I know a lot of people like to do it because they like to feel linked to that team because they like the team for some personal reason: e.g. there are some good Aussie riders in it, it helped out Lance when he had cancer, or it is home for a hero of the pro peleton eg. Jens. There could be heaps of reasons. Why do people support their footy team? That’s just the same as wearing any other sporting outfit as Pierre pointed out. I guy I work with wears a HDT shirt whenever we have a casual day. On most Friday night’s the train will be full of people wearing Magpies, or Bulldogs, or Bombers shirts and scarves. That’s the same thing.
PPP,
It’s descriptions like that, that make other races fairly nervous.
Obviously fit enough to sit in a pack, but in experianced enough to be there, placing the rest of us in danger.
Better to ask these questions as part of your racing induction next time you front at your local club.
Speak to club usualy they have race clinics wear all of these things can be explained.
I’d love to see Russell Crowe take you up on your “real cycling” challenge, but aren’t you being hypocritical for saying that he was beating up on a reporter and that’s exactly what you just did with Wendy?
Thanks Dan, but my ride with Wendy wasn’t to prove that I’m a hero or that I’m in good cycling shape. It had everything to do with simply taking her out and showing her a good time on the bike like we experience every morning. Truth be told Wendy did much better than she let on and we were talking the whole way though. No one was making it a race or out to prove anything.
Now…I have to get back to the phone so I can wait for the Gladiator to call.
mmmm wendy might be able to give russ a run for his mony, now that would be good to see
great stuff wade, you turned a negative into a positive.
Nice work Wade. Expletive laden hate mail hurled at columnists like this only confirms their low opinion of us roadies – whilst engaging with them for a friendly ride and helping them see the world from our point of view is the right approach. Well done!
I just wish I had ‘chiselled calves’…
Props to Wendy for showing up and writing up the ride in such a balanced way. I think this ended well for everyone. Good on you Wade for providing a path for Wendy to redeem herself.
Kudos to you all, Wade, Wendy and David.
It was my wieght going up that got me back into gawdy lycra after a long time off the bike as well David. Three years later, and I have plenty of kit that no longer fits, I have gone from getting dropped in D grade when the road went up, to B Grade, and being able to hold my own in the hills.
After reading the article about Rusty and Annette’s ride, hat’s off to the both of them as well. The more cycling is seen in this sort of light in the mainsteam media the better. “Everyone should see Sydney like this”
My calves aren’t chiselled, but the ‘tuck-shop arms’ are gone.
Deadset brilliant! Wendy’s article the second time round was superb and informed.
Onya Wade – great work on following this through.
— Great post, nice work by both the W’s here.
Wade we’ve been telling you for years your calves are abnormal. You should seriously get those things checked out by a professional
Nice work Wade, simply beautiful!
Cheers!
DM
Massive respect to Wendy’s mini-musette. Looks like a quality weight loss tactic for those long rides. Where can I get one?
Who reads the Herald?
Like my high school teacher used to say “go read The Age and activate some brain cells”.
Bloody Canadians – always so sensible
you should have seen me play ice hockey. I wasn’t so congenial or sensible when on skates ;-)
hehehe… you gotta love a good hip check, eh? I was always wondering if its possible to do this in a crit? ;-)
Theo Boss might be the guy to ask
http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2009/04/theo-bos-incident-intentional/
Hi everyone. Wendy here. I had a great time and plan to have another ride with Wade very soon. How’s Friday Wade? For all you Age-reading latte sippers… a big rasberry! ;) I know you secretly read the HUN. Admit it.
Thanks Wendy. Friday would be great. I’ll call you to lock it down. We’ll brainstorm some ideas on how we can offend the triathlete crowd
;-)
Is that an open invitation for CT readers? :-)
Bring it on.
Hey there B. If you’re not a slow poke like me, and I’d assume most fans of this blog are not, you’ll probalby find it intensely frustrating to doddle along at my pace. Should have seen me yesterday with a 17kg 4yo on the baby seat along Merri Creek. I was slower than the pedestrians.
No worries Wendy. You should see if Wade can borrow you a carbon-fibre treddly that weighs less than your sneakers – it wont make the hills any less steep, but it might be a bit of fun. :-)
I commute on Merri creek quite often – I’ll wave if I see you there with your kid.
kids and child seats are great resistance training wendy, dont knock it…keep it up and you will be ready for the 1:20, never mind the rolling hills of the boulie
Yep Wendy- set yourself a goal to climb Mt Dandenong on the 1:20 road. This was my first time- http://alifecycle.blogspot.com/2007/10/my-first-1-in-20-ride-picture-tells.html. If I could do it, so can you. I promise, after doing it, you will feel such a buzz the pain of the climb will be totally worth it!
yes but the pain is forgotten as you hype up on the adrenaline for the descent, best part about climbing hills is the rush coming back down.
Just imagine if Russell got road raged… it’d be on!!! HAHA!
“RUSSELL CROWE! FIGHTING AROUND THE WORLD… ON A BIKE!”
Wade you handled this magnificently, can you now get onto that clown Bolt?
I was having a think about this, and it always amuses me that many of the angry drivers (I also was once one of them until I started commuting everyday and got tboned by a truck and a couple of other bingles and realised how much of an angry/dangerous douche I was) are either:
a) single occupant commuters, and/or
b) busy carrying on about middle aged overweight men in lycra (for the record I am 5’7″ and was 88kg in July 06 and am now 61kg and a mountain ninja so as a reformed fatty I can cast aspersions at whomever I wish) but they themselves are a little/a lot chubby and sometimes very unfit.
Funny stuff, pot calling the kettle black, and such.
-tim
PS: good work David!
Comments on this entry are closed.
{ 1 trackback }