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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2006 9:09:22 GMT
Anyone read the last LCC magazine featuring a some commentary by Zoe Williams on our Saturday ride? She didn't dare to come out because people looked too fit..... On a Saturday ride???
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2006 9:44:38 GMT
That article made me so angry. Rubbish lazy journalism. The silly bint will be getting a reply.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2006 10:24:44 GMT
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Post by Joe R Booth on Oct 3, 2006 11:37:55 GMT
Getting angry won't help anything. Zoe Williams is generally a pretty sensible (and funny) writer who has written very postively about cycling in the Guardian etc. in the past, and seems to use a decent road bike on a regular basis for getting around. A friendly response to London Cycling encouraging her to come back would be much more useful. One thing to point out is that on a Saturday morning there are probably any number of club riders meeting up at the cafe for various "unofficial" rides so a newcomer might get the wrong idea. And I don't think you have to be a particularly shrinking violet to be intimidated by a big bunch of people in lycra who seem to know each other.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2006 12:05:41 GMT
Well said Joe what a great reply
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Post by julene on Oct 3, 2006 12:22:17 GMT
I haven't read the article; I've only heard about it. However, if what I've heard is right, I reckon it is pretty shoddy to condemn us in print without even having ridden with us, but to be honest, if she was intimidated I can see why that might be. I reckon it takes quite a bit of courage to turn up on your own without knowing very much about the people you'll be riding with or where you will be going. I remember at first being terrified of showing myself up by getting left behind and it took Kevin about 6 weeks once he had started riding with the club to persuade me to come along on a Saturday.
I think it is really sad if people, and especially women, are too frightened to come along or, worse, turning up only to see who's there and think better of it. It makes me worry about how many more might have done the same thing.
Should we be trying to make it easier for people like ZW? If so, how? We already wait for people on the Saturday rides and we have a practically compulsory cake stop at the end. Not sure how much friendlier we can be...
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Post by daniel on Oct 3, 2006 13:29:55 GMT
Ron were you wearing that skinsuit again?
In some ways it’s a catch 22 situation, On the one hand of course you want to put your prize asset on display. It helps inspire people and is someone to look up to.
On the other hand some people will just see the super human physique of the likes of Big Ron and think “how the hell am I going to be able to keep up with that god like Adonis?”
I have been asking Ron not to wear such tight shorts and jerseys precisely for this reason. Maybe if we could camp him up a bit he wouldn’t look so intimidating?
Any suggestions?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2006 13:38:48 GMT
Them shorts are not tight, I've just got a massive wullie
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2006 14:03:36 GMT
I suppose that when you arrive on your shopping bike lots of cyclists in lycra on road bikes could be a bit scary. I think that some people don't believe us when we say that we will wait for everyone. A ride with Dulwich is a very different proposition to going on a ride with Southwark Cyclists, but on Saturday the gap isn't as wide as someone like Zoe would maybe imagine.
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Post by Ronnies Trainer on Oct 3, 2006 15:12:01 GMT
Think this is camp enough for Ronnie ? It`ll cut down on the wind resistance ; note the time trial aero fairing ! Mr Moderator - feel free to moderate !!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2006 15:55:37 GMT
nah
ma big wullie would hang oot the side.
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Post by daniel on Oct 3, 2006 16:30:51 GMT
I like it, I think Ron would look amazing. Added to that all the top fash mags are going crazy for the look. Kate, Pete, Jude, they're all wearing it. Just check out the new Borat movie if you're not convinced how cool the outfit can look: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmZtqMEWzoY&mode=related&search=
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Post by julene on Oct 3, 2006 17:14:44 GMT
Stop flirting and get a room, boys.
I can't think why anyone would think twice about joining our club when we have such fascinating conversations about the size of members' members.
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Post by chamoniards on Oct 3, 2006 18:50:11 GMT
I have to say, I'm with you Karen.
To illustrate the article they used a photo from last year's London Bob Chicken Grand Prix: what's that got to do with the Saturday ride? It makes it look like a race, and there's no caption expaining the image at all. Very misleading!
Imagine writing a book review having only read the blurb on the back of the book. In effect Zoe hasn't even done that: she looked in the bookshop window and was frightened away by the old people wearing glasses looking all intellectual!
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Post by Forum Admin on Oct 3, 2006 18:56:12 GMT
Moderate? I can't stop laughing. Not just at the posts and pics. Please, please, no talk of club kit re-designs. Please.
My take on Zoe's piece? I thought it was quite witty and to be honest not at all the wrong sort of publicity (is there a wrong kind?).
Let's face it, on the scale of accessible cycling clubs, I can't think of many that have extended the boundaries as far as we have, whilst preserving a sporting focus.
Or to put it another way, if Matt Seaton accuses us of dumbing down in the Grauniad and Zoe accuses us of being elitist in the London Cyclist, we're probably getting something right!
Or to put it yet another way, anyone with sporting pretentions will probably still check us out after reading her piece. Anyone expecting to come out on a shopper or chopper won't. And that's probably about where we need to be!
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