When it’s sunny I go red. 😳

I once was once kind of attracted to Roberto Baggio (strange times) 8)

No Christianity here either

Other than that I’m just like you guys, except I don’t agree with almost anything you lot say…

LOLing at elf

He still scares me, an he’s been dead four years……

I once was once kind of attracted to Roberto Baggio (strange times)

As long as it was early 90’s this is a sure sign that you’re a red blooded male. I can’t infer anything about your faith though.

the majority of posts and opinions on here are so homogeneous.

/looks at two-hundred-post long arguments

Are we reading the same forum?

In London recently and saw a black WPC on a patrol bike which is unusual.
Just got me wondering if mtbing is purely done by WASPs or is there a spectrum of people who ride.

Are we reading the same forum?

Yes, but one of us understands what ‘majority’ means

Because the subject of religion and homosexuality has come up on many a ride. Yes I ride with some oddballs 😆

I’ve found that the vast majority of people I come into contact with, couldn’t give a monkeys about religion. As for gay, well I used to live in Brighton, so gay men riding bikes in not that uncommon.

I’ve ridden with white, black, Chinese etc and a few who don’t seem to be from this planet.

I’m not, but if/and/or/when we have kids they’ll qualify on two counts at least!

I was talking with a gay black fisherman from Truro who likes mountain biking just the other day.

Yes, but one of us understands what ‘majority’ means

/sorts protagonists into sides, counts

OK, fair point 🙂

I once was once kind of attracted to Roberto Baggio (strange times)

As long as it was early 90’s this is a sure sign that you’re a red blooded male. I can’t infer anything about your faith though.

After he missed that penalty at the 94 world cup, he no longer did it for me.

Wasp

a label usually used to embarrass people about the statistical weight of their heritage in their own home country.

Although it’s mainly used in a country where white folk aren’t ‘indigenous’.

One STWer told me I’m the first ‘non-white’ person he’d ever MTBed with. Which I was quite surprised at tbh.

Elf is “off white”.

‘Kin cheek. I’m braahyn. 😡

It might be that the OP is trying to understand why the majority of posts and opinions on here are so homogeneous.

Reading this forum, it’s quite clear that a large number of posters seldom venture outside their own cultural bubble, and therefore don’t tend to mix with people of other groups. But this is true of many socio-cultural groups, and although we live in a ‘cultimultural’ society, the sad truth is people still do not really mix with each other enough, largely due to perceived cultural and social boundaries. But then, if you go to school, college, work etc with the same ‘type’ of people as yourself, then you’ll not be likely to mix with others all that much.

TBH I see the same patterns of insularity on here that I do in the local White/British, Bangladeshi/Asian and Afro-Carribean communities. Although boundaries are slowly being eroded. These things take time.

I don’t think anyone likes being considered ‘narrow-minded’, but unfortunately that’s as true on here as anywhere. It’s up to individuals to chose to open their minds and learn something about others though.

I’ve ridden with white, black, Chinese

Eh? Shouldn’t that be white, black, yellow? Or maybe English, Nigerian, Chinese? Or even Caucasian, Negroid, Mongoloid?

Strange mix of terms.

No religious beliefs here, I don’t feel the need to share my sexuality, and I’m certainly not white (I just checked).

‘Kin cheek. I’m braahyn.

Well that’s off-white innit? Quite far off as it happens 😉

Actually, I’ve only seen a black-and-white photo of you Elf.
So as far as I know you are actually mid grey.

After he missed that penalty at the 94 world cup, he no longer did it for me.

It was at that precise moment – as Roberto turned away in despair, having skied the penalty – that I felt some strange adolescent tinglings…

No idea what’s so special about St Christopher. St Michael I get – he was the patron saint of middle class shopping – but other than that I’m a bit lost on the Christianity front.

Guilty as charged on the rest, to which you can add that I’m mid 40s, work in the technology sector, like guitar-based dadrock, ride a singlespeed (steel-framed, naturally) and I once had a beard.

I’m DOOOOOOMED, aren’t !

hello peeps – are my ears burning?? 🙂

Still trying to work out how many brackets I want to fall out of here – faith is fine but organised religion scares the willies out of me…

Oh – and the census can’t really show number of trans people in country as people generally just tick the appropriate box on the form, same as every other woman/man in the country. There are some people who clearly fall in the gap and it is a constant source of irritation to them that they have to choose one or the other, though.

Only way to really gather trans statistics is to look at NHS treatment stats, like PCT payments for surgery. I know for the last few years, Norfolk PCT has approved three or four a year. This year, it will be fourteen – including one that is very important to me… (just found out last week – very happy!)

As for being able to tell something about people from the way they ride, in my case you can as I have lost so much brute strength, I’ve really had to improve technique to compensate.

Rachel

/sorts protagonists into sides, counts

OK, fair point

Well done Sir. Very graceful.

*Adds Mike_D to the ‘good guys’ list, for now…*

NickF – Have you considered joining your local Kabadi league?

It might be that the OP is trying to understand why the majority of posts and opinions on here are so homogeneous.

Fair point..
In the interests of helping out..Im a square peg in a round hole..
IHTH.

I may be a muslamic infidel.. But I’m not sure

Do you have a Ray-Gun? That’s usually a sure sign…

Well that’s off-white innit? Quite far off as it happens

No it bloody ain’t. That’s like me saying some Scottish people are ‘off-blue’.

Oh….

what’s you’re point caller?

well, I’duv thought analysing MTBing in social, cultural, sexual and effnik terms might be useful in trying to work out how it can become a more inclusive, cultimultural activity, which would only be a Good Thing in my book. 😀

And tbh, having seen some of the attitudes espoused on here at times, I personally woon’t feel too comfortable knowing some of the people I ride with are ignorant prejudiced bigots. 🙁

I’m male, of Irish and Jewish heritage but very white, very athiest. I like pesto, humus and couscous which makes me middle class. I’m straight, but I’ve always been a bit arty farty which did have my parents wondering for a while.

the sad truth is people still do not really mix with each other enough, largely due to perceived cultural and social boundaries

well that’s just patronising gibberish.

When white anglo saxon makes up such a large proportion of the indigenous population its not a “cultural bubble”. Its a practical reality. I dont see many round these parts taking a coach trip to go and join in Diwali and equally there’s few buses coming out here from hackney to join in wassailing.

Nor is it narrow-minded to not make the effort to. Its narrow minded to presume that cultural diversity is the highest objective. To not come into contact regularly with other cultures is not “insularity”, it’s just perfectly normal, particularly in rural areas. Perhaps your own narrow mindedness based on a small urban example is the problem.

I thinks there’s a good deal of people who are fed up being told they are bad people and being preached to, because of the practicality of how they live their lives.

organised religion scares the willies out off me…

FTFY 😉

In the interests of helping out..Im a square peg in a round hole.

Are you sayin’ you is gay?

Do you have a Ray-Gun? That’s usually a sure sign…

Yes…but it appears to be broke..I’ve bin trying to zap the helicopters over Dale farm all morning and nothings happened to em yet… 😮

Having diversity is a good thing – we learn lots from each other. Much as mixing up different cultures is also a good thing, you do also need the opportunity for cultures to be themselves. If you ‘force’ all the cultures together and they blend into each other too much – the end result of which would be a Starbucks on every corner…

Rachel

trying to work out how it can become a more inclusive

Make it cheaper? Put mountains in city centers?

Based on socio-economic and geographical concentration of ethnic minorities?

Also… as a proportion of riders… might there be a difference in terms of gay and lesbian riders compared to the population as a whole?

it’s quite clear that a large number of posters seldom venture outside their own cultural bubble, and therefore don’t tend to mix with people of other groups.

True, though to be honest Elf, (for me) this is more due to lack of opportunity rather than any ingrained xenophobia.

GrahamS – I could go into graphic and gory detail of exactly what is involved but, believe me, I’d not just put you off your dinner but your Tea as well.

(I’d say lunch/dinner but I’m way too Yorkshire for that type of silly talk…)

Rachel

Some of my best friends are Humans, does it really matter what “type” you are??

Hmmmmmmm..

If the question is “why is cycling seemingly the preserve of white, middle class males?” then my experiences during London commutes would suggest otherwise.

If the questions is “what proportion of STWers do not conform to the stereotype of being white, male and heterosexual?” then reading through old threads should answer that question for you.

well that’s just patronising gibberish.

It’s not, it’s actually fact, and an issue recognised by various agencies throughout the laynd, which is why we have whole local authority and even government departments set up to try to bring about better relations between different social groups.

Interested in why you personally find it ‘patronising’.

When white anglo saxon makes up such a large proportion of the indigenous population its not a “cultural bubble”. Its a practical reality. I dont see many round these parts taking a coach trip to go and join in Diwali and equally there’s few buses coming out here from hackney to join in wassailing.

i’m not arguing with that.

Nor is it narrow-minded to not make the effort to. Its narrow minded to presume that cultural diversity is the highest objective. To not come into contact regularly with other cultures is not “insularity”, it’s just perfectly normal, particularly in rural areas. Perhaps your own narrow mindedness based on a small urban example is the problem.

Sigh. There you go again, Stoner; assuming my experience is limited to a ‘small urban example’. 🙄

Still, you’ve never met me, and don’t actually know me, so you can be forgiven for making assumptions based on little information, I spose.

I thinks there’s a good deal of people who are fed up being told they are bad people and being preached to, because of the practicality of how they live their lives.

And where is that happening? 😕

GrahamS – I could go into graphic and gory detail of exactly what is involved but, believe me, I’d not just put you off your dinner but your Tea as well.

*puts down his bratwurst and turns a little green*

trying to work out how it can become a more inclusive

You could stop complaining each time someone who doesn’t match your own cultural identity takes your bicycle and rides away with it. instead think about how you are introducing other groups to the activity which you enjoy so much and how you are facilitating their change in lifestlye

OP has a point on colour/race MTBers (as opposed to cycle commuters) are something like 99.99% white IME, but it’s not just mtbers, countryside users in general don’t seem to match the 90% white stats. Why is this do we reckon?

Could it be a feeling of safety in numbers? If you go somewhere where you stand out as different, it can be quite intimidating.

Rachel

You could stop complaining each time someone who doesn’t match your own cultural identity takes your bicycle and rides away with it. instead think about how you are introducing other groups to the activity which you enjoy so much and how you are facilitating their change in lifestlye

Eh? I’ve never complained about someone not matching ‘my own cultural identity’ stealing my bike. 😕

As for encouraging others; I’ll invite anyone out for a ride, regardless of colour, gender, sexuality or faith.

GrahamS
Why is Tea more important than dinner?
(spokesman for the CampaiGn Against RaNdom Meal-tIme CapitaliSaTion)