I’m staying near Miami Ink later in the week and was thinking about a tattoo again. Had thought about one before but couldn’t come up with a design that I liked and wanted. So… without flaming what have you got preferably biking related.

I seriously fancy one like this, and doubt many folk would get it.

I’m quite impressed by this guy’s stuff.. not exactly cycling related mind.. or Miami Ink’s style..

I like tats, but why would you want one that makes you look like you haven’t washed since being out on the bike?

There’s loads of bike related tattoos on flickr if you have a dig around.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93537824@N00/

I used to always want the crank mark but as said it looks like you’ve not washed! I quite fancy the 40t chain ring and a welsh dragon in the centre

schrickvr6 – Member
I like tats, but why would you want one that makes you look like you haven’t washed since being out on the bike?

cynic-al – Member
I…doubt many folk would get it.

A crank mark makes it look like you can’t ride a bike without getting oil all over yourself. Why not get some grazes on you knees and elbows done too?

cynic-al – Member
I…doubt many folk would get it.

I know a lot of people on this thread may disagree but if you like a picture or drawing why not just hang it on the wall? I don’t really understand the appeal of tattoos.

Classic Edinburgh defence 😆

I…doubt many folk would get it.

Is there a difference between not getting it and thinking it looks shite?

cynic-al – Member
I…doubt many folk would get it.

Ah, “I put too much oil on my chain then lean against my bike. I also don’t ride it enough to have toned calves…”

PeaslakeDave – Member

I know a lot of people on this thread may disagree but if you like a picture or drawing why not just hang it on the wall? I don’t really understand the appeal of tattoos.
That’s more than clear.
Why, after spending hours plastering a beautiful wall to perfection would anyone want to cover it up with some godawful generic picture from IKEA, or whatever?

iDave, they’re not my calves. Mine are in fact pretty toned!

I guess it’s not about whether it looks shite or cool, it’s just a bit of fun – google “not taking things too seriously” for more information, HTH.

Al, it’s just a bit of fun – google “not taking things too seriously” for more information, HTH. 😉

iDave – see “unecessary use of exclamation mark as indication of intended humour”

😉 😀 etc

As the chain ring mark is called a shark bite, why not make the calf tattoo a shark’s gob, or something?
That’s what I would do if I was mainstream enough to get tattoos like what Fern Cotton has.

(and my wife, so only jokkin 😉 )

The chain ring mark is known in road racing circles as a “Cat 4 Tat”, on the basis that amateur racers are more likely to have dirty chains, and hang around with their chain on the inner chainring.

Why would you want to have it permanently and indelibly etched onto your calf?? It’s a faux pas, not a badge of honour! Or are people so desperate for the wider public to know that they’re a cyclist that they would tattoo a dirty mark on their leg???

It’s like a cricketer tattooing a red patch on his upper thigh. Dumb.

Thanks shibb, it’s always nice to get a refreshingly new and well thought out counter argument on the tattoo threads.

Hasn’t the shop moved to NY…?

another one to th list that thinks chainring tat is dumb.

*starts planning a heart tattoo with a scroll that says “shibby”*

When I walked past the shop a couple of years back it has closed up in Miami? The shop was just a look in museum, sign in the window said they’d gone their separate ways on new projects?

*starts planning a heart tattoo with a scroll that says “shibby”*

Just bear in mind Phil, stalking will be a criminal offense soon, so you’ll have to stop sleeping in your car outside my house… 😉

That’ll be because the shop is called Love Hate tattoo studio and it always has been, it’s very good though, I know someone who got a small tatto done there after waiting 9 months 3k.

The chain ring mark is known in road racing circles as a “Cat 4 Tat”, on the basis that amateur racers are more likely to have dirty chains, and hang around with their chain on the inner chainring.

Why would you want to have it permanently and indelibly etched onto your calf?? It’s a faux pas, not a badge of honour! Or are people so desperate for the wider public to know that they’re a cyclist that they would tattoo a dirty mark on their leg???

It’s only a faux pas to road racers, a bit like the whole white sock thing, and the no rucksack rule. STW is an MTB website predominantly so I would think that this kind of tattoo wouldn’t be a faux pas in most peoples eyes.

Basically, your “dirty mark”/faux pas is another persons badge of honour. That’s why there are people with these tattoos out there.

Now, how about a tattoo of the pin marks that I keep getting in my shins from a set of DMR V8s? That probably would be bad form, proof that I can’t land a jump for toffee!

Why would you want to have it permanently and indelibly etched onto your calf?? It’s a faux pas, not a badge of honour!

Those sort of road racing circles are mostly known as bunches of tits in all other circles.. 😀

PeaslakeDave – Member
I know a lot of people on this thread may disagree but if you like a picture or drawing why not just hang it on the wall? I don’t really understand the appeal of tattoos.

You’re not ‘Tattoo Dave’ from Peaslake then?!

saleem – Member
That’ll be because the shop is called Love Hate tattoo studio and it always has been, it’s very good though, I know someone who got a small tatto done there after waiting 9 months 3k.

3K!!!??? daylight robbery!

I did mean the show had moved to NY to the social club… along with the 3 best artists

i just looked on the Love hate website and it reckons that you can still get tattooed there by garver etc.. Personally I think Miami Ink has ruined tattoos, i always get people asking oh so what does that one mean, my answer is ‘it means nothing I like pretty pictures’why do tats need to have meanings for chuffs sake!??? oh they don’y its just that peope have only ever seen the sob stories off miami ink. also I’ve never been tattooed in a studio where they will let anyone but the person being tattooed come into teh back of the shop. do some research and find another shop would be my advice.

It’s only a faux pas to road racers, a bit like the whole white sock thing, and the no rucksack rule. STW is an MTB website predominantly so I would think that this kind of tattoo wouldn’t be a faux pas in most peoples eyes.

No, I think it’s a faux pas generally, it makes you look like a bit of a pleb IMO! Marginally more acceptable if it’s blood rather than just oil, but definitely not a road thing.

+1 for not ‘getting’ tattoos, but that’s not really the point.

+1 Njee. Obviously, overweight middle-aged IT geeks on bikes with only one gear might not understand the “Cat 4” reference, but it’s a faux pas whichever way you look at it.

I like bacon butties, should I tattoo butter and tomato ketchup running down my chin? No, because it’s a cock up.

Why do people seem so obsessed with being labelled a cyclist that they would do something so stupid??? If I saw someone with a tat like that, say, on holiday, by the pool, I’d just think ‘what a cock!’.

Other people would just think he’d not washed properly.

No, I think it’s a faux pas generally, it makes you look like a bit of a pleb IMO! Marginally more acceptable if it’s blood rather than just oil, but definitely not a road thing.

Really? Maybe you’re right, just something I’ve never come across. I haven’t had people point at me when I’ve got an oily mark on my leg and accuse me of being a pleb or amateur or anything really. Okay so it’s generally a sign that I haven’t been paying attention and leant my bike up badly/fluffed a clip in or something, but a faux pas? Do you guys go around with alcohol wipes quickly giving your calves a once over if you happen to brush your chainring?!

@passtherizla

It was Garver that was 3k, he’s the best in that place anyway, Kat von d started at £1000 pounds years ago so god knows what she charges now at High Voltage, it won’t be cheap when you’ve a waiting list of people like Lady Gaga and the likes.

Now, how about a tattoo of the pin marks that I keep getting in my shins from a set of DMR V8s? That probably would be bad form, proof that I can’t land a jump for toffee!

I have various scars that clearly demonstrate that without the need for ink 😳 (I never did manage to land a crankflip).

I haven’t had people point at me when I’ve got an oily mark on my leg and accuse me of being a pleb or amateur or anything really. Okay so it’s generally a sign that I haven’t been paying attention and leant my bike up badly/fluffed a clip in or something, but a faux pas? Do you guys go around with alcohol wipes quickly giving your calves a once over if you happen to brush your chainring?!

Because you’re riding with other such amateurs (in the nicest possible way)? I always think it when I see people with such a mark, but then I’m an elitist prick.

I can honestly say that I can think of no more than 2 occasions in the last 5 years when it’s happened, and I’ve just rubbed it off, my chain isn’t generally bathed in lube, so it’s not a big issue.

Whereas I used to ride with some of the domestic pros and one in particular was so bad/lazy at maintaining his bike that he always had chainring marks on him… 😀

Surely, if you’re riding your bike, nobody would give it a second glance – sh*t happens. But when you’re not… Say for example you’re in a nice hotel on holiday, wearing smart shorts, going for lunch… You’ll just look like a badly washed cock.

Because you’re riding with other such amateurs (in the nicest possible way)? I always think it when I see people with such a mark, but then I’m an elitist prick.

:-)Fair dos, can’t argue with that reasoning!

I can honestly say that I can think of no more than 2 occasions in the last 5 years when it’s happened, and I’ve just rubbed it off, my chain isn’t generally bathed in lube, so it’s not a big issue.

You see, the problem here is that I’m judging you by my (amateur) standards. It happens to me almost every ride, both road (well, commute) and off road. I use Finish Line XC so it gets everywhere, even with the ‘single drop per link’ method of lubing!

I like bacon butties, should I tattoo butter and tomato ketchup running down my chin? No, because it’s a cock up.

Go for it, it’s your choice, but you can rest assured that I wouldn’t judge you on it. I’ll judge you on the comments you make here which are probably more representative of your personality.

Shibboleth – Member
The chain ring mark is known in road racing circles as a “Cat 4 Tat”, on the basis that amateur racers are more likely to have dirty chains, and hang around with their chain on the inner chainring.

Why would you want to have it permanently and indelibly etched onto your calf?? It’s a faux pas, not a badge of honour! Or are people so desperate for the wider public to know that they’re a cyclist that they would tattoo a dirty mark on their leg???

Lots of folk go for cycling tattoos.

I quite enjoy stuff that winds up the hard of thinking like wearing a helmet with a peak on road rides, lycra on my mtb etc. If a “better rider” is (1) insecure enough to judge others as inferior for having chainring marks on their calves as a lesser rider/person and (2) stupid/serious enough not to get the irony?…then even better.

How much would one cost?