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Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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15 comments

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Organon | 5 years ago
2 likes

As all we have is a totally one sided tweet, we can't tell how tongue in cheek the 'cheating' comment is. Perhaps he overtook her by natural means, then she put on the after burners to overtake back then blocked him off. Who knows?

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portec | 5 years ago
3 likes

Emma McInnes, if that is your real name: you are Serena Williams and I claim my £5.

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Simon_MacMichael | 5 years ago
6 likes

If I'm riding in London, which I often do with the dog in the basket, a lot of the issues I have with other cyclists (especially close overtakes/undertakes at speed) are with what one might term MAMILs ... middle aged, male, in Lycra ...

To coin another acronym, though, I do find certain McBobs to be in a world of their own and not give the proverbial about anyone else on a bike, almost inadvertently sent one into the Regent's Canal a few months ago when he zoomed past me on my left on the towpath when there simply wasn't space to do that (actually hit my arm as he passed me, I was riding about 3 feet from towpath edge).

'McBobs' ... ?

Oh, Male commuting bankers on Bromptons.

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pockstone | 5 years ago
5 likes

 #everydaysenseofhumourbypass ?

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Deeferdonk | 5 years ago
8 likes

i know guys can be d!cks but i honestly can't picture in my mind how that confrontation went down.

I do know that it is compulsary to lightheartedly say  "ho, ho that's cheating" or similar to an e-bike rider if you chat to them at the lights.

Or maybe i'm just thinking it through from my privileged male position and i'm part of the problem.

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vonhelmet | 5 years ago
3 likes

Is MAMIL really that negative? It’s pretty much a literal description of a lot of leisure cyclists... I’ve never perceived it negatively, and I’m not insulted by it. I am middle aged. I am a man. I am (when cycling) in Lycra.

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henryb replied to vonhelmet | 5 years ago
5 likes

vonhelmet wrote:

Is MAMIL really that negative? It’s pretty much a literal description of a lot of leisure cyclists... I’ve never perceived it negatively, and I’m not insulted by it. I am middle aged. I am a man. I am (when cycling) in Lycra.

MAMIL is a little bit negative - it's got some connotations of men past their prime dressing up in lycra to try and recapture their youth. However, I think what might be opbjectionable in this use of the word/acronym is the negative generalisation in the tweet "Fragile MAMIL egos", that suggests all middle-aged male cyclists are dicks like the one in this incident.

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EddyBerckx replied to henryb | 5 years ago
4 likes

henryb wrote:

vonhelmet wrote:

Is MAMIL really that negative? It’s pretty much a literal description of a lot of leisure cyclists... I’ve never perceived it negatively, and I’m not insulted by it. I am middle aged. I am a man. I am (when cycling) in Lycra.

MAMIL is a little bit negative - it's got some connotations of men past their prime dressing up in lycra to try and recapture their youth. However, I think what might be opbjectionable in this use of the word/acronym is the negative generalisation in the tweet "Fragile MAMIL egos", that suggests all middle-aged male cyclists are dicks like the one in this incident.

 

It's all about context. I'm happy to take the pee out of myself and fellow middle aged peeps in lycra...but in this context, it's being used not lightheartedly but in a derogatory way (whether she meant that or not, probably didn't even think about it).

 

I stopped following a lot of the mainstream cycle campaigners on twitter after a couple years as I saw too much of this sort of thing. All cyclists are equal...except some are more equal than others. There are 'people on bikes' (a popular term used to normalise people riding bikes) and there are scum - that's people wearing lycra on 'racing type' bikes. Doesn't matter how practical it is for a long commute, you dont fit in to the accepted norm thus can be demonised as a problem. 

 

That's my take, many are not like that of course, but I dont like the hypocrisy of people who moan about all the daily mail style cyclist bashing then do the same thing to a sub group themselves. It's not something to get too worked up about, but still.

 

Just ride your bike and be happy!  1

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portec replied to vonhelmet | 5 years ago
3 likes

vonhelmet wrote:

Is MAMIL really that negative? It’s pretty much a literal description of a lot of leisure cyclists... I’ve never perceived it negatively, and I’m not insulted by it. I am middle aged. I am a man. I am (when cycling) in Lycra.

I'm technically a MAMIL too so it's likely not negative when we say it. However it's often used in a derogatory way and in her case it was very definitely intended to be derogatory.

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Hirsute replied to vonhelmet | 5 years ago
2 likes

vonhelmet wrote:

Is MAMIL really that negative? It’s pretty much a literal description of a lot of leisure cyclists... I’ve never perceived it negatively, and I’m not insulted by it. I am middle aged. I am a man. I am (when cycling) in Lycra.

Yes. Nearly always connected with 'negative' behaviour.

Groups blocking the road

Weaving in and out of traffic

Only one speed - maximum

Not obeying the road laws

Wiggins wannabes (until they catch up with the current batch of winners).

 

No one else get a label for what they wear in the way cyclists do.

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BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
5 likes

MAMIL #everdaysexism no?

typical over reaction, just ignore him or tell him to fuck off.

Oh and as for being 'attacked', being told 'you're cheating is not being attacked!

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EddyBerckx replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
3 likes

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

MAMIL #everdaysexism no?

typical over reaction, just ignore him or tell him to fuck off.

Oh and as for being 'attacked', being told 'you're cheating is not being attacked!

 

Definitely #everydaysexism though, and very much a dick!

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BehindTheBikesheds replied to EddyBerckx | 5 years ago
3 likes

StoopidUserName wrote:

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

MAMIL #everdaysexism no?

typical over reaction, just ignore him or tell him to fuck off.

Oh and as for being 'attacked', being told 'you're cheating is not being attacked!

 

Definitely #everydaysexism though, and very much a dick!

Actually no, her version of someone saying something to do with her being a female and overtaking him is without merit and I personally think it's made up cobblers,  he saying it was cheating, yes, I can beleive that but that's not sexism at all.

I think her story is full of holes frankly, she's already an overeacting drama queen when she's said she's been attacked when she wasn't so why should I beleive everything she's said?

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EddyBerckx | 5 years ago
4 likes

Regarding the mamil Tweet. Yes the guy was seems like a total dick (although she's doesn't actually explain what happened apart from she was attacked - an extremely strong word to use btw) but going onto twitter and using a word like 'MAMIL' - a word with very negative connotations...as she very well knows. That's not acceptable either. I saw the thread last night and it's not acceptable to define an entire sub group of people by one persons actions.

 

I've seen it too many times on twitter/FB and so on. It's not right. Who cares what the guy was wearing/riding? If he's a dick he's a dick. 99% of the dicks on my route are wearing normal clothes and riding non racing bikes, but I dont rant and rave about 'ALL' 'utility cyclists' being bad...it's just that my route is heavily dominated by that 'type' of cyclist, and most are absolutely fine as with all groups.

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nniff | 5 years ago
1 like

This year's Red Bull Hard Line - off the scale mental IMHO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSobHLnyQr4

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