Cyling is the new golf - NY times article

54ny77 · #1 08-25-2016, 05:58 AM

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/26/bu...l?ref=business

Anyone do biz while on the bike?

Funny thing is, I typically ride to get away from biz for awhile. Sure, will talk about some stuff with like-minded folk (i.e., those in similar industry) if a question or topic comes up, but cycling's my escape. Buddies I ride with who are professionals are similar--none of us talk shop, that's boring as heck....

Couldn't fathom doing a VC pitch while on the cusp of going anaerobic.

Regardless, it's good to see that cycling is taking shape of being more mainstream, or even required in certain circles, over golf. I'd rather spend 4 hours on a bike with folks vs. 4 hours on a golf course, that's for sure!

veloduffer · #2 08-25-2016, 06:18 AM

These articles about cycling is the new golf in Silicon Valley have popped up now and again for several years.

It doesn't happen in NYC, but we don't have the routes that lend themselves to lunch time rides.

In business golf, though, it's considered poor etiquette to talk business on the course. That's done on the 19th hole. For cycling it would be the bagel-bakery-coffee shop.

joosttx · #3 08-25-2016, 06:22 AM

I cannot wait til this actually happens. Last year I almost took a couple of customers to Corsica for a bike tour. Sadly it fell through.

peanutgallery · #4 08-25-2016, 06:22 AM

If I was that rich the last place youd find me is on the road so some meth head could run me down in a 500 dollar car

You definitely wouldn't find me at what I like to call, a gathering of the choads (group ride). They must drive the soccer moms crazy

FlashUNC · #5 08-25-2016, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

If I was that rich the last place youd find me is on the road so some meth head could run me down in a 500 dollar car

You definitely wouldn't find me at what I like to call, a gathering of the choads (group ride). They must drive the soccer moms crazy

You're never going to get your Series C funding with that attitude.

Jgrooms · #6 08-25-2016, 07:46 AM

Pick a unique subset & how they live & make a broad assumption that it is the norm. Not.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

dancinkozmo · #7 08-25-2016, 08:29 AM

does this mean golf is now the new cycling ?

54ny77 · #8 08-25-2016, 08:42 AM

That's actually a funny phrase, gonna have to use that one on my next group ride. Haven't heard that term since perhaps 8th grade or so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

You definitely wouldn't find me at what I like to call, a gathering of the choads (group ride). They must drive the soccer moms crazy

goonster · #9 08-25-2016, 08:45 AM

Well, there's always this hilarious Bill Ackman story:

http://www.businessinsider.com/ackma...e-story-2013-2

54ny77 · #10 08-25-2016, 08:52 AM

That is comical, and if I may add, cliche.

It's laughable to picture the alpha male trader at ~150lbs dressed in spandex riding a skinny tired bike, screaming in agony from leg cramps.

That's the thing I LOVE about cycling--it doesn't discriminate, it's a great equalizer. On a bike, you're a bike rider. The road doesn't give a ^%$!! who you are or what you do. Whether you're a high school kid or a billionaire, you're still a dork in spandex and either go at [x] pace, or you don't/can't.

Whereas in golf, you could be a solid 100+ lbs overweight or Mr. Universe, and it's all about skill. Not to take away from that, because that's it's own discipline as well. And an immensely frustrating game...

Quote:

Originally Posted by goonster

Well, there's always this hilarious Bill Ackman story:

http://www.businessinsider.com/ackma...e-story-2013-2

berserk87 · #11 08-25-2016, 09:01 AM

Any comparisons to golf make me say "ugh", but whatever enlarges the cycling community is a positive thing. I am just not a fan of golf.

One of my former bosses once said "I think God created me to drink beer and pee on the golf course".

He was a real visionary.

54ny77 · #12 08-25-2016, 09:05 AM

Introduce him to the Uroclub. It'll unlock a whole new world for him.

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by berserk87

Any comparisons to golf make me say "ugh", but whatever enlarges the cycling community is a positive thing. I am just not a fan of golf.

One of my former bosses once said "I think God created me to drink beer and pee on the golf course".

He was a real visionary.

goonster · #13 08-25-2016, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 54ny77

Introduce him to the Uroclub.

Not playing golf is kind of a core value for me, but . . . don't they have trees on those courses?

peanutgallery · #14 08-25-2016, 09:37 AM

If there ever was a justified rolling of the coal and a toss of Natural Light empties on a group of cyclists, this just might be it

Quote:

Originally Posted by goonster

Well, there's always this hilarious Bill Ackman story:

http://www.businessinsider.com/ackma...e-story-2013-2

Dead Man · #15 08-25-2016, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 54ny77

That's the thing I LOVE about cycling--it doesn't discriminate, it's a great equalizer. On a bike, you're a bike rider. The road doesn't give a ^%$!! who you are or what you do. Whether you're a high school kid or a billionaire, you're still a dork in spandex and either go at [x] pace, or you don't/can't

I also love this about cycling. And though bikes can obviously also be very expensive, just one year's membership to a halfway decent neighborhood country club and greens fees is more than the cost of a damn fine road bike you can get 50x the use of. But with cycling, you don't have to drop $5k on it... Shopping around Craig's, you can ride an older generation DA-festooned carbon speed demon for as little as $1k. Even $500 will score you a road bike worthy of racing. You don't have to be rich to ride, you don't have to be rich to be fast.

Equalizer indeed.

Man I hate golf. But in a lot of ways, it's very similar to cycling. Both, at the amateur level are dominated by upper middle class middle aged white guys with more money than ability.. Both are highly conformist and can be very elitist/exclusive to anyone who cant buy in at a certain level. But on the other side of the coin, someone with the natural skill and willful determination to work, and the balls to come into either sport with cheap clothing and equipment, can still dominate a race/tournament. There are high school and junior programs that give a lot of not-rich kids opportunities to break into golf, and that's cool. Wish you saw that with cycling!