The Psychology of Mountain Biking
Michael J.Vandeman, Ph.D.
January 24, 2000
snipped for Clarity

Bad Role Modelling

Mountain biking also provides very bad role modeling for our children.
Whether or not a bike is ever ridden off-road, any child looking at
one will get the impression that it is used to tear up wildlife
habitat, and that this is okay.

I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

"JTS" <j... at (no spam) razorhide.com> wrote in message

news:ydCdnVtZdN-HpUTVnZ2dnUVZ_vudnZ2d at (no spam) bresnan.com...





Mike Vandeman wrote:

Mountain Biking as an Image Enhancer

Another psychological factor, of course, is the image boost
that the sport and its accoutrements give to rebellious young people,
just as racing bikes did for an earlier generation (hardly any of whom
actually raced!). The knobby tires and "hardened" frames clearly say
"I'm tough. Don't cross me!" The names attached to the bikes and tires
("Velociraptor", "Omega-Bite", "Incisor") reinforce that image, as do
the photos in mountain bike magazines of bikers flying through the air
(getting "big air"). These bikes are clearly intended to indicate that
they will help you "conquer nature" (while, ironically, actually
insuring that you will have even less contact with that nature, due to
their speed, lack of contact with the ground, and suspension
systems!).

Narcissism

Closely related to image is their narcissism: they apparently
have no awareness of, or interest in, the welfare or feelings of the
wildlife and people around them. Hikers who are young or elderly, and
are afraid of being hit, are ignored or termed "unreasonable". People
who say that they go to parks to experience peace and tranquility, and
to get away from all signs of civilization, are called "selfish".
Mountain bikers want to ride on trails that are as narrow as possible
-- exactly the trails that are too narrow to accommodate both bikers
and other trail users!

Laziness

Why ride a bike, when you can walk? Only because you can get
to your destination a lot faster and with a lot less energy. In spite
of their muscular, "hard-body" appearance, mountain bikers are lazy!

Bad Role Modelling

Mountain biking also provides very bad role modeling for our children.
Whether or not a bike is ever ridden off-road, any child looking at
one will get the impression that it is used to tear up wildlife
habitat, and that this is okay.

Allow me to tacklea few of your "points" above, if I might.

 Mountain Biking as an Image Enhancer:

NEVER crossed my mind, not even once.  I don't ride a mountain bike
because I think it makes me look cool.  I could give a shit what people
think about me, especially while I'm out riding.  I ride my bike because
it's fun, period.  I don't care about getting from point A to point B as
fast as possible, it's just fun, it's challenging and it's a far better
cardio workout than hiking the trails.  Let's move on, since you're wrong
on this "point".
____________________________________________________________

Narcissism:

Having grown up in Montana as an avid hiker and camper with the highest
amount of respect for the natural resources around me, this argument falls
flat again.  It must be easy for to sit in front of your keyboard and make
gross generalizations about the biking community as a whole. When out on
ANY trail in the wilderness, I ALWAYS yield to any animals and people that
I come across on the trail.  I ride my bike with as much respect as
humanly possible in regard to the trails I'm riding on.  I don't fly down
single-track trails with any disregard for the landscape, I enjoy a
mindful pace both down and uphill.  I keep any impact of my riding on any
trail to a minimum.  Next.
_____________________________________________________________

Laziness:

I'm a Certified Fitness Trainer that works out twice a day 5 days a week
and enjoy some form of outdoor activity on the weekends.  To say that
riding a mountain bike, for ME, is a decision in ANY way based in laziness
is not only laughable it's ridiculously so.  Again I'll refer you to the
fun factor.  I spend a LOT of time hiking in the summer time, I also spend
a considerable amount of time riding my bike while out camping and hiking.
Laziness doesn't enter into the picture, ever.  If I were lazy, I'd choose
to drive my Nissan Titan from point A to point B as a form of outdoor
"activity".  Sorry, you're just wrong again.   Next topic.
_____________________________________________________________

Bad Role Modelling:

I'm a father of two and I've never done anything but teach my children to
have the highest respect for the outdoors and our natural resources,
including responsible outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, camping
and trail-running.  They know that trails and roads are the only places in
the outdoors they're allowed to ride their bikes and that they need to do
so thoughtfully.
_____________________________________________________________

Having tackled a few of your "points", allow me to offer a few thoughts
for you.  I have seen hikers and campers do INFINITELY more damage to our
natural resources than mountain bikers.  I've seen campers cut down trees
for firewood when they're clearly not supposed to be doing so. I've seen
hikers and campers litter more times than I could even count anymore, yet
I've NEVER seen a mountain biker litter... EVER.   That's just me, maybe
you can pull some magical statistics out of your delusion-hat, but I've
never once seen a mountain biker throw trash off of their bike.

It must be easy for you to sit at your desk and hurl generalizations about
an entire community of people.  I've heard the rants of racists and bigots
that did the same thing, so kudos!  The truth is that there ARE
thoughtless, inconsiderate bikers out there, just as there are thoughtless
hikers, horseback riders, campers, drivers, ATV riders, etc...  There are
douchebags that engage in every activity, they're the exception not the
rule.  Everyone that I've ever ridden a bike with has always been
respectful to both the environment and those people and animals on the
trails as well.  So to sit in judgment over every mountain biker as some
horrible land-raping sociopath is flatly misguided.   Doing so, for ME,
makes your only "point" the one at the top of your head.

ALL outdoor activities lead to erosion of the trail system, some faster
than others.  I've seen ATVs and horses lead to more trail erosion than
I've seen from mountain bikes, but again, that's my experience.   But,
it's with that factor in mind that I also contribute both money AND time
to the trail system in my area.  I've done volunteer vacations to maintain
wilderness trails and I make financial donations to the American Hiking
Society as well as a few local trail maintenance/building charities in my
area.

In conclusion, quit being such a negative Nancy and try something out
before you demonize everyone that does it.  Riding a mountain bike is fun
and CAN be done responsibly, sorry but it's true.

You know Vanderman is just going to call you a LIAR because, after all,
mountain bikers are all LIARS.  Nice effort at refuting his idiotic rant
though.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Mountain Biking as an Image Enhancer

Another psychological factor, of course, is the image boost
that the sport and its accoutrements give to rebellious young people,
just as racing bikes did for an earlier generation (hardly any of whom
actually raced!). The knobby tires and "hardened" frames clearly say
"I'm tough. Don't cross me!" The names attached to the bikes and tires
("Velociraptor", "Omega-Bite", "Incisor") reinforce that image, as do
the photos in mountain bike magazines of bikers flying through the air
(getting "big air"). These bikes are clearly intended to indicate that
they will help you "conquer nature" (while, ironically, actually
insuring that you will have even less contact with that nature, due to
their speed, lack of contact with the ground, and suspension
systems!).

Narcissism

Closely related to image is their narcissism: they apparently
have no awareness of, or interest in, the welfare or feelings of the
wildlife and people around them. Hikers who are young or elderly, and
are afraid of being hit, are ignored or termed "unreasonable". People
who say that they go to parks to experience peace and tranquility, and
to get away from all signs of civilization, are called "selfish".
Mountain bikers want to ride on trails that are as narrow as possible
-- exactly the trails that are too narrow to accommodate both bikers
and other trail users!

Laziness

Why ride a bike, when you can walk? Only because you can get
to your destination a lot faster and with a lot less energy. In spite
of their muscular, "hard-body" appearance, mountain bikers are lazy!

Bad Role Modelling

Mountain biking also provides very bad role modeling for our children.
Whether or not a bike is ever ridden off-road, any child looking at
one will get the impression that it is used to tear up wildlife
habitat, and that this is okay.

Siskuwihane wrote:
He's also an admitted mountain biker by his own definition of the term.

Ahhh, so they're all rants of self-loathing then?

Mike Vandeman wrote:

Mountain Biking as an Image Enhancer

Another psychological factor, of course, is the image boost
that the sport and its accoutrements give to rebellious young people,
just as racing bikes did for an earlier generation (hardly any of whom
actually raced!). The knobby tires and "hardened" frames clearly say
"I'm tough. Don't cross me!" The names attached to the bikes and tires
("Velociraptor", "Omega-Bite", "Incisor") reinforce that image, as do
the photos in mountain bike magazines of bikers flying through the air
(getting "big air"). These bikes are clearly intended to indicate that
they will help you "conquer nature" (while, ironically, actually
insuring that you will have even less contact with that nature, due to
their speed, lack of contact with the ground, and suspension
systems!).

Narcissism

Closely related to image is their narcissism: they apparently
have no awareness of, or interest in, the welfare or feelings of the
wildlife and people around them. Hikers who are young or elderly, and
are afraid of being hit, are ignored or termed "unreasonable". People
who say that they go to parks to experience peace and tranquility, and
to get away from all signs of civilization, are called "selfish".
Mountain bikers want to ride on trails that are as narrow as possible
-- exactly the trails that are too narrow to accommodate both bikers
and other trail users!

Laziness

Why ride a bike, when you can walk? Only because you can get
to your destination a lot faster and with a lot less energy. In spite
of their muscular, "hard-body" appearance, mountain bikers are lazy!

Bad Role Modelling

Mountain biking also provides very bad role modeling for our children.
Whether or not a bike is ever ridden off-road, any child looking at
one will get the impression that it is used to tear up wildlife
habitat, and that this is okay.


Allow me to tacklea few of your "points" above, if I might.

Mountain Biking as an Image Enhancer:

NEVER crossed my mind, not even once. I don't ride a mountain bike
because I think it makes me look cool. I could give a shit what people
think about me, especially while I'm out riding. I ride my bike because
it's fun, period. I don't care about getting from point A to point B as
fast as possible, it's just fun, it's challenging and it's a far better
cardio workout than hiking the trails. Let's move on, since you're wrong
on this "point".
____________________________________________________________

Narcissism:

Having grown up in Montana as an avid hiker and camper with the highest
amount of respect for the natural resources around me, this argument falls
flat again. It must be easy for to sit in front of your keyboard and make
gross generalizations about the biking community as a whole. When out on
ANY trail in the wilderness, I ALWAYS yield to any animals and people that
I come across on the trail. I ride my bike with as much respect as
humanly possible in regard to the trails I'm riding on. I don't fly down
single-track trails with any disregard for the landscape, I enjoy a
mindful pace both down and uphill. I keep any impact of my riding on any
trail to a minimum. Next.
_____________________________________________________________

Laziness:

I'm a Certified Fitness Trainer that works out twice a day 5 days a week
and enjoy some form of outdoor activity on the weekends. To say that
riding a mountain bike, for ME, is a decision in ANY way based in laziness
is not only laughable it's ridiculously so. Again I'll refer you to the
fun factor. I spend a LOT of time hiking in the summer time, I also spend
a considerable amount of time riding my bike while out camping and hiking.
Laziness doesn't enter into the picture, ever. If I were lazy, I'd choose
to drive my Nissan Titan from point A to point B as a form of outdoor
"activity". Sorry, you're just wrong again. Next topic.
_____________________________________________________________

Bad Role Modelling:

I'm a father of two and I've never done anything but teach my children to
have the highest respect for the outdoors and our natural resources,
including responsible outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, camping
and trail-running. They know that trails and roads are the only places in
the outdoors they're allowed to ride their bikes and that they need to do
so thoughtfully.
_____________________________________________________________

Having tackled a few of your "points", allow me to offer a few thoughts
for you. I have seen hikers and campers do INFINITELY more damage to our
natural resources than mountain bikers. I've seen campers cut down trees
for firewood when they're clearly not supposed to be doing so. I've seen
hikers and campers litter more times than I could even count anymore, yet
I've NEVER seen a mountain biker litter... EVER. That's just me, maybe
you can pull some magical statistics out of your delusion-hat, but I've
never once seen a mountain biker throw trash off of their bike.

It must be easy for you to sit at your desk and hurl generalizations about
an entire community of people. I've heard the rants of racists and bigots
that did the same thing, so kudos! The truth is that there ARE
thoughtless, inconsiderate bikers out there, just as there are thoughtless
hikers, horseback riders, campers, drivers, ATV riders, etc... There are
douchebags that engage in every activity, they're the exception not the
rule. Everyone that I've ever ridden a bike with has always been
respectful to both the environment and those people and animals on the
trails as well. So to sit in judgment over every mountain biker as some
horrible land-raping sociopath is flatly misguided. Doing so, for ME,
makes your only "point" the one at the top of your head.

ALL outdoor activities lead to erosion of the trail system, some faster
than others. I've seen ATVs and horses lead to more trail erosion than
I've seen from mountain bikes, but again, that's my experience. But,
it's with that factor in mind that I also contribute both money AND time
to the trail system in my area. I've done volunteer vacations to maintain
wilderness trails and I make financial donations to the American Hiking
Society as well as a few local trail maintenance/building charities in my
area.

In conclusion, quit being such a negative Nancy and try something out
before you demonize everyone that does it. Riding a mountain bike is fun
and CAN be done responsibly, sorry but it's true.

You know Vanderman is just going to call you a LIAR because, after all,
mountain bikers are all LIARS. Nice effort at refuting his idiotic rant
though.

He's also an admitted mountain biker by his own definition of the term.

Siskuwihane wrote:

He's also an admitted mountain biker by his own definition of the term.

Ahhh, so they're all rants of self-loathing then?

And LIES. DUH!

You know Vanderman is just going to call you a LIAR because, after
all, mountain bikers are all LIARS. Nice effort at refuting his
idiotic rant though.

You're probably right. He is a simplistic sort of creature, isn't
he? Oh well, if LIAR is his only retort it will only cement in my mind
that he's a completely closed-minded, ignorant ass-hat that can't open
his mind to the world of specifics and chooses to dwell in the world of
generalizations - like the Nazis.

Mike Vandeman wrote:

Mountain Biking as an Image Enhancer

Another psychological factor, of course, is the image boost
that the sport and its accoutrements give to rebellious young people,
just as racing bikes did for an earlier generation (hardly any of whom
actually raced!). The knobby tires and "hardened" frames clearly say
"I'm tough. Don't cross me!" The names attached to the bikes and tires
("Velociraptor", "Omega-Bite", "Incisor") reinforce that image, as do
the photos in mountain bike magazines of bikers flying through the air
(getting "big air"). These bikes are clearly intended to indicate that
they will help you "conquer nature" (while, ironically, actually
insuring that you will have even less contact with that nature, due to
their speed, lack of contact with the ground, and suspension
systems!).

Narcissism

Closely related to image is their narcissism: they apparently
have no awareness of, or interest in, the welfare or feelings of the
wildlife and people around them. Hikers who are young or elderly, and
are afraid of being hit, are ignored or termed "unreasonable". People
who say that they go to parks to experience peace and tranquility, and
to get away from all signs of civilization, are called "selfish".
Mountain bikers want to ride on trails that are as narrow as possible
-- exactly the trails that are too narrow to accommodate both bikers
and other trail users!

Laziness

Why ride a bike, when you can walk? Only because you can get
to your destination a lot faster and with a lot less energy. In spite
of their muscular, "hard-body" appearance, mountain bikers are lazy!

Bad Role Modelling

Mountain biking also provides very bad role modeling for our children.
Whether or not a bike is ever ridden off-road, any child looking at
one will get the impression that it is used to tear up wildlife
habitat, and that this is okay.


Allow me to tacklea few of your "points" above, if I might.

Mountain Biking as an Image Enhancer:

NEVER crossed my mind, not even once. I don't ride a mountain bike
because I think it makes me look cool. I could give a shit what people
think about me, especially while I'm out riding. I ride my bike because
it's fun, period. I don't care about getting from point A to point B as
fast as possible, it's just fun,

cardio workout than hiking the trails.

wrong on this "point".

Narcissism:

Having grown up in Montana as an avid hiker and camper with the highest
amount of respect for the natural resources around me, this argument
falls flat again. It must be easy for to sit in front of your keyboard
and make gross generalizations about the biking community as a whole.
When out on ANY trail in the wilderness, I ALWAYS yield to any animals
and people that I come across on the trail. I ride my bike with as much
respect as humanly possible in regard to the trails I'm riding on. I
don't fly down single-track trails with any disregard for the landscape,
I enjoy a mindful pace both down and uphill. I keep any impact of my
riding on any trail to a minimum. Next.

Laziness:

I'm a Certified Fitness Trainer that works out twice a day 5 days a week
and enjoy some form of outdoor activity on the weekends. To say that
riding a mountain bike, for ME, is a decision in ANY way based in
laziness is not only laughable it's ridiculously so. Again I'll refer
you to the fun factor. I spend a LOT of time hiking in the summer time,
I also spend a considerable amount of time riding my bike while out
camping and hiking. Laziness doesn't enter into the picture, ever. If
I were lazy, I'd choose to drive my Nissan Titan from point A to point B
as a form of outdoor "activity". Sorry, you're just wrong again. Next
topic.

Bad Role Modelling:

I'm a father of two and I've never done anything but teach my children
to have the highest respect for the outdoors and our natural resources,
including responsible outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, camping
and trail-running. They know that trails and roads are the only places
in the outdoors they're allowed to ride their bikes and that they need
to do so thoughtfully.

Having tackled a few of your "points", allow me to offer a few thoughts
for you. I have seen hikers and campers do INFINITELY more damage to
our natural resources than mountain bikers. I've seen campers cut down
trees for firewood when they're clearly not supposed to be doing so.
I've seen hikers and campers litter more times than I could even count
anymore, yet I've NEVER seen a mountain biker litter... EVER. That's
just me, maybe you can pull some magical statistics out of your
delusion-hat, but I've never once seen a mountain biker throw trash off
of their bike.

It must be easy for you to sit at your desk and hurl generalizations
about an entire community of people.

and bigots that did the same thing, so kudos! The truth is that there
ARE thoughtless, inconsiderate bikers out there, just as there are
thoughtless hikers, horseback riders, campers, drivers, ATV riders,
etc... There are douchebags that engage in every activity, they're the
exception not the rule. Everyone that I've ever ridden a bike with has
always been respectful to both the environment and those people and
animals on the trails as well.

mountain biker as some horrible land-raping sociopath is flatly
misguided. Doing so, for ME, makes your only "point" the one at the
top of your head.

ALL outdoor activities lead to erosion of the trail system, some faster
than others.

I've seen from mountain bikes,

it's with that factor in mind that I also contribute both money AND time
to the trail system in my area.

maintain wilderness trails and I make financial donations to the
American Hiking Society as well as a few local trail
maintenance/building charities in my area.

In conclusion, quit being such a negative Nancy and try something out
before you demonize everyone that does it. Riding a mountain bike is
fun and CAN be done responsibly, sorry but it's true.

It's truly amazing how completely stupid you are. I'm going to lay a
guess down here about you. You're some fat little bastard with C cup
tits, sitting at a computer in your mother's basement... empty cans of
Mountain Dew and discarded Stridex packages strewn all over...
wondering what it must be like to know the touch of a woman. I'm sure
you've tried to approach a girl, at some point in your life. But your
freaking out as she walked across the lawn about her stomping all over a
fragile micro-ecosystem probably showed you and all those around you,
definitively, that your personality is all the birth control you'll ever
need.

Time to get some perspective kid, seriously.

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:16:23 -0600, JTS <jts at (no spam) razorhide.com> wrote:

It's truly amazing how completely stupid you are. I'm going to lay a
guess down here about you. You're some fat little bastard with C cup
tits, sitting at a computer in your mother's basement... empty cans of
Mountain Dew and discarded Stridex packages strewn all over...
wondering what it must be like to know the touch of a woman. I'm sure
you've tried to approach a girl, at some point in your life. But your
freaking out as she walked across the lawn about her stomping all over a
fragile micro-ecosystem probably showed you and all those around you,
definitively, that your personality is all the birth control you'll ever
need.

Time to get some perspective kid, seriously.

Thanks for demonstrating just what boorish idiots mountain bikers are.
You guys are your own worst enemies. Evolution in progress!

Mike Vandeman wrote:
On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:16:23 -0600, JTS <jts at (no spam) razorhide.com> wrote:

It's truly amazing how completely stupid you are. I'm going to lay a
guess down here about you. You're some fat little bastard with C cup
tits, sitting at a computer in your mother's basement... empty cans of
Mountain Dew and discarded Stridex packages strewn all over... wondering
what it must be like to know the touch of a woman. I'm sure you've
tried to approach a girl, at some point in your life. But your freaking
out as she walked across the lawn about her stomping all over a fragile
micro-ecosystem probably showed you and all those around you,
definitively, that your personality is all the birth control you'll ever
need.

Time to get some perspective kid, seriously.

Thanks for demonstrating just what boorish idiots mountain bikers are.
You guys are your own worst enemies. Evolution in progress!

Well, in regards to ANYTHING that you have said or ever will say - you
claimed to be a mountain biker (at some point) which means you're either a
LIAR by your own standards or you were never a mountain biker and a LIAR
by everyone else's.