Bike vs B*ke

[Seager]

I have a pet peave.

Stop typing "bike" as "b*ke," it's stupid. It never was funny or cute. You'd all be pissed as hell if a bike forum talked about unicycles the way some of you talk about bikes.

Likewise, it's NOT funny when you see a bike while unicycling to say "HEY, HE'S GOT A TRAINING WHEEL," or something like that. I saw an older, respectable member of these forums say that to a mountain biker this year at Moab, and the biker's face went from smiling to pissed off. A justifiable reaction, I think.

If a biker said something mean to one of us on the trails no doubt there'd be a 5 page pissed off thread about it here within minutes - but we all act like it's OK to rip on bikers - especially when we're in the rare majority. I saw it all over Moab this year, and I keep seeing it on these forums. It's finally pissed me off enough to say something.

Even if you are being facetious when saying it on the trails, remember - poking innocent fun at people as they ride past you is not a good idea if you don't know them - they usually don't know you are kidding, and you KNOW it would piss you off if they did it to you.

If you know the guy, poke fun back and forth all you want. I'm talking about when speaking to strangers who you only see for a few seconds. It gives us a bad rep and it's hypocritical.

[saskatchewanian]

Agreed!

raise your hand if you are a biker as well

*raises hand*

[Jerrick]

I agree too.

Im not exactly a biker, but I like to ride my bike. I cant wait till I have saved up enough to purchase a nice cyclocross bike cause ill be out there all the time speeding along.

[bungalistic]

Stop typing "bike" as "b*ke," it's stupid. It never was funny or cute. You'd all be pissed as hell if a bike forum talked about unicycles the way some of you talk about bikes.

I can agree with that, seems a bit stupid to treat bike as some kind of profanity.


Even if you are being facetious when saying it on the trails, remember - poking innocent fun at people as they ride past you is not a good idea if you don't know them - they usually don't know you are kidding, and you KNOW it would piss you off if they did it to you.

Shame all the bikers don't feel that way about us, anytime I'm out I get comments from bikers (the usual) and it does get old very quickly, yet if we perhaps pass comment on them (in a joking way like most comments directed at us are) then why should they get that angry and annoyed. Most bikers are usually ok though and even if they do make the usual circus, lost your wheel comment, you can actually throw a retort back their way without insult, and sometimes a bit of playful banter.

[brendon557]

lol most of my frends are bikers, and i never knew there was so much tension between bikers and unicyclers till i joined this website lol.

but i agree

[ian.stockwell]

I was a biker both internal combustion powered and leg powered before I started riding a uni but I would still use b*ke in this forum.
I think it's simply a gentle prod back at some of the taunts abuse and piss taking that occurs when I am out on one of my unis.
Don't use it if you don't want to, just take a deep breath if you see it really isn't that important.

[rob.northcott]

I don't think it causes any offense (nor is intended to), but I tend not to use b*ke. I'm definitely a bicyclist who learnt to ride a unicycle. I like unicycles, especially off road - in fact I haven't even got a mountain bike anymore - but I'd never give up my road bikes.

There's always light-hearted rivalry between similar but slightly different interests. It's the same between Triumph and MG car enthusiasts - we take the micky but really we all get on fine. Or even the PC/Mac or Windows/Linux camps.

Rob

[vanpaun]

i get rude comments when m not riding. pestering me about my tricks, in specific a wheelie

[isaac steiner]

I think when people say "b*ke" it's just stupid. Like I don't understand what's against the second wheel? Bike's are fun too.

[Hazmat]

I think when people say "b*ke" it's just stupid. Like I don't understand what's against the second wheel? Bike's are fun too.
:D I know what you mean. (http://www.unicycling.org/btdt/unibike.JPG) :D

By the way, that's converts into a unicycle. :p

[phil]

Stop taking things so seriously; "b*ke" is clearly just a light-hearted bit of fun. Recently I've ridden my bikes much more than my unicycles but I still write "b*ke" on here; it's more a harmless forum in-joke than anything else.

[Hazmat]

Stop taking things so seriously; "b*ke" is clearly just a light-hearted bit of fun. Recently I've ridden my bikes much more than my unicycles but I still write "b*ke" on here; it's more a harmless forum in-joke than anything else.
1) I don't why people take it so seriously. :confused:
2) Me 2. But i still ride my unicycle whenever i can. I just hate those people who think that because i'm riding my MTB. That i've stopped riding a unicycle altogether. :mad:
3) Exactly, i couldn't have it said better myself.

[BluntRM]

I have a pet peave.

Stop typing "bike" as "b*ke," it's stupid. It never was funny or cute. You'd all be pissed as hell if a bike forum talked about unicycles the way some of you talk about bikes.

Likewise, it's NOT funny when you see a bike while unicycling to say "HEY, HE'S GOT A TRAINING WHEEL," or something like that. I saw an older, respectable member of these forums say that to a mountain biker this year at Moab, and the biker's face went from smiling to pissed off. A justifiable reaction, I think.

If a biker said something mean to one of us on the trails no doubt there'd be a 5 page pissed off thread about it here within minutes - but we all act like it's OK to rip on bikers - especially when we're in the rare majority. I saw it all over Moab this year, and I keep seeing it on these forums. It's finally pissed me off enough to say something.

Even if you are being facetious when saying it on the trails, remember - poking innocent fun at people as they ride past you is not a good idea if you don't know them - they usually don't know you are kidding, and you KNOW it would piss you off if they did it to you.

If you know the guy, poke fun back and forth all you want. I'm talking about when speaking to strangers who you only see for a few seconds. It gives us a bad rep and it's hypocritical.

That must have been pretty hard to type while leaning over your handlebars.

[Nicf]

ya if you don't want the jack ass coments about unicycles why jack ass off @ bikes??

[nick]

I have a pet peave.

Stop typing "bike" as "b*ke," it's stupid. It never was funny or cute. You'd all be pissed as hell if a bike forum talked about unicycles the way some of you talk about bikes

...

If you know the guy, poke fun back and forth all you want. I'm talking about when speaking to strangers who you only see for a few seconds. It gives us a bad rep and it's hypocritical.

Wow, you sure are the expert on what is or isn't funny!

See, the difference between a unicyclist taunting a bicyclist, and a bicyclist taunting a unicyclist is that in general, unicyclists are in the minority. People riding on two wheels don't have to hear "he's got a training wheel" every day, where as unicyclist mostly put up with "where's your other wheel" on a daily basis.

So basicly, what I'm saying is that comments dirrected at unicyclists are old, played out, and not funny. Comments dirrected at bicyclists are new, somewhat original, and funny.

Also, I don't use the "b*ke" thing, but as someone who's been here longer than you, I can say that when it first started happening, it was funny. Stop taking yourself so seriously.

[SqueakyOnion]

I agree, "b*ke" is just light-hearted fun. I don't really ever use it, but honestly, I can't possibly imaging how it's offensive. It's clearly a very mild joke. Seriously guys, chill out. It's you that's getting offended, not the b*kers(<---hehehe). I think I might start using it now, just because of this thread.

I don't randomly yell "HAHA YOU HAVE A TRAINING WHEEL" at bikers as we cross paths, but if they make some sort of joke about unicycling, I usually throw back something like "Nah, that was just a training wheel!," or some such similar retort. Only dish out what you can take :o .


Remember guys, its YOU who controls if you're annoyed or pissed off, not us. You can CHOOSE to have a positive reaction, even to the most negative of comments. I know that's what I do! :D

[UniBrier]

If my fading geezer memory serves me, I think the original use of "b*ke" was in the context of:

"They called my Unicycle a B*ke!"

From there it took off. I agree that in general, "bike" should be used. It's only a dirty word when they refer to your one wheeler as a two wheeler. Next time a bicyclist calls your uni a one-wheeled bike just say:

"If I'm riding a bike, then you're riding a tricycle."

[agentQ]

Are you kidding me.... you are angry over this? What the B*ke?

There is something special about being able to make a joke to a complete stranger and have both them and you smiling. If you cant do that correctly, it is your social skills that are out of wack, not the fact you thought a bike joke would be funny.

Its the elitist two wheel attitude that I find scummy. When I can walk into a bike shop and get taken seriously or even a little pretend respect I will give it straight back. Or else I will try to break the judgmental tension with stupid jokes. If the biker cant take it... whoopty freakin do. Does that make me a bad unicyclist, or a bad person, hardly.

I am not a disrespectful person. I am used to both giving and getting respect. So I cant understand how this issue could really rub you so wrong.

[Seager]

Argh - in response to everyone telling me to "calm down," - the only reason I said anything is because I personally saw the comments at moab piss several bikers off. It's one thing if you are throwing jokes back and forth, but another thing entirely when you just yell at them as they ride by. It's hypocritical, and writing bike as b*ke perpetuates that.

Personally, it doesn't offend me to see b*ke. What bugs me is people's lack of perspective outside of their own heads. People here as SOOO over sensitive about anti-unicycle comments, but then they throw out anti-everything else comments like they're nothing. It doesn't matter who's in the majority or minority.

[agentQ]

Personally, it doesn't offend me to see b*ke. What bugs me is people's lack of perspective outside of their own heads. People here as SOOO over sensitive about anti-unicycle comments, but then they throw out anti-everything else comments like they're nothing. It doesn't matter who's in the majority or minority.

I think you are generalizing. Yes there are quite a few people here that take the over used unicycle comments poorly and let them upset or frustrate them.. Just because there are those in this group, does not mean there are others who still laugh at the same joke they have heard 5,000 times.

In a group with many different people there are gonna be many different takes on life. Some make jokes at bikers, some get upset when bikers make jokes at them... You can't say because there are those who get upset others should not poke fun. Riding a bike is choice, if a biker cant handle a little bad humor here and there they would not be wearing spandex.:p

Let he without second wheel cast the first stone.

[Seager]

I think you are generalizing. Yes there are quite a few people here that take the over used unicycle comments poorly and let them upset or frustrate them.. Just because there are those in this group, does not mean there are others who still laugh at the same joke they have heard 5,000 times.

I certainly am generalizing, and I'm sure there are people who give it who can also take it. I'm aiming my comments at those who can't.

In a group with many different people there are gonna be many different takes on life. Some make jokes at bikers, some get upset when bikers make jokes at them... You can't say because there are those who get upset others should not poke fun. Riding a bike is choice, if a biker cant handle a little bad humor here and there they would not be wearing spandex.:p


Riding a unicycle is choice, if a unicycler cant handle a little bad humor here and there they would not be one on wheel.:p

I don't care when people make fun of me while unicycling, but many people on these forums do, and many of them are the same ones making fun of bikers. I'm only trying to stop the hypocrisy and make people aware of the consequences of their actions.

In retrospect, I should have continued to hold my tongue. Many of you are making great arguments that I agree with, but they all miss the point I was trying to make.

[agentQ]

Most of what you say is fair enough. Though when you blame the group, even if I am not guilty, you are blaming me. I don't appreciate being called a hypocrite.

I think there are more then a few of us here who could not care any less of what people say to us while riding, even if it is more hostile than an overused joke.

Maybe I, as well, should have just held my tongue, as I agree there probably are some here that are guilty of this hypocritical nature. I can sort of see how you as a bicyclist can take offense to that, the same way I take offense to you generalizing this community as hypocrites.

[harper]

Stop taking things so seriously; ..

No. Please don't. The cranky-pants threads are the most interesting and entertaining.

[Mikefule]

"Cranky-pants"? Hmmm.

There are some separate issues here.

Is it OK to say "b*ke" in this forum? I think it's just a bonding thing between us as unicyclists, and not intended to upset bicyclists. Personally, I find it a bit twee, but I don't see it does any harm.

Is it OK to make funny comments to strangers on bikes? Well, that depends. Do you like unsolicited comments when you are on your unicycle? Did the bicyclist open the conversation - even with a smile or a nod? Are you "taking the piss" or sharing a moment?

If I see a bicyclist coming the other way along the trail, I consider it a point of honour to be the one who gives way, even if (especially if) that involves riding onto rougher ground. If I get a smile and a nod, or a comment like, "That looks hard" I might respond with a smile and a "That looks complicated." Otherwise I say nothing except perhaps a polite greeting.

Do I shout unsolicited formulaic witticisms to strangers who have not opened the dialogue? No, for exactly the same reasons that I don't shout "Who ate all the pies?" to fat people, or "Tits out for the lads" to attractive women.

[maestro8]

I have a pet peeve.
FTFY.

I do too. It has something to do with people abusing their native language.

[phlegm]

Mmmm b*ke. I like b*ke, especially when it involves fruit and crust.

[johnfoss]

Using "b*ke" is like using any other old, well-known joke. At the right time or place, it can be funny again. Otherwise it's like being asked "Pull my finger" by the same person more than once in the same day. Should we be embarrassed to know of bikes, or own them? How many of us didn't already have bikes before we got into unicycles? I'd guess less than 1%. I certainly wouldn't have been interested in unicycling had I not been having fun with bikes before that. And there are *still six bikes in my garage*! :eek:

So basicly, what I'm saying is that comments dirrected at unicyclists are old, played out, and not funny. Comments dirrected at bicyclists are new, somewhat original, and funny.Not any moreso than using "b*ke." See, I've been making comments to bicyclists (and pedestrians) since 1981 or so. I wrote an article for the USA Newsletter around then called Snappy Comebacks to Stupid Remarks and have been compiling good comebacks ever since.

So they can be "new" if the listener hasn't heard them before, which of course means "Where's your other wheel" will always be new to someone.

The same applies to "original" though the speaker probably heard it before and has been waiting for the appropriate time to use it.

And "funny" is always a matter of context. Even if used perfectly, a stranger may not get it, or may not appreciate it no matter how artful it was. Funny is a very personal thing.

That said, the training wheel comment for bikers takes on new meaning when used in a place like the Moab Muni Fest. The bicyclists are surrounded by more unicycles than they've probably ever seen, or imagined, in their lives. So for most, the training wheel comment should be seen as something a little more fun. But fun is in the eye of the beholder. Some cyclists may feel threatened when being surrounded by all these unicycles. They may have come to Moab to prove something to themselves; that they can handle these tough trails and come home to brag about it. Being surrounded by unicycles might kind of kill that. Plus some people just have tiny little egos, and are threatened by the sight of even a single unicyclist. They are instantly on their guard because they feel inferior and don't want anyone to notice.

Just as we know "Where's your other wheel" is annoying to us, throwing out a training wheel comment, unsolicited, to a bicyclist should be just as annoying to them. And condescending, as a person on a bike is usually being confronted by someone doing something way harder than they can imagine, while they can be pretty sure you can ride a bike with no problems.

So be nice out there. Especially when you're with a couple of hundred other unicyclists where you could make us all look bad. Stuff like the training wheel comment should only be used as part of a friendly dialog you've already established with someone on a bike. Then you both get to ride away with smiles.

[sp4rky-m4rky]

I have jokingly asked a few bicyclists what there other wheel is for, they have all taken it as a joke and had a good laugh about it. If seeing someone riding a unicycle is not amusing enough having someone joking about it must pretty funny..... .....for that andom person riding there bike.

[thejdw]

Well If sombody makes a smart remark about my unicycle from now on i'll punch them in the face and make a 5 page thread about it. I'll most likely have a chriminal record by the end on this mounth.

[Seager]

Most of what you say is fair enough. Though when you blame the group, even if I am not guilty, you are blaming me. I don't appreciate being called a hypocrite.

It was never my intention to call the entire group hypocrites. I should have explained my point more eloquently and chosen less inflammatory words.

John Foss summed it up much better than I did.

[net_hippy]

I'm new to the forum and I thought the whole b*ke thing when I saw it, and still do.

I think I would be safe in saying that there isn't anyone on here who can ride a unicycle but not ride a bike. Bikes are just the standard pedal powered transportation. Referring to them as b*kes in a unicycle forum is obviously just a bit of fun. Jesting at ourselves as well I think, because by writing b*ke we are accepting that unicycling is a bit different and unusual/uncommon...which it is.

[tobbogonist]

B*cycl*st.

I havn't ridden a b*ke for years.

I rode my B*ke to the shop, did some shopping, forgot about my b*ke and walked home.

Never saw my B*ke again.

Have been B*kless ever since.

[Seager]

FTFY.

I do too. It has something to do with people abusing their native language.

If you are going to go after my spelling try using an acronym that I've heard of before. FTFY?

Also, I spelled and used the phrase correctly.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pet+peeve

I make enough legimate spelling mistakes that it's kind of silly that you went after me for one where I was correct. :)

[cathwood]

I'm new to the forum and I thought the whole b*ke thing when I saw it, and still do.

I think I would be safe in saying that there isn't anyone on here who can ride a unicycle but not ride a bike. Bikes are just the standard pedal powered transportation. Referring to them as b*kes in a unicycle forum is obviously just a bit of fun. Jesting at ourselves as well I think, because by writing b*ke we are accepting that unicycling is a bit different and unusual/uncommon...which it is.

Of course.

Absolutely.

C'mon you clowns, what's the fuss about b*kes? xx

[maestro8]

I have a pet peave.
Also, I spelled and used the phrase correctly.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pet+peeve
Come again?

[tobbogonist]

Come again?
I am sorry, i have never done this before but:

Thats what she said..

i will try not to make a habit of it.

Come on, its friday :)

[Seager]

Come again?


Oh dang. I read your quote where you bolded "peeve." I didn't realize that you'd corrected the spelling, I though you'd just bolded the original word. I never went back to look at my original post.

So, yea, I did spell it wrong originally, and you editing my quote confused me.
I'm still not sure why you focused on this one mispelling over my likely countless others.

(I still don't know what your acronym means. :) )

[BluntRM]

I am sorry, i have never done this before but:

Thats what she said..

i will try not to make a habit of it.

Come on, its friday :)


B*ke off. It's Thursday.

[mill_mobile]

*hand raises*
Me too, this has pissed me off since becoming a member here - i was a cyclist long before a uni rider and dont know why uni riders rip on bikes.

[tobbogonist]

B*ke off. It's Thursday.
B*ke that!

If that is the case i can assure you that Friday morning is going to be rainy and here is tommorows new headlines. (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/)

[Into the blue]

It won't be Fr*day here for another hour and a half.

[john_childs]

I type b*ke here at times. The reason I do it is to hide what I am saying while amongst unicyclists. It's all in fun. It's the equivalent of saying a word in Pig Latin to disguise it.

I like to ride bicycles as well as unicycles. Bicycles have a certain utility that unicycles tend to lack. When I need that utility I use the b*ke. When I don't need that utility I use a unicycle.

I've been out b*ke shopping recently looking for a commuter and general errand style b*ke. B*ke shopping is fun. It's like visiting toy stores.

[BluntRM]

B*ke that!

If that is the case i can assure you that Friday morning is going to be rainy and here is tommorows new headlines. (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/)

It won't be Fr*day here for another hour and a half.

B*ke to the Future?

http://content8.flixster.com/question/29/26/15/2926150_std.jpg

[Into the blue]

Ah, very nice.

1.21 g*gawatts!

[maestro8]

(I still don't know what your acronym means. :) )
JFGI (http://justfuckinggoogleit.com/)!

[Nimbusnut]

Honestly, I have to give most most uni riders credit for not saying way more than "where's your other wheel?" For crying out loud people, there are very few uni riders that don't look goofy. That's not necessarily nasty, it's just a fact. Good trials riders look pretty cool to non riders along with B.A. moves on a Muni, but how can anyone admit with a straight face that someone on one wheel gripping on what looks like their crotch is anything other than strange. I'm still puzzling over the "famous" photo of a Fabio wannabe perched on a picnic table holding a unicycle. Deal with it, and appreciate the fact that most people don't just point and laugh.

[Jerrick]

I'm still puzzling over the "famous" photo of a Fabio wannabe perched on a picnic table holding a unicycle. Deal with it, and appreciate the fact that most people don't just point and laugh.

Fabio wannabe?! You got that turned around. Where do you think Fabio learned his stuff?

[harper]

Fabio wannabe?! You got that turned around. Where do you think Fabio learned his stuff?

Thank you for your support. I remember when Fabio was here in Seattle attending SPU and I was teaching him his stuff. He was certainly a lot more appreciative than others.

[Into the blue]

I'm still puzzling over the "famous" photo of a Fabio wannabe perched on a picnic table holding a unicycle.

Yeah, I'm puzzling over that too.

[kington99]

If you are going to go after my spelling try using an acronym that I've heard of before. FTFY?



fixed that for you, and it's not an acronym

[mcnuggets300]

if bikers poke fun at us, poke fun back.
or did i miss the seminar teaching that all unicyclists have to be jovial

[Hazmat]

if bikers poke fun at us, poke fun back.
or did i miss the seminar teaching that all unicyclists have to be jovial
There's a seminar??? :p

[UniBrier]

it's not an acronymYa learn something new every day, I hadn't thought about what actually constitutes an acronym. According to this guy (http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid183_gci211518,00.html), FTFY is an initialism.

Summing up:

· An abbreviation is a shortening of a word or a phrase.
· An acronym is an abbreviation that forms a word.
· An initialism is an abbreviation that uses the first letter of each word in the phrase (thus, some but not all initialisms are acronyms).

Furthermore:

· An acronym so familiar that no one remembers what it stands for is called an anacronym (For example, few people know that COBOL stands for Common Business Oriented Language.)
· An acronym in which one of the letters stands for the actual word abbreviated therein is called a recursive acronym. (For example, VISA is said to stand for VISA International Service Association.)
· An acronym in which the short form was original and words made up to stand for it afterwards is called a backronym. (For example, SOS was originally chosen as a distress signal because it lent itself well to Morse code. Long versions, including Save Our Ship and Save our Souls, came later.)
· An acronym whose letters spell a word meaningful in the context of the term it stands for is called an apronym. (For example, BASIC, which stands for Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, is a very simple programming language.)
Of course, regarding FTFY: even though the writer means to say "Fixed That For You", most of the time the recipient doesn't necessarily think so and believes the writer is doing it for their own edification so in reality it should have been FTFM for "Fixed That For Me".

[SHAY_CAM]

I think if anyone who is immature enough to put B*ke doesnt need to ride something so closely related to it. There is nothing wronge with bikes, they have been around just as long as unicycles. I see absolutely no reason to blip out one letter in a word to act like your cool. Just as like with curse words; if your going to say it, just say it.

[john_childs]

Just as like with curse words; if your going to say it, just say it.
arefulcay with the ikebay ordway. Some people are sensitive.

[maestro8]

in reality
Whoa! Hold on, there. We're all in cyberspace here.

There is no reality in JC.

[UniBrier]

There is no reality in JC.FTFY

Wait, never mind. If it's not broke don't...

[Dreamknight]

(/sarcasm)I am SO sorry Seager. I can't believe all this time i have been censoring b*ke, i thought it was funny, but since you're saying it's not i guess i should just bow down and accept your opinion as the almighty fact of the universe.(/sarcasm)

Why should you care if someone else makes a small joke? You may not think it's funny but it's certainly not your place to tell everyone else that it's not funny, people have opinions, and you're totally free to express yours, but when you start telling everyone that they're wrong and that they have to do as you say, that's when you start to bug me.

Basically I'm saying that if you don't like the joke, don't participate, but it's not your place to tell everyone else that they can't enjoy a simple joke all they want.

[kington99]

Ya learn something new every day, I hadn't thought about what actually constitutes an acronym.


The point i was picking up on is that FTFY is not pronouncable, which is required. A counter example would be PIN.

[Klaas Bil]

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing that is an absolute no-no is to call your unicycle a bike. That always deserves correction, I think. Slightly more tolerable, IMHO, is when a non-unicyclist calls your unicycle a bike. But a real bike, you know that vehicle with one front wheel and one rear wheel, is just that: a bike.

The fact that I am not on a bike, doesn't mean that i is not in a bike.

[net_hippy]

Slightly more tolerable, IMHO, is when a non-unicyclist calls your unicycle a bike.

I've never had anyone call my uni a bike. Has that happened a lot to other people?

[Hazmat]

I've never had anyone call my uni a bike. Has that happened a lot to other people?
It has with me (http://www.woodenbikes.com/images/tribike.jpg) and my mate who rides this little fella. (http://www.unicycling.org/btdt/half-fork_thumbnail.jpg)

[Klaas Bil]

I've never had anyone call my uni a bike. Has that happened a lot to other people?
Yes, happens to me too, otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned it.

However, not in my native language, because the common Dutch word for bike is "fiets" but a unicycle is also a "fiets".

[1-wheeled-grape]

I've never had anyone call my uni a bike. Has that happened a lot to other people?
oh loads of times, bike trike, quad bike, even a unicorn lol oh and clown bike.

i think this b*ke thing is just a little forum joke, i/we (james aswell lol) used to call cyclists scum for laughs, but ive grown up now and dont see the point any more, dunno about james though hahaha:p

[Borgschulze]

I Bike way more than I Unicycle.

[BillyTheMountain]

I Bike way more than I Unicycle.

:eek: Sounds like you have a loyalty issue....

At the last UNICON, the world unicycling president was heard to say: You're either with us, or you're against us.

[kerosian]

I had a nice go on an '08 cannondale rize with a carbon lefty fork today, 23.6 lbs! With 5 inches of travel!!! I think I'm gonna get one (My wallet weeps for that day) It's around $2500, but it's a hell of a bike!

[Unibugg]

I've never had anyone call my uni a bike. Has that happened a lot to other people?

Nearly every ride I hear this.

Look at that bike.
See the guy on the bike.
Look at the one wheeled bike.
Sweet! See that bike.
Cool bike!

I could make a book. Dick and Jane and the bike.

The only thing worse than having your uni called a bike is to be called "that guy" on a bike when you are female.

Look, I wrote bike ten times... oops now eleven without censoring the "i". ;)

I actually thought b*ke was a funny joke. But in the spirit of this thread and feelings of the original poster I'll call it what it is. On THIS thread... ;)

[ivan]

This non-issue disscussion thread is getting more hits than most political ones.

Personally, I think the real issue here is whether you use your right hand or your left hand when you type b*ke. I use my left-hand index finger, but that's just me. What about you?

Second, more important issue is how do you read b*ke. Do you say buh-keh, bik, beeeekuh? Or do you just do a little silent pantomime with your hands and everyone thinks you're talking about penguins?

[kington99]

Personally, I think the real issue here is whether you use your right hand or your left hand when you type b*ke. I use my left-hand index finger, but that's just me. What about you?



Surely for the asterix you have to use both hands?

[Coln_OldnCranky]

My responses (to the several same old comments each day) includes "I struggle to control just one wheel! I don't know how those other guys can control two!" I hope that qualifies as a compliment to our brothers on two wheels.

But if some group took offence at b*ke, training wheels and so forth, I'd suggest taking it up with them - they have a problem, not us. I mean, is that all they can find wrong in the world? Jeez.

[harper]

This non-issue disscussion thread is getting more hits than most political ones.



I agree. (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67799) This has got to stop. (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56828)

[cathwood]

Nearly every ride I hear this.

Look at that bike.
See the guy on the bike.
Look at the one wheeled bike.
Sweet! See that bike.
Cool bike!

I could make a book. Dick and Jane and the bike.

The only thing worse than having your uni called a bike is to be called "that guy" on a bike when you are female.



I agree with this 100%.

B*ke is a forum 'in' joke. Having these kinds of jokes between us contributes to the 'community' feel of this forum. That's the whole point of them.

[ivan]

I agree. (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67799) This has got to stop. (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56828)
Come on, Harper, you of all people should appreciate the issues invovled in armpit shaving.

[harper]

Come on, Harper, you of all people should appreciate the issues invovled in armpit shaving.

Yes, I do, as well as other grooming musts.

[Goats_On_Unicycles]

oh loads of times, bike trike, quad bike, even a unicorn lol oh and clown bike.


my piano teacher calls my uni a unicorn. :p

I don't see much of a problem with b*ke. It's not dissing bikes, it's just a light-hearted joke. It was funny, like, one time and then got used to death but other than repeating the hell out it, there's nothing wrong with it.

Personally, bikes are more fun than unis for me.

[johnfoss]

Second, more important issue is how do you read b*ke. Do you say buh-keh, bik, beeeekuh?I say "b*ke." But I don't move my lips and no sound comes out. I'm sitting in front of my computer, all by myself. That's how I read it.

[peleschramm]

Personally, bikes are more fun than unis for me.
:eek: Blasphemy!
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Goats_On_Unicycles]

crap, am I burned at the stake now? :(

One thing I like about unis though, is that you're not going 50 MPH.
Sometimes that's fun, other times... no...

[ivan]

Personally, I only like unis for tricks. For going somewhere it's bike, hands down. Bike is much faster and you don't have to pedal like an idiot all the time.


Oh, and when I said how do you type b*ke, I meant how do you type the b in bike? When touchtyping, it's equal distance for both of your index fingers to reach over to it. Yet, somehow, I always type it with my left-hand index finger, and not my right hand.

The * is left-hand pinky and right-hand index.

[kington99]

Oh, and when I said how do you type b*ke, I meant how do you type the b in bike? When touchtyping, it's equal distance for both of your index fingers to reach over to it. Yet, somehow, I always type it with my left-hand index finger, and not my right hand.



interesting point, it's the only key that is ambiguous in this way on the keyboard, left inde for me though.

[net_hippy]

Oh, and when I said how do you type b*ke, I meant how do you type the b in bike? When touchtyping, it's equal distance for both of your index fingers to reach over to it. Yet, somehow, I always type it with my left-hand index finger, and not my right hand.

The * is left-hand pinky and right-hand index.

That's the way we were taught to touch type 'b' in school, although I never got the hang of touch typing numbers.

[Into the blue]

Sinister weirdos.

Right index all the way.

[ivan]

Right index all the way.
All the way to the letter 'q', eh?

[hectorqlucero]

It is all about the itention behind what you say. Sometimes a comment like where is your other wheel is made by a stranger with good intentions. I will have to admit it is not well taken because you hear this so often. However, because it had good intentions behind it, you can't get mad, but just smile. If the comment does not have good intentions behind it don't get mad. Do you want to be at their same level of ignorance?

A famous Mexican president once said: "El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz!" To respect others is peace.... So respect each other and be more tolerant of human errors.

[johnfoss]

Bike is much faster and you don't have to pedal like an idiot all the time.You definitely have a point there, he said, while training for RTL...

The bike is the obvious choice for utility. It's just that I don't get to be in the Tour de France, but I do get to be in RTL. At least this time. So road unicycling has its uses. Also I think it's more calories burned per kilometer/hour, which matters to me.

Oh, and when I said how do you type b*ke, I meant how do you type the b in bike?No you didn't. You just made that up. :) (your previous post says "how do you read b*ke")

I took a typing class in 9th grade. In those days it was thought you might need to know how to use a typewriter someday. How things change! Later (about 16 years later) I taught some classes to retired business executives on "intro to PCs." They didn't know how to type because, in their day, they always had someone else to do it for them. I remember one of them asking "How do I get capital letters?"

Anyway, in the typing class, which I guess today would be called a keyboard class, we learned the "standard" positions for the qwerty keyboard, which puts your left index on the b. It is dead-center though. Like net_hippy, I never learned to touch-type the number keys either, though I can type a mad 90+ wpm if I'm warmed up. I can enter numbers faster on the numeric keypad, which I always miss when I'm on my laptop.

[hobo_chuck]

I've never had anyone call my uni a bike. Has that happened a lot to other people?
no, i don't think so.

some people out there call any form of pedal transportation a b*ke.

for example, 8 year old skateboarder kids who are severely disturbed (I blame their family life) yelling out how my b*ke is %&*#@ and how I %$&# &%$#@
and have to move my %$#& out of the @#*%&$|

[ivan]

The bike is the obvious choice for utility. It's just that I don't get to be in the Tour de France, but I do get to be in RTL. At least this time. So road unicycling has its uses. Also I think it's more calories burned per kilometer/hour, which matters to me.

I think the other obvious advantage of a unicycle is that you can scratch yourself in two places at once while riding without compromising your road stability and situation handling ability. However, when you consider the time advantage of a bike, it's obvious that on a bike you can just stop and scratch yourself all you want and you'd still probably make it to your destination in less time and effort.

About RTL and Tour de France: love is not a competition, but I'm winning:)

[cathwood]

When I want to get somewhere fast, I drive.

[Into the blue]

When I want to get somewhere fast, I don my superhero costume and fly there.

Sh*t, did I say that out loud?

And see how I threw in an asterisk to get things back on topic? Clever huh?

[kington99]

When I want to get somewhere fast, I drive.


that's my standard comeback to bicyclists who have some problem with a uni being slower than a bike. It's not true by a long shot in Oxford though.