Political discourse on both sides of the Atlantic is awash with talk that is isolationist at best and full-on racist, xenophobic and hateful at worst. There is a dangerous philosophical undercurrent dividing the world into us and them: They are bad and troublesome; we are good. We only need to take care of us. I'd like to think bikes can help.
What the heck does isolationism have to do with bikes? Stay with me for a few more lines.
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Road cycling culture in the US and UK has a number of quirks, including the somewhat pretentious habit of using French or Italian words for mundane items. Yes, much of English comes from French, and often the best or only word in cycling is French, such as peloton, echelon, et cetera. But I’m talking about Brits or Americans telling each other ‘chapeau!’ or ‘allez!’ It’s an air we put on.
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While straight-up monolingual cyclists parroting continental European TV announcers bugs me a little on days when I’m already a little grumpy, on a deeper level I love the fact that we can look at other cultures and find something to admire, something we want to emulate.
One of the greatest things about cycling has always been the travel, whether that transportation is physical or just mental. As cyclists, we appreciate seeing fresh things, places and people, whether that is watching the Tour de France or the Tour of Oman on television, or simply riding a new road or pedaling to a bakery in a new village. Different is good.
Another thing about being on a bike: you’re vulnerable. Pedaling down a road with nothing but a few millimeters of Lycra between you and the cars speeding past is a vote of confidence in your fellow man.
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