Each PRO has a style that is unique unto himself: Bartoli’s careless drape of his hands on the tops, Der Jan’s preference for the 53×12 on any course, Johnny Tomaction’s fluidity, and LA’s cadence when in the mountains. When I am out on my machine, whether my mountain or cross bike, in my mind’s eye I envision these PROs and I can not help but be influenced by their style. Back in the 80s when skateboarding was experiencing its second big boom, Natas Kaupas came on the scene and brought with him the future of the skate industry and a style that was distinctly his own. Back then, I was an impressionable young lad and someone like Natas provided a style that I admired and could mimic. When I stumbled into road cycling, there were PROs whose style both as fashionistas and as cyclists I really admired (Merckx, of course, and De Vlaeminck, Vanderaerden, and Lemond were a few). I rode as much as I could and, in addition to trying to go fast, I tried to do it with style. I tried to do it like the PROs. I rode slowly by storefronts to size up my position, my style, the flatness of my back and height of my saddle.
Over the past 20 years, the style I tried to emulate helped me to form my own, and it came not from practice, but from discipline and mileage. High-mileage single-handedly has the greatest effect on a cyclist’s style and, as we have seen from many old PROs, once you achieve it the form never goes away. It is as much earned as is the ability to ride a two-wheeler and once you master it, it’s yours forever. I have seen plenty of OGs show up to a group ride and through experience, brains, and the pride that they use to propel them, hang in and not get dropped (despite being 25 pounds over weight and having only hundreds of miles in their legs).
I still watch the PROs in awe, the new guys and the old. The fluidity of their style that’s almost effortless is intoxicating, and it is always a pleasure to watch those who are truly exceptional.
High Mileage = High Stylage
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Very cool write-up. Nothing wrong with talent + style! I’m a northeasterner so instead of skating and cycling I grew up with snowboarding and lacrosse – two sports that also involve a high degree of personal style, which coupled with skill, made some guys out there icons that I looked up to as a kid. In the past few years cycling has become my hobby/sport of choice and I definitely try to do my best to have a bit of style as I churn out the miles. Haven’t been at it that many years, but I can certainly feel the mileage doing the trick; even after a few days off the bike when busy with other stuff I’ll jump back on and head out and I’ll think, “Oh yeah, Legs, that is how it feels to spin smooth circles!”
Gotta love classy style + skill. Thanks for the post, RF!
Ron – Thanks for the comment and thanks for taking the time to read one of the more personal posts on bkw. Funny enough, as the years tick by I continue to value fluidity on the bike as much as ever. I am not as concerned with speed or pure aggression anymore but I still seek being considered a “good wheel”.
- RF
It’s funny how many of the ex-sk8ers are cyclists now. I agree The Natas thing jumped out of that post. It reminded me of all those influences… for me it was Natas, Mike V. and Matt Hensley and whole H-Street crew (Shackle Me Not blew my mind!). I guess that’s why cycling is such a good fit for us, as we try to trick out our bikes in just a slightly different way than the next guy. Just like skating you gotta have the skills, but STYLE DOES MATTER!
Glad to your back!
J
Thanks J. James – Indeed the skaters/skating of the 80-90s had a huge influence on me in every sense. Aesthetically, I see life through the Thrasher/Transworld lens and to those who grew up reading those publications you know what I mean. Cycling is an equally rogue sport and although there is a wider acceptance of both cycling and skating today it remains an individual’s sport. Mike V and Matt are both skaters who I also admired and appreciated.
Thanks for dropping by.
- RF
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by BikeCrave, J. James. J. James said: So glad BKW is back! Great post! http://www.belgiumkneewarmers.com/2007/08/influences-in-style.html #cycling #belgiankneewarmers [...]
Mileage leads to mastery (stylage). The more you ride the better you get, the better you get the more you enjoy it and the more you enjoy it the more you want to do it. That is a perfect circle. Aikidi master, George Leonard says, “the master of any game is the master of practice.” Read his great little book, Mastery.
nikcee – Thanks for the great addition. Gonz was surely an innovator and his style and contributions were amazing. For me, it was the Natas segment in Wheels of Fire that left my jaw hanging open. I was blown completely out of Vans. Next time I make it to Vancouver I will take you up on your offer. – RF
Tim – True enough. The Gonz was pivotal in the evolution of skating. Peas in a pod.
Gonz has always been an icon of style, mentioning him in the same sentence as Natas is a must.
Greg
August 12, 2007 at 6:42 AM
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Bobke Strut
August 11, 2007 at 8:57 PM
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josh
August 10, 2007 at 5:30 PM
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nikcee
August 10, 2007 at 4:22 PM
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tmos
August 10, 2007 at 4:09 PM
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Radio Freddy
August 10, 2007 at 3:30 PM
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zank
August 10, 2007 at 2:33 PM
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Radio Freddy
August 10, 2007 at 12:15 PM
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gewilli
August 10, 2007 at 11:12 AM
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Anonymous
August 10, 2007 at 10:08 AM
RF….AGAIN awesome post. So I am out on this ride here in town and I am with a fairly well known PRO who shall go nameless and what does he do as we roll past a series of store fronts? Checks his look in the reflection. HILARIOUS! We, cyclists, are ALWAYS in search of perfection on the bike.
When I think PRO style, what pops into my head is Cycle Sport’s excellent “Rare Groove” feature. And rider #1 in the series is one of my all-time favorites: Henk Lubberding. I actually grew out my lid into a full-on hippie mop…but was never able to have it flow in the wind quite like Henk due to those pesky hard-shell helmets.
For fluid pedal action I could watch Stephen Roche all day long. That man was smoooooth.
what about jens? the man IS style, yet in no way does he make it look easy, fluid, or graceful. many of us still wish to ride like him though ?
Radiofreddy…
There’s me thinking you were some grizzled old rider and then you break out the natas references. natas (like gonz) has a unique but amazing style that you can tell was earnt with thousands of pushes, ollies and turns, something decidedly lacking in many of the johnny jumpdownabigrails today. even bad style like pushing mongo can be a style itself.
style can be natural, but is always honed over time…
if you ever make it up to vancouver I would love to take you for a ride (or buy you a beer) you are held in high esteem here…
personally i love the feeling of realising that what were once squares are now almost perfect circles.
High stylage:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lgNx9oapkdI
(just missing some friction shfters)
GREAT POST!
Z – There are certainly PROs who have no style, despite the high-milage. Escartin being one of them. But for the most part, the PROs have learned a craft, and a supple, fluid style is part of their education. When you see cyclists on a local level they tend to exhibit better, smoother style the more miles they ride. They same way I pedal squares at the beginning of the season and circles late in the season. – RF
I always admire a rider who makes it look easy. With great fitness doesn’t always come a fluid style though. Look at Escartin, if you can stand it. But that, in itself, is style. Is “style” earned when a PRO reaches the top, regardless of how horrible he looks while on his bike?
gewilli – the high milage status is a moving target. If you are a PRO, 30+ per year is certainly considered high milage. I have always been impressed by local riders who manage 10-12k per year despite a busy schedule filled with other priorities. But in general, if you are out riding and making sacrifices to do it and the mileage is just above your comfort zone – you are high milage. But styleage is also relative. A person who rides 1000 miles a year has better form than someone who rides 500. I think the form that ex-roadies still carry is a result of cumulative miles over a career. – RF
somewhat side question:
What is high mileage?
relative to what?
is it 5,000 miles a year? 10,000?
or can you achieve the high mileage status with a mere 1k?
-curious
Flyer I second that. Especially the 25lbs overweight and being able to hang from the result brains and form gained from the glory days.