Bikepacking. A sport?

[Bearbonesnorm]

I did some thinking and concluded - maybe

https://www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/ ... IIJqRZvyxw

[darbeze]

"youth and vigor will only get you so far and are often no match for age and treachery"...


Haha... Love it.

Bikepacking, a sport? I don't know, and I'm not sure I care. The internet portrays one thing, I enjoy another.

I shall keep plodding away doing my own thing, despite what the drop barred (I have drop bars too), slim tyred, mug dangling, fast and mostly sponsored crowd are doing...

God, I sound old and grumpy... Oh, hang on a minute!

Si

[Loki]

I suppose anything can be a sport, depends on attitude really.

[ScotRoutes]

Anything can be a sport if it becomes competitive.

If you're not competing, it's not a sport.

It can't really be any clearer.

[RIP]

A sport? Oh no, it's far loftier than that. It's a philosophy.

Yep, I can bullcrap with the best of 'em .

Nice little Thought For The Day that was, and I enjoyed mulling over it with a brew thank you Stu.

[sean_iow]

There are only three sports: bullfighting*, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games

Ernest Hemingway


*Clearly that's not aged well so perhaps bikepacking could replace bullfighting?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Yes, I suppose my thinking is that we can turn anything into a 'sport' and sometimes we don't notice

[RIP]

Wiki: "Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game[1] that aims to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators".

What's interesting, to me, is that nowhere in that description does it mention mental ability or skills. It could be argued those are equal in importance with bikepacking. Maybe more so.

"entertainment to spectators" is an interesting notion when pertaining to bikepacking too. I guess the sight of a few drowned BBB rats arriving at a lonely pub in a deluge is highly entertaining for the other customers! So experience tells me anyway.

Reminds me of my caving days; many of the cave features and situations described in the gazetteers are described as "sporting". That always makes me smile for some reason. Probably because it's an example of understatement - when encountered in reality a more accurate description might well be "nightmare".

I think it might be time to introduce "sporting" to bikepacking. I'll offer Hengwm crossing in spate as a
"sporting" candidate for example.

[ScotRoutes]

Yes, I suppose my thinking is that we can turn anything into a 'sport' and sometimes we don't notice

It can be a sport to some and not to others.

Usain Bolt is a sportsman. I run*

(TBH, I did run in a race last year)

[Karl]

For me I don't think it matters. I enjoy it. I like competing, especially for the last pork pie. If racing for the last pork pie is a sport, count me in. I'd probably win that as well

[fatbikephil]

I think that traditionally the term 'sport' was only used if the killing of various animals or fish was involved.

[RIP]

Ernest Hemingway

Yes but he was a complete arsehole . Clever writer. But complete arsehole.

[woodsmith]

Maybe for some. Not for me. Sport = competition. Competion requires a codified set of rules and regulations, the very things I'm escaping by plodding off on my bike down some muddy lane. The point of travelling to a beautiful part of the world and then racing through it as fast as possible is completeley lost on me. 2 months touring the GDMBR sounds a lot more fun to me than 2 weeks chewing on your stem.

[Cheeky Monkey]

Bikepacking, a sport? I don't know, and I'm not sure I care. The internet portrays one thing, I enjoy another.

Pretty much

[faustus]

Ernest Hemingway

Yes but he was a complete arsehole . Clever writer. But complete arsehole.

Hard to disagree with this, as much as I love and enjoy much of his writing. But yeah, he had many arsehole tendancies. Being hit by a trench mortar at 18 seemed to give him a feeling of invicibility rather than humility...anyway, digression!

Sport - it's the competitive thing. So pretty much all my cycling is not sport, just a physically active hobby. I think the mentality of many endurance sports is part of its appeal, as a participant or spectator, and one of the reasons why older people can still be the best as it's not pure physicality.

[Lazarus]

Of course it's a sport just like all cycling is.

If you're not competing, it's not a sport

So if I cycle it's not a sport but if I put a number on and ride the same route whilst others do it's now a sport even though what I am doing ( activity wise ) has not changed ?
It's a sport , like all cycling* , not that it matters or changes anything .

* special exemption for those who only commute or use a bike for shopping in which case it's just transport

[woodsmith]

Of course it's a sport just like all cycling is.

So if I cycle it's not a sport but if I put a number on and ride the same route whilst others do it's now a sport even though what I am doing ( activity wise ) has not changed ?

Wrong on the first part.
Correct on the second part, as long as it is competitive. Sport is defined by the element of cometition

[TheBrownDog]

I have to agree that to be a sport there needs to be a competitive element to it. That's not to say all competition can be considered a sport, such as the occasional race I used to have with a group of other riders down the Victoria Embankment along the Thames. We were very competitive, but I wouldn't call it a sport, though I would call it good sport.

Where do we stand on chess in the Olympics .... ?

[Lazarus]

So if 10 people ride a route it's not a sport because it's not a competition but if it's a group ITT start the exact same thing is now a sport ? The activity is always the same so either the activity is a sport or it's not. You are all conflating competition with sport. Whilst sport often has a competitive element it's not essential for it to be a sport.
Footbal is a sport whether it's for the world cup or jumpers for goal posts

[AndreR]

I think that traditionally the term 'sport' was only used if the killing of various animals or fish was involved.

And then only a sport if the killing was for fun, I don't think slaughtering a sheep for food has ever been referred to as sport!

[AndreR]

Where do we stand on chess in the Olympics .... ?

Only if the smallest pieces start at 4 foot tall and weigh 100lbs and every move has to be made in under a minute!

[jameso]

I did some thinking and concluded - maybe

https://www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/ ... IIJqRZvyxw

'Gamification'



A bit of sporting fun's all good. Sneaking the beers for later into your mate's seatpack so they carry them up the hill, etc

[jameso]

Where do we stand on chess in the Olympics .... ?

The brain as a muscle? Mental sport?

[lune ranger]

Where do we stand on chess in the Olympics .... ?

The brain as a muscle? Mental sport?

Aren’t the olympics obscene and bloated enough without adding to the spectacle?

[ScotRoutes]

OK, let's try again.

Sport


Sport


Sport


Not sport