[binary visions]

So, on my ride into work this morning, I was going down a pretty steep hill that's on my way to work. Coming up it was a roadie - full lycra, expensive looking Giro helmet, carbon shoes and a Litespeed Ti road bike. He was coming at a pretty good clip considering the very steep grade of the hill (that is, he wasn't moving fast but at least he was moving). Looked to be in pretty good shape.

And he was smoking a cigarette.

I've never seen that before - I've seen all kinds of riders in expensive gear smoking butts, but never a roadie, and coming up a steep hill at that. Considering the cardio-intensive nature of road riding, all that expensive gear isn't going to make him any faster when he's gasping to get air in the lungs...

Just thought I'd share

 

[chicodude]

last summer i hiked up mt lassen, and i was going at a crazy pace (like, almost running) and some dude with a cigarette in his mouth blew past me :mumble:

 

[DRB]

There use to be a very fast expert racer around here that used to smoke before and after races. He was always a top five guy. Very very frustrating.

 

[Knuckleslammer]

Well, if he was smoking a cig and going uphill, maybee he's training like that. I mean when he quits (if he does) he'll be like lance armstrong

Knuckle

 

[Westy]

What does not kill you will make you stronger. Oh wait, the ciggies will eventually kill you.

 

[Knuckleslammer]

Cigs are not bad for you, my grandpa smoked till he was 82. He then quit as he was sick of paying $5 a pack and going to the store. He's 87 now. 3 packs a day for about 60 years. Healthy as a clam.

Knuckle

 

[Lexx D]

Cigs are not bad for you, my grandpa smoked till he was 82. He then quit as he was sick of paying $5 a pack and going to the store. He's 87 now. 3 packs a day for about 60 years. Healthy as a clam.

Knuckle

Genetics play a big roll.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I'll bet he was French.

-S.S.-

 

[SkaredShtles]

Genetics play a big roll.

Role?

Maybe this is a good reason to encourage smoking? It'll clean up the gene pool.......

Although I'm not sure how many 85 year old men I'd want breeding.

-S.S.-

 

[Lexx D]

Role?

Yeah man as in rock and........never mind.

 

[Tweek]

I remember seeing a picture in some bike shop of a bunch of high-profile racers from back in the day (40s, 50s?, don't know names) immediately after a race gathered for a cigarette break, some still on their bikes.

 

[BostonBullit]

I always wanted to train my a.s.s off and run the entire Boston Marathon at a competative pace....smoking a cigar the whole way.

While you can't deny that tens of thousands of smokers and people exposed to second hand smoke get horrible diseases and die slow deaths, you also can't deny that tens of thousands of smokers and people exposed to second hand smoke live long healthy lives without a problem.

 

[Westy]

Cigs are not bad for you, my grandpa smoked till he was 82. He then quit as he was sick of paying $5 a pack and going to the store. He's 87 now. 3 packs a day for about 60 years. Healthy as a clam.

Knuckle

Car accidents aren't bad for you. My father hit a telephone pole at 60mph and walked away.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>While you can't deny that tens of thousands of smokers and people exposed to second hand smoke get horrible diseases and die slow deaths,

Try *millions*

you also can't deny that tens of thousands of smokers and people exposed to second hand smoke live long healthy lives without a problem.

This is probably true. The important figure is the ratio. I'll bet it's 100:1 for the "horrible disease from smoking" crowd......

-S.S.-

 

[Jou]

During my competitive swimming years in high school i smoked "the other ciggerete" before my races.

 

[Smelly]

I always wanted to train my a.s.s off and run the entire Boston Marathon at a competative pace....smoking a cigar the whole way.

hell yeah man. i've always wanted to do a crit or cross race smoking. ham up the whole thing, ride a silly bike and look ridiculous, and smoke the whole time. i did a cross race on a beach cruiser once, wearing goggles and a half shell helmet and a white t shirt with big pit strains that said "Will Race For BEER". i even beat a couple people. i felt really bad passing them, but it had to be done.i try to do at least one race a year like that.

 

[Sandwich]

During my competitive swimming years in high school i smoked "the other ciggerete" before my races.

didn't you see the commercials? You're not letting your team down, you're letting yourself down....

 

[Clark Kent]

During my competitive swimming years in high school i smoked "the other ciggerete" before my races.

Virginia Slims?

 

[Mr Tiles]

I saw Biggins do a relatively big drop at a local trail puffing away on a Marlboro. Thought it was pretty cool. The crowd seemed to love it that was watching him...

 

[Jou]

Virginia Slims?

yes...



... :nuts:

 

[The Kadvang]

Hhahahhahaha! A few kids on my team have done the same. They say its not very fun and it made them slow.

 

[Repack]

Working tech support on the NY/Boston AIDS ride I was blown away by the number of riders smoking butts. The 2 that surprised me the most were these 2 US Marshalls that were built like UFC fighters. I was fixing their bikes, they stepped aside, and lit up. Kinda funny.

How many of you have seen the old TDF poster/picture of the riders sharing a butt on a climb? They thought that smoking would open their lungs.

 

[SebringMGB]

Doesnt Cedric Gracia smoke like a banshee too?