How An “Influencer” “Won”—On A Bicycle

I am almost always happy when I see somebody on a bicycle.

Notice that I said “almost.” Among the exceptions are when someone uses the bicycle to commit a crime or cause harm.

Or cheat.

I have never run a marathon, so I rarely criticize whatever anyone does to complete one—unless someone does something like what Yuanyuan Sun, known as “Abeeer” on social media did in the latest Berlin Marathon.

Now I am going to reveal a prejudice. I really try not to categorically disdain groups of people. As an example,  while  I can’t count any lawyers among my friends, and probably never will, I have met advocates who work for the public good, including ones who fought for equal rights, which the current administration is trying to take from people like me.

On the other hand, I must say that it didn’t surprise me to learn that Ms. Sun is an “influencer.” Some might accuse me of internalized misogyny, as the majority of “influencers” are female. Others might accuse me of jealousy, as many “influencers”:are younger and more conventionally attractive than I am.

But I have seen too much, shall we say, unethical behavior. In trying to get that perfect image, I’ve seen them endanger people by, for example, obstructing the paths of cyclists, pedestrians and disabled people. And some, like Ms. Sun, cheat:  She rode the last few kilometers on the back of a bicycle. That helped her finish the course in her “personal best” time and post a video of her, adorned with a medal.

Now, to be fair, what she did is, arguably, not the most egregious example of non-pharmaceutical performance enhancement in a long-distance running event. In the 1904 Olympics—one of the most bizarre sporting events ever held—the marathon’s winner was disqualified for driving part of the way. Then there was Rosie Ruiz, who “finished” the 1980 Boston Marathon after entering it during the last mile. That, after taking the subway for part of the 1979 New York Marathon, for which she was given a special dispensation to enter after claiming she was dying of cancer when she missed the qualification deadline.

I guess what Yungyung Sun did bothers me more because she committed her fraud on a bicycle. And I’ll admit being an “influencer” doesn’t redeem her in my eyes.

Why Him?

Why was the tubing on this frame named for a guy who got lost?

 

Happy Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day!

I live near the “real” Little Italy in the Bronx. I often go there for food and, occasionally, other kinds of fun. There are festivities there. So why am I not participating in them? Well, I’ve never understood why a guy who got lost, didnt “discover” any place (people were already living there) and helped to start the transatlantic slave trade became a source of Italian pride when we have Michelangelo, Galileo, Dante and Leonardo (What does that tell you when we only need to use their first names?), Vivaldi and, for crying out loud, fashion designers? 

And why was one of the best-known brands of bicycle tubing, from which so many fine frames (I’ve owned seven and ridden a bunch more) have been constructed, named after that wayward sailor?

Does ending a post with three consecutive rhetorical questions mean I’m getting cranky in midlife?

5000

 

So why am I posting an image of a 1988 Panasonic DX~5000?

Well, it was a nice bike from one of the most under-appreciated bicycle manufacturers. I think Panasonic never became as popular (at least in the US) as other Japanese brands like Fuji and Nishiki—which continue to offer some great bikes—because most Americans thought of Panasonic only as an electronics company. But their bikes had excellent workmanship and were well thought-out.

But the real reason I chose that model is its number. Yesterday’s post was #5000 in the history of this blog. 

So why didn’t I write a celebratory post yesterday? Well, I felt really good after yesterday’s ride and was still glowing within from the light over the ocean. Call me self-indulgent or narcissistic or whatever else you want. I wanted to share it before I got too full or tired. (I think that was one of the mistakes I made during my Japan trip last year: I waited until night to write and, after full days of biking and exploring in a mountainous country during the hottest part of the season  I was cooked.)

Anyway, here’s to 5000. I think it’s a good reason to skip the Sunday funnies, at least for this week.