I had a message from the Bikeability Trust the other day encouraging me to use the term Cycle instead of Bike. The thinking goes along the lines of Bike referencing bicycle. The Bi bit of bicycle implying two wheels which in turn may make a user of a cycle with more than two wheels feel excluded. I imagine the author of the message is considering a cyclist with a disability.

 

I’ve never considered the term bike to mean anything other than a wheeled contraption propelled by a human being. Bike to me has always loosely meant a unicycle, two wheeled bike, tricycle and so on.

 

I can’t make my mind up if the message from the trust is necessary or if it’s the work of a crack-pot with too much time on their hands who’s wasting rations by occupying a job which is unnecessary.

I referred to my motorbike as my "Bike". But I don't anymore, because it's someone else's.

I reckon it's more to do with snowflake gender issues, they are employing a bearded top knotted flibbertygibbet called Mary.

 

A bi cycle. who are we to define the gender of our wheeled transport, they can define themselves.

I reckon it's more to do with snowflake gender issues, they are employing a bearded top knotted flibbertygibbet called Mary.

 

A bi cycle. who are we to define the gender of our wheeled transport, they can define themselves.

 

Saw on the telly the secret code for that is carrying a pineapple in your shopping basket, leaves pointed upwards, or a badge or article of clothing displaying an upright pineapple. I've bought canned ever since.

Anyone who has read The Third Policeman by Brian O'Nolan will understand the issues raised. He propounds that, over time, the molecules of the cycle interchange with the molecules of the rider, many of us are now half cycle or more. The issue arises when one sits on the saddle of a rider belonging to another gender.

Saw on the telly the secret code for that is carrying a pineapple in your shopping basket, leaves pointed upwards, or a badge or article of clothing displaying an upright pineapple. I've bought canned ever since.

Use of a pineapple could be painful!

Yes, bike is unsuitable since it's used for so many vehicles, from pedal cycles to motorcycles. E-bike is unsuitable since it describes anything from a lightly assisted pedal cycle to a barely disguised high speed moped.

 

With the exception of The Countryside Act 1968, UK law for completeness always speaks of "bicycles, tricycles and bicycles with four or more wheels".

 

Strictly speaking the common bicycle is the Safety Bicycle, as opposed to the "Ordinary", which was the correct name for the "Penny Farthing" (slang), aka "High Wheeler" (the modern term).

 

Perhaps we had it right in the 1930s and 1940s, when we just called them all "Push Bikes", a more graphic description, especially because we used to dismount for hills and walk up them.

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Edited May 6, 20233 yr by flecc

I had a message from the Bikeability Trust the other day encouraging me to use the term Cycle instead of Bike.

 

I disapprove - that extra letter increases our carbon footprint in both digital and analogue communications, including by way of microcalories expended by vocalisation, because of the extra syllable.

Bicycle or pushbike is what I use , don't give a monkeys to what the woke/snowflake brigade want to call them.

I had a message from the Bikeability Trust the other day encouraging me to use the term Cycle instead of Bike.

 

Then shouldn't they have changed their name to Cycleability Trust first, before sending that out?

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Then shouldn't they have changed their name to Cycleability Trust first, before sending that out?

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Crumbs. Good point!

As with most things language related here today its best not to get overly wound up about "correctness", provide you grasp what the person is on about. In the final analysis language is for many simply a tool to communicate with, rather than an art form.

Otherwise, we could go ballistic at now "think" replacing "thing", and "comp-ative" replacing "competitive"; even on such previous language bastions as the BBC.

 

We have a house full of "pushbikes" all with two wheels, plus one e-bike also with just two wheels, but are considering adding an "e-trike", that will have three wheels, for my wife as progressive mobility loss robs us of our lifelong passion to go "cycling" together.

Edited May 6, 20233 yr by Ocsid

It all started from ESG scores, which sounded like a good thing when they were introduced, the same as the UK Supreme Court and hate speak laws, but then you realised they can be used as weapons for tyranny when they slowly and gradually adjust their use to push in the tyrannical direction.

 

As an example, today in London, a truck was stopped. It hadn't committed any offences, just a random stop, supposedly. Inside were illegal hate speech signs that said, "Not my King". Another very dangerous incident saved by the police.

 

Word is that the perps were members of an extreme hate group called "Republic", who advocate for complaints against the BBC, so they were all arrested. I've not heard of Republic before. Are they new?

Edited May 6, 20233 yr by saneagle

They should have used "Not Mike King". Bit more challenging for grammar nazi prosecuting lawyers.

Edited May 6, 20233 yr by guerney

I've not heard of Republic before. Are they new?

 

Yes, a quite new anti-monarchy group.

 

Here's their website

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Then shouldn't they have changed their name to Cycleability Trust first, before sending that out?

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Excellent!

Back to bike , bike Is a term used by locals referring to the local lass that is well ridden , so you choose …..

Yes most towns , villages etc,etc, will all have a local bike probably at least more then one.

Bicycle or pushbike is what I use , don't give a monkeys to what the woke/snowflake brigade want to call them.

Ye gads, im agreeing with Nealh

 

I think I'd better have a lie down.

Yes most towns , villages etc,etc, will all have a local bike probably at least more then one.

Don't they leave them on street corners for anybody to ride? Just don't tell my other bike.