I used to smoke. Cycling had nothing to do with me stopping – I quit cold turkey years ago. One of the nice things about cycling is that the people you ride with don’t smoke, either. At a post-ride gabfest at the coffee shop, no one lights up.
Which makes it something of a shock to see a cyclist with a cigarette. Back at the MS150 last year, I was taking it easy in the team tent at the finish, when one of the members of my team produced a cigarette and started to smoke. A woman, also on the team, bummed one from him. So now we had two cyclists dragging away – in team kit. And our team was sponsored by a hospital(!).
So how about you? Are you a reformed smoker? Or do you still indulge? Do you avoid cyclists who smoke, and separate yourself from smoking riders?
johnt says
My wife did massage at the finish for a team at MS-150 this . None of Riders were smoking but she said all their wives did. I saw a guy ride by on my street the other day with a cigarette dangling from his mouth.
Pointyhead says
I’m one of the few remaining people in the world that smokes a pipe. I’ve been known to pull out a bowl and take a few puffs at rest stops.
T F says
Before I started riding my bike again, I was quite the weekend cigar smoker. I probably smoked 8 quality cigars a month. Once I got back on the bike, my desire to smoke waned quickly. I still enjoy a cigar every once in a while, but I’ve never seen anyone smoking at a group ride.
Jeff says
I remember my wife running in a fairly big race. It was followed by a “health” expo in a convention center. To get in the doors you had to walk a gauntlet of smokers…all of whom had just finished the race. Found it kind of ironic!
Justin says
I used to smoke, but no longer do. I ride on the social rides and see lots of smokers. I don’t avoid them, but I also don’t go out of my way to hang with them either.
I do drink a ton of birra, and I don’t think that’s conducive to great fitness either.
katie says
Do you know where I could buy a copy of this photo?