Along the lines of what Bruce Dickinson famously decreed while espousing the medical benefits of cowbell in the remedy of rare types of influenza, I put my shoes on one at a time – just like you. But after I’ve got my shoes on, I ooze fluidly harmonic articulation.
As Cyclists, we wield the mighty power of The V, yet lay victim to the nagging whispers of Doubt, from which the Anti-V draws its strength. We train our bodies, keep our machines in perfect order, and maintain a variety of kit for every type of weather, only to waver as this poison bleeds into our minds. We counter by seeking to control the uncontrollable through a strict adherence to ritual prior to and following each of our rides.
The ritual surrounding the ride is unique to each of us, and evolves over time, and perpetuates those actions which yielded better-then-usual rides. For instance, despite being right-handed, I slip into my shoes left first, and moving through a systematic process of buckling them up prior to each bike. I sit down on the front steps, pause for a moment to draw in a breath, slip out of my Adilettes, and slip into my shoes.
I start by arranging the tongue of first the left shoe, then the right. Then I secure the front velcro strap on the left before moving to do the same on the right. Once I’m satisfied that both straps are of precisely equal tension, I will move to tighten the left buckle, then the right until similarly satisfied of tension equality. Changing this process in any way, I’m convinced, would yield utter chaos.
Ritual goes far beyond how we put our shoes on; it reaches into the maintenance of our machines as well as their preparation for a ride as well as preparation of bidons and our kit. Bits of my ritual change based on whether I am riding from home or some other location, whether the ride is a big one or just a daily jaunt, or whether it is a formal event for which I have prepared carefully. Other things, however, remain fixed.
I always inflate the rear tire first, never the front. I’ll pull on the front and rear brakes to make sure the cables didn’t fall out overnight, and run through all the gears – listening for silence – even though I’ll have tuned it after arriving home last time if any tuning was required. When I pull on my kit, bibs go on first, socks second, under-vest third. Only at this point do I consider other elements such as whether I’m wearing arm and/or knee warmers, or which jersey to put on. Lastly, I’ll carefully inspect my toolkit prior to tucking it into my middle rear pocket.
I suppose that at the center of this lies a simple belief: in a world wherein much lies out of my control, I represent but a simple cell of a larger organism. I cannot say what influence these actions have, but if the past is any indication of the future, these actions have helped keep me happily pedaling my bike. To stop would be to tempt Fate itself.
Therefor, I wrap myself in ritual to control the uncontrollable. Vive la Vie Velominatus.
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I suspect many rituals are very similar, just a matter of order and location..which items in which pockets. Interesting the way you put your shoes on...I am always right shoe then left, right tighten then left..I always deliberately over tighten both so that can then micro adjust back down to the perfect tension. Somehow I know I cannot get it right during the tightening phase so this is the only way that works. I never undo or adjust the front two velcro straps, just the main ratchet. If the front straps were ever altered by anyone the sky would probably fall on my head and I would turn in to a blubbering mess.
Also interested as to which side you unclip from? I always unclip on the left...I am right handed...but I notice a lot of right handers tell me they unclip on the right side....go figure?
@zeitzmar
If you are going to start down this road I advise a glance in to the Gear section of the site there was a recent article in Reverence on Speedplays...converted me and I will never look back!
@Deakus
No sorry it is under Articles : Reverence : Speedplay Pedals : August 8 2012..
I am organised but not ritualistic - I submit there is a difference.
For example I put my shoes and socks at the bottom of the stairs near the door so that by making them the last thing to put on I reduce the possibility of falling (marble and tile floors). That's organisation.
If I cared what order I put them on and felt some benefit from doing it, or anxiety from not doing it, that would be ritual.
Same with my other stuff. I set it out in much the same places before a ride, but that's so that I can check I have everything and minimise faffing about going back for stuff. That's just being organised.
Ritualistic behaviour to me is things like the number of times Rafa Nadal bounces the ball when serving, or a goal kicker who clasps his hands together and carries out other non-essential actions before an attempt (Jamie Seward in Rugby League, or Johnny Wilkinson in Rugby Union for example). The intention is to make the act automatic but also to provide cues for focus.
This is Wilkinson talking about the way he cups his hands before his run up, from The Guardian.
"The hands, he said, are like a barrier erected against the outside world, helping him to cut out the tens of thousands of opposing fans who are likely to set up a barrage of whistles and jeers in an attempt to disturb his intense concentration. "As I got more into kicking," he said, "I became more involved in looking at other aspects, and one area I looked at was focusing from the inside, slowing down the breathing, relaxation, 'centring', which is a way of channeling my power and energy from my core, just behind my navel, down my left leg and into my left foot to get that explosive power. When I was doing this, the position with the hands happened to be the one I adopted. Look at pictures from 1998, and you will see my hands are further apart. Each year they have gradually got closer. For whatever reason, it has become a very strong position for me." "
He doesn't really know why or how it works, but it does, which could be argued as the essence of ritual.
Focus on what you can control. Mise-en-place. Pre-flight. Whatever you call it, these things are important. I've never been out for a ride without doing these things, and the thought of what could happen if I did terrify me. With every ride completed (with rituals) this fear just increases.
p.s. Frank, where are your Fizik shoes, you brand whore? If you are going to be the online presence of their Global media campaign for 'preferred contact point supplier' (and I quote!), this kind of faux-pas is going to get you in trouble
I had never seen the Cowbell sketch before....I have spent the morning pissing my pants and playing it on loop.....pure Genius!
@Oli
It's only OCD if he does the exact same in reverse at the end of the ride......1-2-3....1-2-3....1-2-3....
@ChrisO
I call it routine. Mine is a post-routine coming immediately after the ride. Wash the helmet and eyewear. Wipe off the controls, bar tape, stem and top tube. And bottom bracket. Wipe down the saddle. Oil and clean the drive train to be ready for the next effort. Throw the kit in the wash within 10 minutes of coming thru the door. Bike and most all else is ready to go.
Nice article, but you lost me at 'Adilettes'. Seriously though, I too find the pre ride ritual to be integral to the ride. If I'm rushed, I always feel off kilter for quite a few kms if not the entire ride.
Speaking of photos - I have an (internet) acquaintance that is somewhat of an icon that lives in Hollywood. He does this cool thing called "Photo by" where he walks up to movie stars and has THEM take a picture of him. He's also an avid cyclist - he recently rode from San Francisco to L.A.. on his fixie - so there are lots of pictures of him taken by various cycling giants like Jens and Cippo. Check it out here.