27 Apr 2013

7 Commandments For The Wise Cyclist



Paul de Vivie (1853- 1930), the father of French cycle touring devoted a lifetime to the perfection of the bicycle and the art of riding it. He inspired countless others by great riding feats, even in his old age. An ardent bicycle inventor and an early proponent of the derailleur, for decades he wrote under the name Velocio for the magazine Le Cycliste. He wrote at length about the glories of all forms of cycling, especially long-distance bicycle rides that were several days in length with little or no sleep - rather like a brevet. In fact the Audax Club Parisien's Easter weekend "Flèche Vélocio" 24-hour team rides are named in his honour. He could well be called the patron saint of cyclists. Over the years his wise words of advice have been proven true time and time again. Here are his seven commandments for the cyclist.
Velocio


Velocio's Seven Commandments

1. Make your stops short and infrequent so as not to lose your drive.

2. Eat lightly and often. Eat before getting hungry, drink before you are thirsty. 


3. Never ride until you are so tired that you cannot eat or sleep.


4. Put on extra clothing before you're cold, and take it off before you're hot.

Don't be afraid of exposing your skin to the sun, air, and rain.

5. Don't drink wine, eat meat, or smoke---at least during the ride. 


6. Never rush things. Ride within yourself, particularly during the first few hours of a ride when you feel strong and are tempted to force the pace. 


7. Never pedal out of vanity, don't be a show-off. 



25 Apr 2013

Get Inspired!




http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QDmt_t6umoY

The Holstee Manifesto: Lifecycle

This is Your Life, Do what you love ...and do it often. 
If you dont like something change it. If you dont like your job, Quit!
If you dont have enough time, STOP Watching TV..
If you are looking for the love of your life, they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love.
STOP over analyzing,..

LIFE IS SIMPLE.

Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people.        
WE are united in Our differences.
Some opportunities only come once, seize them.

Travel Often; Getting lost will help you find yourself.
All emotions are beautiful..
When you eat..Appreciate every last bite.
Ask the next person you see what their passion is..
Share your inspiring dream with them
LIFE IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU MEET.
and the things you create with them..
SO Go out and start creating

..LIFE IS Short...

24 Apr 2013

Letter from a Concerned Cyclist : p

Dear Abby, 
I’ve never written to you before, but I really need your advice. I have suspected for some time now that my wife is cheating on me. I see the usual signals; the phone rings and when I answer, the caller hangs up. My wife has been going out with ‘the girls’ a lot lately, although when I ask for their names she says, “just some friends from work, you don’t know them.” I try to stay awake to see when she comes home, but I always fall asleep. Anyway, I have never broached the subject with my wife.  I think deep down, I just didn't want to know the truth.
Last night she went out again and I decided to really check on her. Around midnight, I decided to hide in the garage behind my road and mountain bikes so I could get a good view of the street when she arrived home from her night out with ‘the girls’. When she got out of the car, she was straightening out her dress, which was in a disarray, and  she took her stockings out of her purse and slipped them on.  It was at that very moment, crouching behind my bike, I noticed a slight crack in the down tube, two inches behind the headset. Is this something I can fix myself, or should I take it back to the bike shop?
– Concerned Cyclist 

23 Apr 2013

Meet the bicycles - Part I

If you think there are only three types of bikes: Road, Mountain and Hybrid....well, then think again!! There are 18 bicycle variants and in this post, I will introduce you to nine of them.  
  1. The Mountain bike itself comes in three variants - Full Suspension, Hardtail and Downhill. Mtbs have sturdy, highly durable frames, suspension systems, wide-gauge treaded tyres, and cross-wise handlebars. 
  2. The Road bikes or Racing bikes were referred to as 10 speed bikes for many years. Designed for racing on roads and tracks, they have a lightweight frame, narrow high pressured tyres and are designed to be as aerodynamic as possible.
  3. Touring bikes are lighter than hybrids or mountain bikes but heavier than racing bikes. Their handlebars can be adjusted to drop down or be upright. They are fitted with eyelets for attaching front and rear panniers and have at least 21 gears to ride up the steepest of hills even with excess baggage. 
  4. Hybrid bikes first appeared in the late 1980s. A cross between a mountain bike and a road bike, they are good for riding on multiple surfaces. They have a light frame, medium gauge wheels, and derailleur gearing with commonly 700 x 35 c tyres and 21-27 gears.
  5. The Classic or the Dutch bike, is a utilitarian bicycle with mudguards or fenders, a rear carrier or rack, relaxed loop frame or geometry, an upright seating position. It generally has an ‘old-time’ look of the early 20th century.
  6. The Fixed Gear  bike or the “Fixie”, as its commonly known is a single speed bike, which has a drivetrain and no freewheel mechanism so you can't freewheel or 'coast.. Simply put, whenever the bike is in motion the pedals will go around, so you're always pedaling on a fixed-gear bicycle. 
  7. Time Trial/Triathlon bikes are the ultimate speed bikes built with aero handlebars and aero seatpost for a very streamlined riding position for usually short and flat time trials, where every second counts.
  8. Cyclocross bikes are specialised off road racing bikes, which are light enough to be carried over obstacles but come with strong frames and cantilevered brakes to handle muddy rutted tracks. 
  9. BMX bikes are the original offroaders designed as urban fun bikes and are as much about lifestyle as transport. They come with no gears and in various styles adapted for racing, ramps or jumping the bike.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

21 Apr 2013

Cycling Heaven

"Cycling tracks will abound in  Utopia." H.G. Wells
...and the parking lots will look like this...

19 Apr 2013

When a Cyclist Turns Journalist



http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/385095/cj-amitabh-exposes-the-state-of-cycling-tracks-across-delhi.html
This is a MUST watch for all cyclists who face the challenges of riding in traffic. We hope that it will motivate you all to push for Cycling Lanes in your cities. Let me give you a little background about this feature. 





the Cyclist: Amitabh Pandety.  
An astronomer by profession and a die hard cyclist by passion....frequently seen on the Delhi, Noida and NCR roads on his way to work...meetings...social engagements...and of course riding with his group, Noida Cyclists. A fervent supporter of Bike Advocacy, it made him take up the initiative to highlight the challenges faced by All cyclists due to the state of the existing and non existing cycling tracks in the NCR.





the Cycling Group: Noida Cyclists. 
Founded in Nov.'09, it's a group of cycling enthusiasts at the forefront of Bike Advocacy...whether by initiating people into the sport or by highlighting the issues faced by cyclists in a bid to create awareness and make a difference.













the TV News Channel: CNNIBN
Known for taking up the cause of the 'aam aadmi' and providing a platform for their issues to be heard and brought to the  notice of the powers that be. Kudos for being the first to recognise and project Cyclists Rights.










And now...the Cyclist Citizen Journalist feature...

http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/385095/cj-amitabh-exposes-the-state-of-cycling-tracks-across-delhi.html

16 Apr 2013

Hazaron khwahishain aisi ~ post by Manas Arvind


Hazaron khwahishain aisi...(Thousands of such desires) 
From the 1000K, Team T3 Brevet - 22-25th March, 2013

Enroute to Sikri @235 km-Day1-@6 pm
67th HrThe Metamorphosis. The legs couldn't stop pushing the pedals, even if they wanted to…their sole purpose of existence seemingly to just keep moving on. It was 2 AM and Gurgaon was almost a 100 km away. That meant 90% of the journey was over and I had been on the road for close to 3 days cycling the highways and country roads; climbing small hills; fighting sleep and gushing adrenaline all at the same time. The pain and patience thresholds had been redefined. What was hurting yesterday, felt nothing today. The clock would often melt like a Dali painting…was I hallucinating? I did see the Red Fort on my left and the Metro crossing overhead. The white road divider was taking different shapes of snakes, smoke and spirits.
I told Ashwani Attrish, “Let’s stop” and we halted at a dhaba for a quick break. I ordered a cola and tea at the same time, one for a sugar kick and the other for warmth. As I took turns drinking them, Ashwani walked briskly from one end to the other to fight the cold and keep awake…whatever worked. Just a while earlier, we had been talking about everything mundane, and when we had gone quiet, all you could hear were the sound of the pedals and the squeaking of my wheel. Then a police jeep drove up and halted next to us and the cops asked us to stop immediately from going any further. It seems that we were entering the Mewat region, notorious for crime and its export of top of the line criminals, while their lesser known brethren stayed behind to make a livelihood from local activities. Upon our insistence on going ahead, they decided it would be better for them if they weren't seen with us and drove off into the night. Now, all we could hope for was the hoodlums would not take our riding through the area as a breach of their terror-itory.
Meanwhile, the questions kept on coming…where were the five of the seven riders besides the two of us? Had someone already reached? Was everyone safe? Had someone dropped out? Where were Satish, Sapeksh, Mann, Rakesh? Would Karthik make it in time, as he was riding somewhere behind us?

14th Feb 2013 - I was limping back to cycling after a hiatus of 45 days. It was a severe knee ligament inflammation caused due to an excessively mindless run of 21 km. My last long ride had been the 500 km at the Desert 500. My only aim now was to be able to walk straight and cycle again, nothing more. Or so I thought… ideas have claws but dreams have wings and by the evening, I was dreaming of riding the 1000 km Brevet scheduled for the 8th of March. How, I didn't know, as every time I went out riding, the knee would complain. Another day and time, I might not have bothered about any of it, but this was very different. I was sceptical and scared, full of self doubt. I would avoid mentioning the knee pain at home, as it would only flare tempers and the ire of my wife, Ritu, and my 9 year old daughter. There were a few days remaining and I felt weak in my knees (quite literally). I would bitch, post and tweet nonstop about the knee. I needed a plan and I would have to go solo as I was too slow to ride with anyone and anyway, I was not sure who from my riding buddies would be at the event. I was adamant, and just a week before the ride, Ritu decided to join me and started supporting me wholeheartedly. I know that she hardly slept through the entire Brevet while I rode.
The Plan - I entered with three clear objectives.
First was knowing that I wouldn’t be building any new muscles in the given time, my task was to not damage the knee any further. I focused on power vs cadence balance to get an acceptable speed without stressing the knee. I had to forget about 'stepping on it' entirely.
Second was to be able to shed as much weight as possible. I was 83 kg when I started and with some changes in my eating pattern, I managed to lose 4 kg before the Brevet.
Third, there was little I could do to my legs, so I shifted to strengthening the core, shoulder and back muscles which helped during the ride to hold better. I finished riding the 1000 with no particularly aching body part, if you leave aside the sore butt.

14th Hr - Queen uncertainty. It was one of the flyovers short of Mathura. Sapeksh and I were pace-lining perfectly. I gained some momentum on the downhill and sped ahead. My meter was not working, but I knew I was fast. My mind was constantly calculating, how much in how much time... how to beat the heat, how to skip traffic, etc. till a hard thud broke my concentration. I had an impact flat, and there was no one behind me. The impact not only damaged the tyre, as I later realised, it also damaged the wheel for good. With a good 800 km still to go, the only way was to simply forget about the damage and pray that it wouldn’t get worse.
 20th Hr - The light and the dark side. We reached Bamanpur in good time. With one third of the ride already over, an hour of sleep looked like a good incentive, except there seemed to be no place to sleep. What were we expecting, warm beds with covers? We pedalled on and were lucky to find one trucker dhaba on the opposite side with some rickety cots. This was going to be the scenario for the next 2 days and nights. Trucker dhabas, though very basic, would serve quick chai and have cots to lie down. Anything more felt like a decadent luxury. The only thing that could have been wished away were the blaring TV sets, but they would have been a problem on another day, right now they hardly mattered. The weather during the day was a killer with the meter showing 39-40 degrees, and there was no choice but to ride through the day. I would stop every hour just to cool the body down with water and seek some shade as it made little sense in letting the engine run out of coolant.
54th Hr - What's there to eat? I guess that all scales change in such rides. An estimated 20 litres of water was consumed per day, which I knew was still less. I increased it close to 30 ltr on the last day and it was a life saver. At the same time, there’s nothing like a proper meal and I would eat and drink a little bit continuously. Gatorade, bars, nuts, chips, chocolates, chapatis, dal, boiled eggs, chai, coffee, defizzed cold drinks, et all comprised the menu.
46th Hr - Give it as it comes!  It was the second morning and the mind knew that the body was being abused badly. The entire day was up ahead and we didn’t seem to be in a hurry. We saw the resort, Highway King and looked at each other, time to take a break for a fork and knife breakfast. They had super clean washrooms and we made full use of that luxury. There was no hurry as we sat down to enjoy some awesome omelettes and toasts with coffee. I think there were newspapers too. Later that evening at another stop, we stopped to enjoy a hearty conversation about cardamom coffee and its recipe with the local chef. The mind had taken a turn...the same mind which had been egging me to rush through and break some personal time records, was now at complete ease. I could feel the breeze, look around at the scenery, converse with people, sip on the tea with ease, smoke and spit. The mind was calm, it knew that the job will be done.
72nd Hr - Gone with the wind. You can never know what all a Brevet has in store for you. The destination was 50 km away and I was in my home territory. Suddenly, there came a storm with heavy cross winds. I didn't know which way to look, the only way to move forward was to stand and hammer. By this time, the butt was all sore and bruised. I started counting the bumps, then the trucks, tried the cows and goats, the strokes and back strokes...these were the longest miles and the shortest hours, and the most fun and exhilarating moments of the 1000 km journey. In fact I felt a bit sad that it was all coming to an end. I messaged Ritu that I would be home by 0830. 
The target did the trick. I was near Lemon Tree hotel and there still were 3 minutes to spare. I slowed down, left the handle bar and stretched my arms above my head. I thought about all my co riders, marshals, dhabawalas and the cardamom coffee. I thought of Karthik, hoping he was somewhere nearby and would finish the ride within time...which he did with 20 min to spare. It was a 75 hr Gatorade drenched, chocolate coloured, nicotine stained, mile-crunching 1000 km Brevet. There is a lot to take away from such an event...and I don't think I'm in any hurry.

-------The Brass Tacks------
What is a Brevet? A long distance self supported ride, where the rider is supposed to live off the road. It gives one an opportunity to interact with locals, eat different kinds of food, sleep on a variety of beds (or no beds). Its time bound, but relaxed enough to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells. The official Brevets can come in the distances of 200, 300, 400, 600, 1000 and 1200 km.
Preparing for a 1000 km Brevet. It’s strongly advised to have done few of the longer distance brevets with overnight hauls. It’s also important to be in complete sync with your bike and gear. A properly fitted and working bike would make the experience enjoyable. It’s also critical to be able to carry out basic bike repair like fixing flats and cut tires, broken chain and drive train adjustments.
On the Bike. I added a handlebar bag (for food reserves), top tube bag (to quickly draw bars and put back), a saddle bag (with 2 new tubes, toolkit and backup money) and 2 bottle cages (one for sports drink mix and another for plain water). The back pocket had a waterproof wallet and phone.
In the bag on the Marshal vehicle - Sleeping bag (just in case I met them in the night), change of clothes, more food supplies, spare tyre and more tubes.

Pre ride. Few days prior to the ride, accumulate sleep hours, hydrate well and ensure your body is in a fit condition. With a troubling knee, I had to train my mind and body to not cross the trauma threshold. Each one to his own style, but for me a meditative state of mind worked better than getting aggressive and competitive. Knowing that I am neither high on adrenaline, nor on physique, I had to think differently. In the few training rides prior to the Brevet, I worked on changing my riding style from aggressive to very conservative.

The Ride
Day 1 (covered 405 km) - Rode with Sapeksh and met Rakesh many a times enroute. The day was hot but constant hydrating and resting saved us from any complication. We utilised the mornings and late hours rather well and crossed Hodal (sugar cane juice), Vrindavan (Grapes), Mathura (3 egg burgers), Agra (first bottle of Thumbs up and a mad traffic jam), Sikri & Bharatpur (come and go), Sikandra (the lone dhaba to sleep) and Dausa (the lovely town) before crossing the 24 hr mark.
Day 2 (covered 250 km) - Reached Jaipur, after fixing my second flat, and bugged by a 55 km long soft yet constant gradient. Lost precious hrs in waiting at a time station confusion. Worse (but unavoidable) started at ~2:30 in the afternoon for Kishangarh (Aaloo Paratha at McDonalds, courtesy Rajat) and reached sharp at 20:00. Started back with Ashwani and rode all night with an hour of nap (at Duddu) and a nice B/F short of Jaipur.
Day 3 (covered 300 km) - Crossed Jaipur, with a super fast tunnel section and searing temperatures to reach Sikandra. The ride was hot but fast. We took a longish break at Sikandra and soon after at a dhaba, so as to let the heat ebb. We must have had at least 25 litres of water to keep dehydration away. The ride from here to Ajmer was on a lovely rolling terrain. We were joined by Karthik here and during this section, my left knee developed a sudden injury like pain. Now both the engines were misfiring with noises and swearing. With the last time station done at Alwar, the three of us stopped at a 5 star dhaba of a Mr Saini, who went out of his way and managed eggs and rice from the market. We napped here till 12, fought with Karthik’s tyre for another hour and left eventually, informing the Marshals, as we found it impossible to fix on our own. This was the 3rd overnight ride but the company made a lot of difference, making it more interesting and fun I guess.
Day 4 (covered 55 km in 3 hours) - It was the final frontier, but heavy unsporting winds just added to the push needed (loads of it). I finished the 1000 km Brevet at 0830 with 36 min to spare.

Post ride. It was nice that I finished the ride without any kind of pain or stiffness (except the sore butt). It took nearly a day to recover the sleep and another 2-3 days for the body to regain regular strength.. Both the knees did need tending to, which they deserved.The post ride diet was high on Proteins (loads of eggs and Chana etc), carbs+sugar (potato, rice, sweet fruits), with as many as 8 small meals in a day for the first 2-3 days. This helped in quicker recovery and avoiding prolonged post ride stress/shock based injuries.

11 Apr 2013

The Zen of Cycling


A Zen Teacher saw five of his students return from the market, riding their bicycles. When they had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, "Why are you riding your bicycles?" 

The first student replied, "The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!" The teacher praised the student, saying, "You are a smart boy. When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over, as I do." 

The second student replied, "I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path." The teacher commended the student, "Your eyes are open and you see the world."

The third student replied, "When I ride my bicycle,  I am content to chant, nam myoho renge kyo." The teacher gave praise to the third student, "Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel." 

The fourth student answered, "Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all beings." The teacher was pleased and said, "You are riding on the golden path of non-harming." 

The fifth student replied, "I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle."
The teacher went and sat at the feet of the fifth student, and said, "I am your disciple."

9 Apr 2013

Bike Maintenance - How to Clean Your Bike

Recommended when the bike is being cleaned after quite some time

Kerosene-Paint brush-Chain brush-Lubricant
Saddle down
 Clean the Cassette-Rear derailleur-Front derailleur-Chainwheel-Chain
 



Dry with a piece of clean cloth

Clean the Chainwheel with a brush
Put a few drops of lubricant on Bottom bracket-Chain-Ball bearings
Spin the wheel so the entire chain gets lubricated
Clean again with a piece of cloth to remove any excess lubricant

6 Apr 2013

Bike Anatomy


                                                                     
FRAME:    Top tube      Down tube      Seat tube      Seat stay      Chain Stay

SADDLE AREA:      Saddle      Seat post

FRONT SET:    Handlebar grip      Head tube      Shock absorber      Front brakes      Fork

WHEEL:    Spokes      Hub      Rim      Tyre      Valve

Rear brakes      Cogset      Rear derailleur

Front derailleur      Chain      Chainrings

Pedal       Crank arm

Gear Levers

5 Apr 2013

The Bike Timeline


  • 1791 The first reported plank-with-two wheel on which the rider sat and propelled by thrusting feet on the ground.
  • 1817 Baron von Drais makes the front wheel steerable. The Hobbyhorse is invented and is a huge success as a novelty.
  • 1839 Kirkpatric MacMillan of Scotland attaches treadle and cranks to the rear wheels to 'invent’ the first two-wheeled vehicle. It's not well received at all. MacMillan is credited now to be the inventor of the bicycle.
  • 1863 Pedals are added to the front wheel. The Bone-shaker is launched. Riding velocipedes soon becomes a fad.
  • 1865 Radial (and torsion) spokes are introduced making bicycles lighter.
  • 1869 Solid rubber tires are introduced in place of iron tires. The term “bicycle’ is first used.
  • 1870 Tangential spokes are used replacing radial and torsion spokes. No major change since then.
  • 1872 Tall-ordinary or the Penny-Farthing makes an appearance in England.
  • 1888 JK Starley invents the Rover safety bicycle.
  • 1889 Pneumatic tires are first used. The development of the basic bicycle is complete.
  • 1896 Coaster brakes invented.
  • 1899 Mile-a-minute barrier broken. Murphy completes a mile in 57.75 second.
  • 1903 Bicycle mechanics Orville and Wilbur Wright invent the aeroplane.
  • 1965 Conservation movement and physical fitness buffs recognize the importance of bicycle and a bicycle boom begins.
  • 1972 For the first time ever, bicycles outsell cars in United States of America.
  • 1980 Disc wheels are introduced in competition bicycles to reduce the aerodynamics drags  due to individual spokes.
  • 1985 Bicycle speed exceeds 150 miles per hour. John Howard sets the speed record at 152.28 mph.

Then and Now!

1944 BSA Airborne Folding Paratrooper
Present Day Montague Paratrooper

4 Apr 2013

1st Bike Trick Film, circa1899

The First Bike Film
This is rare footage of the very first bike film. Thomas Edison made this short film in 1899, which shows men doing bike tricks. Its description reads:,‘Neidert,’ of national fame, does stunts on his wheel that are simply wonderful. Makes his  bicycle rear up, and rides around the stage on his back wheel; besides a lot of other easy things, such as riding on one pedal and riding backward, seated on handlebar.”


3 Apr 2013

Eating Right for Cyclists


Cyclists need to consume adequate amounts of carbohydrates, protein, and fat to maintain and improve strength, speed and stamina. The daily diet should ideally comprise of 55-65% carbohydrates, 15-20% protein, and 20-30% fat. The food  pyramid here is a good approximation of the recommended food intake.

1 Apr 2013

Tips For Biking in Summers


Why there are so many women cyclists today ?

OK, so I'm guessing that one of the reasons for the considerable number of women cyclists today is this ludicrous list of  41 "don’ts"" given for female cyclists in the newspaper New York World in 1895 by an author of unknown gender. I mean seriously, didn't they know that it was only going to get more women on the saddle !! : p  


  • Don’t be a fright.
  • Don’t faint on the road.
  • Don’t wear a man’s cap.
  • Don’t wear tight garters.
  • Don’t forget your toolbag
  • Don’t attempt a “century.”
  • Don’t coast. It is dangerous.
  • Don’t boast of your long rides.
  • Don’t criticize people’s “legs.”
  • Don’t wear loud hued leggings.
  • Don’t cultivate a “bicycle face.”
  • Don’t refuse assistance up a hill.
  • Don’t wear clothes that don’t fit.
  • Don’t neglect a “light’s out” cry.
  • Don’t wear jewelry while on a tour.
  • Don’t race. Leave that to the scorchers.
  • Don’t wear laced boots. They are tiresome.
  • Don’t imagine everybody is looking at you.
  • Don’t go to church in your bicycle costume.
  • Don’t wear a garden party hat with bloomers.
  • Don’t contest the right of way with cable cars.
  • Don’t chew gum. Exercise your jaws in private.
  • Don’t wear white kid gloves. Silk is the thing.
  • Don’t ask, “What do you think of my bloomers?”
  • Don’t use bicycle slang. Leave that to the boys.
  • Don’t go out after dark without a male escort.
  • Don’t without a needle, thread and thimble.
  • Don’t try to have every article of your attire “match.”
  • Don’t let your golden hair be hanging down your back.
  • Don’t allow dear little Fido to accompany you
  • Don’t scratch a match on the seat of your bloomers.
  • Don’t discuss bloomers with every man you know.
  • Don’t appear in public until you have learned to ride well.
  • Don’t overdo things. Let cycling be a recreation, not a labor.
  • Don’t ignore the laws of the road because you are a woman.
  • Don’t try to ride in your brother’s clothes “to see how it feels.”
  • Don’t scream if you meet a cow. If she sees you first, she will run.
  • Don’t cultivate everything that is up to date because yon ride a wheel.
  • Don’t emulate your brother’s attitude if he rides parallel with the ground.
  • Don’t undertake a long ride if you are not confident of performing it easily.
  • Don’t appear to be up on “records” and “record smashing.” That is sporty.

~  This list was originally seen published on BrainPickings.org and the list can be traced back to a 1942 edition of the Illinois Historical Society with an attribution to the New York World.