Is the bicycle a new social marker of our lifestyles?

… or the problem posed differently: when a manager becomes a rolling CV Because indeed, there was a time when riding simply meant… riding. Today, you can almost guess a cyclist's tax bracket just by looking at their bike. Between the one who shows up with a Canyon Ultimate CFR Brand new and yet another still recycling their old 2008 aluminum, the social divide is as stark as the laps at Longchamp. Moreover, at theLongchamp RacecourseThere is now a sort of “unofficial parade”. The one in Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 He's passing you at 45 km/h, glasses Oakley Sutro The grips on the helmet are raised, and you can almost smell the carbon fiber fresh from the oven. And you know you're going to stay right behind him for exactly… six seconds.

By Jeff Tatard – Photo: @jefftatard

But the funniest thing is that nobody finds it strange. The bicycle has become a rolling business card: “Hello, my name is Pierre, I have a Pinarello Dogma F, I've been doing Zwift since 2020 and I never buy my tires on sale.”

Equipment: passion, reason… and inflation

Let's be honest: some prices are staggering. And we've already discussed this, particularly in the article "When a bicycle costs the price of a motorcycle"...

A complete bike that exceeds the price of a small car That's normal. A pair of wheels costs more than a Parisian rent? That's normal. A cassette for €450 or more? It's almost become commonplace.

You just need to walk past a shop selling Rapha To realize that "chic cycling" is no longer a niche: it's a lifestyle. You go in for a jersey, you leave with a price tag higher than a romantic dinner... and yet you smile, because it's beautiful, because it's clean, because it's tempting. And because, let's be honest, we've all succumbed to temptation before...

But behind this move upmarket lies a question: In trying to get closer to the pros (at least aesthetically), haven't we lost sight of the reality of amateur cycling?
We see cyclists who produce 180 watts but display equipment designed to support Pogacar's 460 watts.
It's a bit like buying a Michelin-starred chef's knife... to cut surimi.

Longchamp, an open-air sociological laboratory

To go there from time to time wearing the jersey 3bikesIf there is one place in France where cycling reveals our social behaviors, it is indeed Longchamp.

At Longchamp, you can judge at a glance: rim height, tire condition, position on the bike, pedaling efficiency. And you reconIt is born between “peers”. It’s human. It’s irrational. It’s also fun (as long as we realize it).

The human behind carbon

But to caricature would be unfair. There is a simple truth: despite the madness of the market, cycling remains a profoundly democratic activity.
There will always be that cyclist who rides on an old Alex Singer steel frame, but he drops you off while chatting as if he were reading his newspaper.
There will always be that beginner with flat pedals, but a determination that would make a triathlete pale.
And there will always be those cyclists who come “just to feel good”, far removed from comparisons and statistics.

At a time when we project a great deal of identity onto objects, the bicycle has taken on an astonishing symbolic place.
But you know what we think about 3bikes ? We're the ones who have changed, not him.

So, is cycling a social marker?

Yes… a little.
No… not really.
Or rather: only if we decide to.

The bicycle didn't ask for anything from anyone.
It is our gaze that overinterprets, that classifies, that amuses itself or that gets lost.

Ultimately, cycling can be anything: a marker, a refuge, a sport, a means of transport, a meditation, an escape.
But above all, it remains a fantastic tool for leveling the playing field: on a climb, whether you're equipped with Shimano Dura Ace Di2 or in an entry-level group, it's always your legs that do the talking.

And no social marker is exempt from that.

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