Sir, – I'm usually a fan of David McWilliams's weekly columns. I must, however, express my disappointment that in his most recent one (May 19th), the first reason he offers for why cycling is apparently becoming a "middle-class sport" is that "cycling is difficult, and only a person with a certain inner drive gets up on a saddle" (Opinion, "Lurid gear and swanky bikes mark cycling as the new golf").
The implication that such a quality is lacking in those of less socioeconomic privilege is inescapable.
The overall tone of the article may well have been humorous, but to see such insidious classist prejudice on the pages of The Irish Times is far from funny, and far short of the usually excellent standards of your columnist's articles. I hope I can look forward to better on Saturday. – Yours, etc,
ALAN EUSTACE,
Marino,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – A perceptive article by David McWilliams.
I wonder if these men puffing their way up the hills, and wobbling across the road as they do so, would not be doing their health more good with a spot of mild gardening. – Yours, etc,
PATRICIA O’RIORDAN,
Dublin 8.