IQ² Cycling festival

This might be worth a look:

http://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/cycling?utm_source=Intelligence+Squared+newsletters&utm_campaign=7e780655e4-9_11_Event_Email8_19_2011&utm_medium=email"

IQ2 events are usually pretty good, even if the audiences tend towards braying Tory...

Tickets are £10 if you use the dscount code "IQ2BIKE"

I'm looking forward to it.

Anyone else going to this?

Wasn't amazing – feel like I've learnt considerably more from this messageboard than from the talks – but definitely worth doing. Not least for the feeling of entitlement to the road on the journey home.

Patrick Field was best speaker by far.
Bella Bathurst provided good primer.
Cox was plodding, but well meaning.
Obree's talk was really jangled, but his answers to questions made him seem a lot more thoughtful. Apart from the road tax thing.
Self provided an entertaining but futile display in onanism.
Oh, and Geoff Dyer was utterly charming and entirely lucid.

The only other time I've been to an Intelligence Squared event was to hear PJ O'Rourke talk about politics, and as he's a republican (albeit a sort of democrat sanctioned republican) I assumed the high turnout of apparently Tory audience members was something to do with that. Now I suspect it might be something to do with the areas of London they're held in. It would be interesting to see if they put on a talk in Hackney whether it would still be attended by a majority of Cressidas and Jeremys. If it was, then it's probably down to the organisers' political leanings.

Got pounced on at the door and asked to sign up for the newsletter by some ferocious & precocious young people who look like they hang out with royalty. Their rounded syllables and obnoxious politeness disabled my defences and I signed it. GOD DAMN IT!

You can't fool us. We've seen you in your three piece moleskin.

I went to the first one of these in 2002 (on hunting) I knew all the PR girls personally.

I enjoyed it, wasn't hugely informative but some good speakers. Patrick Field was fantastic.

Some of the questions were horrific, classic nerdy righteous cyclist business. Couldn't help thinking how Obree sounded like Scoble in some of his answers to things, eg. fat tyres, upright handlebars etc.

Why is one speaking thing a 'festival'?

I quite enjoyed last night, but as ever misjudged my timing and arrived too soon. I then stood in the bar, sweating like a nun at a Chippendales show, wearing shorts and trainers and surrounded by the besuited. Fortunately I was soon joined by an enormous and similarly attired Danish dude, and his diminutive partner, who took the edge off my discomfort (though it may have been the hastily quaffed beer).

As noted above, each speaker was interesting and though not all were used to public speaking (Obree's approach bordered on stream of consciousness) together the panel made for thought provoking discussion. Self's comical interjections helped to raise the spirits slightly as the subject of RLJ came up, there may even have been a mention of helmets but these were quickly skated over, rather than have the event sink into the safety mire.

A couple of the questions from the floor were ranty bollocks, but again were circumnavigated like Vin Cox avoiding a cul de sac. I was surprised at the small number of people dressed for cycling, and a bit disappointed with the bike parking provided, but as I said, I got there early so no probs parking for me, and I got to go to the bar as well. Win all round.

And 'festival' means inappropriate touching of strangers and opportunistic looting, I experienced neither.

tl;dr

Audio recordings now in for those wishing to listen:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDC5C629014551729

Patrick is good value. I haven't had a chance to listen to the others yet.

Patrick Field - Cycling is a (very fun) political process - IQ2 Cycling festival - YouTube