I went to see the documentary film MAMIL at a special showing in Derby. The film is an affectionate look at men of a certain age who take up cycling. It features individuals who took up cycling for various reasons, health, weight, and in one case a diagnosis of MS.
The film also looks at a variety of clubs in Australia, USA and the UK. Some are bizarre, e.g one rider tows a trailer that blasts out music. There are common themes, club kit, cafe stops. There is a section on what people spend on bikes, and how they hide the true cost from their wives, and on some of the serious injuries that they have had. Some participants had an unhealthy obsessive approach to riding, training and racing.
The film starts to drag towards the end when some of the featured cyclists start to philosophise about the value of cycling, and keeps cutting to an Aussie guy riding up the Tourmalet, and a group on a charity ride, 200k m over 2 days, that takes them over 8 hours to complete each days ride.
An interesting film, but perhaps not one to be seen with wives or partners. 'How much did that new bike really cost?', 'I am not happy about you cycling, look at the serious, life changing injuries that those guys have suffered'.
