---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cyclists, I work with a number of…"
description: "\"Cyclists, I work with a number of cyclists. They are great athletes; they are great aerobic athletes. If you ask them to hit a baseball or golf ball, t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_cyclists-i-work-with-a-number-of-cyclist_1586002.jpg"
---

#  Cyclists, I work with a number of cyclists. They are great…

![“Cyclists, I work with a number of cyclists. They are great athletes; they are great aerobic athletes. If you ask them to hit a baseball or golf ball, they can't do that.” quote by Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_cyclists-i-work-with-a-number-of-cyclist_1586002.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_cyclists-i-work-with-a-number-of-cyclist_1586002.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_cyclists-i-work-with-a-number-of-cyclist_1586002.jpg)

> “Cyclists, I work with a number of cyclists. They are great athletes; they are great aerobic athletes. If you ask them to hit a baseball or golf ball, they can't do that.”

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Cyclists excel in endurance but lack hand-eye coordination for ball sports, highlighting sport-specific skill sets.

**In simple terms:** Cyclists are great at endurance, not ball sports.

Key Takeaway

Recognize strengths and limits of each sport.

Themes

sports science skill transfer physiology

Mood

analytical neutral

Type

educational informative

When to use this quote

- cross‑training programs
- talent scouting
- rehab exercises

Key Concepts

motor learning specialization training methods

Questions to Reflect On

- Can cyclists improve ball skills with training?
- What benefits does cross‑training offer?

A Different Perspective

Specialization can limit overall athleticism.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Cyclists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cyclists/) [Golf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golf/) [Great Athletes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-athletes/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/)

## Related quotes

> [No matter what your background or where you are from, the one thing we can all respect is when great athletes and great passion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samoa-joe/no-matter-what-your-background-or-where-you-are-from-the-one-thing-we/)

[Samoa Joe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samoa-joe/)

> [Golf has humbled, humiliated, and just about licked all the great athletes who tried it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-blaik/golf-has-humbled-humiliated-and-just-about-licked-all-the-great/)

[Earl Blaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-blaik/)

> [I had a great interest in sports. I had three older brothers who were great athletes. I was not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/i-had-a-great-interest-in-sports-i-had-three-older-brothers-who-were/)

[George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/)

> [Americans' addiction to sports, with the NFL at the top, is based on the excitement generated by the potential for the unexpected great play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/americans-addiction-to-sports-with-the-nfl-at-the-top-is-based-on-the/)

[Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/)

> [The thing about great athletes is that they all believe they can win the very next time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wilbon/the-thing-about-great-athletes-is-that-they-all-believe-they-can-win/)

[Michael Wilbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wilbon/)

> [Most comedians weren't great athletes; that was the way they got noticed in high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/most-comedians-weren-t-great-athletes-that-was-the-way-they-got/)

[Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/)

> [There are a lot of young great athletes out there; they're much better athletes than what we were. They're bigger, faster, stronger, unfortunately, there're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steele/there-are-a-lot-of-young-great-athletes-out-there-they-re-much-better/)

[George Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steele/)

> [Basketball is at its best when you have athletes in space making plays. It's the same for soccer, you have great athletes in space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-battier/basketball-is-at-its-best-when-you-have-athletes-in-space-making/)

[Shane Battier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-battier/)

> [Great people and great athletes realize early in their lives their destiny, and accept it. Even if they do not consciously realize the how,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/great-people-and-great-athletes-realize-early-in-their-lives-their/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I've met and sketched most of the great athletes from the past five decades and their movement, grace and energy have kept me captivated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/i-ve-met-and-sketched-most-of-the-great-athletes-from-the-past-five/)

[LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/)

> [That is what great athletes can do: they give us a model of striving for human perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armstrong-williams/that-is-what-great-athletes-can-do-they-give-us-a-model-of-striving/)

[Armstrong Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armstrong-williams/)

> [Personally, I think SmackDown! has to be a little spicier than it is, a little more electrifying than it is. It's got great athletes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dusty-rhodes/personally-i-think-smackdown-has-to-be-a-little-spicier-than-it-is-a/)

[Dusty Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dusty-rhodes/)

> [You can kick a ball into the net, throw a basketball into the net. Tennis is complicated. It'll make a lot of great athletes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-courier/you-can-kick-a-ball-into-the-net-throw-a-basketball-into-the-net/)

[Jim Courier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-courier/)

> [But as much as I am personally proud for winning five championships, I'm equally proud just being part of a women's division that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trish-stratus/but-as-much-as-i-am-personally-proud-for-winning-five-championships-i/)

[Trish Stratus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trish-stratus/)

> [I think in general, people look at all Olympic athletes, look at all superstar athletes, and they say, "Okay, this guy doesn't have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/i-think-in-general-people-look-at-all-olympic-athletes-look-at-all/)

[Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/)

## More by Eric Heiden

> [We never did a lot of weights, but a lot of repetitions. The most I would use doing squats was 300 pounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/we-never-did-a-lot-of-weights-but-a-lot-of-repetitions-the-most-i/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [I really liked it best when I was a nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/i-really-liked-it-best-when-i-was-a-nobody/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [When I was skating you had to participate in every thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/when-i-was-skating-you-had-to-participate-in-every-thing/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [It is not the events in our life that define our character, but how we deal with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/it-is-not-the-events-in-our-life-that-define-our-character-but-how-we/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [I mean you got to thank your parents for giving you the right genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/i-mean-you-got-to-thank-your-parents-for-giving-you-the-right-genes/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [You don't really want to load up a whole lot, probably anything more than four hours before the race. I needed something to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/you-don-t-really-want-to-load-up-a-whole-lot-probably-anything-more/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [I'd rather get a nice warmup suit. That's something I can use. Gold medals just sit there. When I get old, maybe I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/i-d-rather-get-a-nice-warmup-suit-that-s-something-i-can-use-gold/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [On today's athletes: I wish I could turn back the clock a little bit so I'd have a chance to cut it up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn-back-the-clock-a-little-bit/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [I had the drive to pursue speedskating and I found a sport that I was good at. If I'd got into cycling, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/i-had-the-drive-to-pursue-speedskating-and-i-found-a-sport-that-i-was/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [In general, I enjoy athletes who have a strong character who let their abilities speak for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/in-general-i-enjoy-athletes-who-have-a-strong-character-who-let-their/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [Heck, gold medals, what can you do with them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-them/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [It's not a sport you get famous at. If I wanted to be famous, I would have stuck with hockey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/it-s-not-a-sport-you-get-famous-at-if-i-wanted-to-be-famous-i-would/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [They're just big in the eyes of the American public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/they-re-just-big-in-the-eyes-of-the-american-public/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [Immediately after the Olympics, I was pretty fatigued.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/immediately-after-the-olympics-i-was-pretty-fatigued/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

> [How much you move affects your strength, your power, your balance, how you look, how you think, how well you withstand the high winds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/how-much-you-move-affects-your-strength-your-power-your-balance-how/)

[Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

[Explore all 26 Eric Heiden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/)

## More Athlete quotes

> [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/)

[Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/)

> [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/)

[Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

> [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/)

[Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/)

> [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/)

[Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/)

> [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/)

[Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/)

> [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/)

[Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/)

> [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/)

[Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/)

> [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/)

[Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/)

> [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/)

[Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/)

> [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/)

[Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/)

> [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/)

[Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/)

> [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/)

[Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/)

> [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/)

[Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/)

> [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/)

[Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/)

[Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Cyclists, I work with a number of cyclists. They are great athletes; they are great aerobic athletes. If you ask them to hit a baseball or golf ball, they can't do that.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Eric Heiden"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/cyclists-i-work-with-a-number-of-cyclists-they-are-great-athletes/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Athlete"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/cyclists-i-work-with-a-number-of-cyclists-they-are-great-athletes/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_cyclists-i-work-with-a-number-of-cyclist_1586002.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_cyclists-i-work-with-a-number-of-cyclist_1586002.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_cyclists-i-work-with-a-number-of-cyclist_1586002.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Cyclists, I work with a number of cyclists. They are great athletes; they are great aerobic athletes. If you…” — Eric Heiden",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Eric Heiden",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Cyclists, I work with a number...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/cyclists-i-work-with-a-number-of-cyclists-they-are-great-athletes/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/cyclists-i-work-with-a-number-of-cyclists-they-are-great-athletes/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
