Not in France: West Coast Master cycling club president and former professional cyclist Gary Wright. Picture: Danella Bevis/The West Australian

A former champion cyclist has pulled no punches with his assessment of WA’s emerging cycling culture, calling it a “parody” of the rich cycling culture in France.

Gary Wright, a State and national champion with more than 30 years in the sport, said he was embarrassed and alarmed by the proliferation of Tour de France-style pelotons on heavy haulage roads.

He said Perth cyclists and cycling administrators needed to realise that the bicycle-friendly culture of some European nations could not be replicated overnight.

“These guys are leaving their offices, cramming themselves into lycra, grabbing their $10,000 pushbikes and riding around in pelotons,” he said.

“Then you’ll have 30 of them going into a cafe, sipping coffee and putting it on social media like they’re in the south of France.

“What they don’t understand is that in those countries cycling is a national sport. The cyclists are the AFL stars over there.

“It’s not working here because we don’t have that connection. We have a connection with Aussie Rules and barbecues. It would be fantastic if we could have a more cycle-friendly environment but it has to be a gradual transition.”

Mr Wright’s comments came after former transport minister Simon O’Brien said Perth’s “useless” cyclists to be taught the road rules to avoid being killed.

Mr Wright, a long-time cycling advocate and vice-president of the West Coast Masters Cycling Council, said he was speaking out because sections of the community were losing sight of the dangers of cycling on Perth roads.

He said people who wanted to ride competitively should bite the bullet and register for events.

While both motorists and cyclists had a right to use the roads, the reality was cyclists were outweighed physically and politically.

He said West Cycle, WA’s peak body, should be pushing a strong safety-first approach to cycling and doing more to educate young riders.

“Before you buy a flash bike, do the basics,” Mr Wright said. “Know your way around, find the best routes, learn how to brake in the wet, learn how to handle your bike and learn the road rules.”

“The road rules are so much more important on a bike because if you get hit, the airbag’s not going to go off — you’re going to get ripped to shreds.”

West Cycle chief executive Matt Fulton, who has only been in the job for only 10 weeks, said he agreed that education for children and novices was sorely lacking.

“There is a huge need for education, not only for existing cyclists but also making a generational change through schools,” he said.

“At the moment we’re only able to get out to 0.47 per cent of kids in school, so in my mind that’s a shocking

stat, but we’re heavily constrained financially.

“We’re working towards a target of 5 per cent by 2020.”

But he did not agree with Mr Wright’s assessment of Perth’s cycling culture.

“Personally, I feel a lot safer about riding in a peloton,” he said. “Perth is the idea city for cycling – it’s not going to happen overnight but why can’t we be like the south of France?”