Cyclist and the demise of brotherhood/friendship.

[NeilM]

Another lifestyle change in the offing.

Call me THW

Will you be keeping the beard?

Another experiment today proved most confusing.

Out at 6.30am again and the first cyclist I saw was a ladie roadie waiting at a set of traffic lights on a railway bridge (I was coming the other way), I said 'morning' and gave a little wave. Her dark glasses meant I could not see if she even registered my presence... maybe she was just concentrating too hard on the track stand. Further on I saw a chap on a commuter / mtb-ish bike, not a thing, didn't even look at me on my orange / blue Cougar in full Rabobank Team kit. Same again a while later and again with a racing snake on a single speeder.... who might have been the same chap I saw the other day. Close to the end of the ride I saw a larger lady riding a Dutch bike towards me along a country lane, a 'good morning' from me got a smile and the same in return, she obviously spotted that my bike was not constructed from carbon fibre, thank goodness.

 

[NeilM]

Re:

Out yesterday for a 30 miler, now the temperature has gone down a bit.

Bike: 2004 Rourke in black, black, black and black.

Kit: Specialized black helmet with blue / white Morvelo cap, red framed dark glasses, Castelli blue/white/black jersey, red / white Mavic gloves (that don't pinch between my fingers), black Pearl Izumi shorts, Morvelo white / black socks, white Lake Shoes.

First rider on flat bar hybrid, a chap about my age gave me a cheery wave, next two guys, older roadies both on carbon bikes, both in typical cycling garb both gave me a wave and a "Hi". Some few miles later a hard core looking young ladie roadie on a carbon bike with bright plain pink jersey and black shorts gave me the tiniest of right hand 'waves', basically she straightened her fingers from gripping the bars, I had to frame by frame on my video (I video all rides for motoring transgressions, of which there are always many) to see this, so she could easily have passed as a miserable hard core roadie had the video evidence not proved that perception incorrect. Last rider, similar age to me, plain blue jersey, black shorts, disc equipped road bike... big wave and "hello".

The experiment continues.

 

[The History Man]

Were you standing in the door of the Pink Flamingo crying in the rain?

 

[NeilM]

Re:

Me?

Sorry, no idea what you are asking.

 

[The History Man]

Google is your friend.

 

[xerxes]

Re:

I find that if I wave or nod, it is generally reciprocated. Similarly, if I cheerily say "morning" as I pass, even at four in the afternoon, that is also reciprocated, thus proving that people are basically just sheep and will follow the heard.

 

[Joe_Rides]

My observation from the weekend's 100-ish miles of riding in the Bowland Fells;

Saturday - I think every person I passed reciprocated my "morning/afternoon/hello" etc. Note that I passed a lot of clubs with 3 - 5 riders but they were a slightly older crowd (late 40's/50's+).

Sunday - Slightly less "off the beaten track" route so a lot more of the younger crowd about pushing for strava figures. However only a couple kept their heads down and ignored me.

Overall - very positive. But then northern people are rumoured to be more friendly after all?!

Bike - 94 cannondale m400 loaded with panniers etc.
Attire - cream checked shirt, grey shorts from M&S with a big rip down one side, walking shoes. Generally looking quite withered.

 

[xerxes]

Re:

a slightly older crowd (late 40's/50's+).

So, actually, some that were younger.

 

[Joe_Rides]

Re:

a slightly older crowd (late 40's/50's+).

So, actually, some that were younger.

By that I meant "older than the crowd experienced on Sunday" which was mostly 18 - late 30's!!

 

[BretonDave]

Re:

Cycling on French roads I have found to be similar to the UK - in general the younger carbon riders don't give you a second glance - whilst the older (perhaps 30+) will either nod, wave or say hello.

A couple of weeks ago I was doing a section of the TdF route near Mur de Bretagne - riding my early 80's Daniel Salmon, and was flagged down by a group of cyclists from the Christchurch Bicycle Club who were at the side of road waiting for the tour to come through. They wanted to have a close look at the bike - obviously not used to seeing older bikes? They were a really friendly bunch and we passed a pleasant 10 minutes chatting about the bike and the tour. Not sure French riders would have done the same.