Miserable Roadie Rant

[J i m s t e r]

You would think then anyone who clearly shares the same interest as you would be polite enough to muster a nod, smile or even a hello.

Exactly. And mostly they are. I wish I had the time to train and the disposable income to be that quick, but because I don't plan on putting Bradley Wiggins out of a job, should that stop me riding?

 

[J i m s t e r]

The worst was the to$$er who said "nice bike, pity you are so slow, I hate w**kers on good bikes". I told him that I had just had 8 months of chemotherapy (true) which made him feel a bit of a tw*t.

I would have sparked him out no question for that.

 

[barry2017]

All I can say is this: it's their problem. The best cyclists always say hello, the mediocre ones don't because they feel insecure.
A few years ago, when I was training quite hard, I was out with my mate who was an ex-courier. He was never interested in competition, but he was very handy; completely out of my league, even when I was keen.
Anyways, we're going up a hill and some lycra-clad knobend flies past us riding up a big, straight hill. Al, wearing his jeans and t-shirt and riding my clapped out commuter bike gives chase and drops him....

...with his hands behind his back.

One of the most satisfying things I have ever seen.

 

[jonnyboy666]

this stuff all sounds very familiar! i do a bit of everything so i see most of what you're talking about alot,

roadies, can be miserable depending on what i am riding/wearing, i find if your riding a good bike and wearing lycra they give the nod etc, if not they don't, for my nightshifts in the summer i ride my cross bike to work in baggy's (so i don't get the you look like a tit comments when i get to work) i remember seeing a local prominant shop owners son in full shop kit coming the other way, put my hand up and he ignored me but that maybe because like father like son etc!

mtb-ers, some good some bad, the downhillers are simply not interested in anything other than the people they ride with. i find the trail centre people aren't too bad at all, lost my wallet at afan, it was handed in with everything there, stopped and chatted with various people at various centres to ask about their bikes/kit etc, always had good chats. locally though i ride mostly on my own and when i see other riders most are ok

motorbike, i ride a crosser, most roadies don't nod, having said that, i don't nod at moped riders, mainly because they are spotty 16 yr old pillocks though!

point being with the motorbikes, is there is always a hierachy and people WILL judge you (if they don't know you) on what they see you riding/wearing to decide whether you are like them!

my 2p

 

[orange71]

I had great satisfaction when a guy overtook me on his Kona Explosif in all the gear along a canal path. I was on my San Andreas with a child seat on the back (yep - with baby in it!). I thought, let's see if I can keep up. No problem He kept on trying to go faster and faster looking over his shoulder and I was still there. He ended up slowing down and saying 'I give up'!! We ended up chatting and he was actually a nice enough bloke

 

[Supernaut]

There are miserable buggers everywhere in cycling! I see a lot of roadies when I'm out training in the Peaks (I'm one as well) and nod to them all. I get a nod back less than 50% of the time, whether I'm riding my MTB or my best summer racing machine.

It's not just restricted to them, though. Plenty of MTBers ride on the tracks near where I live, if I'm out just tooling around doing skills training on my CX bike I get zero recognition.
Possibly that's down to the fact that I'll be in 'roadie' kit, but even so :roll:

 

[Neil G]

Good salt shaking

Always get into a few friendly & not so friendy scraps/races with roadies commuting...fair game I say

 

[16simon]

My take on it is that you acknowledge people because you are both members of a minority who are enjoying a similar experience.

You don't nod to other car drivers, do you? In Europe, where cycling is more popular (hence not a minority activity) there is much less acknowledgement between riders.

I don't think that I'm a bike snob, but I wouldn't nod to someone in town on an old MTB wearing normal clothes because I wouldn't feel anything in common with someone who just jumps on a bike to ride to work.

I used to work in a bike shop, and we used to call them 'peope who ride bikes' (as opposed to 'cyclists') because they ran their bikes into the ground, and had no desire to develope their cycling or understanding of their bike. I'm not saying that someone like that can't turn into a real cyclist, but most don't.

 

[The Ken]

It's all down to individuals some nod some don't - it's not roadie or downhiller or lycra or age specific.

I nod, mostly people nod back but some don't - that's fine, each to their own.

The response Jimster got was just downright rude and snobbish in every way. No excuse whoever it comes from.

Even if the person is riding a BSO I nod, "people who ride bikes" are just as much cyclists as the rest of us and treating them differently is just as snobbish.

They may not have the means or knowledge of "us educated few" but at least they are riding bikes and that has got to be a good thing and should be acknowledged as such with a polite nod.

 

[pigman]

I don't think that I'm a bike snob, but I wouldn't nod to someone in town on an old MTB wearing normal clothes because I wouldn't feel anything in common with someone who just jumps on a bike to ride to work.

not so sure : you both have to do the work, experience the weather, put up with bad driving etc etc. So much in common.

I used to work in a bike shop, and we used to call them 'peope who ride bikes' (as opposed to 'cyclists') because they ran their bikes into the ground, and had no desire to develope their cycling or understanding of their bike. I'm not saying that someone like that can't turn into a real cyclist, but most don't.

strong stuff buddy. I once defended someone on the CTC forum who said something similar and was completely lynched. I remember being called blinkered, non-inclusive and even biggotted. so tread carefully.