We race bikes, take things seriously and give each other a hard time- are we snobs?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 46
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
We race bikes, take things seriously and give each other a hard time- are we snobs?
Came across this gem earlier reposted by Peleton. Are we snobs? Does caring about our sport and wishing others would do the same if they would like to be involved make us mean? Can we really be vilified for joining a team and sticking to heritage?
Why does cycling attract so many snobs? - Telegraph
Also, I don't want grief for posting this here and not the road forums because this pretty adamantly calls out the road racer.
Why does cycling attract so many snobs? - Telegraph
Also, I don't want grief for posting this here and not the road forums because this pretty adamantly calls out the road racer.
#2
**** that
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: CALI
Posts: 15,402
Mentioned: 151 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1099 Post(s)
Liked 104 Times
in
30 Posts
a) What's great about the top photo used in the article is that the next few frames show the guy crashing into the grass..
b) Bike racing isn't really mentioned in the article. A few pros are, but not actual races. Do "sportives" even count as races?
c) I got 41 answers but "yes" ain't one
b) Bike racing isn't really mentioned in the article. A few pros are, but not actual races. Do "sportives" even count as races?
c) I got 41 answers but "yes" ain't one
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Folsom, CA
Posts: 3,888
Mentioned: 32 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 417 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
a) What's great about the top photo used in the article is that the next few frames show the guy crashing into the grass..
b) Bike racing isn't really mentioned in the article. A few pros are, but not actual races. Do "sportives" even count as races?
c) I got 41 answers but "yes" ain't one
b) Bike racing isn't really mentioned in the article. A few pros are, but not actual races. Do "sportives" even count as races?
c) I got 41 answers but "yes" ain't one
#9
RacingBear
a) What's great about the top photo used in the article is that the next few frames show the guy crashing into the grass..
b) Bike racing isn't really mentioned in the article. A few pros are, but not actual races. Do "sportives" even count as races?
c) I got 41 answers but "yes" ain't one
b) Bike racing isn't really mentioned in the article. A few pros are, but not actual races. Do "sportives" even count as races?
c) I got 41 answers but "yes" ain't one
but because they were on a sportive. A strictly non-competitive event, sportives are organised for fun; at the end of the ride, everyone is presented with the exact same medal. These guys literally could not win, no matter how much better they considered themselves to be or how fast they rode.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 616
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
They must have been going ridiculously slow if the author was able to hear them exhaust an entire repertoire of insults and then observe them trying to blow by other riders, all this while the author is stopped at the side of the road.
What a bunch of BS.
What a bunch of BS.
#11
These Guys Eat Oreos
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Superior, CO
Posts: 3,432
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
41.
And there are a lot of snobs in bike racing. But who cares, there are a lot of snobs in life. The only thing I got from that article is that he is jealous he can't devote himself enough to get on a team and be a somewhat decent bike racer.
And there are a lot of snobs in bike racing. But who cares, there are a lot of snobs in life. The only thing I got from that article is that he is jealous he can't devote himself enough to get on a team and be a somewhat decent bike racer.
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 207
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
So would Harley riders also be considered snobs since they greet one another but do not acknowledge riders on other brands of motorcycles ?
Some years ago around Monroe Ct I had one of those days where on a 5+ hour ride I suffered 3 flats, ran out of patches and had to walk the last 6 km to home. The only person that stopped and asked If I needed assistance was a guy on a Harley in club colors. Of all the pickups and SUV's that went by me, none were even concerned. I respect anyone on two wheels as long as they offer the same. I have always offered assistance to anyone whom I encountered that was in need. It's the normal human courtesy.
I actually was stopped yesterday towards the end of my ride, at the start of the climb to Mt Tom by this kid who was training but lost. He had been training/running with his Drill Instructor ( whatever ) and since he wasn't in shape to keep up, the DI had dropped him and left him to fend for himself. He was heading in the wrong direction, had descended about 4km but needed to go back to reach the log cabin where he wanted to go. He was OK, just tired and dismayed. As for that DI, he is clueless, you never let someone who doesn't know the route and is obviously not in shape to keep up get shelled and then leave them. Always have to make sure that person gets back safely.
In Cycling, snobbery takes many forms. Such as the jerks who insist on a hammerfest when it's a group ride. The etiquette is to designate wether there are other's who want to push the pace. If so it is declared before the ride starts and it is set to begin at a distance from the start of the ride. Whereas then it is fine to drop others who don't want or cannot keep pace.
Otherwise a group ride mans that the faster riders wait for the slowest riders to bridge, repeatedly if needed and wait for them to finish the ride as a group. A group ride is a social gathering, not a forum to prove how dominant a rider one is.
If anyone travels to France or Italy or Belgium and has the pleasure of being invited to ride with a local club. Beware of the above practice, you will be promptly asked to not return to ride for trying to prove that you can drop everyone.
I call snobbery on the wannabe's who wear all the regalia, poor riding skills, think they're all that and couldn't acknowledge anyone else might perhaps have a few more miles than they do. I took a detour yesterday to check out the bike path from Hadley to Northhampton.
Plenty of examples on that conduit. Especially lately the touring types. Riding with the full accoutrements of panniers and kit. This has happened multiple times, i'll nod or acknowledge them and will get a blank look in return.
I hope someday I can be so cool that I do not have to return a greeting ( not )
For crying out loud, we are all on 2 wheels, amazingly the hipsters and fixies are the most engaging. I'm not a fan of full tattoo regalia or for that matter a fixie, but when it comes to a group who are genuinely interested they are fun to hang with.
BTW, the snobbery is fortunately mostly entrenched in the sportives, recreational riders and lower Cats 5,4's, some in the 3's, but very rare in the 1's and 2's and especially rare with the Pro's or ex Pro's. Perhaps because they've proven to themselves just how difficult it is to reach the upper trenches and have no need to stroke their ego's by acting with an air of superiority.
Perhaps we'd get a bit more respect from the automobilia if the cycling community was a bit more cohesive.
Some years ago around Monroe Ct I had one of those days where on a 5+ hour ride I suffered 3 flats, ran out of patches and had to walk the last 6 km to home. The only person that stopped and asked If I needed assistance was a guy on a Harley in club colors. Of all the pickups and SUV's that went by me, none were even concerned. I respect anyone on two wheels as long as they offer the same. I have always offered assistance to anyone whom I encountered that was in need. It's the normal human courtesy.
I actually was stopped yesterday towards the end of my ride, at the start of the climb to Mt Tom by this kid who was training but lost. He had been training/running with his Drill Instructor ( whatever ) and since he wasn't in shape to keep up, the DI had dropped him and left him to fend for himself. He was heading in the wrong direction, had descended about 4km but needed to go back to reach the log cabin where he wanted to go. He was OK, just tired and dismayed. As for that DI, he is clueless, you never let someone who doesn't know the route and is obviously not in shape to keep up get shelled and then leave them. Always have to make sure that person gets back safely.
In Cycling, snobbery takes many forms. Such as the jerks who insist on a hammerfest when it's a group ride. The etiquette is to designate wether there are other's who want to push the pace. If so it is declared before the ride starts and it is set to begin at a distance from the start of the ride. Whereas then it is fine to drop others who don't want or cannot keep pace.
Otherwise a group ride mans that the faster riders wait for the slowest riders to bridge, repeatedly if needed and wait for them to finish the ride as a group. A group ride is a social gathering, not a forum to prove how dominant a rider one is.
If anyone travels to France or Italy or Belgium and has the pleasure of being invited to ride with a local club. Beware of the above practice, you will be promptly asked to not return to ride for trying to prove that you can drop everyone.
I call snobbery on the wannabe's who wear all the regalia, poor riding skills, think they're all that and couldn't acknowledge anyone else might perhaps have a few more miles than they do. I took a detour yesterday to check out the bike path from Hadley to Northhampton.
Plenty of examples on that conduit. Especially lately the touring types. Riding with the full accoutrements of panniers and kit. This has happened multiple times, i'll nod or acknowledge them and will get a blank look in return.
I hope someday I can be so cool that I do not have to return a greeting ( not )
For crying out loud, we are all on 2 wheels, amazingly the hipsters and fixies are the most engaging. I'm not a fan of full tattoo regalia or for that matter a fixie, but when it comes to a group who are genuinely interested they are fun to hang with.
BTW, the snobbery is fortunately mostly entrenched in the sportives, recreational riders and lower Cats 5,4's, some in the 3's, but very rare in the 1's and 2's and especially rare with the Pro's or ex Pro's. Perhaps because they've proven to themselves just how difficult it is to reach the upper trenches and have no need to stroke their ego's by acting with an air of superiority.
Perhaps we'd get a bit more respect from the automobilia if the cycling community was a bit more cohesive.
#13
Senior Member
"Are we snobs?" I don't know. Should I really be worried about it, though? I'm going to go with no.
#14
pan y agua
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 31,304
Bikes: Willier Zero 7; Merlin Extralight; Calfee Dragonfly tandem, Calfee Adventure tandem; Cervelo P2; Motebecane Ti Fly 29er; Motebecanne Phantom Cross; Schwinn Paramount Track bike
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1447 Post(s)
Liked 727 Times
in
372 Posts
BTW, the snobbery is fortunately mostly entrenched in the sportives, recreational riders and lower Cats 5,4's, some in the 3's, but very rare in the 1's and 2's and especially rare with the Pro's or ex Pro's. Perhaps because they've proven to themselves just how difficult it is to reach the upper trenches and have no need to stroke their ego's by acting with an air of superiority.
I do find it however, being rather difficult to be snobbish as a Cat3, getting my butt kicked in P1,2,3 races.
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
#15
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 46
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The author seems to think that the racers (team kits in paceline folks) are the ones picking on the non-racer wannabe types (wearing yellow jersey replicas while being slower than average). Although there is no need to blow by slower riders in what is essentially a highly organized group ride; can those who enjoy the sport, as opposed to the weekend hobby, be fussed at for wanting to keep some level of tradition and prestige in place?
#16
Ż\_(ツ)_/Ż
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 10,978
Bikes: aggressive agreement is what I ride.
Mentioned: 109 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 967 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
I'd definitely agree that the snobbish behaviour the Author is complaining about is mostly in the non racer wannabe types, as oppossed to licensed riders.
I do find it however, being rather difficult to be snobbish as a Cat3, getting my butt kicked in P1,2,3 races.
I do find it however, being rather difficult to be snobbish as a Cat3, getting my butt kicked in P1,2,3 races.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Posts: 15,280
Bikes: Nashbar Road
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2934 Post(s)
Liked 341 Times
in
228 Posts
The author seems to think that the racers (team kits in paceline folks) are the ones picking on the non-racer wannabe types (wearing yellow jersey replicas while being slower than average). Although there is no need to blow by slower riders in what is essentially a highly organized group ride; can those who enjoy the sport, as opposed to the weekend hobby, be fussed at for wanting to keep some level of tradition and prestige in place?
#19
Not actually Tmonk
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 14,137
Bikes: road, track, mtb
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2640 Post(s)
Liked 3,153 Times
in
1,660 Posts
personally i like to talk trash on people who talk trash about people who talk trash.
let them talk their trash for christsake!
let them talk their trash for christsake!
__________________
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times
in
1,417 Posts
* * *
BTW, the snobbery is fortunately mostly entrenched in the sportives, recreational riders and lower Cats 5,4's, some in the 3's, but very rare in the 1's and 2's and especially rare with the Pro's or ex Pro's. Perhaps because they've proven to themselves just how difficult it is to reach the upper trenches and have no need to stroke their ego's by acting with an air of superiority.
* * *
BTW, the snobbery is fortunately mostly entrenched in the sportives, recreational riders and lower Cats 5,4's, some in the 3's, but very rare in the 1's and 2's and especially rare with the Pro's or ex Pro's. Perhaps because they've proven to themselves just how difficult it is to reach the upper trenches and have no need to stroke their ego's by acting with an air of superiority.
* * *
That said, I've never been on a sportive. Is that like a century or grand fondo?
#21
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 46
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Personally I think that without heritage and common agreements between the whole we run into problems. Signaling when slowing down, turning etc. in a group would be considered tradition- what if a large portion of the sport said to heck with that like other traditions? Maybe we're not snobs, but we're just trying to keep everything from unraveling on us?
#22
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 46
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Also, one of my first organized events was a gran fondo and at the time I thought some of the upper level guys that had showed up to ride with their S-Works/cervélo/etc. rides and smooth cycling talk were snobs and I even heard a guy let out a small chuckle as he passed me going up a steep climb. Looking back on it, I was probably just intimidated by these guys and felt like I was being held to an extremely high scrutiny. Maybe the issue is that new racers and hobbyists are inherently insecure when the big guns are around. Which is why the cat1,2,3 guys say they don't notice any snobbery in their ranks.
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Posts: 15,280
Bikes: Nashbar Road
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2934 Post(s)
Liked 341 Times
in
228 Posts
Weekend bringing out the bike is a hobby separate from putting in the countless hours it takes to race. People that drive sports cars aren't race car drivers. People who ride road bikes aren't road bike racers. You have to get to the starting line.
Personally I think that without heritage and common agreements between the whole we run into problems. Signaling when slowing down, turning etc. in a group would be considered tradition- what if a large portion of the sport said to heck with that like other traditions? Maybe we're not snobs, but we're just trying to keep everything from unraveling on us?
Personally I think that without heritage and common agreements between the whole we run into problems. Signaling when slowing down, turning etc. in a group would be considered tradition- what if a large portion of the sport said to heck with that like other traditions? Maybe we're not snobs, but we're just trying to keep everything from unraveling on us?
So they're not really involved in the sport, and it feels like they're demeaning the traditions?
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Redlands, CA
Posts: 6,313
Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 842 Post(s)
Liked 469 Times
in
250 Posts
...BTW, the snobbery is fortunately mostly entrenched in the sportives, recreational riders and lower Cats 5,4's, some in the 3's, but very rare in the 1's and 2's and especially rare with the Pro's or ex Pro's. Perhaps because they've proven to themselves just how difficult it is to reach the upper trenches and have no need to stroke their ego's by acting with an air of superiority.
Perhaps we'd get a bit more respect from the automobilia if the cycling community was a bit more cohesive.
Perhaps we'd get a bit more respect from the automobilia if the cycling community was a bit more cohesive.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 207
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts