General Cycling Discussion - Bike Snobs

Hello all....

This is my 1st post here and I realy don't want to sound so negative but I have got to vent on a subject that has been on my mind for somtime.

First let me tell you that I ride a Wal-Mart hybrid/mtn bike that I ride daily and with great passion. I have attended a few bike club sponsored rides in my area only to have "bike snobs" look down there nose at my Wal-Mart bike.

If these people realy want want to promote cycling than it should not matter if your riding a $2.00 garage sale bike or my Wal-Mart bike. Truth is not every one can afford a high end bike. So do we exclude these folks?

Take a look around your neighborhood..... Ill bet you will find more Wal-Mart, K-mart etc, etc, bikes owned by ordinary people who just plain enjoy cycling. Bike snobs wake up and smell the coffee and promote cycling.

There will always be bike snobs, just like there are snobs in every other sport/culture. Just look for the nicer guys, and you'll have more fun.

no way A... rowers are never snobs :)

jk.
like you said.. there will always be someone who thinks they are better than you..lol what do they know?

Hey Windchaser, I used to row in crew. You're right, I've never met any rower snobs....

First of all, welcome to the forum.

My opinion is that if someone is riding a bike or enjoys cycling then they are ok in my book no matter what type or brand of bike they are riding. Keep riding and have fun. Don't worry about the others.

I started riding in '94 on a $90 Huffy and surely received my share of bad looks from cyclists on pricier steeds. I hate to say it but it drove me to be a better cyclist. I always wanted to pass or drop those who felt superior just because my bike was a cheap model.

Everyone has to start somewhere. My friends and coworkers have asked for bike buying advise many times. I always tell them to buy from a bike shop if they can. If they cannot, then buy the best you can afford from the x-mart and let me look it over so it's safe to ride.

I picked up the cycling bug after watching a local race and I couldn't wait to save up the money to buy a good bike. I got one a couple of weeks later with the money leftover after bills and rent were paid. I was in love with cycling. I lost 30 lbs, got in great shape and found a passion that stays with me today.

Forget about the looks or comments about your bike. Enjoy it and what it can do for you. I believe most here would share that feeling. If you have any questions feel free to ask. This is the best forum I've found for everyone from newbies to racers.

BTW, if you are a firefighter, THANKS!:D

lol i know you row.. we have talked before.. on another forum lol

i row eights now.. its soooooooo much fun.. trying to get only morning crew tho... so i can bike there and back before rush hour ,its a killer and a nice 10 mile ride.
about half of the rowers in the club, ride.. marni mcbean trained there and there is a silver medalist from australia(sydney 2000) coaching there... met him.. love the accent... he had no complaints about my form..lol
yeah right... i row... like i ride.....:)

YOu know, Phil, whenever I see someone on a bike, I feel good.

On the other hand, my cycling and your cycling are different kinds of cycling. We do it for different reasons, seeking different results. You may think that I look down on you and your Wal-Mart bike, but I don't. What you see isn't derision, but more a lack of recognition. I respect the differences between our kinds of cycling, acknowledging both that they have much in common and much different.

Phil,

It's like small town fire departments. You have the paid guys and you have the volunteers. They work the same fires, side by side, but some of the paid guys always think they are better than the volunteers, just because it's their day job.

Welcome to cycling. There are a lot of good people you are going to meet, no matter what you are riding.

Tom

Originally posted by Goatbiker
Welcome to cycling. There are a lot of good people you are going to meet, no matter what you are riding.
Hey - we even think that those who ride bents are good people - mostly.:D

If the wheels go 'round, it's a good bike!

Ride, Don't Worry
Pat

Originally posted by windchaser
lol i know you row.. we have talked before.. on another forum lol

i row eights now.. its soooooooo much fun.. trying to get only morning crew tho... so i can bike there and back before rush hour ,its a killer and a nice 10 mile ride.
about half of the rowers in the club, ride.. marni mcbean trained there and there is a silver medalist from australia(sydney 2000) coaching there... met him.. love the accent... he had no complaints about my form..lol
yeah right... i row... like i ride.....:)


I think I know who you are :D Nice to know you are making the most out of two very fulfilling disciplines! Keep up the good work. Tell us if you will be rowing in the 2004 Olympics :D

Personally I think snobbery over having the latest gear or lightest bike is misplaced, but there is a real difference for the rider between a good bike (such as a garage sale find), however old and used, and a bad bike, with a heavy frame and poor quality construction and components.
Its quite possible to ride a good bike for the same price as a bad bike.

Originally posted by Altwegg



I think I know who you are :D Nice to know you are making the most out of two very fulfilling disciplines! Keep up the good work. Tell us if you will be rowing in the 2004 Olympics :D


was hoping for 2008..lol
but it its not going to be in my city booooooooohooooooo..
oh well..
:rolleyes:

LOL, up early for a morning workout ? Have fun rowing this morning. I'm just about to leave the office. The dinner table beckons!

Welcome Phil
I know what you are saying, I ride sleeper bikes for a reason, I find good quality old bikes with style, usually on the side of the road at tag sales, I strip out the frames and re-fit them with current high end components. I do this to avoid the snobs, If they won't give me the time of day, I would perfer them not come over to talk to me. I ride around 10,000 miles a year, I consider myself an accomplished cyclist, I am curtious to all who ride bikes, I talk to everyone and help those who ask. I ride all organized centuries that I can find, I'm not young. There is no better feeling than going to a century, targeting the biggest snob on the most expensive high tech bike, dressed in $400.00 worth of cycling cloths, riding 100 yards back for the 1st. 50 miles then droping him like a rock. Think about it, he just got dropped, and couldn't catch, the old guy on the old outdated bike, in front of his buddies. The lesson learned here for him is, You don't have to flash to be good,, Ya gotta ride.
Keep riding Phil and remember, there are no bad bikes, enjoy your bike.

.
If these people realy want want to promote cycling than it should not matter if your riding a $2.00 garage sale bike or my Wal-Mart bike. Truth is not every one can afford a high end bike. So do we exclude these folks?

When I am riding my $300 beat up mtn bike with almost 7,000 miles and just sort of toodling around, I frequently wear Levis and a sweat shirt, with a rubber band around the chain leg of the Levis.

Last year, I came upon four guys with high end bikes, all tooled out in matching club Jerseys and about $500 in stuff, who were obviously sort of lost. I stopped and offered directions.

WOW!!

Talk about snobbery. I was treated like a pariah.

I wonder how I would have been treated if I was all dressed up in my Lycra with my Lemond BA bike. I bet their whole attitude would have changed.

Sad.

Keep up the riding. Also, keep your eyes open for a good used bike to eventually replace that Huffy. You will find a world of difference in riding satisfaction.

.

Shucks, I've been riding Huffies most of my life...now that I've scraped up enough cash to buy a lower-end bike-shop bike, don't I get to be even a LITTLE bit snotty? :p

Just kidding...the snotty looks I got on a group ride whan on my Huffy were a major factor in why I never went on a second group ride.

WOW! Talk about reverse snobbery!

Denver, did it occur to you either that this group of "snobs" weren't actually lost, or that they simply reacted negatively -- as many people do in and out of lycra -- to unsolicited advice? What does the fabric of their shorts have to do with anything?

Look, some cyclists ride of different reasons. Most of the time, Phil, I would not want to ride with you, simply because you probably wouldn't be able to keep up and because we very likely enjoy diferent kinds of rides. This is all judging from your bike. In my experience, someone riding an X-Mart mountain bike isn't very likely to keep up a 40 km/h cruise speed or get much enjoyment out of hill climbing.

Does that make me think I am better than you? In some ways, I probably am better than you -- not as a person, but as a cyclist. I am probably faster and stronger and I probably have more endurance than you. I don't look down on you because of this, but I do recognize that we're not going to be riding together. Meet me at the cafe next to my LBS, though, and I'll be happy to buy you the best latte in Montreal [and, since Montreal has the best coffee in North America...]

And there are plenty of people who I know are much better han me. My main training partner is faster and stronger in almost all categories. I'm sure Velo, RacerX and Lotek could smoke my ass in almost any competition [except maybe Trivial Pursuit]. Rich could kill me in cyclocross. They are better than me. [Probably... having never actually ridden with any of them, I can't say for sure.]

That's fine. It gives me goals.

WOW! Talk about reverse snobbery!

Denver, did it occur to you either that this group of "snobs" weren't actually lost, or that they simply reacted negatively -- as many people do in and out of lycra -- to unsolicited advice? What does the fabric of their shorts have to do with anything?

I guess you would have had to have been there, V.

I did not offer "unsolicited advice" in the sense you are thinking.

I came upon them, said "Hi!" (as is my way) which was NOT returned, went by slowly and listened as they discussed which way to go and where it might take them, and simply said to the effect that the trail I was on went a particular direction and ended up a particular place.

I guess at the very least I would expect, and would have given myself, some sort of an acknowledgement or even a thanks, just to be courteous.

Nope.

V. it was pretty obvious I was a book being judged by its cover. I almost always engage folks in some sort of a cursory "Hi!" or whatever, and almost always get some sort of acknowledgement. Not in this case.

So, absent a video or tape recording, you are just going to have to trust me.

Why are you so sure I am wrong and they were in the right, or that in some way I misjudged them?

Shucks, when I am all decked up in my Ride the Rockies Jersey, etc., I still find the time to say Howdy to folks (even those riding Huffies)!! It is one of the real benefits of biking - sort of a community of folks.

I'm sure Velo, RacerX and Lotek could smoke my ass in almost any competition [except maybe Trivial Pursuit].
Geez, I'm flattered.
With the exception of maybe the who can ride off the side
of his rollers competition I'm pretty sure you'd drop me like
a bad habit.

Marty

Originally posted by Fireman Phil
Hello all....

This is my 1st post here and I realy don't want to sound so negative but I have got to vent on a subject that has been on my mind for somtime.

First let me tell you that I ride a Wal-Mart hybrid/mtn bike that I ride daily and with great passion. I have attended a few bike club sponsored rides in my area only to have "bike snobs" look down there nose at my Wal-Mart bike.

If these people realy want want to promote cycling than it should not matter if your riding a $2.00 garage sale bike or my Wal-Mart bike. Truth is not every one can afford a high end bike. So do we exclude these folks?

Take a look around your neighborhood..... Ill bet you will find more Wal-Mart, K-mart etc, etc, bikes owned by ordinary people who just plain enjoy cycling. Bike snobs wake up and smell the coffee and promote cycling.


Well there might be some reasons for the apparant snobbery.

It takes awhile to build up the endurance to be able to ride a bike for reasonably distance at reasonable speed. There are very few people who can do this and still ride a Wal-Mart bike. Riding a Wal-Mart bike sort of brands you as a neophyte. It might not be accurate, but that is the way it is.

There are several things you may not be aware of.

Slow riders will get dropped like hot potatos by fit fast riders. And usually slow riders resent the heck out of being dropped. Sometimes, it is best to not encourage an apparantly slow rider to getting into your group. You will just hurt their feeling when the group starts cranking.

Another thing, if you are riding in a group, rookie riders are dangerous. They do the wrong thing at the wrong time and they can easily put you on the pavement and cause serious injury.

A third thing is neophytes often do not know how to do basic road repairs so they get a flat and you end up giving them your tube (and hoping that YOU don't have a flat) and changing the flat and getting your hands dirty.

Another thing is neophytes can "blow up" from dehydration, fatigue and other things. That means you have to slow way down and nurse them home or you have to call someone to come pick them up.

I have ridden with neophytes and given them pointers and stuff. But at the pace they can hold, I am really not working. So for that day, I am not doing a ride, if you catch my drift.

All of the above are sort of legitimate reasons for being a bit leery of neophytes. Also as I have said, 99% of the people who ride Wal-Mart bikes are not really into the sport and it is better for them not to try to attach themselves with even fit recreational riders. It just does not work. You may well be an exception.

Of course, the other thing is, you may have run into some jerks. Recreational bicycling has its share of jerks.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by pat5319
[B]If the wheels go 'round, it's a good bike!

If you make the wheels go around its a great bike!

I'm sorry you had to experience that, and I don't think there's any excuse or rationalizing that makes it acceptable. Sadly, it seems that a lot of people need to pet their own egos any way they can. I have to wonder if they really love cycling, or if they just like "being the man". How much better for the world of cycling would it be to at least be friendly to people who are obviously new to the sport. I look askance at department store bikes too, but my thinking is: "it's a shame there wasn't a more experienced biker help them find a quality used bike". If you love biking, shouldn't you be welcoming people to the sport instead of potentially driving them away? Wouldn't that get us a bigger lobby for adding bike lanes and creating more awareness among drivers? Hotshot riders on the local scene may be the big fish in a little pond, but you've got to remember that it's all relative. Put them in the Giro or the Tour and they become the clowns with the banana seat and the sissy bar (that was my youth, by the way; I got my dose of humility early). Keep at it and find the friendly folks.

Some days when i know there will be alot of bikers out and about, i purposely take my x-mart bike out just to embarrass those snobbies. I can ride better than most of them, so its fun to show them up, they feel dumb when you have more brains, or skills than they do. And beleive me, its not impossible to do with an x-mart bike. Just do your best.:beer:

I'm just going to pretend I didn't see this post / jk

Welcome, don't expect cyclist to be different than other groups of people, there are elitist in every walk of life, just ignore em :D

wbbc + jl = windchaser

Originally posted by DnvrFox
Why are you so sure I am wrong and they were in the right, or that in some way I misjudged them?
I'm not -- and that's just the point. Unless Someone says "I look down on you, you insignificant insect," or something like it, you can't know for sure. You're imputing motivations and beliefs that might simply not be there. Who knows what they had been talking about, whether they actually were lost. or what had happened on their ride up until then?

I met a guy on a ride today. I was on my cross bike and he was riding a classic Vitus and wearing an old Motorola jersey [it had been Steve Bauer's jersey... long story there]. I passed him a couple of times, doing some hill intervals, and I saw him scowling at me every time I went by. I thought he was cheezed at me about something.

Finally, I came up beside him and asked "what's up?" Turns out he's an ex-pat brit living in St. Catherine's Ontario, visiting Montreal. He used to race 'cross back in blighty and he wanted to strike up a conversation about 'cross with me. But he doesn't speak French was afraid that I didn't speak English and the language issue being what it is...

What I took for a scaowl was a look of quizical frustration...

Well, I guess I concure with about everything that has been said here! I know a couple A riders that I am very disappointed with, but I also have had the extreme pleasure of meeting and riding with far superior riders, who treat fat ol' me like a real rider! These riders have really helped me become a better rider, and in my somewhat limited experience, I have found that there are more supportive A riders than the elitist types. Sure, I can't keep up with them, but you know, when we stop for a break or something, they always wait for me, and compliment me on what I have done, rather than what I have not!
Man, as long as you are out there trying, no matter what you are riding, that is what really matters. For me, biking is such a personal thing, and as long as I am out there doing the very best that I can, even though I'm still kind of a newbie, that is what does it for me, and I think the REAL A riders appreciate that!

I'm not -- and that's just the point.

Well, first you say "I'm not."

Then you go on for several sentences to try to prove that I probably am.


You're imputing motivations and beliefs that might simply not be there. Who knows what they had been talking about, whether they actually were lost. or what had happened on their ride up until then?

You weren't there. I was. I'm pretty good at reading situations, and these guys were looking down on me, no doubt about it.

Anyway, since you seem to be able to tell more about the situation by not being there than I could by being there, perhaps you could tell me the winning lotto numbers for Wednesday night in Colorado.

Fini!!

I notice those snobs, too. But I am on a really nice bike and I'm dressed in lycra just like them.
I just figured that its because I'm a woman!

I think that attitude still exists- as if you just aren't as SERIOUS about it as a male cyclist. Yeah, I'd like to see them keep up with Genevieve Jeanson. It's sort of like that at the gym and I'm sure this has happened to other women. You'll be using a piece of equipment, doing your sets and some guy comes up and asks, "are you using that" or "Can I do a set", as if you aren't even there. It's like what you're doing just isn't as important as what they do, and you should stop doing your routine for them! I usually reply, "Yes, you can as soon as I am finished with my sets." Sometimes they actually get pissed off! Like how dare you! I should mention this doesn't happen every single time, but it's happened enough over the years. most guys at the gym are perfectly nice and fine.

right now i race on my MTB with all LX - XTR parts on my bike with a frickin Rock Shox Jett. They all insulted my bike cuz the fork was all flexy and **** and would snap. 3 hours later the race is over and not only does my team win the race, but im the one who finished 1st place on my team. They came back to me and they apolgized and all that stuff and all was good after. but it just shows that is not the bike and more the biker. sure comfort may be a problem but then u gotta have money. i decided if im gonna race should i primarily be on performance or comfort. both are important but i figured that performance is first so i upgraded drive train.. maye this summer if i snap that fork ill switch to marzocchi. but killing them in that race.. shoulda seen the looks on their faces

Well Love
If you're a woman riding a really nice bike dressed in lycra and you run into rude male cycling snobs, I don't get it, they must be real deficient idiots, as well as insecure males. As a high milage, long distance cyclist, I welcome running into nice pleasant cyclist, and as a male cyclist I like it more when they are women dressed in lycra riding nice bikes.

just ignore this kind of people, your much better than a lot of this kind so just don't bother thinking about them:D :D

I don't get it either--ALL bicyclists are a better group of people.

"Adolf Hitler on a bicycle would be a better human being than Albert Schweitzer in a car"

Fireman Phil. Are there not snob firefighters? When a new rookie comes, in are there oldtimers who look down on them until they prove themselves to their standards(which you may never reach even if you wanted to)? Same in everything. Just enjoy the ride and if you meet some good people along the way, even better:D

"Snobbery" is not limited to cycling

You can find it in every sport - in everything. Hell, I'm a curler and avid badminton player and there are even snobby people in these sports.

The fact is, it's just a part of life. There will always be people who will look down on you. My best advice would be to use it as a reason to excel, as a reason to improve and better your skills so they can no longer look down on you :)

Originally posted by Feldman
I don't get it either--ALL bicyclists are a better group of people.

Would be nice if it were true. Most are though.


"Adolf Hitler on a bicycle would be a better human being than Albert Schweitzer in a car"

This must be a joke ... right?

First let me tell you that I ride a Wal-Mart hybrid/mtn bike that I ride daily and with great passion. I have attended a few bike club sponsored rides in my area only to have "bike snobs" look down there nose at my Wal-Mart bike.


First of all, how do you know they are looking down on you? Do they actually come over and ridicule you, or do they talk behind your back?

What do you expect a seasoned road biker to say to you or act when he sees someone like you? Come over and compliment you on your bike? Slow down so you can catch up during the ride? Try to strike up a conversation with you even though you two have completely different tastes in cycling?

It's kind of like in college or univserity. On one side you have the Art students and the other you have the Engineering/Science students (simplifed scenerio). These two groups are both attending the same University, but in completely different fields.

What reaction would you expect if an arts student attended a tensile stress test labratory session or if a science student attended a discussion group about the far eastern philosphers of the 3rd century or something. (sorry, the above was the best analogy I could come up with).

I too get snobby sometimes, depends. This one time this dude hammered his way up the hill only to pass me only to puff when he got up to the plateu, so I dropped him on the flat and every climb after and didn't really bother trying to start a conversation with him.


Originally posted by wabbit
I think that attitude still exists- as if you just aren't as SERIOUS about it as a male cyclist. Yeah, I'd like to see them keep up with Genevieve Jeanson. It's sort of like that at the gym and I'm sure this has happened to other women. You'll be using a piece of equipment, doing your sets and some guy comes up and asks, "are you using that" or "Can I do a set", as if you aren't even there. It's like what you're doing just isn't as important as what they do, and you should stop doing your routine for them! I usually reply, "Yes, you can as soon as I am finished with my sets." Sometimes they actually get pissed off! Like how dare you! I should mention this doesn't happen every single time, but it's happened enough over the years. most guys at the gym are perfectly nice and fine.

Hey Wabbit,

What's wrong with asking if they can work in their sets with you? At my local gym, it can get pretty crowded sometimes and between sets you need half or a full minute to get the lactic acid flowing to get into your next set.

I too regularly get asked if it would be okay to have a set worked in between my rest periods. Sometimes it pisses me off cause the guy/gall takes the liberty of changing the weights, which takes forever for me to put back in... etc.

But most are quite ethical and since I have been there first doing my sets they will give me priority and will simply wait until I am finsihed if they want to change the weights. I assure, it is not a male/female thing.

And as for women on bikes... if there is a male out there that looks down on them then he has some serious issues. I'd ignore a super pro male cyclist over a women on wheels any day! :D

Originally posted by Feldman
I don't get it either--ALL bicyclists are a better group of people.

"Adolf Hitler on a bicycle would be a better human being than Albert Schweitzer in a car"
that guy is bad even on anything, I don't even want to mention the name:crash: :crash: :crash: :crash: :crash: :crash: :crash:

Mr. CANUK

Let me share the mission statement from a recreational club in my area, the ones I refer to as "BIKE SNOBS"

"Mission Statement "
To encourage all people to participate in bicycling without regard to age or expertise.
We promote all aspects of bicycling with special emphasis on bicycling safety, bicyclist's rights and responsibilities. We also seek to enhance communications among cyclists and to provide opportunities for bicycling and socializing with others.

The key words "ALL PEOPLE" , to me that means if you ride a x-mart brand or a high end bike. It has nothing to do if you think your super stud biker with an ego bigger than Texas or just a person out to enjoy the sport of cycling

Hi, Phil!

The key words, "ALL PEOPLE" do seem to be pretty specific. I mean, "all people" is "all people," right?

Well, my advice to you is to keep riding. You don't need a club mission statement to give you permission to be on the road on a bike.

:D

Hey Hillyman........

***************************************************
Fireman Phil. Are there not snob firefighters? When a new rookie comes, in are there oldtimers who look down on them until they prove themselves to their standards(which you may never reach even if you wanted to)? Same in everything. Just enjoy the ride and if you meet some good people along the way, even better
***************************************************

I have been a paid firefighter for over 16 years and you know what??? I have never met what you refer to as a snoby firefighter, yeah rookies get thare share of razzing but believe me when the s*** hits the fan we are a TEAM depending on each other so we can get home and see our families.

Don't worry I will take your advice and enoy the ride

Originally posted by Fireman Phil
Mr. CANUK

Let me share the mission statement from a recreational club in my area, the ones I refer to as "BIKE SNOBS"

"Mission Statement "
To encourage all people to participate in bicycling without regard to age or expertise.
We promote all aspects of bicycling with special emphasis on bicycling safety, bicyclist's rights and responsibilities. We also seek to enhance communications among cyclists and to provide opportunities for bicycling and socializing with others.

The key words "ALL PEOPLE" , to me that means if you ride a x-mart brand or a high end bike. It has nothing to do if you think your super stud biker with an ego bigger than Texas or just a person out to enjoy the sport of cycling

Fine. So what exactly is the problem?. Are they kicking you out because of your bike? In what way are the serious riders "looking down" on you?

How is it that they are offending you? Do you feel they should come and pet you on the head?

I really doubt anyone there is openly intimidating you. I remember some years back in PE class I was the guy who couldn't beat anyone in anything, and couldn't afford the fancy shoes and clothes everyone else wore. Yeah, I got ignored like a loser, but so what? As long as no one openly disrespected me and accepted my presence I didn't complain.

Frankly I think the problem is more yours than the people you are referring to. I have ridden my share of department store bikes and brick heavy garage sale bikes, and I may not have been satisfied but I used it to its full potential.

No one here is saying that you are any less of a cylclist than anyone else. You just happen to be in a different field (refering to my previous analogy).

Such snobbery exists. Always has, always will. I remember when I got into good roadbikes in the mid to later 1970s the guys who rode Campy looked down on my Japanese components. The fact that my early SunTour Superbe r. der. shifted better than Campy N. Record ever could deterred them not in the least. Outsprinting them along A1A sometimes got their attention though.:D

Most people are proud of their possessions and for many that pride turns into snobbery. Many do look down on Wal-Mart bikes because qualitatively they don't match up with even lower models available at a shop. However, it is an unfortunate mistake to look down on the rider as well.

Most firefighters I work out with are in pretty good shape. Blow a couple of the snobs into the weeds at the first opportunity. They still won't like your bike but at least they'll shut up.

:beer:

stud biker with an ego bigger than Texas
Hey, I resemble that remark! no, wait did he call me a stud
biker?
Phil,
I ride an 18 year old Trek bike, some of the bike snobs look
down on it, some of them think its retro cool, some of them
change their opinion when they either figure out I can keep
up with them, or I drop em like a bad habit.
you'll be there soon.

Marty

Phil,

Forget about bike snobs. Think instead about your coworkers. Cycling will make you better on the job, for sure.

Think about that heart pumping as you tote around all that gear!

Phil, my friend. Ride for yourself. I've done it for 37 years, and I've seen all kinds.

I'm really impressed by a person who is secure enough in themselves to post statements that inform us that they are sure they can ride better than or can beat almost anyone else in the forum. (Yeah, right.) Even the most seemingly secure have their weaknesses.

As for those who say you will find all kinds of people in every walk of life or group of people. What can I add, they are right.

Set your own goals. As long as you honestly do your very best to meet those goals, you are a success and just as good as those who have the need to be better than others. Do your best for you, and no-one else and you are a success and are the best in the only circle of people who really matters, yourself.

One final word. I have learned that to be happy and to get through situations such as you have mentioned is to expect these things to be, and to never be surprised by anything anyone does or says. I know that doesn't make it right, but to except these things as reality is like taking a spoon full of sugar to make the medicine go down easier.

Again, ride for yourself.

Originally posted by jollyroger1127

I'm really impressed by a person who is secure enough in themselves to post statements that inform us that they are sure they can ride better than or can beat almost anyone else in the forum. (Yeah, right.) Even the most seemingly secure have their weaknesses.


I think you are putting words in that "person"'s mouth. I read his post thoroughly and he said nothing that explicit. I believe you misunderstood the point he was trying to get across.

OK, OK, enough here, just go out and ride your bike, if nobody wants to talk to you, you're a luck person. If you don't want to talk to anybody, that's ok too. The only thing you may want to consider is, always at least smile at the guy with the bag, on long rides when everyone is concerned about weight, he's the techy type with the tools and the parts and may keep you rolling when you're 100 miles from town. Cyclist are generally very friendly people but they are alone most of the time, we get used to not talking to anyone, cycling can be a lonely sport, if that bothers you maybe you haven't ridden far enough yet. As far as female cyclist go, please come ride your bike in new england, we will be nice.:D