General Cycling Discussion - Are you a cycling misfit?

I wonder if anyone else finds themself in a similar position to me? For nearly 2 years i have been riding my Mountain bikes nearly every day, racking up over 9000 miles on backroads, city streets, etc. Although i have two mountain bikes, i have ZERO interest in technical trail riding, racing or any of that. I just always enjoy the time alone, and the feeling of pedaling fairly aggressively and taking in a lot of clean, fresh air and enjoying the scenery.

As with all things, this sort of started to get a little old and i kept thinking that i ought to get a road bike. So i picked up a road bike a couple weeks ago, and it seems like everything changed. I started looking at all of the times in the road cycling forum and getting all caught up in speed, etc. So most of the rides i have had have been pretty brisk and not all that relaxing.

I have pretty much left the mountain bike hanging in the garage for the last couple weeks. I have abandoned her in favor of the sleek road bike. I even went so far as to go on my first group ride on the road bike the other night. There was a whole lot of testosterone in the air. The riders were super nice but I don't think this is for me. I made the mistake of pushing myself too hard as well as riding 30 miles in the morning before the ride. I tried to keep up with all of the good road riders, which i was able to do relatively well.

However, most of the ride I was pretty uncomfortable. I was pushing myself WAY beyond what i normally do. Turns out i end up with a swollen ankle that is probably related to this group ride. So now i am off of my bike and waiting for my ankle to heal. This is my first injury ever from riding even though i have ridden thousands of miles on the mountain bike. Every time i walk by my mountain bike i swear i here her call me a moron. I am starting to think the bike is right.

So i guess, my point is that i really don't fit into a category. The people in the mountain bike forum seem like all of them race or do single track etc. The members in the road forum are all riding 30 mph averages and popping gel packs like zits on a teenager.

I think I need a new category. Maybe just "bike rider." ANyone else feel like they don't fit anywhere?

I'm in :D

I just like to ride.

I have a Dahon folder that I ride everywhere. I want to get a BMX so I can do the urban thing, as I live in Austin, TX. Next would be a dirt rider - MTB.

I dont think most in the mtn forum race. I think most seem to be into all mountain/free ride. I know for me i dont know if i have a real label for my riding. I ride for the heck of it around backgrounds for a few horus on the weekdays. THen on weekends i go on trails, trails and more trails. I dont do big drops or anything, no interested in jumps or whatnot. I just like to go, but much of my riding is also on the road. I dont like the road forum for some reason, i dont have a road bike so i guess its hard to relate to the threads there.

I play curb hop, ride some rock tech, some trails -nothing close to freeride.
Make little jumps -generally amuse myself.
When I get more skills I will progress to dj\ freeride bikes. I've only been riding as a persuit of skill for 2 yrs, I'm pretty happy so far, XC is a breeze, now I need a different frame to advance into more extreme offroad.
I ride solo mostly.

IM a recreational road rider, but I push my self to the MAX sometimes.

I like to describe myself as an adventure cyclist which means I simply like to see and experience different places on a bike. This includes both road and offroad. I approach both with the same attitude.

I think more of us are misfits than we'd like to admit. ;)

Koffee

I ride my bike maybe 2 mph. "My husband says, 'Let's ride at pace!'" I say, "This IS my pace!!!!

I too just ride. Commuting, exploring, racing against myself and getting a good workout at the same time.
I don't go offroad, and I avoid dirt roads (to save my drive train), so I guess I'm a road biker in that sense, but I ride an MTB with drop bars and it's heavy (16.5 kg/36 lbs), so I'm not really either...

and I make sure to ride slow enough so everyone can see my funny-looking recumbent trike and I can hear their comments and see their smiles-and smile back. (Usually I just wave back to avoid any bugs on my teeth!)

I love all two wheels, but I think I should sell my scooter. The weather just isn't good enough, long enough to pedal -and- motor on the same day and I'd rather pedal pavement or dirt.

Just ride and enjoy it, I see the serious roadies go flying past me, I don't care.

It's sooooo hard to be a mountain biker in S Florida.

We have Mt. Trashmore but I'm not sure that counts...

CE
what about quiet waters park?

It's sooooo hard to be a mountain biker in S Florida.

We have Mt. Trashmore but I'm not sure that counts...

CE

:roflmao:

Hard!! nigh on impossible.

I think more of us are misfits than we'd like to admit. ;)

Koffee


I resemble that remark......

I don't fit into any category of biking, but right now I would probably call myself a roadie. I do like to push hard most the time while on my road bike. On the other hand I just bought an freeride hardtail to just go out and have fun on my bike, dirt jumping, street riding, park. Also, when I get money saved up I'm buying a cross country bike to do some mountain biking. I guess I just like to ride my bike.

I am mostly a "utilitarian" commuter and errand rider.

Except when I take a road bike on a little jaunt...20 miles down the road!

Or, take a mountain bike out into nature...and get to play in the dirt!

Or, just doodle around town on a "cruiser.

Or just go out and ride...doesn't everybody??? :D

I don't really fit into any of those categories, but chose Performance Road Rider. I use my commute as workout so go at about 80% effort and go reasonably fast, don't do any official racing or training, and do the occasional group ride. My bike is a cheap heavy department store bike.

I like to race :D

Performance MTB'er is the closest category that I fall under. I like to ride road too, hammering it as well, although I've yet to race on the road. XC racing = goodness though.

I think more of us are misfits than we'd like to admit. ;)

Koffee

Anyone who rides a bike in the US is a misfit. :P

Joe

I refer to myself as an "all around" rider.

XC
FR/DH/Urban
Singletrack
Fireroads
Roadie
Singlespeed

Just have to get a cyclocross bike and I'm complete...

But in every of those categories I like to push myself. Go fast, go big, go hard, or go home.

Self-supported tourer/camper. I'm enough of a misfit that I can't even vote in this poll. :)

We all fit into the same category....bike rider. I ride a fake mountain bike (according to the "purists" here, it came from a department store) and my wife and I ride a Kent tandem. We ride on dirt roads, paved streets, park paths, trails etc. When we go on vacation we take the bikes, park the car and tour the town on 2 wheels. Sometimes the tandem, sometimes on our singles. Any of you ever go to Branson, Missouri? Highway 76 is the world's longest parking lot. You can buy t-shirts there that say so. You can get around a lot faster on bikes than in your car.

So, any body going to Branson this summer?

I think I need a new category. Maybe just "bike rider." ANyone else feel like they don't fit anywhere?


I have many bikes that I ride for no other reason than "I feel like it".
I commuted on a chopper bike and I ride technical single track on
a dirt jumping bike and I pop wheelies on roadbikes...Its all fun , who cares?
I only ride with a few people and feel like a weeny trying to be a 'serious' biker....
I dont fit in anywhere but I fit in everywhere !

My riding style depends on who I'm riding with. If I'm with my kids I usually lead and my wife follows with all the hoodlums in between. If I'm riding with my wife, I follow because that's were the best view is. When I'm commuting my level of push is determined by my mood; some days I hammer, others I cruise at a leisurly pace. When I ride with a group I follow their lead. Some times it's a fast paced road ride, other times it's a mountain bike ride... depends on who I'm with.

I ride recumbents. An oddity is a better description for me.

Me a misfit? Probably, but to borrow a line from Mel Brooks just call me Abby Normal.

My mountain bike does double duty as a true mountain bike and my commuter. My mountain biking is done on my terms and on my schedule so I don't do races in the trees. I think of it as my Jeep.

My road bike is for distance riding and gets used on the local velodrome too. I like to try and go faster and farther on it but at this time I think of myself as a 'serious amateur'. I like to think of it as my Corvette.

Do I worry about everyone else? As long as they are not running into me they can do what they like. I'm here to have fun. Maybe I'm not so much of an 'Abby' after all?

Racing scene: been there, done that. It got old, and it was hard to keep up with all those Jones'.

I just like to ride my bikes (one at a time)

Anyone who rides a bike in the US is a misfit. :P

Joe

Well, if you are under thirty years old, and ride only Saturday or Sunday mornings with "the club", you are probably okay.

If you are over forty, and ride seven days a week, especially to work, or for shopping...yes, some folks will be thinking "What's wrong with that guy and why isn't he wasting fossil fuel like a "good American"?

I wonder if anyone else finds themself in a similar position to me? For nearly 2 years i have been riding my Mountain bikes nearly every day, racking up over 9000 miles on backroads, city streets, etc. Although i have two mountain bikes, i have ZERO interest in technical trail riding, racing or any of that. I just always enjoy the time alone, and the feeling of pedaling fairly aggressively and taking in a lot of clean, fresh air and enjoying the scenery.

i really don't fit into a category.

I think I need a new category. Maybe just "bike rider." ANyone else feel like they don't fit anywhere?

WTF???? Uh snow-bunny you're a great Ice Biker and Mt biker and don't you forget it!
Ranger a Missfit? Not even close

I'm absolutely NONE of those things!! Are those all the categories you could come up with???

Where's the commuting category?? Where's the touring category??? Where's the long distance and Randonneuring category????

Cycling isn't just about "recreational" vs. "racing". There's a lot more to it than that!!

Well, if you are under thirty years old, and ride only Saturday or Sunday mornings with "the club", you are probably okay.

If you are over forty, and ride seven days a week, especially to work, or for shopping...yes, some folks will be thinking "What's wrong with that guy and why isn't he wasting fossil fuel like a "good American"?


Thats what I wuz tryin' to say :D

I'm absolutely NONE of those things!! Are those all the categories you could come up with???

Where's the commuting category?? Where's the touring category??? Where's the long distance and Randonneuring category????

Cycling isn't just about "recreational" vs. "racing". There's a lot more to it than that!!

I know that the poll does not include every type of rider. I was more interested in discerning if the disproportionate amount of posts relating to fast paced aggressive riding, in the road bike and mountain bike forums, were representative of the bike forums population. Based on the poll results, i would have to glady say they are not.

The motivation to start the thread was that it seems like everyone in the road cycling forums posts average speeds that are way beyond average. Your type of riding certainly isn't typical either, Machka. Although i am very envious of it. I think that is the thing that appeals more to me than speed is distance. I am built like a long distance runner and faired well in those events in my teens.

On the bike i think i would be pretty good on the long haul because i do have a lot of endurance and I am very light, not carrying any excess weight on my body. My biggest limitation is family and time. It is hard to find the time to get a 2 hour ride in let alone a 14 hour one. Someday, when the kids are grown, i hope to be able to do some touring and more long distance riding.

Self-supported tourer/camper. I'm enough of a misfit that I can't even vote in this poll. :)

Amen! We on the outside salute you!

Ranger,

My initial situation was very similar to yours, riding thousands of miles on a mountain bike before I got a road bike a few weeks ago. However, after getting the road bike I think I followed a different path than what you did.

I did not get a road bike to race/speed/hang with the roadies. I got a road bike (a steel touring bike at that, Jamis Aurora) partly to increase my loading capacity (commuting etc), partly to be more comfortable (more hand positions, more even weight distribution), and partly because of sentimental reasons (I always missed the road bike I had as a teenager).

I would never, ever do a group ride. My riding is utilitarian. I commute, grocery shopping and general go where I need to go, using my bike.

My speed hasn't increased all that much. Sometimes I pedal hard (if I'm late for work), but most times I'm in the "zone", I just go at a pace that is comfortable.

After the first few days on the road bike, which I spent getting used to the more stretched out position, getting the saddle set just right etc, I am now MUCH more comfortable on the new bike than I was on the old MTB. The road bike is incredibly smooth and just feels right. I'm even getting used to the toe clips, though I'm toying with the idea of getting some clipless pedals and shoes.

I have been riding for so long. I have had MTB's (rigid to full suspension), a couple of roadies, bmx, cruiser, and even bmx cruiser. I have gotten tired of derailleurs. I have bought a SS Hardrock, and fell in love with Single speed. Converting another, making no geared bikes. (2MTB's, 24"bmx, old schwinn Kruizer. I have looked at the fixies, but like the feel of a mtb. I ride to work, and on the trail. Misfit? ...nah just a soul rider.

<< The members in the road forum are all riding 30 mph averages and popping gel packs like zits on a teenager. >>

Don't believe everything you read.

<< The members in the road forum are all riding 30 mph averages and popping gel packs like zits on a teenager. >>

Don't believe everything you read.

It is a bit like talking to fisherman over there. All fish are well over 25" long and put up a struggle that makes the fall of Troy look trivial...except the fish I catch :D

It is a bit like talking to fisherman over there. All fish are well over 25" long and put up a struggle that makes the fall of Troy look trivial...except the fish I catch :D

What? You argue the validity of my claims?

I dont' really fit any one mold. But I selected performance offroader as that was closest.

...
Every time i walk by my mountain bike i swear i here her call me a moron. I am starting to think the bike is right
...


My road bikes talk to me. This is what they say: "Pedal, Beotch, Pedal!"

What? You argue the validity of my claims?

I am such a slowpoke. I guess my problem was that I was in the small ring.

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/visual_tao_of_cycling/FlightyDeck.jpg

I like to go fast. When I'm on a group ride, solo training ride, or a schlep to the hardware store, I'm usually hammering. This morning I was on my wife's hybrid riding to work in my office clothes and I just had to catch and pass the commuter ahead of me.

I can't help it.

What about the road rider who does not race or do a lot of group rides due to time and family restrains. Why are we relegated to the category of recreational road rider? when I do ride, I am definitely faster than your description of Rec Roadie.

My mom is one of those hardcore cyclists, and she bothers the crap out of me when she tells me I should get a bike with thin tires, or take the reflectors off of my spokes, or that I should not ride at night. "REAL cyclists don't..." she says. I just ride to get from point A to point B, also when I'm bored I take my cruiser for a spin. I don't care about speed or weight or how tight my shorts are. I just want to ride!

Just ride and enjoy it, I see the serious roadies go flying past me, I don't care.

Ditto. It does however, feel kind of special when I pass another roadie once in a great while :D

Just ride and enjoy it, I see the serious roadies go flying past me, I don't care.

That so reminds me of this Fat Tire commercial (http://www.newbelgium.com/Images/Vibe/Tvspots/tvspots/outforaspin.mov).

I just like to ride my bike. Who cares as long as I am not sitting in traffic.

What? You argue the validity of my claims?

Yeah but I see you could only keep it up for 15 minutes :D. No stamina?