General Cycling Discussion - snooty road cyclists vs. nice mountain biker

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Wow, funny you should bring this up.

The other day while experiencing another case of dejavu during a road ride, I was sure that a rider coming from the opposite direction looked familiar, as we neared I recognized that it was me on my mountain bike returning from an earlier trail ride, so I snubbed me just for good measure! ;)

Welcome to the forum.

Don't be offended if Roadies don't acknowledge you; quite a few of them won't acknowledge each other. This question has come up a couple times in the last two years. Check the archives for some of the interesting rationalizations used to justify their snobbery.

When I am on my mtn bike, I wave and say hi to everyone, but when I am on the road bike, I snub as many folks as I can, especially mtn bikers.

Must be the road bike Jersey!!:D :lol:

I will wave at mountain bikers, since I'm sort of convertible anyways myself. ANd if they have a kona, i'll say, "Kona dude!" Even if they don't hear- I have a Kona cross bike, so I always acknowledge members of the Kona Club. Even if I see young kids on their downhill and BMX bikes I wave at them and say, Cool bike! I feel an obligation to encourage kids when I see they're into bikes. ANd conversely, when I'm out on my cross bike I wave at roadies too.

I know some are snooty, but I sure am not. I have the utmost admiration for MTBers, freeriders, downhillers- they do stuff I sure as hell couldn't do!

Originally posted by threadend
Wow, funny you should bring this up.

The other day while experiencing another case of dejavu during a road ride, I was sure that a rider coming from the opposite direction looked familiar, as we neared I recognized that it was me on my mountain bike returning from an earlier trail ride, so I snubbed me just for good measure! ;)

Welcome to the forum.

Doooh! :roflmao:

I've found the best way to get roadies to say hello is to become one:D .

It's true that when your on a Mtb on the road most of them don't say hello or wave, but since I've been on the roadbike 90% wave .

I'm still the same person, just on a different bike:confused:

Still, so long as I say hello to everybody I'm happy.

Which brings up the question as you pass somebody when is it safe to say hello, several times I've said hello as I pull alongside another cyclist only for them to nearly jump out their skin, but of course if I just cycled passed I then become one of the ignorant ones

Wabbit do I get a "Kona Dude" for owning a Blast:D

I think some of us roadies are just afraid of getting snubbed by you MTBrs. :o
but then again maybe its because we are superior :D

Well, when I'm road riding I try to wave to everyone. But usually roadies are riding hard and because of that they are in a deep state of trying to ignore pain. I know from experience that interupting that deep state is not a good idea, even if it means snubbing people.

Yep... let's perpetuate stereotypes...

I've met snooty roadies and snooty MTBers in equal measure. The only group of hardcore cyclists who I've met who are never snooty are cyclocrossers. Go figure.

Personally, I think the snootiest bikers are the ones riding on Unibomber specials... you know hte type, frame painted matt black with BBQ paint....?

Thye give everyone a suspicious look.... :D

Actually, Roadies DO say hello. It is just that you see them ten seconds before their voice catches up to you ;) .

Today, I was riding on a bike path with my road bike. There was a 'biker down' due to mechanical problems. I watched her get passed by countless mountain bikers before I reached her and fixed her bike for her. That was kinda friendly, for a roadie anyway.

I don't see a problem in roadies, waving to fellow cyclist, wether they are an MTB'er, or anybody for that matter, maybe that cyclist you have encountered is way to deep in his thinking and has ignore everybody.....

I never wave or say hello to anybody. I am working too hard and way too focused...

NOT!!!

Some are like that. They gots their reasons, whatever they are. Don't let it bug ya.

I wave to everyone on both MTB and Road Bike as long as I am not cranking up a huge hill trying to escape the pain.

I think all cyclists are generally friendly. The anti-social types ride by every so often, but you just don't worry about them and keep riding.
Doesn't take much effort to say 'hi' or quick wave.
Remember. Better to be 'hello ed ' by someone who doesn't mean it , than to be told to '**** off ' by someone who does!:D

cheers

I've met snobby people of all kinds, particularly in the time I've been living on the Gold Coast (seems to be a way of life around here), and you know what? I don't really care about them all that much. Do you really wanna make friends with someone like that?

Originally posted by Chris L
I've met snobby people of all kinds, particularly in the time I've been living on the Gold Coast (seems to be a way of life around here), and you know what? I don't really care about them all that much. Do you really wanna make friends with someone like that?

Is there a woman on the Gold Coast that doesn't have silicon breast implants???

;) :D

... Of course, when I'm working in a rotating double paceline with fifteen other guys, rolling at 45 km/h, my attention isn't usually on all the friendly people I might be passing. It's usually on the wheel in front of me, the traffic around me and any small dogs, squirrels or reckless kids who might run off the sidewalk.


Sorry... just being snooty, I guess...

Its funny to read this post and think back to when I had a motorcycle. I rode a Honda NiteHawk which was a sorta sporty cruiser.

It put me squarely between two camps. It wasn't a crotch rocket with fairings out the whazoo, and it wasn't an annoyingly loud Harley.

It is a big tradition to wave to other motorcyclists, yet I got snubbed regularly by oh-so-cool rocket riders (roadies) and by the rought tough, Made in America 'damnit Harlet riders (MTB'ers).

OK - so it isnt an exact parallel, but I treat cyclcists the same way I did other motorcyclists, be the first to wave and say hi, and have a thick skin for those staying in their own tribe.

See ya out there !

I'm a roady and greet anyone on two wheels even motorcyclists, who, more often than not, nod back..
There's one old guy though, who rides a real retro, sit up and ride bike, an old Triumph I think it is, with break rods and all. He stares straight ahead, pedalling very sedately. There's never a hint of a change of expression on his face when I raise my hand and call "Hi" to him as he passes.
I see him most days and I shall continue to greet him. It's become a bit of a challenge now to get him to react.

Most of the time, when I am on my roadbike, I am pushing hard and concentrating on the wheel in front of me. It is very difficult to notice some other cyclist saying "hi." It is even more difficult to raise a hand and wave when I am going 40 kph.

Roadies ignore hellos most of the time because, most of the time, they are too focused to notice it.

Originally posted by wabbit
ANd if they have a kona, i'll say, "Kona dude!"
Kona Dude!

But if I'm on a road bike, how would you know I have a Kona?? ;)

Whoa there now! I am a roadie (some MTB in winter). I say hello to everyone - from the mtber to the guy on a Kmart special.

If I where to generalize mtbers, as you did with roadies, I would have to say that they are all inconsiderate of hikers. I hike alot and have been nearly knocked down once and screamed at by mtbers.

But those are kids, the adults are quite friendly.

Should I generalize ALL mtbers?

I went for a great ride this weekend. I ride an x-Mart POS MTB with road tires. Early in the ride, my wife and I were passed by a trio of roadies. I said Hi, and they all acknowledged me happily. Later I was passed by them again (?). They had hooked up with a half dozen other roadies. Although I lost count, I'm fairly certain that EVERY one of them said at least hello. One even quipped about the bridge that we were approaching. They seemed like a very friendly group to me.

ChipR

If I'm out seriiously training or dying on a climb,
then I'm a snotty, stuck up don't respond SOB roadie.
If I'm cruising around, on local MUPs, the lakeside roads,
or the neighbor hood I'm Mr Friendly Roadie.
At Hotter N Hell I said hello to everyone for the
first 90k and smiled. The last 10k I grimaced, gritted my
teeth and stared straight ahead.

Marty

Roadies acknowledge one another in very sublte ways.

An ever so slight nod, raised eyebrow or a finger raised on the hood is the equivelant of a Gomer Pile full extended wave or audible hello.

Look deeper grasshopper.

Don't jump to conclusions.

I think some of us roadies are just afraid of getting snubbed by you MTBrs…but then again maybe its because we are superior

I don't think so, smarty-pants!

Old Sage says:

1. "an mtb will see you through times of no road bike, better than a road bike will see you through times of no mtb."

2. We don't need to dress in pretty clothes.

3. We can bounce and fall off, exchange tales of scratches and bruises.

4. We don't go around mountains, we go over them.

5. The knobbies on our tires make a nice whirring noise.

6. We can slap our chain-stays.

7. We don't breathe diesel fumes - not directly that is.

8. We get dirty, dusty, muddy, covered in good, honest, muck.

I used to be a roadie myself.:D

It's just different that's all. We ain't superior, and neither are you. We all enjoy what we do.

Ther are so few bikers around we all wave to each other. Even motorcycles although they do look a little surprised to be waved at.
Joe
:beer:

mountain bikers? what are they then?

cabledonut.

It's something to do with being in the woods. Ever notice how everyone says HI when they pass on the trail while hiking? If you pass these same people in the streets they wouldn't even make eye contact.

I'm a roadie now that my MTB is dead. I just got ahold of my dad's old road bike and I have to say that when on a road bike one must pay atention to many more details of their suroundings, such as the road (bumps:mad: ) cars (enemy:() other slow moving bikers (MTBers:p) and everything else MTBers have to worry about. :o

i'm new to this forum; thanks for the chance to pitch in my two cents.

there's more to the story. when i was a young man still in college i rode in local training races and criteriums. the atmosphere was chilly, at best, especially between more accomplished riders and neophytes like myself (at the time).

years later i returned to competitive cycling to spend time with my teenage son, who has become a mountain bike racer (and who is in no small measure quicker than his dad). i entered my first race, the park city classic near san luis obispo, last summer, and was nearly overwhelmed by the comraderie and sportsmanship. i rode the amateur course, which diverged from the professional course, then was rejoined. that meant that as i struggled up some very challenging climbs, there were pro team riders routinely passing me. about one out of three took the time to encourage me, a graying, middle-aged man just trying to finish (first klydesdale, i might add!).

i'll not soon forget the difference between roadies and mountain bikers that was made obvious that day. while i still prefer roadwork (my son has since given up mountainbiking in favor of girlchasing ... sigh), my heart is in the dirt world.

I give a nod or say hellow to all cyclists. I always get one back. May be it is because I give them a look as if to say, "You better respond or else...". But all in all most riders I come across give some sort of friendly gesture back, even the snobs. I really like the one where they wave hellow with one finger:D.

Slainte :beer:

Originally posted by Bandit
i'm new to this forum; thanks for the chance to pitch in my two cents.
Cool story. Welcome!