Folding Bikes - Weird looks

Does anyone ever get weird looks from roadies?

I do. all the time. Specially from those riding carbon fiber bikes that they believe are 10X more expensive than my toy bike. Specially when I am passing them. ]:D

I have never been able to pass a roadie on my D7. Their bikes are made for speed, ours are for convenience and utility.

Their cardio-vascular system are adapted to office work and weekend rides, and the ones I pass carry with them at least 30 pounds of extra weight. I really cannot pass any serious riders.

I have never been able to pass a roadie on my D7. Their bikes are made for speed, ours are for convenience and utility.

what's a roadie ? Can women be roadies ? I ask because recently I have been able to squeeze past one or two lady riders, but they do tend to catch me up a little further down the road. More practice is clearly required, then I might even be able to catch up with the blokes.

I do. all the time. Specially from those riding carbon fiber bikes that they believe are 10X more expensive than my toy bike. Specially when I am passing them. ]:D

Power is 98% about the engine and 2% about the rest of the machine - give or take a little here and there.

Power is 98% about the engine and 2% about the rest of the machine - give or take a little here and there.

I agree.....when I took the Wasp for it's 1st bunch ride I got "the looks" and "the comments", but because my engine has years of racing and training experience, I knew where to put myself in the sprints and breakaways and how to hurt myself, so the R20 didn't disgrace itself. There was no way I was going to let the C/F boys ridicule these amazing "small wheelers", just wish it was a bit lighter.

LOL yes steve but it's weight is but a mere fraction of yours. Which parts of its beautiful frame and accoutrements would you cast away? Personally, I could drop ten pounds of flesh with some advantage. I might even look better, whereas casting off any of that wasp would be a sacrilege.

Right - I have to post fifteen letters for a voluntary association I'm involved with. I'm going to take them around the city on my bike. The Merc today I think - yes, its a 'Merc' kind of a day today.

Yes...most especially when I'm trackstanding next to them at traffic signals.

I ride road bikes and my Raleigh 20 folder.
I also enjoy seeing other people out on their folders even if I am riding my road bike.
No folder has ever passed me if I didn't want him to.
And I have never passed a road bike on my 20 although I did pass a three wheeled bike filled with bottles the other day!

Does anyone ever get weird looks from roadies?

A few weeks ago you started a thread about bike apparrel. I think you said you were more comfortable riding in cheerleader-type shorts or maybe it was skin-colored Speedos. This could be the basis for those looks. Seriously.

I wear "bike gear" when I'm on my roadies, MTB shorts and bike shirt when MTBing and casual R20 rides or shopping with the tandem and BoB trailer, but for special R20 Wasp rides I wear Red Giro helmet, Team Raleigh yellow/red/black top, black arm and leg warmers with black bibs, red mitts and to top it off...red/black/white bike shoes....quite a classic look?

what's a roadie ? Can women be roadies ?

Roadies are those guys who hang out behind the stage at Ozz Fest. Women tend not to be roadies. Instead they are called groupies and are often featured in the front row of Bon Jovi concert videos. ;)

But seriously, for every dirty look I see cast my way I get 10 comments about how cool the bike is.

The good new is that I also got several people saying "cool bike". The bad new is that most of them are kids. ;)


Roadies are those guys who hang out behind the stage at Ozz Fest. Women tend not to be roadies. Instead they are called groupies and are often featured in the front row of Bon Jovi concert videos. ;)

But seriously, for every dirty look I see cast my way I get 10 comments about how cool the bike is.

The good new is that I also got several people saying "cool bike". The bad new is that most of them are kids. ;)

The same thing happens to me. Adults just give me weird or curious looks, but never say anything. Kids yell out, "Wow, what a cool bike!" and one little boy who was about 4 years old asked me if it is a motorcycle. :D

I was the first person to have a folder in my apartment complex, but the other day, I noticed someone else riding one around...so the idea is catching on!

I get questiond once in awhile as to what type of bike I am riding and I just explain the reason why I ride it. The other day, a roadie tried to catch up with me which he did but after I stopped before the intersection to have a water break. He looked shock to see a folder with 7 speed.

The good new is that I also got several people saying "cool bike". The bad new is that most of them are kids. ;)

+1

I also have heard shouts of, 'Look at that daft old ***t on a circus bike.'

:(

One of my neighbours when I first got it, grinned and said, 'Trading down are you?'

I felt like punching him, but then I do tend to get fired up a bit after a good pounding on any of my bikes. Comes in handy in traffic, I just shoot aggressively across roundabouts. Funny how a small wheeled bike with a solid hub gear can spurt acorss a roundabout faster than the cars when all are going from a standing start.

Funny, I passed by a highschool the other day and there were a few kids on their BMX bikes. I got a few "cool bike" comments and one "WTF is that".
My 18 y/o nephew won't even ride my folder. :(

For some reason, "normal-sized" bikes look weird to me now.

All the time. Roadies are usually more competetive than their folding cousins.

I got passed by a roadie in full team kit once, me on my R20, but at the next hill he was struggling and I passed him again. I was wearing jeans with a clip to avoid them getting soiled in the chain. I felt sorry for him. :D

I live in a small town... so I see the same guys on their road bike every day... now when I road a road bike they all waved... then I went strange and started riding recumbents and folding bikes... they stopped waving.
Did I give up?
NO
I kept on waving...
8years later
99% wave back
But that guy on the blue bike just looks straight ahead
It might be near time for me to give up on him

I get comments and looks. Most are complimentary, but I do get the less than kind comments. Makes me want to ride more.
:)

I got passed by a roadie in full team kit once, me on my R20, but at the next hill he was struggling and I passed him again. I was wearing jeans with a clip to avoid them getting soiled in the chain. I felt sorry for him. :D


Fantastic!

I get looks, but not so many comments. I'm a big guy (280) on a funny little bike (Bike Friday NWT)

I get funny looks from roadies, commuters on unsuitable MTBs, and kids on 'jump bikes' occasionally yell out "gay bike!"*
Normally this happens when i'm overtaking them. I think to and extent riding my folder gives me 'short bloke syndrome**' in that i tend to bomb around on it just to make the point that i can, but that's also just because i like it's flicky BMX-like handling. The occasional WTF!? from people as i zoom past is merely a bonus. :D

*as long as it's happy, i'm happy for it..
** even though i am 6ft...

I got passed by a roadie in full team kit once, me on my R20, but at the next hill he was struggling and I passed him again. I was wearing jeans with a clip to avoid them getting soiled in the chain. I felt sorry for him. :D

Jur,
I have one of those clips, but 'cos my legs are so built up :rolleyes: the darned thing digs in too much and it hurts ;) so I tuck my pants into my socks......no wonder I get strange looks!!

I think to and extent riding my folder gives me 'short bloke syndrome**' in that i tend to bomb around on it just to make the point that i can

Thats a good point Dr. ! I too push harder when riding small wheeled folders compared to 700c or MTB's .. and likewise I'm tall - maybe sort of justifying those small wheels .. its good to hear "cool" , but still hurts a bit to hear .. "look - a g*t on a clown bike" ... luckily get many more "cool"s than "clown bike"

I don't get comments, but I get looks. I'm 6'3 and 240 or so pounds, so I'm aware that on my 20 I look like a gorilla on a circus bike. I work fairly regularly in East London, so I'll ride 8 miles from Waterloo to Newham to get there, and that takes me along the embankment. There's nothing I like better than marking a guy in full lycra on a CF road bike, and trying to hang with him; most recently, it was a bloke on a Cervelo. They HATE having a 30 year old folder on their wheel, and will ride like hell to try to shake you off, and of course, I ride like hell to try to keep up, using every trick in the book, particularly timing the lights if they're stood still so that I get a rolling start and come through like a train. I can stick with them for a couple of miles, but they always get their way in the end, and I get to work sweaty....

Hey, this is a great thread! I've enjoyed every post I've read. That said...

On my DT Mini, with the dynamo powered headlight and tail light going all the time, I pass roadies all the time. Any serious roadie who doesn't want to stay passed can and will pass me again, and there's nothing I can do about it, but most of bikers I pass are not serious roadies. Sometimes they sneak past me at a red light.

I do get funny looks and comments, but rarely from other cyclists. Kids of all ages think it's cool, and often say so. When I pass 'roadies,' serious or otherwise, they often don't bat an eye, as if they don't see me at all (what focus!).

I think reactions to my bike are tempered by reactions to my garb. For months now it's been too hot to wear long pants, and when I do, the pants clip digs into my leg too, so I usually go the cuff-in-the-socks route. That, combined with the tweedy jacket with leather patches on the elbows, is the preferred look for an intellectual on a bike, isn't it?:p The problem is, for part of the year it's too hot to wear a wool jacket, and the rest of the year I commute in the dark, so I wear illuminite. Maybe I can get a tweed jacket with reflective patches on the elbows....

I guess being a woman, I can get away with riding a different sort of bike(s). My folding bikes are my sole bikes I use now due to the high threat of theft, anywhere at anytime around here. I usually get compliments even when I ride Euorpean style-with a nice skirt, business blouse, makeup, and nylon hose. The point here is how one carries him/her self around other people-not the bike you ride.

I hope that underneath all the comments about CF roadie bikers, and Lycra wearers, you all realize that no matter what style they choose, they are RIDING A BIKE! They are not sitting in their cars! The difference between them and you is very small compared to the difference to other travelers.

I used to ride/commute allot. I got passed allot. I long ago resigned myself to the fact that my body does not (and never has) performed like a Ferrari (more like a Skoda :-) But does that mean I can't pull on a pair of cycling shorts, spd shoes, a nice sweat wicking shirt?

I'm about to take all 311Lbs of me back on the commute, so when you pass me, think good thoughts.

I'll be doing MY personal best.

John

I don't think most people here have anything against people that ride different bikes or dress differently, as long as they don't insult us. For me, the reason I like to try to race lycra clad CF roadies is to test myself and get fitter - I assume that all the gear gives them at least some advantage over me, so it's a fun test.

I don't often go on group or club rides, so I'm always a bit of a stranger when I do. On group rides I've noticed a kind of avalanche effect with regard to my Bike Friday. At the start I get some funny looks. Then as the ride progresses and people see that I'm not having trouble keeping up, there are some side comments. Then, all it takes is one person at a stop coming up and asking questions, and suddenly I'm surrounded by a crowd of curious people.

I really should keep that stack of Bike Friday sales cards handy!

Speedo