What does "Roadie" mean to a 50+'r?

[DnvrFox]

What does "Roadie" mean to a 50+'r?

In one of my excellent and recent polls, I used the term "Roadie (could include recumbent)" in my poll.

One person responded that "Roadie" could not include recumbent biking.

So, as a mature 50+'r, who may have successfully completed one or more of Fox's polls, what does the term "Roadie" mean to you?

Can it include recumbent cycling?

[chipcom]

The classic definition would be those who ride a 'road' bike...as in a dropped-bar racing type bike.
But I ain't gonna touch this subject, it may make the helmet debate look like a church social.

[Louis]

The classic definition would be those who ride a 'road' bike...as in a dropped-bar racing type bike.
But I ain't gonna touch this subject, it may make the helmet debate look like a church social.
Wise man.

I was going to try to tiptoe through this with kid gloves, but decided I wasn't clever enough.:D

[BluesDawg]

If it was to my response that you are referring, I only said that in jest, meaning that I didn't ride a recumbent. I didn't mean to suggest that someone who rides a recumbent on the road is not a roadie. (edit) After reading later responses to the poll, I can see that it was not my response that was the catalyst for this.

My definition of a roadie is anyone who rides a bicycle on the road.

[Rober]

If it was to my response that you are referring, I only said that in jest, meaning that I didn't ride a recumbent. I didn't mean to suggest that someone who rides a recumbent on the road is not a roadie. (edit) After reading later responses to the poll, I can see that it was not my response that was the catalyst for this.

My definition of a roadie is anyone who rides a bicycle on the road.

Mine too. I ride a road bike on the road. Now, how someone rides a road bike, why they ride it, and what they ride it for are anyone's guess. Personally, I pretend I'm going very fast in front of a vicious pack of racers - even if I'm alone, sweating up a hill at 9 MPH. It just make the miles go by...

[Catweazle]

The classic definition would be those who ride a 'road' bike...as in a dropped-bar racing type bike.
But I ain't gonna touch this subject, it may make the helmet debate look like a church social.

forgive me my innocence here, because I'm a cyclist of about seven weeks rather than seven years or decades, but I'm happy enough to wade in. To me "roadie" means more than merely riding on the road. It means riding appreciable distances on the road on a bicycle specifically designed to take better or best advantage of that hard surface, at the cost of being less well suited to other surfaces.

If I purchase a 'road bike' and only ever use it to commute then I'm a commuter, not a 'roadie'. If I purchase a mountain bike and only ever use to trundle around on the sealed roads then I'm a wussy mountain bike rider, not a 'roadie'.


I can easy enough accommodate both upright and recumbent bikes within that description of 'roadie', but only where the recumbent has design features specifically aimed at riding 'faster' on the sealed surface. Wouldn't matter where or how fast I rode it, if I'm astride a recumbent designed, like my upright hybrid, for comfortable trundling about then I can't conceivably be a 'roadie'.


My thoughts, anyway. If I'm to use categorisations then I want them to have meaning. :)

[PaulH]

It was a movie starring Meat Loaf.

Paul

[roadfix]

My main ride is a fixed gear and I'm a roadie while on it, not some hipster. :p

[gcottay]

To me a roadie is a equipment schlepping set assembling electronics fixing extracurricular amusement procuring crew member for a traveling band or similar group.

When people write about roadies on bikes, I always have to guess what they are talking about.

[Wildwood]

To me a roadie is a equipment schlepping set assembling electronics fixing extracurricular amusement procuring crew member for a traveling band or similar group.

When people write about roadies on bikes, I always have to guess what they are talking about.

And I thought a rhoddie was a person who appreciated a particular type of flowering shrub.

[Rober]

So it only took 10 replies to define the term "roadie" into indefinite oblivion? This is like grad school!

[Red Rider]

My definition of a roadie is anyone who rides a bicycle on the road.

I concur.

[Red Rider]

And I thought a rhoddie was a person who appreciated a particular type of flowering shrub.

I thought a "rhodie" was the shrub itself, because we're too lazy to say the entire name.

[alicestrong]

My main ride is a fixed gear and I'm a roadie while on it, not some hipster. :p


I would so much rather be called a "hipster" than a "roadie"...:D ;)

I like the idea of riding a nice road bike on a nice road, but not so much the other negative stereotype stuff that is associated with "roadie"....

I prefer the negatives associated with "hipster"...

Hipster roadie... !!

[gear]

To me the term "roadie" is used as a method to take a group of people with a common interest (bicycling) and sub divide them into smaller groups. Usually for the all to human purpose of being able to claim that one group is superior to another.

[BluesDawg]

If I purchase a mountain bike and only ever use to trundle around on the sealed roads then I'm a wussy mountain bike rider, not a 'roadie'.
:)

That might make you a "wussy", but definitely not a mountain bike rider.

[tntom]

forgive me my innocence here, because I'm a cyclist of about seven weeks rather than seven years or decades, but I'm happy enough to wade in. To me "roadie" means more than merely riding on the road. It means riding appreciable distances on the road on a bicycle specifically designed to take better or best advantage of that hard surface, at the cost of being less well suited to other surfaces.

If I purchase a 'road bike' and only ever use it to commute then I'm a commuter, not a 'roadie'. If I purchase a mountain bike and only ever use to trundle around on the sealed roads then I'm a wussy mountain bike rider, not a 'roadie'.


I can easy enough accommodate both upright and recumbent bikes within that description of 'roadie', but only where the recumbent has design features specifically aimed at riding 'faster' on the sealed surface. Wouldn't matter where or how fast I rode it, if I'm astride a recumbent designed, like my upright hybrid, for comfortable trundling about then I can't conceivably be a 'roadie'.


My thoughts, anyway. If I'm to use categorisations then I want them to have meaning. :)

I can't believe he said that:eek::D
But there it is:eek::D

[maddmaxx]

50+, land of common sense.............If you ride on the road your a roadie. If you ride somewhere other than on the road your not a roadie. It is possible for roadies to be non roadies.....its also possible for non roadies to be roadies. Its possible for roadies to be inane and rude. Then again, non roadies can do the same thing. Roadies can lay down and ride on incumbents but then in some circurstances, recumbents can ride on dirt. I guess that means that being a recumbent rider does not in itself make one a roadie or non roadie. Touring riders generally group themselves with roadies because thats where most tours are.....on roads. However on bad hair days, touring riders go off road and tour other than on the road. Well, I guess that they fall into the same catagory as the bent riders. Commuters also favor roads, unless :eek: there's a path that will take some distance off the trip.............well, no help with the road/not rule there. Let's see, racers race on the road and dirt......no help. Ah....ha, TDF riders they ride on ............oh wait, there was the Lance off road incident.......darn. Maybe unicycles.........nope, they ride on dirt too.

I don't seem to be able to get a handle on the question after all. Perhaps there's more diversity to this cycling thing than I thought. Darn, I really didn't want to be a roadie..............oh well.

[BlazingPedals]

I think when most people use the term "roadie," what they really mean is "UCI roadie." My lowracer complains about dirt roads, and worse surfaces would be almost impossible to negotiate with it; yet I'm not included in the term. It seems like I should be, if I ride nothing but road? Obviously, I am in a class by myself!

At least I tend to stay away from MUPs, so nobody can call me a "MUPpet."

[maddmaxx]

Or Trekie or Commie or Hill Rider.................oops sorry Hillrider.

[Long deKlein]

Wise man.

I was going to try to tiptoe through this with kid gloves, but decided I wasn't clever enough.:D

If you can get those gloves on your feet and go a-tiptoein', you're definitely clever enough--intrepid, even!:D

[MKahrl]

I think it would be better to catergorize by the type of riding we do. For many of us it would be cyclotouriste: a rider who likes to travel some distance, on roads, for the fun of riding a bike. The other major categories would be racer, mountain biker, and commuter. One person could do all four of these types of riding and even do it on the same bike (although mountain biking would have some limitations).

If we thought in those terms we might reduce some friction in the way bike groups interact. When you join a cyclotouring club ride it wouldn't matter what bicycle anybody showed up on, the style of the ride would probably include such elements of cyclotouring as waiting for others to catch up, lunch, stopping on bridges to see what's down in the creek, helping someone with a repair, that sort of thing.

[maddmaxx]

I just reread the original post. Its possible that I've never "sucessfully" completed one of Fox's polls.............................:p.

That could be because of my shortcomings however.............:eek:

[BluesDawg]

If we thought in those terms we might reduce some friction in the way bike groups interact.

I ride bikes.

Friction, that's the kind of shifters I have on my road bikes. :p

[badger1]

[QUOTE=DnvrFox;6531421]What does "Roadie" mean to a 50+'r?

[richjac]

I think when most people use the term "roadie," what they really mean is "UCI roadie."

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a UCI? I assume it's something to do with racing. In that case, I wonder what proportion of self-proclaimed roadies have ever raced? 5% maybe?

Sorry - that doesn't answer the question. What was the question? Oh yeah - I agree with the "anyone who rides on roads" answer, as it's the most inclusive. Maybe I would refine it to be anyone who rides a bicyle on roads who wishes to be called a roadie.

[chipcom]

I wonder what proportion of self-proclaimed roadies have ever raced? 5% maybe?

Heck, even I've raced, albeit long ago, in a galaxy far, far away. To validate your percentage, we'd have to define 'roadie'...which is like chasing a greased pig.

[Timtruro]

What does "Roadie" mean to a 50+'r?

In one of my excellent and recent polls, I used the term "Roadie (could include recumbent)" in my poll.

One person responded that "Roadie" could not include recumbent biking.

So, as a mature 50+'r, who may have successfully completed one or more of Fox's polls, what does the term "Roadie" mean to you?

Can it include recumbent cycling?

The last beer before I leave the tavern is a "roadie"

[stapfam]

And I thought a rhoddie was a person who appreciated a particular type of flowering shrub.

A rhodofile.
I class myself as a roadie- because I ride on the road- Then there is the Tandem so I am a "Tandemist" then there is the Mountain bike- Not sure about the term for my type of riding on that----Bit "wussy" at present as I am not doing much of it and only taking the gentler trails.

But get the Offroad tandem out on aggressive offroad and I am a danger to other riders.

[DnvrFox]

Heck, even I've raced, albeit long ago, in a galaxy far, far away. To validate your percentage, we'd have to define 'roadie'...which is like chasing a greased pig.

Chipcom says a roadie is a greased pig!

[chipcom]

Chipcom says a roadie is a greased pig!

Could be meat, could be cake!

[Louis]

If you can get those gloves on your feet and go a-tiptoein', you're definitely clever enough--intrepid, even!:D
Busted! :o I confess, I've been wearing gloves on my feet since I was a...uh...kid. :p:D

[roadfix]

Hipster roadie... !!


ok, I can live with that.


:D

[Artkansas]

Does that refer to the song "Go tell Aunt Roadie"?

[bobbycorno]

What does "Roadie" mean to a 50+'r?

One person responded that "Roadie" could not include recumbent biking.



If (s)he wants to be that anal about it that's his/her problem. For my money, anybody who's serious about road riding is a roadie, regardless of what the bike looks like.

Scott P
Bend, OR

'bent and proud of it. (And yes, I rode a df for 45 years. Glad I made the switch.)

[Trsnrtr]

OK, here goes. I have been a recumbent rider for 5 years now. I ride lightweight (sub-20#), low-slung, bullets. I rode road bikes for 21 years and over 120,000 miles before taking up recumbents. I raced 9 years at around 40-50 races a year and was a fully sponsored cat 2 racer from 1987-1991. I still wear Lycra, as well as all of the roadie accoutrements. I ride the road, rarely ride MUPs and never, ever go offroad. In fact, I've never owned a mountain bike in 27 seasons. I read the Road Forum daily.

I still consider myself a "roadie." :)

[tntom]

Is a Roadie a Pie Eater? Or is a Pie Eater a Roadie? To be a Roadie must you eat Pie?:D

[ad6mj]

Today I rode my MTB on the road a couple miles to get to the trails. Then rode about 20 miles on the trails and then a rode couple miles on the road home. So, was I a roadie whilst going to and from the trails? If it makes any difference, I didn't have pie afterwards but I had some cobbler and a beer. ;) :beer:

[DnvrFox]

If (s)he wants to be that anal about it that's his/her problem. For my money, anybody who's serious about road riding is a roadie, regardless of what the bike looks like.

Scott P
Bend, OR

'bent and proud of it. (And yes, I rode a df for 45 years. Glad I made the switch.)

Hey, it is against the rules to be serious in the 50+ Forum!

The statement was made as a joke, as was my response.

[BlazingPedals]

Is a Roadie a Pie Eater? Or is a Pie Eater a Roadie? To be a Roadie must you eat Pie?:D

That's easy - yes roadies are pie eaters. So are trailers, muppets, and all other sorts of cyclists. Are the guys who only ride around the block called, "block heads?"

In case richjac hasn't Googled it yet, UCI stands for Union Cyclist Internationale, the governing body for bicycle racing in Europe.

[bobbycorno]

Hey, it is against the rules to be serious in the 50+ Forum!

The statement was made as a joke, as was my response.

Ah, my bad. It's hard to read facial expressions on the web.

And now a weak attempt at recumbent humor:

Q. How many 'bent riders does it take to change a lightbulb?

A. THAT'S NOT FUNNY!!!

Scott P
BEnd, OR

[maddmaxx]

That's easy - yes roadies are pie eaters. So are trailers, muppets, and all other sorts of cyclists. Are the guys who only ride around the block called, "block heads?"

In case richjac hasn't Googled it yet, UCI stands for Union Cyclist Internationale, the governing body for bicycle racing in Europe.

Not to be confused with the ASO (the other governing body for bicycle racing in Europe)..:D

[JanMM]

I ride exclusively on roads (and streets). On a recumbent or a tandem, mostly. When I did ride "road bikes" the term was not yet in use. (I last bought a skinny-tire, dropped bar bike in 1979).

[Rober]

I thought a "rhodie" was the shrub itself, because we're too lazy to say the entire name.

That was my impression too. (Quick - how fast can we make this description disappear into intellectual oblivion?)

[Red Rider]

That was my impression too. (Quick - how fast can we make this description disappear into intellectual oblivion?)

Not fast enough, I fear.

I'm glad someone else here enjoys horticultural pursuits as well as cycling.

[billbass]

Oh man! What have I gotten myself into??? I'm a 55 year old pro bass player. When I'm playing music, sometimes I USE a "ROADY" to move my equipment to, and from gigs.I ride a ROAD bike up north on ROADS, and paths. Down south I ride a "HYBRID skinny tire slicked out urban assault thang." (Down south my gigs are usually smaller venues, so I don't really need a "ROADY".)...I ride fast, and hard for an old guy, sometimes on the ROAD, sometimes NOT! I see guys in their ROAD kit blow past me at 30+ M.P.H., and I'm O.K. with that. Physically I love a ROAD bike....Intellectually..eh.uh... I ride a MINIMUM 15 miles a day most of the time.On the ROAD bike, more. I AM dedicated, stubborn, and determined!!! I like riding with friends, but... I REALLY like riding alone!!! I don't belong to a club.I usually wear cargo shorts,and T-shirts.I always wear a helmet,and gloves. On either bike, I go zen, and disappear for a while. Bike up north= road bike. Bike down south=hybrid. I ride in DAMN cold weather, and I ride in damn hot weather. I think the answer MIGHT be WHAT I WEAR!?!???? Sure can't tell by the bike!!! We all just ride!!!! So..Besides old...What the Hell am I? (Again, be nice):D

[Catweazle]

So..Besides old...What the Hell am I? (Again, be nice):D
A cyclist whose 'pooter has a schizophrenic keyboard, looks like ;)


:lol:

[aqua4her]

I think I'm in transition. I'm over 50, bought and bike, and I'm starting to crave pie.

[BluesDawg]

So..Besides old...What the Hell am I? (Again, be nice):D

A bicycle rider.

[billbass]

A cyclist whose 'pooter has a schizophrenic keyboard, looks like ;)


:lol:

Wow! I'm just glad I gotsa pooter!!!:eek: