Fifty Plus (50+) - Ott

I suppose this is a little off shoot from the "anti social" thread. There's this guy in town who obviously places a lot of emphasis and money on "looking good". I know for myself, I can rely on my youthful looks and invigorating charm. However, this bloke is so shallow and self centred it would amaze me if he didn't have a mail order bride to caress his ego.

I first ran into this guy a few weeks ago. I went out for a ride through the country lanes to enjoy the scenery and enjoy the ride. On my way back I saw this guy on his road bike... he was all kitted up in his team w@Nker gear. I waved... no acknowledgement. Fine, I keep going. About 1km later I turn around and here's Mr Smooth trying to close the gap. His bike looks expensive and he's got the Giro hat on, so there's no doubt he's spent some decent loot on his kit.

I'm on my MTB and decided to up the cadence a bit. I was a bit suprised when the gap closure rate seemed to slow and I actually made it back in to town and he was still about 100 metres behind me.

Well. The next day I'm out on my early morning ride and the same bloke is now wearing a different coloured "team w@Nker" shirt and a different coloured Giro hat. I take a second look and sure it's him. I wave to make sure. Same dead pan stare straight ahead. Yup, that's the same looser.

Well, I've seen this clown about nine times now and I reckon he's got six top line Giro lids and about seven diffent "team w@Nker" outfits... which makes me wonder why anyone would go to such trouble to put all that dross on for a thirty minute ride.

Anyway, (we're getting to closure here fellas) I saw him this morning and nearly fell of my bike laughing. Apart from the several thousand dollars he's spent on "kit w@Nker" he has now topped it off with these crass looking eye protector gizmos. They look a bit like swimming goggles but slightly smaller. Sh1t, I almost had to get off the bike to get over my laughter. The statement he seems to be trying to make is "I drive so hard and fast, that if I don't wear these insect goggles, my eyes will fill up with little critters". I really, really wish I had a pic for you all to enjoy.

Hopefully, he enjoys what he is doing. I have decided that it is easier to let people do what they want than it is to expend any effort in changing them. The world would be so boring if everyone were all cookiecutter same.

I tend to agree with you. I get a lot of laughs out of my "team w@Nke" character. Just like I get a heap of laughs out of these blokes that spin around on pavements to clunky musak. I wouldn't change this bloke cause he makes my jaw drop. The beetle goggles nearly made me fill my shorts tho.

Sorry, but I'm not sure which one is the snob.

An anti snob snob.

I tend to agree with you. I get a lot of laughs out of my "team w@Nke" character. Just like I get a heap of laughs out of these blokes that spin around on pavements to clunky musak. I wouldn't change this bloke cause he makes my jaw drop. The beetle goggles nearly made me fill my shorts tho.

Sounds like he is pretty predictable... why not lay for him and snap us a pic with your trusty camera? This type of guy exists in the flyfishing world too... all decked out with complete very high end Orvis equipment - it almost always means "dude" without much experience using the gear.

I do not think you are the snob since you waive to him with no return of greeting.

I think you have very good eyes and an advanced sense of cycling fashion.

Is this your buddy?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/147/422215590_ffa93cf6df_o.jpg

Ironically, these Oakleys are called Overthetop ("OTT"?)

If I may tell a story on this subject (and stay on-topic):

Looong ago (1983) I took a job where I lived about 10 miles from my office and the road was out in the country. I noticed a number of guys riding their bikes to and from work so I got out my department store bike with the flat pedals, put on my t-shirt and cutoffs and started riding to work.

But I started noticing this one guy. He was always riding, usually going the other direction, but he always had this look about him, hard to describe but he was a jerk/snob. He wore lycra and a real jersey and was just too cool for school.

Once I was riding to work and he passed me, going pretty fast not saying a word. Then the next day, the same thing. After that I started trying to keep up with him which I could do for a little while. One day I was trying to keep up and he finally said, "ya know, you ride great! If you had some toe-clips (was that what we called them?) you'd be really fast!"

Well, after that we started talking on the ride to work and I got to where I could keep up with him. With toe clips. Later he suggested that I get real cycling shorts, then a jersey....you know how that part goes. Then he said that I should go enter a race with him, which I did.

It turned out that he was a GREAT guy, we became close friends and although our lives went different directions, we still keep in touch.

So, you never know about people, but most are pretty good when you get to know them.

Some riders just like "Flash" when it comes to clothes, we were at a bicycle show last weekend and this one dealer had some GREAT deals on full bib set's with flashy logo's. I almost bought one as it was my size and the price was WAY cheap. Then I looked at the bib's, thought of my big body in these skin tight and very colorful bibs on a MTB and put them back. Just too much flash for me to feel comfortable with. Since I'm not into racing, single color jersey's and black short's are my level of "flash". Although there was a REALLY Cool Colorado Flag Jersey, too bad they were all we too small for a fat MTB rider;)

One of the biggest battles I face on a daily basis is my, what seems like natural, ability to be judgemental. Give the guy a break. Afterall he is a fellow cyclist and not some guy screaming out of a car window for you to get off the road.

Is this your buddy?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/147/422215590_ffa93cf6df_o.jpg

Ironically, these Oakleys are called Overthetop ("OTT"?)

Narr, I think my mate has a Perrier bottle :D

One of the biggest battles I face on a daily basis is my, what seems like natural, ability to be judgemental. Give the guy a break. Afterall he is a fellow cyclist and not some guy screaming out of a car window for you to get off the road.

I dunno if a "break" is what's in order. I mean to say, I wave at him every time we meet. He just cracks me up and I look forward to seeing what fashion he's wearing today. It's just the beetle goggle thingos nearly made fall of my bike. I suppose it strikes me that he's accessorised well beyond his capability and I find that kind of funny. I'll prolly see him again in the next few days but the smile on my face will be much broader then.

I dunno if a "break" is what's in order. ...... It's just the beetle goggle thingos nearly made fall of my bike. I suppose it strikes me that he's accessorised well beyond his capability and I find that kind of funny.......

I have a hard time with these threads and generally try to keep out of the mix (yeh, I know...un-characteristic for me). I'm sure that my somewhat Fred or renegade appearance combined with my rotund belly has provided tons of laughs for serious cyclists I've encountered out on the roads, and that's O.K. I'm the opposite extreme of your humorously full kit style guy whom you are so entertained by.

The being accessorised beyond his capability comment bothers me most. You see, I'm just a "hack" at most everything I do.

I have a Martin guitar though I don't play it very well...... should I sell it?

I have many very nice old Lionel and Marx electric trains but I have them on a crumby layout..... do I need to sell them?

I have a great digital Canon camera but I'm certainly not a photographer...... should I get rid of the camera?

I have several very nice bikes but I don't ride fast, far or with great style...do I get rid of them and ride a cruiser?

I have a georgeous wife and I'm butt ugly...do I divorce her?

Nothing personal here, but I think we humans need to live and let live. As a few have mentioned elsewhere in this thread, once you get to know them most people are quite nice including those who aren't using their equipment to it's full potential.

Just my crudely stated humble opinion of course.

So, the guy is a bit OCP, at least he's out there riding. You have that in common which is more important than the difference in clothing styles you choose.

Perhaps he needs a training partner. Someone who is just a bit faster than him to encourage him to go a bit faster for longer.

I don't have that problem- I am the target for the OCP's to catch and pass.

Those guys pass me so fast that I don't have much chance to see what they are wearing.

The being accessorised beyond his capability comment bothers me most. You see, I'm just a "hack" at most everything I do.

I have a Martin guitar though I don't play it very well...... should I sell it?

I have many very nice old Lionel and Marx electric trains but I have them on a crumby layout..... do I need to sell them?

I have a great digital Canon camera but I'm certainly not a photographer...... should I get rid of the camera?

I have several very nice bikes but I don't ride fast, far or with great style...do I get rid of them and ride a cruiser?

I have a georgeous wife and I'm butt ugly...do I divorce her?

Nothing personal here, but I think we humans need to live and let live. As a few have mentioned elsewhere in this thread, once you get to know them most people are quite nice including those who aren't using their equipment to it's full potential.

Just my crudely stated humble opinion of course.

No
No
No
No
And watch out- get in first.

You just never know, and shouldn't be judgemental about people is the lesson I learned on my first organized ride. It was like the 4th time I had ridden my 1st bike in 35 years; and I was going for a 30 mile leg for my first attempt. The longest ride I had been on prior to this was a 15 miler. I had other fiends taking the 66 mile route and a couple going for the full century. We were all decked out in full kit of course.

Well there was this one old fellow, with a big red beard, dressed in what could best be described as hiking gear; cargo pants, flannel shirt, hiking boots and riding a mountain bike and he was signing up for the 100 miler.

We all snickered at this and figured he'd be the first one on the SAG wagon.

I made it through the ride and averaged about 13 MPH. Nothing to be impressed with for sure but I was just thrilled I made it at all. I never knew legs could feel so much like rubber.

The launch of each event had been staggered in such a way that most riders got back around mid-day. Except for the ones who went for the century, my friends all beat me back easily since they have been riding for years.

The one that made my jaw drop was the mountain man. He finished the century in 6 1/2 hours. And, I swear he was in better shape than I was.

I went through this phase too, figuring anyone who dressed better/fancier or rode a more expensive bike than me should be a better/faster rider than me or else all that fancy stuff was wasted. Then it finally occurred to me that maybe they dress that way or ride that bike because they appreciate quality and they have the disposable income to get it if they want to. And the waving thing never bothers me anyway. I wave or not, whatever I feel like, and I expect the 'other guy' will do the same. No judgements made.

So the worst you should be pinging on him for is for having too much money and not sharing your priorities. That's fair, because at this moment he's probably complaining to his friends about how you are being anti-social and riding away from him every time he gets near.

I had a guy - Mr. 40 miler - who I waved to practically every day - because he did 40 miles every day. I tried and I tried, but he didn't wave back or even nod.

Then, one day, after about a year, he waved back. Then we talked evey once in a while. I found out that he was my age and did the same measured 40 miles every single day.

We became friends of a sort.

One day, he was fixing a flat, put a new tube in incorrectly, it promptly burst, and I gave him a spare. Later, he searched out my house - which took considerable effort - and I found a replacement tube on my front porch.

He recently moved up the road 6 miles, and now rides a different 40 mile course.

I miss him!!

I'd have to agree that it would get to me to wave to a guy repeatedly and him not wave back, no matter how he looked. I'm personally not into the full kit look(only one reason is that I would look like a billboard with all the ads stretched across my girth), but I have no problem with those that choose to dress that way. I'm sure there are those that are in full kit that look down their noses at me. Oh well.
No matter what, common courtesy is being lost and neglected through less and less personal interaction, and there is nothing funny about that. I try to wave or return a smile to every single person that I meet, no matter the emotional weight I may (or may not)be carrying at the time, and it is amazing how many do not reciprocate, or are blatantly rude in return. Just my opinion. Until he proves otherwise, he's a d1ck. :rolleyes:

Real men ride color coordinated, end of story.

Hey Rob.

There's roughly 6 or 7 billion people in the world and every single one has their own agenda. I don't even try to figure them all out. I pretty much just do my thing and try to let all of those other people do theirs.

There's a guy in the neighborhood who always wears the dumpiest clothes when out riding. He had 5 mirrors hanging on his bike and rides with his head cocked over to one side.

Never, ever returns a wave when we meet. Never.

I used to think he was stuck up or rude. Now I figure he's just focusing on what he's doing.

I have to ask Rob. When you say you picked up the pace on your mountain bike just how far back was this guy? How fast were you going? I'll explain why.

Anyone I have ever passed on my MTB that bothered to spend the money on a CF bike and full kit has simply not considered me worth chasing. Not that I have ever passed many that were going in the same direction I was.