Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - So You See 2 Old Fat Guys Climbing.....Do You Shout or Thumb?

I just thought this was cool after the many threads complaining about drivers and passengers shouting at riders. Hillbasher and I had just completed a climb on one of our rides. Series of hills with one milers 6% types, nothing major when we approached an intersection. I had a green light so I pushed as hard as I could to make it across seeing that oncoming traffic was on its way. There were cars behind me so I pushed hard in an attempt to match vehicular speed. As I rounded the left turn I entered the bike lane then a car passed on my left. I was rolling at a good speed but the car went by and all 3 or 4 occupants were shouting "YEEEEEEAAAAHHHHH!!!!!" with thumbs up!:thumb:

Then a few days later Hillbasher and I hit the big mountain. Killer climb! When we're on the switchbacks to the ski lifts, a car full of dudes rolls by and they shout out the window with More "YEEEEEAAAAHHHH!"'s and thumbs up!:thumb:

What shocked me was that these were all pretty fit looking dudes. I expect kudos shouts from other heavy dudes but I was shocked that the look of these fit guys cheering for us. From what I've read on the forums, they should have been throwing coke bottles at us shouting, "get off the road you fatso's".:D

That's always cool so it made me wonder. If you see a couple of old Clydes climbing a hill, do you shout or stick an encouraging thumb out the window? I do, even for the skinnies if it's a tough climb :D

Every time I pass a cyclist (even on bike myself) I offer a positive acknowledgement.

If the person looks focused, I leave them alone. Nothing bugs me more as someone that breaks my focus. Thats just me. Not trying to be a dick love the postivness) but going up hill require me to focus.

If I am riding down by the beach where a bunch of cyclists are I always get positive comments, if I am riding on the street I get nothing but laughs and taunts.

What shocked me was that these were all pretty fit looking dudes. I expect kudos shouts from other heavy dudes but I was shocked that the look of these fit guys cheering for us. From what I've read on the forums, they should have been throwing coke bottles at us shouting, "get off the road you fatso's".:D


Most of the really fit people know that you don't start off as really fit. In fact, many of the very physically fit people get there because at one point, they were Clydes/Athenas :)



That's always cool so it made me wonder. If you see a couple of old Clydes climbing a hill, do you shout or stick an encouraging thumb out the window? I do, even for the skinnies if it's a tough climb :D

If I see any cyclist grueling through any hill, I give them a thumbs up, and if I wont startle them, a small toot on the horn.

needs more cowbell... :)

I can't tell what someone is shouting or if a honk is approval. A thumbs up says it all. It doesn't distract someone and it's meaning is clear.

Put my head down and try harder 'cause they're probably passing me.

Nope, but I think I need some cow bells.

I was climbing an 18 % grade one day. Two guys walking up the sidewalk, not too much slower than I was going, started to yell. I got the sense they were betting on whether I'd make it or not. Eventually I had to get out of the saddle to finish the climb, but when I crested the hill, one of them got excited and put his hands up in the air.

Say Hi, just like I'd do to any other of God's children. Or, if you'd prefer I quote an atheist:

"The great secret, Eliza, is not having bad manners or good manners or any other sort of manners, but having the same manner for all human souls: in short, behaving as if you were in Heaven, where there are no third-class carriages, and one soul is as good as another." - Henry Higgins in Pygmalion.

The idea of cheering on an "old fat guy" carries with it the idea the "old fat guy" is doing something you don't expect him to be able to do. If other cyclists can climb that hill, why not him?

If you see a couple of old Clydes climbing a hill, do you shout or stick an encouraging thumb out the window?

You know..... if I see a fellow motorcyclist, it matters not if they're on a little scooter bedecked in Hello Kitty decals, a big Harley touring machine, or a tore up & dirty no-brand-name bike.... I acknowledge my enthusiasm for something we share, either openly or to myself.

That said, now that I'm cycling enthusiast.... it doesn't matter to me if the pilot of his/her bike is of a different ethnicity than of the several of which I AM, if they are gay or straight, fit or fat..... I share in the family of bicycle enthusiasts and acknowledge that I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together,
goo goo g'joob.

Put my head down and try harder 'cause they're probably passing me.

They are in cars, they should be passing you. :D

They are in cars, they should be passing you. :D

Remember the bottled water commercial with Lance Armstrong challenging motorcyclists to race him? :-)

Here's the thing...

You scare other fat guys in cars. See, they're content in their fatness because they 'can't exercise'. You being out there doing it reveals their self-delusion.

Fit guys, on the other hand, see you doing what they're not doing, and they think... DAMN! Big guy like that doing that??? You go!

Here's the thing...

You scare other fat guys in cars. See, they're content in their fatness because they 'can't exercise'. You being out there doing it reveals their self-delusion.


Not just in cars. I think you just described my office. It's so bad that I didn't even talk about my vacation this year.

What shocked me was that these were all pretty fit looking dudes. I expect kudos shouts from other heavy dudes but I was shocked that the look of these fit guys cheering for us.

If they are fit, they are probably fit because they exercise regularly and understand the purpose of getting out there and doing something. Doesn't surprise me at all that they would be encouraging.

Here's the thing...
Fit guys, on the other hand, see you doing what they're not doing, and they think... DAMN! Big guy like that doing that??? You go!

I was thinking that! :thumb:

If they are fit, they are probably fit because they exercise regularly and understand the purpose of getting out there and doing something. Doesn't surprise me at all that they would be encouraging.

I was thinking that too! :D

I got the sense they were betting on whether I'd make it or not.

Sometimes when I climb, I will see a driver slow allowing him to inspect my face closely. So this is another one of those things I'm thinking.:p

If the person looks focused, I leave them alone. Nothing bugs me more as someone that breaks my focus. Thats just me. Not trying to be a dick love the postivness) but going up hill require me to focus.

Wow! I'd bet you'd climb a little better if you relax. Some of the people that focus too much are those that focus so much they end up wasting energy on death grips etc. Try to relax. :thumb:

On some of our climbs, I will see that Gina is concentrating so hard that it seems she is wasting energy. I'll remind her to relax and she will say that she is trying to focus. When she finally does relax, she climbs so much better and is more efficient, and her pedal stroke is so much smoother. ;)

The idea of cheering on an "old fat guy" carries with it the idea the "old fat guy" is doing something you don't expect him to be able to do. If other cyclists can climb that hill, why not him?

Gravity is proportional to mass.

I was a clyde a little over a year ago. I just finished an olympic triathlon last saturday, and weighed 160 when it was over. I encourage everybody I see when I get the chance. Especially the clydes, because I know how hard it is to get out there and do it, especially the getting started part.

Sometimes when I climb, I will see a driver slow allowing him to inspect my face closely.

They're memorizing it in case it shows up on the news later as a missing person or 'Tragic Death in the Mountains".

They are in cars, they should be passing you. :D

I'm pretty competitive. Slow but hate being passed regardless.

I'm pretty competitive. Slow but hate being passed regardless.

....:roflmao2:

If you see a couple of old Clydes climbing a hill, do you shout or stick an encouraging thumb out the window? I do, even for the skinnies if it's a tough climb :D

i don't shout because some people might not take that kindly. if i'm driving, i don't do anything (no need to distract people), if i'm riding i usually hit my bell and give the other person a nod.

I always give the thumbs up. if I see heavy set joggers or walkers or anything they do to get fit and better them self gets a thumbs and a high five. Anyone who laughs has a very low opinion of themselves.

I always give the thumbs up. if I see heavy set joggers or walkers or anything they do to get fit and better them self gets a thumbs and a high five. Anyone who laughs has a very low opinion of themselves.

I also do so, even with riders I see on the trail. I always say, "good job!". I just hope they recognize me as a fellow Clyde and not just a sarcastic rider.:D


PS: Couldn't you arrange the tickers in your signature side by side so that your posts aren't so big? Just a thought. :p

I also do so, even with riders I see on the trail. I always say, "good job!". I just hope they recognize me as a fellow Clyde and not just a sarcastic rider.:D

Never thought about that. I know i would be very pleased if someone gave me a thumbs up (but it hasnt happened yet. LOL

PS: Couldn't you arrange the tickers in your signature side by side so that your posts aren't so big? Just a thought. :p HAHAHa really that big ok.....lets see what we can do. I think I can get them closer but I dont know how to get them side by side.

HAHAHa really that big ok.....lets see what we can do. I think I can get them closer but I dont know how to get them side by side.

Mine was sort of like that because of the links and the banner pic I used. I forced my banner pic to the right and inserted the dotted lines to keep it there.

Not sure how tickers work, but I just figured it would look better, but it is your stuff.:D

I always give the thumbs up. if I see heavy set joggers or walkers or anything they do to get fit and better them self gets a thumbs and a high five. Anyone who laughs has a very low opinion of themselves.

We have a kid who rides around a park popular with walkers, runners, joggers, and cyclists. He does laps opposite of the flow, giving high fives and "Good job!" to everyone on the track.

It's rather motivating, actually. And he spends about 2 hours during peak time doing this. :)

I saw a clyde today who was biking with friends and really cookin' it. I wanted so bad to whistle. Clyde was hawt. And I mean hawt with a capital H. <_<

(yeah.. I'm a girl.... and girls aren't supposed to whoop and holler' and all that. I just blushed a bunch and walked the dog home, then admired my hubbie for a while to make up for it LOL)

(yeah.. I'm a girl.... and girls aren't supposed to whoop and holler' and all that.
Says who? :p

Society's gender role BS can kiss my sub-Athena weight ass! The more people try to force their ideas of how I'm supposed to act down my throat, the more I push back. Case in point: in 2000 I got so sick of the short hair = lesbian stereotypes that I shaved my head for a year. It was fun! Plenty of people liked it, and a small amount of Neanderthals didn't, but I didn't care what they thought.

As far as cheering someone on, I would love to, but if I'm in a motor vehicle I don't want the cyclist to think I'm yet another jerk yelling something derogatory out the window. When people yell stuff at me from a moving vehicle I usually can't understand what they're saying.

They're memorizing it in case it shows up on the news later as a missing person or 'Tragic Death in the Mountains".

:beer: LOL Hummmm Never thought of that, but you make a good point. :50:

then admired my hubbie for a while to make up for it LOL)

..:roflmao2:

You know..... if I see a fellow motorcyclist, it matters not if they're on a little scooter bedecked in Hello Kitty decals, a big Harley touring machine, or a tore up & dirty no-brand-name bike.... I acknowledge my enthusiasm for something we share, either openly or to myself.
>>Snip<<


Yeah... But what if it's a big Harley touring machine bedecked in Hello Kitty decals?

To answers Beanz: a very light toot-toot of the horn and a thumbs-up out the window.

I always give them a big smile and thumbs up! :thumb:

Man, woman, child, fat, skinny, uphill, flats, downhill or otherwise.

Every last one of them deserves some support for just being out there, imho.

Every last one of them deserves some support for just being out there, imho.

True! :thumb:

they should have been throwing coke bottles at us
No, they should have thrown this :p
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/hardmf1/mightybeanz.jpg

No, they should have thrown this :p



....:roflmao2:

I don't think anyone that's been rude to me while I was cycling were people I would classify as "fit" themselves, rather just jerks who want to make fun of someone else to make themselves feel better. The couple times I've heard encouragement were from people that did seem fit so maybe they were once fat themselves or they just like seeing another cyclist out there in this city.