Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - "Do you even ride a bike?"

Said the guy next to me on the exercise bike. He must not ride a bike because he thought spinning at a comfortable cadence wasn't how you ride it. Clearly, the machine is used for cardio, but I guess he though grinding at the highest resistance for five minutes was good, and that I didn't ride a bike because I was so over weight. I just stared at him for a minute and then proceeded to put in my head-phones.

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I AM using the machine wrong, but I am quite sure spinning is cardio, and so is the machine, since it IS in the cardio section. I don't know why but he sure did piss me off. Normally I don't use the exercise bikes because I do my rides seperate, but I need both wheels replaces and I don't have the money right now, so I'll stick with the machine to curb my ride cravings.

Have any of you had issues like this? Someone insulting your riding skill/method because you're a clyde/athena?

I'm riding in the Tour de Cure 100-mile ride for the American Diabetes Association this summer and I've had more than one individual give me a "Yeah, Right!" look when I explained what I was raising money for. Some people have a hard time believing that a 220-lb guy can actually ride more than around the block.

Eh, you can't live with some people, and you can't hit 'em in the head with a brick.

Carry on.

Happens all the time. Happened more when I was 150 lbs heavier, but yeah - still happens. Same thing at running events. Hell - even happened once in college when I was playing DDR at the arcade in the mall. (DDR is Dance Dance Revolution (http://media.insidepulse.com/zones/movies/uploads/2009/12/ddr3.jpg), for those that don't know.) I was dancing up a storm - doing pretty well, too. I beat the pants off some HS kid. When I finished, another kid comes up to me and says, "you know it's pretty messed up what you're doing..." I just look at him puzzled and all I can think to say is, "huh?" And he says, "yeah - dressing up like a fat kid just to humiliate people at DDR." So I just lifted up my shirt, jiggled my moobies, and walked away.

Never had that happen but dont let it get to you just because He is jerk. I'm 225 and did 130mi last summer. I'm just slow...but I'm 55 lighter than last year. Spinning bikes aren't just for cardio...you can crank up the resistance, get anaerobic and do whatever you want..

Never had that happen but dont let it get to you just because He is jerk. I'm 225 and did 130mi last summer. I'm just slow...but I'm 55 lighter than last year. Spinning bikes aren't just for cardio...you can crank up the resistance, get anaerobic and do whatever you want..

I stand corrected. Still, I'm sure it would be more beneficial if he went longer than 5 minutes.

Recongnize that when a stranger makes such a statement, it is usually because of their own feelings of inadequacy.

By the way. What's up with the wheel situation? What are they doing to you now? I thought the shop had given you a warrantee replacement and made sure to stress relieve and retension it?

Maybe you can stress relieve your wheel on that guy's head?

By the way. What's up with the wheel situation? What are they doing to you now? I thought the shop had given you a warrantee replacement and made sure to stress relieve and retension it?

Well, I called Trek several times and they kept saying the would "ask their wheel guy" but I never got a response. The LBS fixed it but it still had issues, so they said they would order a new wheel and it never came in. I asked them when it would arrive (after two weeks) and they said they forgot and that I'd have to pay. I ended up forgetting about it (ironic) and traded my FX for a two year old Trek 1.2. The 1.2 was ridden so much and maintained so poorly by the last owner the rims needs to be tensioned and trued, and I need new tires because there is hardly any tred left, so hopefully I can get that fixed soon.


Maybe you can stress relieve your wheel on that guy's head?

:lol: Perhaps..

No, stress relieving with another's head is not recommended. It (using anothers head to stress relieve) results in excessive point loading of aforementioned rims which may result in unsatisfactory results and incarceration of the wheelsmith. However, a podialrectal size check usually gets the message across without adversely effecting your own bike.

So I just lifted up my shirt, jiggled my moobies, and walked away.

I'm not sure there's a mental floss strong enough to remove that image from my mind's eye....

With me, the comment usually comes in the form "I didn't think people like you could even ride a bicycle."

This is why i keep a picture of me riding in some of the larger group rides across Washington on my phone. So when i get the "do you even ride a bike" question, i say "yeah, i do about 100 miles a week in top shape, heres a picture of my bike, and here is a picture of me riding it from Seattle to Portland...so how far do you usually ride? Do you have a road bike?"

Usually the response is "ooohhh....thats....cool...uh...yeah, well...uh, i used to ride, but my bike is old...so, um, yeah, well, um, good for you, thats impressive". Or its just a red face and silence.

Biggest thing is to not let it get to you. It just makes me laugh. Makes me laugh even harder when i fly past one of those BMI freaks who now has to stare at my fat ass going up that hill for the next mile.

Happens all the time. Happened more when I was 150 lbs heavier, but yeah - still happens. Same thing at running events. Hell - even happened once in college when I was playing DDR at the arcade in the mall. (DDR is Dance Dance Revolution (http://media.insidepulse.com/zones/movies/uploads/2009/12/ddr3.jpg), for those that don't know.) I was dancing up a storm - doing pretty well, too. I beat the pants off some HS kid. When I finished, another kid comes up to me and says, "you know it's pretty messed up what you're doing..." I just look at him puzzled and all I can think to say is, "huh?" And he says, "yeah - dressing up like a fat kid just to humiliate people at DDR." So I just lifted up my shirt, jiggled my moobies, and walked away.

Thank you for that sayre....... i am accepting of a lot of things but yea i need a drink

One of the things that slowly develops is a different response -- one of the knowing smile, and then forgetting the encounter in the next millisecond. People usually make such comments to build up their own inadequacies, by bringing other people down to their own level.

I had my new boss question me ability to go 40miles recently...I dnt get it often because "apparently" I carry my weight very well.
Anyway I destroyed them all on the ride, they now ask me for advice and guidance on cycling, repairs, purchases, weights etc, which I nice, admittedly its a lot nicer because one of em is my manager.

I never had anyone in the gym say that, but i woud just laugh at them. I do however hear this all the time, there is no way a guy your size should be able to climb like that. On another note when I use to go to gym I would jump on a spin bike mid set and mash out 5 minutes just to get HR back up, and pedalling easy on a spin bike will not give you much you should be doing intervals.

Eh, you can't live with some people, and you can't hit 'em in the head with a brick.

Carry on.

Well put!

"Someone insulting your riding skill/method because you're a clyde/athena?"

How have you established a causal connection? Maybe he would have said the same thing if you were not a clyde.

No. I have rode in to the Y wearing my helmet, bibs, jersey, gloves, clipless shoes and had people ask "Did you ride your bike here?":rolleyes:

No. I have rode in to the Y wearing my helmet, bibs, jersey, gloves, clipless shoes and had people ask "Did you ride your bike here?":rolleyes:

some people have the IQ of a goldfish what do you expect :)

No. I have rode in to the Y wearing my helmet, bibs, jersey, gloves, clipless shoes and had people ask "Did you ride your bike here?":rolleyes:

:lol:

No. I have rode in to the Y wearing my helmet, bibs, jersey, gloves, clipless shoes and had people ask "Did you ride your bike here?":rolleyes:

I've had that same question several times when I ride my bike to the gym. My standard response is, "No, I'm one of the Village People."

If any of you are interested, I took my bike back to the LBS and they told me re-true and tension and a few new spokes won't make it completely straight and I will need a new rim soon (I figured). So hopefully I can get a month or two out of it before I have to buy a new one. But I'll probably buy a set just in case.

$34 for re-tension, re-true, stress relieve and all of that jazz.

I'm riding in the Tour de Cure 100-mile ride for the American Diabetes Association this summer and I've had more than one individual give me a "Yeah, Right!" look when I explained what I was raising money for. Some people have a hard time believing that a 220-lb guy can actually ride more than around the block.

I know that look all too well. Yeah, I may currently weigh in at 241, but that doesn't stop me from being able to do rides of 15 or more miles.

I guess in some folk's minds, you need to look like a TdF rider in order to be taken seriously. I just think to myself, "screw 'em" and then be on my way.

:)

If it were a TV show you would have challenged him to a race and left him in the dust...which you could have done in real life (that is challenged him to race or at least a less dramatic long-distance ride-a-long )...but the guy was being a jerk, who wants to spend time with jerks, and who wants to open up the possibility of being "shown-up" by a jerk...but it would have been cool to challenge him to a race and then leave him in the dust (the payback is almost worth the risk that it would backfire, you would just have to have a thick skin and brush it off).

If it were a TV show you would have challenged him to a race and left him in the dust...which you could have done in real life (that is challenged him to race or at least a less dramatic long-distance ride-a-long )...but the guy was being a jerk, who wants to spend time with jerks, and who wants to open up the possibility of being "shown-up" by a jerk...but it would have been cool to challenge him to a race and then leave him in the dust (the payback is almost worth the risk that it would backfire, you would just have to have a thick skin and brush it off).

That's the advantageous of being a heavy rider, and taking a slightly less in-yer-face approach. Something more like "How about we go take a ride on real bikes?" followed by leaving him in a cloud of dust up a hill. That way if you do smoke the guy it's more of a poke in the eye for him and if he smokes you then you've still got the fallback that you're losing weight and gaining fitness, and would like to ride with him again to encourage you to push harder.

When I first started riding with a group of friends (that had been riding regularly for some time prior to my joining them), my cadence was in my comfort zone (90-95 rpm), and I was holding them back. They were picking on my and telling me that I'm wearing myself out too quickly. Now - nearly a year later, I'm usually in the lead and occasionally have to slow down for them...even though I'm still the biggest guy in the group @ 6'2" 270lb.

I'm sorry, I know I should have a different outlook, but I simply don't take we'll to folks like that.

I think an appropriate reply would go along the lines, of, yes I do ride a bike, I am using it o lose weight, how do you plan to fix your stupidity?

No. I have rode in to the Y wearing my helmet, bibs, jersey, gloves, clipless shoes and had people ask "Did you ride your bike here?":rolleyes:

Heh. Over Easter weekend I did a three-day tour. Near the end of the first day, I walked into a grocery store to pick up supplies. I was dressed pretty much the same as you describe, only I had sports glasses on my head and my helmet was outside. I was also wearing a jersey thay included the words "bike tour." An employee stationed at a prepared food counter cheerfully asked if had been out riding my bike. I think she was just trying to be personable, but still my autonomic, un-verbalized response was "Do ya' think?"

Said the guy next to me on the exercise bike. He must not ride a bike because he thought spinning at a comfortable cadence wasn't how you ride it. Clearly, the machine is used for cardio, but I guess he though grinding at the highest resistance for five minutes was good, and that I didn't ride a bike because I was so over weight. I just stared at him for a minute and then proceeded to put in my head-phones.

Have any of you had issues like this? Someone insulting your riding skill/method because you're a clyde/athena?

I just feel bad for people like that. You only had deal with him for a moment in time. They have to go through life BEING them! How sad.

As a Clyde or Athena Cyclist , we have the opportunity to educate the public that weighty individuals are people, too, with feelings, emotions , and bicycles . They may have not had the opportunity to have alot of weight to lose through exercise, and see those goals come to fruition , like a flower in the Spring . Challenges are the biggest for the most capable . Some people cannot see this situation this way . Hit them with a frame pump.

No. I have rode in to the Y wearing my helmet, bibs, jersey, gloves, clipless shoes and had people ask "Did you ride your bike here?":rolleyes:

"Here is your sign..."

Said the guy next to me on the exercise bike. He must not ride a bike because he thought spinning at a comfortable cadence wasn't how you ride it. Clearly, the machine is used for cardio, but I guess he though grinding at the highest resistance for five minutes was good, and that I didn't ride a bike because I was so over weight. I just stared at him for a minute and then proceeded to put in my head-phones.

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I AM using the machine wrong, but I am quite sure spinning is cardio, and so is the machine, since it IS in the cardio section. I don't know why but he sure did piss me off. Normally I don't use the exercise bikes because I do my rides seperate, but I need both wheels replaces and I don't have the money right now, so I'll stick with the machine to curb my ride cravings.

Have any of you had issues like this? Someone insulting your riding skill/method because you're a clyde/athena?

For some reason I suspect, given the tone of Axiom's original post, that the OP may have offered some unsolicited advice to the individual in question.

Axiom, could you clarify how the conversation even began with the individual?

Rarely, have I ever been confronted by such a statement. If, Axiom had offered some advice to the guy about "how" to ride a stationary bike. I wouldn't be at all surprised by such a response.

And for the record: I use both the stationary bikes at the gym and my trainer in the garage for everything from high rpm "spinning" work to extremely low (<60rpm) strength work. These workouts last as little as 25 minutes and as long as >90min. And, I too have been known to hop on a bike at the gym for a short period of time, while I eye an apparatus or other piece of equipment that I'm waiting for. Just for something to do, rather than stand and hover while someone else finishes a set.

I'm riding in the Tour de Cure 100-mile ride for the American Diabetes Association this summer and I've had more than one individual give me a "Yeah, Right!" look when I explained what I was raising money for. Some people have a hard time believing that a 220-lb guy can actually ride more than around the block.

Lightweight! :) it's funny, the real hard core riders are very encouraging of me - but honest too: "This ride probably isn't one you will keep up on..." it's the poser wannabes that tend to be rude.

Lightweight! :) it's funny, the real hard core riders are very encouraging of me - but honest too: "This ride probably isn't one you will keep up on..." it's the poser wannabes that tend to be rude.

Nail on the head......

Serious cyclist are secure in what they are and where they fit in. Even the most competative are ussually acustomed to getting beat by the same couple guys week after week.

The posers and wannabe's, not so much.

I know in our little slow league, we're pretty good about encouraging everyone that shows an interest and organizing rides that everyone can enjoy. We're also quick to point out when we're organizing a ride that someone isn't going to be successful at participating at. And, occassionally we end up altering a ride to accomodate the group we end up with. But, its never been suggested that one person is more or less serious than the others just because of where they're starting from (personally).

Nail on the head......

Serious cyclist are secure in what they are and where they fit in. Even the most competative are ussually acustomed to getting beat by the same couple guys week after week.

The posers and wannabe's, not so much.

I know in our little slow league, we're pretty good about encouraging everyone that shows an interest and organizing rides that everyone can enjoy. We're also quick to point out when we're organizing a ride that someone isn't going to be successful at participating at. And, occassionally we end up altering a ride to accomodate the group we end up with. But, its never been suggested that one person is more or less serious than the others just because of where they're starting from (personally).

When I was a novice, I did a night ride with someone who rode in the Furnace Creek 508. I apologized once too often for not being at his level. He turned to me and said, "We both know I'm a better cyclist than you, right?" I was stunned at the statement and replied "yes." "So if we both know it, there's no need to say anything else, is there?" And we both had a good time after that.

Cyclists confident in their abilities don't need to trash talk 'lessers,' As the old expression goes, never be haughty to the humble, and never be humble to the haughty.

When I was a novice, I did a night ride with someone who rode in the Furnace Creek 508. I apologized once too often for not being at his level. He turned to me and said, "We both know I'm a better cyclist than you, right?" I was stunned at the statement and replied "yes." "So if we both know it, there's no need to say anything else, is there?" And we both had a good time after that.

Cyclists confident in their abilities don't need to trash talk 'lessers,' As the old expression goes, never be haughty to the humble, and never be humble to the haughty.

Pretty much a similiar conversation to the one Mrs. Fred and I have every time we cycle together but without any others. She's constantly worrying about whether I'm enjoying my ride and encouraging me to go off on my own. Which, is the last thing I want to do. I've eventually challenged her to find a way to accept that when I set out to go for a ride with her, I enjoy riding "with" her and that it's her challenge to accept this fact. Now we can actually get on with enjoying our rides, instead of her constantly apologizing and me constantly trying to reiterate that I'm having a good time.

It's all about expectations. I go for a leisurely ride, I expect a leisurely ride, I'm happy with a leisurely ride. I want to ride to my personal limits, I ride by myself, I test my personal limits, I'm happy. I want to exceed my personal limits, I ride with a group that I know is going to drop me, I question if my heart isn't going to explode from my chest, my legs revolt, I get dropped, I'm happy. I want to have a spirited fun ride with mates, a group of similiarly fit friends gets together, we ride each other into the ground, one of us is happy, the rest just want to get back to the pub for a beer, then we're all happy:-)

For some reason I suspect, given the tone of Axiom's original post, that the OP may have offered some unsolicited advice to the individual in question.

Axiom, could you clarify how the conversation even began with the individual?

Rarely, have I ever been confronted by such a statement. If, Axiom had offered some advice to the guy about "how" to ride a stationary bike. I wouldn't be at all surprised by such a response.

And for the record: I use both the stationary bikes at the gym and my trainer in the garage for everything from high rpm "spinning" work to extremely low (<60rpm) strength work. These workouts last as little as 25 minutes and as long as >90min. And, I too have been known to hop on a bike at the gym for a short period of time, while I eye an apparatus or other piece of equipment that I'm waiting for. Just for something to do, rather than stand and hover while someone else finishes a set.

:( I don't mean to have a "tone" but I guess it's just how I type. I was doing my thing, I was moist but not pouring sweat (even though I tend to sweat more than a regular person) and he took a seat, started pumping the machine to max, and scoffed, asking if I actually even road a bike. It's worth noting I wear my bike shorts on the machines, so I guess he thought I was a poser because I was over-weight and it looked like I was having a hard time.

Regardless if I was a poser or not, I thought it was rude. Maybe he didn't mean to have a tone either, which would be ironic and I misconstrued what he meant. Also, I do not give advice unless: 1) someone asks and 2) I am positive that my advice is both accurate and helpful.

Sorry mate.

We'll just rack him up as one of life's "shower bags":-)

Pretty much a similiar conversation to the one Mrs. Fred and I have every time we cycle together but without any others. She's constantly worrying about whether I'm enjoying my ride and encouraging me to go off on my own. Which, is the last thing I want to do. I've eventually challenged her to find a way to accept that when I set out to go for a ride with her, I enjoy riding "with" her and that it's her challenge to accept this fact. Now we can actually get on with enjoying our rides, instead of her constantly apologizing and me constantly trying to reiterate that I'm having a good time.

It's all about expectations. I go for a leisurely ride, I expect a leisurely ride, I'm happy with a leisurely ride. I want to ride to my personal limits, I ride by myself, I test my personal limits, I'm happy. I want to exceed my personal limits, I ride with a group that I know is going to drop me, I question if my heart isn't going to explode from my chest, my legs revolt, I get dropped, I'm happy. I want to have a spirited fun ride with mates, a group of similiarly fit friends gets together, we ride each other into the ground, one of us is happy, the rest just want to get back to the pub for a beer, then we're all happy:-)

Been there. Still working on erasing that mentality of hers. Hopefully she'll work with me to get through it this summer.

Luckily I haven't yet, I told one of my managers and she thinks it's awesome I'm going to start riding and even is letting me put my bike in the stock room as long as it's out of the way. I told her I was going to try to get my boyfriend to get a bike too so we could ride together and she just said "That's cute! ^_^"

It's proving more difficult to convince my boyfriend that it really is possible for us to ride.

Luckily I haven't yet, I told one of my managers and she thinks it's awesome I'm going to start riding and even is letting me put my bike in the stock room as long as it's out of the way. I told her I was going to try to get my boyfriend to get a bike too so we could ride together and she just said "That's cute! ^_^"

It's proving more difficult to convince my boyfriend that it really is possible for us to ride.

What's his percieved obstacle?

When I was a novice, I did a night ride with someone who rode in the Furnace Creek 508. I apologized once too often for not being at his level. He turned to me and said, "We both know I'm a better cyclist than you, right?" I was stunned at the statement and replied "yes." "So if we both know it, there's no need to say anything else, is there?" And we both had a good time after that.

Cyclists confident in their abilities don't need to trash talk 'lessers,' As the old expression goes, never be haughty to the humble, and never be humble to the haughty.
I am trying to remember who the artist is, but...

In his case, he was hanging around a recording studio ready to put down a track. I think he met John Lennon or Mick Jagger and members of their group (either Beatles or Stones) or someone of that ilk. And he met a few of the bit players trying to make it big. Guess who were the gentlemen, asked after his progress, and wanted to know what songs he was recording. Guess who ordered him about, were downright rude, and weren't at all interested in what he was doing there.

It happens in all walks of life that someone sneers at what others are doing... without having a clue about the talent that they are deridng.

Also a bit off topic, I suppose, and I am not into musical talent search TV shows, but The Voice has just started here in Australia, and the fact the judges cannot see the performers, only can hear their singing, has made some of the results interesting. It's given one 18-year-old woman, with 10% vision and a truly beautiful voice, the opportunity she was denied on another TV talent show... because she was almost blind.

I usually take a short break in the morning to hydrate and stretch before I cross the 14th street bridge every morning. Some clown this morning came cruising by, saw me taking a break and started shaking his head and laughing. I had the last laugh though - passed him on the bridge and beat him to the first red light by 25 seconds. Dude couldn't believe it.

Also a bit off topic, I suppose, and I am not into musical talent search TV shows, but The Voice has just started here in Australia, and the fact the judges cannot see the performers, only can hear their singing, has made some of the results interesting. It's given one 18-year-old woman, with 10% vision and a truly beautiful voice, the opportunity she was denied on another TV talent show... because she was almost blind.

Related to this (I watched it again recently) is the first time Susan Boyle appears before the Judges of "Britain's Got Talent" (check it on youtube)...of course (I'm grown to be a bit cynical) some of the whole thing might have been staged for effect, but it is still quite moving.

I get it from time to time myself. Being short (5' 6") and 243 pounds, a lot of people just can't seem to wrap their heads around the fact that this is something someone of my size is capable of. Often times when talking about a small 7 mile loop, people react like it's a 70 mile ride, "there's no way you rode that far..." So when I talk about a 15 mile ride they dont even believe that I have done it. My response is usually to pull up a completed track on garmin connect, and offer for them to come with me on the weekend. They never seem to show up. A guy I used to work with was good for telling me that there's no way I rode that far "because I rode from point a to point b and I was completely gassed at the end of that ride, i had to rest for a half hour" Incidentally I just put those 2 points into google maps and the distance is a straight 3.7 miles with one freeway overpass to cross. I also offered this guy a chance to come on one of my rides, again a no show.

I find it funny how many people are just willing to right off the bigger people as being unable to do certain things, like ride a bike in this case, but then they are just assuming. None of the people I referenced here have ever seen me out on a "ride" but a few of them have seen me show up to work on my bike, which is either a 5.4 or 7.9 mile commute one way.

I like the looks on their faces when a guy 200 pounds heavier than them flies by, seemingly effortlessly.

"Speak softly, but ride in a big ring."
- Mithrandir "Teddy" Roosevelt

This is a great thread and I want to vent!

I know exactly the feeling, having been 225 and built like a linebacker since I was 16 yrs old and now being 279. Certainly only a few kids bullied me, but in the sports arena, if it was anything but football or weights, I was never the guy that got picked in the first group, if you know what I mean.

I've heard synonymous phrases to the "Do you EVEN ride????!!???". For example, "Do they even make bikes that support people like you?" or "Will wheels even support your weight?" or "Can someone that big even balance on those skinny tires?" or "Can you stop your -bike- in time [at your size]", or "Should you even be trying to ride up that hill?"

And I've had my share of 'I-told-you-so.." from not just strangers, or fair-weather-colleagues, but from my own family members.

When I broke my second frame riding up 30% grade of Centennial Rd in Berkeley, and took my 2nd warranty claim, my sister told me she told me so... they actually don't make bikes that can withstand folks like me. Or when I smacked the pavement in Tokyo and busted my ankle forever and listened to the Japanese doctor in the hospital telling me I wouldn't walk again because people my size shouldn't be risking riding bikes due to these injuries... just look at all those sumo wrestlers who die early... Or when I recently broke the hardened cold forged crmo pedal axle on my super awesome, vintage, limited edition Suntour XC Pro compes my 70+ year old Mom said that big middle aged folks like me shouldn't be riding bikes. I gotta take care of her grandkids and live... And just Monday, I was passing by a middle school on the way home and got clipped by a Mom and daughter pulling out of the parking lot. I swerved in time and kicked her car and got off my bike and yelled at her. (I was on the main street and had absolute right of way). To which her daughter replies from the back seat, "She didn't think someone your size could ride so fast..."

Geez. Yeah, we're big. But we also ride. It should make us more visible in blaze chartreuse!

But it's not our fault that we want to kick butt, but the the world sets standards by whimps who weigh nothing. And the continued insinuation that big folks shouldn't be riding or can't ride or somehow the weight limits our competency... well, it chaps my saddle sores. And if there was one thing that has driven me to work harder and bike more, it's exactly comments like these. And I savour the moments when I'm on a 42x18 single speed cranking out at 100 rpm into a head wind on the road home and blow by some whimpy dude in a $5000 CF bike barely making headway into the onslaught of the wind, and say those magically words, "..On your left..." as I blow past him. Sometimes being big is an asset.

And you know those benefit rides where I've ridden sag duty carrying all the gear/first aid and repair equipment for the folks on the long-route option? Well, frankly, their are ladies who are chubby chasers and lots of them who are impressed by us hefty dudes who not only sport the girth of a very seasoned UNIX sysadmin, but can also do computational physics on plasmas equally well on a cloud or with a super vector computer or debug operating system kernels with text tools, and still effortlessly haul our big rear ends on a vintage road bike up the likes of Page Mill or Sand Hill Rd near the Stanford campus without breaking a sweat. And we're nice people too who can fix their bikes and not just look pretty and sponsored with all the lycra/nylon/spandex gear.

Labels aren't fair. And often, they're not meant to be nice. We get discriminated against. And on occasion, it can mean fighting words. I usually just bite my tongue and turn the other cheek - the butt cheek that is... as I get back on the saddle and ride away.