Recreational & Family - Would you feel "over-biked" ?

Suppose you are going out for a casual ride with friends and family. They were on their hybrids and dept store bikes, and you were on your road race bike (coz you had no other) but wearing jeans and t-shirt (tho still clipless pedals and shoes).

Would you feel out of place?

Run what ya brung goes both ways. If you're having fun, who cares? Or on the other hand, one can never have to many bikes....so buy a cheapie off craigslist just for these occasions and also the pleasure of wrenching on some old school stuff :)

I would not feel out of place. Road bikes can be used for casual riding, too.

first world problems lol, or an excuse to buy a new bike?

I would not feel out of place. I live 1/4 mile from my work and sometimes ride my road bike clip ins and all. We also take our daughter on rides and I will use it then too. She is gonna be 4 and loves to make lots of stops to fill her front basket with all sorts of stuff.

If you find yourself shouting at a little girl on a tiny pink bike because she's not doing her turn up front then you may be out of place.

If you find yourself shouting at a little girl on a tiny pink bike because she's not doing her turn up front then you may be out of place.

Thank you for my new signature quote. :D

The only people who would think you a tool ( if you were riding "normal" for the bike-path world) would be the other "road bikers" riding their more appropriate bike-path bikes who wold probably find your overt display of power pretentious. I doubt that many people who would recognize your bike for what it is would believe that such a serious cyclist had only one, overpowered, bike.

I dont think you would look out of place but you would probably feel it. Even being normally dressed your gonna be doing a fraction of the pedalling that the rest of your group is.

It's your bike, you ride it however you like. I found getting in and out of clips while riding with kids to be such a PITA, I bought a Walmart OP cruiser for $99 to ride with the kids. Besides, the big sproingy seat and upright position are wonderful for taking in the sights along the way. Check your local used bike shop, I bet you can find something that would work for even less.

Stuart Malone

Suppose you are going out for a casual ride with friends and family. They were on their hybrids and dept store bikes, and you were on your road race bike (coz you had no other) but wearing jeans and t-shirt (tho still clipless pedals and shoes).

Would you feel out of place?

No.

Long answer: Not at all.

I believe you should never skimp on tools if you can help it. Any object that has a job to do had better be at least as dependable and serious about it as you are. So no, I would never feel out of place bringing the most effective transportation tool I have to a transportation job, even if it is just for fun.

No. Most folks wouldn't recognize the difference unless it were really fancy, and why work harder than you have to?

I bought a pair of platforms that clip in to my clipless pedals after the last time I took a ride with the fam to a church outing and had to change my shoes when I got there. Haven't used them yet, but might the next time I find myself in a similar circumstance.

. . . . Would you feel out of place?

I wouldn't. Has the situation bothered you?

In that setting you might have fun riding modified sweep. As the route allows, do a U-turn, sprint for a bit, repeat the U and catch back up with the group.

When all I had was a road bike, that was what I rode. I didn't feel right unless I was clipped in...didn't worry about the image. What else you gonna do...walk? :-)

.....Would you feel out of place?

Never. I usually ride either my FG road bike, the SS 29er MTB, or the Fisher Opie MTB though because with e lazier and more casual pace I look for different way to have fun on the ride.

I dont think you would look out of place but you would probably feel it. Even being normally dressed your gonna be doing a fraction of the pedalling that the rest of your group is.

Been there...this is right on. Compared to Cruisers and the like, you'll be doing a lot of idle coasting which can remove some of the fun. This might be a case where you want to find something crazy inefficient in pedal power for your own sake of not getting too bored.

On a road bike, the frequent stops and pace might bug me.