General Cycling Discussion - Who was dorkier?

Today I commuted home from work this past AM. Well, the weather bureau is so often wrong this past winter with rain, I did not take the chance of showers seriously. Commuting home, showers did materialize, in fact returing on Temecula's wine road, they were pretty heavy at times.
So, I did take some of my rain gear. Anyway, some fast racing types passed me heading into town. They were wearing USPS gear, without any rain gear on. Totally exposed.Bare arms and legs. Rainy and low 50's.
I was wearing my blue lobster gloves, my black shoe covers, an orange Goretex jacket, and yellow rainproof helmet cover. So I stopped at a coffee shop for hot chocolote and they the USPS'ers were there. Hair drenched, looked like drowned rats.
Felt inclined to say hello because, heah, we must be hard core. I said nice day for a ride. They looked at my rain gear as if they had seen Elmer Fudd. Turned their heads and said nothing. Guess, they did not like the way I looked.
I was mostly warm except I only brought cycling shorts. So who was dorkier, me feeling somewhat comfortable or they looking like soaked pro's.
Well, some say they like riding in the rain. Must not say I was distraught when the ride came to an end. Yet, when I looked down and saw my legs covered with mud, I said to myself, I look like I graduated from the Paris-Roubaix race. Some classifly that as Hard core. Another cycllng event under my belt.

50/50 I'd say, I love riding hard in the cold and rain (this was in Scotland, home of both cold and rain) but it is nice to put on some warm waterproofs for the slow ride home after the main ride :) .

Oops, forgot to mention, it was very rude and unsporting of those guys to blank you like that...

I have often words with roadbikers, i don`t want to offend any racing cyclist but some roadies act like real jerks!
Maybe they don`t like other bikes, or the fact that you not "looked" like a cyclist, i don`t know.
Anyway this behavier is natural for these pro`s, don`t let them pursue you :D

Originally posted by cyclezealot
Guess, they did not like the way I looked.
You said hello and offered a kind introduction. They ignored it. Their loss.

Seems to me people who feel they have to wear someone else's team jerseys to go fast are insecure in the first place.

I'd say you were the sane one of the bunch. (I'd have asked you to pull up a chair and said, "Have a chair, Man! How 'bout that rain, dude! :D ")

;)

Cyclezealot (neat name!), it seems I'm always striking up a conversation with another cyclist. There is sometimes a slight reservation (paranoia?) on their part, due to this strange world.
But hey, I just butt in and start talkin'. :D

It was you. You see, they live in Roadieworld, where serious points are earned for enduring pain and discomfort. The higher the level of discomfort, the higher the point count. The very fact that you did anything to lessen that discomfort, indicates serious wimpness on your part. Speaking to you in the cafe would have lost them almost as many points as if they had nodded to you while passing on the road. Riding naked on a fixed-gear is the only thing that would have mitigated your use of the lobster-claw gloves. In the most extreme situation, had you been riding a bike designed for comfort and they had spoken to you, their bikes would have been shredded into several ounces of recyclable ti and carbon fibre, and their mothers would have made them clean their own rooms.

Its nice to see that more and more riders are abandoning Roadieworld for the real world of cycle friendly riders who can appreciate the efforts and bike designs of all riders.:)

Originally posted by Goatbiker
Riding naked on a fixed-gear is the only thing that would have mitigated your use of the lobster-claw gloves.
How about riding on a saddle made of nails?

:eek:

Sounds to me like their USPS gear has gone to their head. Some folks just need to boost their egos by looking down on others.

I met a guy on the road the other day who was decked out in team-sponsoring gear. He seemed to try to impress me by passing me at 33 km/h as I was doing 31. Okay, so I grabbed his wheel. He was friendly enough at the next traffic light. But, he was none too pleased when I took the next climb a bit faster than he (I weigh 62 km, he probably around 80 km, so I have a wee advantage). After a few more km we reached another traffic light. He refused to engage in further conversation--although he had been sucking my wheel since the climb. So, I took a slightly different route and let him go find somebody else to boost his ego on.

No sense in riding with a jerk. No sense in questioning your choice of clothing due to a couple of jerks who may well be suffering from colds in a day or two.

Cheers!

Originally posted by Goatbiker
You see, they live in Roadieworld, where serious points are earned for enduring pain and discomfort. The higher the level of discomfort, the higher the point count.

Well, i like a little pain and discomfort myself and LOVE riding in the cold and rain (everything just seems to run a little more smoothly). But dissing another rider sucks, I relish talking to anyone who enjoys cycling. We run into the USPS jersey/bike combo here and I love smoking them ... on my mountain bike - i'll admit that it is a racer - but it still humiliates them. Oddly enough, it is a great way to make a friend - some people forget that!

:beer:

After looking at myself covered with mud, what disturbs me more than mud on me, Look at my drive train. It is all mucky. Can't tolerate that. guess, it makes me wash down the bike. Any special precautions getting water/gunk out of hard to clean places.
Still. say- worst aspect of biking in rain- way it effects handling on corners and braking. Coming into Fallbrook, a dog chased me around a bend. Did not get too close, but I sped up a little, to get away. Did not like that feeling of less control over cornering and eventually braking. . That is not a problem?
Also about the USPS' ers. Having gear to be preparred for rain, makes you more committed? Guess that is difference between those committed to touring and racing??

I have to say that, unfortunately, there are some snotty cyclists who live in this pure, clubby world. A number of them train at our gym, and some of them are just not very friendly. I complimented one on her cool jersey and she barely acknowledged me. They all seem to have this sense of self-importance- that of spoiled athletes. Our gym has group rides, and I can gurantee you I have no interest in going. Who needs that? I may as well go back to high school. But most cyclists I know are generally friendly and wave at you or say hello, even ones who are obviously on a team or pros or whatever. There's a guy around here who used to be a pro in Europe (wears a Gan kit and rides a Gitane, so we call him Gibus) and he's always friendly and doesn't seem to think it's beneath him to wave hello. But you'll always get snotty jerks and so I just ignore them- not like I'll be riding with them anyways.

I have to admit though I think I'd hesitate at wearing those lobster gloves.

They were the dorks. The really fast riders are polite. These guys were weenies.

Paul

Originally posted by LittleBigMan

How about riding on a saddle made of nails?

Better yet! No saddle at all (d@mn thing must weigh 500+ grams with the seatpots).

Wabbit. Yes, the lobster gloves do look dorky. But, my hands stayed warm. They did work. Cold hands are awful.

It’s funny how I recognize all this. I’ve started to bike more and more, about 100 km every saturday and sunday, to get fit for my tour. So I meet a lot of cyclists of different types. And it’s true that there is a certain category that won’t reply on my nods. Otherwise I must say it’s great with this friendship on the road.

The only ones I don’t say hello to (based on trial and error) is the farmer on his way to the barn or the couple on their way to the grocery store and the like. I just don’t feel I have that much in common with them, just because they have a bike. But I would always reply if someone of them said hello (which have never happened).

You were polite and they were not. Just wearing fancy clothes does not make one better than someone else.

I figure that 50 degrees and rain means that raingear is prudent. I am not out there to prove how miserable I can be.

I wonder if they were not wearing raingear because 1) they did not have it and 2) they got caught out in the rain.

I generally chat with other cyclists when I see them at convenience stores and it does not matter to me if their choice in bikes and gear is radically different than mine. They are still riding which sure beats motoring.

Besides, what are those hotshots going to do when they get too old to ride in the rain at high speeds with no raingear? Stop riding? Or will they snub themselves?

These two at the coffee shop. No jacket, just USPS cycling gear. They would look really cool if out in the sun and warm conditions. The whole morning was threatening rain; not just a sudden downpour. When they left at 7:00 ish- they had to know. The bikes were top end and USPS gear is not cheap. They could have afforded a rain jacket. They were wearing no helmet.
I thought the look of being totally water logged and hair looking like they just got out of a swimming pool made them look the sillier.
Heah, most cyclists I share a common thread. I relate very quickly to almost all cyclists- I meet. Great people...Just the snobby ones once in awhile get our attention. Being out in the cold and wet in only cycling clothes makes some kind of statement. Even the pros out in the rain have climitatized jackets and leg warmers, etc. Hope the hot coffee kept them going. Maybe they just did not want to hide their USPS kit.?

I know what we can do! Buy clear rain jackes and leg warmers and distribute them to water logged grumps!

Mugs of coffee with whipped cream on top - :beer:

You need to take this in context.
They were probably all p.o'd because
the Serotta, Colnago, and Litespeed guys
wouldn't talk to them. . . :roflmao:

Marty

Originally posted by Goatbiker
Riding naked on a fixed-gear is the only thing that would have mitigated your use of the lobster-claw gloves.

Wow. So there is an advantage to riding like that? And all this time my girlfriend just thought I was crazy.

Time to wash the seat.

andy

is this Tim?.. just wondering...
i am a fairly new cyclist and i meant to buy winter gear all winter.. but things just got in the way.like riding and work.. so i toughed it out.. still have short sleeves but i did put a vest over it and i cycled as fast as i could.. only my tosies got a little cold and i definately got wet and shivery at the end of the ride.. managed it through tho.. but i will start getting tights.. sometime in the fall, yeah right..lol
would rather ride than shop. :)

heah, Maybe they acted po'd because they were PO'd. They looked miserable. Without adequate gear, not sure I would go out.! They say Southern Californian's do not know how to drive when it rains. Maybe it applies to other aspects of life as well.

Question for Loteck and Scubagirl, should you read this thread. I have been really committed to scuba diving. My cycle-touring obsession has taken over I am constantly thinking of getting ready for really major tours. Do you find your scuba interests have taken a back seat to biking.
I am taking two weeks off biking to go to Singapore and an adjacent island on a dive trip.. Hope it does not effect my getting ready for my September bike tour. My dive freinds are somewhat miffed.. Kelvin has a bike in Singapore. hope to put some miles on it. From what I read only mountain bikes are popular in some wild life refuse island adjacent to Singapore.

They were actually beyond dorky. Most pro's tend to OVERdress(low body fat?). You can usually spot the "real" pro on a ride; he's the one in arm/leg warmers while the rest of the group is in shorts.

Originally posted by cyclezealot
I said nice day for a ride. They looked at my rain gear as if they had seen Elmer Fudd. Turned their heads and said nothing.
When my Raleigh R600 was my only bike I got this treatment a lot. And I don't wear team jerseys either so that is another reason to be ignored by these dorks.
Now my Raleigh is my commuter (with rear rack, panniers, headlights and taillights) and I still get this treatment, although an "occasional" road biker with wave or say hello as we pass. I guess these few are the enlightened riders who understand that commuting is a great way to train. :D

You offered a friendly greeting and they ignored you. So as Pete said and I concur, "their loss."

What a bunch of posers! Most of the cyclists I meet here are quite friendly. I've also noticed that most of the guys on trick bikes are way slower than guys like me on cheapo frames (locally built frames). Add that to a snobby attitude, and you've got the ingredients to make one heck of a poser.

Let them be snobs, ride your bike, and smoke 'em the next time around.

Cheers!

I have to admit I've been sort of dorky lately. I have two pairs of gloves, an older pair I wear on colder days (so I can put cheap wool gloves under them) and for off-road, and a nice new pair of Trek gloves. A couple of weeks ago I acccidentally went out with one glove from each pair. I felt like such an idiot, praying no one would notice and trying to think of what I'd say if asked. Fortunately, they're the same color so from far away, probably not noticeable. Also, yesterday I put my socks on the wrong feet, so the logos were on the wrong side. And a thread from my armwarmers is unraveling. I feel like Homer Simpson, DOH! At a rest stop, though, I switched my socks.

My general policy is if they are on a bike then they get a hello from me(or at least a nod), just because some don't reply doesn't mean I'm going to lower myself down to their unsociable level.

Roadies are slightly different because most of the time they pass me at a much faster speed and because they are virtually silent I don't here them coming:) , but only a few weeks ago I saw one ahead of me and decided to try and catch up with him, when I finally did (much to his surprise) he was one of the nicest bikers I've met. He slowed down to a pace that was easier for me and we had a chat for a few miles.

He also said that I should get a road bike because "you'll Fly" and as he said goodbye and sped off , I had a nagging thought that maybe he was right.

which brings us to a whole other conversation:
who is the harder core? the person who goes to the grocery store and brings his bags home in a basket, navigating the city in very cold conditions or the USPS techno-weenies?!
The USPS guys broke the cardinal rule of cycling (same as the rules on my son's soccer team) #1 listen to the coach and #2 have fun!

i hope to never take myself that seriously in anything in life. try not to become a motor for my bike and enjoy. besides.....i am my own sponsor.

Well, I'm glad there are a few people defending racers out there! You can't lump all racers in with some chuckleheads without enough sense to wear helmets (especially in adverse conditions).

We train along side Trent Klasna (Saturn), Thurlow Rodgers (Mercury) and even a USPS rider or two (Hincapie, Cruz and a couple Italian pros showed up once) amongst many other pros here in southern california. For the most part, they are all cool and the only ones with real attitudes are "recreational" riders that jump into training rides, don't understand the proper pack ettiquette and cause problems. Of all the racers I know, no one ever puts anyone down for riding in baggies, touring bikes, or whatever. We just don't do that--never. If anyone talks to us, it's all good. Cycling is cycling, right?

If you come at someone with preconcieved ideas then it kinda' is a self-fullfilling prophecy. That works both ways. I think you just have to take everyone as individuals. You happened to meet 2 ******** individuals (no offense to ******** people!).

I have not met many group riders, but I notice that most cyclists I meet are rather reluctant to say hello. I always nod my head when I see them, and only get a blank stare back.

By the way, I wonder what the real USPS team would do if they saw the bunch of posers you met... that would be a classic.

Originally posted by Amir R. Pakdel
I have not met many group riders, but I notice that most cyclists I meet are rather reluctant to say hello. I always nod my head when I see them, and only get a blank stare back.
Ya, sometimes I think I'm the one with a blank stare, cycling does that to me sometimes...

Hey, I like that, "Poking babies and cute animals with a stick is more fun than it looks."

What a great idea!

Next time another cyclist ignores me, "OUCH!" :eek: They get the stick! :)

RacerX,

Thanks the the voice of reason. After yor're snubbed enough, It does kind of poison your attitude towards certain types of riders. I'll try to keep a more open mind.

I read in one of Lance's books that if he said hello to a passing rider and they ignored him, he would turn around, chase them down, and ask why. I would love to see that.

yeah, but who wouldn't say hello to lance armstrong???

This was probably before his fame. However, it's hard to recognize people when you can't see their eyes or their hair- it's possible I'd pass him by and not know him! However, I wouldn't bother chasing after someone if they didn't wave-it's not THAT important to me for everyone to like me. Lately, when I wave and people don't wave back, I think ahh phooey on you. Unless it's obvious they didn't see me- I don't always see people wave. But if they did and ignore me, well, who gives a rat's a55.