EBH

I passed a 12 yo(or so) kid few weeks ago on my greg Lemond. -Wow, what a cool bike! he yelled after me. I grinned...

SpiritCyclist

A very sweet, intelligent, pretty girl I had just met was looking at my beater Diamondback commuter with me. I was showing her the little clamp that holds my U-lock, claiming it had "changed my life." She was bowled over, and looked at me in awe:

"Who needs a car?" she said.

michael k

@Velocivixen- Sundayparkways is always fun and sometimes awkward.Had to put a sign on the bike... 'please wait for rider to dismount before petting'.

triggahiccups

Either "Molto Bella!" or probably nothing at all.

vintagepedals

I was in a local bike swapmeet with my bike at my side when a descent older guy probably in his late 60"s approached me and asked me if my bike is a 720. I replied "yeah" and he said " what you have is a pretty awesome touring bike that I wish I could afford back in the days". I smiled at him and said " well perhaps I am lucky to have own this one"!

ThermionicScott 

I've gotten a few "is that a mountain bike?" comments with this one. Must be the fat tires.

David Newton

Bright blue Bridgestone. The best I get is from a college girl where I regularly ride: "cute bike".

CO_Hoya 

About my Panasonic:
"That's smart, riding a bike you don't have to worry about."

I'm not sure what that means, but I don't think it was a compliment.

RALEIGH_COMP 

I often get "that's a nice bike" or a long stare... but it's always from homeless people! I've even had a few nervous moments when some come in close for a look with a few of their buddies, basically surrounding me. But then I just feel like a jerk when I realize they really are just admiring a little. I guess it's a good thing, homeless people probably look mainly for function and utility above all else.

Velocivixen

@michael k - so just what kind of bike warrants petting?

toavii

These are typical for my various bikes:

Person oblivious to bikes: "I love your bell! (crane bell)" "Cool bike. Shiny."
Modern bike riders: "Downtube shifters!? Why/How?" "How do you like that saddle? (various Brooks')"
Someone that appreciates C&V: *long, rambling conversation that runs the gambit

old's'cool

The only significant comment I received in recent memory was when I picked up some colleagues visiting from Europe when I was driving a rental car, with my commuter bike sitting on a rack on the trunk. They made fun of the toeclips and the fact that it wasn't a modern CF bike. They were quite impressed by my 34km commuting round trip, however.

CroMo Mike 

Back when I was a college student and my 1972 Bottecchia was new, I was riding it on campus. I came to a stop at a crosswalk. A guy rushed up from nowhere and asked me "what kind of bike is that?" I said Bottecchia (I pronounced it bot-tek-e-ya). He blurted out "it's Bo-tah-chee-ya" and then he rushed off. He was apparently on some sort of campaign to correct the world. Too bad he was wrong. Wonder where he is now. Probably working for Hyundai; there are several ways to pronounce Hyundai.

Velocivixen

@DTSs - I can imagine! Are they surprised or impressed when you tell them what they're for?

oddjob2

Homeless in Disneyland or Orange County, really?

Paramount1973 

I bike/bus to work and several bus drivers have told me what a nice looking bike my commuter is. Of course, the usual bike they see on the front rack of the bus is a rusting low-end mountain bike with a rotting seat. The greatest compliment was "I wouldn't lock a bike like that outside."


P4170271 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr

rootboy 

"Hey kid! You'll put yer eye out."

Or,

"Nice bike"

RALEIGH_COMP 

Yes, really. Orange County is a pretty big, diverse area; over 900sq/mi and 3 million residents. They keep the area around Disneyland pretty decent, but drive 10 minutes in any direction away and you see loads of urban decay. I work in Fullerton, and it has a very large homeless population.

DTSs

They express surprise that I can take my hand off the bars and shift; but never impressed.

motochick 

Today with the old guys, "That thing has 10 speeds in the rear, how on earth did you do that?" MAGIC
"If you build up your own bikes, why would you run DT shifters?" Cuz that is where my hands automatically go when I want to change gears.
"What are those wires on your tires?" Sticker flickers
"I bet those wheels are heavy" ME: How much does your bike weigh? My bike is only 1/2 a pound heavier, 100x more comfortable, and unbelievably more beautiful.....but no the wheels are not heavy.

etherhuffer 

Bright yellow Fuji : Doesn't thst leather saddle hurt your butt?
Why no black rims? ( because they are ghastly)
Are those old bikes hard to pedal?
Where did all thst chrome come from? (In this case, Japan!)

krobinson103

Did you just ride 400km on that? (after a fleche on my old fuji mtb/tourer)
On said bike riding past a dude on a steep hill laboring up with his flat land gearing an unbelieving look as I spin serenely by on the granny
You finished a 200km brevet on an 8 speed bike with a broken small chainring? (no fun! really no fun! But I did it)

The most fun was pacing a dude on a carbon racer on my cargo mtb (with mtb tires even!) with my kid on the back eating an icecream chatting away. Dude was working hard and I just kept pacing him. Fun! Seriously old/cheap bikes make no difference its the rider.

People seem to think that unless its carbon fiber and 11 speed any kind of distance or speed is impossible.

echo victor 

What a fun thread.

One of my favorites was while riding with a group that was training for a charity ride. As I ride next to the leader (who rides a carbon Scattante and commutes around 50 miles most days on it), he looks down at my '75 Raleigh Gran Sport and says, "Man, that thing can really keep up for an older bike."

autoteacher

Sorry I don't have a better picture of my Superb. One of my students as I was riding it during my lunch break:

"You look like a freak!" (NOT a compliment) BTW: She's failing this quarter.

long john

How can you shift with those levers down there.