social suicide

So I'm drinking a cold one at my local watering hole after a ride when I see a guy on a red folding bike go by. Pretty rare in this town, so I pay my bill, unlock my Raleigh twenty and go screaming down the bike path to catch up and exchange some folder happy vibes. I catch him and pull along side and say something like "Hi, how do you like your Dahon?" He says something like "sokay". And then looks straight down at his front wheel and ignores me. Sorry I ruined your day dude!

badmother

Maybe you`re not his type..

bhkyte

I was riding behind a Brompton rider in Sheffield on my modified Mezzo,which is much quicker than a standard Brompton or Mezzo.
I was going to say hello, but he started going faster when he saw me on a Mezzo behind him. I started pulling him in but could not overtake as the cycle path was too narrow. We then got to the road and I started to use my advantage of close ratios and bull bars to quickly build up speed ready to fly pass him. The bike was building up speed in a tall gear and I started overtaking him. Suddenly I realised he was slowing due to a pedestrain crossing at a zebra crossing. Luckly my koolstops allowed me to pull up quickley without looking too silly!

He then rode infront of a buss, which beeped his recklessness, to keep his commute going (and possibly? stay infront of me). I had now neither the disire to prove myself or my bike, or now to speak to him as a fellow foldie.

What a couple of plonkers we were!

PDR

Your post has got me thinking about the times I have seen Dahon owners around the railway station. Even when I had the Dahon MU SL’s I never got any wave, nod or any form of recognition from Dahon owners.
By contrast I’ve had very enthusiastic responses, acknowledgments and conversations with R+M Birdy, Bike Friday and (especially) Brompton owners. I spoke to quite a few Brompton owners before buying mine and they were all very enthusiastic about their bikes, saying things like “it’s fantastic, best folding bike you can buy, don’t know how I ever managed without it” (I’m now exactly the same when people stop me with my Brompton).

I guess Birdy, Bike Friday, Brompton and Moultons are cult brands whereas Dahon has yet to reach that level of cult status.

bhkyte

[QUOTE=PDR;9640150]Your post has got me thinking about the times I have seen Dahon owners around the railway station. Even when I had the Dahon MU SL’s I never got any wave, nod or any form of recognition from Dahon owners.
By contrast I’ve had very enthusiastic responses, acknowledgments and conversations with R+M Birdy, Bike Friday and (especially) Brompton owners. I spoke to quite a few Brompton owners before buying mine and they were all very enthusiastic about their bikes, saying things like “it’s fantastic, best folding bike you can buy, don’t know how I ever managed without it” (I’m now exactly the same when people stop me with my Brompton).

Strange, I have had very little response from Brompton owners when on my Mezzo.

edwong3

I'm pretty lucky. I get asked a LOT about my cheap Qile Duo folder. About 6-7 months ago, I was riding a local paved bike trail when in the opposite direction came a young couple. He was on a standard size MTB, but his female partner was on a Dahon D7. At one point we stopped and he started a conversation wanting to know what brand of folder I was riding. He was surprised when I told him how little I paid for my bike new. He told me that they paid something like $450 for the Dahon.

Truthfully, I see very few folders in this area, but get some attention from riders of regular bikes quite a bit, and the conversations always turn out to be pleasant.

Edward Wong III
Qile Duo 5 Speed 20" Folder

PDR

It might be that:
a. The Brompton owner was trying to comprehend why you bought a bike with such an ugly handle bar stem, when for the same money you could have bought a Brompton
b. Anyone who chooses to buy a Mezzo rather than a Brompton has to be a little strange and it is probably best to avoid eye contact.

That is all I can think it could be.... as a Brompton owner

brakemeister

u guys cracking me up

PDR

Just a bit of leg pulling on my part (in my last post).
You see, I’m trying to be fair.... today I’m picking on Mezzos as well

TBH, this would be a boring place if we all liked exactly the same bikes

bhkyte

Yes, your inferior bikes do not make you less worthy.

bhkyte

[QUOTE=PDR;9640766]It might be that:
a. The Brompton owner was trying to comprehend why you bought a bike with such an ugly handle bar stem, when for the same money you could have bought a Brompton
b. Anyone who chooses to buy a Mezzo rather than a Brompton has to be a little strange and it is probably best to avoid eye contact.

a. Mine looks great, honest....................
b. Mine cost £389 new, delivered with,rack guards,9speeds,mudguards. Brompton best discount? My upgraded bike still cost less than £1000. 27 speed ,carbon crank,STI, bullbars,detachable clipness pedals, durace/koolstop pads and the same equipped Brompton?

Make eye contact with me I am the only sane one, please.

PDR

I have seen your upgraded bike https://www.bikeforums.net/folding-bikes/510351-mezzo-ori-folding-bike-upgrades.html and you have done well with the conversion but I still don’t like the handle bar stem

Anyhow.... no wonder the Brompton rider would not stop to talk... he was probably running scared, trying to get away from the crazy guy on the Mezzo

EvilV

Quite a lot of people are rather unfriendly, but fortunately the rest aren't. I habitually wave to oncoming cyclists and about 50% of the time am ignored. At times I mutter, 'Plonker' or some other unkind epithet because it is quite a snub when you went out of your way to acknowledge someone, but it is they who have 'issues', not me so why worry? Maybe they are just very short sighted.... Either way, cycling makes me feel pretty happy so I am always on the upside when riding, so who cares?

bhkyte

Thanks for the compliment,even the back handed one. That pictures quite old. A bit more has happened since. Must get a new camera.

PDR

No malice meant
I may have a strange sense of humour and I wind people up at times but I’m never intentionally nasty on forums.

bhkyte

I took the comment in the spirit it was intended. Did someone say spirits? Make mine a gin.

jur

He probably just stole that bike and was intent on making a quiet unobserved getaway and you ruined that scheme.

folder fanatic

These posts reminded me of around 10 or more years ago in Southern California's lack of bike community. I used to ride all sorts of bikes-old, new, expensive, cheap-and not get hardly a glance from others whether they were on a bike or not. Except for young men who like to ogle young women. Now things shifted to the other extreme. I am one of the few folding bike users here. There are all types of bikes being used now due to the hard times and job loss. And more people are stopping me on the road and asking both folding and general bike questions. But trust me, just as soon as things turn around, it will go back to few bikes and fewer greetings around here. We will become cocooned in our cars once again.

EastBiker

You certainly are a ray of sunshine FF.

Azreal911

keep the price of oil up and higher and you will see even less cars. There's a reason European countries put cycling as one of the better forms of transportation when their gas is at LEAST 2 bucks a liter and it goes up from there. Plus the UK makes you pay to head to the downtown streets. That's when I learned about these scary contraptions on youtube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_Cw0...ture=quicklist

eeeeeek! but I'd love to have this in my city so I can bike safer downtown when I'm ever there hah.

stevegor

You should see what the road racing community can be like....sheesh!! All ego and no go.
MTB guys are usually friendly around here

Surfing can be similar too.

ChainlessRev

I get pretty excited when I see another folder but for some reason, road bikers tend to chat with me while the the folks on folders (Bike Fridays, Bromptons, Dahons I see most) just ride faster. Must be a competition thing.

Maybe a small bike complex.

faffer

Maybe because folding cyclists chose their bike for practicality instead of as the price of admission to a mutual admiration society?

bhkyte

Not sure thats completely true!

Niked

Dude should have been asking you about YOUR bike. That's one classic ride you have.