shoota 

This +1000.
HEck, I even get waves and nods from motorcyclists. I guess since we're both on two wheels we're in the same clubs of sorts.
If I see someone on a bike not kitted up my only assumption is that they are not an enthusiast and therefore not in "the club." It's not that I'm looking at them with disdain. But I'll admit, I'm sure that does happen unfortunately.

WestPablo

Maybe not...However, self-importance, I'm certain, played a major role in his selection!

Everything selected spells, "Look at me!"...

WestPablo

All Club Roadies should be aware of bike snobbery, because most of us have been participants at one time or another!

Dudelsack 

See how easy it is to pass judgments?

Have you ever thought of yourself as judgmental before?

Campag4life

I talked to this group of rider and they all said they did buy their shwag to make others feel insignificant.
They offset this by each living in a cr@ckerbox which puts them more in touch with the common man.

WestPablo

Hey! I'm only human!

Dudelsack 

Well played, sir.

therhodeo

And my dentist drives his mercedes because it handles so much better in traffic than a ford.

evrythngsgngrn

I thought the first rule of bike club, was that you do not talk about bike club...

Oh wait... wrong club.

turky lurkey

I think maybe there are a lot of people who just don't wave at any other cyclists. I tend to be the type that smiles, nods and lifts my fingers off the hoods for a partial wave to most cyclists. I'd say a good portion of the cyclists I pass don't wave back, but I don't know if they are waving at anybody else either. I admit sometimes I feel a little silly when I am friendly to somebody and they just give me a blank stare, but there is really know way to tell if they are being stone faced because of the way my bike and I look, or they are just that way to everyone, or if they just really don't notice me and my friendliness.

A couple weeks ago I waved at a guy who was coming down a hill all kitted up on a nice bike (he had passed me earlier when he was going up) as I was going up and he didn't wave back. I thought well that guy wasn't very friendly. Turns out it was one of my engineering professors, he told me in class that he recognized me as he was passing on the way down. Well, he is a friendly guy and he asked me about me ride and we had a good conversation about it. He must have recognized me at the last minute, but I don't think he is the type that would avoid waving at someone because they have a lesser bike. I'm sure it's the same with many other cyclists they are just not paying attention.

I was a little sad to find that not only is my prof. way smarter than me he is also a better athlete! Actually as he was passing me on the way up the hill my chain was getting jammed up and I was pulling over to fix it (but clearly he is faster than me). He must think I'm going to make a great engineer, can't even keep my bikes drive train maintained!

contango 

I often find it interesting to see people who do seem to have "all the gear but no idea" as well as the people who obviously know what they're doing but don't have all the latest and greatest gear. It seems to me that for every MAMIL who rides a $5000 carbon fibre bike while wearing full team kit while their belly rests on the top tube as they pant and puff their way to an impressive 8mph, there's a guy on a mountain bike wearing jeans and flip-flops who can leave just about anybody behind because he just loves to ride.

I remember when I rode my first 150km brevet populaire, at the time I rode in a pair of regular shorts, a T-shirt, regular shoes and platform pedals. I think I was the only one on the ride who wasn't wearing cycling-specific gear, and certainly the only one who wasn't clipped in. I got a few surprised looks when people realised I wasn't clipped in but only because it was unusual.

One thing I've noticed is that if I'm on the road bike, I'm more likely to exchange nods of acknowledgement with other roadies whereas if I'm on the MTB they tend to ignore me. Likewise on the road bike the MTB riders tend to ignore me. But even then "ignore" isn't exactly a snub, it's not like anyone is required to say hello or anything.

Young Version

Nope, sorry. Roadies can be judgmental and elitist--there are numerous threads to illustrate this. I don't think the question is whether or not the OP is getting judged for his attire (likely), but whether he should care or not (nope).

This is true in every sport or hobby. Pretending it doesn't happen in cycling is willful ignorance.

bbbean 

You have ESP? I figure I guy with high end gear spent a lot of money to ride as fast, comfortably, and efficiently as possible. I try not to project my own insecurities on any choices he made that aren't the same as mine.

BB

zymphad

I thought you meant actually political, as it is. Around here politicians will admit cycling safety is something they support, privately. But publicly won't as making drivers appear to be the bad one is political suicide.

But just other cyclists being cynical about your ride and how you ride? Why do you care? I don't even have flat shoes with proper support still, I'm using Asics or NB running shoes... I'm more concerned with having safety gear than worrying what another cyclist thinks. I do wave to other cyclists though, even grandma with her groceries hanging off the handlebar or rack in the back.

heffdiddy

I don't really care what other people are doing. Unless they pass me. Then I take an interest in what they are riding/wearing. Not that I am thinking what I have is better, or what they have is better, but it is pretty much the only time you can get a good look at someone.

WestPablo

I was a Roadie for well over twenty years. I was that guy, and so were most of my friends...

The activity really doesn't matter. Usually, everything we do is ego-inspired...

You don't need ESP to detect egotism....We humans just reek of it!

rms13

I have been riding a "cheap" bikesdirect road bike for the past year. Cheap being relative and maybe a better description is no name with no street cred. Either way it doesn't stop me from passing entire groups of middle age guys riding their Trek, Cannondale, Felt, BMC, Cervelo etc bikes that they paid 3-10x as much for as my bike. Sometimes I do it with my cheap Chinese bib shorts and jersey that cost $40 for the whole kit and sometimes I do it in my cheap gym shorts from Target. Anyway, I just like riding and usually ride by myself. I like bikes but don't really care for people so I could care less if anyone acknowledges me or waves. For the record I do appreciate most of those high end bikes because I really do love bikes and enjoy them as art as much as transportation. Just like I love looking at a nice Ferrari or 911 but I still wouldn't buy one of those even it I could afford the payments because it's excessive to me. But that's just me.

Also, I have a fixie and I participate in the fixie side of this forum a lot. And there is just as much if not more snobbery in that world as there is in the roadie world. You either need a high end expensive track bike (even though it's uncomfortable to ride on the street) or you need an official NJS track bike from Japan even though you can buy a similar brand new steel frame set for half the money.

bbbean 

Bah humbug. My toys are all about going fast, being comfortable, and being efficient. I want you to be impressed by my speed and form, not by how devastatingly cool and debonair I look while doing it.

MikeyBoyAz

I give angry looks on principal and never wave... jk

my acoustic neuroma brain surgery prevents the left side of my face from making much of a response, so when I do smile it looks like a mockery smirk

WestPablo

It's such a redundant theme...It's all about you again!...This time, it's your speed...Sheesh!

Jiggle

Some days I'm a snob and that's lots of fun. I wear my best tights, best helmet, and use my carbon bike with the latest Ultegra and Dura Ace.

Other days I'm a Fred, and that's fun too. I ride my 1980s Trek Pro series with Shimano 600 7 speed and friction shifters.

Enjoy riding and stop being such a sissy boy.

Sissy boy.

The Hansenator

While it can be a very expensive hobby, it doesn't have to be. My brother has always ridden inexpensive bikes and he finds great satisfaction in it, for years as a commuter and now for recreation. He's got no gear; no shoes, jerseys, gloves, or "desirable" components but he's been an avid cyclist all his life.

StephenH

If a complete beginner with lots of money either comes to an online forum or goes in a bike shop and asks "What's the best bike stuff I can get?", he's liable to wind up with that gear.

However on the original post, I have noticed in the past that people riding a bicycle the wrong way on the sidewalk at 8 mph are just about as unlikely to wave at you as the roadies.

Another observation from hiking: Near the trailhead, where there's lots of people, if you say "hello" to the people you meet, they won't even acknowledge it. If you get about 8 miles from the trailhead, people are a whole lot friendlier. Similarly, if you ride where there's lots of riders, you may not find people being very friend. Get in a situation where you ride all day without seeing anyone else on a bike, and it's different.

Long Tom

It's a geeky sport. The clothing, by any rational measure, is about the geekiEST that there is! Truly goofy looking ensembles we go out in, peeps, and that's just the truth.

Partly because of that I think people buy into the tribal aspects of being so "branded" as goofy-looking by, well, everyone else and get militant about it. "By God, if I'm gonna wear spandex and a diaper in public, I'll be a PROUD member of the diaper-wearing geeks who walk into the cafe on their heels!"

Beyond that, it's the sport where skinny little smart people can actually kick sand in the face of the big lunk football-player types that tormented them in high school.

Bah Humbug

We were discussing tendencies. While what you say is certainly true, it's also rare for a recreational cyclist.