CharleyGnarly

I don't visit this site much as you can see by my quantity of posts. So, with that in mind, feel free to totally disregard what I say. I realize that I am jeopardizing any hope of further help on this site, but I am willing to take the risk.

I have noticed some things in the cycling world here in my town, and on the various forums I subscribe to, so I will share, and hopefully explain why I don't consider myself a "cyclist."

1. I have noticed that the more bent over a person is on his/her bike, and the more colorful and complicated the "kit" he/she wears, the less likely they are to offer up a "good morning," or a friendly wave.
2. Conversely, a person on a low-budget bike, wearing shorts and a t-shirt, or tanktop, is more likely to be smiling, and quicker to offer up one of the aforementioned pleasantries.
3. Many cyclists claim a desire to "share the road", but in truth harbor a hog-the-road approach. Example: Curvy, mountain road, two lanes. Plenty of blind corners. Group of cyclists riding three or four abreast. Really? And if somebody gets hit, it's the drivers fault? Common sense people...
4. For many, especially in the cyber world, there is next to no tolerance of diversity in bikes, riding styles, etc. If your seat is lower than your bars (yes, seat, not saddle... holdover from my BMX years... sorry) you obviously don't know what you are doing and should just stay home. Bike paths, bike lanes, and roads are for cyclists... not the average joe.
5. If you buy your bike with less than top of the line parts, and, God forbid, decide to upgrade the bike you have with better parts, well, what are you thinking? Cripes for the piece of junk you are upgrading you could spend another $2000.00 and just get a real bike.
6. If and when you join a "cycling" forum, don't ask any questions. You will get one of the following: "Look it up dummy... the search function is your friend;" or, "Whatever you are looking for is junk, or not what I use, therefore inferior;" or, your thread will get totally hijacked and the original question will got lost in a huge argument.

Obviously, the above doesn't hold true for all the wonderful folks who enjoy riding bicycles. Unfortunately, it comes across this way way too often. It seems as if the hardcore cyclist types, or the ones that want to come off this way, fall into some, or all, of these categories. People preach the benefits of cycling as a lifestyle, but come across as snobs at times. That can be a real turn-off for newbies.

An example of what I am talking about could be summed up with one experience I witnessed some time back. I was tooling along on my MTB, having a jolly time. Up ahead was a mom with an infant car seat, with her other small child up ahead on his bike. Both mom and child were cruising along, staying in their lane, enjoying a lovely day. As I approached them, I heard the tell-tale sound of high-end buzzing coming up behind. Sure enough, a small group of cyclists, road variety, zipped by, resplendent in there colorful, professional looking kit, carbon fiber glittering in the sun. As the leader approached the mom and kids he shouted "Why don't you get off the f***ing path, MOM!"

Great way to spread the word, dood...