Originally Posted by
UADave
For whatever reason, lately when I tell the folks I'm interested in a road bike they steer me toward the cruisers or the hybrids with shocks. I tell them that's not what I want and one kid actually said that people my age don't do well with drop bars.
He's an idiot.
Originally Posted by
UADave
I'm just curious if anybody else has had an LBS employee look shocked when someone older than 40 expressed interest in a road bike with drop bars.
Never. Just bought an Allez last year from my local bike shop (complete with drop bars). I'm in there all the time for various things, and I regularly ride on their weekend group rides. I have never had anyone at the LBS or in the group question why I would want to be on a road bike. Even when I end up at the back of the pack I get nothing but encouragement from the LBS folks running the ride. And when I started this venture a few years ago (around age 47) with a used Cannondale I went to several shops to pick up various things (clothing, shoes, pedals, pump, tools, etc) and never once had anyone discourage me from riding drop bars. I had a shop mislead me on the kind of shoes to buy, but that's an entirely different matter.
If everyone at this LBS is giving you a hard time then go find another bike shop. There is absolutely no reason why you should be treated that way. Sounds like a bunch of elitist nonsense to me, and if they are like that about your age then they will be like that about everything else too.