Originally Posted by
fauxto nick
Elaborate on that, are you saying that unless you're in the top 5 guys in a crit at the business end of the race you aren't racing? I think that's rather silly.
Also you don't have to be a racer, I have a feeling this bike would look exactly the same whether or not the rider raced. When you're riding too much to find the time to scrub down your frame and make it sparkle, well that says something about your dedication and obsession with the sport.
I try not to carry on "race" conversations with "racers" on the road because it often turns into a futile philosophical discussion and I'm just on the road to ride my bike for my own pleasure.
But basically, most (in a race) aren't there to win. In order to win, one must do whatever it takes for that goal.
e.g. Conversation goes something like this:
"racer": hey, nice bike.
me: thanks.
"racer": do you race?
me: no (it should end there, and now, usually does).