Originally Posted by
McBTC
If I was on tour, what would motivate me to look like a bum instead of someone on tour? Wouldn't it actually take some additional thought and effort to look homeless if I wan't actually homeless?
Similarly, if a homeless person is traveling via bike, couldn't they choose to be fairly indistinguishable from a bicycle tourist? Wouldn't it take just a modicum of effort, despite being homeless? If so, why not put out that little bit of effort? Would it be less fun for the homeless biker to look less homeless?
You're essentially saying "Here's how I think others should dress. If they don't, they're wrong."
Look at this bum! Oh wait... That's a $2,000 bikepacking rig with custom bags. Guess he's not a bum!
Sure, he's got long hair, a dirty shirt, a "Dirt Bag" badge on his top tube, and a beard, but he's also got a huge smile on his face. From this thread, I can picture your Scrooge-esque grimace as someone dares ride by without an immaculately preserved cycling kit and still-shiny Ortlieb panniers. That's fine, that's your right, but it's a lot more fun not caring about appearances while on tour.