Dude, if I went into all the racist incidents I have found myself the vicitim of on and off the bike then this would turn into a survival guide. People talk about being abused by motorist for being a cyclist, what about being abused out on the bike by other road users for being a non-white. Adds another dimension, n'est pas? Yes ability does speak for itself and the guys who jeers at you cos you have a better or worse bike certainly shuts up when he is clinging to your wheel at 20-22kph on a 6% extended climb. We all know that Roadies can be *******s ( which is one reason why mountain bikers turn to mtb sport. Maybe it is worth it to dust a pinarello roadie on a climb while you are on a 15kg mtb!!!!))) The point is that we have to distinguish between the inherent roadie elitism and racism. The two are different but do discrimate. The US has a plethora of races and cultures in most sports. In the UK there are certain sports which are barely touched by ethinic minorities such as road cycling.