There is no excuse for "our" attitudes.

I have been a cyclist for over 25 years and when I was introduced to the sport of Mountain Biking it was ingrained on me to

1) Always say hello to another rider / trail user
2) Always stop to offer assistance to another rider / trail user
3) Always be courteous to less experienced riders

I still follow these rules no matter what facet of this great sport I am enjoying! All cyclists enjoy riding their particular style of bike just as much as you enjoy your particular style. We are all cyclists, stop calling yourself a roadie, mtb'er, old school ,etc.

A few stories I would like to pass along.

In 1997 I had the opportunity to spend a few weeks in Tuscon during the winter months. I hooked with group rides and rode solo depending on my training schedule. On a long solo ride I came across a cyclist who had flatted in the middle of nowhere and was walking his bike into town. I stopped and offered an inner tube or pump or both. He galdly accepted. As he fixed his flat he told me that was his first ride on his new bike and the LBS didn't recommend a tube or pump. We chatted some more and he stated " You aren't from Tuscon are you?" I replied I was from the east coast and I asked if my accent was the give away. He replied "no", but at least eight cyclist had passed him and none even acknowledged his presence. He figured I wasn't a local because I offered to help.

On my morning commute to my part time job at the LBS I stopped to help an older gentleman push his car out of an intersection where it had broken down.


Last week I was doing sprint training at the local school with a few friends. A small group of young BMX'ers started talking to us about our bikes and the sprinting. After a few minutes they told us they had built a BMX track very close by and they wanted us to check it out. So we left the school and rode to an open field a few hundred yards away and watched the young cyclist jump, slide and of course, crash. We even rode our road bikes on the course. These young kids were amazed that we could handle our bikes on their course. I hope they stick with cycling and become interested in other facets of the sport (like I did).

The bottom line is this, Our Sport is growing rapidly, take the time to be kind to another cyclist, teach them to do the same and maybe the Snobbery will go away.


Follow the rules
Buddy B