I don't like the whole 'some people aren't "real" cyclists' attitude that's pretty common on here and I've seen it a lot since I've been reading this forum. It was his mention of Reno that got me to post about it though, yes. And it's also the "not wearing a helmet is stupid and you're a Darwin candidate if you don't" comments that I was referring to when I mentioned insults.

I think the "real cyclist" thing is more sad than anything. Every day I'm downtown here I see lots and lots of cyclists. The bike racks in the casino parking garages are full. The bike racks at the bus station are full and overflowing. These are mostly people riding to their jobs. They do it every day (and hardly any of them wear helmets). I want to know why these people don't count as "real cyclists". Even the homeless guys on their bikes, why are they not "real cyclists"? All these folks are on bicycles, even if they are crappy ones, so they're cyclists. They face the same dangers and challenges all cyclists do. And they probably have spent more time with their feet on the pedals than any non-commuting, expensive-bike-riding, "real cyclist".

Maybe instead of looking down on these people, try offering friendship and some helpful advice, some of that knowledge you've gathered reading bike forums all day long, maybe some of your old gear that you aren't using anymore.

The bike I'm riding now was given to me, by someone who likes bicycles a lot. It's not a very good bike, but I appreciate it and I'm happy to have it. The guy who gave it to me was one of those homeless guys you see riding around in raggedy jeans, someone who some people on here would not consider to be a real cyclist. But I think his act of giving me a bicycle to ride was more in the spirit of "real cycling" than this attitude of looking down on riders just because they are on a Huffy.

(I didn't want my first posts here to be so negative. I do like this forum a lot. There is a lot of helpful advice and good people here. It's just this attitude that bums me out.)