I know that I am a caveman... a mental midget... and there are a few things I don't understand and a few observations about this forum.

First off, I am a road biker- but I have two fixed gear bikes and a mtn bike. I do a lot of road racing on a geared bike and commute 40 miles round trip on a fixed off peak racing season (and sorry, but I'm not going to commute that far in jeans and toe clips).

In road culture, there are those who make fun of people who wear baggy shorts, use camelbacks, or use mtn bike shoes on road bikes... and if you use a cell phone for a flat kit, god help you! Reading road forums produces endless debats of Campy vs. Shimano, built vs. custom wheels, weight-weenism, to leg shave or not, etc... riding with headphones or without a helmet results in a flame war. There is also quite an anti-aerobar, anti-tri guy sentiment present... and god help you if you wear a sleeveless jersey. Is it OK to wear a pro-team jersey?... and god help you if you wear a national or world champion jersey (or a KOM or Sprinter's).

Of course, in the mtn bike forums, there is an ongoing debate about the merits (or lack thereof) of lycra- and there is a bizarre anti-skinny tire sentiment that sometimes rears its ugly head: on mth bike forums there have been more than one person ranting the bikes simply don't belong on roads. Of course baggy shorts, mtn shoes, camelbacks, etc. all have their practical places.

My first exposure to fixed gear was as the common fixed winter bike... several team members also race at the local velodrome- so there is some crossover there as well. I have riding friends in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who ride fixed... and some have been doing this for decades.

What I find interesting is how many posts here have an anti-roadie sentiment to them: I've seen anti-lycra posts, anti-flat kit posts, anti-brake posts, anti-road conversion posts, etc... What is this all about?

Just as it may be practical for some to wear street clothes on a track bike, and carry all their gear in a messenger bag, for a long commute or a training ride, it makes sense for me to wear some tech fabrics, use clipless pedals, carry a flat kit in a tiny seat bag, have a brake for some serious hills, ride a road conversion because they are cheap or we had an extra frameset lying around, etc...

The entire pecking order reminds of of Shakes the Clown. Everyone is on a bike, but there is a ridiculous amount of fashion and conformity involved- within whatever sub-group. I'd argue that road bikers are the worst of the lot- and I see much more use of the words "poseur" and "Fred" bandied about in their forums, but I see plenty of perjoratives tossed around here as well- when I'd expect this would be the most "anything goes" arena.

BTW- I'm not looking to "fit in" or change anyone's opinions. I'm too old and stubborn to care. I am just curious about the motivations for people's tastes and values, and curious why some people look down on the "misplaced roadie" phenomenon. We really aren't trying to get in on anyone's game.