Pompiere

I saw an essay once, maybe on this forum, from a guy who commuted every day to work. He had been invited by one of his coworkers to go on their Saturday ride. He thought it would be fun to bring his fast bike and get a good workout. Instead, they assumed he was a recreational rider, since he always rode to work in cargo shorts and sandals, and asked him to ride at the rear to make sure all the slower riders made it back. He was a little miffed at first, but he was mainly riding with the girlfriends of the fast guys, so after helping with couple flat tires and a getting a couple phone numbers, he thought riding at the back wasn't so bad after all.

1989Pre 

Well.., I can say this: I've always had a firm idea of what I liked. While I am dead-set on certain things for myself, and would not tell others what to do or try to make them feel bad over a cycle choice, it is fun to throw ideas around on this forum, if we take it with a light heart. In a spirit of camaraderie, we can admit that we have biases.

1989Pre 

I can imagine a vintage bike snob encounter would go much like this:

All was well as the spring club ride was about to begin. Riders amassed , chatted and the solo riders stared down at their front tires, rocking back and forth like always.
Standing astride his 1977 Raleigh Scorpio, Harvey MacAllister bellowed, "You there...! On the 2017 Edmonda! Just...what...do...you....think...you're...DOING?!" The Trek rider replied, "What am I doing? I was just kicking some of the dirt off of..." Harvey, feeling full of self-righteous indignation, interrupted, "You know fully-well what I am talking about....you have committed sacrilege against the 'Steel Ideal'. Generations of steel riders have come before you, and you re-pay them with this blasphemy?" "I...don't know who you are talking about..." the other rider replied, "but I got a good deal on this bike. It was 2700 dollars, but I got it on sale in the win..." "Silence!!!", Harvey commanded, his eyes glowing red, and all the birds flying from the trees. He imagined abducting this man after the ride, detaining him in a large workshop and forcing him, there-upon, to design and build his own steel road frame.

Editor's note: Now THAT's a snob!

iab

I'm curious. I have tried a lot of things and I determined what I prefer. And I prefer not to partake in things I don't prefer. I won't drink Starbucks nor cheap tequila. I'm not sure what Dominoes is, but I would not call it pizza. I won't purchase a crabon bike. That makes me a snob?

Most excellent.

Jeff Neese

I doubt it. The things he said in his book Just Ride were simply things that a lot of us already knew. It was refreshing to hear someone else say them, especially someone with his credibility in the cycling world.

1989Pre 

Oh yeah! I'll join that snob-train! Domino's is awful! I was lucky enough to live most of my life near Boston, where there were independent pizza parlors with pepperoni sticks for sale and big dill pickles in jars, where you could buy one at a time. This pizza would make your eyes roll back in your head.

1989Pre 

"Movie snob"? Sounds good. Do you have an IMDB profile?

iab

ooo, ooo. I do, I do! On the top of the resume! Nothing like documentaries about obscure dead Italian racers.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5232490/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Reynolds 

TWEPped them!

Drillium Dude 

I had to laugh at that one because, although it doesn't really bother me, it happened just this afternoon!

I was coming out of our neighborhood, slowing to make a left onto the large artery which runs through it, when a fellow cyclist passed from left to right in front of me. He looked to his right, I lifted my hand to him (wearing all black kit, with the exception of white gloves) - and he simply turned his head back to the left and rode on his merry way.

Full carbon, team kit - and clearly close to my age (59 in July).

It takes all kinds to make this world go 'round...

DD

Atlas Shrugged

As usual full reverse snobbery is in effect. All these stories of racers looking down upon them and their children in days of yore. Packs riding by in ignorant bliss and refusing to acknowledge a punter riding his vintage Puccini. Lycra being used as a dividing line between cyclists much like red state vs blue state debate. Chances are many current sport cyclists really have no interest other than mild curiosity in other categories of cycling.

Yet currently there is a interesting and detailed thread discussing applying shellac to your cloth bar tape. No modernists is throwing in cheap shots or criticizing the posts but rather letting it be.

Reynolds 

I don't know if I'm a niche snob, but I consider myself a Serious Cyclist™.

Drillium Dude 

To be fair, shellacking bar tape has practical merit; there are numerous benefits called out in that thread. I'm sure there are those that see it as pretentious and overkill, but I ain't one of them. Buying into stuff that simply works as advertised - or solves some sort of problem - is how I roll

DD

Atlas Shrugged

Exactly, a very few riders currently use cloth tape and even a smaller group of them would consider shellac. A vast majority of current cyclists choose padded tape of some form. Yet none of them jumped into the discussion critically calling out the practice. Yet bring up a simple question of best sealant, damaged carbon fiber or solutions to squealing brake rotors and immediately the criticism flows.

Trakhak

Boston? That's cute.

A pizza snob who grew up in New Haven has entered the chat.

Hail To The King: Connecticut Pizza Again Named No. 1 In Nation

Jeff Neese

That's because shellacked bar tape is undeniably cool. Full-kit Lycra, on the other hand, can be quite ridiculous looking.

The Golden Boy 

​​​​​​​Oh.

Trakhak

In stark contrast, no doubt, to cycling on a DL-1 in a flat cap, tweed Norfolk jacket, knickers, wool leggings, and cordovan leather brogues. Followed by gladsome punting on the Cherwell, I'll warrant.

Still waiting for someone to provide an example of racer snobbery about C&V riders. I'm beginning to believe it doesn't happen. (Just kidding. I already knew that it's a C&V myth.)

1989Pre 

Whatever it takes. Not every day is race day.

RustyJames 

+1 I found myself largely in agreement with GP throughout the book.

52telecaster

Me too, even though I doubt I'll ever own one of his bikes.

gugie 

Yeah, but your quiver has a Rivendellian look and feel, one that he who shall not be named would appreciate.

gugie 

Oh, you know this guy?

iab

Well, if you are not gushing over a C&Ver's bike, you are a snob. Just the mere act of not talking about the bike is an act of snobbery.

alexihnen 

I happily pay for GCN for all the live racing coverage, but their other videos have gotten worse and all their C&V vids are very cringey. I wish they would use someone who actually cares about the bikes and is knowledgeable.