Mr. Beanz

I just thought this was cool after the many threads complaining about drivers and passengers shouting at riders. Hillbasher and I had just completed a climb on one of our rides. Series of hills with one milers 6% types, nothing major when we approached an intersection. I had a green light so I pushed as hard as I could to make it across seeing that oncoming traffic was on its way. There were cars behind me so I pushed hard in an attempt to match vehicular speed. As I rounded the left turn I entered the bike lane then a car passed on my left. I was rolling at a good speed but the car went by and all 3 or 4 occupants were shouting "YEEEEEEAAAAHHHHH!!!!!" with thumbs up!

Then a few days later Hillbasher and I hit the big mountain. Killer climb! When we're on the switchbacks to the ski lifts, a car full of dudes rolls by and they shout out the window with More "YEEEEEAAAAHHHH!"'s and thumbs up!

What shocked me was that these were all pretty fit looking dudes. I expect kudos shouts from other heavy dudes but I was shocked that the look of these fit guys cheering for us. From what I've read on the forums, they should have been throwing coke bottles at us shouting, "get off the road you fatso's".

That's always cool so it made me wonder. If you see a couple of old Clydes climbing a hill, do you shout or stick an encouraging thumb out the window? I do, even for the skinnies if it's a tough climb

Sayre Kulp 

Every time I pass a cyclist (even on bike myself) I offer a positive acknowledgement.

chefisaac

If the person looks focused, I leave them alone. Nothing bugs me more as someone that breaks my focus. Thats just me. Not trying to be a dick love the postivness) but going up hill require me to focus.

Rock31

If I am riding down by the beach where a bunch of cyclists are I always get positive comments, if I am riding on the street I get nothing but laughs and taunts.

UberGeek

Most of the really fit people know that you don't start off as really fit. In fact, many of the very physically fit people get there because at one point, they were Clydes/Athenas

If I see any cyclist grueling through any hill, I give them a thumbs up, and if I wont startle them, a small toot on the horn.

Biggziff

needs more cowbell...

jethro56 

I can't tell what someone is shouting or if a honk is approval. A thumbs up says it all. It doesn't distract someone and it's meaning is clear.

XR2

Put my head down and try harder 'cause they're probably passing me.

Seattle Forrest

Nope, but I think I need some cow bells.

I was climbing an 18 % grade one day. Two guys walking up the sidewalk, not too much slower than I was going, started to yell. I got the sense they were betting on whether I'd make it or not. Eventually I had to get out of the saddle to finish the climb, but when I crested the hill, one of them got excited and put his hands up in the air.

Neil_B

Say Hi, just like I'd do to any other of God's children. Or, if you'd prefer I quote an atheist:

"The great secret, Eliza, is not having bad manners or good manners or any other sort of manners, but having the same manner for all human souls: in short, behaving as if you were in Heaven, where there are no third-class carriages, and one soul is as good as another." - Henry Higgins in Pygmalion.

The idea of cheering on an "old fat guy" carries with it the idea the "old fat guy" is doing something you don't expect him to be able to do. If other cyclists can climb that hill, why not him?

RandoneeRider

You know..... if I see a fellow motorcyclist, it matters not if they're on a little scooter bedecked in Hello Kitty decals, a big Harley touring machine, or a tore up & dirty no-brand-name bike.... I acknowledge my enthusiasm for something we share, either openly or to myself.

That said, now that I'm cycling enthusiast.... it doesn't matter to me if the pilot of his/her bike is of a different ethnicity than of the several of which I AM, if they are gay or straight, fit or fat..... I share in the family of bicycle enthusiasts and acknowledge that I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together,
goo goo g'joob.

Mr. Beanz

They are in cars, they should be passing you.

Neil_B

Remember the bottled water commercial with Lance Armstrong challenging motorcyclists to race him? :-)

RichardGlover

Here's the thing...

You scare other fat guys in cars. See, they're content in their fatness because they 'can't exercise'. You being out there doing it reveals their self-delusion.

Fit guys, on the other hand, see you doing what they're not doing, and they think... DAMN! Big guy like that doing that??? You go!

Neil_B

Not just in cars. I think you just described my office. It's so bad that I didn't even talk about my vacation this year.

Doohickie

If they are fit, they are probably fit because they exercise regularly and understand the purpose of getting out there and doing something. Doesn't surprise me at all that they would be encouraging.

Mr. Beanz

I was thinking that!

Mr. Beanz

I was thinking that too!

Mr. Beanz

Sometimes when I climb, I will see a driver slow allowing him to inspect my face closely. So this is another one of those things I'm thinking.

Mr. Beanz

Wow! I'd bet you'd climb a little better if you relax. Some of the people that focus too much are those that focus so much they end up wasting energy on death grips etc. Try to relax.

On some of our climbs, I will see that Gina is concentrating so hard that it seems she is wasting energy. I'll remind her to relax and she will say that she is trying to focus. When she finally does relax, she climbs so much better and is more efficient, and her pedal stroke is so much smoother.

Seattle Forrest

Gravity is proportional to mass.

jbrow1

I was a clyde a little over a year ago. I just finished an olympic triathlon last saturday, and weighed 160 when it was over. I encourage everybody I see when I get the chance. Especially the clydes, because I know how hard it is to get out there and do it, especially the getting started part.

RichardGlover

They're memorizing it in case it shows up on the news later as a missing person or 'Tragic Death in the Mountains".

XR2

I'm pretty competitive. Slow but hate being passed regardless.

Mr. Beanz

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