YouthInAsia

Can someone be considered a serious rider if they ride a Huffy? Or a Pacific, Next, Murray, Schwinn, or Diamondback?

MisterK

I'd say you're wrong about diamondback, they have more than a handful of capable rigs available. Tho they do have kids bikes and low end box store bikes aswell.

fitftw

A serious rider is someone who yearns to get on the bike several times a week, no matter what brand it is.

wanderquest

This is an amazing statement. Just because someone doesn't have the tools that you would consider adequate, doesn't necessarily take away from the craft. Some people may not have the means to purchase something that you would deem, "for a serious rider."

Drew Eckhardt 

Sure as long as they're riding at least 6-10 quality hours a week (~90-180 miles) which is the minimum needed to be in decent cycling shape.

dr_lha

I rode 2500 miles on a Diamondback last year, including a 102 mile ride. How far did you go on your Trek hybrid?

jfowler85

All through our brutal winter the common bikes I saw on the road were cheap mountain bikes and wal mart specials, with plain clothes riders layered with jeans, coveralls, flannel...in freezing rain, snow, frozen roads, temps below 0. I would say that's a pretty hardcore, dedicated cyclist, regardless of whether or not these individuals owned/could afford a car. Just because a cyclist doesn't conform to your preconceived notions of what he or she "should" be, does not mean he or she is not a serious cyclist.

Don't be a snob.

rebel1916

He said, pretty explicitly, that a serious rider is one who rides, irrespective of whether he has high end equipment or not.

daryou

Why are you looking down on someone just because they are riding a bike that they can afford? Not everyone can afford to spend thousands of dollars for a high end bike. I was buying bikes for me plus 4 kids, so, yes, we rode Wal-Mart specials. But we rode them regularly. That made us serious riders, in my opinion. A serious rider is not just a lycra-clad, professional racer want-a-be on an expensive bike. Check the attitude.

JerrySTL

Yes. Especially if they pass some poseur on a mega $, carbon fiber bike.

wanderquest

Perhaps you may have gotten confused. I was quoting that individual, applauding them for their statement, and disapproving of YouthInAsia's post.

dr_lha

To be fair, it wasn't exactly clear what you meant by "this is an amazing statement".

gpburdell

Can someone be considered a serious rider if they're judging other riders by the bike they're riding?


Seem to me a serious rider would be focused on his/her own riding rather than focusing on other riders/bikes.

Wingsprint

Why? Did you get passed by someone on a Huffy?

Retro Grouch 

I'm thinking that it depends on your definition of a "serious rider".

There are BUNCHES of people who, for whatever reason, use a bicycle for their daily transportation. I'd argue they are much more serious about their bicycling than I am because I ride only as a hobby - not seriously at all. If you check the kitchen door of many restaurants, you'll find a Huffy or similar bike so my answer would be "Clearly yes."

TenSpeedV2

It is hard to not be snobby when you spend as much as some of us do, and more, on bicycles, parts, fitting, clothing, pedals, shoes, etc. and someone immediately discounts that by making a broad statement such as "why did you spend so much money on that bike, you can get one at Wal-Mart for $99". I get that a lot and it is frustrating. If you want to go down to Wal-Mart and get a bicycle shaped object that was assembled by a kid making minimum wage who just assembled a grille, go ahead. Life is too short to ride a piece of garbage bicycle, no matter how much you ride.

hayden52

You mean something like this Huffy?

YouthInAsia

Whoa. Reminds me of what Toad said in American Graffiti. Haha!

bmthom.gis

If I see a bike being ridden, it is automatically a cool bike.

YouthInAsia

Soooooo, is it about speed? Or distance? Or how often someone rides that makes him/her a serious rider? I offended many people by simply asking a question, and many of you assume I had attitude. I think we need to ask this kind of question every now and then to check ourselves. I didn't say I was any better than any other rider.

YouthInAsia

There's definitely a HUGE chasm of a difference between the quality of a Huffy and a whatever bike shop bike. No question there. Thus the question at the top of this post was regarding the seriousness of the rider, not the quality of the bike.

Wingsprint

Oh boy this is going to be great...

YouthInAsia

Agreed. That's a worthy quote. And yet, I've come across many a snobby riders on road bikes who refuse to reciprocate a hand wave.

Darth Lefty 

Some people get on their department store mountain bikes and deliver Chinese food all day long. That seems serious enough.

rydabent

Being a snob is not becomming.