Nope, just shorts, t-shirts, and sandals.

So as I've read through this thread I just haven't had the negative experiences that so many here have talked about. After 15 years of serious road cycling my negative experiences can be counted on one hand. For example last week I picked my daughter up at pre-school and my Orbea was on the roof rack. The dad parked next to me comented on how nice my bike was and he and I started up a conversation. I went riding with him and his wife last Friday morning and we are having dinner with them on this Friday.

I was ridding the loop around my neighborhood a few months ago and started talking with this guy and he invited me to come out and ride with him and his buddies. These guys have doing their Sat morning ride for years and now I'm part of it.

I say this because I'm one of those guys on the expensive bikes with the shaved legs/shorts/jersey/helmet et al. I always wave or offer help. The only times I may not wave is if I'm doing my Wed night TT or if I'm on the rivit on a climb. I don't always get a wave back but I assume that that person may be on their own training program, didn't see me or is just too tired. I don't think "what a jerk" cause I don't know how that person is feeling or what that person may be doing.

Also I don't look at someone with a high dollar bike and can't ride it as fast as I can as an a-hole. I just think good for you man if you want to spend 8k on a C-50 it's your money. After my bike accident in '93 (I was hit by a hit and run driver and nearly killed) I didn't ride for 2 years and went from 158# to 240#. When it finally got to be too much I bought another bike and started to ride again. I went out and bought 4k bike and I'm sure there were some people looked at this fat guy in spandex with shaved legs ploding along on his Tomissini and laughed. But within a year was 160# and fast again, so the next time you see someone like that don't be to quick to judge you have know idea where that persons been or where they are going.

Good point 2Rodies.

before you judge...
walk a mile in there shoes. then when you do you'll be a mile away. and you'll have there shoes

Thanks, Jack Handey.

We commuters have our own snobbiness. You may have an 8K bike, but that can't get you and your gear to work on an icy, dark, January morning. My Surly with Nokians, saddle bags, and an HID can.

5 grand will get you a fully race prepped motorcycle a year or two old. One that would have won major championships a few years before that. And then you can have the same conversation about snobs and waving on the motorcycle boards. There's more in common between the two than just having 2 wheels.

-danch

I think he ment a road race motorcycle. Yeah you could buy a MX bike for 5k but you are not going to get a state of the art road race m/c for 5k while that much would get you a state of the art bicycle.

Here: https://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59573

OK, so that's 5900, but it's also a 750 where I was thinking 600, and I really didn't feel like hunting. And the bike advertised there has some nice goodies hanging off of it. Not quite state of the art, but if you don't have an italian fetish you can get state of the art for about 10 grand.

Like I said not state of the art also you are comparing new to used. Bottom line is you are getting an "off the shelf " converted street bike. A GSXR not a pure racing bike. Go find a purpose built race bike for that kind of $$$ that isn't trashed then we'll talk. For $5900.00 you could get the same bike ridden buy the winner of the TdF. If you were trying to replicate that in a used m/c would be 3 times that.

Keep dreaming!


$5900 will not buy you Lance's bike. And about the whole waving thing on bikes: being a former MC rider I can tell you that the waving thing is something sport bikers get kind of upset with. The harley riders almost always wave to each other and rarely to a sport biker. That's it in a nutshell.

Either I live in an unusual place, or have been very lucky, because roadies I see are some of the most friendly and helpful people I've run across. Whether using high-dollar gear or a 25-year old clunker, they always check to see if you need help if you're stopped, and the vast majority wave or at least nod when we pass. Of course there are some Gear Snobs out there, but I seldom come across them.

Other posts have mentioned that some roadies might seem snobby because they are focussed or concentrating...maybe suffering too!

Ok I'll agree with that, it won't get you the exact same bike. But 5.9k will get you a Madone which is pretty damn close to the bike he rode in '03. How much would have to pay for Rossi's '03 bike? My point and I believe the point that was trying to be made by the other poster is that the average joe has the means to buy a state of the art bicycle. Most of do not have the means to buy a state of the art racing m/c. Even at 10k for the "ultimate" racing bicycle compared to a GP bike or a F1 car it's nothing.

What Peter tells me about Paul tells me more about Peter than it does Paul...

Hang in there, I'll ride with you!!!

That stinks you have had crappy experiences with other roadies. With very few exceptions, all the roadies I have come across ( in Indiana where I am from and Oregon, where I currently reside) have been exceptionally helpful and nice. They are always quick to help out a new rider struggling on a ride and answer any questions. In fact, I often make a point to tell my non-riding friends how nice and helpful bike riding people are. By any measurement, my bike is old and on the crappier side of things, and I have not been insulted for having bad stuff.

Have your bad experiences been on group rides, at bike shops, out around town?