In a way, I guess I understand not waving at everyone you see. Some days on my commute home, I've had a bad day at work, and I just want to forget that people even exist. I just don't feel very social. Cycling is my escape on these types of days. Sure, if someone waves and I see them, I'll wave back; but it's at those times that I just want to be left alone. It's no intentional slight, it's just the way I feel.

Does waggling the fingers from the bars or a nod of the head qualify? Because that is generally the extent of waving that goes on around here when someone passes in the opposite direction.

YES - that is what I often do. Both or one or the other.

I used to... it was a Jeep thing. Now I don't anymore... well not as often because my wife keeps telling me I look dumb and most of the other Jeep drivers just look baffled. That is unless of course they're driving a flat-fendered Willys or something.


I usually don't wave to every cyclist I see. I almost never do it in a high-cyclist environment such as on a MUP because I'd be constantly waving. If I'm on a road where I see a cyclists at most every 15 minutes then I'll most likely send out a wave... assuming I'm not coughing up a lung trying to crawl my way up a 12% grade at the time. If someone initiates a wave, I'll usually respond regardless.

When I started on the road, most of the guys I rode with in my working/middle class outer suburb were actually working class Europeans who loved their steel Colnagos, Viners and Pinarellos. Those guys were always friendly and had plenty of community spirit for the younger guys. Everyone waved at riders coming at the other direction, even if we were hammering ourself silly and getting tunnel vision. It's just the way that is was. Cycling was a bit of a fringe activity and we all loved it and had a great time swearing at eachother in Italian.

I've yet to experience this in other cycling realms to the degree that it's present in the road scene. In a lot of ways, the road scene is the worst, because of the consumerist nature of the chi-chi bling-bling scene it's become. It's not just about the bike either - it's wearing the right gear, knowing the right people. Case in point - 'Ride' magazine has the whole back page dedicated to 'what to wear' and 'how to behave'.

I think waving and politeness is a token of cycling solidarity. We're maginalised on the road, we're marginalised off road. We owe it to ourselves to stick together, project a unified front, be courteous, and above all, take time out of your 'serious training session' to wave to a brother.

Lately I've adopted the "half hand wave without eye contact" approach. This way I don't look like a snob, and I'm not mortally wounded because I can't see that I've been totally ignored.

My solution? Crush those guys on their $3k bikes! I met up w/ an LBS group a few weeks ago and they were all milling about talking in their groups. Not necessarily being snobs, but they weren't exactly inviting me in. I think they saw my '00 Trek 2000 with the blue frame and hot pink lettering (if only I could repaint it ) and figured I wasn't worth the effort. Started the ride and I hung back to get a feel for the group. The clydesdales (a group to which I also belong) near the back were a touch elitist and seemed to kind of ignore my hanging back. Well, to make a long story short, 1:30 later, with about 4-5 miles of a 30-mile ride to go, I got a wild hair and stood up and was gone (not so much to show off as just wanting to push the last part of the ride). Kept about 19 mph average for the rest of the ride and finished several minutes ahead of the majority of the peloton (which pulled in later w/many red faces and drooped shoulders). Suddenly, I had some respect and several people initiated conversations. Some roadies may initially look for gear (a reasonable attitude, but often a wrong one given all the rich people who think "I wanna be like Lance" this time of year, only to have their Madone collecting dust in August ) but I promise that if you step up to the plate and show some skill, they'll open up no matter what bike you have

That, or "That crazy waving bike fool"

I agree, just keep on and dont mind others too much. I like to ride alone myself and not have to worry about others, but when I see a fellow cyclist I definately take the time to say hi (most of the time).

Well, to answer to some of your questions and without commenting anything what you have said, I will just ask you:

Do you not wave to the 20,000 immigrants delivering food because:

A.) There are 20,000 (too many) of them or
B.) They are immigrants or
C.) They do not ride road bikes 30 mph or
D.) They are delivering food
E.) Any other reason not mentioned here?

One more question: What do you think in which case, A.), B.), C.), D.) or E.), or any combination of them, is your not commented sentence from the posting before fully appropriate?

I personally do not care if someone waves or not, to me or to other people. More important is why is someobody (not) doing what are they doing, wave or anything else. If the reason is unrelated to me or to other people, let it be their business even if it is just snobbery.

Another question:

What have I said what makes you think that I have a problem with your comment? How do you know that I am not in agreement with you?

And finally one oppinion and a statement:

Thes is too far from the original subject of the thread. Therefore, I will not be replying and/or posting in it anymore. Thank you.

It's pretty obvious you probably realized you misinterpreted since you keep asking questions to stray off the topic. Not that hard to pick up, like an apple in a bag of marbles.
But anyway, yes, it's way OT, so I've removed the posts to keep things in order.

As my mother has told me, "You are a male, you just can't multi-task". Gee thanks mom, .

My old cross country coach used to say that if you had time to joke, smile, or wave at the camera, (we filmed all our races), then you were not concentrating hard enough. I believe the same holds true for biking. I've noticed and come to the conclusion, when you are pounding out the miles and are 100% focused on the power you are putting out, there isn't much time to notice all the intricate things around you. Cars and debris in the road? Yes. Every biker on the road? No. I lift a finger or nod, don't get me wrong, but sometimes I don't even bother. Not out of snobbery, but my mind is just not there. Not all the people out there are jerks, they just might be on a grueling ride and their mind is elsewhere.

Just to prove that it's really all about the individual...I play golf (I am a 3-4 hdcp) every tuesday night with the nicest, least "Caddyshack" bunch of working guys you could ever meet...and some of them are even...gasp...roadies...

It's all about the person inside the shell....

Go race your bike or ride with racers. If you ride with some recreational posers, you will get plenty of their craps.

I just bought a Tirreno bike from performace, its a 105 bike, not bad. Ive been MTbing for 10 years and just got BACK into road biking, I raced as a teenager. Ive caught some funny looks, but the funny thing is, I have to look back to see most of them and I'm not THAT fast. In my oppinion, if you are going to ride a $3k bike and wear a yellow/USPS/anything significant jersey, youd better be able to back it up. I ride and wear what my abilities warrant. That goes for my MTBing, snowboarding, driving, and anything else I do.

Um, why?

Many people with zipp wheels on roads/paths are snobs. many also cannot ride fast. I'm not super fast on my streettrack bike, but i have been known to flick rool, smoke and flick cigarretes at people while riding it. Call it counter snobbery, call it jealousy, i still passed em.

Yea, I can be an *******, but I blame it on cars/work environment.

As said before though, If you can ride it fast, youre all set. I will respect the roadie with full team outfit going 35mph, I will respect the guy in khakis going 20 on a decent bike, I will be an ******* to the guy on zipps on a potholy street going 12.

That's me on the way to work! Do I get extra points for the necktie?

It's unfortunate that you even have to 'prove' yourself on a ride to anybody.

Wow... such a bigotted view of the world. How about we all try just respecting each other for being out there and riding a bike? I'm certainly glad I have come to realise that not all cyclists sport such a closed-minded attitude else I probably would have just kept to myself and not met the majority of wonderful cyclists out there who don't cast judgement based on looks and equipment. Perhaps it's because of such blatant elitism that forces other cyclists to be introverts.

I think there is some jealousy involved too. Yes, I do ride with a pair Zipp. The only time you can catch me is drafting behind at 27 mph. Yes, I do ride them on my pre-race recovery ride (slow). Of course, my tan and legs give away that I am a racer. I haven't blown away many posers lately given that I race on weekends and train on weekdays. Well, this is the culture of cycling. A sport about proving yourself and others. That's the nature of it. All my life I have the need to prove myself and others that I am not what they think I am. Even on a bike, I do the same thing. I kind of like it. 2 years ago I would never think that I can hit 25 mph on the flat at LTHR. Now, a piece of cake.

No doubt this thread will attract even more elitists like moths to a flame.

We have to separate what is the elitists and posers. You can't call yourself the elitist if you don't have the fitness to backup your equipement. You are actually the posers.

What does it make me if i get a $6000 litespeed and only avg 15 mph?

Answer,pretty fricken lucky. Not a poser or a real roadie or any of those other titles.

Maybe i'm riding Zipp's in potholes because thats where i fricken ride,on pothole bikepaths.

Some of you guys are really f#@$ up.