Mimes are always at the bottom.

w-a-n-k-e-r

if only i could understand what it is you're trying to say.....what nonsense are you talking about, my saying "good morning, beautiful day for a ride...wish i didn't have to go to work" or was it my ability to stay with them, then pull away when they had to change gears and the such to prepare for the upcoming hill that i have to get into "oh my freaking gawd....don't stop mode" to get up it....

when i used to train hard...ie rode more than 250+ miles per week, i used to love to chop it up on trainning rides, with anyone that would give me the time of day or an ear...even when i would take club rides, none of the guys that raced did so on street, for the most part...however even i would go ballzout for the last sprint of the day when the last one that finished picked up the first round....its always been about fun with me, i haven't raced...i raced bmx for a bit, but then the motorcycle bug bit....then cars....cycling for me now is kind of like coming full circle, to me everyone that swings a leg over shares with me at least one thing in common...all the rest, clicks, groups little clubs with fancy handshakes..stops before i offend anyone...

as for the double standard...all that stuff requires taste and some sort of eye...which i don't have..nor the $$$ to spend it on...i have too many vices and expensive habits to get caught up...and if i wear anything promoting anything....i have to be getting paid to do so...no more freebies....

i wish my foot wasn't hurting so much so that i could get off this damn computer and go ride...although i am medicating and will not be here for too much longer, almost can ride.....just a bit more....

;)

Werd. When I'm a crusty old hippy lady I want to have a Rivendell. But for now I'm a hipster punk fixie poseur on an 80s pink Bstone.

BT and ostro, nice nofx references. punk in drublic was it for me back in 95. :)

I like ostro's and Harlot's recent posts.

In my business we call each other *****s, and some think that means we do it for the money and others think it means we'll do anything for the ride.

In the case of fixies, I find the machine itself compellingly beautiful.
If I couldn't ride it, I'd keep it in my living room as an art object.

I wish it hadn't become a fad, as people from the Big City describe it, 'cause somehow that makes it dirty.
But then, to paraphrase Mort Sahl, a little dirty sometimes makes it better.

On my route I sometimes see a guy riding a low-rider with a hooded jacket

wait a minute, thats not a NOFX song.

tim

Should be titled "Five reasons why lycra shorts should only be black"

Jude

no. i wear wool swedish army pants (knickers) from cheaperthandirt.com (they were $4.97 each when we bought them) over tights and biking shorts. if this ride coontinues until the summer, and i hope it will, i will wear just bike shorts. they just make sense for long rides, no matter what bike you are on. in fact, some might say that since FG's don't offer the same softening qualities that freewheel bikes do, padded shorts are even more practical.

My Pista feels really springy and absorbs a lot of bumps, but when I ride without my bike shorts I feel it a lot more.
I bought some very light padded elastic bike shorts from Nashbar that I can wear all day under either regular trousers or baggy shorts if I have to, and I forget I have them on.
The maker intended them as underwear.
Besides the padding, the elastic bike shorts just keep everything nice and tidy, and where it belongs.
Nuthin' gets pinched or squashed.
Usually, I wear big baggy shorts as outerwear, except in freezing weather and then I wear windproof bib tights and baggy shorts.

did i mention my candie-caned striped thong? always the base layer.

there are snobs all across the boards... just different types.

however i find this forum the most useful because people here seem to actually ride and wrench their bikes. thus i can give or find advice when wrenching my own bikes.

in the roadie forum there is a higher abundance of incredibly moron posts... real examples here:
-columbus brain vs sl vs slx vs thron vs platinum vs true temper avr... what should i look for
-im afraid of down tube shifter, when i reach down to shift i almost wreck myself
-when should i shift? there are too many gears - how do i choose
-help--i fall at stop lights with clipless pedals
-i have a trek 1000 -- where does it rank?
-what does 700x25 mean? will 700x28 make me faster?
-why do people hate Sora?

so i have this conception that most of the posters on that forum are mid-aged men who haven't the first clue as to what a bicycle is... the same kind who walk into a bike store, get sold on a 1500$ bike, buy 500$ in additional accessories, fall off the instant they ride out the store, and give up the sport a week later.

of course there are a few very knowledgeable guys there, but if i want some help servicing a hub, or correctly dishing a wheel, i'd find better answers here

"so i have this conception that most of the posters on that forum are mid-aged men who haven't the first clue as to what a bicycle is... the same kind who walk into a bike store, get sold on a 1500$ bike, buy 500$ in additional accessories, fall off the instant they ride out the store, and give up the sport a week later."

This is as much the fault of the shop. Part of our purpose is to educate, not just sell stuff.

Yes, I agree completely. People here have really helped.


Ouch. That hurt. Really. I believe I said that I was afraid of crashing when I tried to shift--because I almost did. Go outside sometime, ask a person who hasn't ridden a bike in about ten years to jump on a bike with dowtube shifters. Tell them to shift gears. See if they don't almost crash or actually crash. No, I'd guess that you couldn't find anyone like that because you don't know anyone outside of your group of 'cooler-than-all-****' bicycle buddies.

In fact, I was pretty proud of the fact that I was even willing to risk it. But I don't feel like getting too defensive about this. Just wanted to point out that maybe some of us switched to fixed gear because it just seemed a lot simpler. Don't even have to worry about downtube shifters anymore!

But, really, thanks for calling me out. I've got several subtle hints that my neophyte's inquisitiveness is not highly regarded in the past several days, so I'm going to refrain for awhile. Let all you superior non-morons spin your yarns of beauty and grace. Maybe I'll cruise down the block and see if any of the little BMX punks have a little less of an attitude. I know that most inclusive people/groups generally use the term "moron" to refer to others. (Or did you mean, "moronic"?) Yeah, that's tolerance.

(sentence edited out by p.)

NOTE from p: I apologize herein for the statement above. Please see my post further on for a full apology.

Dic--oh, never mind.

Dont take it personal. I didnt mean to make a statement against you or your character. That question per se that you posted... i found dumb and of no use to me personally. There are more of those on that board than there are here. Hence I prefer this (more informative) board. If you want to know: my friend started on a way-too-small 10 year old bike with DT shifters and didnt have difficulties... neither did I when I started on a way-too-large 10 year old bike. Our current bikes are low end compared to other people's bikes here, and we dont dress in proper road racing gear nor do we dress in proper 'urban cycling' gear. If you want to paint me as an elitist for thinking that the road board is filled with idiocy then so be it. hell... the title of 'cooler-than-all-****' actually sounds pretty nice

Did we mention the pie was great here!

I got back into riding in my fifties.
I had never ridden clipless before and I fell about five times.
Everyone I knew ridiculed me for riding a bike, and they still might, for all I know.
I think I looked uncomfortable and incompetent on my bike, and it invited rude comments from people as they drove past me in their cars.
I suppose some people see a middle aged man in midlife crisis, or whatever they call it.
A neighbor two houses up the street rides Harley Davidsons.
He recently bought a new black Harley Davidson Road King.
By coincidence, as I rode past his house the other day, he rumbled out of his driveway dressed in black leathers with a black helmet.
For a moment we rolled together, flying in formation, I silently on my minimalist steel pony and he thunderously on his massive stallion.
I realized I had made the right choice.

A little while back I came upon this rider who was going real slow on a nice old country road. He had some sort of modern race type bike and some modest but sporty riding out fit. As I passed him on the left I just waved and said hi and realized the guy had to be at least 75 years old. I slowed down and had a nice conversation with the guy as we strolled along down the road. I always think to my self about this guy when some Ahole drives by as close as he can and blows the horn. Can you imagine there surprise when they did that to a 75 year old man out having a good time. Don't worry what other people think of you especially if they project there thoughts through glass and steel.

Anyone, everyone, I was NOT intending to disparage anyone. I was merely attempting to draw an analogy to those-who-would-think-themselves masters of this or any other domain. I truly apologize and retract the statement. I'll try and remove the post. Sorry. It was late, I was pissed, it came out rude and wrong.

I'll shut up now.

Ib4tl

Awesome, and you fly helos.

Well said Sheeeck!

You're second only to Hayme now!!!

How's that working for you?

I ride a fixed gear because it's an articulated bus magnet.

Niether the guys, nor the women, are particularly interested in me...