So, I took a friend of mine out for his first long ride(he hasn't ridden more than 30miles in one day and that was with a mid-way break) and he by no means has a good fixed gear. Its a brakeless pure fix with straps for foot retention.

Anyways, the ride is 50miles round trip with climbs littered the entire way and a mid-way break at a swimming hole. We were unfortunate enough to get a headwind to and from the destination, but we stopped a few times to enjoy a wobbly pop. I was definitely impressed on how well he kept up, especially on a bike that weighs around 25lbs.

At the end of the ride there is one last hill into town. I had enough energy to climb it but he decided to walk. I waited at the top and apparently as he walked past a roadie who was waiting on a side street, he said in a very condescending tone "Not a big enough gear on the back to climb, eh?" (I live in Canada). Moments later as we are still standing at the top of the hill, the roadie passes us with barely a glimpse but I was able to glimpse at his full-carbon Colnago that his parents most likely bought for him.

My friend and I got over it pretty quickly, but it was another reminder that some roadies are weenies.

Maybe he was giving him a friendly suggestion to use a larger cog on the back.

That is a possibility, but we did ride with 46x17 and climbed hills fine the entire way.

I wasn't there so I don't know the tone he used in his voice, but just reading that comment didn't sound too rude. Sounded like a light joke.
Who cares anyway what he says or rides, I'd rather have a fixed gear anyway even if it means walking up too steep a hill.

Sounds more like polite conversation. Much better than you'd get in LA. Don't think roadies would talk to someone on a fgss here

I guess if he had said nothing you would have posted here about how butt-hurt you are that he didn't even talk to you.

Did you say anything back or were you friendly? He is probably posting on his roadie forum about how he tried to strike a conversation with a fg rider who wouldn't even give him the time of day. Where's the love.

That Colnago would look SICK with an eccentric rear wheel, no?

I guess Texas is different, I haven't really run into roadie snobbery down here.

I think my friend would rather have him not say anything at all and let him walk his bike in peace.

ps. Nice signature, btw. I do ride a steel road bike as well.

I think my friend just said something along the lines of it was the end of a 50mile ride which he had never done before.

Haha you very well could be right. I guess we should just all get along if we're riding bikes, right?

so much presumption, such little time

You are supposed to get butt hurt when other cyclists don't wave to you. get with it man!

Only 50 miles? What a wuss!

So the roadie took your friend's advice to heart and swapped out his climbing gears which ultimately let him climb up that hill with ease?
Your friend's a good guy.

Sounds like something a roadie would say.

after reading this thread i thought: 'that roadie was totally wrong. nevermind the cog, OPs friend needs a 42t chainring'

i live in canada too[near you] and our hills are barely that. i have a sscx with 42/17 and can hold an average of around 29-32km/h all day no problemo[check my strava]. accelerating to ~50kmh is not an issue either. i have done group rides with my club[yes roadies] on that bike. with 35c tires. and im not fast or strong, i just dont give up easily - quantity of beer consumed irrelevant. spin it to win it.

also, walking hills is not acceptable. if you absolutely must get off, HTFU. if that doesn't work shoulder the bike and run cyclocross style.

honestly, running a lower gear will make you a beast. practice high cadence as smooth as possible with a nice complete pedal stroke.

and for the record, climbing on a fixed gear is easier than SS because the weak spot in your pedal stroke is compensated for by drivetrain momentum.

Alright, my friend is a wuss and I should have forced him up that hill. But yes, I think you're right in saying that he needs a smaller chainring as he is relatively new to this whole long distance riding, let alone doing it on fixed gear.

Killer rant.

Da hell?

Purefix. Dey heavy.

You should be impressed your friend kept up because he is new, not because his bike is "heavy". 25lbs aint nothing

Roadies make for excellent trail rabbits to chase.

Are all fixy riders so easily offended?

From my experience around here, yes.

*runs for it