Bike elitists?

I thought a roadie was someone that traveled with a band

 

I'll pull up next to people at stop lights and try to say something to them and they'll just ignore me. Austin in general is pretentious though so I've come to expect it.

 

Hmmmm, I guess I won't take offense to that since I do ride geared bikes occasionally--maybe 5% of the time. Does that mean that I'm a dick 95% of the time?

 

That can be quite accurate.

 

I was recently touring the west coast on our tandem (loaded) and just before Leguna Beach these too guys in full team kit pull up by us waiting for a light. I said Hello--hows your ride going?? --- they totally ignored us.

We leave the light -- they take off -- terrain goes downhill --- Whooosh we fly by ---- they pass us on the next uphill (expected since we are carrying about 50 pounds of tools and clothes)

This goes on for about 3 miles ... then on the next uphill -- we push a bit and catch the slower of the 2 ---pass him --- and gap him pretty good.

So you want to ignore us--- fine .... you my dear "Sally" just got passed and gapped by a freakin loaded tandem.

 

There's some old guy here in town rides a Dean ti hardtail, won't speak if you try & greet him like a long-lost uncle. I've seen him twice, sweet bike, ratty old antique helmet on crooked, and attitude.

 

When they ignore you, act like something is really seriously wrong with something on their bike and drive off lol

 

It seems the thinner, most in shape, race jersey wearing riders (road or mountain) are the least likely to wave or be friendly. Maybe they're just too focused to be bothered.

It hit me one year when I was at a state championship series race. I asked quite a few buddies and other riders who the NORBA XC champ was the previous race season. Virtually no one knew. Then I asked who the World XC champ was and no one knew. Those are the baddest XC riders on the planet and most of my fellow riders had no idea who they were. Moral of the story-no matter how good you get, don't ever take yourself so seriously you can't give a friendly wave to a smuck like me riding by. Of course, don't expect of wave on a serious hill or the middle of a sprint...

 

I agree with your moral. When we ride we always try to say something to everyone we pass. Not only other riders, anyone we see we enguage in someway. Even the ones that dont look up or respond. My estimate is that we get five positive replys for every negative. I had a funny one the other evening. Riding alone into a 20 knot headwind I was chugging along wondering if that is what a hill might feel like when a young rider on a road bike flew past me. A mile down he was waiting at a stop light crossing. As I rode up, he says "Man, you ride strong for a old dude on a clunker bike!" He changed direction and rode with me for a couple of miles chatting. He was fourteen, and I had just made a new biking friend. Gota love it that a bycycle can be a bridge across the generation gap.

 

I allways say good morning no matter what time it is, I should change that to Gday don't you think. If thay don't say any thing back I yel good morning I gues thay didn't hear me.

 

I say G'day to everybody who goes by, whichever way that might be. Not a lot of people ride around me so I want to meet anybody if at all possible. I've been riding around Soledad the last few weeks, new job, and have already found 4 other riders, and ride with one regularly. Being from the wilderness where there just aren't many people around, it is VERY cool to have people to ride with, so I try to meet all who ride around me. I haven't been around any "roadies" yet, but I'm sure I will experience it eventually.

I also ride a V-twin motorcycle, and agree with Industry Hack, the crotch rocket riders don't often wave back, but I always give the "hang loose" wave anyway.

My own personal philosophy is: if some thinks they are better than you, they aren't just because they think they are. Just a little tidbit from the world of Buddha.

DrB

 

many road bikers out up in park city...awful

 

Im not making any excuse for being polite. We make a point to try to greet all riders, jogers, neighbors, etc. I will say this. Since we have been riding for more than two hours lately I can start to understand how sometimes the serious road riders can get into a grove or zone so to speak and just be cranking it out. Especially since about all I see them do is ride down the side of the road. We saw five of them yesterday morning, full team garb, in a line drafting each other, tight spacing, running mid twenty MPH. Im thinking that may take some concentration. On what looked like at least a fifty mile ride because of where they were it may take focus. My son in law is a flight medic and ran a call where a road bike slamed into the back of a parked van at twenty five or so. Guy was so into it he forgot to look up!