retswerb

Setting aside the obvious agenda / trolling that started this thread, I'd nonetheless push back against these assumptions. I'm fairly new to participating here but have known of BF's existence for a long time as posts here tend to show up quite high in Google search results - especially for repair questions. BF's good search ranking has been the case for quite some time and as a result it would be incorrect to assume that folks who are less "involved" don't show up here with great regularity. Keeping this place "beginner friendly" and not biting the newbies is important for bringing others into the fold.

Lombard

I always wear Nomex underwear before entering.

shelbyfv

Cognitive decline isn't any more amusing than deliberate trolling. FWIW, last I looked there were many more sub forums devoted to casual biking than to go-fast.

Polaris OBark

Just so you know, not every Enduro Bro wearing Depends on a mountain bike says "Send It!" before making use of said containment.

genejockey 

Don't be silly! Who can't spell deurailler...derailieur... derilaeur... mech?

genejockey 

Yes, Maelochs, there IS a Rydabent. He exists as surely as Merckx, and Anquetil, and Hinault exist.

genejockey 

livedarklions

Horse crap.

livedarklions

cough, cough, liar, cough

livedarklions

This post needs its own theme song.

Lombard

Deliberate trolling can be funny. Cognitive decline is never funny.

thehammerdog

Blasphamy.
even the tea toting european dutch bike dress clothes dude does at times try to push it....just a little.
but to the meat of your comment I tend to agree.
all the media hype is on the uber higher end side.
$12k bikes....$200 bibs or shoes or helnets.
i hear ya...but i like trying to be faster more efficient when i ride...but not always.

livedarklions

What I find hilarious about this thread is that it's the two people that I would identify as being the most prolific denigraters of other people's riding habits-- wolfchild and rydabent -- are complaining about other people denigrating other people's riding habits.

Let's get real here, I could if I wanted to post a bunch of jerky quotes from people of all segments of types of riders in GC, including some from racers claiming that they are the only ones qualified to discuss certain non-racing topics., and from non-racers accusing other people of being suckers for buying into marketing hype or wannabes or whatever. My point would be that a) such obnoxious postings seem to be approximately evenly distributed among the various segments and b) the products of relatively few regulars who are generally disliked by pretty much all.

I'm not a racer, but I enjoy discussing stuff with racers because I find it interesting to exchange our perspectives on various issues. I'm not trying to convince them of anything regarding their own riding, and if I am trying to convince them of anything at all it is that non-racers may have an entirely different perspective that is just as thoughtful as their own, it's just about a different kind of riding or how I handle riding fast not having a racer physique . At its best, an exchange like this can be a lot of fun. I know I learn a lot from them and we seem to be enjoying most of the exchanges.

I used to run into a few racer types.who would habitually call me a liar when I would describe my riding habits. What would invariably happen was that a better qualified racer would then jump in to say that what I claimed to be doing checked out. and that the other guy should stop calling me a liar just because I could do something they couldn't. We're all capable of telling when someone who rides like we do is being nasty for no reason, I really respect the process of calling that person out.

Long way to get around to the main point--most of the people on this forum try to be helpful and friendly, and are open to other people's perspectives. I think it's useful to a newbie to understand that frequently there is more than one way to skin a grape. Where BF gets ridiculous is when people try to argue that it's their way or you'll suck on the highway.
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livedarklions

No, but I have seen people suffering from it use humor effectively as a coping mechanism.

Bald Paul

It took you this long?

Chuck M 

I'm really hoping that the extra hour of sunshine starting next week, and the official start of Spring in less than two weeks, gets some butts on bike seats and away from these pissing matches.

Lombard

Very well put.

Daniel4

Well it's true sometimes I would like to make better time when I ride to downtown Toronto or to North York Centre to meet my friends, but that's not my holy grail for speed. It's more of an indication we need better cycling infrastructure to take us to where we want to go via direct routes instead of meandering around side streets and park trails. A lot of the times I don't care about my speed or cadence except to cross the next light as it turns red to stop traffic from catching up to me.

And then there's the snow riding in uncleared streets and bike lanes for the challenge and the political agenda to bash the new snow removal contractor.

So add me in as one of the (apparently overstated) vast majority who rides for the pleasure.

rosefarts

We all know the holy grail of cycling is riding a bike shaped like a peacock while wearing a tutu and nothing else. Everything else is just following corporate trends.

Hermes

He has a pet mouse in his pocket.

beng1

Great thread. I agree 100% that most on this forum worship speed, high-end equipment and light weight as a yardstick for measuring all of cycling equipment and riders too.

I have always loved going fast on bikes since I was five years old, I think it is natural to want to go faster than walking if you are on a bicycle or a horse etc.. But most have lost their perspective on cycling and most other things. I believe it is the society based on predatory capitalism and it's consumerism, which always defines success as more, more more, and as excess. If a little speed is good more must be better, the more something costs must mean it is better, and the lighter a bike is, because it is a function of it's higher price and helps going up hills faster, it must be better too.

I only bought one new bike ever, early in 1997, my MTB, and I love it, but it will be my last new bike absolutely. I love my four road bikes too, three of them are from the 1970s and one is from 1985, and the initial purchase price of all four is $63.

Lately I have been a zone-2 rider, where you can still speak a sentence while riding, but it is a chore and you need a breath or two between your words or sentences. I would not be against entering a race in my area, but I am interested to see how fast I can go without leaving the zone 2 exertion level, which seems to be the best balance between physical fitness and exercise and speed.
Just as I am interested in zone-2 speed, I am also interested in how fast my old bikes can go, not in how fast I can go on carbon-fiber, multi-thousand dollar junk that they peddle to the public now. I like the bikes I grew up with since the 1960s, they are great bikes and all I will ever need.
99.999% of riders are not interested in racing and are not pros making money with their riding, so the common-sense thing for them to get out of their rides is fun and relaxation along with a bit of exercise.

Maelochs

You are totally lying. I listed the top several dozen topics ... and the quest for speed didn't appear.

You have joined the list of those who no longer matter.

Have a great whatever.

LaffyCaffi

Agreed

jfouellette

I’m an urban cyclist living in a large city. Speed is therefore relative in such an environment. You just get to the next red light before everyone else, and wait. Stop and go just like in a car. The speed cyclists are good for the bicycle business. They are the ones buying the products that could marginally increase their performance. They are the early adopters who pay the big dollars. They just need the open spaces to take advantage of their equipment which doesn’t exist much in urban areas. How about getting bicycle ovals built in urban centers? The Montreal Grand Prix race track is reserved for cyclists when not in use for the event. Perhaps the need for speed crowd should be having discussions in the proper forum rather than the general cycling one. Then again, you can jump over posts that are not relevant to your riding style.

terrymorse 

Since beng1 admits to having no experience with any road bike tech made after 1985, may I submit that he lacks sufficient perspective to denigrate such tech, and that his uninformed moralizing at us who do have experience is all "stuff and nonsense"?

He thinks we "worship speed" and have "lost [our] perspective", all due to "predatory capitalism" and "consumerism", while he rides Goodwill Store reject bikes while hinting at his moral superiority.