Corsaire

Last Saturday, I was by myself riding my planned 50 mile route when by mile 4th crossed paths, coming from an intersection, with a group of roadies, all apparently wearing the same jersey uniform colors of their local team perhaps and riding their race, high tech bikes. As I approached the street corner - where they’re coming from - to make a right onto, I hear a sarcastic comment from who seems to be the leader of the pack: “Yeah! let’s just cut off this biker, blah, blah, blah” couldn’t hear the rest but they all laughed.
Of course, I had chosen to ride my Volpe that day, rear rack, fenders and Armadillos installed. They must’ve thought I was gonna go straight but instead I made a quick right to the street where they were coming from, I kind of looked sideways to see their reaction, they seemed startled and I just smile sarcastically to myself, thinking: what a bunch of dorks!
If you think you’re so cool just because you’re pretending to look like a racer, or perhaps you are for that matter with your high-tech gear/bike,(which I happened to have as well, but just chose not to wear/ride that day), then just keep it to yourself and respect other roadies who may not look just the way you think it should be.
This is not the first time either. On another occasion I was also riding my touring looking Volpe, when I bumped into this ‘racer”, who I say Hi to, and he looked down at my as if “where is this thing coming from?”, it’s like HE only belonged to the road, just because he looks like a racer, or pretends to be one.
To all of you out there who think that just because you dress and ride looking like racer (perhaps you are: who cares!) and because of that you’re so cool and no one else belong on the road: screw you!
Corsaire

fight or flight

Where were you Corsaire?

And let it all out.. RANT RANT RANT.

snowy

God you just said what I was thinking earlier this morning. Thanks

SoonerBent

Right on Corsaire! 20 years or so ago when I raced we didn't look at things that way. However, many people have less acceptance of others in every aspect of life than people used to then. What's funny to me though is that it seems really obvious in bicycling. I have a Harley and am a member of a couple groups. Even among Harley riders, who are known for their brand loyalty, there is generally more acceptance of other types of motorcycles than there is acceptance of other types of bicycles in our community. Weird.

SS

powpow

I agree with you 100%. I've been a mountain biker for 10 years, and a roadie for 2, and I find the general level of snobbishness WAY higher among roadies than mountain bikers. I feel the first encounter with many roadies (not all, of course) begins with a stare down of frame and components, a quick judgement of whether this person/bike is worthy of respect, and then an exchange of pleseantries IF that person/bike is deemed worthy. On the trails, however, there is a general vibe of brotherly love, where riders seem genuinely psyched to see other people out riding. It seems that whether you're riding a Blur or a Huffy, the vibe is less about what you are riding (and what you are wearing!) and more about the fact that you're out there on beautiful singletrack having a good time. Of course there are always exceptions, but this is what I've seen to date.

2Rodies

Oh god here we go again...another "rodies are arrogant jerks" thread. How about some people in every walk of life in every hobby are jerks. I'm sorry that some lycra clad men on bicycles hurt your feelings but get over it. Just ignore them ride your bike and enjoy the fact that out and riding.

lotek 

yah, we roadies are all snobs and look down on everyone
who is not worthy.
maybe the group was joking, you didn't hear the whole thing.
maybe the solo rider was training, deep into his zen, whatever state.

sigh

LordOpie

come on man, that's not true... don't be such a downer.

Harley riders wave to me on my bmw.
Whites open doors for blacks.
Some states allow queers to marry.

sure, intolerance sux, but things are improving, maybe not linearly, maybe it's a tough route, but things are better.

There will always be mallicious a-holes, like the ones Corsaire ran across, but that's why we're allowed to carry a gun. (that was a joke, stop bothering the mods )

pedal

I was out for a ride yesterday and waved at a fellow roadie, average looking guy, going in the opposite direction. He looked right at me and kept going, I thought "Jerk".

A little while later, I passed two guys who I know are local racers in some damn nice matching kit, and they both waved, which I returned.

Made me realize it has nothing to do with elitist attitude, just that a jerk is a jerk no matter what he wears/does.

Corsaire

Precisely to those I wrote my rant, SCREW YOU!

Corsaire
hehehehe!!!

LordOpie

Come on people, just cuz someone doesn't wave doesn't mean they're a jerk. If I'm in my own world, sometimes I don't register that someone waved at me for several seconds... even if I looked directly at them. I'll look back to see if he does so I can get my wave on

But really, there's all sorts of reasons why people don't do whatever you're expecting. Some people don't respond immediately, cuz they're brain no work so good.

Signed,
Lord of the idiots and the dance.

pedal

I don't mean someone who is in a zone and couldn't be distracted by anything. The guy I speak of was taking his time and took a long hard look at me before during and after I waved at him. Almost as if to say 'get a life'.

Hipcycler

a jerk no matter what he wears

--Says it all....ain't no cycling thang...just people are people.

RedHairedScot

I missed returning one or two waves due to newbieness. Some Austin roads are bad, and I was just getting used to those skinny tires.
I'm more worried about ditching the ride this morning -- the UT Cycling club had a ride this morning at 7:30am. I'd never been to one, so I thought, why not? So it's 34 degrees and 7:30 and I pass [1] the parking lot -- and it's just one lone poor rider sitting there. It's obviously the club president who emailed a reminder about the ride last night, and I thought that for getting up at 7:30 in the morning and having no regulars show up, she deserved better than having to handhold a rank newbie in the bitter cold at too-early-in-the-morning (especially for students!)

[1] In nice warm car, with bike on rack
(No, I wasn't slacking, I rode an hour when I got home...)

caloso

Were they wearing Cinzano team kit? Just be glad they didn't curse at you in Italian and jam a frame pump into your wheel. That's how the Old School Roadie Snobs do it!

Patriot

Can't we just all get along?

webist

I must have passed 75 cars while driving to work this morning. Not one of those jerk drivers waved. Screw them! They didn't wave at me, so I didn't wave at them!

Patriot

Yeah, to heck with those car drivers. What do they think they're doing on the road anyway?

rich007

MTB for 3 years, starting road now (although I did train/race for three years, 16-19 years old, when living back in Europe)... I can't wait to start racing and moving up from Cat 5 to whatever... And I'll be racing my 21 lbs. steel bike with Tiagra 'gruppo'... Can't wait for those road bikers to stare down on me at the start but avoiding me at the finish line after I kick their ass...

Sorry had to say that... The good road bikers/racers I know don't give a damn what I'm riding, as long as my skills are fine and my riding with them is predictable and safe... It's usually the wannabes who think too much about their machines, because their 'engines' suck...

TitaniuMerlin

I usually nod my head at people if we make eye contact at a distance and they dont wave to me. Sometimes i get a nod back. Generally i get ignored when i wave or nod....perhaps because i am a 'kid'? I'm only 20 (well, i will be in a month) and people dont seem to like that too much. Not many people talk to me on the club rides i go on either - they tend to stick to people there age, though there are a few exceptions. I am perhaps the youngest one who rides by about 10 years...kinda odd feeling. and i'm a nice guy! I waved to the Bucknell Team when they cycled the past me (the opposite way) when i went out on a ride - they generally waved back too.

tomcat

I always wave.......it's with my pinky so ya better be watching and wave back or I'll come on here and raise heck at ya.


tomcat

Laggard

Same thing happened to me all the time. You'd wave and they'd stare at you like you'd had horns growing out of your helmet. Never understood it.

galen_52657

Corsaire,

Sounds to me like your 'tude started as soon as you spotted the other cyclists. They could prolly tell you had something firmly implanted in your rear and tried to make a joke to break the ice... but you would have non of that...

WildBill

I think that was your point, not pointed to all roadies (who some seemed to have gotten the impression). I agree, I talk to anyone that will listen on a ride...if they are going the same direction at the same speed, you never know who may be your next riding buddy.

celticfrost

Please allow me to generalize and stereotype, but also clarify and filter: RICH roadies are snobs, just like RICH people