dantolen

So as I casually pedal into Santa Cruz yesterday, enjoying the amazing coastline, with my 50 lbs of touring gear and guitar on my back, there was a constant slew of road bikers passing me. Some even moaned and groaned to me about the headwind. It was as if they were trying to break the landspeed record, eyes only on the pavement 10 feet in front of them, oblivious to the beautiful sunny day along the amazing coast. Most of them looked angry, as if they hated biking and they were just trying to get in their weekend miles. From my experience, it is much more enjoyable to spend all day getting in 80 miles with stops to meet people, experience the local life, and taste new local foods than to try to squeeze a century in half a day only to sit in front of my laptop for the rest of the day.

I can understand if you are a legit racer/ triathlete training for a race, but I know most recreational riders aren't.

Why does it seem that most road bikers I see are angry, in a hurry, oblivious to the beautiful world around them, and complain like 4 year olds about a 3 mph headwind?

I have nothing against road biking and have met some really chill people that ride road bikes, but I am talking about the other 80% of the road bikers I meet.

dennisa

Competitive nature plan an simple.

qmsdc15

Your average speed must be equal to or greater than 1% of the cost of your bicycle. It's a rule.

fairymuff

They spoke to you? Weird...

UCIMBZ

A 110lbs blond riding her bike has a different perspective.

danvuquoc

I'm screwed.

mymojo

Hey, all you roadies: you're riding your bikes wrong. Luckily, Dan is here to set you straight on the *only* correct way to do it.

misterha

This is why I love the bicycle. Something with 2 wheels produces so many different cultures and their own form of expression. Road bike, mtn bike, bmx, fixie, touring...etc
Those road bikers you saw may not look like they're enjoying it but they're in their own high right now, pushing their body and having a sufferfest. It's something hard to describe but the feeling after you suffer 36 miles of climbing, and pushing the pace is just great.

But keep doing what you're doing because I would love to just tour 80 miles and enjoy all the small things in life too.

laserfj

Going more fast is more fun than going less fast.

Perhaps consider that many riders who are passing you have, at one point, tried riding slowly and decided they don't enjoy it as much.

More importantly, why do you care what I like?

c_mack9

i dont always go out to push the pace, sometimes i just chill and cruise. when im pushing the pace its because that is my workout for the day and i want to get at it. dan, some folks just take their workout seriously. nothing wrong with the way you tour but there's also nothing wrong with those people you saw getting their workout in. people are the same way in the gym. i get spaced out and keep silent when im in the middle of my weightlifting workout. taking it seriously is what brings progression. even though most dont compete, they still have the desire to improve.

RT

1. Did they wave, too?
2. I spent my school years in Santa Cruz (2-12). Wind there is weak.
3. I hate wind.
4. Roadies probably think you're equally was weird for intentionally weighing your bike down.
5. Santa Cruz may be the only place left that never truly left the 70's. Santa Cruz makes Boulder look like Colorado Springs, politically.
6. Seriously, a guitar on your back? You are in exactly the right place. Set up camp, never leave.

Spoonrobot 

+1

Velo Gator

You have to go fast so you can post about it here, +2mph.

BillyD

He didn't say that at all.


fixed.

danvuquoc

The Anatomy of the Perfect Troll

Excuses, or if you'd rather put it -- protection from would be critics. Who can argue against 50lbs of extra weight and a scenery?

Story & targeted attack on the core users of 41.

Hypocrisy -- and an opening for pages and pages of ad hominems.

Inability to see, or inability to admit to anything but polar ends of a spectrum.

Further insult and provocation.

Innocence and generalizations.



The troll in this one is strong, I expect many pages from this thread.

abstractform20

1. angry because the slow tourer is taking up too much trail
2. cannot see the beautiful world due to the stink and scraps being flung from the slow tourer
3. that headwind pushes the stench of the slow tourer deep into the nostrils


seriously though, most people on road bikes like to go fast because they are exercising.

...something about a heart rate. its dumb. i would choose a rivendells over a sirvelo

dantolen

Ok so it makes much more sense to me now, many road bikers are after more of the workout aspect of the ride than the sightseeing.

It just looked like most were angry, but when I am on the treadmill that is how I look also.

Cool, well to each his/her own, keep riding your own way and most importantly less car driving! and don't be weirded out if some guy with a guitar in a green headband with lots of gear on a hybrid bike gives you a peace sign and says "hey hey!" as you pass

banerjek

I totally get the relaxed pace thing. But what I can't understand is why anyone would want to carry 50 lbs of crap and a musical instrument if the activity is bike riding...

Velo Gator

Gregory Earl

To honestly answer your question, I didn't speed 3000 dollars to cruise. If I wanted to cruise I would have bought a cruiser. There's nothing wrong with cruising but I just can't convince my Cannondale Synapse 3 of that.

qmsdc15

Check his blog. He's on a very long ride. And he's traveling fast enough to have brief chats with the roadies passing him.

Hybrid riding, helmetless troll.

RJM

Riding to go faster and "train" or riding to take in the scenery and have fun are both valid excuses for biking, and both pertinent to the road forum (aka the 41). It is as simple as that. Neither one is better than the other and just because you do one doesn't mean you can't do the other on your next ride.


P.S., don't crash with that guitar on your back. It will probably hurt.

RJM

You never bike toured?

BillyD

Let me just say this . . . there's different strokes for different folks. Everybody is not the same. Some like it hot, etc.

If we can't have a decent discussion in this thread and exchange thoughts and feelings without chaos, anger, bitterness, personal attacks, and mob behavior . . . this thread will get shut down.

Have a nice day.


Edit: btw, so far so good, for the most part. See, tolerance isn't that hard.

urbanknight

Were they exceeding some speed limit?
Why do people I see on the road in Porsches sometimes drive very fast?