StanSeven

I know some shops that openly tell customers their first priority to fix bikes bought from them. They won't refuse to work on older ones but suggest other stores to customers. One reason is they won't guarantee when they will get to their bike and the other is they don't stock older parts.

molten

Joe wants to get religion involved. At least he's honest in admitting he would fail to become of a group, to those who are much a failure.

modelmartin

Bike lover here. I must not care if anyone thinks my one of my bikes looks weird. It has fenders, kickstand, mirror, bell, lights and yellow tires. It is seriously uncool to most people but I love it and commute with it and take it on gravel rides. It is C. Itoh submariner so I have the stainless and chrome frame going on, too. It is a total Rorscach test for other cyclists. Some dig it, some are mightily offended by it, quite a few don't even notice it!

dougmon 

I have to admit I don't get the yellow tires, but I certainly wouldn't be offended by it. Everything else sounds very cool to me, though. But you really should post a pic.

modelmartin

Oh.....OK. It has a yellow headbadge so I keyed off of that for the tires and the bag.. As I said before, some dig it, but I have had a few "YELLOW TIRES?" from people. Since these pictures were taken I added a Pletscher rack that I lightened up and took off the spring loaded part and painted it black.

dougmon 

Looks very utilitarian to me (that's a good thing). I wouldn't kick it out of my bike shed.

modelmartin

I really get the looks when I wear my all yellow and black kit riding it!!

Retro Grouch 

How quickly does the tread wear on those yellow tires? The reason I ask is because I discovered that on little girl's bikes, with white tires, the tread wears around 3 times as fast as the otherwise similar black tires on little boy's bikes.

modelmartin

I have 1300 miles (about 250 on gravel rides!" on them so far and they still look good. I will watch the wear. They are Kenda tires.

tg16

Aren't all bike snobs also bike lovers and all bike lovers to some degree bike snobs. I wouldn't want to ride the beat up old wal mart bike with a gas pipe frame and a 2x4 with some foam wrapped in a plastic bag for a seat. I can afford something better. Isn't it a matter of perspective and preference. What one wears is a matter of personal choice and taste. Whether you wear the marching set up, which I sometimes do, or the Bermuda shorts with old grease stained t-shirt, which I sometimes do. When I wear that, my wife says I look like I escaped from the nursing home, stole a bike and am fleeing from a nurse who wants to give me a shot.

My point is we are all both snobs and lovers to some degree. I wave and smile at everyone and speak if close enough and they all wave and speak back. Attitude is contagious.

I hope no one takes offense at this post as none is meant but this morning I'm in Gulfport, MS and rode the Tatonut ride for the first time. The full range of cyclists was there and it was great. Everyone was friendly. Everyone went out of their way to make me feel welcome. At no time did I try to peg anyone into a category. I just enjoyed the moments and the company.

osco53

Those are the people who feel threatened when someone makes a statement, stands out, shows diversity, goes their own way,,, does not follow the masses...

I think your bike is really cool

But then again I ride a mountain bike,
In the woods,
On true single tracks,
In Lycra,
With shaved legs,

And I ride a Recumbent

1989Pre 

I have been thinking about this "bike lover"/"bike snob" thing and just hearing about the concept has come to illuminate my own biases. There are some kinds of bikes that I do not favor, but I should examine that feeling. If I spent more time trying to understand the different approaches,tastes and priorities, and less time constructing barriers and defending them, I might be better off.

1989Pre 

[QUOTE=modelmartin;18648534]Oh.....OK. It has a yellow headbadge so I keyed off of that for the tires and the bag.. As I said before, some dig it, but I have had a few "YELLOW TIRES?" from people. Since these pictures were taken I added a Pletscher rack that I lightened up and took off the spring loaded part and painted it black.]

I think those tires show some nice taste.
Both my R3's and my Atom Comps are yellow. I saw a deal on some pink R3's, but there was only one and I wanted a set.

Kindaslow

I was just thinking today, coming in from my ride and seeing someone in their Lycra, that I don't understand Lycra and MTBing. But, I don't even care about my opinions on things like this.

modelmartin

You make some good points. To me, bike snobbery is looking down on other's choices. Aspiring to a higher standard for your own bikes and gear is not snobbery to my mind. If you can afford the latest greatest titanium Di2, hydraulic disc Whatzini that is great as long as you don't sneer at my or other folk's rides.

osco53

Yep well put.

I can admire a $12,000 bike or a $3,000 set of carbon wheels,

All that expensive cutting edge stuff does do the trickle down thing, for example ,,,

I now have a drive train that cost me $350 that shifts just like the $1,000 ones of last year..

dougmon 

All of us Whatzini owners appreciate hearing this.

My wife keeps saying "you should buy the best you can afford; that way, you don't upgrade all that often." If you do that (buy the best you can afford), it doesn't make you a snob. It just means you can have a pretty good bike.

bobwysiwyg

Can you have your wife chat with mine?

dougmon 

The corollary of "you should buy the best you can afford" is "because you can only have one (maybe two)". So maybe you don't want my wife to speak with yours.

ltxi

Introspective thought provoking this has a bit been. Realized I really don't judge by the bike, mostly don't notice. I judge by the rider. Also, I don't buy the best I can afford. I buy what works best for me. For context analogy, I can afford BMW/Merc but buy/drive upper trim level Honda Accord.

Kindaslow

I am limited to 5, just not enough space for more. So this is very confusing for me. Should my wife talk with her or not?

BlazingPedals

Well summarized! I like the way you think.

dougmon 

I just spoke to my wife, and she said to "stop advertising how wonderful I am; you do want to keep me, don't you?" So the truth is that she thinks that all bikes are the same, and everyone should only have one. And that one should be a used Sears Stingray from the 60's.

StanSeven

Is 5 the number of wifes or bicycles?

Kindaslow

If I buy more bikes, it will be more than five bikes and eventually a third wife....