funbikerchick

Not to mention, the guy could have been seriously injured. If you really did this, you are worse than any snob..

bbbean 

How nice for you.

FWIW, when you post a pic in a forum, people can make the reasonable assumption you would like to get responses to that picture. Given the fact that aesthetics are a subjective measure, and the further fact that we all come from different perspectives, it is not unreasonable to assume that what is beautiful to you m,ight be unattractive to others.

Of course, someone who merely notes that yellow tires are unusual may or may not be voicing a criticism, but may simply be commenting that that is an unusual choice. Since you have told us you wear traditional road bike wear while mountain biking, you are presumably familiar with the notion that doing unusual or unexpected things can provoke a variety of responses.

No need to speculate as to the psychological motivations of someone who simply notes a variance from the norm.

Have a great day,

BB

Crewchief911

I got beat up pretty good for mentioning bike snobs. I don't really care what people think of my bike or riding gear, but it is annoying to have someone tell me I need to "upgrade" to some self-conceived idea of "proper cycling"...

Kindaslow

Ask them why they care so much about your bike? Then, if they do not get it, tell them to bug off!

bbbean 

In decades of being around bikes, I have never, ever, even once had such a thing occur. I do, however, regularly read threads about what a jerk I must be for riding an up to date aero road bike in full kit while simultaneously failing to compete in the TdF. If you own an expensive bike, it's apparently not necessary for you to actually do anything to offend anyone - simply existing is enough to do the job.

StanSeven

+1

Or you are stupid for falling victim to marketing because all bikes are the same - a $350 bike is just as fast or handles as well as a $10,000 one.

Jimbo47

It's a pure joy for me to get on my bike and ride it.
I don't think it matters if it's a dept. store bike or one of those $10,000 holy grail bikes. If you enjoy what you ride who should care?

Crewchief911

I'm glad you haven't. It has happened to me several times while waiting to ride at charity rides, by someone who works at a bike shop, and with a person who joined a group I used to ride with for a ride. As I have said before, I don't have a problem with anyone's choice of bike, whatever you ride that you enjoy is fine. I am not the least bit offended by anyone with an expensive bike. Personally, I think your up to date aero road bike and full kit are great. If I could afford one , I would probably have one myself.

OldsCOOL

I love collecting quality vintage racing bikes. Just because I may own a Colnago doesnt mean I'm a bike snob. There are those but they are few except posting on the internet.

Kindaslow

I took an aero bike and put MTB bars onto into, basically making it a hybrid. People lose their last marble who are snobs and say all kinds of silly stuff. Other people comment on how cool it is. Funny world we live in!!!

DBrown9383

I rode 500mi. on bike trails last summer with my new cheap Schwinn hybrid and loved every minute of it. I got dropped by guys in full kit on nice bikes constantly and I think it was my own brain telling me these guys were snobs. In reality they could probably care less about me and my Schwinn and passing me gave them no more joy than passing a little kid on a trike. I'm sure there are "snobs" out there but I wouldn't let them ruin my day. For the most part everyone at least nods when you meet them going the other way unless you are going downhill and they are going uphill working hard. I had enough snobs in my profession to last a lifetime and pay them no attention.

Miele Man

Bike snobs can be either a bicyclist or even a bicycle shop owner.

A fellow who owned a bicycle shop here in town told a fellow who walked in with a 7 speed twist grip shifter and asked how much to put a new cable in it, "I don't work on cheap crap like that!" The potential customer told the owner that the bike was bought for him by his mother shortly before she died.

Another time that same shop owner told another fellow whilst a number of people were browsing that he wished they'd just pick up what they wanted, pay for it and get out. This owner did NOT like people coming into the store and talking about bikes unless they were spending big bucks.

Surprisingly enough that shop closed. Hm, I wonder why?

The point of the above is that even a very cheap department store bicycle, or any bicycle, can have immense sentimental value to someone that transcends the value of a much more expensive machine.

I get a number of put downs because I bought a Dura Ace AX groupset to put onto a vintage frame. This groupset still looks very aerodynamic and has no cable housing on it for the deraillers. I really like it and I was extremely sorry that in the mid-1980's I sold the Velo Sport bicycle that had the complete Dura Ace AX groupset on it. I like the looks and I like the functioning of it. Yet a lot of bicyclists disparage it as being out of date.

BTW, I have 4 extra pairs of brake blocks for it as well as a number of Uniglide cassettes for it including a few NOS ones and even some NOS shimano cleats for the pedals. Thus, I don't have to worry abot the "consumeables" on it.

Cheers

Cyclist0084

Why can't it be pie, coffee AND ice cream???

Rowan

Obviously there is room for twaddle in every forum.

Cyclist0084

Nice!! I think the yellow tires give it a sense of style.

Cyclist0084

Amen!!!

Dan Burkhart 

While the bike shop guy lacked tact in this situation, I can empathize with his sentiment concerning cheap off brand twist shifters.
Some of them are pretty much un serviceable, and the better fix is a new shifter. Even bottom tier Shimano, are functional, serviceable, and cheap.

Kindaslow

Let's remember the lighthearted intent of this, and return to whether or not you get ice cream with your pie.... Clearly not a bike snob, given the Lycra issues....


No ice cream with cake, that is just silly!

Wildwood 

Sorry, I just can't buy into this statement.
Maybe the bike industry should just build 1 bike (in a range of sizes) in 1 component configuration for all of us.

All cars are the same, all houses are the same, all people are the same..... sheeesh.

Miele Man

It took me a 45 seconds to put a new shift cable in that guys twist-grip shifter after i got him to come to my place. The guy running that shop was a snob and was only interested in you if you were riding a very high end bicycle. I guess that's why he went out of business.

Cheers

Rowan

The song: Little Boxes... all made out of ticky-tacky.

I don't know how many times it has to be said, it's all about the rider. Just look at Peter Sagan after his effort to avoid Fabian Cancellara's fallen bike on the Paris-Roubaix last the weekend.

Wildwood 

No argument that the rider is the engine and the pilot and the most important part. But anyone who knows bicycles knows they are not all the same, unless we dumb down 'bike riding' to mean simply getting from point A to point B. Given that assumption my cheap beat-up old Saturn auto is the same as a $300,000 Maserati or luxury Bentley. Sorry, but the Forum participants are more discerning than that - if not, please call me a 'bicycle elitist'.

Put Sagan on a 60lb, fat bike loaded with snow touring gear and he can't avoid (or jump over) Cancellara's Trek. Fact.

All bikes are not the same. Except as a means of enjoying human-powered 2-wheeling, which every person should embrace.

Kindaslow

"Bicycle elitist"..... Can you expand on that a bit, obviously in a way that pokes a little fun at yourself.

big john

Also, some of the warmest, most friendly and generous people I have ever met ride high priced bikes. Some of the most wealthy riders I have known have treated me like I want to be treated.
Any pro racer I have met has also been friendly and even helpful.

Biker395 

I put bikes, ice cream, pizza and sex in the same category ... even the worst is pretty damn good.