rvk5150

So I am new to the forums and really enjoy this; it is nice to have a "community" and such when it comes to a hobby that you enjoy.

I used to bike all the time when young with my father; he was on the cycling team back in Iraq where we are originally from. Anyway we would go for some nice rides and he always had Bianchi (eventually I had one of this also) so as posted in another thread I have a soft spot for that brand and have always ridden it.

Recently I have now captured my wife's attention as our six year old and I started going for some rides....she became jealous and wanted to go also!!! I picked her up a nice Giant Suede used for her on Craigslist and she has been happy since. I then started getting my itch to really start riding again and picked up a Bianchi Brava a few months ago brand new; I am very happy.

I keep adding length to my solo rides....this past weekend I broke all new records for myself in exceeding 5 miles averaging 15.5 MPH with a high of 21 MPH; I always try to sprint the final leg of my ride getting back home.

There is someone I know here in the office that also rides and we got to chatting; the amazing thing was the amount of arrogance on his part basically telling me what I achieved is nothing, that I wasted a good amount of money on a bike that I will never realize its full potential etc...needless to say I explained that I am not considering racing or anything like that; I simply enjoy riding and the fitness aspect of it.

Am I way off base here or is he? I know in reading on the forums daily that my distance/speed do not stack up; I never stated it did or that I was going off on the Tour. Simply put is not being proud of an achievement and wanting to excel even more a positive thing?

Furthermore since I have started riding again I have dropped almost five pounds and am getting my target heart rate up on a daily or every other day basis which is good for many other reasons including the higher cholestrol that I have.

Finally; I know from being a bike enthusiast over the years that my bike is pretty nice but by no stretch high end. We all work hard for a living and to earn money to do things we want life....is that a crime?!?

I do not mean to sound like a martyr or to gather a million compliments; just sharing a story I find quite relative to the forums here.

cashmonee

Your coworker is an idiot. Everyone start somewhere, and has their own goals for what they want to get out of cycling. I met a guy on yesterday who was 67. He has only been cycling for 2 years, and went out and bought a Willier Gran Turismo. Way more bike than he needs, and he fully admitted it. He said if he is gonna be slow, might as well be on a nice looking bike. He can afford it, it gets him riding, and it's helping his health (he was rather overweight). Who cares if he will never realize the bike's potential?

I say good for you!

danmc

If he's in the next stall in the bathroom pee on his shoes.

DropDeadFred

1. cyclists are asshats for the most part...you'll learn to just ignore those
2. do you, don't worry what others are doing and what they think. If you have the money to buy a nice bike and he tells you its too good for you he's more than likely jealous.
3. keep riding, you'll get faster and faster and wind up wasting more money only to realize you are too fat for this sport....we are all too fat.

SlimRider

Tell 'em that you know this guy who's a Bike Foruums member, named SimRider, who thinks he's a moron!

Who's business is it that you either buy a Huffy or a MOOTS?

Who's business is it that you either ride from coast to coast, or perhaps, just around the block?

tagaproject6

Keep riding and enjoy yourself. Ignore the dooshbaggery of the insecure asshats.

jon c. 

Congratulations, you're doing great!

And you're succeeding at the most important part of cycling - you're having fun.

Drag

Your coworker is an Idiot (capital I).

You ride for the betterment of yourself and/or the enjoyment of your family. Nothing else matters.

caloso

Keep riding, keep having fun.

roadrider63

Most of us probably have "more" bike than we need....who cares. I bought what I liked and I enjoy the piss out of it while I'm riding. Don't worry about what your co worker thinks. Many would cringe at dropping 1,2,3k or more on bike, but if it's what I want to ride and I'll get the use out of it, get what you can afford and just keep riding.

ravenmore

Go man go. Go fast. Go slow. Doesn't matter - just go man go.

UmneyDurak

Congrats. The guy is a tool.

JustinNY

sounds like someone is jealous, does he happen to ride a GMC denali road bike?

hueyhoolihan

sounds like question for Ann Landers.

TrojanHorse

Good for you, good for your wife & good for your kid too. I don't get this "you don't need that bike" attitude.

Somebody should sticky this thread as the most positive 41 thread of all time.

milkbaby

Congrats, have fun, and avoid that officemate like the plague!

99% of the cyclists I meet are nice to talk with.

jesspal

That guy sounds like a total d bag.

sci_femme

Oookay.....Brand-new Brava for yourself and used Suede for missus? Way to go, dude, way to go.

rjones28 

You're doing it right. Keep it up and have fun.

EdIsMe

About a year ago I bought a road bike and was proud of myself to average 15 mph for 5 miles.

Just yesterday I rode that same bike 82 miles for an average of 19.7 mph.

Everyone starts somewhere.

timmy29er

I hope you won't let that d-bag discourage you. You sound like you're doing good by improving your health and getting your family involved as well. That's a win-win in my book. Keep up the good work.

I'm also all for you peeing on his shoes if you get the opportunity.

muu

I was looking back at sme ride data from last year -- I had owned a bike for some time before, but it was a particular shop fun ride that got me riding in earnest. A part of the ride covered a hill that just reopened from road construction last week, which I rode with a few others. I was going the same speed, but last year I was huffing and puffing all the way at an insane heart rate, whereas this time I was comfortably spinning at an easy conversation pace.

If you have fun and stick with it the fitness and abilities will come to you. I don't plan on doing any races either (I'm doing some long distance riding, but the objective there is to survive the course).

unterhausen

I am a bit of a bike snob. It has never occurred to me to think that people should try to only get as good a bike as meets their needs. I would far prefer to see someone on a really nice bike than a really crummy bike.

caloso

As a bit of a derail, rvk5150: I was in Erbil, Kurdistan last fall and noticed a cycling team training on the main road. I thought things were really turning the corner for the better in Iraq when you could see roadies doing their thing.

Dolamite02

Your co-worker is a dick. Don't sweat it.