furiousferret

I tend to think those are New Yorkers who happen to be roadies. Although there is a clique here in California, we are a pretty mellow group. You already said that though (the last thing we need is a West Coast / East Coast war like the rappers had; that could get messy).

kwrides

Shameful...hmmmmm....really? Isn't that a word for much worse things than telling a guy to fix his handlebars?

Have you never played sports? Have you never been in a debate? Watched a television program or a movie? Read a book? Telling someone to fix their bars is honestly the WORST behavior you've ever seen in your life? REALLY? You need to get out more.

cuda2k

It comes when I've got 8 stitches in my leg and all I want to do is throw on my gear and go riding. Instead I'm barely able to walk for 3 days, limping for the next 3 days, and off the bike for 3 weeks.

I know recreational road cyclists, I know racers, I know ex-racers. The racers bust each other's balls and call each other names. But if there's a new guy in the group they either point them in the right direction (perhaps to a ride better suited to their ability) or give them some solid advise.

Guess you and pcad roll with a different sort of roadie group than some of the others here. Scaring off squirrly riders is one thing when you're in a group about to do a tight paceline at 25mph. Quite another when an obviously new rider (or a troll appearing as one) posts on an internet forum. They are not equal. If you want to bust someone's balls, choose the guy who's been on the forum for a few months. Not the guy who's post count is less than the number of spokes in your front wheel.



The problem is it's not just one kid. Its just the latest instance of a trend that has be on the increase for far too long. Who's to blame for letting it get to this point? I'd say we all have our piece of the blame. But we can also be a piece of the solution.

Pcad, you welcome the ball bustin, and thus people know you're game for it. And that's cool with me. We have tried to strike a balance between havin fun and being civil. In my honest opinion the line has gotten pushed too far in the "fun" direction to a point that other people are not having fun here any more. You may, and a few others may, because you feel it's your sandbox to throw sand in. When someone comes here looking for advice, they're not looking for fun. They are looking for answers to their question. The answers may be there, but sometimes the member may not get that far because someone else has decided to bust their balls for not looking at pictures of other bikes first.

C Law

+1

your reply (the second one I think??) in particular was right on the money and not derogatory in any way.

I just read that thread and can only assume the Mods cleaned up the bad stuff already?

patentcad

The BF Brain Trust will have to decide where to push that balance. Perhaps the mods can choose to enforce the rules when they feel a newbie is being busted upon. That's probably the way to go, everybody will get the message, and it will tone down the alienation of new members but allow the banter between regulars to continue. That's probably the best approach, and perhaps that is the one that is being contemplated. I think that's how I would proceed in your shoes cuda. That makes sense to me, hope it works for you too.

ravenmore

No - they went above and beyond with me for some reason. Patrick Arbour (an ex pro who worked at the shop) really helped me out. Heh - he told me knee warmers went under the shorts (I was a dufus). When winter came around he gave me a pair of wool socks off the shelf and said 'you're gonna need these'. No charge. The shop was instrumental in lifting me up and getting me going in the right direction. And they didn't do it for money.

Pete's actually got the shop up for sale. I'm contemplating trying to figure out how to find a way to buy it actually.

the_drain

Weight weenie.

bdcheung

I exchanged PM's with Brian. He didn't know the thread was locked until after he had made the post - someone had sent him a link directly to my post, so he didn't click through the main forum.

garysol1 

Agreeing with Bd......We can post in locked threads without ever realizing they were locked. He didn't try to get the last word in on purpose.

umd

I'm trying to remember and I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure they locked it but didn't change anything.

bdcheung

i don't think they "cleaned' anything either

patentcad

I do enjoy the ball busting.

MadeInItaly

There are real problems in the world. This is pathetic.

kwrides

New sig?

Psimet2001 

I think you read into that a little too far. I didn't read the other thread and was not a part of anything that happened.

In general I tend to welcome everyone on two wheels. Check the regional forum and the number of rides I've put on as proof.

....I still bust balls though. I just do it with a wink.

umd

You should go read the thread and then come back here and tell me what the BFD is.

kwrides

Careful, that kind of language could scare away a newb. Of course, so could the word newb.

chipcom 

Mommy, I know I wanted to sign up for <insert team/school/branch of service/organization here>, but they're being mean to me and I WANNA COME HOME!!!!

patentcad

The real world is far too depressing. That's pathetic.

BillyD

Sorry, I couldn't get past this post. I know there's 2 or 3 more pages beyond this . . . I'll catch up later.

Here's the point, PC, and I'm addressing you personally because like it or not you're one of the leaders around here.

It's not a problem when we regular seasoned vets lock horns with another seasoned vet. It's usually a relatively fair contest between individuals qualified to take it and give it back. Two equals have it out, feathers fly, and little harm is done. If the loser sulks off never to return, so be it . . . it's the law of the jungle, survival of the fittest, if you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen . . . this is no place for the weak and the wounded!!

But a guy comes in here, professes to be a new guy, his Join Date confirms he's a new guy, he asks for help and he gets beat up. Why? . . . because apparently his bike offends our sensibilities of what a road bike should be. But more than that, no, way more than that, there's this high school mentality that haunts this forum which somehow incites people to mob behavior. It's not enough that just one guy strikes a blow, the whole crowd has to join in to strike blows . . . usually on the new or the weak. Big brave road nazis, ganging up on a new guy for little apparent reason or justification other than he's new . . . a stranger walking into a bar in a strange neighborhood, to borrow an earlier analogy.

UMD got it right, it's piling on, and even in the real-man world of professional football it's considered contemptuous, punishable in a major way.

Here's the deal: if you wouldn't say something to a person face to face, you shouldn't say it to him on the internet. And if you wouldn't attack a guy one-on-one you shouldn't gang up on him in a mob. It's contemptuous . . . it's very lame, cowardly, and unmanly.

Now pcad, from what I've come to know of you in your time here, I find it hard to believe that you would advocate mob behavior toward the weak and the defenseless. HTFU has nothing to do with it . . . . it's just wrong to sucker punch somebody.

chipcom 

Me too, it makes me feel like I am in the company of men again, like in the Corps, rather than in the company of the bland, thin-skinned, humorless, PC, corporate clonem wussies that seem to have infested the world.

patentcad

How is that different from my bicycle racing?

Sorry. Can't muster up the mojo to get upset about any of this. It's not happening. But you do sound upset enough for both of us, so that's something. I don't get off on busting newbies, but if somebody can't handle that, I doubt they're long for this sport regardless. Whether you like it or not, cycling does require the capacity to handle some adversity. And the adversity you encounter on the road with cars, weather and other myriad hazards far outweighs anything the morons on BF can ever throw your way with a ball busting post or two. I seriously doubt any discouraging word somebody hears on BF will make or break them as future cyclists.

MadeInItaly

It could always be worse.

MadeInItaly

It's a soft generation. Thats why we are in the shape we are in.

DataJunkie

I'm still confused about how to become a real man.
I was hoping for a bit of guidance from this thread but instead I think I will have a sex change.