purist cyclists

[bigsean]

NOT had a bike for 20yrs, 3 wks ago bought myself a claud butler urban 100 hybrid, not the best bike in the world but its the best bike i've ever had, seeing as all my bikes growing up were 2nd hand/ put together from other bikes. So 1st ever brand new bike! just been doing about 4 or 5 miles every other day, as my work shifts and total lack of fitness wont allow much more.
I go out wearing tracksuit bottoms, a t-shirt and if its cold maybe a sweatshirt.

whats bugging me is the down the nose, snooty looks i seem to be getting from the so called cycling purists.....you know the ones with the fancy expensive road bikes and the matching cycling shorts n jersey and helmet and all the other apparell.
being a more experienced cyclist and better kitted out does not make you a superior person!!!!!
Does anyone else find this kind of class system in cycling or is it just the muppets that i encounter???

ok rant over, thanks for listening

 

[jimboalee]

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought it was going to be about chaps on tourers with plus-fours, argyle socks, Belstaff jackets and flat caps.

The thread turns out to be about 'snobs'.

 

[BSRU]

I have seen a few wannabe roadies on their expensive road bikes kitted out in racing gear, who look down at me on my heavy hybrid. I take great pleasure in burning them off despite having a bike twice the weight of a road bike with my big fat 38c Marathon Plus tyres. If a roadie burns me off then I just accept it as a good proper roadie should easily leave me for dust, if they cannot they need to ride more.

A knobhead is a knobhead on an expensive roadie or a BSO, just ignore them.

 

[007]

NOT had a bike for 20yrs, 3 wks ago bought myself a claud butler urban 100 hybrid, not the best bike in the world but its the best bike i've ever had, seeing as all my bikes growing up were 2nd hand/ put together from other bikes. So 1st ever brand new bike! just been doing about 4 or 5 miles every other day, as my work shifts and total lack of fitness wont allow much more.
I go out wearing tracksuit bottoms, a t-shirt and if its cold maybe a sweatshirt.

whats bugging me is the down the nose, snooty looks i seem to be getting from the so called cycling purists.....you know the ones with the fancy expensive road bikes and the matching cycling shorts n jersey and helmet and all the other apparel
being a more experienced cyclist and better kitted out does not make you a superior person!!!!!
Does anyone else find this kind of class system in cycling or is it just the muppets that i encounter???

ok rant over, thanks for listening

F**k them! You are out trying to get fit, it doesnt matter a jot what you are riding. Just completely ignore them. The swines!!!!

 

[steve52]

as a roadie and a mamil, and a human i would ask are you sure there looking down there nose at you? or are you just not yey comfortable on your bike? i am too busy enjoying my ride , or too busy panting and trying to control stringy bits to look down on anyone,and if i do notice people i try to share the WOW!WOW!WOW! experiance im haveing

 

[philipbh]

NOT had a bike for 20yrs, 3 wks ago bought myself a claud butler urban 100 hybrid, not the best bike in the world but its the best bike i've ever had, seeing as all my bikes growing up were 2nd hand/ put together from other bikes. So 1st ever brand new bike! just been doing about 4 or 5 miles every other day, as my work shifts and total lack of fitness wont allow much more.
I go out wearing tracksuit bottoms, a t-shirt and if its cold maybe a sweatshirt.

whats bugging me is the down the nose, snooty looks i seem to be getting from the so called cycling purists.....you know the ones with the fancy expensive road bikes and the matching cycling shorts n jersey and helmet and all the other apparell.
being a more experienced cyclist and better kitted out does not make you a superior person!!!!!
Does anyone else find this kind of class system in cycling or is it just the muppets that i encounter???

ok rant over, thanks for listening

Snooty you say - what if they are envious the red jockey wheel of the tension pulley....?

 

[rodgy-dodge]

Having all the gear and an expensive bike doesn't always mean you are the best cyclist...

A friend of ours did coast to coast a few weeks ago. being a bit careful he rode all the way to Whitehaven from the east coast in a oner to save on the cost of the bike bus, took approx 15 hrs with a head wind.
Met up with his fellow mates to do the route back over three days wearing just a normal T-shirt, 3/4 length shorts no padding may I add, hobnail type walking boots none of these fancy spd jobbies or clips, welders gloves or something similar picked up from work and a home made wooden pannier/box contraption (must have wieghed a ton) all on a bike bought from Halfords which wasn't too expensive. His mates later told us he was flying past all those so called 'Purist Cyclists' like sonic the hedgehog.

Just goes to show its all about fitness, stamina and technique. You don't have to be the best! Just best to enjoy imo

 

[gbb]

I think the root of the problem here is an assumption that as a cyclist, we look at other cyclists as a bretheren, a club where we all have like interest. I know i do. Therefor its easy to assume another cyclist will think the same. The simple answer is...some don't.

It's easy to look up at another cyclist looking for some response..some won't give it. It's easy therefor to assume they are being snooty.

By the same token, some are just Rsoles

 

[Moodyman]

I thought it was going to be about chaps on tourers with plus-fours, argyle socks, Belstaff jackets and flat caps.

Agree - these are proper cyclists.

The wannabe roadies are just c8cks.

 

[Ravenbait]

I'd be fascinated to know how you know other cyclists -- no matter what they are riding or wearing -- are looking down at you and giving you a snooty look. In my experience most cyclists are far too busy watching out for traffic/random pedestrians/dogs on extendable leads/potholes/the latest inter-galactic assault by Ming the Merciless to pay vast amounts of attention to what someone else is wearing or riding unless it's a Pinarello Dogma or something else insanely lustworthy.

Or the rider is a girl wearing not very much at all. I find that tends to garner me lots of attention .

Sam

 

[snorri]

whats bugging me is the down the nose, snooty looks i seem to be getting from the so called cycling purists.....you know the ones with the fancy expensive road bikes and the matching cycling shorts n jersey and helmet and all the other apparell.

Some people would describe you as a cycling purist, just do your own thing and enjoy it, that is what the people you describe as cycling purists are doing.

 

[Ball]

Ye sounds like you're being slightly paranoid. While there may be one or two muppets who feel the need to comment on 'types' of rider, most couldn't give a rats I'd imagine and just want to enjoy riding their own bike.

In any case, turning the tables and labelling roadies with all the gear 'purists' is almost pot calling the kettle black. You're the one creating the hierarchy.

 

[Ball]

p.s. not meant to sound at all aggressive. All I'm trying to say is, f*ck it, ignore everyone else, enjoy riding your bike. That's the best response for any snotty look.

 

[jimboalee]

I went on an Audax 100 once. There was a large contingent of 'Race boys' on new roadrace bikes ( they were using the Audax as a reliability trial ). I was on an old Peugeot sports bike with safety handles. They gave me some funny looks.

I got the same medal as they got.

 

[2Loose]

Some people would describe you as a cycling purist, just do your own thing and enjoy it, that is what the people you describe as cycling purists are doing.

+1