Too much snobbery

[Silver Fox]

What does boil my p**s is being ignored by some oik in baggys riding a bike with three months crud on it when yours truely looks like the immaculate conception on a gleaming road bike. They must be ashamed of the way they look.

Baggies, bike covered in crud. Sound like you've encountered a mtb'er, that's how we roll dude .

Serioulsy though, I've met the 'all the gear and no idea' type. Flashy expensive bike and all the kit but can't ride for toffee, knackered before they've gone 1/2 mile.

Just ride and enjoy it, it's about how you feel not what the willy wavers think.

 

[asterix]

Isn't snobbery just a form of insecurity? Anyway, when I did the Raid Pyrenean (for the 2nd time, let me tell you!) about the quickest (and friendliest) rider was using some battered old aluminium thing. He always gave me a word of encouragement as he whizzed past on the ups.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Can't say I've ever come across any, if anything there's more inverse snobbery in cycling imo.

 

[Friz]

You can spend a little or you can spend alot. You can wear baggy's or lycra. Steel, Aluminium, Titanium, Carbon, or even Bamboo. Helmet or not. Oakley or Crivit. Deore, XT, XLR....

End of the day, it's not the bike. It's the rider.

 

[jonny jeez]

Have you ever considered that the snobbery might be based around "I paid £ for two wheels, a frame and some bits but you got it for less. I hate you. With a passion. You pikey git."

If you look at it like that, then you can just smile and wave. Oh, by the way, a lot of the cycle snobs are also unaware of the fact that whilst they spent X hundreds of pounds on a bike that weighs 4 ounces less than yours, all they really had to do was not eat that doughnut at their desk at 11.00. Would have saved them hundreds of pounds. W@nkers!

I like to think its more along the lines of..."I paid £ for two wheels, a frame and some bits but you ride faster than me on a 15 year old MTB...you git"

Just wish I did!!

 

[ColinJ]

+1 for that, I first noticed the snobbery in cycling several years ago, and have been ignoring it ever since, lifes to short, if your riding a bike your a cyclist.

Agreed.

I met Dave for a local ride on Sunday. I did look at his bike (as you do), but to be honest I can't even remember what make it was. It doesn't bother me what people ride. I've had people turn up for my forum rides on cheap hybrid bikes and others on bikes costing many thousands of pounds but I judge the rider, not the bike.

I have made a bit of a statement on my bike - that I don't take myself too seriously! My sister bought me a child's novelty bike 'horn' as a joke Christmas present and dared me to put it on my bike. Ever since, I have been riding around with a yellow plastic dragon head attached to my handlebars. I always give families a 'squeak' when I cycle past and the kids smile when they see the dragon.

 

[accountantpete]

Price must mean something as in The Telegraph on Tuesday some offender was noted as riding "a £700 bike".

The journo may have simply made this figure up or else keenly made enquiries as to what the bike was and then goofed the cost - but either way it was regarded as noteworthy.

 

[Bobtoo]

Usually when the price of something is quoted in a news story it's to demonstrate that the subject of the story is living it up on ill-gotten gains.

 

[Ludwig]

My classic Italian Rossin bike cost £40 from a bike shop and was a top marque in its day and the brand is still going.. It was amongst a pile of second hand bikes and also found a classic Castelli bike top for 99p from a charity shop. The real satisfaction is find classic old bikes and bike stuff that have years of use in them that you can upgrade rather than going out and getting a cheap new bike.

 

[oldfatfool]

Serioulsy though, I've met the 'all the gear and no idea' type. Flashy expensive bike and all the kit but can't ride for toffee, knackered before they've gone 1/2 mile.

Yeah and you didn't wave to me once

 

[alecstilleyedye]

there's no snobbery in my club about cost of bikes (although we all love to see someone's new carbon bling), but you'll be looked down on whatever the price of your machine should you turn up with a rusty chain…

 

[Kleban]

Well I'm new to the world of cycling and my MTB cost a little under £300-00.

I don't have all the gear and have no intention on splashing out buying it if all it means is to 'keep up with the Jonses'.

I wear comfortable clothing and ride my bike for pleasure only

 

[swee'pea99]

Well I'm new to the world of cycling and my MTB cost a little under £300-00.

I don't have all the gear and have no intention on splashing out buying it if all it means is to 'keep up with the Jonses'.

I wear comfortable clothing and ride my bike for pleasure only

Freak.

 

[vernon]

it does not worry me 1 bit as like others say the bike might be 4 oz lighter than mine but the rider is 2 stone heavier

So you're weightist?

 

[asterix]

If you can have 'Too much Snobbery', presumably it is necessary to have a certain amount but exactly how much is desirable and acceptable? Where should one draw the line?