Roadies

[a.s.]

As far as mountain bikers go...
-25 you think roadies suck.
26-34 you start to dabble with 700c
35+ you consider (or already own) a road bike that cost as much as your mountain bike.

I love all things 2 wheeled. I just think some of the humans on the saddles are idiots.

😀

 

[Jeremy]

As far as mountain bikers go...
-25 you think roadies suck.
26-34 you start to dabble with 700c
35+ you consider (or already own) a road bike that cost as much as your mountain bike.

😀

that's pretty accurate. I like that

 

[SpartaBard]

As far as mountain bikers go...
-25 you think roadies suck.
26-34 you start to dabble with 700c
35+ you consider (or already own) a road bike that cost as much as your mountain bike.

I love all things 2 wheeled. I just think some of the humans on the saddles idiots.

😀

I actually agree with this! I almost fit this spot on.

 

[extremedave]

Allamuchy Joe and A.S. are spot on.
Sometimes I'm just lazy and want to ride. Since I got the road bike I haven't touched the mountain bikes(it's only been a week or so btw). Some of that is the "new toy" thing, some of it is I'm trying to be nice to my knees, and the rest is I've got pretty good roads to play on at the end of my street. I can go out for an hour and not even miss breakfast!
Riding the trails is more fun though.

 

[Zaskar]

1st road ride....pending

I borrowed a road bike from a friend who is traveling for the month. I've had it for a week so far but haven't taken it out..3 MTB rides have gotten in the way 😀 Plan on taking it out tonight or tomorrow morning so I'll report back on my findings.

 

[extremedave]

If it walks like a duck,

It might be a roadie.

jdgang and I were comparing road vs. mountain shoes and pedals. This partially from Norms' podcast and partially due to newly acquired road bikes. jdgang said, "maybe roadies are pricks because of the shoes?" I support this theory, now that I have in fact ridden in road shoes.

1. You walk like a duck. This is unnatural. Unnatural things make you uncomfortable, and can readily manifest as anger.

2. Traction is poor when on foot. Gravity is not your friend. Mountain shoes are nice and grippy, and the wearers are happy, feeling connected and part of the earth. This may be why mountain bikers are generally seen as loose and cheerful, while roadies are grumpy and irritable due to their more tenuous contact.

3. 1 and 2 explain the last, which is the general behavior of road bikers. They can often be found lounging arrogantly about outside coffee shops, due to the dangerously slippery tile floors inside. One can only assume they sacrifice a single rider to make the hazardous trip inside. Despite their flaws, road bikers, much like army ants, are adept at working together.

4. Also due to the earth/shoe interface issue, road bikers hate to unclip. Therefore, they often will not stop at lights and stop signs. In addition, they will display aggressiveness towards vehicles, pedestrians, virtually anything that may cause them to have to potentially place one delicate bootie on mother earth.

 

[jdgang]

It might be a roadie.

jdgang and I were comparing road vs. mountain shoes and pedals. This partially from Norms' podcast and partially due to newly acquired road bikes. jdgang said, "maybe roadies are pricks because of the shoes?" I support this theory, now that I have in fact ridden in road shoes.

1. You walk like a duck. This is unnatural. Unnatural things make you uncomfortable, and can readily manifest as anger.

2. Traction is poor when on foot. Gravity is not your friend. Mountain shoes are nice and grippy, and the wearers are happy, feeling connected and part of the earth. This may be why mountain bikes are generally seen as loose and cheerful, while roadies are grumpy and irritable due to their more tenuous contact.

3. 1 and 2 explain the last, which is the general behavior of road bikers. They can often be found lounging arrogantly about outside coffee shops, due to the dangerously slippery tile floors inside. One can only assume they sacrifice a single rider to make the hazardous trip inside. Despite their flaws, road bikers, much like army ants, are adept at working together.

4. Also due to the earth/shoe interface issue, road bikers hate to unclip. Therefore, they often will not stop at lights and stop signs. In addition, they will display aggressiveness towards vehicles, pedestrians, virtually anything that may cause them to have to potentially place one delicate bootie on mother earth.

And just for the record I am picking up my first road bike next week so I can join their ranks. Though I will be riding my mtb shoes 😀

 

[Patrick]

Excellent observation....

simple solutions to life's toughest problems....
shimano ultegra road spd

run XT pedals on my road bike...still walk funny tho.....

 

[Arwen's Mom]

I think you are onto something with the shoes! I am a very polite roadie and yes I use my mountain bike shoes on the road. That settles it! 😛

 

[mike_243]

Well I have a road bike as well as road shoes and look delta pedals what I did was buy cleat covers and when I need to walk any amount I put them on it stops the slide...I would say I am about 60/40 road over mtb right now I also think I am pretty nice about seeing other bikers...but then I still bunny hop man hole coivers so I guess I am not a true roadie 🙂

 

[jpn]

I still think SOME roadies are obnoxious and arrogant

when I am riding my road bike I am usually not in any kind of a "kit" - I usually ride in my loose fitting jorba jersey and somewhat baggy shorts. I also usually do not wear a helmet, but rather a baseball hat. I really should get a lighter more comfortable helmet, but there is also something about riding my bike with a baseball hat that just makes me feel like a kid. Anyway, the point is, when I am out road riding I usually try to waive or smile at everyone i encounter - pedestrians, other bikers and even motorists. However, most of the "professional" riders out there do not acknowledge me in any way. I completely agree with the postings here, but my experience has been that mtbers are much more friendly than the "professional" roadies.

the reason I am posting today is that yesterday on my way home, two "professional" roadies were riding side by side on a busy county road at traffic time and the rider on the outside never moved over. I get the whole taking the lane thing, but these two guys were obstructing traffic and they didn't care. They were having a conversation while all the cars had to wait behind them and cars couldn't pass until the opposite lane was clear. So I will still try to be friendly to everybody that is out there on bikes, but some people do make it a challenge.

 

[Woodchuck]

Must say i'm now thinking there may be multiple Roadie subdivisions - and possibly a critical mass/critical event component. My wife (who is a pretty damn fast road rider due to triathlon training - she does not ride with the tri bars for for info - that would be a separate subject...) and I have occasionally joined group rides from our LBS. Experiences have not been all together positive.

From this experience comes a theory. When you get more and more road riders together - it increases testosterone density to some critical point that when combined with some critical speed (I'm thinking about 26 mph) reaches some form of runaway chain reaction, most of the consequences of which are not favourable when viewed from outside, and to those not prepared for this "Critical Event Moment" - even those on the inside.

Outside Observers would see most road rules become entirely optional, red lights, stop signs etc and the chance that any traffic would be able to pass would be nil.

Inside observers would note that friendly guys who were chatting away one minute prior to CEM, are now biting your head off for a pot hole not pointed out, corner taken wrong, and generally taking things far to serious for their (or other's) own good.

B rides - all good and friendly - I think it must be because they do not reach critical mass/speed.

 

[pooriggy]

I also usually do not wear a helmet, but rather a baseball hat. I really should get a lighter more comfortable helmet, but there is also something about riding my bike with a baseball hat that just makes me feel like a kid. Anyway, the point is, when I am out road riding I usually try to waive or smile at everyone i encounter - pedestrians, other bikers and even motorists. However, most of the "professional" riders out there do not acknowledge me in any way. I completely agree with the postings here, but my experience has been that mtbers are much more friendly than the "professional" roadies.

You are making a big mistake by not wearing a helmet on the road. I'll just leave it at that.

Maybe pro roadies are not acknowledging you when you say hi because you're not doing it right. Say hey what up bitch. They will either say hey back or fu.

 

[Arwen's Mom]

You are making a big mistake by not wearing a helmet on the road. I'll just leave it at that.

Maybe pro roadies are not acknowledging you when you say hi because you're not doing it right. Say hey what up bitch. They will either say hey back or fu.

I just cant "leave it at that"

No matter how accomplished of a rider you think you are, it is pure stupidity to not wear a helmet, especially on the road!!! So a car hits you, and where are your brains now? In the ditch? and your head is still on the road? Sorry, I know the HU88IE tells me I am not the helmet police...

As for the tip on how to greet roadies...thanks 😉

 

[Dominos]

when I am riding my road bike I am usually not in any kind of a "kit" - I usually ride in my loose fitting jorba jersey and somewhat baggy shorts. I also usually do not wear a helmet, but rather a baseball hat. I really should get a lighter more comfortable helmet, but there is also something about riding my bike with a baseball hat that just makes me feel like a kid. Anyway, the point is, when I am out road riding I usually try to waive or smile at everyone i encounter - pedestrians, other bikers and even motorists. However, most of the "professional" riders out there do not acknowledge me in any way. I completely agree with the postings here, but my experience has been that mtbers are much more friendly than the "professional" roadies.
.

At the risk of sounding like a roadie jerk, I have to add my 2 cents.

Whenever I encounter a fellow cyclist doing something dumb that endangers my safety or theirs, I personally make a point not to be friendly. No matter on the road, on the trails, or on the grass. Not wearing a helmet is just plain dumb.

If you aren't wearing a helmet, you get no smiles from me, no matter how nice (or good looking) of a guy you are.

Ok, thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

 

[extremedave]

At the risk of sounding like a roadie jerk, I have to add my 2 cents.

Whenever I encounter a fellow cyclist doing something dumb that endangers my safety or theirs, I personally make a point not to be friendly. No matter on the road, on the trails, or on the grass. Not wearing a helmet is just plain dumb.

If you aren't wearing a helmet, you get no smiles from me, no matter how nice (or good looking) of a guy you are.

Ok, thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

You can't change everyone's mind, but sometimes that's a good opportunity to educate someone. We ran into a no-helmet younger guy after a Mahlon ride, we took some time to talk bikes, gave him some info, and suggested he go pick up a lid somewhere. We could have snubbed him or lectured, but hopefully we made an impression.

 

[JimN]

when I am riding my road bike I am usually not in any kind of a "kit" - I usually ride in my loose fitting jorba jersey and somewhat baggy shorts. I also usually do not wear a helmet, but rather a baseball hat. I really should get a lighter more comfortable helmet, but there is also something about riding my bike with a baseball hat that just makes me feel like a kid.

While I think you should be wearing a helmet, I wouldn't ever tell you to do so. Adults are capable of making their own decisions. However, if you are going to be riding around in a Jorba jersey, I think it sends a bad message not to do so.

As for being ignored by real roadies, I have had similar experiences. I chalk it up to riding in mtb clothes, with a camelbak, on a cross bike that has last season's mud still on it. I'd say I get acknowledged 50% of the time, but I don't spend a lot of time on the road.

 

[jdog]

As someone who often sees the aftermath of accidents 1st hand, I have to say that it is only a matter of time before you crack either your skull or a helmet on the road.

This is simply a matter of personal choice.

I prefer cracking helmets to my skull, and I have cracked at least 6 in the last 10 years.

Ask any bike shop guy how many people come in yearly thanking us for encouraging helmet use to a recent crasher...It is more than a few.


The odds are agaisnst you.


Now the argument in the woods is tottally different. Riding on public trails w/o a helmet is incredibly selfish as it potentially threatens the future of trail access for everyone.

I have no patience for this at all.

 

[wonderturtle]

I dont hate the player, I hate the game.

that is. I have nothing against roadies (not really sure why I would).

but....I f##king HATE riding on the road.

 

[Dr Superb]

However, if you are going to be riding around in a Jorba jersey, I think it sends a bad message not to do so.

I 1000% agree with this right here. Think about it. You are not just wearing a jersey, you are representing that club, or shop, whatever jersey / kit you are wearing. Respect it.

This doesn't go for just not wearing a helmet, but for anything you are doing on the bike.

And on topic, I used to not like riding on the road, but i love it now. Found some great areas to ride, and i'd say i spend about 70% road riding now...