So roadies are insecure....hell, we already knew that... ;)~

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Roadie here, NOT a triathlete. The only issue I have with SOME tri-guys/gals is that you can be squirelly in a pack because (some of) you don't have much pack riding experience, AND you are so frickin' strong that not only are you not going to get dropped but you're up at the front swerving around and causing wild fluctuations in the pace.

Anyhow, that (IMHO) is the general reason of why a lot of roadies mock/don't like triathletes.

And for the record, as long as you aren't squirelly, I love triathletes - when you guys show up to group rides it's like I get a free motorpacing session. :)

Last I checked it took more than a credit card and an internet connection to enter the Tour. Put a 10% time cut off on your local Ironman and I'm thinking that there would be a lot less M-Dot tattoos.

I'm just sayin'...

Kevin

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Kevin

http://kevinmetcalfe.dreamhosters.com
My Strava

I shudder thinking of all the gadgetry that is so common in the tri world. Cut up power bars on the top tube, salt sticks, 14 bottles all over the bike each with exactly 273 cals (that launch on every bump), never reach drinking systems, aero bottles between the aero bars that are so "cool", bento boxes, super ginormous saddle bag and spare tubular(s), etc. You're right, all us roadies are green with envy!

And there are much more difficult road rides and races than your generic walk-a-thon ironmans.

Really? I think it is because of attitudes like yours ;-)

Roadie here, primarily, as well.

A little story. We have this fast local century. It's pretty flat and lots of folks come out to it to do a personal best time. I've done the thing for years.

So the thing starts this year and I'm off the front with about six riders ... all on road bikes. We've got a nice pace going ... about 24 mph. We're just doing a nice, steady paceline. Though none of us know each other, we each know how to do our part to keep the paceline running smooth and steady. This is perfect. We could keep this up all day (well, maybe not at 24 mph the whole day ... there was a bit of tailwind just there).

Apparently, the chase was on behind us and at about 15 miles we were overtaken at a stop sign by a pack of about 30 riders that included about a dozen folks on tri bikes. So as we get on down the road, I'm sitting about eighth in the line when this asswipe on a Tri bike who's down in his aerobars comes up on my left and forces his way into the line in front of me. All the while, he stays on his aerobars. I sat there a minute and then said, "would you mind not riding your aerobars in the middle of the group here? It's very dangerous." (Aside: I was taken out on this ride by an idiot rider about ten years before. I shattered my kneecap in the crash and lost a year of training/racing/riding.) Asswipe says, "if you knew how many miles I put in on these things, you'd shut up." I said, "What could be more irrelevant. You almost crashed into the guy in front of you when you looked around to tell me that." I also informed him that I do time trials and train many, many miles a week on a TT bike and I'd NEVER ride in a pack on my aerobars. He said something else stupid and then I just pulled out of the line and launched a huge freakin' attack. We were on a small rise in the road and I pegged it at 28 mph and just held it as long as I could. When I decided I'd better throttle back, I pulled to the left (before throttling back, of course) so the next rider could pull through. It was so cool. The only riders with me were the exact same group of riders I was with before Mr. Asswipe and his buddies caught us. It was 200 yards back to the rest of them and that gap just grew 'till we never saw any of them again.

THAT's the kind of thing that makes roadies not like tri guys. UNSAFE and STUPID RIDING! As one of the other posters said, some tri guys are very strong. And tri bikes make it easier for even moderately strong tri folks to keep up with strong roadies on road bikes. Unfortunately, tri guys don't always know the etiquette of riding in groups. Some are willing to listen when you try to tell them. Others are asswipes.

Sorry for that unsavory descriptive. It's just what comes to mind each time I think about that guy and what a jerk he was (and how there's at least one on every ride these days).

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Bob C.

The "science" on any matter can never be settled until every possible variable is taken into account.

Having spent plenty of time in both worlds, I find that the overwhelming number of roadies and triathletes have tremendous respect for the other. In fact we are kindred spirits at heart which is why triathletes are some of the most fanatical cycling fans around and vice-versa. If you're a strong and competent rider no one cares what label you attatch to yourself.

that is the funniest thing i have ever read. Especially being a triathlete who has raced on the road, cyclocross and mountain bike, and competitively in my regional area. I train with roadies and triathletes cause they are my friends and i am friendly with those on the road as i have comeraderie with those who are daring enough to ride with all the idiots driving out there. I don't think roadies have issues with triathletes; i think people have issues with other people. Some people can just be unfriendly, for their own personal reason. I will agree with some thoughts posted here, as i have raced quite a few ironman races, there are a ton of ironman triathletes sporting the m dot tattoo and living the m dot lifestyle, but really should be sporting the sub 17 motto, which i support. For most it is a long training day under the auspice of making the ironman corporation very rich. The american way, so refreshing. We all have opinions. Lets wide the gap between the speedo wearing steep angled riding geeks and the poser roadies?

Our local bike club does not allow aero bars on group rides, as a trithlete I do understand why. I've almost gone down riding in the aero position in a pack, not a good idea.

Cant brake when aero.

Nuff said.

Should only ever get into the aero bars if you are pulling.

I just got a P2C and I can tell you it does not handle the same as my road bike. I am much more squirly in a line. Having to read to shift alone causes a tiny swerve.

I would have to agree that most triathletes are not aware of pace line etiquette. I get nervous riding with them when I am pulling.

here's why roadies are irritated with triathletes:

1. all triathletes talk about is how much they train. roadies don't.

2. 99% of triathletes have no concept of looking good while they ride. roadies understand this point: 99% of us simply won't ever win. so if you're not going to win, you might as well not win in style. triathletes wear garbage kit, ugly shoes and $5 sunglasses. triathletes pee themselves when they race - even those who are not pros. come on, folks! use the port-a-potty.

3. most triathletes have no respect for their equipment. mechs can tell when it's a triathletes bike because there's gel and gatorade covering the bike's tubes. the bikes wheels were probably never wiped down after that ride in the rain.

3.1 triathletes ride UGLY BIKES. seriously, wtf is up with that? let me show you:











and this one is soooo close to looking good. it even doesn't have ugly ass clinchers on it. alas, the triathlete in this bike owner came through and decided that 4cm of spacers and an upturned 17 degree stem was necessary:



all of these pictures were taken off of slowtwitch. seriously, if your bike is up here, you have a problem. fix it. please. you're giving us all a bad name :(

and don't even get me started about why competitive swimmers mock triathletes. two words: swim caps. 'nuff said.

Does that tatooed guy actually have two bottles of liquor strapped to his base bars? That could have something to do with erratic riding in packs.

I'm sorry to hear about some triathletes not playing nice in the roadie packs. And I'm glad you kicked their asses with your acceleration. I hope this, and other posts can encourage all traithletes to bone up on their pack ettiquettte. It's just not safe to ride aero in the close proximity of other bikers in a pack.

I am the bike ride organizer for a small triathlon club. Many are not used to riding in a pack, so I stress a few points before each ride:
1) No sudden movements.
2) Don't overlap the wheel of the rider in front of you
3) Don't go aero while around others. You can go aero if you are away from others, at the back of the paceline, or in a small group with limited shuffling
AND all agree that aero is okay.

I'll take other suggestions/rules/wording if anyone has good ones.

Mostly though, I'll plead here for triathletes to ride smart in a pack.

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Proud to post only occasionally.

http://tribomber.wordpress.com

I hope it's not as bad as you guys suggest, I don't know maybe roadies resent the additional functional strength of swimming and running? As a triathlete with a roadie background I resent the lack of group riding skills and overall safety measures that triathletes have. I also think triathletes don't appreciate "the engine" on a bike as much as roadies and spend too much time and mental energy concerned about high end $$$ gadgetry.

That is hands down the coolest fucking thing I have ever seen in my entire life. Period.

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"Triathlon is for people who can't handle drugs and alcohol." -IMFL t-shirt

The Dude Abides...

Its the difference between a team sport and an individual sport (for the most part).

With that said, when roadies do their attacks, triathletes scratch their heads. Its funny, its kinda like a set of intervals but there is usually one, and it always starts right before a rest stop at the park or a coffee shop. Go figure.

Let's face it there are just as many lame triathletes as there are lame roadies. Comparing elite roadies to BOP triathles and the other way around is silly.

There are bad asses in both categories and there are jack asses in both.

I don't discrimate, I make fun of lame roadies and triathletes. And I remember, in the training food chain, there is always someone who is better and is probably making fun of me as well.

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Do Work Son!

Yeah, people have issues with people because they are different! Now THAT is a new concept ;-)

That 1st bike, the Trek w/ the Flashpoints- it looks like a charging bull! It's uncanny.

Anyhow, yeah- triathletes need to learn paceline etiquette before joining the pack. I've seen guys swerve all over the place, push like mad when at the front, etc. A lot of the time, it's just from not knowing- the silent synchrony of the paceline and the red-line shove of the solo triathlete are 2 different animals, and do not blend well.

So, help the triathlete out; if he doesn't listen, drop his ass.

disclaimer: I was a triathlete 1st... on a MTB. I raced for a couple years on a road bike w/ no clip-ons after that.

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If I don't, who will? -Me
It's like being bipolar in opinion is a requirement around here. -TripleThreat

DW is spot on. Their are champs and fools in both sports.
I would like to add that centuries/group rides and psuedo competitive situations bring out the worst in all riders be it triathlete or roadie.

Roady here:

The thing that amazes with some triathletes is that they spend $10k on a bike and then load it up with 10lbs of junk - even for a 30mile training ride! Bento boxes, huge saddle bags, behind the seat luggage racks etc.

I haven't witnessed much dangerous riding - just them getting in the way of big bunches: spending all Sunday riding 100miles trying to keep their heart rate under 100bpm.

I see the humor in this but the sad thing is that some trigeeks will take you seriously.

Roadies may not be able to swim or run , but they do know (at least many of them) how to handle a bike.

Now being relatively new to BOTH sports, I cant help but be confused as to the attitude of roadies towards triathletes in pack riding. I can understand how riding in aerobars can be incredibly stupid near 10-20 other people, but many triathletes dont come from a cycling background, so how are they supposed to know how to ride in a pack? What exactly is the learning curve for pack riding? I've heard often of how road veterans dislike newbies in the pack, but where does the opportunity to learn come from?

The issue with Roadies and Triathletes in my area has been that most of the Triathletes are in good enough shape from a swim or run background prior to doing the tri thing. When they jump into tri they start out at a high level so they go right to the A rides when some Roadies feel they should start out in the B or C rides and learn the do and don't there. But i know some roadies that should do the same. A lot of cyclist ( road and tri) endurance, speed level (what ever you want to call it) usually progresses much faster then there handling skills especially in a group. Just comes down to Type A Road vs Type A Tri

You learn by going to a starter group ride or some training races, instead of going to a club's thursday night tempo ride or a big weekend race never having taken a 90* turn at 25+mph. When you are straight up with roadies and explain you are starting out they will guide you to the right rides/races and explain the etiquette.

Triathletes are sure strong riders, but they tend to have one speed and for that reason wouldn't fair very well in a bike race. Also, there are very few slow roadies. OTOH there are very few fast triathletes.