Anybody else like me? You know how when you pass other cyclists you either nod or wave? When It’s somebody with aero bars I’m especially friendly. But when I pass somebody on a comfort bike…I ignore them. Unless they wave first, then I wave back to be polite. And recumbants, I can hardly bring myself to look at them. Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s great for people to be out riding on anything that gets them to ride. Even a recumbant is better than channel surfing the day away. But I just don’t feel the same connection with people not on fast bikes. So how far does the brotherhood of cyclist extend for you? I can’t be the only bike snob around here.
I wave at anyone and everyone. They are all enjoying their bike which is the point after all isn’t it?
When I don’t have a post-work ride planned, I usually commute on my old-skool Schwinn cruiser. Since I’m on the streets the same time every day, I see roughly the same two dozen people almost every morning - it’s not scientific, but I’ve noticed that the roadies only nod when I’m on my road or tri bike, and the comfort bike folks only wave when I’m on the cruiser.
Since I’ve pretty much turned into a roadie, I don’t nod, wave, or acknowledge anyone.
Cyclists wear helmets and get the friendly nod. “People on a bike” don’t wear helmets and are best ignored.
“And recumbants, I can hardly bring myself to look at them. Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s great for people to be out riding on anything that gets them to ride. Even a recumbant is better than channel surfing the day away. But I just don’t feel the same connection with people not on fast bikes.”
Even a recumbent? Not fast?
Recumbents are way faster than upright bikes. You should challenge one of them to a race, you might learn something about what going fast really feels like…
Waving is dumb and dorky.
I’ll acknowledge you with a nod of the head, or wave a couple fingers, but waving with your hands is so 1940’s.
One of my favorite things to do while getting out of downtown traffic on the way home is to try to engage the messengers.
I’m in spandex on road bike with, gasp, shifters and wearing a helmet! My chrome messenger bag likely just makes me seem more of a poser to them. They’re on their 1970’s fixie, wearing baggy cutoffs and uber-cool t-shirts that I just don’t get.
So, every time we hit a stoplight and they’re track-standing waiting for the first opportunity to dart through a hole in the wall of traffic, I try to chat them up:
Me: “Nice cutoff army pants, do you use any chamois buttr in there or just straight up tighty-whiteys?”
Messenger: Stoic silence
Me: “I’ve got about 15 lbs in my bag now, what’s the heaviest load you carry during a day?”
Messenger: Concentrating on the track stand
Me: “What’s your gear ratio on that there rig?”
Messenger: Focusing on the crossing traffic, looking for an opening
Me: “Is your radio-thingy voice activated or do you have to hit a button to talk?”
Messenger: Now desperate for the light to change, inching forward.
Me: “What’s your insurance coverage at work? Do you have to pay a higher premium for not wearing a helmet?”
Messenger: Now staring at the traffic signal, willing it to change
Me: “Have you ever heard of pyro platforms? I mean, if you insist on wearing your dad’s chuck taylor low-tops to ride all day, you should at least put a little of that power to the pedals instead of building superman arch-strength”
Messenger: Quads twitching, calves straining, in full sprint uphill away from me on that fixie, hoping, praying, goddamit SPRINTING to beat the next light to avoid another one-sided conversation.
Cracks me up every day. Irony is that if I won the lottery I’d be a lawyer 3 days a week and messenger the other two.
Did I mention that I love commuting on my bike?
T
And recumbants, I can hardly bring myself to look at them. Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s great for people to be out riding on anything that gets them to ride. Even a recumbant is better than channel surfing the day away. But I just don’t feel the same connection with people not on fast bikes.
Don’t discount the recumbents as slow. When I worked at a shop in Chicago that sold them we would take them out when it was slow and race them around the block. They are very fast when fitted with a powerful engine. Sure, you look like a goof, but they are comfortable and can be very quick.
I think the brotherhood is in trouble. I still say “goodmorning” to every biker,jogger, old lady in the yard, walker, and person I see along the route.Hell I even stop for tourists with a map in their hand to give them some “local flavor in finding their way. But I don’t think the new trigroups are as friendly as they used to be. The tris used to talk more but are running the ice of the dreaded “roadies” as of late.Call it Mountain friendly, Southern Hospitality, or Aloha Spirit, I think bikers should be the welcome wagon for their town. We are the good guys.
Used to be every biker asked when you were down.” You OK?" or “Got everything?” Not happening all the time any more. At one time cycling was a really neat thing where riders really cared for each other on the road. Now like the rest of life, people seem to be on a mission. I hope the Brotherhood of the Spoke will survive, if not I will miss it.
Judging by some of the answers here, I’d say it’s getting smaller.
This explains alot. I just bought my first real “cycling” clothes, a couple of weeks ago: shorts, jersey, etc. I also bought aerobars last week. I mentioned to my husband that I must be official, now, 'cause all the cyclists are suddenly nodding to me as we pass each other. I wasn’t sure what the criteria was, but now I know.
Na, I’m not a snob. I try to give a nod or a hey if I can. Doesn’t matter what they look like or what they’re riding. If I see that someone is struggling I give em’ a “good job” and keep it moving. It’s not always returned, some people just stare wild-eyed but that’s ok. If I don’t speak it’s not because I’m a snob, it’s because I am focused, hammering, or pooped. Actually I probably speak alot more when pooped. If I see someone pulled off to the side I ask if their ok. I’ve fixed a couple flats, dropped off CO2’s whatever. People that walk around thinking that they are above others may have insecurities that they are dealing with but it’s ok, I speak to them too. Just as long as they do not disrespect, everything is copacetic. If they wish to flip my switch, hell I can accommodate with no problem.
… wearing baggy cutoffs and uber-cool t-shirts that I just don’t get …
Hey!!! That’s what I wear, no matter what I’m riding … except most of my T-shirts have Jimi, beer or surfing stuff on them.