I am new to both multisport and slowtwitch. I have been reading the threads for alittle while though and I have a question. What exactly is a “poser”? From the context where I have seen it used, it certainly is not complimentary.
I concede that by asking the question, perhaps I am one.
it means ‘to put’ in French.
A poser is someone who is faster than you, and has/rides equipment that is more expensive than you can afford.
In rare cases it is someone who is slower than you but with better stuff. More often than not this person is applauded for trying.
Many of the posters on this board also refer to them as “customers”. Welcome to the club.
And it’s “poseur”!
I figure it is someone who puts a lot of energy into represneting themselves differently than they really are. Such as, they are “posing” as a top pro bike racer or triathlete.
I guess it would be used in common vernacular like this:
“Hey, did you see that new fellow on the Sunday ride? He was wearing a yellow jersey and Dsicovery Channel shorts. If you ask me, he is kind of a poser.”
In general it is kind of demeaning or derogatory. But heck, I am about the biggest poser there is. To see me before a race you’d think I was some kind of fancy-assed pro the way I’m all decked out, then I’m lucky if I get 3rd in the 40-45 age group at the local 300 person triathlon. So yeah, I am president of the poser club I guess. A badge I wear quite proudly. After all, dressing the part is half the battle…
I guess I shall find out if I am a poser on Nov 5 at IMF.
Man, I just came in third in my 45-49 year old AG at Musselman, and I am all puffed up. Does this mean I am a poser?
Phew, I’ll have to break out that bottle I won and put out the fire. (Or at least pour it over the zebra mussel cut I got on the swim)!
Nah…you’re not raining on my private parade Tom Demerly; poser or whatever; I’m stoked!
no…
poser = to put
poseur = someone who puts …
So then original question should have been “what is a ‘poseur’?” since “poser” is a verb, whereas “poseur” is a noun, correct? That was my point. A person is a “poseur,” not a “poser.”
“Poser” is a word that jealous people who can’t afford expensive equipment call people that can.
…hey man…let’s face it…a poser is anyone faster (or slower) than you, trains more than you (or less) , is more ripped than you (or softer), has better gear than you (or worse). In other words, it is anyone who might mildly piss you off who is doing something in the sport, that is slightly different that how you might do it. So in short, we are all posers in each other’s minds :-).
Within my training circles, we use triposer and trigeek pretty well interchangably to describe one another. Its all part of the fun 
ah, it’s in jest, really. think back to things in your life that you were really really good at–things you really dug. now imagine somebody who came into the picture, didn’t want to do the work, but had all the equipment/gear, and acted like they could be number 1 (or they were some sort of bad ass, despite having no or little talent)
in our world, posers are people that have alot of shit, but nothing to back it up. for example, if you played guitar…you might meet a guy/gal that has the most wicked amp, guitar possible…but the person couldn’t play a cord or simple rift to save their life. same thing in tri…the guys/gals that have alot of hot gear and shit (literally thousands and thousands of dollars worth of the latest and greatest), but couldn’t ride more than a 15.2 mph bike speed split average over the course of a sprint distance tri. *that’s *a poser. my husband refers to them as assholes. lol…
hey, to each their own. 
IMO, it’s all in good fun.
kitty