I know the real answer to this question is “who cares, as long as you are happy”, but …
for those who do have an opinion, how “fast” do you have to be for a guy with a new tri bike and a disc to be considered legit, i.e., not a poser.
I ask of course because I just purchased new race wheels (Hed3 front and Hed Disc) for my new Kestrel. I also know that the best thing I can do to make myself faster is work on the engine, but I make a decent living and want good equipment now rather than stuff I will have to replace a year or two down the line.
the line changes depending on the amount of jealousy harboured by the viewer…to me there is no line…I’m not as fast as I used to be (though I know the engines are still there) but it’s my money and if I want to buy the best there is for me…then so be it. You want to try and take me down a peg by saying you don’t think I deserve it because I’m not as fast as someone else (or winning my AG for that matter)? Screw you. I’ve been at it for 20yrs now and I’ve paid more dues both in competitive combat and in putting back into the sport. Come see me in three years. If you’re still in the sport.
Line…what line? Call me a poser. And when you’ve moved on to bigger and better things…I’ll still be here. Poser and all.
“how “fast” do you have to be for a guy with a new tri bike and a disc to be considered legit, i.e., not a poser.”
Anybody will benefit the same % with good equipment. Has absolutely nothing to do with “fast” but is to do with how much money is in your bank account.
Where is the poser line? Turn around, look down. jayyy–kayyy.
As I said to a friend of mine who swims, the thing about sport is that there’s always someone faster on any given day, no matter who you are. But his brother is the world record holder in the 100/200 breast, so it didn’t help.
But there are a lot of people faster than you, don’t worry about it, you’re not a poser. There are a lot of people faster than a lot of people. Just don’t be one of those guys who’s a miserable asshole on race morning, being a dick to his wife/girlfriend…then you’ll be fine. Those are the guys I like beating, not the ones who are ‘tricked out.’
I walked into my Dr.'s office and he said ‘Mike, you have lymphoma.’ I said ‘Geez doc, i’d like a second opinion.’ He said ‘Ok…you’re ugly.’
It doesn’t matter how fast you or your equipment get. At some point an older gentleman on a 80s era steel frame bike with downtube shifters will pass you. He has worked on the engine since that bike was new and won’t buy another because he’s still kicking a$$ on all the guys with the $5000 setups.
As far as how fast you have to be, I spent what was a huge amount of money for me on a bike last year. Earlier this year I started lusting after some race wheels. Not in the budget, but I could have swung some used ones out of my tax return. I held off, and made a deal with myself. My big ring is the standard 39 tooth that comes on the bike. When I can regularly spin this out on the flats, I’m ready for race wheels. In my mind I haven’t gone as fast as my bike can go yet I don’t need to upgrade. This is my personal goal, it what **I **want to do.
As far as yourself, ride what you want. I see lots of cool bikes, wheels, and aero thingys at races. They are cool, but I like my bike just the way it is. If you like your bike its all good.
I guess in the case of the wife and I, it is usually right behind the back wheel of whomever of the us us pulling during our weekly, steady-state interval at the park. For soome reason, we always seem to end up with a long line of cyclists behind us that simply ‘sit on’ our wheels for the duration of our 50-60 minute interval (22-24 mph), only to have one of them decide the pace is too tame and then motors away but inevitably is unable to sustain the intensity so we end up pass that person (usually within 1-2 minutes) who then decides to jump back into the paceline. This last Tuesday, I pulled the entire time but I did not hear the wife when she said she was finished and consequently some of the ‘gang’ got antsy when she slowed. Some started motor by so when I looked back and did not see the wife, I guess I also went into poser mode because as the others started to roll by, I got a little angry and opted to up the pace and after only one lap at 30 mph, there did not seem to be anyone left who wanted to play, so I also called it a night! <:^P
“how “fast” do you have to be for a guy with a new tri bike and a disc to be considered legit, i.e., not a poser.”
I don’t think it comes down to being fast or not, i think it is more a question of “as you stand there racking your bike in T1 and checking out the other bikes and racers do you look like you could ride the bike fast?”
If you have a pot belly and hairy undefined legs then you are going to get glances and shit from the ripped dudes with bike envy. If OTOH you are a ripped lean mofo, preferably with an mdot tattoo, a good steely IM gaze, and silly tan lines, then you can strut your stuff and own the bike, no matter how fast you can actually ride. Then, whenever people blow by you on the ride you can just grimace and pretend to be cramping up, or you can give a knowing smile and say “I’ll see you on the run”.
How fast do you have to be to wear a speedo on the run? Now that is the real question…
I personally don’t care if slow riders get some killer equipment… as long as they ride it.
I have always been a fan of the $1 per mile. That is, you can buy your $5000 superbike after you ride 5000 miles. If you stick to it, it’s a real motivator to ride more.
I’m a little disappointed that this hasn’t started a fight yet. Maybe it’s because people are actually getting into the season. A “poser” thread without a fight must mean that summer is near.
Interesting rule of thumb, I’m definitely going to be using what I buy. I went through similar thing when I took up distance running several years back. Technical clothing, shoes, watch, sunglasses, MP3, etc., granted a lot cheaper than cycling/triathlon but the same idea. 3 years later I’m still using all of the stuff regularly so I’m pretty confident that the bike and wheels will see plenty of use, and if not there is an active market on eBay right
I should be able to pass the look test and the run is my strongest leg. The fake cramp is great advice though. As for the speedo I’m thinking sub-3 in the IM or sub-35 for an Oly …
How fast do you have to be to wear a speedo on the run? Now that is the real question…
LOL, I think your answer applies to this question also. If you have a potbelly and hairy legs, you definitely don’t need to be sporting a speedo, much less running in one.
okay, i’ll bite.
i think i see lots of poseurs at races.
for the record, some definitions.
Poser = “One who poses.”
Poseur = “One who affects a particular attribute, attitude, or identity to impress or influence others.”
i see posers at photo shoots and fashion shows (or at least i would if i went to them)
but i also see a lot of poseurs at races and other places, people who are more into the image of triathlon than the sport itself. people who have to make sure that others know they are triathletes and wear their race shirts every chance they have so the whole world knows they do triathlons.
i think the line is determined by how important it is to you to look impressive rather than just to get better and faster.
i personally think M-Dot tattoos are for poseurs. not that all people who have M-Dot tattoos aren’t fast, but they are trying to impress others by asserting that they are ironbeings (gender neurtral).
I don’t worry. The more posers buy expensive stuff, the cheaper it normally gets. A poser is made by his attitude, fancy sunglasses, bandana’s, necklaces, etc… not by the bike he’s riding. Same goes up for women…
Poseur = “One who affects a particular attribute, attitude, or identity to impress or influence others.”
That is a useful definition to have out there, b/c this comes up fairly regularly. It reminds us that the “poseur” line is not determined by what bike you ride or what clothes you wear, but rather by how you carry yourself, how you relate to others, and what tri means to you.
When we talk about the prototypical situation of an old fart on a huffy blowing by an out of shape lawyer on a p3c this is really just evidence of the well-known fact (outside marketing boardrooms) that bling is not a substitute for genes and hard work. But we can’t say, without knowing more about the lawyer, whether he is a vain and air-blowing poseur or simply a nice family man who works hard so that he can finance his passion for sweet bikes and racing.
Similarly, I wouldn’t make generalizations about the mdot tattoo. Some may well get it as a badge to impress others, but it may also be a powerful personal (if not-so-original) symbol of achievement, strength, etc.
Back to speedos on the run… I remember (burned onto my retina, unfortunately) an older dude out on the auckland HIM course - he was tan, in so-so shape with super shaggy hippy hair - and he was wearing nothing but a skimpy speedo and TUBE SOCKS!!! Don’t know whether he knew how amusing he looked, but he certainly wasn’t a poseur because (I got the sense that) he was simply being himself and just having a blast!
spot on post John…well put (even the anecdote about the tube sock guy) Glad to know I am officially no longer considered a poseur (hoping that in loaning out my big buck equipment when I was unable to use it gives me an escape clause).
