I’m not trying to be a dick or anything, but I’ve noticed that anytime someone posts decent times on this forum they get ripped on for bragging. People accuse them of insulting newbies/people with larger frames/people who have to work/insert excuse here. However when someone freely brags about purchasing there third $3000 dollar bike thats A OK. No one seems to worry about insuting anyone who for whatever reason doesn’t make a lot of money. No one worries about insulting the say a social worker or teacher who can only afford an $600 used bike and making them feel inadequate. But if that teacher should mention that he rode a 59 minute 40K on said $600 dollar bike out come the wolves.
Just curious as to the logic behind this. Both money and performance come from a combination of circumstance (read luck) and hard work. Shouldn’t it be OK to brag about both, or likewise uncool to brag about either?
I know during th FIT race, I had this guy on this totally junker bike that I was having a heck of a time staying in front of. I commented to him, and he commented about my nice bike. This is how I saw first hand, its the engine. But, since my engine will only go so fast, having the bike to make me feel good is what life is all about.
I’m really not sure what posts you’re referring to. I don’t ever recall someone getting ripped for posting their race performances. In fact, I’ve seen exactly the opposite. If anything, there might be a bit of teasing going on and self-deprecation from us slow folks, but that’s all I’ve ever seen. Most everything I’ve seen here has been very supportive without getting into TNO hugs and all.
I remember three years ago after my first race season was done I was out in the country for a “hard ride”. I was in my complete outfit on my shiny P2K. A mennonite rides up to me on his clunker 3 speed and cahts for a bit. Then just continues past me. I try and close the gap but this dude was flying on this bike. It was a VERY humbling experience and good for the ego.
oops sorry, I didn’t mean to hijack the thread.
I think it’s OK to exalt a great race perfromance on here, and I like to read them and congratulate someone on a fine performance. It’s also motivational for me- I figure, if they could do it, maybe I can do better myself.
Now, a forum is what it is: An amalgam of many different people. Catch me on a bad day and my posts come off as cynical or downright nasty. That is true of any big (virtual) room full of people discussing various topics.
Picture a room full of people discussing a semi-related topic. At any given time there will be a couple spoiled-sports in there who may come off as raining on someone’s parade. Maybe they just had a tough day at work.
In general though, I view this place as a haven and a place for support and information.
Around these parts (Vancouver) there are mountain bikers with thighs like tree trunks and calves of steel cable. They will whip past you on the flats, let alone the hills, all the while in the small ring, with full panniers, sitting pretty close to upright… Riding around here is always humbling…
Thanks. I don’t mean to bag on anyone - I have three bikes which all cost at least a grand myself. Just making a observation of a general tone that I’ve been picking up on here. Its not so much when someone posts about a good race, those are generally well recieved - it more when someone posts along the lines of “well I’ve done x time for X distance, and this is what I did to get there” and gets responses like “you think your know something because you did X, well whoopdy doo”, or “maybe that works for someone like you, but real people have to work/have kids/eat/aren’t obsessive/etc.”. Personally if I get advice from those who have gone faster than me and slower than me, and want to know times to weigh credability of that advice. Likewise if I wanted to know about making money I’d ask the guy with four $3000 dollar bikes, not the teacher.
I don’t remember seeing people bashed for bragging about race performance. You do so at your own risk on this site though, since it is nearly a certainty you will soon hear from someone who is much better.
If you are OK bragging about being tall around others that are taller, no problem.
Since I suck, I haven’t had this particular problem.
Because in North American society, people are always showcasing their material wealth. This place is no different. Its OK to be good at making money and showcase it in our culture, just not OK to be fast :-).
In a sense, you can always take out a loan and fake that you are making lots of money by having lots of material assets (I see it all over my neighbourhood…), but you can’t “fake” being fast. You either are, or you are not, but there are no shortcuts
I think because it’s easier to quantify what a “cool” bike is rather than what a “good” race time is.
If it’s carbon, Ti, retro steel or a really expensive beer can (for Larry) it’s likely expensive and likely “cool”.
However a 16:59:59 finish for one person may be an exemplory IM time, but many would say it’s not.
So in essence if you’re riding the lastest “cool” ride you’re pretty safe posting about it. But those who have “less than stellar” times are likely taking our life into our own hands…hell we might get kicked out of the 13hr club.
Art is correct, there will always be someone faster show up, but even then, a guy like Lessing runs a 1:16+1:31 2:47 marathon at Ironman LP and there are guys saying that he is clueless, weak willed, uses poor strategy and cannot pace himself :-).
I raced once this year. I finished 26th in a field of about 300 on my 7 year old Cervelo Erye road bike.
So to sum up, that was for me a good finish due to the fact that I had done zero swim and zero run training with a bit of biking and believe me the 7 year old Cervelo rig is nothing to brag about. Although, some one asked me on a group ride earlier this year if that was one of the new Cervelos cause he had not seen that model before!
Bikes >>> For some bikes are an obsession, like some people like cars or boats, alot of people on slowtwitch like bikes, so when we see new ones or hear about new purchases some of us are in awe drooling on our keyboards.
I don’t mind if someone tells us how he or she did in a race. In fact, I would prefer it so I can gauge how must credence I should give to their opinion on swimming, running, biking, training and, most importantly, squatting.
In a recent Century Ride, I was passed by guys on Mt. bikes and even some on (cough, sputter) folding bikes.
Very humbling on my $2200 ride.
A friend of mine did something like 445 miles at the National 24 Hour Race on a (cough, sputter) folding bike. What’s the problem?
