RichieV Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 Was leisurely riding the bike trails this morning when a cyclist passes by me. I got to use my snappy comeback when he gave me some sass CYCLIST: You're not going to get any exercise on that thing. ME: I go to the gym for exercise. I do this for fun! CYCLIST: ... CYCLIST: Well, uh, go have fun somewhere else! A bit later, I passed him while going up a long incline and said "How's that exercise?" and then zoomed off. Hah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scatcat Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 Well, I got on the wheel turning into the bicycle lane on the sidewalk two days ago. Of course I looked both ways, and there was a cyclist maybe 30-40m away. Going quite fast, but there was a crossing coming up, so I expected him to slow down. I got into the lane at a leisurely pace, maybe 10kmh. After all, there was that crossing. Then the guy pedals past me saying (imagine passive-aggressive arrogant voice): – Maybe you should look before you turn into the lane!!! I was dumbfounded. To have gotten that close to me that fast, the guy must have not slowed down at all, neither did he use the bell to warn me he was not slowing down - probably he didn't even have one. Not mentioning going 20mph+ on a meter-wide bicycle lane placed on the sidewalk, a lane the pedestrians routinely miss even exists, that is not a very smart thing to do in the first place. And then he has the gall to complain that I don't go too fast too? Well, my reaction was like: – Whatever... But afterwards it struck me that this wasn't the first time I got some form of quip from a certain brand of bicyclist. The sneerers are the guys in their forties, on 18-gear+ bikes with tires the width of my index finger, that tend to go faster than me. I've had a couple of these pass me when I go 20-22mph, me in full gear, they with a small helmet and spandex. Not all of them look askance at me, but quite a few do. Like my existence is a blight on their chosen way of life or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanghamP Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 "It's not for exercising; it's for picking up chicks." I think trying to persuade other people, or justifying your behavior to other people is difficult. I would, instead, recommend simply dressing well which in turn conveys status (even if faked) and therefore a sort of justification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rehab1 Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 23 minutes ago, LanghamP said: I would, instead, recommend simply dressing well which in turn conveys status (even if faked) and therefore a sort of justification. How about dressing well and changing your gender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanghamP Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 Sigh. Is it just me, as the first thing I did was zoom in and try to figure out the wheel brand and model, and then look at her figure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmethvin Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 Pfft, just an Airwheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WARPed1701D Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 They're are a lot of pro/recreational cyclists around here. Lycra clad and on obscenely expensive carbon fibre road bikes. Good for them if they enjoy it. But many are very elitist. As I cycle to work I normally acknowledge cyclists going the other direction but they often refuse to return the gesture. Maybe something about my 16" wheel folding bike offends them. You'd think they'd be pleased to see another person on two wheels. Based on this I can't even imagine the animosity I will get on one wheel, especially a motorized one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rehab1 Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 20 minutes ago, LanghamP said: Sigh. Is it just me, as the first thing I did was zoom in and try to figure out the wheel brand and model, and then look at her figure? Maybe an intervention is in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingfelder Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 15 minutes ago, WARPed1701D said: They're are a lot of pro/recreational cyclists around here. Lycra clad and on obscenely expensive carbon fibre road bikes. Good for them if they enjoy it. But many are very elitist. As I cycle to work I normally acknowledge cyclists going the other direction but they often refuse to return the gesture. Maybe something about my 16" wheel folding bike offends them. You'd think they'd be pleased to see another person on two wheels. Based on this I can't even imagine the animosity I will get on one wheel, especially a motorized one. I wouldn't even know there was such a thing as bicycle snobbery if I hadn't read it here from you guys. I don't encounter bikes often, and when I remember riding them back in the day, they were for the poor, the rare eccentric, a beach rental, or children. Expensive bikes had come out, but hardly anybody rode them or cared to. But I suppose human nature will always show itself. If something can be snobberized, it will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieV Posted July 2, 2017 Author Share Posted July 2, 2017 42 minutes ago, Scatcat said: But afterwards it struck me that this wasn't the first time I got some form of quip from a certain brand of bicyclist. The sneerers are the guys in their forties, on 18-gear+ bikes with tires the width of my index finger, that tend to go faster than me. I've had a couple of these pass me when I go 20-22mph, me in full gear, they with a small helmet and spandex. Not all of them look askance at me, but quite a few do. Like my existence is a blight on their chosen way of life or something. Occasionally I will encounter such as you've described. Heck, even today one going in the opposite direction scoffed dismissively at me and said "What an asshole!" No snappy comeback for that one. But the vast majority of cyclists I encounter are perfectly fine; in fact many give positive comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingfelder Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 1 minute ago, RichieV said: Occasionally I will encounter such as you've described. Heck, even today one going in the opposite direction scoffed dismissively at me and said "What an asshole!" No snappy comeback for that one. But the vast majority of cyclists I encounter are perfectly fine; in fact many give positive comments. I wouldn't even know what to think about a dopey comment like that. I don't know why someone would even say that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 I live in the area used for the cycle racing in the London Olympics which has resulted in the roads getting clogged with racing type bikes every warm weekend. So much so that locally they have gained a name: "Wiggo's" after Olympic champion Sir Bradley Wiggins. Strangely enough, I get no interaction from them at all, they seem to try to pretend I'm not actually there. Contrast that with a guy last week on a very powerful motorbike who made a point of slowing to ride alongside me and give a big thumbs up - that really made my day ?. Even more surprising is how often I overtake bikes, and I'm on a 25kph max speed wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WARPed1701D Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 1 minute ago, Keith said: Even more surprising is how often I overtake bikes, and I'm on a 25kph max speed wheel. If I try really hard I can get my average cycling speed just over 15mph. On the right stretch I'll do 20 mph bursts but most the time 12 to 14 mph. I imagine even a NB One S1 wheel is generally the quicker machine over an average cyclist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanghamP Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 3 minutes ago, Dingfelder said: I wouldn't even know what to think about a dopey comment like that. I don't know why someone would even say that. Just grin, nod your head, and say, "yep" or "no doubt about it." I own being an asshole on my wheel. That's happened to me a few times, and trying to convince a grown man wearing clothing that exposes his camel toe is a hopeless endeavor. I got stopped by a cop yesterday who freaked out when he saw my wheel, and kept saying just how cool it was. Did a u-turn and stopped me on the sidewalk. Couldn't get enough of the wheel. Have you ever seen spandex men in their forties on CF bicycles being called cool? Like ever? Whereas a girl thought my wheel was so cool she sneaked me in to her parents rather large two-story house before going to her prom a few hours later. Mind you I'm 45 with a big ol' gut... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 There's never a shortage of idiots. Same thing goes for car drivers thinking that they own the road, and the ones that drive way over the speed limit endangering other people. I've encountered stupid people just walking around downtown. There's no difference if they are on a bike, in a plane, etc. Don't let the haters and idiots bother you or affect your view about the world. They are free to live in idiocy. That's their right. There's no reason for you to get pulled into their reality. You just can't win against masters of their game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasenutty Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 Been getting more and more hecklers. I used to kinda laugh it off but now I just grab my crotch with one hand and flip them off with the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meepmeepmayer Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 I agree with Hunka, some people are just dumb or assholes. Worst case, just call them salty (=envious) and that should shut them up. @WARPed1701D Nothing more annyoing than to have to greet everyone you encounter. Be it hiking, biking, whatever. Especially when it's something physically demanding like biking. Could you imagine a runner not wanting to greet everyone and get out of the breath rhythm every time? Same applies to this. So I would not hold it against these people if they don't react, only if they react but badly. @kasenutty Be careful with that, you might get a "Karma Crash" (TM). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchet Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 Let's not beat around the bush - Cyclists are soulless monsters created by Satan from the blackest mud & sulfur in the hottest pit of hell. ..but they do provide a laugh in that spandex! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 1 hour ago, LanghamP said: Have you ever seen spandex men in their forties on CF bicycles being called cool? Like ever? Whereas a girl thought my wheel was so cool she sneaked me in to her parents rather large two-story house before going to her prom a few hours later. Mind you I'm 45 with a big ol' gut... Annnnd what exactly happened during those two hours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasenutty Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 Prom? You're 45 and banging high school girls? That's a little young dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanghamP Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 2 hours ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said: There's never a shortage of idiots. Same thing goes for car drivers thinking that they own the road, and the ones that drive way over the speed limit endangering other people. I've encountered stupid people just walking around downtown. There's no difference if they are on a bike, in a plane, etc. Don't let the haters and idiots bother you or affect your view about the world. They are free to live in idiocy. That's their right. There's no reason for you to get pulled into their reality. You just can't win against masters of their game. Ahem, I don't see these Spandex clad bicyclists as idiots but, rather, they are wildly intolerant of people taking of their space. Don't mess with the older bicyclist; most of them have a rough accident within two years anyway. I used to be in an bicycle club and those riders were extremely bad at following traffic rules. Like stop signs. 26 minutes ago, kasenutty said: Prom? You're 45 and banging high school girls? That's a little young dude. I agree. From now on I'm dating the mature single moms who challenge me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spark Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 hey Scatcat, I wouldn't let that sit. you need this 92V >50kph Rockwheel, guess they'll call the police then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbfrese Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 4 hours ago, RichieV said: "What an asshole!" No snappy comeback for that one. How about, "if I'm an a**hole, you must think you're 'the sh*t! ' "? It has the value of being equally vulgar while at the same time paying him a "compliment"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 Well I'm almost ashamed to say that I have two Mate folding electric bikes on order as my wife doesn't share my enthusiasm for one wheel. I promise it won't reduce my one wheel riding time but I will end up with one foot in each camp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchet Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 4 hours ago, RichieV said: Occasionally I will encounter such as you've described. Heck, even today one going in the opposite direction scoffed dismissively at me and said "What an asshole!" No snappy comeback for that one. "You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talkin' to? You talkin' to me? Well I'm the only one here. Who the f@#k do you think you're talking to?" A Mohawk would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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