Advice on the correct facial expression whilst in the saddle

This thorny question has been troubling me for some time, so I thought I’d as the STW community for advice and recommendations.

I pass this guy every morning on my commute to work and every evening on the return route. Let me say straight off that – being a road/promenade/bit of woodland combo – the route exerts minimal demands on the cyclist’s skills and certainly nothing that you could consider worthy of zen-esque MTB concentration.

Which is why this guy fascinates me so much. He’s kitted out in all-terrain, his wheels are Specialized. And his face is a picture of grim ‘watch out for the rock/ravine/abyss/whatever’ concentration. It’s the kind of look you see on MTB/DH mag covers. It looks as if he has practiced the look in the bathroom mirror.

Needless to say. he does not return my cheerful smile.

So, have I got it wrong? is there some MTB brotherhood code of behaviour I don’t know about? Should I assume the FACE?

Your replies are appreciated and, hopefully, I won’t look like such an idiot on the ride home.

Maybe he’s blind

Just turn the other cheek.

Or jam a stick in his spokes.

Or blow a kiss at him.

Or wink, with a hankie hanging out of your back pocket.

The possibilities are endless.

Maybe it’s a look of disgust as he thinks you too look like a ****?

Southern Yeti, you could be right… unfortunately, I do look like a ****

It’s a burden.

It’s a cross many of us have to bear… you have my sympathy.

Camo16, a good face is as important as a good bike.

I suggest: serious, focused, but approachable.

Does he do the same ride as you, though?

I get the occasional odd look on my commute through town – full mtb kit on fully off-road specced & tyred mountain bike. Baggies (over tights in winter), glasses, camelbak… and in the wet, a full splattering of mud 😉

Now, the last (or first on the way home) 7 miles are on cycle paths / in town, and warrant the odd looks…

… the first 7 miles are on country lanes, up the local mountain and down through a lovely forest / old quarry section 😀 hence being all geared up for mountain biking, even on my commute

Facial expressions range from the angry (WTF car driver 👿 ), delighted (ohhh, look at that) to clamped up lungs about to burst exhausted

ima, I’m intrigued. What does serious, focused and approachable look like? Pics appreciated.

I’ve been thinking about the bike so much, I guess I’ve forgotten to think about my face.

serious, focused and approachable

It can only be Blue Steel

That’s a good look, woody.

I’m sneaking off to the office bathroom mirror to get some practice in. I might be some time. But I’ll look better when I get back.

similar facial expression to a guitarist going for the big solo 😉

I imagined this

(Apologies to thisissheffield.co.uk for nicking their pic)

By gad, DezB, that is the FACE!

Looks better on dirt than on asphalt, though! A bit much for the road, you think?

Following Woody’s recommendation, I now look like Ben Stiller posing for The Scream.

sir, you raise an important question… one a lot of cyclists forget to consider when out on the bike.

i hope the following help you chose:

philconsequence 😀

I’d like to add

Woody. Blue steel is out and magnum is in:
It goes a little something like this!

A face only a mother could love 🙂

Facial expression is important, here are a couple to avoid. However it also proves that it does not make you a bad rider

and

Its normally my orgasm face.

aaah.. err, I thought that was what the title of the thread was referring to.. 😕

Its normally my orgasm face.

I fear that may be what Yunki posted too

Well this has been very educational. There’s clearly more to this face business than I thought. So, I’ll be gurning on my way home tonight. Clown face make-up already applied. Nice one.