Was out on the road today trying to get a bit of general fitness back after illness and saw a lot of cyclists – mainly roadies.
Despite smiling and saying ‘hello’ to pretty much anyone I saw (it was a foul day so we all needed cheering up!) most cyclists couldn’t be bothered to even nod, never mind say hello back.
Maybe I’m expecting too much (?) or is there a ‘us and them’ philosophy between roadies and mtb’ers like skiers and snowboarders? Or did I just meet a bunch of miserable bods out there today?

🙄

🙄 +1

when walking down the road do you expect everyone to say hello to you?

This has been done sooooo many times its not even funny…..

Its probably an “us and them” philosophy.

We’re meant to be encouraging cycling, but seeing a middle aged man plodding along the road in an ungainly manner on his 3 grand super bike is bound to put anyone off.

MTB’s have no place on the road.

keep them at the trail centre cafes or on top of your audi where they belong.

keep them at the trail centre cafes or on top of your audi where they belong.

Spot on ^

From what I’ve seen roadies rarely acknowledge a polite hello or nod. There appears to be a direct collation between the amount of team wear worn and the level of social arrogance.

I’ve heard a few roadies come out with the excuse that they were ‘in the zone’, but I believe ‘the zone’ maybe their own arse holes.

not a problem I encounter on the road bike to be honest…

From what I’ve seen roadies mountain bikers rarely acknowledge a polite hello or nod. There appears to be a direct collation between the amount of team wear baggy clothing worn and the level of social arrogance.

FTFY. I say hello to everyone, but really couldn’t give a crap if people don’t reply. The rudest ‘group’ in general are the weekend warriors on MTBs who think they’re super rad and cool.

Are people really so woefully insecure that they have to post online because someone who they didn’t know didn’t say hello to them? Clearly… Yes. It’s rather pathetic.

billytinkle – Member
From what I’ve seen roadies rarely acknowledge a polite hello or nod. There appears to be a direct collation between the amount of team wear worn and the level of social arrogance.

I’ve heard a few roadies come out with the excuse that they were ‘in the zone’, but I believe ‘the zone’ maybe their own arse holes.

You obviously like mincing about nodding your head at people.

Whereas I’m a typical hardman cyclist. I ride hard and fast in heart rate zone 7 winning KOM’s. This is serious business. I don’t have time/physically can’t say hello to fellow cyclists. But its something I’ve got to live with to be the best.

Whereas I’m a typical hardman cyclist. I ride hard and fast in heart rate zone 7 winning KOM’s. This is serious business. I don’t have time/physically can’t say hello to fellow cyclists. But its something I’ve got to live with to be the best.

😆

I beat a roadie uphill on a single speed once.

I was out today on a Mtb, I nodded and I waved and I said hello to more than 3 roadies and they all did the same back. Then again I am a right handsome bastard, maybe you’re plug ugly op. Perhaps if you lose some weight & use some moisturiser roadies might start looking at you a bit nicer.

This is bullshit. I’ll smash 99% of the mincers on here all over the shop. Pain is my middle name when it comes to pushing on. But I’ve still got time to acknowledge any other cyclist on the pretense of being friendly. When in fact I just like seeing the moment of despair when they realise they’ll never go as hard or as far as I will. If they’re avoiding your glare OP, they already know it’s game over for them.

fourbanger – Member
This is bullshit. I’ll smash 99% of the mincers on here all over the shop. Pain is my middle name when it comes to pushing on. But I’ve still got time to acknowledge any other cyclist on the pretense of being friendly. When in fact I just like seeing the moment of despair when they realise they’ll never go as hard or as far as I will. If they’re avoiding your glare OP, they already know it’s game over for them.

😆

You shouldn’t be smashing anyone at this time of the year.

You should be doing your zone 2 base training work. You can’t be a good house if the base is all to pot.

Zone 2 base work combined with some HIIT weight training mid ride (I usually get off my bike and lift stones off the top of walls for this)

You should then taper up to zone 7.

Absolutely key to get your training absolutely spot on if you’re planning on doing some of these big 60 mile sportive events.

You’ll do yourself some real damage if you try and cycle 60 miles without the right training.

The KOMs will have to wait.

I don’t say hello to anyone when I’m out on my bike unless we have been introduced and exchanged cards.
You get all sorts of rif-raf on bikes these days, it’s best to follow the rules of etiquette or the next thing you know, you’ll end up in conversation with someone who lives on a council estate.

I was overtaken by a lad today, all supermanning on his tribars – he managed about 3 sentences as he went past. Quite impressive since he didn’t slow down I was crawling along trying not to kack my pants at the time

… err, otherwise I’d have dangled him off the front for a mile or two and then hurt him big-time before leaving him weeping in my wake and end up throwing himself under a car just to end the misery and pain

I’d have said Hi as I did it though since otherwise he may have assumed I was pushing hard – maybe even a running commentary

The difference between me and you lot is the confidence stemming from my palmares; I’ve been crushing all-comers in sportives and strava segments round here for years

(well done to the OP for not sayinbg darkside, btw)

From what I’ve seen roadies rarely acknowledge a polite hello or nod.

I used to think this. Then I got a road bike.

Now the MTBers don’t speak to me 😮

You shouldn’t be smashing anyone at this time of the year.
You should be doing your zone 2 base training work. You can’t be a good house if the base is all to pot.
Zone 2 base work combined with some HIIT weight training mid ride (I usually get off my bike and lift stones off the top of walls for this)
You should then taper up to zone 7.
Absolutely key to get your training absolutely spot on if you’re planning on doing some of these big 60 mile sportive events.
You’ll do yourself some real damage if you try and cycle 60 miles without the right training.
The KOMs will have to wait.

I smash people all year. Training = ride harder. Sportives are for people who are too slow/scared to race and too weak to audax. Zone 2, zone 7? There’s only one zone in my book, the pain zone.

Opposite to you today Dicky, riders almost bursting into song and very loud happy new years everywhere we rode.

Except one man, one man neither on a road bike nor a mountain bike, but on a hybrid.

There’s only one zone in my book, the pain zone *.

Swoons 😀

*(unless it’s at a pump track of course)

a nod or wave to all on the road bike, generally all reply
hello or similar when out on the mtb 50/50 reply
nod or wave to roadies when on the mtb and it’s eyes down pedal time

In then end I don’t really care

You should try wearing Lycra riding a ss mtb in the Surrey Hills. Apparently I’m a counting roadie. Which is nic from someone wearing rara shorts.

There is no speak, no waves, no nods when on a road bike. The most you can hope for if around 5 degrees of extension of the index finger, be happy with 3 degrees…

You should try wearing Lycra riding a ss mtb in the Surrey Hills

I’ll give that a miss

theres a sticker you can get thats something along the lines of…

“Just because we’re on two wheels does not make us friends”

also roadie’s are miserable, BrickFact****

****since I have been on skinny death tyres I too have become too fast to bother saying hi to anyone on anything that isn’t made of pure carbon or run on >23c

You should try riding a unicycle instead. Even the white van drivers wave at me. It is rather tiresome waving back at everybody, but I do at least have both hands free to do so.

Recumbents are great for that too – everyone wants to say hello and talk.

Apart from roadies – but they’re just upset that I keep passing them 🙂

when walking down the road do you expect everyone to say hello to you?

There is something to that – when walking in the great outdoors, people do usually say hello, but not on a city street. There are some of us, though, who do walk about without glaring at the ground (most people are miserable sods most of the time) and it’s amazing how often if you smile at someone they smile back.

I did 55 miles and 3800 ft of climb on the roadie yesterday around the Bowland fells and must have seen 30 roadies, every one gave me at least a nod and some a greeting. Conditions were tough and the roads empty so there was some mutual acknowledgement of suffering.

I nod or greet every cyclist I see and it’s usually the solo riders who respond. Riders in pairs or in groups don’t respond so often because they are chatting or busy following the wheel in front.

TBH when I see mountain bikers on the road bouncing along with all their shin pads and stuff, arses over their back wheels, making it look so hard I always greet them (not wanting to be thought a roadie snob) but I could understand why some roadies might ignore them.

TBH when I see mountain bikers on the road bouncing along with all their shin pads and stuff, arses over their back wheels, making it look so hard

arses over the back wheel on the road?? bouncing round?? where is this comedy riding?

On a road near you!

I force them to stop, hugs for the guys, air kisses for the gals. Amazing how faster they go next time i see them

Go on, hug a cyclist, we all need a hug

This ones popped up early this year.

This ones popped up early this year.

I’ll nod and say hello, but the Doppler effect makes it look like I’m a miserable ****.

DrP

I was passed by a roadie going up a hill. He said hello. I wasn’t sure if he was saying “hello” or “I am considerably quicker than you and if you hadn’t noticed me passing you i thought I would make you doubly aware.”
I also then thought of Derek and Clive doing the Hello sketch.

I always find good morale with keen cyclists unlike the average Joe just going to work and back
If you want a response with them then your wasting your time
Your not out on the trails now 🙂

[rant]
This ‘us and them’ stuff is PATHETIC, and massively puts me (and probably a lot of other people) off the entire thing.

We are all simply like-minded people who enjoy riding bikes. Simple. The snobbery is sickening sometimes.
[/rant]