Bare in mind I’m grumpy, ill and I have missed my first race.

a) My mate and I caught up with two riders on an organised ride last week. As we approached we came up behind a tractor towing an evil looking contraption with no brake lights or indicators. So as we approached we eased off as did one of the guys we caught. The other one decided to draft behind it. I start tutting and shaking my head. Then he gets a drink out and starts drinking and drafting. Of course the tractor the turns left, the guy pulls out right into oncoming cyclists. The F word gets well used, but matey just carries on swerving down the centre of the road and looking like he is trying to read the info on his bottle.
He didn’t disagree with my comment ‘you’re riding like a c***’

b) Today I gave a chap some time and room on a busy road. Wasn’t happy with the what looked like a 50 x 25 gear choice or the mismatched trade kit, never mind though. Then we came up to some road works, I stayed behind and he took up the road…fair enough. Then once in front he rolled up no handed. Thing is he was shit and wobbling all over the shop. I didn’t hoot though I felt like it. So I just commented when we were both stopped. I suggested he learns how to ride before he plays silly buggers.

The level of really bad riding is far too high IMO

It’s hard to accept the failures of others when you are a SUPERIOR BEING.

Held a gate open for another rider, he never said thanks.

I don’t know, the driving in the valley of late has been so sh*t that I actually stopped to say thank you to a lorry driver for not trying to run me off the road the other day. It makes a massive difference to my mood when I arrive at work to think that not everyone on the road wants me dead…

Also grumpy today as everybody is out riding and I am at work. And it’s not raining.

i love a good rant. first though :

was riding on lovely country lane on a rare scottish sunny day, tractor coming the other way, pulls off and lets me through, we wave at each other – nice.

was riding on a not so lovely rainy day in scotland, came up to a massive puddle, and never riding through it due to the lovely potholes around here, had to straddle the middle of the road, almost past it, oncoming car actually had a driver that looks ahead and slows and waits , i thumbs up , she waves. nice.

driving on busy A road, rider in front of us catches up to his pals at a dedicated bus stop, slows and half/almost pulls in with no signal, we have to brake and stop , he doesnt stop as as his 2 mates on bling bling carbon bikes and too tight lycra for their arses all pull out directly in front of us without looking, wobbling around trying to clip in, we are almost at a standstill with a pile of cars behind us, they ride 3 abreast for a while and then single file trying to chat to each other but wobbling to the center as they look back to talk – eventually we get past with a wide berth. i’m all for waiting behind cyclists and give them plenty of space, but this case got me angry, because i just know a load of car users will use these kind of incidents to tarnish our name.

Held a gate open for another rider, he never said thanks.

Probably one of those Jonny foreigners

oldgit, I gather from your posting history that you are awesome, but I’m afraid I don’t understand much of what you have typed up there.

I had a few hours riding over lunchtime. Saw a few other riders (and dog walkers, runners etc), said hello to them all and the miserable **** who hardly responded were the riders. Did I let it bother me? Nope, I carried on enjoying myself on my bike in the sunshine.

sc-xc, I think basically, he’s a fookin awesome road/cx/mtber and everyone else is inferior.

I read it as a combination of being frustrated at having missed a race and disappointed/worried about people blaming others when they are jeopardising their safety by their own actions. i could be wrong.

be fair the oldgit did pre qualify his rant with his level personal fed upness. know how he feels, have a busted femur and can see folks riding past the house on this sunny day and not one of them:
can ride a bike properly.
looks the part.
has a nice bike.
has valves alined to tyre writing.
i’m not with them.

grump grump grump

Yeah I spose it’s a bit more understandable if he’s not feeling great. But, and it’s a big one, there us nothing worse IMO than some sanctimonious ‘expert’ passing judgement in other people and whether or not they are ‘good enough’ for his sport. Makes my piss boil when people who should know better would rather sneer at a newbie or part timer rather than ride up beside them and have a chat, getting your point across and being sound at the same time.

This is excellent, I’d love someone to comment on my riding (which can be appauling at times).

I think they would end up meeting my good friends Mr K and O 😀

oldgit, I gather from your posting history that you are awesome, but I’m afraid I don’t understand much of what you have typed up there.

As long as you understand that I am awesome, the rest I don’t care about.

I’m going to get you a t-shirt that say’s “not that kind of awesome” 😉

I’m going to get you a t-shirt that say’s “not that kind of awesome”

I was going to do that! *walks off in a sulk*

😀

Everyone else who is utterly clueless on the road needs these. A colour blind twenty five year old who has spent his life in the cellar can jump on a bike and join the rest of the 60mph traffic without any idea. And it’s clear that some folk don’t have any idea. That’s where I was going with this.

Wasn’t happy with the what looked like a 50 x 25 gear choice or the mismatched trade kit

To be fair, it was this bit that made me roll my eyes….

I bet oldgit’s wanger is sooo big he has to have his bib’s specially made with a full on sausage pocket 😯

Had one today where a group of about 20 riders were going up the Clyne path. I was coming the other way and had to shout at them to make some room. This ****t starts moaning at me for shouting at them. Sigh its easy look where you are going and dont ride 6 abreast over the whole path.

Anyone else noticed new style roadies dont seem to acknowledge?

To be fair, it was this bit that made me roll my eyes….

Wait to you get to my age you’ll be just like me.
Glad I didn’t mention his rather large saddle pack 😕
However he did have crimped cable ends, and his brake QR looked to be closed which is a frickin rarity these days.

Last year I raced in black socks for the first time, and actually got moaned at during the race.

50×25 though! schoolboy error

Anyone else noticed new style roadies dont seem to acknowledge?

I’d imagine that thousands of riders know nothing of the nod or raised digit.

I dont think ive had any issues with other riders before. Just walkers. I often ride in some local woods and always give way to walkers and treat other riders how i would like to be treated. A few walkers have made comments in the past like “you should have a bell” but nothing worse.

i stop for walkers on singletrack and whenever they stop for me i say thanks.

On the road, i’ve nearly beed knocked off hundreds of times. But thats just the minority of drivers.

There was a rider went past me as I was walking about town today in 50 x 27 and it was crunching and grinding and making me wince.

It’s a combination of many things.

50T- lame. Get a man-ring.
27T- lame. Get a 23.
Crossed gears- make Jesus cry.

The sad thing is, I’m sort of joking, but sort of, I’m not and I know full well that makes me a. bad. person.

Careful, you’re approaching (whispers) Surfmatt levels of AWESOME. To be very clear this is a bad thing.

I think condemning very poor cycling as in an accidents waiting to happen is fair game. I’m not criticizing anyones physical ability.

Perhaps it’s the way I was brought up to ride, when I hit the road I was in the company of very experienced riders. They were very keen that everything be just so – your bike, your kit and your respect for the road.

You’d hate it if you saw me, triple ring, MTB SPDs, saddle bag, old Zefal pump on the frame, full finger gloves and an Aldi jersey. And grey socks. Was in lycra though, no baggies.

Perhaps it’s the way I was brought up to ride, when I hit the road I was in the company of very experienced riders. They were very keen that everything be just so – your bike, your kit and your respect for the road.

I think you’re right. I grew up skateboarding and listening to hardcore. They encourage you to do things your own way, **** what anyone else thinks.

oldgit is perfectly restrained in his comments
everyone needs to respect the rules

The sad thing is, I’m sort of joking, but sort of, I’m not and I know full well that makes me a. bad. person.

I know exactly where both you and oldgit are coming from. I love seeing people out and about on bikes, it’s great. I realise that everyone has to start somewhere and we all probably went through a similar phase of ineptitude that was painful to watch.

I know that The Rules are written in a tongue in cheek, self-parodying sort of way but that doesn’t mean you have an excuse to look quite that bloody awful on a bike or ride quite that badly!

colonel wax – Member
I think you’re right. I grew up skateboarding and listening to hardcore. They encourage you to do things your own way, **** what anyone else thinks.

I may have to reconsider my “AEWSMOE” list now 😛

+1 colonel.
Who gives a shit what other people say do think etc.

‘they’ have a lot to answer for…….

Damn right Al, straight in at number 3 at least.

That “the rules” thing is utter shite.

edited as, well I changed my mind 🙂

The “rules” are spot on, Sean Kelly quip never fails to amuse – lots of others are so right too for sure.

oldgit – do you ever ride offroad ?

oldgit, in scenario b, you should have reprimanded him for mismatched trade kit.

To sum up the OP concisely, ‘roadies are dicks’. 😉

cannot understand your first moan. Did the tractor appear out of nowhere? 😕