[Closed] Embarassed having top kit when you ain't much good?

😐

Though strangely if I was to never race again it wouldn't bother me to ride something top of the range on Sunday pootles.

some people may consider my bike to be WAY beyond my ability, however I like it and I couldn't give a toss what anyone else thinks. Ride what you want to ride, not what somebody else thinks you deserve :D.

I think I might be on the other end of the spectrum, where what I'm usually racing on is the bottom kit. Its a good feeling, going past someone on a top level £4k bike on your £100 second hand decathlon. I've always thought that you should be worth the bike - if you're not going to push the bike to its limits, its a waste.

I've pretty much given up being embarrased, within reason. I'm getting to old for it and can't be bothered.

If you've got white shoes on a MTB, then you'd better be quick!

Other than that, I think people should spend what they feel comfortable with.

I'd say I'm equally embarrassed by my hopeless performance as I am my shoddy battered kit on the road race scene. There is an awful lot of blingle kit used.

All the gear and no idea?

I do find it a bit embarrasing but at the same time its my bike and I'll ride what I want! tbh if I rode anything cheaper/less "hardcore" I wouldn't feel as safe on it, with Pikes and 20mm front axle I feel like its not gonna let me down any time soon.

It used to be that you had a race bike and a training bike, but now I'm not racing I use a far better bike than I would race on. Race bikes are tools, and get battered, I can take more care of my best bike...

I like spending lots of my spare cash on blingy bike bits, even though I'm an unfit old bloater.

Edit: That's one of the advantages of being a retired banker

Did my first MTB event recently. What struck me more was not the bling bikes at the back of the field, which I have no issue with, but the numpties who act like they're lance armstrong, swearing, shouting out their excuse for yet another dab, pushing their way past etc when clearly not threatening the top 100. I think it's attitude, not kit, that's embarrassing. have to say, though, there were only a few of these folks, most were very chilled!

No way people can ride what they want why any should care god knows, jealousy springs to mind though. I love looking at awesome bikes and have never cared what the rider uses for.

Hmm. As a student, I used to love going to XC races on my old orange HT & storming past the occasional "AGNI" on a full sus Hope/titanium-blinged Marin - it gave me a real boost on the climbs.

Now a days, I've got the blinged up full sus and, whilst I can fend off most when gravity's on my side, I do lag behind on the climbs a bit. I don't really care though - I'm enjoying my riding and good on the yoof if they pass me on their £100 SS fixie :)...

...I'll catch em on the DH again 😈

As for road racing - that's a different kettle of fish. I'll stick to my Sportive Rides on my not-so-bling Planet X I think 🙂

And I agree with TomB - it's the attitude that's the most important aspect of people's riding.

another old fart here with some nice kit, but i earn it and i dont piss it up the wall or stuff it up my nose, and the bills are paid, so nice kit it is,
no pockets in a shroud

ride what you can afford to and what you want not what someone else thinks you should. Makes me smile seeing novices with all the gear and no idea but its all money back into the bike industry so no probs. No different than a rich bloke buying a nice sports car and not being able to drive it like the stig can.

If you've got white shoes on a MTB, then you'd better be quick!

Hey, i've got white shoes!!

Anyway, it doesn't matter. RAcing is a different kettle of fish anyway. My 5 spot cost nearly double of my race bike but it has a different purpose. Think its more rider attitude TBH Generally at a race you'll place yourself on the grid depending on how well you think your gonna do and if its a race or just how quick you want to do it in.

I'm normaly too busy enjoying myself to even notice what anyone else is riding.

Maybe folks that think someones bike is too good for them should tell them face to face instead of from behind a keyboard...

Super Scale it's not other people I have an issue with, I love to look at the kit. It's me. My best mate gets kit trade but I always get bits to match my capabilities. Take for example the training bike I'm knocking up for late season winter and spring, it'll have Sora because that's all I'll need.
Though it could be inverted snobbery.

Edit: singlespeedstu, again I'm not talking about 'the other person' I'm asking if anyone else feels slightly uncomfortable within themselves for having nice stuff. And as I said I don't feel like that about my mountainbike, my last singlespeed frame cost three times as much as my road race frame.

What are we going to do? Ask people to take a riding proficiency test and then limit their spending on bikes to certain brackets? If that were the case I would never be able to get anything other than a a bike shaped piece of metal from Tesco!

ultimately, if you paid for it then have whatever bling you want. i'm getting old (42) and have some nice gear that i paid for. i raced on average gear for years and won a few events. i don't care who thinks i'm too crap for my bikes now, i reckon i'm worth it.

Whoa hang on, is my post not clear?
Ride whatever the hell you want. I was asking if anyone like me feels embarassed with themselves at times when they turn out on something top spec.

I dont get embarrassed by the bikes i ride its how i ride them that embarrasses me. Or how big my arse looks in lycra 😀

If i see someone alot slower than me out on a great bike then i dont feel envious at least they are out riding and enjoying their bike. I've got a mate who has a couple of super blingy bikes and they ride them twice a year, if that. That just seems wrong, like some millionaire buying a ferrari 250 gto and sticking it under a cover in their garage rather than ever driving the thing.

again I'm not talking about 'the other person' I'm asking if anyone else feels slightly uncomfortable within themselves for having nice stuff

Why the **** should you. You've paid for it with your own cash so go out and enjoy it.

I think I would feel embarassed if riding around on an uber niche top end bike with no skills, but I have mid range skills and a mid range bike. I do enjoy catching people up on the downhill bits at Glentress (not exactly gnarly I'll admit) when I'm on the rigid singlespeed whilst they ride their 5" £2,000 bikes though. I'd be embarassed if it was the other way round, but really, as long as you have a good time riding what you have, I supposed you shouldn't be embarassed.

oldgit, get yourself some nice kit. you must have been riding for years, you deserve it.

I've all the kit and I'm still sh1t! Ah well been riding mountain bikes for 20 years and it's my only past time other than my family, so if I wanna spend my cash on the good stuff why not?
I even find it funny when people on total wrecks cruise past me, doesn't embarass me in the slightest, I rode sh1t boxes for long enough, I now ride a bike that has far too much travel and bling for nearly all the riding I do but I love it 🙂

Why not, it's just a hobby, spend/ride what you like.

It could be worse you could spend it on drink/drugs/women/fast cars/etc.

Oh, hang on... 😀

I have a bling bike, and will never threaten the leaders in any race. Embarassed? Nearly as much as I am when I consider i own a 3 bedroomed house and there's only two of us in it, ie not at all.

Hmmm well it's how I feel, perhaps it's that mid bunch mentality spilling over which would explain why Idon't feel the same way when it comes to mountainbikes.

The other thing (looking for excuses here) is that racing really batters the kit so it might be a bit of sensible economics at play.

Keavo, when I stop racing I'mbuying a Dura Ace Colnago Master to go in the garage.

but when will you stop? just have all the nice gear you want now. as long as you can afford it after lifes more mundane expenses.

If you can afford wine, drink wine.

When will I stop?
I'm 50 now and I want to be racing road and cross untill I'm at least 65. One of the guys I've ridden with is 75 and still kicks bottom (though he is an ex GB rider)

I must admit I was thinking about getting something a bit better than what I have (PX Carbon, Ultegra 10 speed, FSA Carbon post, c/stem, c/wing bars and carbon chainset) then I thought what if it wasn't as good 😐

My excuse is that i'm a crap rider because i always worked hard so i can afford a posh bike but just dont have time to ride it 😀

so going back to your 1st post. anybody who is fortunate enough to be genetically pre disposed to being an athlete is more deserving than you to have high quality gear. nonsense... i think anyone who will ride the stuff and look after it and get pleasure out it shouldn't be embarrased at all about owning it. get what you want, but open up your choices and don't be limited by what you think a mid-pack rider should have.

I work hard and am now in the fortunate position that I can afford some nice kit, especially given I don't drink, do drugs or have any other particularily expensive hobbies.

That means that I have bikes that are specced well beyond what I actually need, however I enjoy having them and do ride use them a lot. I also like building up and maintaining my bikes.

Well ok I've got the Madison 2010 Trade Catalogue in front of me. And those nice people at Canada Life just gave me a nice lump sum as my pension has kicked in.
Can't promise I'll do anything other than look.

Thing is, I used to be pretty damn quick and so a decent bike was no cause for embarrasment. Now I'm very slow but I'm not exactly going to downgrade my bikes so I'll stick with kit that's much better than my (current) ability, thanks 😉

🙂

I've always said that it doesn't matter if you are good or bad at a sport....so long as you look good in the gear.

Sadly I no longer look good in it either 🙁

Why eat mince if you can afford steak? Honestly do you people really think about this stuff a lot? There are some interesting insights into the self esteem issues people suffer in this thread.

Edit: Would you buy a shit car because you aren't Lewis Hamilton, live in a shit house because you aren't Richard Branson or have an ugly wife because you aren't some millionaire footballer?

Shouldn't be embarrased if you're poor or if you are not poor.
Buy what you can afford. You might work in tescos and be really good, or you may not be especially good but have a nice bike and be accused of ATGNI by people who are plainly jealous.
WGAF.
I am an intermediate but have a nice bike, if someone takes it upon themselves to point this out they're getting called a dickhead and told to EFF OFF!

I was a little surprised at the level of gear at the Gorrick on Sunday.... In the kids races

well my MTB is a fairly obcene amount of cash but I absolutly love it, im rapid downhill (comparativly) , ive been riding ten years and its developed over time, so no embarasment there

However: just starting in road biking and just got a £1800 cannondale race bike, i want to join a club but im going to make sure I do a good few months riding before joining so i dont make a complete fool of myself, so maybe yes i would be embarssed rocking up in front of others on a carbon race bike the first time ive ever ridden on road

I couldn't give a stuff what people thought. tbh it says more about them than it does me if they feel bothered/need to comment about it. Some sort of inverse snobbery that is oft found on stw

Backhander I'm not talking about critising others, I'd rather see the roads awash with Colnagos than baracudas.

I take a quick look at Orcas, Colnagos and De Rosas but I'm not sure they're any better than what I have for domestic UK racing. Fancy having one, but couldn't bear to put one through the rigors of racing though.

LOL at stone monkey! I'm at a stage in life where I can afford nice kit and I have treated myself, cant ride as much as my kids are young but I do have two nice bikes one with xtr carbon frame etc. TBH all the bills are paid and I dont like some of my mate pi$$ £50 week up against the wall I buy bike bits maths are easy then!!!

I dont mind being passed by a ridgid SS guy at glentress (massive respect to pixel mix mega GNARL 8) ) got cained by a dude at afan on a hard tail when I was on my five I just though wow he's a wicked rider. dont care what you ride if your chilled basically!

Will be speaking to Mr Jedi soon though, need to be faster!!

Blimey wish I hadn't started this. Once again I'm not talking about anyone saying anything or commenting on another persons kit. I'm asking if anyone feels uncomfortable in themself turning out on top end road kit.

I.e I remember turning up for a race in the 80s, there were some top guys there as the Milk race was about to kick off and Anglia were there to film them. Anyway I had a brand new Gios bike, new team kit and I was tanned after training in Spain. The crew assumed I was a pro 😳 No I'm err just a erm rider. That's how I'd feel turning up at a race on better kit than the contenders.

I have no shame. Overbiked compared to ability.

As several on here who know me will verify, the value of my kits VASTLY exceeds my ability to ride them.

I am "Team AGNI/Ginsters"!

I'm more embarrassed by my lack of skill, fitness and balls than my bike. I'm sure people think I'm a tart, but if I was that fussed about it I'd ride something else.

I know my MLC bike gets 'looks' from men then a 'look' of shock when they see I'm a girlie. And I can see they are thinking "what's she doing with that?"

Am a rubbish rider but absolutely love the MLC. Not embarrassed at all. Will not justify it to anyone.

if you aren't sure about getting something really expensive because it might not be better than what you allready have, fair enough. you might be right about that. your planet-x ultegra is a good bike, same as mine:-0
i have overspent on two niners, and i'm glad i did.

I know that oldgit, but you always get the "I ride a rigid Ht and can cane anyone" and "they're all the gear no idea" idiots, who are simply jealous. It is not written anywhere that ability must equals quality of kit; salary equals quality of kit.

its much nicer the other way round oldgit

i turned up to one of my first races at caird park on an old 98 heckler with some borrowed manitou blacks (the most basic ones ) and i went in and signed on , as i came out 2 young folk were pointing at my bike critising my XTR drive train but only putting on manitou black forks ...

I made sure to shout extra loud when i lapped them for 2nd place

or top 5 in a real open field 25TT on a sora equipped giant OCR with a sub hour for my first try.

It just doesnt feel the same when you have the posh gear its almost as if your expected to do well and its a failure to the bike if you dont !

i commented on here once about a guy i'd just met on a Trek FS-thing who couldn't do pish. endos and track stands were beyond him.

i then asked why people buy such bling bikes without having the skills to properly ride them. then i got shot down.

Alpin - I remember that thread - it was awesome! We all bowed in deference to your god-like riding skills did we not? 🙂

No shame here! I love my bike (and the new one that's on order), love the bling spec which makes me ride like a god (in my head anyway!! :?)

...at least it gets ridden in anger a couple of times a week

i then asked why people buy such bling bikes without having the skills to properly ride them. then i got shot down.

And rightly so. What the **** has it got to do with you?

As most people have said, if you can afford it and want it then buy it. The difference in road racing is that you're much more likely to destroy £4k worth of bike on a Tues night 3/4 cat crit than you are racing fun or vet or masters in a mtb race.

Oldgit - Member

.......... new team kit .........

thats the only bit to be embarrassed about - why on earth would you wear team kit unless you are a member of the team? sponsors logos and all?

Thats just weird. As for being overbiked? Who cares.

No need.

Hell if you can't drive a formula 1 car you could still drive a Ferrari to the shops and why not?

Enjoy what you can afford and ride whatever you want except a pig.

Pigs squeal.

I have a £1600 fs and I can't track stand wheelie endo manual etc. But Im ok at riding it and I'm ace at having fun. And if I enter a race with the idea of winning then I'll give it up!
To those of you riding crap bikes very fast I salute you.

Won a club TT tonight on a 12 year old Rondelli.

Beat top of the range Scott Plasma, Spec Tansition, Trek Equinox, 2 Cervelos, a Dolan of some sort and a couple of Planet X Stealths amongst others.

Came second-to-last Elite at NPS last weekend on several thousand pounds worth of carbon-fibre.

has anyone mentioned "it's not about the bike" yet?

Team Kit = club kit sorry.

try a day at GT the is a lot of more money spent equals more speed going on including some people dressed like Colt Seavers

What is a Colt Seaver?

Out of interest could one of the people who think you have to qualify for kit please clarify exactly how that works.

For example, if I can do tricks but am crap on the trails what value of bike can I ride?

Or if I'm really fit and fast but crap technically what should I be on?

Please state clearly maximum prices or models, thanks.

Druidh
he was a famous stuntman in the 80`s

jordie - Member
Druidh
he was a [s]famous[/s] stuntman in the 80`s

I fixed that for you 🙂

ok he was also known as the fallguy 😆
it still amazes me at the level of protection some people wear to head down spooky wood and are not really going that fast.It really can`t be worth all that walking up to the top

No one is clubber the concensus is it's youre's so ride it no matter.
I started this because I have a problem with myself and top kit and was refering to road bikes only.
However just wittering on here has helped me to find out some of the reasons why.
Lots of tasty kit, but I don't actually want it.
Function over form.
Economics of racing i.e not wanting to kill something nice in a clash with a racing newbie, seen that too often.
What I have is more than good enough?

Ahem

alpin - Member
i commented on here once about a guy i'd just met on a Trek FS-thing who couldn't do pish. endos and track stands were beyond him.
i then asked why people buy such bling bikes without having the skills to properly ride them. then i got shot down.

😉

Last time at Gt some young lad came flying past me on a stunningly beautiful Lapierre Zesty . Now im not the jealous type over anything , I can appreciate things of great beauty but dont covet them. Anyway turns out as I got talking to him it was a hub hire bike and he had a basic bike at home although I was in admiration of his skills.
It seems there are a few on this forum who like to diss newbie with there weekend warrior posts. Every one has to start somewhere and the point should be that as long as people are out biking and enjoying the fresh air who cares what they ride or wear.

I'll ask another question.
Say for example you had a nice road bike but decided to buy something right at the top end of the scale. Would you expect it to give you something back other than pride of ownership? And if then you honestly thought it was no better than the bike it replaced would your feelings toward the bike go sour? I think mine would.
This is why I'd get something like a Master if I wasn't racing. I wouldn't expect great things from it but I'd enjoy the ownership.

Clubber, my apple-o-gees.