[Closed] What is it with (some) roadies ?

There does seem to be a certain type of ignorant roadie. Equally, I've seen people pull into the car park at Afan after a 3 hour drive, the gleaming cannondale atop the Audi estate, ride badly for an hour or so, and then slag off the locals in the pub later.

The only group of cyclists I've found to be invariably pleasant and polite is the CTC types - you know the sort - Dawes Galaxy, Carradice bag, ride seemingly glacially yet can cover huge distances.

Jeeze.. moaning thread debate..

Some folks say Hi, some don't. Some just can't be bothered when riding hard, some can, some want some peace and quiet, some don't, some are naturally inclusive, some aren't, some like thier own company, some don't, some will give you thier last water bottle, some won't.

All of that isn't exclusive to people you don't know either, just think of some of your mates, you'll find that lot in them too..

moan over yet??

The only group of cyclists I've found to be invariably pleasant and polite is the CTC types - you know the sort - Dawes Galaxy, Carradice bag, ride seemingly glacially yet can cover huge distances.

There's a nu skool CTC type club I sometimes ride with (think 50+, beards, carbon bikes, dura ace, campag, yellow waterproofs, cafe stops, etc.). They're a great bunch, everyone shakes hands with each other before the ride starts, I think it's a great tradition. Wouldn't work so well with my home club though, we get about 50 people turning up to a club run..

bikebouy, your post reminds me of this. 😀

Realman, In a club? Do you have any friends? 8)

Awww rubbish, what am I going to do now?

I ride my road bike in that London, I've joined a club and I say hello to people.

Best melt the MTB's down quick

Some people are grumpy. Some grumpy people ride bikes.

/

you guys should try living in germany... then you'll know what being 'blanked' really means

Lol, so it's not just me then! It's like a whole country full of miserable roadies 🙂

Having said that, many of the proper roadies and one or two of the old codgers do give me a nod and a smile.

I'm with djglover on this one 😆

djglover - Member
Jesus. I don't speak to every runner, pedestrian, motorist, road or mtb cyclist I come across in day to day activities, Not sure why I'd single out single out roadies though. Frankly I have better things to do than exchange pleasantries with some stranger. If I'm catching up with a couple of old mates over a beer I don't want some wierdo pusing in on the scene, don't see why your scenario is any different. Get over it

I agree with this to a large extent. I also think it depends more on the person rather than just a simple separation between roadies and mtb'ers.
[b][u]I will say from riding the road bike a lot[/u][/b], that sometimes after a long ride, you are pretty knackered and in your own daze of just trying to keep the pedals moving. If some one waves or says hi, saying hi back is sometimes the last thing on my mind, also a lot of the time i don't notice it until they've nearly passed.
Other times I might be trying to concentrate on staying in a high power zone and hanging off the bars, so again waving or saying high won't really be on my mind.

Things to consider...

If a roadie smiled at me, I'd take that as a vague sexual threat. I don't mind if mtb'ers are friendly or not really. However if another vw camper driver didn't wave, I'd chase it home and torch it.

If it's any consolation I was up Cannock chase earlier and popped out of the end of a track to find a Lycra clad xc whippet type gent stood there. Nobody around just us two on a nice midweek morning and I said the normal chirpy hello and got blanked. Miserable c**t. He then set off up the fire road without so much as a nod. I wasn't expecting his life story but manners cost nowt.

I was up Cannock chase earlier and popped out of the end of a track to find a Lycra clad xc whippet type gent stood there. Nobody around just us two on a nice midweek morning

This sounds like a romantic novel. Was the sweat glistening on his recently shaved legs?...

This sounds like a romantic novel. Was the sweat glistening on his recently shaved legs?...

Was you there.? That's uncanny.!

why is everyone so obsessed with the big hello anyways?

do you depserately seek out aknowledgement that you are out on your bike?

do you say hello to everyone you walk past on the way to work?

IMO roadies don't say much most the time as they are normally actually trying hard. MTB riders sat all upright and comfy and riding at 9mph on the road have much more of a chance of being friendly - probably as a result of them comparitively just pottering along.

that doesant really work for the OP's original gripe, but then it seems that you never spoke to them either?

i've definitely noticed that the nod depends on what bike i'm on/what clothes i'm wearing, if it's a road bike and i'm in a relatively roadie outfit then most nod, if i'm wearing normal clothes/on fixed gear, a few might by mistake, if i'm on anything else, no way!

i don't know why there's the need to recognise other people doing similar things.. but tbh i couldn't give a shit whether i'm acknowledged or not! we're not even going in the same direction, i'll probably never see them again!

wearing normal clothes on a fixie?

like this?

[img] [/img]

jeffcapeshop + 1. I notice a difference between going out on the road bike in baggies and if I go out all lycra'd up. I notice a similar difference in Mrs Atlaz too in that she can't stop laughing if I'm lycra'd up whereas she acts quite normal if I'm in baggies. Is this some sort of reverse roadie syndrome?

most roadies are **** ****s... normally about 40 getting fat and slow... or young and on go faster drugs... bunch of ****s in general 🙂

Roadies do generally acknowledge other cyclist, the movement is often so subtle that the average mtber won't have the ability to recognise it. Raised eyebrow from behind the shades at 50m anyone?
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I bet you can't even see the wink I put at the end up there, can you?

I ignore people all the time on my road bike. Nuts to the lot of you. And if i am in a rare nodding mood, you're still not getting one if you're a) fat b) old c) riding a crappy bike or d) wearing anything other than lycra.

finbar : you sound like a classic roadie to me (lol)....doesnt hurt you to nod once in a while 😉
i nod to most people when im out on the MTB and recently become a roadie myself too....... i nod to MTB'ers and Roadies.... admittingly some of the roadies out there have the snarly look on their faces..why is this ? if they arent happy (THEN WHY THE HELL ARE THEY RIDING IN THE FIRST PLACE) 😉
i have to laugh at my hubby when we are both in the car (he always mimics riders as they ride past...its quite funny the expressions that are on my hubbys face... 😉

Rolly

Being a ex roadie I bet that the sight of you eating a full fry up 😀 put them off because roadies are alot er healthy as a breed 🙄

Andy not a fry up matey jacket spud cheese n beans , coffee n walnut sponge and a cup of coffee £4.10 !!!!!!!!!!!!
Analogue Andy spot on with the I.D.

Went past 4 MTB'ers on the other side of a country lane the other night whilst out on my Road Bike. I said all right lads as i passed them, guess what? not one of em said all right m8 back to me. I always try and say "Hi" to other cyclists regardless of if i am out on my MTB or Roadie, most reply some do not. I dont think MTB or roadie comes into, some folk are just unsocial or rude. Simples!!!!

Saying that a few miles down the road on a long steep climb i came across a few young lads walking down ( i would say 16-18yrs old)as i approached them towards the top of the climb, they were clapping and "saying nice one m8 well done and were basicly offering incouragement" So age or bike alliance does not come into. Some folk are nice and polite others or just C@#KS.

As to the OP, i would not have expected to sit down with a group i did not know. I would have however just said "allright lads", and tryed to start up a conversation asking things like where have they been and where are they going, how far etc. Then who knows they may have said pull up a chair m8, Allternatly they may not.

I always get smiled at on my road bike. You lads want to get your waps out a bit more, I reckon.

Andy not a fry up matey jacket spud cheese n beans , coffee n walnut sponge and a cup of coffee

😯 bloody hell healthy eating what next

oldfart - Member

Analogue Andy spot on with the I.D.

Thought so 8)

Don't worry oldfart, some of us would have chatted away so much you'd want to escape.

I was out on the road bike last week and got caught up by a chain gang of about seven riders. I stupidly accelerated and hauled them all up a mile long hill, then at the top they formed up into a line and started doing through and off. I managed one turn on the front before my legs gave out after the effort of the hill and they disappeared into the distance. During the entire three miles I was with them, not one of them spoke one word except for one who gasped the name of the club, they were all concentrating so hard on not being dropped.

Later I emailed the club secretary who told me that was the club's elite group out training for racing and time trials. No wonder they had no breath for conversation.

I got use to them not saying hello, however I am so not use to them riding along some narrow and twisty mountain road and annoying everyone, when they have a perfectly safe and usable cycling lane.

That in my mind needs some clarification.

Stopped at a pub in Eggleston having ridden over the moors from Hamsterley for a bite to eat.

Two separate roadies shouted hello so enthusiastically as they passed by that I almost fell off my seat. Not all roadies are the same.

winterfold - Member
oldfart - they are just rude people, whether they are roadies or MTB is irrelevant, being a cock transcends how thick your tyres are.

All my clubmates do both and would be horrified to hear someone in the club had been such a tosser. Unless you were shagging one of their missus etc?

AND

# Moonhead - Member
I think the point here is that you said you were about to ask if you could sit with them. Maybe if you had asked the question they would have opened up and said yes.

I don't think it's a roadie V MTB thing, it's more about 3 mates sitting at a table and not really thinking about the people around them. I think it would have been nice if they had seen a fellow biker and offered you a seat.

If I am riding my MTB on the road in between off road riding I always say hi to any roadies I encounter, most say hi back. If they don't I would put it down to the person over the discipline.

I am going to have to disagree with you two on this......strongly! I have never come accross any cyclist who has not said hello back with the exception of roadies. A very large proportoin are ingnorant snobs WHY no idea. I go to a particular pub and the Alford wheelers are often doing some kind of speed trail rarely do they answer when you say hello. I see a huge amount of roadies (mainly in the summer which says a lot about them)I am afraid about 50% of roadies are ignorant snobs who will give you look, if you say hello to them, of why should I lower myself to say hello to the likes of you. Furthermore I occasionaly get a "get out of the way shouts as they come up to overtake" Now I do stress not all but far to many for winterfold and Moonhead not to know this (I am assuming they are roadies??). So if winterfold and Moonhead are roadies there lieing!

I did one of the Wiggle Sportives in The New Forest recently - made a point of giving a cheery hello to all the MTBers doing their event too when our paths cross - a few of them got a bit of a fright 😀

So a stranger expects to be cheerily welcomed with open arms when he plonks himself uninvited at someones table? How would you like it if out for a meal with the missus and someone just sat at your table without being asked?

An unofficial survey today - hand up and "hi" got no responses, nod of head got 75%. Conclusion, some roadies are miserable

Has anyone written to their MP about this disgrace?

Hope this sums it up. I'll give a cheerly hello to everyone on a bike even the workman in his boots and yellow.
I get a lot of hellos back, but some people out on a bike don't know it's the law to wave back at other strangers on bikes, but I understand that.
I can also tell a roadie from a person riding a road bike.
Last week I thought of STW'ers. whilst out on a midweek training session, not just a ride a cyclist waved and shouted hello. Sadly I'd just finished an interval witha couple of second cats. And quite frankly I was seriously having trouble breathing and keeping my bowels closed to respond. And my first thought was STWers.

It said I was the last poster, so where's my post I err posted?

But simply not everyman and his dog are aware of the nod etc.
A person riding a road bike isn't always a roadie.
I blanked a person last week for the first time in ages, but as I couldn't breathe and I was having trouble keeping my bowels closed after training with 2nd cats half my age, I feel I can be excused.

I always get a nod back from roadies, and hardly ever from lycra clad men out with a road bike. As I'm usually! on the road when I'm riding my road bike I don't encounter MTBers.
But off road - good God MTBers like to talk don't they. Don't know if it's just me, but when I'm actually riding myself I'm not interested in what and where you've just been.

Ah haa there it is.

iv noticed this on my commutes u get the full on racey types who just give the full blank look like they have tunnel vision and only see ahead im always happy on my rides and more than happy to nod,a common one in bristol is just a slight wave of the fingers while palm still on the bar as u pass.
or just sit up suacide panda style waving your hands like a plank 😆

nearly every rider, roadie or mtb i see round here says hi, walkers too.. the tinterweb would have me think that all roadies & walkers hate mtbers...

I was out of my roadbike today - for only trhe second time in decasdes and all the other roadies waved at me 🙂

I felt like I belonged. Not the usual scowls you get if you are on MTB