why a lot of people seem to refer to riding road bikes as the 'darkside' ?

Because Singletrack is a mountainbike magazine?

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There is, depending on who you speak to a slight rift between road biking and mountain biking. Two very different disciplines However a lot of road riders mountain bike and many mountain bikers road ride esp in winter. I do find however I say helloe to MTB'rs and get a suitable responce but prob more often with road riders esp ones on their won I get ignored (not always mind you!). No thats not a trolling comment 😉

It's not really an English comment either, is it? 😉

Even on the road bike I get ignored by other roadies…There must be some sort of masonic thing that I don't know about… 😀

why a lot of people seem to refer to riding road bikes as the 'darkside' ?

Because they are pillocks.

HTH

I think MTB'rs don't really class themselves as such – I certainly class myself as a cyclist who like mountain biking the best but don't mind changing the record by doing a bit of roadying now and again. I feel roadies rarely venture into MTB so don't see it from the otherside?

Do you have a peak on your helmet nickc? might be the problem.

(Dont tell anyone, but i noticed Lance had a peak on his helmet the other day in the tour :O Keep it on the down low)

Because there's a lot of catchphrase "humour" fans on here?

I feel roadies rarely venture into MTB

This is bobbins. Kingtut seconded. 🙂

I feel roadies rarely venture into MTB

pfftt..

I'm 40 and been riding bikes most of my life. I started on road bikes and then mountain bikes in the late 80's. I now ride road, mountain bikes and cross bikes. I say hello or wave to everyone I see riding regardless of what they are on, I just enjoy riding and don't get this labeling thing?!

a lot of people seem to refer to riding road bikes as the 'darkside' ?

But they are idiots who are unable to think for themselves, they see other people saying 'darkside' so they feel the need to do it too as they are desperate to conform.

I couldn't give a toss who says hello and who doesn't. All this 'I get ignored' stuff is pathetic – do you need people to say hellow to you all the time? Speeds are higher on the road and passing another rider coming the other way it's usually pretty hard to hear a hello – look for a slight raising of the hand or a nod in your direction if you really feel a desperate need to belong.

KINGTUT – Member

why a lot of people seem to refer to riding road bikes as the 'darkside' ?

Because they are pillocks.

HTH

Spot on.

Kingtut thirded! Nimrods!

they take themselves very seriously, but then again, i actually thing EVERY sport takes itself seriously in comparison to MTBing…

its not so much that they are the dark side, but we are the enlightened ones who dont get caught up in "politics"

because it is an unspeakable perversion, leading one to suppose deep evil within its protagonists :o)

its not so much that they are the dark side, but we are the enlightened ones who dont get caught up in "politics"

utter pish and a sweeping generalisation. Mountain bikers do dress like tramps when they ride though.

I couldn't give a toss who says hello and who doesn't.

Its just what we do in the country! I must say when I lived in various cities in the past people are not that willing to make eye contact etc… esp london. We say hello to our fellow humans – its called being sociable. It feels good when you acknowledge peoples presence – don't you feel you want to say hello or "morning"?

Speeds are higher on the road and passing another rider coming the other way it's usually pretty hard to hear a hello

Absolute rubbish IMO – a smile, lip reading, wave – all the same – acknowledgement – my local roadie club usually say hello to me – its the serious single rider who see's you but blanks you – Yes I do find that rude I have to say – rightly or wrongly! 🙂

(Dont tell anyone, but i noticed Lance had a peak on his helmet the other day in the tour :O Keep it on the down low)

Did he? I thought so but then decided it was his glasses stuck on the front of his lid.

If he did that obviously explains why he hasn't won the tour already.

Absolute rubbish IMO

Really, perhaps you just ride very slowly. But 2 riders passing at 20mph makes it quite difficult to hear each other unless you shout. Now that would be desperate for recognition.

don't you feel you want to say hello or "morning"?

But I couldn't care less if someone reciprocates. Do you say hello to everyone you walk past in the street?

But I couldn't care less if someone reciprocates.

Glad I don't see you out on a ride then ya misserable wotsit! 😯

OK maybe you don't hear every word but its a gesture like noding, smiling – you know your out having a fun ride (HAVING FUN) and I smile at someone as I am having a GOOD TIME! OK you don't have to but have you ever tried smiling at soemone whilst riding on! 😉

Glad I don't see you out on a ride then ya misserable wotsit!

Eh, I'm mesirable because I don't care if someone says hello back or not? How do you work that one out, do you know what 'reciprocates' means?

Do roadies refer to going mountain biking as the darkside I wonder?

Don't have a problem with people calling it the 'darkside'. Just like a silly nickname…don't see that its ever taken that seriously: a bit of banter between slightly different groups.

'Do roadies refer to going mountain biking as the darkside I wonder?'

No, it's just another form of cycling, it's not a big deal.

No.

So is there a roadie nickname for mountain biking?

dogging

'So is there a roadie nickname for mountain biking?'

Dunno, but if there is it would be used by the same childish types that call road riding the 'darkside'.

It's all cycling.

Do you say hello, or morning to people. I guess from your posts you do. So if you don't care why say hello? Maybe I am missing the point Gary_M.

I can see you are not bothered about anyone saying hello back but where I live its just a way of life when you are out walking, riding etc – So if people don't do it I;m taken aback at little. Perhaps in other areas people arn't so bothered about talking to other people etc….

Bike Radar link – http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/humour-tips-for-becoming-a-roadie-14451

Humour: Tips for becoming a roadie! Just passing it on – ……running away….. 🙂

(Dont tell anyone, but i noticed Lance had a peak on his helmet the other day in the tour :O Keep it on the down low)

Armstrong nearly always wears a peak if it's raining

Do you say hello, or morning to people

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Depends on a lot of things, traffic conditions, speed, weather, etc. I don't have a rule though and expect everyone else to follow it and consider them rude if they don't.

Dunno, but if there is it would be used by the same childish types that call road riding the 'darkside'.

It's all cycling.

As childish as you may consider it having some types calling it darkside or whatever, I find others can take it all to seriously…its just a bit of fun: no harm done.

Did he? I thought so but then decided it was his glasses stuck on the front of his lid.

He sure did, on that rainy stage. He has had his glasses on the front of his helmet though (yesterday i think)

Peak on a road bike?!?! has he no shame? 😉

No harm at all. If you want to be immature and have a silly nickname for things then I ain't bothered. It does make you sound a bit of an idiot though amongst 'serious' cyclists. I can imagine those that say it also call their bike a 'steed'.

>dogging

Well, it often involves getting out of yer clothes in carparks on the edge of woodlane, so I guess there's some similarity 😉

No-one's mentioned the *other* darkside…recumbents !

Must say I always thought the term was tongue in cheek…dunno why anyone takes offence to it…equally some folks on one of the (US-centric) recumbent forums seem to think 'roadie' is a perjorative….

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Depends on a lot of things, traffic conditions, speed, weather, etc. I don't have a rule though and expect everyone else to follow it and consider them rude if they don't.

I don't expect people to folow my rule I am just disapointed when people don't respond. Perhaps I am just happy and sociable when I ride and want to share that with others. No I don't want to be everyones friend and I am not knowingly mentally aflicted – just my opinion.

your entitled you your opinions!

utter pish and a sweeping generalisation. Mountain bikers do dress like tramps when they ride though.

make you sound a bit of an idiot though amongst 'serious' cyclists

Blimey you are definately serious – I think I must of passed you on a road ride – you were the serious one who ignored me 😉

So is there a roadie nickname for mountain biking?

I'll bet there is and I bet on a roadie forum somewhere there's someone moaning about it right now. It's just a nickname, don't worry about it.

Dunno what the problem is with expecting a reciprocated hello if "it's all cycling". Yes I say hi/wave if I see another cyclist, no I don't wave hello to everyone in the street but if I'm out in the countryside I tend to greet anyone I meet walker/biker/horsey. If you're in a minority/gang/clique/niche it's nice to say hi, and in the street we are certainly a minority. None bikeys at work don't get it either "I don't wave to all the other drivers".

mind you I don't get all P'd Off about it if they don't reciprocate.

f you want to be immature and have a silly nickname for things then I ain't bothered.

might there not be other reasons ? Like the natural urge to make fun out of everyone?