Spotted my absolute favourite type of cyclists the other day. On the train, naturally. I was there too, with bike. This was not the focus of my snobbery.

Neither was it their steeds (irony intended). They had chosen well. A well known and broadly respected brand, well specced, not over priced (from my limited knowledge of that manufacturers range/rrps).

What drew my stiffled giggles wast that they were fully all the gear. Not ATGNI though. Just All. The. Gear. As if they had gone to their local outdoor activities store, and a few others, and raided the ‘cycling accessories’ aisle for everything they had. Gel saddle covers? Check. Handlebar mounted bottle cage, to match the down and seat tube ones, filled with tiny bottles? Check. Horn AND bell? Oh yes. Helmet? Of course, and it fits, or it would were it not covering most of the neck, and none of the forehead…

I know, I know, better out than not, they’re having fun etc. But lolz. A little prior thought to what you are buying might save you pounds and lbs off your cycling. With a bit of luck, actually riding the bikes will let them know what’s actually necessary.

Flame away, I don’t care, I’m still chuckling away to myself.

We all started somewhere.

Harmless – when I’ve worked in bike shops, many of the people, regular customers who had bikes like this often suffered mental impairments and the bicycle was their only mode of transport, the bike shop provided social interaction and with their very limited income was their way of bestowing love on their bikes.  We’d often do freebies, keep and recycle old parts for them rather than pass judgment from afar.

Just be grateful that you’ve enough disposable income to afford nice stuff and maybe if your circumstances were different you’d not be such a dick about it to others?

I’m fairly sure they didn’t have mental impairments, or struggled for cash, quite middle class actually, out for a bit of a jolly.

^^^ Now thats what i call being flamed

stiffled giggles

Freudian.

So they weren’t wearing the correct uniform?, hardly suprising the general public think serious cyclists are total bell ends, outside of your little elitist bubble this is the  general consensus, very far from cool.

Embrace  your inner bumbly, they are wide eyed and enthusiastic, all very refreshing.

Couldnt fault what they were wearing tbh, just the hilarious levels of accessorisation. Like they’ve gone into the shop, asked the assistant what they need, then said yes to everything he has put in front of them.

So there you go tomhoward – now you know, you’re not supposed to judge people on the train, but every one on STW is allowed to judge YOU.

To be fair on them, when I started cycling upgrades was pretty much anything I could add to a bike, the concept of actually swapping something that wasn’t broken was completely alien, If I had a spare bottle cage I probably zip tied it to the seatpost just incase I wanted another bottle on longer rides.  Most other stuff came straight off the cover of MBUK.

And if you go down to any busy trail (center, or natural) you see exactly the same thing,  Only these people read MBR and STW so spend every penny on pointless bling and accurements. I mean have you ever actually tried to explain to a non mountainbiker that you spent £250 on a seatpost that goes up when you press a button on the handlebars? They look at you like you’ve completely lost the plot spending the cost of a cheap holiday on a seatpost!

Not sure if it was a deliberate effort on everyone’s part but it was quite refreshing on the STW Swinley ride in February that quite a few of us were riding bike that were just cobbled together!

They should have worn black Rapha and a scowl.  Everyone knows that is the way to look cool on a bike.

I remember being really annoyed by a Twunt who used to ride through Cardiff everyday when I worked there.

Canondale Badboy, not a bad choice, but he was just an anti-social prick, he only rode pavement, cutting through pedestrians like a twunt and wore a Troy Lee FF, just in case I presume he accidentally hit his face on a pedestrian. I might have told him a few times too.

I mean have you ever actually tried to explain to a non mountainbiker that you spent £250 on a seatpost that goes up when you press a button on the handlebars? They look at you like you’ve completely lost the plot spending the cost of a cheap holiday on a seatpost!

Absolutely. And when you step back it all seems rather absurd.

At the start of the winter, Novemberish. I was getting my bike out and putting the front wheel on, when two locals approached and started to take the p!ss out of me for being posh with my Cotic and hope hoops. Their bikes were a mix and match/ rat look affair with resprayed frames. They were designed to look rough but closer inspection revealed stealth parts (I didn’t get the chance for a full eyeball). As they were ridiculing me, a new Audi A6 estate with yeti on roof, followed by a BMW 3 series with Santa Cruise on roof followed by Merc C class with Santa Cruise on roof pulled in to the car park. The guy who had done most of the talking announced ” this sport is so uncool” and they both rode off.

On reflection you have to agree with them.

edit … I would have to agree with them. I speak for no one else.

It’s not supposed to be cool, is it?

I thought they were quite funny, almost like it was a well worn routine…

I know what you mean about the coolness.

No it’s not. But something can still be very very uncool.

Who really cares what anyone else is riding/wearing unless it’s a death trap, if they are new and enthusiastic, let them get on with it.

They’ll quickly figure out that carrying 3x 0.75l water bottles negates thier expensive lightweight builds, despite they are using lightweight carbon bottle cages.

Who really cares what anyone else is riding/wearing…..

+1

Just All. The. Gear.

Im about to start a thread about this defiling of the English language .

I’m not immune to being judgemental though I suppose.

2 occasions spring to mind, a chav on a double crown cheap dh bike in Bradford centre, I thought was either stolen or a fashion trend.

And a guy on the train once who had a fairly regular hard tail, but he was tall and wearing smart jeans and a pseudo trendy top, probably super dry or the like, the bike frame was obviously too small and the saddle was slammed like a BMX or jump bike.. I had to wonder to myself what they were trying to accomplish.

I know what you mean Tom.

My father in law has every single conceivable accessory on his bike. It’s like he’s sponsored by Topeak, SKS and BBB. Even has an air zound in one of the bottle cages. It would need two people to put it on a roof rack. And he wonders why I bring my own bike when I come to visit! Not that I don’t appreciate his generosity, and I might ride it if it were stripped down and didn’t have a leather saddle moulded to his arse.

Told colleague at work I can now a cycling-related t-shirt everyday of the week. Told me that’s really not cool or something to brag about. What a loser.

I’m afraid that I would have to agree with the yoof mentioned in the post above..the blokes in the Merc & BMW..re-branding the names of their bikes to read Santa Cruise…just not cool at all!😁

Doh!

they are name after the place! I’m gonna blame auto correct

Somewhere in this video it says about spending more on your bike than your car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPVRU7jSYkQ

So there you go tomhoward – now you know, you’re not supposed to judge people on the train, but every one on STW is allowed to judge YOU.

Welcome to my world Tom lol!

(Diversion tactics on)

Merc C class

Which I’ve discovered is much cheaper on lease than buying my 120d over the same period

(Diversion tactics off)

I’d inhaled and constantly revisited Richard’s Bicycle Book for about six months before getting my first road bike.

My aunt had knitted me a huge Arran jumper and I wore that, over a tracksuit and t shirt.

I thought everyone wore this, plus a cape whenever it rained.

I’ve no idea why, as I’d been happily razzing around in a t shirt and shorts on my Grifter and Tomahawk for years…

It weighed a ton and I was constantly dehydrated for about a week until my dad had a word….

The jumper lasted about a fortnight until it got absolutely soaked and ended up around my knees.