BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

While there's a modicum of humor here and I don't want to hijack the thread or ignite a flamewar, I feel compelled to share that I find the depiction of roadies as freaks and outliers counterproductive, and it's especially discouraging when it comes from within the cycling community. I can't speak for the situation here, but back in Boston the utilitarian riders held such antipathy toward roadies that we were effectively exiled from both state and local bike advocacy groups. That's ridiculous... Bike riders are already such a minority that instigating divisions and disrespect between subcultures dilutes our effectiveness and harms us all. Every sub-group of riders have their own peculiar idiosyncrasies we could mock. Say what you will about roadies, but I have never heard a group of them publicly and overtly maligning utility riders, mountain bikers, bike messengers, downhillers, BMXers, touring riders, commuters, or any of their other fellow riders. IMO YMMV et alia.

I don't think I can properly define the distinctions myself. And to those who never touch a bike, we're all one and the same.

I thought that was funny, in spite of the exaggerations, because there were many grains of truth. Compared to some other cycling centers where one type of cyclist dominates (Xenia OH - road cyclists, Davis WV - mountain bikers, Portland OR - commuters), Pittsburgh and BikePGH have a nice mix of all kinds of cyclists.

I hope there are lots and lots of others like you, Stu. ;^) In my experience, most people (riders or not) who single out roadies as a class lead with the "guys in spandex" moniker. For riders who despise roadies, I think the antagonism stems from a couple possibilities.

• Some roadies comes across as unfriendly because sometimes they get too absorbed in their effort to wave and smile or greet other riders;
• some roadies want to challenge each other and ride near their limits, which can make group rides seem unwelcoming to slower riders;
• riders who equate cycling infrastructure with safety sometimes see roadies as having clung for decades to the old vehicular cycling canon in order to "keep the roads to themselves".

I don't think your second point can be emphasized enough. It doesn't matter what kind of rider you are, to many drivers you're just some moron going out of your way to make an obstacle of yourself. And it's going to take all of us working together to have any hope of changing that.

Well, except for mountain bikers, of course. Those guys suck.

How many cyclists throw up on the Dirty Dozen?

https://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum/f45/vomiting-bike-36885.html If you don't throw up, you aren't trying hard enough--and you know what that makes you... Mountain bikers don't have that problem: https://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-news/wipe-off-that-water-bottle-mountain-bikers-vomit/

Real bikers aren't animations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMCkuqL9IcM

These might be funny but what is with the language? Is it a cyclist thing to swear?

@Italianblend--you must be a biker--have another gel--I think you need it. Swearing IS a cyclist thing: http://www.indiatimes.com/health/buzz/although-nothing-can-justify-swearing-science-claims-that-it-gives-people-strength-277865.html If you start swearing more, you might be allowed to join the cyclist ranks and get the secret finger-point and discounts...They'll contact you.

Wait, I thought bikers swear because cyclists are too busy vomiting?