snotty roadies

Alan35

I went out on my roadbike last week and did a quick twenty miles. I passed a number of other roadies and when I acknowledged their presence, I got a nod or a wave back.

Flash forward seven days. Out today on my mountain bike - same gear - same route - nothing, not even a smile when I again said hello.

Why are road bikies so snotty?

luke2792

The same thing happens to me and I cannot understand why

When on my road bike whenever I give someone a nod - I receive one back
But when out on my mountain bike no one responds not even mountain bikers

JonBurns

I'll nod, wave say hello to anyone when I'm on either bike or walking. It's just the way I am.

whyamihere

It's just the season, their colds will go once it gets a bit warmer.

on the road

Alan35 wrote:

I went out on my roadbike last week and did a quick twenty miles. I passed a number of other roadies and when I acknowledged their presence, I got a nod or a wave back.

Flash forward seven days. Out today on my mountain bike - same gear - same route - nothing, not even a smile when I again said hello.

Why are road bikies so snotty?

You are right, we are such a snotty bunch

Mog Uk

Laughing at this, it's so true...

I commuted all last year on my MTB and passed the same roadie every single night and he never once acknowledged me! Since starting the new year on my road bike he nods everytime !

Funny ol game this cycling malarky.... :?

pst88

I always give other cyclists a nod whilst commuting on my MTB. Hardly anyone returns the gesture. I assumed it was just because they were all miserable bastards, now I realise they are just disgusted by my choice of bike.

richardast

Maybe your mudguards didn't reach the ground at the back. They don't like that.
:roll:

CanterburyTailwind

Weirdly, the opposite happens to me: I commute on an old road bike, and always pass someone riding the other way on either a MTB or hybrid. I always say hello, and never get a response. I've got to the stage where I'm now saying hello chirpily just to piss him off.

God, how he must hate me...

Spare Tyre

I've been blanked many times by people on mountain bikes while riding my road bike, so it cuts both ways. However, the stereotype of the "snotty roadie" is the one that sticks. In the end, does it really matter whether all cyclists wave at each other?

webbhost

personally I think its because "anyone" can have a mountain bike... they are slow and heavy and are intended for offroad use (I do have a mountain bike too btw and I do ride it on roads when needed so I'm not victimising MTB users).

However when 2 roadies see each other I think it gives a much stronger impression that you are both in the same game. Hard to explain what Im tryin 2 say but I just thinkin being in roadie gear and on a roadie bike looks much more professional and differenciates you from the kids swirling all over the roads on their mountain bikes on the way home from school.??

fossyant

Well I let on to all sorts, road bike or MTB..... a few roadies on my commute will ignore me, on my commuted up MTB, but I do see another guy, obviously a roadie, on his MTB - you can tell us - arse up head down.................we both let on.....

I'm a roadie, and let on to anyone who is on a bike, well those who look as though they are trying.... I've nothing to gain, but you get a smile back - it's infectious you know..... costs nothing, and is far better than sitting in the bloody car (that lives on the driveway these days).....

Garybee

What are you doing riding a mountain bike and expecting us to acknowledge your presence? I'll not waste my time nor my energy on those unfit, overweight, knobbly tyred muppets.

Buy a proper bike and some club kit (not trade kit) and after i've passed you a few thousand times then, and only then, if i'm in a good mood, i might consider raising a finger from the hood of my immaculate carbon shifters just before i pass you.

Shadowduck

CanterburyTailwind wrote:

Weirdly, the opposite happens to me: I commute on an old road bike, and always pass someone riding the other way on either a MTB or hybrid. I always say hello, and never get a response. I've got to the stage where I'm now saying hello chirpily just to wee-wee him off.

God, how he must hate me...

That, almost word for word, is exactly the comment I was going to post. :shock:

*checks for hidden cameras*

DavidTQ

Theres not many roadies that I see on my commute, I always greet cyclists I pass, unless Ive seen them jump a redlight or ride the pavements.

I ride a road bike, to get home from work as quickly and easily as possible. Every other commuter I see is clearly in the same boat as me regardless of machine.

Ste_S

Alan35 wrote:

I went out on my roadbike last week and did a quick twenty miles. I passed a number of other roadies and when I acknowledged their presence, I got a nod or a wave back.

Flash forward seven days. Out today on my mountain bike - same gear - same route - nothing, not even a smile when I again said hello.

Why are road bikies so snotty?

Cuts both ways. When I wave to someone on a MTB, normally I'll be ignored.

Tubster

I reckon this is a miserable handover from the black alpaca days of secretive time trialing at silly o'clock in the morning. Can't let on that you race to any of the public lest you feel the pinch of the local bobby on your shoulder !
I have also found that since i hung up my racing wheels and took to trails on my mtb riders that I recognise from local clubs blast by with out so much as i grunt, i may as well be a car.
Think i will take the old track bike out spin down the road in 66" fixed and ignor any one who is common enough to use gears.
Maybe i will nod to Ste_s coming in the other direction on a track bike but don't count on it.

giant_man

Have to say there is some truth in all this. I always acknowledge roadies being a roadie myself but I hardly ever bother with mtb riders. Don't know why really, guess it's to do with the fact I can't take mountain bikes seriously I suppose. Never have. Strange but true.

stevec205gti

As a sideline - whilst in my 205 i will also wave at other 205 gti drivers, and whilst in my Spitfire I'll wave at other Triumph drivers. I wonder if all the other car drivers I pass that I don't wave at log onto forums moaning about 205 and Spitfire drivers being snotty and miserable????

:P

Mog Uk

Reminds me of my first car, VW beetle, used to love the whole 'community feel' that went with it, quick beep of the horn and a wave, or hang lose sign... Similar when I had a company car ( BMW ) used to get the beeps usually followed by a w4nking gesture, strange one that....

Monty Dog

I generally acknowledge any other dedicated-looking cyclist on the road, regardless of what type of bike they're riding. I think the 'MTB comics' are as much to blame - they often make trite comments about other cyclists. Many have been riding long enough before BMXs and MTB's even existed - and own MTBs too - but it appears to me that the pre-pubescent like MTB crowd are the ones at pains to make out how 'different' and 'anti-establishment' they are rather than the other way round.

meagain

I tend to wave or nod at all: roadies hardly ever respond when I'm on a rigid atb (Mtb it sure isn't!). I found best way to faze them was a s/s jump bike - wave exageratedly and they are so keen to look the other way they often nearly fall off!

M'cyclists tend to the same behaviour, but not quite as elitist. Race reps v cruisers v scooters v step-thrus.

orv

I just wave at everyone, whatever they're riding (well when out riding at the weekend, be daft to whilst commuting through london!). Haven't really seen any pattern. some smile and nod, others dont. I would say it's about the same ratio as the number of people who smile at you when you're out walking.

I do particularly enjoy giving a cheery hello and wave.... as I overtake other roadies going up 20% hills.

brit66

M'cyclists tend to the same behaviour, but not quite as elitist. Race reps v cruisers v scooters v step-thrus.

I used to ride a m'bike and agree it's a similar thing but I certainly never lost a minute's sleep when someone ignored me on either mode of transport.

Mettan

Then there's the phenomena of two roadies approaching one another......... what do they do, both speed up and look more composed than they really are at that point. Last week I'd just done 6 miles at around 19mph avg ie a "good blast" - on a slight incline I slowed down to around 11 or 12 mph for a brief 30-60 second break - pootling along when another roadie comes hurtling in the other direction on the other side of the road at around 20-23 mph approx nice and calm - he was on a slight decline though

star_rover

Of course there are times when you say hello/nod to an MTBer on the other side of the road only to realise once you're passed that it was a middle aged bloke on a Halford's jalopy on his way to the corner shop for a paper. He's wondering why a weirdo in lycra thinks he knows him.
What irks me more is the roadies passing opposite who ignore your greeting, but are quite clearly taking the time to check out your bike, gear, etc. Are they thinking, "he's only got 105, not entitled to a nod, has to be Ultegra or above"?

redddraggon

star_rover wrote:

Are they thinking, "he's only got 105, not entitled to a nod, has to be Ultegra or above"?

I'd say if they had Shimano (even DA) they're not entitled to a nod from a "snotty roadie"

Shimano? No roadie in their right mind would ride Shimano without being paid to do (sponsor) surely?

celbianchi

stevec205gti wrote:

As a sideline - whilst in my 205 i will also wave at other 205 gti drivers, and whilst in my Spitfire I'll wave at other Triumph drivers. I wonder if all the other car drivers I pass that I don't wave at log onto forums moaning about 205 and Spitfire drivers being snotty and miserable????

:P

I have just come back into the office from lunch and am outraged at the number of pedestrians I walked by who did not give me a cheery nod of the head and wave.

Joking aside, as a racing roadie my view is that you tend to imagine another roadie will be similar. an MTB is designed to ride off road and if I see one on the road I may assume (wrongly in some cases) that they are a joker.

star_rover

redddraggon wrote:

star_rover wrote:

Are they thinking, "he's only got 105, not entitled to a nod, has to be Ultegra or above"?

I'd say if they had Shimano (even DA) they're not entitled to a nod from a "snotty roadie"

Shimano? No roadie in their right mind would ride Shimano without being paid to do (sponsor) surely?

I knew that was coming.

Ste_S

redddraggon wrote:

star_rover wrote:

Are they thinking, "he's only got 105, not entitled to a nod, has to be Ultegra or above"?

I'd say if they had Shimano (even DA) they're not entitled to a nod from a "snotty roadie"

Shimano? No roadie over 50 (who hasn't moved with the times) in their right mind would ride Shimano without being paid to do (sponsor) surely?

Corrected

geoff_ss

Happily commuting is a thing of the past for me but the few cyclists I saw as I rode up the A6 to Matlock this morning gave me a cheery wave. I suppose they were all, like me, of a certain age and just glad to be still turning the pedals

In my commuting days a guy passed me on the quiet part of my ride without acknowledging. It was a head wind day and I was pretty fit so I jumped on his wheel, something I wouldn't normally do without at least tacit permission. The idiot tried to drop me and finally gave up the ghost on a slight rise when I pulled out, gave him a cheery 'Thanks mate' and left him for dead.

Geoff