Things non-cyclists say to cyclists

bails87

Kieran_Burns wrote:

"Yeah, I cycle as well. I bought one from Halfords. Cost me over ONE HUNDRED QUID!!!!" (in a voice of near disbelief)

Yeah, the number of times I've had:
"You do a lot of biking don't you?"
-"Yeah, why?"
"I was thinking of getting a bike, I've got a fair bit of money saved up for one,what would you recommend?"
-"Oh, cool, how much are you planning on spending?"
"Quite a lot.....like up to £200..."
-"Oh...."

rick_chasey

bails87 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

"Yeah, I cycle as well. I bought one from Halfords. Cost me over ONE HUNDRED QUID!!!!" (in a voice of near disbelief)

Yeah, the number of times I've had:
"You do a lot of biking don't you?"
-"Yeah, why?"
"I was thinking of getting a bike, I've got a fair bit of money saved up for one,what would you recommend?"
-"Oh, cool, how much are you planning on spending?"
"Quite a lot.....like up to £200..."
-"Oh...."

I had non-cyclist ask how much she should spend for a pootle round London bike. I said start at £400 and she went "Yeah, fair enough. Sounds about right".

jonny_trousers

"Oh, gosh, you look so - um - so sexy in that lycra. It makes me feel so - I don't know - so incredibly - um - so incredibly hot! I - I hope you don't mind Mr Trousers, but I - I think I might need to loosen a few buttons on my blouse to - to cool down a little, I mean. Do you think you could - um - do you think you could maybe loosen them for me?"

Problem is I work in an old folk's home.

notsoblue

Rick Chasey wrote:

bails87 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

"Yeah, I cycle as well. I bought one from Halfords. Cost me over ONE HUNDRED QUID!!!!" (in a voice of near disbelief)

Yeah, the number of times I've had:
"You do a lot of biking don't you?"
-"Yeah, why?"
"I was thinking of getting a bike, I've got a fair bit of money saved up for one,what would you recommend?"
-"Oh, cool, how much are you planning on spending?"
"Quite a lot.....like up to £200..."
-"Oh...."

I had non-cyclist ask how much she should spend for a pootle round London bike. I said start at £400 and she went "Yeah, fair enough. Sounds about right".

Bails and KB are northern...

rick_chasey

notsoblue wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

bails87 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

"Yeah, I cycle as well. I bought one from Halfords. Cost me over ONE HUNDRED QUID!!!!" (in a voice of near disbelief)

Yeah, the number of times I've had:
"You do a lot of biking don't you?"
-"Yeah, why?"
"I was thinking of getting a bike, I've got a fair bit of money saved up for one,what would you recommend?"
-"Oh, cool, how much are you planning on spending?"
"Quite a lot.....like up to £200..."
-"Oh...."

I had non-cyclist ask how much she should spend for a pootle round London bike. I said start at £400 and she went "Yeah, fair enough. Sounds about right".

Bails and KB are northern...

She was Eastern European!

(still is I believe).

clarkey cat

"It doesn't even have suspension!!!"

bails87

Rick Chasey wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

bails87 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

"Yeah, I cycle as well. I bought one from Halfords. Cost me over ONE HUNDRED QUID!!!!" (in a voice of near disbelief)

Yeah, the number of times I've had:
"You do a lot of biking don't you?"
-"Yeah, why?"
"I was thinking of getting a bike, I've got a fair bit of money saved up for one,what would you recommend?"
-"Oh, cool, how much are you planning on spending?"
"Quite a lot.....like up to £200..."
-"Oh...."

I had non-cyclist ask how much she should spend for a pootle round London bike. I said start at £400 and she went "Yeah, fair enough. Sounds about right".

Bails and KB are northern...

She was Eastern European!

(still is I believe).

Okay, the gorgeous Eastern European girl in the office next door asked me the same question, and her budget was a bit more. But I've had "loads.....like £200" several times.

Also had someone in the office asking me what the best £300 women's hybrid with an upright position is.....I ride to work on a carbon road bike or 'sporty' CX, how the %$&£ should I know!?

notsoblue

clarkey cat wrote:

"It doesn't even have suspension!!!"

Niicccceeeee

symo

You rode from Fleet! It's 7.5 miles away
With all this cycling you will be ready for the Tour de France From my MD, to which I replied 'So you are practicing for Silverstone then?"
You getting up at 6AM to get some miles in on a saturday! From GF

clarkey cat

"Nice bike mate, how do you get on with drop bars though? I only ever ride a hybrid."

rick_chasey

"I bet I could beat you on a bike. I go to the gym like 3 times a week and I do 20miles on the exercise bike in 45 minutes"

Bring it.

clarkey cat

"I'd get a comfier saddle mate"

welkman

I once got asked 'why are you riding a granddad bike when you could get a bmx' from a student. I ride a kona jake but admittedly do have a brooks saddle and mud flap combo, full guards and panniers.

rjsterry

welkman wrote:

I once got asked 'why are you riding a granddad bike when you could get a bmx' from a student. I ride a kona jake but admittedly do have a brooks saddle and mud flap combo, full guards and panniers.

Coz I int, like, twelve, innit.

NGale

"you cycle how far?!"
"You really should drive, it's quicker you know"
"sorry didn't see you there" (said even though you are covered in high vis and lit up like the Blackpool Illuminations!)
"Get a bell!" (said even though I have a bell and used it four times to warn some eejit that I was on the cycle path they decided to walk on!)

veronese68

Had to drive in today to get the car MOT'd. I got "I bet you're glad you were in the car with this cold". When I said that I'd rather cycle I got looks of total incredulity. They are now even more convinced that I'm completely insane.

Applespider

I got something similar today. "Why don't you catch the train in while it's so cold?" Um, well, because if I cycle in, I can put on lots of layers, stay warm as I pedal and the odd minute here and there at lights, isn't enough to get that chilled. If I catch the train, I have to stand around at a cold bus stop and then on a cold station platform while being broiled alive on the bus/train because the heating is on full whack and it's packed - and feel colder when I get off again.

thegibdog

Whilst on the bike:
"Sorry I didn't see you"
"Are you a car?"
"Get on the pavement!"
"You nearly ran over my dog!"

Whilst off the bike
"You cyclists..."
"If I'd had driven into him I would've ended up paying on my insurance"
"You must be mad"

Initialised

Best one was shortly after I started.

"In no time you'll be riding a fixed gear, single speed with no brakes"
it hasn't happened yet but I have thought about it

Also

"The A1's safer now you're not on it every day"


"Every time I hear about a cyclist in an accident on the radio on the way in I think of you and wonder if you'll turn up"

CiB

I've twice had "yeah yeah. I'm a cyclist too" from some halfwit who's on the wrong end of a full & frank discussion with me after nearly running me over, once on a roundabout, and once on a T junction where he came out without a second glance.

If you're a cyclist and not some fat berk who rides just the 200 yards to the pub, you'd know not to run your brethren over. Pffft.

mtb-idle

Loads of people I've worked with over the years say "I'm a mountain biker too, I'd love to come out riding with you"

Great I say, I'm going out this weekend.

Ah, I'm busy this weekend.

well, I'm out next weekend too and the one after that.

Never see them.

CarlosDSanchez

"I think all you cyclists should be forced to wear helmets for your own safety"

"Cycling is a really high risk activity"

"I saw some bloke get knocked off his bike the other day, wasn't his fault, driver didn't see him. He was wearing hi viz and well lit up to, just like you are"......

byke68

velohutts wrote:

WHY ?
Your not cycling in this are you ?
Do you want a lift ??
You must be mad.
Why are you looking at more cycling stuff ?

re the last because it is nice and shiny and nice .......(for info of soon to be wife)

I've had the "do you want a lift" a few times when it starts to rain or if I finish late. Why would I?
The same person trys to argue about flashing bike lights being harder to see than a constant beam!

Escadrille Ecosse

Question "Why would anyone spend that much money (£1000) on a bike?"

Reply " Still got the Porsche?"

jimmypippa

Applespider wrote:

I got something similar today. "Why don't you catch the train in while it's so cold?" Um, well, because if I cycle in, I can put on lots of layers, stay warm as I pedal and the odd minute here and there at lights, isn't enough to get that chilled. If I catch the train, I have to stand around at a cold bus stop and then on a cold station platform while being broiled alive on the bus/train because the heating is on full whack and it's packed - and feel colder when I get off again.

Indeed.

Minus 7 this morning, and I had all my venting zips on my coat open to stoop me overheating.

Driving a car is bloody cold.

richk

I always seem to get "what do you do when it rains?"

jimmypippa

jimmypippa wrote:

Applespider wrote:

I got something similar today. "Why don't you catch the train in while it's so cold?" Um, well, because if I cycle in, I can put on lots of layers, stay warm as I pedal and the odd minute here and there at lights, isn't enough to get that chilled. If I catch the train, I have to stand around at a cold bus stop and then on a cold station platform while being broiled alive on the bus/train because the heating is on full whack and it's packed - and feel colder when I get off again.

Indeed.

Minus 7 this morning, and I had all my venting zips on my coat open to stoop me overheating.

Driving a car is bloody cold.

Actually, the bit in red is probably why people think it is so hard. They get too hot and cold because they aren't generating any heat themselves, so forget what it is like outside the "comfortable" environment of PT or a car.

gareth1234

"Why?"

"You can drive, why?"

" I'd love to ride my bike to work but I live to close, so it's not worth getting it out of the garage"

"Aren't you embarrassed wearing tights?"

And similar to RichK..."What happens when it rains though?" Which is always accompanied by a 'knowing' wink

Twostage

jimmypippa wrote:

jimmypippa wrote:

Applespider wrote:

I got something similar today. "Why don't you catch the train in while it's so cold?" Um, well, because if I cycle in, I can put on lots of layers, stay warm as I pedal and the odd minute here and there at lights, isn't enough to get that chilled. If I catch the train, I have to stand around at a cold bus stop and then on a cold station platform while being broiled alive on the bus/train because the heating is on full whack and it's packed - and feel colder when I get off again.

Indeed.

Minus 7 this morning, and I had all my venting zips on my coat open to stoop me overheating.

Driving a car is bloody cold.

Actually, the bit in red is probably why people think it is so hard. They get too hot and cold because they aren't generating any heat themselves, so forget what it is like outside the "comfortable" environment of PT or a car.

I had to take the car in last Thursday. As I was walking to my car on the way home I was freezing and thinking "if I was on my bike I'd be nice and warm".

t.m.h.n.e.t

"What are you training for?"
"Pay road tax you bas**rd!"
"My car is warmer" (these people are usually on the larger side)
"How far did you go?"
"Are you not freezing?"
"I couldn't do that distance"
"I hate morning traffic"
"Traffic is a nightmare"