Cycling Etiquette

dean7879

I ride my Giant roam hybrid bike to work instead of my fancy road bike. The other day i overtook a couple of guys on their carbon bikes and they was all kitted out while i was in my jogging bottoms.. Just for a joke i said 'cya later' as i passed them. The one fella shouted 'WANKER!' at me, in a rather gruff manly voice as i sped ahead.

I just wanted to know am i a bad man? I felt rather bad after but it was just a joke

dilatory

Two people you don't know (and probably a bunch of us who you don't know) would think you're a bit of a tit and that's the end of it. If it was a one off and a joke in poor taste taken badly then brush it off and carry on with your life.

dean7879

Thank you. i will take your advice

sloppyschleckonds

Do you play golf?

dean7879

only the crazy kind

BrandonA

Regardless of what you and they were riding or wearing, what you said was sarcastic and rude. A simple hello or evening or morning is all that is required and will get a good response back.

littledove44

What does rubber mean?

Father Faff

Condom?

slowbike

BrandonA wrote:

Regardless of what you and they were riding or wearing, what you said was sarcastic and rude. A simple hello or evening or morning is all that is required and will get a good response back.

Was it? I'm having a little difficulty in understanding what was wrong ....


One bloke overtook two others and said cya later (see you later?). Dunno about you lot, but I wouldn't have taken offence .... I'd be a bit peeved that I wasn't faster - but perhaps I'd just finished a century ride or similar ...

sloppyschleckonds

littledove44 wrote:

What does rubber mean?

He also has a hearing problem, it was probably 'knobber'

dean7879

it was meant to be 'w***ker' but bikeradar changed the swear word to rubber :shock:

dean7879

Talking of condoms i did see a man wear one on his head for an helmet once. quite funny

ai_1

Insulting 2 guys you don't know as you overtake them, even if it was in a half-jokey sarcastic sort of way makes you an ass. If it was me I wouldn't have deemed you worthy of a response but I still would have thought you were an ass and you would have detracted a little from my enjoyment of the ride. If you don't have something pleasant, helpful or funny to say, keep your mouth shut.
(and when I say funny I mean actually funny not what you seem to think passes as a joke)

ravenvrider

From the OP's perspective it was a challenge, and the guys had a choice to either launch an attack that destroys him, or hang back and admit he was right. Balls in their court...they opted to sling an insult...would not have been my choice.

dean7879

i just thought that i shouldn't be overtaking someone on a road bike while im on my hybrid bike. i was insulted by that

kingstonian

To be fair I think what you did was a bit twattish

andrewjoseph

dean7879 wrote:

i just thought that i shouldn't be overtaking someone on a road bike while im on my hybrid bike. i was insulted by that

Seriously? You were insulted?

chris_bass

Depends how you said it, if it was with a cheeky smile and a wave they were maybe a bit harsh if you said it in a see ya you slow 4rsed old ****s then they were probably spot on.

Either way you are thinking about this way too much and I'm sure the people who you passed have forgotten it already, or you posted this as a way of saying, hey I overtook some people just riding my hybrid arent I cool

ai_1

dean7879 wrote:

i just thought that i shouldn't be overtaking someone on a road bike while im on my hybrid bike. i was insulted by that

My opinion of you just dropped considerably lower.
Utter nonsense

Philly8mt

Although personally I don't think ya stupid comment would ruin my day ... I can see why they may form and express a opinion of you based on it.

slowbike

I was out for a family ride today - my sis and my dad - pootling along ... Overtaken by 3 sportive riders - no prob, a fourth rider came past - looked like a seasoned audax type chap, wanting a bit of a stretch I jumped on his wheel. He then accelerated away, past all 3 sportive riders with me on his tail .... 500 yards later he seemed to decide I wasn't to be shaken so waved me alongside - I said hi and then had to turn back to wait for the family ... As I went back past the Sportives they didn't look too happy . Oh, it didn't help I was on my commuting bike with racks etc ... And dressed in jeans, tshirt and jacket

StillGoing

dean7879 wrote:

i just thought that i shouldn't be overtaking someone on a road bike while im on my hybrid bike. i was insulted by that

Ha you knew exactly what you were doing; saw 2 guys on carbon road bikes and thought you'd rub their faces in it by going past them on your hybrid whilst offering a snide put down. You intended to crush them mentally but alas they just saw you for the show off (or as they call it w4nker) you are. How do you know they haven't just started or are finishing a massive ride and are pacing themselves? What about just happy to be bimbling along having a conversation without the wind noise drowning the conversation out? A simple morning/afternoon as you went by would have conveyed a genuine exchange of greetings.

HellsCyclist

WOW! So much intolerance. OPs comment was only light hearted mickey taking. Wouldnt say the same thing for calling someone a banker (a slightly different word that describes the same thing )

StillGoing

HellsCyclist wrote:

WOW! So much intolerance. OPs comment was only light hearted mickey taking. Wouldnt say the same thing for calling someone a banker (a slightly different word that describes the same thing )

Read the original post and there is so much in there that says it wasn't a tongue in cheek greeting and more a deliberate put down just because the OP was on a hybrid instead of a road bike, and wearing jogging bottoms instead of being "kitted out". The OP is after bragging rights for being able to pass riders on carbon road bikes dressed in all the gear whilst riding a hybrid and wearing totally unsuitable clothing. Well whoopy feking do.

dean7879 wrote:

I ride my Giant roam hybrid bike to work instead of my fancy road bike. The other day i overtook a couple of guys on their carbon bikes and they was all kitted out while i was in my jogging bottoms.. Just for a joke i said 'cya later' as i passed them. The one fella shouted 'rubber!' at me, in a rather gruff manly voice as i sped ahead.

I just wanted to know am i a bad man? I felt rather bad after but it was just a joke

tootsie323

Interesting point for discussion, passing a rider on a road bike when you are on a bike not built for such, say, speed.

I was returning home from work the other evening. My route takes me cross-country before returning to town, so I'm on my (29er) hardtail XC bike. Having hit the asphalt, I see myself closing in on a guy on a road bike (not clad in lycra, I night add), just cruising. I'm conscious of the scenario where 'slower-bike-will-overtake-faster-bike' and am briefly in a quandry over this. I decided not to compromise my own momentum and went on by.

For the record, he repassed me again about a k, or so, later - guess he was simply taking a breather. But my point is, who else becomes a little 'shy' over the idea of passing a bike that is designed for higher pace than the one you are on?

StillGoing

There's nothing wrong with passing anyone on anything. Give a cheery greeting as you pass is sociable. But, why come on cycling forums to brag about doing it when it achieves absolutely zilch and proves nothing? I've been passed by someone on a big wheeler as I was coming back from a big ride and taking it easy. Did it bruise my ego? No. Did he make a snide comment as he went by? No. Equally I've had a miserable b4stard come by me on his steel frame road bike and look at me like something off the bottom of his shoe. Some riders are younger than others, fitter than others, have different training plans or just enjoy cycling for the social aspect.

ai_1

philthy3 wrote:

There's nothing wrong with passing anyone on anything. Give a cheery greeting as you pass is sociable. But, why come on cycling forums to brag about doing it when it achieves absolutely zilch and proves nothing? I've been passed by someone on a big wheeler as I was coming back from a big ride and taking it easy. Did it bruise my ego? No. Did he make a snide comment as he went by? No. Equally I've had a miserable b4stard come by me on his steel frame road bike and look at me like something off the bottom of his shoe. Some riders are younger than others, fitter than others, have different training plans or just enjoy cycling for the social aspect.

+1

cookeeemonster

An awful lot of people on the Road forum seem to take themselves way too seriously and have obviously been overtaken multiple times by small girls riding hybrids whilst wearing flappy clothes and carrying full to the brim panniers ...

Seriously get a grip!!

You either overtake, make an excuse (cant be bothered/not racing/just finished long ride/not fit enough/etc/etc) and move on. Calling him a w**ker is a d**k thing to do. Personally I'd either laugh or try to overtake.

And you know what?? Some people put more effort and time into their cycling than you. They're faster/fitter because they deserve to be. I've got nothing against that and am happy to be overtaken by them.

Chill people!!

ai_1

CookeeeMonster wrote:

An awful lot of people on the Road forum seem to take themselves way too seriously and have obviously been overtaken multiple times by small girls riding hybrids whilst wearing flappy clothes and carrying full to the brim panniers ...

Seriously get a grip!!

You either overtake, make an excuse (cant be bothered/not racing/just finished long ride/not fit enough/etc/etc) and move on. Calling him a w**ker is a d**k thing to do. Personally I'd either laugh or try to overtake.

And you know what?? Some people put more effort and time into their cycling than you. They're faster/fitter because they deserve to be. I've got nothing against that and am happy to be overtaken by them.

Chill people!!

That's just it though, there's absolutely nothing wrong with either overtaking or getting overtaken. You're not automatically in competition with every rider you see on the roads. The problem in this case, as I see it, is not with the overtaking but with the OP making a remark which depending on the tone and the mood of the other cyclists could easily have been taken as a put down. He may have thought it was funny and not intended insult (although I suspect otherwise based on his comments here) but that may not have been apparent to them.

In a slightly related story....
I went for a very hilly climb on Saturday with a friend who's more of a runner and not quite as strong as me on the bike. Half way through we were crawling up a 6.5km climb with an average gradient of about 7% when another rider went past going significantly faster than us. I'd just finished asking my friend if he'd mind me pushing on for the remainder of the climb and I'd wait at the top. So, this guy went past and I decided to chase him to give myself a target. He was really moving but I gradually closed the gap to 30m or so. I was intentionally not sitting on his wheel in case he didn't want company. Then I noticed he was looking back frequently to see where I was and I caught a grimace/smile so decided he wasn't upset and considered it a challenge. We raced the rest of the way up the climb and I just managed to pass him in a sprint for the top. I stopped to wait for my friend and it turned out he also had friends further down the hill and stopped to wait too. We got chatting and he said he was catching us anyway but dug in so he could pass us with a bit of speed. Then when he saw me follow he felt he couldn't slow down again without looking silly so we ended up in our race to the top. It was all in good, competitive, fun and we both enjoyed it. When everyone had reached the top myself and my friend joined the other group for the next 30km. It was a very enjoyable ride. Now if he'd made a remark like "see ya later" as he'd gone by you can bet none of us would have had as nice a ride.... I would have been a bit irritated and certainly wouldn't have engaged with the guy.

Pituophis

Lots of people overtake me and some let on and others don't, but it doesn't worry me one way or another.
I always say "good morning" or "all right pal" to the few unfortunate souls who I pass (I always assume they are at the end of an epic journey, or are 94 or something :oops: ) and again it's not the end of the world if they don't reply, why should they?
But if someone rode passed and said "see ya later" out of the blue, it would certainly have me wondering how I had managed to offend them in the first place? Now I know that it would be because I had the nerve to be slower than they were whilst on my "racer".
Maybe as its aluminium and not carbon though I may be exempt from their scorn? Could they tell at a glance? :shock:

Initialised

I've had this both ways. I used to regularly pass cyclists in all the gear climbing up Kibblesworth Bank, usually they were on road bikes, I was on a hybridised rigid MTB. I rode that hill most days so was used to it. Another time I had a roadie comment "not a bad pace for a mountain bike" Now that I usually ride a road bike I see it from the other side. There was this one guy I shared my commute with who rode a very old, rusty, heavy looking SS town bike, every time I passed him he'd jump on my tail, keep up then sail past a bit further along as I slowed for traffic lights. It wound me up the first couple of times but these days I'd just say hi as I figured that's his commuter hack and at weekends he rides something further up the cycling food chain.