# Roadies are a proud group



## Desert_Rat (Dec 5, 2009)

Some roadies like to brag and hate on us mountain bikers, I couldn't resist lol.


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## Scott O (Aug 5, 2004)

Not sure I get it but then I'm only 30% roadie.


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## Hurricane Jeff (Jan 1, 2006)

Some people should expand their horizons and embrace road riding, it will, regardless of what type of riding you do, make you a better rider. Ive been riding the road for almost the amount of time I've ridden offroad. I enjoy them both.
Lately I've been riding the cyclocross bike a lot, its kind of a combo of both mtn and road.
As for roadies liking to brag and hate mountain bikers, I think your wrong, besides, are you the op a mountain biker? seems that your accusing roadies of exactly what your doing.
Look further onto this site, I think you'll see posts of lots of mountain bikers who hate roadies.


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## FujNoob (Dec 20, 2009)

Hurricane Jeff said:


> Some people should expand their horizons and embrace road riding, it will, regardless of what type of riding you do, make you a better rider.


Truth.


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## 745373 (May 17, 2013)

I'll admit I was a roadie hater when I was younger, then I grew up....Plenty of MTBRs are part roadies, great way to keep the stamina up. Dirt is my go to at all times but I can enjoy a good road ride.


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## mountainbiker24 (Feb 5, 2007)

Roadies as a group might be considered "proud" or "snooty", but many mountain bikers are "a$$holes" and "d!cks". Not taking a shot at anybody here. Just an observation from the trails.


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## DethWshBkr (Nov 25, 2010)

I do both myself.

Road for lungs and legs.

Mountain for upper body strength, technical prowess, and fun.

Any mountain biker who doesn't ride road at all is not nearly as strong as he or she could be. On the mountain bike - more strength can equal more fun.

A road bike is a miserable piece of equipment sometimes though. I think it was invented by some evil torture master. Road has no real joy or soul. They are meant for pure pain.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

DethWshBkr said:


> Road for lungs and legs.
> 
> Mountain for upper body strength, technical prowess, and fun.
> 
> Any mountain biker who doesn't ride road at all is not nearly as strong as he or she could be. On the mountain bike - more strength can equal more fun.


Yep.

Think about it this way:

The stronger you are, the longer and faster you can ride.

You can see more, ride more trails. That's not a bad thing.

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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

I do both...and I find quite the opposite. Mountain bikers seem to hate more on roadies than the other way around.


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## Fix the Spade (Aug 4, 2008)

RS VR6 said:


> I do both...and I find quite the opposite. Mountain bikers seem to hate more on roadies than the other way around.


They're just so... self confident.

Standing there in those brightly coloured body condoms must take some serious self assuredness, it's really grating to a nebbish MTBer who thinks any colour other than mud is too bright.


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## Desert_Rat (Dec 5, 2009)

I actually commute to work on a flat bar road bike during the week (no spandex though). I've just been approached by road bikers a few times and I've received the lecture about how I am ruining the environment and I'm not riding a real bike, etc. To keep things fair.............


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Riding on roads, trails, bike-parks, tow-paths I can't think of a single instance of passing a mountain biker without exchanging some form of greeting. Not one. Roadies? If I had a pound for every time one of them has blanked me I'd be driving a better car! ;0)


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Easy there, Chair Force. Shouldn't you be on the Rolex, TAG Heuer or Breitling forums, talking about watches?

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## Silentfoe (May 9, 2008)

Mountain bikers who don't ride road bikes have no legs.

Road bikers who don't ride mountain bikes have no soul.


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## Flamingtaco (Mar 12, 2012)

I'll admit, having been a 'true' competitive roadie for a few decades, it's easy to get drawn into the allure of finding that perfect body position and right components to maximize efficiency to the nthº

But I don't feel I ever made a comment to another cyclist that was born of having a superior attitude. Mostly, I just wanted to help others become better riders, as that's what their interest appeared to be.

I can understand that my offers of help might have been taken in a manner that they were not intended, and I try to remember that now that I ride my trail bike on the road.

When someone comes at you with a superior attitude, just put a smile on your face and thank them for their input. When they won't shut up about how you can easily gain 3-4mph by getting a 'true' road bike, ask them to try to keep up with you. 3/4 of those dressed like 'roadies' don't ride as much as you'd think, and don't do decent interval training. If you are laying down 50 or more miles per week of combined on and off road riding, they will have difficulty keeping pace. Especially in the spring, as most don't ride in the winter, and use that as a never-ending excuse.


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## misterbill (Aug 13, 2014)

I consider it to be a really bad character flaw of mine, that it matters to me too much what people think of me. My sister in law was dating a roadie and I never said a word to her. She handled it okay all by herself, think she ended up getting a restraining order-but still, I really should have warned her before hand.


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## Rock Surf (Aug 28, 2010)

Desert_Rat said:


> Some roadies like to brag and hate on us mountain bikers, I couldn't resist lol.
> 
> View attachment 1037709


Lol, roadies are just mad they can't feel the water temp without bending down.


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## Jeepman121 (Jul 12, 2014)

Silentfoe said:


> Mountain bikers who don't ride road bikes have no legs.
> 
> Road bikers who don't ride mountain bikes have no soul.


^ Agreed. I like both and am always pleasant while riding either discipline.

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## 411898 (Nov 5, 2008)

I ride both dirt and road. Each is rewarding but in very different ways. I will always prefer dirt but there are times when I just want to fly at sustained speeds and there is nothing like a road bike for that. 

I am not sure that road biking will make you a better mountain biker but I feel that mountain biking will make you a better road biker. Road biking is far easier than mountain biking, make no mistake. The efficiency spoils you. Mountain biking is far more difficult because you are constantly varying your speed, output/input, balance, angles, and grade.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

The road will kill your lungs from the exhaust. And the skinny wheels and idiot drivers will just kill you.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Hawg said:


> Road biking is far easier than mountain biking, make no mistake. The efficiency spoils you. Mountain biking is far more difficult because you are constantly varying your speed, output/input, balance, angles, and grade.


My experience is the opposite. Due the fact that there's never a good excuse to stop pedaling on a road bike I find it to be much more strenuous than mountain biking where you are constantly getting little breaks. Plus mountain biking is more fun.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

I was strictly a road cyclist until I was introduced to mtb. I agree with Hawg, that road cycling is easier to learn, and it's more accessible. You can hop on a bike and ride, because there's lots more pavement than trail. The goal is usually limited to speed and distance. However road cycling is not as diverse, it's less technical, terrain is static... and in my opinion less fun. 

Personality wise... not much to compare. I've encountered the same personality types in both sports. There are more road cyclists than mountain bikers, probably more clubs attracting a wider variety and volume of people, and that makes road cycling more attractive and maybe less intimidating to new riders. 

Whats better? Different strokes for different folks. I've grown to like dirt more so there is no love lost since I (finally) sold my road bike last year. In terms of health and fitness, I've found more diverse ways to keep strong and fit so I can keep riding


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## cookieMonster (Feb 23, 2004)

I love roadies -- more solitude for me in the mountains!!!

I have no interest in owning a bike that can only handle pavement, as I detest riding on pavement. The only time I do is when I'm on the way to a trail. I have no problem with anyone who likes it though -- people like a lot of weird things. The only roadies I have a problem with are the ones who insist I'm "missing out" or being close-minded. I also disagree that it's more difficult. How can it be more difficult than the 1-2 hour SUSTAINED climbs I typically do up 9-11% grades? Not all mountain biking is rolly-polly XC.


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## SeaBass_ (Apr 7, 2006)

Been there, Done that.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

cookieMonster said:


> I love roadies -- more solitude for me in the mountains!!!
> 
> I have no interest in owning a bike that can only handle pavement, as I detest riding on pavement. The only time I do is when I'm on the way to a trail. I have no problem with anyone who likes it though -- people like a lot of weird things. The only roadies I have a problem with are the ones who insist I'm "missing out" or being close-minded. I also disagree that it's more difficult. How can it be more difficult than the 1-2 hour SUSTAINED climbs I typically do up 9-11% grades? Not all mountain biking is rolly-polly XC.


1-2hr climbs sounds a lot like old school XC...and road cycling.

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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

I always say, "When I'm on my road bike, I like it best. When I'm on my mountain bike, I like it best." I guess I like to ride bikes.

For the record, I started mountain biking first.


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## DethWshBkr (Nov 25, 2010)

Hawg said:


> I am not sure that road biking will make you a better mountain biker but I feel that mountain biking will make you a better road biker. Road biking is far easier than mountain biking, make no mistake. The efficiency spoils you. Mountain biking is far more difficult because you are constantly varying your speed, output/input, balance, angles, and grade.


Sure its more efficient, a lot more efficient. But, I also disagree with the overall assessment.

But it also depends on the rider and riding style. They are two completely different riding styles. My one cousin is very strong road. Mountain bike, he cannot keep up at all. (Even smooth stuff.) Its because he is pedaling like a road bike, 90-100 rpm cadence, and he blows his legs up. Mountain bikes are far less efficient. However, when you rid eone properly, the mountain bike is slower,, geared a LOT lower. (1-2 hour uphill with a 39 front chainring, 28 rear large cog?). Mountain bikes usually would have a 32 front, 42 rear for a 1x, or a 22 front granny. That sort of gear ratio is ridiculously low.

All I know, is my heartrate varies tremendously on mountain bikes (130-190), but is always 170-185 on the road bike. (My theroetical max is 185-186.). That tells me my body is working MUCH harder overall on the road bike.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

I maintain the same cadence on both styles of bikes. 

Not sure how or why riding at 90rpm would "blow up" your legs on the MTB.

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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

They're a lot different disciplines for sure, and both can be as hard as you make them. The reason I think road riding is more demanding physically is because, generally speaking, mountain biking is all about having fun and pushing yourself technically, whereas the 'fun' in road biking is pushing your legs & lungs to their limits.



cookieMonster said:


> I also disagree that it's more difficult. How can it be more difficult than the 1-2 hour SUSTAINED climbs I typically do up 9-11% grades? Not all mountain biking is rolly-polly XC.


How can you say that when you admittedly disdain and avoid road riding? 'Rolly-poly' xc can be as demanding as anything depending on how you tackle it.


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## bt (Nov 24, 2007)

if they would wave to me i think i could learn to get along with them.


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## KevinGT (Dec 25, 2012)

I rode roads extensively when I lived in CA. The roads there are designed for bikes and I felt safe. Now, living in the Southeast, I wouldn't ride the roads if you handed me a $12,000 Specialized Tarmac. It's not worth dying for. I've lived in 8 states and 2 countries -- there is no worse place to ride a road bike than the Atlanta area. Combine horrendous traffic on EVERY road with complete lack of a shoulder and it's a death trap. 

That said, even with years of road riding, I will say this: I can never remember a road ride being "fun." It's great exercise and great training but there is nothing remotely fun about it. It's running on wheels. Sure, I had some accomplishments I was somewhat proud of -- riding a century, riding 120 miles, riding Mt. Diablo in the Bay Area, commuting to work 80 miles, etc. But I never recall getting off my road bike and saying to my buddies: that was fun! More like "That was a good ride." 

Mountain biking, on the other hand, is the perfect combination of fun, exercise, skill, and training. Climbing or descending, it's the perfect activity.

Finally, and I've posted this before...

Road riding to improve your mountain biking is like eating cauliflower to get better at eating pizza.


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## BmanInTheD (Sep 19, 2014)

In general, mountain bikers that don't ride road bikes are slow.

Roadies that don't ride mountain bikes are d!cks.


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## Procter (Feb 3, 2012)

Silentfoe said:


> Mountain bikers who don't ride road bikes have no legs.
> 
> Road bikers who don't ride mountain bikes have no soul.


Word


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

My best base building always comes from road riding. Once I have my base for cardio, I can work on my mtb skills.


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## cookieMonster (Feb 23, 2004)

Le Duke said:


> 1-2hr climbs sounds a lot like old school XC...and road cycling.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


You took my post out of context. The highway department doesn't design roads with a 10% grade or more for 5+ miles. At least, those stretches are not very common, and certainly not what a typical roadie encounters on a regular basis. I struggle to believe that most road biking is more physically demanding than the 2 and sometimes 3 k ascents I do in less than 5 miles. But you're free to disagree, as I'm sure you will.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

If you're taking 1-2hrs to climb 2k-3k feet, you really, really shouldn't be denigrating another side of our sport, calling it "easier".

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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

cookieMonster said:


> I struggle to believe that most road biking is more physically demanding than the 2 and sometimes 3 k ascents I do in less than 5 miles. But you're free to disagree, as I'm sure you will.


Pace can be more of a factor than grade.


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## Fajita Dave (Mar 22, 2012)

cookieMonster said:


> I love roadies -- more solitude for me in the mountains!!!
> 
> I have no interest in owning a bike that can only handle pavement, as I detest riding on pavement. The only time I do is when I'm on the way to a trail. I have no problem with anyone who likes it though -- people like a lot of weird things. The only roadies I have a problem with are the ones who insist I'm "missing out" or being close-minded. I also disagree that it's more difficult. How can it be more difficult than the 1-2 hour SUSTAINED climbs I typically do up 9-11% grades? Not all mountain biking is rolly-polly XC.


I just started road cycling 3 weeks ago. My legs have never been so sore after mountain biking as they have after road cycling. With the road bike, you fight gravity climbing and fight wind resistance everywhere else. You can ALWAYS go faster on the road bike fitness permiting. It is truely a non stop workout for your legs. Of course you "could" coast downhill but whats the fun in that? Downhill on the mountain bike is more limited by terrain and corners so there is no need to pedal if you can even pedal at all (most of the time).

I will say 40 miles on the road bike feels like about 20 miles on the mountain bike. Its very satisfying covering so many miles.

FWIW I've already felt stronger on the mountain bike since I started road cycling. However, my road rides are also in the mountains.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

J.B. Weld said:


> Pace can be more of a factor than grade.


This. What CookieMonster apparently doesn't understand is that if I'm putting out 325w for an hour on a pan flat road, and he's doing 200w for an hour long climb, I am, in fact, going significantly harder than he is.

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## terrasmak (Jun 14, 2011)

Took a short fun road ride today. 

I ride road just to get out and pedal, I ride dirt cause it's freaking fun


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## cookieMonster (Feb 23, 2004)

Le Duke said:


> This. What CookieMonster apparently doesn't understand is that if I'm putting out 325w for an hour on a pan flat road, and he's doing 200w for an hour long climb, I am, in fact, going significantly harder than he is.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


Oh, I understand that perfectly well. What I don't understand is why roadies think that you can't do that kind of output on a mountain bike on trails. I mean, it boils down to the fact that anyone can ride to the point of heart failure on any terrain on any bike. I just find road riding painfully boring, and that's not going to change. If you can't handle that, then I submit that the original post was probably about you.


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## cookieMonster (Feb 23, 2004)

Le Duke said:


> If you're taking 1-2hrs to climb 2k-3k feet, you really, really shouldn't be denigrating another side of our sport, calling it "easier".
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


I misspoke. I regularly do a ~1300'/3 mile climb in 35 minutes, which is far faster than the average guy, though not the fastest on that course. I ride a 35 pound fr bike on all my rides,FWIW. Anyway, I'm very happy with how I stack up to others. You don't know what my rides or terrain is like anyway, so your comments are moot. Sigh. That wasn't worth the effort...

Ps. -- will you please bring back your Strava records? I mean, we were all so impressed -- and interested.


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

Beyond base fitness I don't find one really translates to other that much at all. Mtn biking is far more dynamic than the road & engages one MUCH more than the road. Using a power meter to measure exertion on a MTB in comparison to the road is pointless. If I'm off my road bike for 5ish days but have been mtbing & hit my road training route (hills hills hills, and some more hills) I definitely notice a lack of leg power & get gassed a little easier and vise versa. I find there is very little overlap & most of my friends tend to agree


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

cookieMonster said:


> You don't know what my rides or terrain is like anyway, so your comments are moot. Sigh......


....says the person who never rides road.


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## cookieMonster (Feb 23, 2004)

J.B. Weld said:


> ....says the person who never rides road.


When did I ever say that? As I said in an earlier post -- the only time I ride road is _on the way to a trail_. Sometimes that involves a 10-15 mile ride on pavement first. I've logged _thousands_ of miles of road riding over my riding career. Don't tell me I don't know anything about it.

Granted, part of me enjoys the fact that I often do an entire ride without the use of a car/all human power. I get that. But every time I'm on the road, I'm not gonna lie -- I'm thinking to myself "when am I going to get to the trail...and who in their right mind would ride on the road exclusively?"

Cheers to anyone who enjoys road biking. But it's not for me. And I'm not going to sit there and listen to elitists that say I'm missing out for not doing it.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

cookieMonster said:


> Cheers to anyone who enjoys road biking. But it's not for me. And I'm not going to sit there and listen to elitists that say I'm missing out for not doing it.


I really don't think anyone is trying to say that, it just seems a little comical to me that the reason most mountain bikers seem to disdain roadies is because they think they are all strava chasing geeks who are only concerned about watts and PR's, and that they (mtbr's) as a group are much more laid back, friendly, and focused on just having fun.

Then when the subject of what is most physically demanding comes up all of a sudden mountain bikers become the testosterone laden strava-nerds they usually make fun of, and roadies are deemed as lilly-legged weenies.

All the while throwing out insults like 'elitists' and 'closed minded'. ><


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

Roadies are braver. Imagine riding the trails with Volkswagon size boulders whipping by. That's what riding with cars seems like to me. Did it when I was young, nearly got creamed a few times.


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## mountainbiker24 (Feb 5, 2007)

My experience with mountain biking is that it is more of a total body workout and requires constant concentration. You get more pedaling breaks, however, and the trail obstacles distract from the suffering. Road cycling requires a certain level of fitness and enough features in the roads to be truly enjoyable. You are constantly pedaling with little to distract you from the suffering other than the cars. It's all legs and lungs, however, so it's easy to let your mind wander at times.

If you hate road riding, it's likely because you lack the necessary fitness to appreciate it, lack the road features (curves, gradient, views), or have too many a$$hats driving vehicles with no infrastructure to escape their idiocy. All are understandable, but road riding in the proper venue has brought as many smiles to my face as mountain biking has. 

After reading this thread and others like it, I will say that there are more similarities than differences between mountain bikers, road bikers, and car drivers. Everybody wants the path to themselves, everybody demands respect and understanding, and everybody thinks they know better than everybody else.


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## SeaBass_ (Apr 7, 2006)

After a long climb, being able to hit 50mph downhill on skinny ass tires had a certain sphincter tightening joy to it.... Too many dick drivers around these parts though made me shy away.


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## mudge (May 15, 2010)

I've been pretty committed to cycling in one form or another for 28 years now, mostly road racing (23 seasons) plus 6 seasons of track racing, 6 seasons of 'cross racing, and maybe 10 or so years of mtb riding w/ 7 years of racing. Oh, yeah, 3 years of triathlon, too. 

In all that time, I have never heard a 'roadie' initiate a conversation ragging on mountain bikers. I hear 'mountain bikers' rag on roadies all the damn time. Geez, folks. Get over yourselves. If I didn't know better I'd guess there is some serious insecurity amongst the fat tire gang. 

*Rodney King rant mode off now


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## Hurricane Jeff (Jan 1, 2006)

I live in the mountains of So Cal, the rides, any rides, both road and mountain, are tough.
What makes road riding really hard, a lot of times harder that mountain, is riding in group rides. Many of the group rides in So Cal have pro riders. Up here in Big Bear, we have have a few pros that base themselves up here in the summer. The local riders are all super fast and hanging with them is a chore also, especially those who are not great climbers. Not taking anything away from mountain biking, which I enjoy a little more than road, but the road group rides hurt more, even with the same group that ride the road.
I'm a 50+ cat 1 mtb racer and a cat 3 road rider, so I'm no slouch when it comes to either or any type of riding.

As far as dealing with cars on the road, that sometimes does suck, but I've learned to deal with it.
It's funny some of the biggest douch bags on the roads are the same *******, NRA, American flag waving with "anti-terrorism" decals on the back windows of their trucks, which are the biggest offenders. Isn't it terrorism to buzz, cut off, scream at, throw something at, etc at fellow Americans? 
Of course I was just generalizing and kidding a little( not all NRA members, flag waving, anti terrorism ******** are bad).Drivers on cell phones, old people, new drivers and just bad drivers are all the problems road riders deal with.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

J.B. Weld said:


> It just seems a little comical to me that the reason most mountain bikers seem to disdain roadies is because they think they are all strava chasing geeks who are only concerned about watts and PR's, and that they (mtbr's) as a group are much more laid back, friendly, and focused on just having fun.


Eh.. but that's true?


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Mr Pig said:


> Eh.. but that's true?


I already mentioned that it may be, or at least that seems to be the general perception. Anyway that quote is out of contex without the following sentance I wtote.


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## Speed Goat (Dec 31, 2013)

Man where's the cycling love?

One thing I can say about cycling in general, is that many "one dicipline" cyclists come across as very aarogant, conceited, and self centered. This can even happen between two folks who both consider themselves mountain bikers! The lycra cross country mtb crowd is looked upon as "a bunch of non technical riding roadies on dirt" by the all mountain crowd, the all mountain crowd is looked at by the cross country bikers as "a bunch of pot smoking slackers, who pass out after 5 miles in the saddle," and so on, and so on. 

It seems that there is a lot on this forum regarding "why roadies suck" and "why mtb'ers are so dang cool"....then it goes into "why hikers suck, butterfly catchers suck, anyone who isn't doing exactly what I'm doing suck....etc."

Be thankful you can still ride a bike, regardless what brand or style it is!

I primarily ride my cross country mountain bike, but also ride my all mountain, road bike, cross bike, fat bike and what ever else I can pedal with two wheels. Each type or riding benefits me and makes me a better cyclist, whether it be power and stamina, or technical ability, or wrenching skills. Don't be so quick to judge just because another rider is using a different bike or wearing a little bit different clothing.:nono:


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## milliesand (Jun 29, 2015)

Sigh. I'm a noob to biking but sure have seen way too much of "us VS them". Doesn't matter whether it's Roadies, or hikers, Yankees, ********, Black, white or (fill in the blank). Can't we all just chill?

Damn


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## KevinGT (Dec 25, 2012)

Ya bunch o' babies.

Us vs. them is an integral part of any sport. Whether it's roadies vs. MTB or XC vs. Downhill or skiing vs. snowboarding, it's what we do. 

Man up, babies!


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## shekky (Oct 21, 2011)

KevinGT said:


> Ya bunch o' babies.
> 
> Us vs. them is an integral part of any sport. Whether it's roadies vs. MTB or XC vs. Downhill or skiing vs. snowboarding, it's what we do.
> 
> Man up, babies!


you forgot geared vs singlespeed, 26 vs 29, camelbak vs bare back, rigid vs suspended, steel vs aluminum vs carbon, flats vs clipless and so on and on and on...


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## DoctorJD (Jan 15, 2004)

RS VR6 said:


> I do both...and I find quite the opposite. Mountain bikers seem to hate more on roadies than the other way around.


Agree 100%


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## milliesand (Jun 29, 2015)

Hey Kevengt

I'll take your smiley and raise a brew. Gossip and back biting? Nah,


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## CGrr (Aug 30, 2010)

Roadies vs Mtbers, meh. Mtbing is fun but riding road keeps me honest, physically. 


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

DoctorJD said:


> Agree 100%


Look, roadies are too up themselves to 'hate' anyone. They look on other bicyclists in the same way they look on... garden furniture? Lampposts?


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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

Bantha poodoo...


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## ElwoodT (Mar 13, 2011)

KevinGT said:


> Ya bunch o' babies.
> 
> Us vs. them is an integral part of any sport. Whether it's roadies vs. MTB or XC vs. Downhill or skiing vs. snowboarding, it's what we do.
> 
> Man up, babies!


It's the rock stackin' hippies I can't stand...


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## RWhiz (Jun 10, 2013)

I don't disrespect anyone riding on two wheels, with that said, I worry when my wife goes out on her road rides, even more so then when we were both racing MX. One mistake from a douch bag driver and she might be dead, while we just broke bones racing. Myself? Not interested, rather stay in the dirt be it mountain bikes, or MX bikes.


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## blue_biker (Sep 7, 2008)

Silentfoe said:


> Mountain bikers who don't ride road bikes have no legs.
> 
> Road bikers who don't ride mountain bikes have no soul.


Partially agree. I use to ride road 4 to 1 versus mountain biking. Then as cell phones became an issue driving, I no longer own a road bike. I will cruise the paths with the kids, but never for a workout, they are too crowded. To me, the road just isn't safe enough. If I hit a tree mountain biking, that's my fault. There are many other things you can do for fitness. I swim, that builds endurance and lungs.


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## Bail_Monkey (May 8, 2007)

I used to only have a Mtb and viewed roadies as ghey boys wearing ballerina lycra tights...

I also never paid much attention to training and cardio fitness as I just mtb'ed a few times a month as it was just one of my hobbies. I went on a few mtb rides with my brother in law and his buddies, I was always the last on climbs. When I got to the top, they were ready to leave. I was usually smoked and could wait another 15 minutes before taking off again.

My brother in law suggested that I get a road bike for training and it would build the legs and cardio for mtb... So I did in 2011. Since then, I've put more effort into fitness and both road and mtb are higher on the priority list of hobbies than before. (Keeping fit for an older guy)

I need to get my mtb in the truck and have to drive near or to the trailhead which is a bit of a hassle. The closest is 15 minutes and I can drive over an hour to better places in the bay area. So for training, it is much easier to hop on the RB from the driveway. I'll take a multi use trail to get to the foothills as there are usually less cars, I don't cycle urban areas. You can also RB when the trails are sloppy and muddy.

RB vs Mtb is like comparing skiing to snowboarding, they are fun in different ways. (I have skied for quite a while and tend to choose snowboarding now) The fun part of RB'ing for me is the downhill, In the bay area you can go 7 miles in the drops hitting 40+ mph, that's the adrenaline rush. It gets pretty technical and timing turns is critical for your safety...

I still enjoy mtb more as there is no pavement, cars (exhaust), scenery is much better, nature, lot of trees, single track. I kind of see myself as a mtb'er on a RB...


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## DustyTrail (Aug 21, 2015)

Gasp4Air said:


> Roadies are braver. Imagine riding the trails with Volkswagon size boulders whipping by. That's what riding with cars seems like to me. Did it when I was young, nearly got creamed a few times.


Exactly!

I used to ride roads exclusively .......until I was clipped by a vehicle twice on two different occasions in southern california.

The second time, i was still recovering from the first accident and hadn't fully recovered so it complicated the healing process and took the physical therapy sessions much longer then originally anticipated.

I took this as a sign that I should not trust others on the road as much as I trust my own abilities to avoid them when they aren't paying attention or just plain being an a$$hole on the road.

I have NO desire to ever return back to road riding unless like said by others in this thread....that it will only be to get to the trailhead!


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## PineyRose (Sep 30, 2015)

Since I live in the backwoods of nowhere, I have to ride both at some time or another. Even road biking here is a challenge. My road riding is done on rural country roads and in some cases the MTB would do better. I normally take the MTB to off-road trails and MUT's but there have been a few times when I had to ride it on the road. Doing both gives me more options of when I can ride.

I have found mountain bikers to be more friendly.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

I do both but I'm not a roadie. We cycle on quiet country roads, mostly early on Saturday mornings so traffic is light to non-existent. I have friends who cycle major roads but it's not something I would do. I cycle to work on a busy road and that's bad enough. I have lost count of the number of times I have almost been hit. 

Roadies and normal people who cycle on the roads are two different animals. Roadies wear special road-cycling clothes, treat every ride as if it's a race and ignore other cyclists who are not roadies. At least a lot of them do so yes, they can be proud I think.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Mr Pig said:


> I do both but I'm not a roadie. We cycle on quiet country roads, mostly early on Saturday mornings so traffic is light to non-existent. I have friends who cycle major roads but it's not something I would do. I cycle to work on a busy road and that's bad enough. I have lost count of the number of times I have almost been hit.
> 
> Roadies and normal people who cycle on the roads are two different animals. Roadies wear special road-cycling clothes, treat every ride as if it's a race and ignore other cyclists who are not roadies. At least a lot of them do so yes, they can be proud I think.


Do you realize how many ridiculous generalities you spouted off just now?

"Treat every ride as if it's a race". I know no one that does that, to include dudes who are professional road racers. I'm fairly certain they are "roadies".

Also, "special road-cycling clothes" = cycling clothes. There is nothing road-specific about what they wear, with the exception of their shoes, which have a different cleat interface and no tread for off-road use. The advent of the TLD Clown Suit has, apparently, warped what "cycling clothing" is, it seems.


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## hey_poolboy (Jul 16, 2012)

Riding dirt is far more fun to me personally. 
Have I met roadies that are snobs? Yes. 
Have I met mtbr's that are snobs?
Yes. 
There are people that are jerks in any and every group. I just try to not be one of them. 
After mtb for a few years I acquired a road bike. My main purpose was for fitness. Contrary to what has been stated earlier in this thread I've definitely found that my speed on the mtb has improved significantly since adding road training in to my regiment. I climb faster and my top speed in the flats is higher. It is purely subjective, but I feel that I have a lot more available power to expend since I've started pushing those big gears for extended periods on the road. 

I love mtb, but I'll take any chance or surface I can get to be on two wheels.


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

mudge said:


> In all that time, I have never heard a 'roadie' initiate a conversation ragging on mountain bikers. I hear 'mountain bikers' rag on roadies all the damn time. Geez, folks. Get over yourselves. If I didn't know better I'd guess there is some serious insecurity amongst the fat tire gang.
> 
> *Rodney King rant mode off now


i have two friends that are roadies and ride competitively and they both hate roadies. they don't know each other and neither of them hang out with other roadies.

i do agree that i never really hear roadies hate on MTBers, but then again i don't know too many roadies. i do constantly hear about the snobbery of road bikers with their $7,000 road bikes and their new Mercedes Benz. does that mean that every roadie or Mercedes owner is a douche? no, but i like riding knobby tires in the woods and old BMW's and Porsche's so i'm biased.

i generally think MTBers are a much more accepting group... except when it comes to roadies.

i try (often unsuccessfully) not to be a hater. I know i hate it when non cyclists (often hikers and dog walkers around here) hate on mountain bikers because we are all 90's BMXers with mohawks who ride around with spray paint tagging everything and our only purpose is to ruin trails everywhere we go.

i have an a road bike now, $100 80's craigslist score that i originally purchased to assist me with an injury recovery, i use it to commute to work sometimes and to ride with my father who refuses to try riding in the woods. i hate riding on the road and i protest by wearing all my baggy mtb gear while doing so. mostly because of cars but also because i don't want to be associated with roadies. riding on the road is better than not riding but only just.

I just get no satisfaction out of riding a road bike. it's boring and there's no thrill. no challenge, no sense of accomplishment. no skills involved. it can be a test of fitness but only if your racing.

it's fine if other people like it, it's just not for me.

ride what makes you happy.



shekky said:


> you forgot geared vs singlespeed, 26 vs 29, camelbak vs bare back, rigid vs suspended, steel vs aluminum vs carbon, flats vs clipless and so on and on and on...


the only correct answer is steel framed rigid SS 29er. but if everyone agreed with me the MTB world would be a much more boring place, and product development would have stopped 25 years ago (with the exception of wheels, tires, and brakes).


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Watch Peter Sagan or Vincenzo Nibali winning the World Championship and Giro Di Lombardia respectively and tell me there is no skill involved.

Race a 250km bike race over cobbles in France or Belgium and tell me there is no skill involved.

Sorry, but the statements people make about road biking not requiring skill is seriously ignorant. It requires a different set of skills, ones that you don't even realize exist. That's the worst part.


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

fair enough, but your describing skills required at the highest level of cycling in the world. none of which is required by me to ride my local pavement. i don't care what the pro's ride in France, only what relates to the riding i do. believe me, there is no skill involved in road riding i do which is what i'm talking about. a bit of fitness when climbing hills maybe, but no skill. 

i didn't feel the need to precede my statement with "for me", i thought it was pretty obvious i was talking about my riding.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

BENKD29 said:


> fair enough, but your describing skills required at the highest level of cycling in the world. none of which is required by me to ride my local pavement. i don't care what the pro's ride in France, only what relates to the riding i do. believe me, there is no skill involved in road riding i do which is what i'm talking about. a bit of fitness when climbing hills maybe, but no skill.
> 
> i didn't feel the need to precede my statement with "for me", i thought it was pretty obvious i was talking about my riding.


Fair enough. Your rides are what you make them. I get that. I'd simply state that riding a mountain bike well, and riding a road bike well, each require different skills.

I just get pissed off when people bag on other forms of cycling, usually ones they have very little experience with. I'm an XC guy, but I've raced DH, and that **** is brutal. It's not for me anymore, but I respect the hell out of them. The DH guys who have actually raced XC appreciate it as well.


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## Bail_Monkey (May 8, 2007)

I agree w/Le Duke, there is quite a bit of skill needed to haul a$$ down a long mtn road. The speed it about double your typical XC ride and the turns at the limits of traction are extremely tricky.

As far as RB vs Mtb'ers, take it with a grain of salt. It's funny from both perspectives... One roadie that I work with calls Mtb'ers 'fat beer drinkers'....Lol, I've heard some roadies also call Mtb'ers 'dirty hillbillies'....lol.

In the bay area CA, I do find that a many of the roadies are 'engineering' types and do not want or wish to socialize with others. (Aside from their click of roadie friends) So I can see why other cyclists view them as snobs... and yes, many are on their ~8k+ bikes.

I've seen some Mtb XC racers that are snobs as well. To me, they seem to think they are at the top of the Mtb pyramid, 'I'm the fastest climber, descender, I can ride hard for 1.5hrs, etc...'


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## mountainbiker24 (Feb 5, 2007)

Mr Pig said:


> Roadies and normal people who cycle on the roads are two different animals. Roadies wear special road-cycling clothes, treat every ride as if it's a race and ignore other cyclists who are not roadies. At least a lot of them do so yes, they can be proud I think.


Your definition of "roadies" sounds a lot like Strava chasers and enduro riders that fail to yield to other trail users.


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## JosefFritzl (Sep 17, 2009)

You blokes must not know any fat-bikers. Those c***s can't complete more than 2 sentences without inserting a 'fat-' prefix at least once.

_"Hey fellow fat-bikers, the trails are in fat-ready conditions, so let's get our fatties out & leave some fat-tracks. It'll be so fat! Fat-bikes have allowed me to ride trails I'd never of dreamed of before. "_

In my day, we called it biking in the snow.


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## Boo Bear (Aug 11, 2008)

I've always just considered myself a cyclist.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

JosefFritzl said:


> You blokes must not know any fat-bikers. Those c***s can't complete more than 2 sentences without inserting a 'fat-' prefix at least once.


I'm fat? Or should I say, 'Fat, I am'.

I don't hate roadies, I don't care. I still say hello to everyone I pass. If they wave back, super, and if they blank me I think 'knobhead', smile to myself and carry on.

A couple of my friends are pretty committed, hardcore roadies and they're both nice guys. They're not all twats. One of those guys refuses to join a club though as he doesn't like other roadies! The other left the club he was in for years because he didn't like the heartless, stuck-up way they were going so there is no doubt the elitist attitude does exist.

Years ago, when there was quite a bunch of us going out on a Saturday morning, one of the guys mailed and suggested we get matching tops so we were a club. I buried the idea! I said that if we got shirts, next thing we would be having meetings, then rules and pretty soon we'd be wankers! I didn't put it exactly like that but I make it crystal that if he wanted matching shirts he'd have to go ride elsewhere.

The only club I want to be in is one that includes every person who chooses to get around on human-powered two wheels. I don't care if it's a road bike, a mountain bike or the guy cycling to work. If he or she has a bike and rides it my arms are open.


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## knl2stl (Jan 7, 2011)

JosefFritzl said:


> You blokes must not know any fat-bikers. Those c***s can't complete more than 2 sentences without inserting a 'fat-' prefix at least once.
> 
> _"Hey fellow fat-bikers, the trails are in fat-ready conditions, so let's get our fatties out & leave some fat-tracks. It'll be so fat! Fat-bikes have allowed me to ride trails I'd never of dreamed of before. "_
> 
> In my day, we called it biking in the snow.


I had to stop reading this x vs y thread for a bit; such an old theme. But the fat addition cracks me up. I do every kind of riding, but the fat world is the new two wheeled snob world. I have never had a roadie pull up next to me on a stop and just start pressing my tire to check the psi on my now skinny 4.0 tire which would at least be wider on a wider rim.


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

Le Duke said:


> Fair enough. Your rides are what you make them. I get that. I'd simply state that riding a mountain bike well, and riding a road bike well, each require different skills.
> 
> I just get pissed off when people bag on other forms of cycling, usually ones they have very little experience with. I'm an XC guy, but I've raced DH, and that **** is brutal. It's not for me anymore, but I respect the hell out of them. The DH guys who have actually raced XC appreciate it as well.


I think maybe we are blurring the lines of skill vs technique vs talent here. Lets not even get into "fitness" vs conditioning.


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## Blatant (Apr 13, 2005)

All I know after reading this thread is that le duke is the best rider on this site. If you haven't figured that out yet, just wait; I'm sure he'll tell you again shortly.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

WHALENARD said:


> I think maybe we are blurring the lines of skill vs technique vs talent here. Lets not even get into "fitness" vs conditioning.


How so? I'd wager those two are two of the fastest, or most skilled, descenders in the world. Don't we equate dirt DH speed with skill? Why is dropping down a wet Italian mountain road at 50mph, after 6hrs of racing no less, any less of a skill?

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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Blatant said:


> All I know after reading this thread is that le duke is the best rider on this site. If you haven't figured that out yet, just wait; I'm sure he'll tell you again shortly.


Where have I tooted my own horn? Where have I even mentioned my skills or ability?

I am simply saying that all types of cycling require skills.

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## chuck D (Jun 23, 2010)

Fun comments here... I think a lot of roadies recognize the "silliness" of the tight fitting peacock garb, but it has its place, and makes sense (usually) - XC racers wear the same stuff but I guess they get mocked by the DH crowd 

I can definitely say that if you are actually training full-on, the road bike (and access to good open roads) is pretty unbeatable even if you're racing mountain bikes, and road racing gives you unparalleled fitness. Whether or not you can match it with offroad skill is a different story.

I've raced on and off for 20+ years, mostly road and on teams, but some mountain and cross as well, some time as P-1-2 road and expert Mtn - have been on the podium for all at least a few times so I have at least a basic frame of reference. I've fallen in and out of love with all of the above but have to say that currently a day of perfect singletrack when you're "in the zone" is unmatched, but a long paved road mountain climb from 70deg to above the snowline, (and 50+ mph descent), or a silent afternoon breaking track in fresh powder at just a few mph on a fatbike with the dog running alongside - those are also la dolce vita! It's all good.

Watts are watts are watts (divided by kg lol), and road training nowadays puts a ton of focus on building them. You simply can't consistently conduct steady and repeatable interval sessions on singletrack, and intervals are ridiculously effective (if not fun). There's no substitute. I rode with a CO MTB/cross pro a few years ago - a totally great and low key guy who wins some national races and has been mid pack in worlds races and who almost exclusively trains offroad. His technical ability was jaw dropping to me - but certainly in the bell curve at that level - flowing through stuff at speed where traction just shouldn't have existed, and the few times where I could keep him in sight for a while were some of my best riding (and learning) ever - like attending a high level lecture on astrophysics and occasionally "getting" some of it I think haha! But I was surprised to match him on tough climbs and I asked him about training on the road. He said he knows it will make him faster but doesn't have the heart for too much of it. I understand where he's coming from.

The thing is, it's *never* the fitness aspect of punchy corners or steep up/down root rock stuff that drops a strong road rider - Any parking lot criterium can equal dozens and dozens of 1000+ watt sprints coming out of corners or covering attacks, and plenty of time above threshold depending on the race... offroad for that rider, it's the relative lack of skills that leaves him a few feet back each corner or feature and makes him push that much harder to close the gap over and over again... if you don't have the skills of the guy in front, you cook yourself while he glides through areas where you're grabbing the brakes.

Anyways, trails are my happy place now when I can find them, but again anything on two wheels is all good!


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## bgkz25 (Dec 29, 2013)

One famous cyclist said "Anybody who rides a bike is a friend of mine. 
I guess it's a matter of personality thing and it doesn't matter if he's on a bike or not. The issue perhaps is the "attitude" my brothers and sisters in cycling.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

bgkz25 said:


> One famous cyclist said "Anybody who rides a bike is a friend of mine."


Well I'm not _that_ famous ;0)


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## bgkz25 (Dec 29, 2013)

Yes you are Mr. Pig! I know you're just being modest. I can see you're comment in almost each and every post in mtbr. You are a gem in this forum. 😉


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## IFallDown (Mar 2, 2014)

Blatant said:


> All I know after reading this thread is that *le duke *is the best rider on this site. If you haven't figured that out yet, just wait; I'm sure he'll tell you again shortly.


I was not going to commit on this thread, but now I can't help myself!

I have noticed several threads where he comes off as a know it all!

I picture Le Duke as a 5'5, 115 pound, bald guy, that has a bad case of little man syndrome!

As far as Road Vs MTB ride what you like, life is too short to worry about dumb ****!!!


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

I ride both. I even make my own steel road bikes. I never ride with a group on the road. 

Some Roadies in my area think they are above the law as far as following them on the road.

Mountain bikers are generally pretty cool bunch except for the idiots that ride during the busiest time of the day and act like they are in a race. To all you "fast" guys out there, if you are so damn serious get you ass out of bed and go race with your buddies in the morning. Not at 12:00 when families are using the trails and they are more populated. Just dumb.

And now the new class of classless bikers. Fat bikers that don't acknowledge you when you say hi to them on the trails. You guys are so edgy and ground breaking.


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## zrm (Oct 11, 2006)

There sure are a lot of insecure mtn bikers. :lol: They have to spend a lot of time talking how "those other people" are as cool as me and my brahs. 

FWIW I ride both and enjoy both for what they have to offer. Both take their own skill sets. Both have their fair share of a$$holes and really nice people. 

I will say that in my experience MTBers tend to be the ones who talk smack about those not of their tribe. Roadies don't talk about other forms of cyclists much, aren't hung up on what other people wear or how superior their form of fun is to others. Maybe it's because around here, most people ride both road and dirt and they're not hung up with childish self perpetuated ignorant stereotypes.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

IFallDown said:


> I was not going to commit on this thread, but now I can't help myself!
> 
> I have noticed several threads where he comes off as a know it all!
> 
> ...


If I was 5'5", 115lbs, so what? Are you going to beat me up? Take my lunch money?

Does it make you feel good to diminutize others based on their physical attributes?

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## Ladmo (Jan 11, 2013)

I don't care who rides what, and all groups have a certain percentage of people in the group that are douche bags. It's just the way it is in the world. I have no idea if road groups have a higher percentage of DB's than mountain bikers, but it doesn't matter. The only thing I know for sure is I'd never go on a ride where I had to wear a uniform that matches all the other riders. But besides that, riding the roads is a good time with the right company, IMO.


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## IFallDown (Mar 2, 2014)

Le Duke said:


> If I was 5'5", 115lbs, so what? Are you going to beat me up? Take my lunch money?
> 
> Does it make you feel good to diminutize others based on their physical attributes?
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


LOL, not at all, Just you!


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## David R (Dec 21, 2007)

Le Duke said:


> Does it make you feel good to diminutize others based on their physical attributes?


Isn't that what the roadies do to us fat, slow, beer-loving freeriders?


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## jim c (Dec 5, 2014)

This has been great, I just read all 4 pages. I'm like most here, my steel road bike mostly hangs in the garage for the last ten years while I'm on my 3rd mtb in that time. As for attitude we all can be annoying at times. Saturday I got stuck behind some Joeys who didn't pull up to let us by. Yes I was annoyed, but managed to stay quiet. A little later I overheard a guy complaining cause someone clipped him as they passed. I get that we are all in each others way sometimes. We (I) need to practice patience, and consider how we sound when mouthing off about the lame f*ck who got in our way. Don't judge us here, we all need a ride.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

Jim C and others like him,
I think a lot of us need more patience. 

Just curious, why it isn't you who needs to pull over, take a few breaths and enjoyed the scenery and let those in front of you open the gap a little? Why do they need to pull over for you? Are you in a race? Did you own the trails? Did you pay more than they did to use them?

This is the attitude that really has me upset with all you "racers" out there. I've ridden with my son on a number of occasions, trying to get him into the sport - you know, to keep the sport going for future generations. He's 10 and in his first few times he's ridden, he didn't quite understand the issue of letting others pass. Worse yet, where where exactly to pull over for you heroes out there. In riding behind him, I'd say, "pull over" and he'd keep going. 

Other times, you have older people out trying to get exercise who also enjoy the sport. Do you think they want to pull over every 5 minutes for you guys just because they are slow? 

Sometimes we all need to share the trails if they are busy. You are not any more important than the next person on the trail. Maybe it's you that needs to pull over.

If you are such a sweet rider, get up early when no one else is on the trails and go as fast as you want. It's your own fault for trying to blaze by people when the trails are busy and then getting upset.


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## mountainbiker24 (Feb 5, 2007)

It's common courtesy to move to the side if you are holding up the rider behind you. You just pull over at the next convenient spot. It's really not that difficult to do. If your 10-year old son doesn't understand why you let faster riders pass, then maybe you should explain it to him. Actually, it sounds like somebody needs to explain it to you. 

Just because you have as much right to the trail as the rider behind you, you don't own the rights to that spot of the trail, nor do you have the right to tell that person to sit behind you for 10 minutes just because you don't feel like moving to the side of the trail for a second. It's way more convenient for the slower person who isn't in a hurry to take a second to move to the side than the faster person to be held up for minutes at a time. You shouldn't expect everybody else to have the same riding intentions or ideals as you do. 

If somebody is having a picnic in the middle of the trail, and you politely ask them to move to the side so you can pass, would you expect them to move? Yes, we could all be more patient. That doesn't mean people shouldn't still be curteous to other trail users.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

mountainbiker24 said:


> It's way more convenient for the slower person who isn't in a hurry to take a second to move to the side than the faster person to be held up for minutes at a time.


Thanks for proving my point hero. Now please go be in a hurry in the morning when the trails are less busy.

Thanks for being courteous.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Zerort said:


> Thanks for proving my point hero. Now please go be in a hurry in the morning when the trails are less busy.
> 
> Thanks for being courteous.


But he's still likely to encounter people, and have the problem.

It has nothing to do with "racing" or any mindset. People ride at different paces. Just like they run or walk at different paces. My mom on a hybrid is going to pass quite a few walkers and runners on her morning ride on the MUT. And expect them to move from two abreast to single file to facilitate that. Is she a "racer", too?

She yields to faster cyclists. They yield to faster people. When I'm out for a ride to the ice cream shop, I yield to just about everyone. Mutual courtesy. Regardless of the time of day.

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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

Le Duke said:


> But he's still likely to encounter people, and have the problem.
> 
> It has nothing to do with "racing" or any mindset. People ride at different paces. Just like they run or walk at different paces. My mom on a hybrid is going to pass quite a few walkers and runners on her morning ride on the MUT. And expect them to move from two abreast to single file to facilitate that. Is she a "racer", too?
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


Not familiar with the MUT, but is your Mom in a hurry? Is she clipping other people as she passes by? Are people having to stop and pull over for your blazing fast mom?

It's not the pace I'm talking about, but the perception you have more right to the trails than someone who is slower than you.

It's one thing if you make some audio signal - yes, they do have bells for all you racers, or a nice vocal "coming through" helps, but often this is not the case. It's all about "get out of my way I'm so fast" and the lack of patience that is mentioned a few post above that I find less than courteous.

This is a similar type of attitude that some roadies have who ride in the middle of a two lane, 45 - 55 mph road with all their other costume clowns. They're not moving over for the cars that are stacked up behind them, but some dirt hero expects people with less skills or ability to move over at a seconds notice on trails typically lined with trees.

It's people like this that give our sport a bad impression for others looking to get into it at any ability.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Your basic premise is flawed. You are basically saying that everyone that wants to pass your 10 year old son is a "racer". There are plenty of people that don't race, that don't ride super fast that are going to want to pass your 10 year old son. Some day, he'll want the same respect from others. 

I see my friends riding all the time, and let them pass if they're going faster than I am. Why? Because I'd want the same in return. Similarly, if I see my DH friends in the parking lot, I'll ask them where they are riding, and plan my ride so I won't hold them when they are pinning it, or run into them headlong going up.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

LeDuke,
Nothing flawed about my premise. Please learn to read the entire post before responding. I know it must be hard to read through them and have so many posts....and ride your bike, with your fast mom.

I used my son as an example of people with lesser skills that are also on the trails and who just can't get over as fast as some people would like.

We're all on the trails together and should be courteous of everyone. It's not only the fast ones that have rights. Either get a job, or go ride your bike.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Zerort said:


> LeDuke,
> Nothing flawed about my premise. Please learn to read the entire post before responding. I know it must be hard to read through them and have so many posts....and ride your bike, with your fast mom.
> 
> I used my son as an example of people with lesser skills that are also on the trails and who just can't get over as fast as some people would like.
> ...


I didn't say my mom was fast, just faster than walkers.

I also didn't say I ride with my mom.

Please learn to read the entire post before responding. And comprehend what is written.

I'm on winter break. I'll be riding later today, when it has warmed up past 5°F. I'm currently a graduate student, using GI Bill benefits accrued through my military service. Don't patronize me.

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## LMN (Sep 8, 2007)

Zerort said:


> Mountain bikers are generally pretty cool bunch except for the idiots that ride during the busiest time of the day and act like they are in a race. To all you "fast" guys out there, if you are so damn serious get you ass out of bed and go race with your buddies in the morning. Not at 12:00 when families are using the trails and they are more populated. Just dumb.


Well said.

I like to ride quick, knowing that I ride at times where the trails are quite and choose trails that I know are quite. If I choose to ride busy trails then I know that there will be tons of traffic and ride adjust my speed accordingly.

Of course if you are riding slow and choose to ride busy trails then you should be prepared to frequently move over for other riders.


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## blue_biker (Sep 7, 2008)

Zerort said:


> LeDuke,
> Nothing flawed about my premise. Please learn to read the entire post before responding. I know it must be hard to read through them and have so many posts....and ride your bike, with your fast mom.
> 
> I used my son as an example of people with lesser skills that are also on the trails and who just can't get over as fast as some people would like.
> ...


Just because someone asks to pass does not mean they need you out of the way that instant. People can be tired and not have the lungs for many words. If I come up on a slower I try to just let them know I'm there. I usually say whenever you have space and feel comfortable I can sneak by. I will happily putts along and wait for the opportunity that works for them.

However if I catch someone at the top of a climb, it come out more like this.
You can...
Let me...
By...
When you...
Have a....
Chance......

It may sound rushed, but it should be understood that sharing trails means passing happens, and don't get all bent out of shape about it.

I get passed by as many people that I pass, if not more. So what. If you're trying to pass, I'll do what I can to let you by.

Just be respectful. Both ways. Simple as that.


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## bgkz25 (Dec 29, 2013)

I wish there are trails close to our area that isn't single track because I'm slow when it comes to climbing. My lungs is just to weak to keep up due to my asthmatic problem. Anyhow, as long as I'm aware that there is/are bikers behind me, I'll be happy to take five and let them pass and say hello. Sometimes attitude is a matter of choice. It pays not to be upset or annoyed over things such as these as it might affect how we spend the rest of the day. Just enjoy.


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## JosefFritzl (Sep 17, 2009)

I'll try Zerort's method next time out & see how I fare: 
I'm not the fastest on climbs, in fact I'm usually off & pushing partway up. If a 'serious racer' wants to pass, they can stay right there behind me till we reach the top. If they're in such a hurry, they should ride up hills before/after the busy times. Then I'll ride their bum, dragging my brakes the entire fun part.


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## mountainbiker24 (Feb 5, 2007)

Zerort said:


> It's not the pace I'm talking about, but the perception you have more right to the trails than someone who is slower than you.
> 
> So you're saying that you have more of a right to go slow and hold people up than a person does to pass. Hypocrite.
> 
> ...


No, the people that give our sport a bad name are those that ignore other trail users and are rude to polite requests to yield when appropriate. Again, you are a hypocrite.

As Le Duke said, it's not usually about a racing mindset. It's about everybody sharing the trails. If you are holding people up, it's common courtesy to move off to the side when it is safe to do so. If you can't do that, then maybe you should be the one to ride the trails at less traveled times.


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## jim c (Dec 5, 2014)

LMN said:


> I like to ride quick, knowing that I ride at times where the trails are quite and choose trails that I know are quite. If I choose to ride busy trails then I know that there will be tons of traffic and ride adjust my speed accordingly.
> 
> Of course if you are riding slow and choose to ride busy trails then you should be prepared to frequently move over for other riders.


Why don't they see that as a good idea? You know, where you are courteous to the rider behind you! That's the way I learned back in the rigid days of the 80s & 90s. These days I get to the trail @ sunrise all year long simply because I have family and multiple demands on my time. The guys I ride with like to ride as quickly as we can. It's more fun that way. Our trails are busy even in the morning so no solution there, Zerot thanks for telling me when you think I can use the trail. When riders approach and announce, I've never had a problem moving over.


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## bt (Nov 24, 2007)

I blame all this on people.


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## Silentfoe (May 9, 2008)

Zerort has turned this into an even more ridiculous post than it was. I am honestly blown away that there is a rider out there who has his mindset and is adamant that it is the correct way to ride. Not only is he delusional, he's teaching his son the same crap.


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

Some of these guy's need to take a few more safety breaks and stop getting wound so tight.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

tiretracks said:


> Some of these guy's need to take a few more safety breaks and stop getting wound so tight.


+1.

Alternately, move to a place where there are no other humans.

I wish I saw more people on my rides, not less. More people out riding = less angry people.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

It sounds like these are some pretty congested trails in which case everybody needs to adjust their expectations. Otherwise get the hell out of the way jabroni. While were at it I almost always yield to the downhill rider. In conclusion please stay in California


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

tiretracks said:


> Some of these guy's need to take a few more safety breaks and stop getting wound so tight.


It's all their tight clown costumes like Silent Foe wears.


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

Zerort said:


> It's all their tight clown costumes like Silent For wears.


Like I posted, burn a few if it makes you so uptight.


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## johnlh (Aug 16, 2008)

RS VR6 said:


> I do both...and I find quite the opposite. Mountain bikers seem to hate more on roadies than the other way around.


This is exactly what I have noticed as well. There seems to be a pretty good assortment of roadie bashing on mtb pages, but I see very little mtb bashing on the road forums and pages that I frequent. The roadie vs. mtb mentality seems rather odd to me, as most riders in my area do a at least a bit of both.


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## Blatant (Apr 13, 2005)

Zerort seems wound really, really tightly. While I agree with the overall premise of courtesy, it doesn't appear that he does. If you're slower and holding up folks behind you, it's courteous to pull over at a safe spot and let other riders enjoy their ride at whatever pace they choose.

Most riders I know do this without question or concern. Why is it such a big deal?


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

Blatant said:


> Zerort seems wound really, really tightly. While I agree with the overall premise of courtesy, it doesn't appear that he does. If you're slower and holding up folks behind you, it's courteous to pull over at a safe spot and let other riders enjoy their ride at whatever pace they choose.
> 
> Most riders I know do this without question or concern. Why is it such a big deal?


Not a big deal at all. Pulling over is the right thing to do.

Expecting people to automatically pull over immediately (which was the original premise of my post about *patience*) without any sort of warning, or common courtesy vocal or audio notice is plain arrogant - like a lot of mtbr's.

Expecting people just to notice you and be impatient about getting out of your way them is ridiculous. Some people don't hear, or even check behind them very often.

Riding up their ass because you are "racing" yourself, others, or Strava and causing them to quite possibly fall because they don't ride to the same skill levels as a lot of us is completely rude. Allowing them time to pull over at a safe spot on their terms is what should be practiced. However, we all know people who ride like they are in a NASCAR race and practically "rub" the people in front of them.

So why is this such a big deal to be courteous and use some patience?


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Blatant said:


> Zerort seems wound really, really tightly. While I agree with the overall premise of courtesy, it doesn't appear that he does. If you're slower and holding up folks behind you, it's courteous to pull over at a safe spot and let other riders enjoy their ride at whatever pace they choose.
> 
> Most riders I know do this without question or concern. Why is it such a big deal?


This. Whether going up, down, or on the flats. I like to enjoy riding my bike, and if I'm holding someone up, I move aside.

Why? Because I want them to enjoy their ride, too.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## Silentfoe (May 9, 2008)

Zerort said:


> Not a big deal at all. Pulling over is the right thing to do.
> 
> Expecting people to automatically pull over immediately (which was the original premise of my post about *patience*) without any sort of warning, or common courtesy vocal or audio notice is plain arrogant - like a lot of mtbr's.
> 
> ...


You're not going to fix this. Either move on or keep digging a hole.


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## 53119 (Nov 7, 2008)

Work together in 2016. jayzus! it's not rocket science


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

Silentfoe said:


> You're not going to fix this. Either move on or keep digging a hole.


No need to move on or fix it.

When did you become the forum expert?

Why don't you move on? Seems like you can't read what I posted anyway and want to just be a follower. Or how about you go back to flexing in the mirror with your hero gear on?


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## Silentfoe (May 9, 2008)

Another foot deeper.


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## The Yetti (Dec 22, 2005)




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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

I can handle roadies...

I have a difficult time handling Freds


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## milliesand (Jun 29, 2015)

Thank you, The Yetti, for a different battle.


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

dirt farmer said:


> I can handle roadies...
> 
> I have a difficult time handling Freds


At least Fred's are oblivious to their Fredness.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

tiretracks said:


> At least Fred's are oblivious to their Fredness.


Freds are probably the nicest people out there.

They're always prepared. They'll always stop to help you out. They never judge, they always wave, they always smile.

I feel bad calling them Freds, though...

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## Scott O (Aug 5, 2004)

Le Duke said:


> Freds are probably the nicest people out there.
> 
> They're always prepared. They'll always stop to help you out. They never judge, they always wave, they always smile.
> 
> ...


Lemmy is dead and people are whining about roadies and a guy named Fred!?!?!!


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## mountainbiker24 (Feb 5, 2007)

I've never met a Fred, but is there a mountain bike version? Are there different "Freds" for cross-country, downhill, and enduro?


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

What is a Fred? :0.


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## bgkz25 (Dec 29, 2013)

Mr Pig said:


> What is a Fred? :0.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Yea, I'm a fred! :0)

I'm just in and I _was_ going to post a positive message about how the group of four roadies who overtook me all gave me a friendly hello, but...

About an hour later, on a very quiet back road, I passed a guy coming the other way. I nodded and gave him a hearty 'Hi there' and, despite passing no more than about five-feet from me, to totally blanked me. Just stared straight ahead as if I wasn't there.

Don't tell me, he was 'in the zone' right? In the zone all right, the total wanker zone! I'd rather be a fred than a wanker!


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## HPIguy (Sep 16, 2014)

You can tell it's winter in parts of the world, people sure are cranky. 

I'm likely part Fred as well, but I don't care, I'm having fun and that's all that matters. And I'm an equal opportunity offender, mountain bikes, road bikes, single speed, fat bike, dirt jumper, etc, I ride them all. I just like to ride bikes, period.


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## zephxiii (Aug 12, 2011)

mountainbiker24 said:


> I've never met a Fred, but is there a mountain bike version? Are there different "Freds" for cross-country, downhill, and enduro?


Is that the guy on the all carbon S-Works Stumpy that I blew the doors off on my entry level alu HT? ...in my second race ever.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

zephxiii said:


> Is that the guy on the all carbon S-Works Stumpy that I blew the doors off on my entry level alu HT? ...in my second race ever.
> 
> Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk


I've never seen Freds racing.

I usually see them on country roads on immaculately maintained 80s Italian steel, moving at a steady pace, enjoying the hell out of their ride. They aren't cheap, just frugal. Don't see the need to buy titanium this or carbon that. I respect that.

Freds are great.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## 245044 (Jun 8, 2004)

It's all fun.


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## zephxiii (Aug 12, 2011)

Le Duke said:


> I've never seen Freds racing.
> 
> I usually see them on country roads on immaculately maintained 80s Italian steel, moving at a steady pace, enjoying the hell out of their ride. They aren't cheap, just frugal. Don't see the need to buy titanium this or carbon that. I respect that.
> 
> ...


Oh OK I must have gotten the term mixed up then 

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

zephxiii said:


> Oh OK I must have gotten the term mixed up then
> 
> Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk


All of these are broad generalizations, of course.

But, my bike shop used to refer to the type you spoke of as "the dentist class". Guys who have more money than legs or skill. Want the best, buy the best.

Nothing wrong with those dudes, either. They keep bike shops in business, and keep eBay awash with gently used bikes.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

At the end of it they're all riding bikes, so it can't be a bad thing.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

tiretracks said:


> At the end of it they're all riding bikes, so it can't be a bad thing.


Quoted for emphasis.

Bikes are awesome.


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## zephxiii (Aug 12, 2011)

I like the Dentist Class


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## bmf032 (Sep 8, 2010)

Ahhhhh.....So anyway, funny cartoon Desert Rat. Thanks for sharing.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

I am a fred. A fashion disaster who doesn't care. Don't and can't race either and have no interest in watching cycling on TV. I'd rather do that watch someone else do but I can't do much. All I have in common with Danny Mac is that I live near him and we both have bicycles! And yip, I wear white socks ;0)


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## bgkz25 (Dec 29, 2013)

Looking back from the very first post it's quite funny how this thread have turned out into.


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## bt (Nov 24, 2007)

at the end of the day, when everything's said and done, we're all freds.


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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

Fred


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## KevinGT (Dec 25, 2012)

So would a mountain bike Fred be the guy in pads, a neck brace, a full-face helmet, an enduro jersey, and long pants pushing his 8" suspension bike up every incline on the local XC trails?


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## hiro11 (Dec 29, 2011)

I'm a former Cat 2 road racer and I raced mountain bikes for years when I was younger as well. My comments:
1. Mountain biking can be ridiculously physically challenging, especially if you're training for XC. Lots of great XC racers become great road racers, obviously. The idea that mountain biking is "easier" than road cycling without exception isn't correct.
2. People who have never done a hard 60 mile group ride averaging 23-25 MPH have no business talking smack about roadies. Such a ride takes "soul", it takes character. The idea that roadies somehow lack "soul" is ridiculous.
3. Roadies are often "jerks" because riding safely in a group on the road requires concentration and strict adherence to a long set of time-tested rules. This is why often roadies are exclusionary and cautious who they ride with: you're often literally putting your life in someone else's hands.
4. Mountain biking develops superb bike handing skills that have served me well on the road. Likewise, road riding also requires strong concentration skills that have helped me in MTB. Both sports are complementary.
5. I know very, very few cyclists who are exclusively road or exclusively MTB.


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## David R (Dec 21, 2007)

Le Duke said:


> But, my bike shop used to refer to the type you spoke of as "the dentist class". Guys who have more money than legs or skill.


I've often heard them referred to as "Prance Armstrongs"; latest high-end carbon bike, kitted out in team colours for their 5 minute ride from home to the local coffee shop, where they stack their bikes over 3/4 of the footpath and horrify the other patrons with their too-tight clothing.

They do exist in the mtb world, to a lesser extent, but if it keeps ebay full of high end bikes for cheap it's all good!


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

hiro11 said:


> I'm a former Cat 2 road racer and I raced mountain bikes for years when I was younger as well. My comments:
> 1. Mountain biking can be ridiculously physically challenging, especially if you're training for XC. Lots of great XC racers become great road racers, obviously. The idea that mountain biking is "easier" than road cycling without exception isn't correct.
> 2. People who have never done a hard 60 mile group ride averaging 23-25 MPH have no business talking smack about roadies. Such a ride takes "soul", it takes character. The idea that roadies somehow lack "soul" is ridiculous.
> 3. Roadies are often "jerks" because riding safely in a group on the road requires concentration and strict adherence to a long set of time-tested rules. This is why often roadies are exclusionary and cautious who they ride with: you're often literally putting your life in someone else's hands.
> ...


Excellent observations, nice post!


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

hiro11 said:


> I'm a former Cat 2 road racer and I raced mountain bikes for years when I was younger as well. My comments:
> 1. Mountain biking can be ridiculously physically challenging, especially if you're training for XC. Lots of great XC racers become great road racers, obviously. The idea that mountain biking is "easier" than road cycling without exception isn't correct.
> 2. People who have never done a hard 60 mile group ride averaging 23-25 MPH have no business talking smack about roadies. Such a ride takes "soul", it takes character. The idea that roadies somehow lack "soul" is ridiculous.
> 3. Roadies are often "jerks" because riding safely in a group on the road requires concentration and strict adherence to a long set of time-tested rules. This is why often roadies are exclusionary and cautious who they ride with: you're often literally putting your life in someone else's hands.
> ...





J.B. Weld said:


> Excellent observations, nice post!


X-2

Never have I read such an astute observation of the two disciplines and how they compliment one another. It's sad that some are so closed minded to believe one sport is better or harder than the other. Until you've done both for a number of years and dedicated many miles in both sports should you even comment negative towards one.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

hiro11 said:


> 3. Roadies are often "jerks" because riding safely in a group on the road requires concentration and strict adherence to a long set of time-tested rules. This is why often roadies are exclusionary and cautious who they ride with: you're often literally putting your life in someone else's hands.


But the guy who blanked me yesterday was on his own, on a quiet backroad, in the middle of nowhere passing so close we could've hi-fived. What was his excuse for being a dick?

And they don't _have_ to cycle in such really tight groups. They only do that so they can reduce drag and go faster, because they're jerks! They could string out and get the same workout over a shorter ride but they're all about big miles and speed.

The safety rules are very good though. A couple of the guys I ride with are liabilities, you really need to watch them.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

The guy who blanked you yesterday was a dick and also happened to be a riding a road bike, therefore all roadies are jerks. Makes perfect sense, except for the fact that the four roadies who passed you earlier were friendly. I guess they must have been freaks.



Mr Pig said:


> And they don't _have_ to cycle in such really tight groups. They only do that so they can reduce drag and go faster, because they're jerks! They could string out and get the same workout over a shorter ride but they're all about big miles and speed.


And mountain bikers don't *have* to ride off road, or even outside, they could get the same workout in a shorter amount of time if they just stayed home and rode their bikes on the trainer. Sorry, but that is one of the sillier statements I've heard here in awhile.



Mr Pig said:


> I don't hate roadies


Your posts suggest otherwise, it's OK, you can come out.


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## lubes17319 (Dec 19, 2005)

I got ignored once....I hate you all!





_"I hate everyone equally,
You can't tear that out of me.
No segregation -separation,
Just me in my world of enemies."_


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

Some roadies are unfriendly, a few are *****. 
Some MTBers are unfriendly, a few are *****. 
Some people are unfriendly, a few... 

Those are my generalizations. Let's just get over it and ride.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

J.B. Weld said:


> The guy who blanked you yesterday was a dick and also happened to be a riding a road bike, therefore all roadies are jerks. Makes perfect sense, except for the fact that the four roadies who passed you earlier were friendly. I guess they must have been freaks.


Except that I didn't say that did I? Does misquoting people make _you_ a dick? Think it might :0)


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## BmanInTheD (Sep 19, 2014)

Zerort said:


> No need to move on or fix it.
> 
> When did you become the forum expert?
> 
> Why don't you move on? Seems like you can't read what I posted anyway and want to just be a follower. Or how about you go back to flexing in the mirror with your hero gear on?


You started this whole onslaught in one of your first posts on this topic. Something about "why should they have to pull over? Why don't you slow down and smell the trees and let them build up a gap in front of you if you wanna go that fast?" Sorry, but it's this attitude that pisses people off.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

BmanInTheD said:


> You started this whole onslaught in one of your first posts on this topic. Something about "why should they have to pull over? Why don't you slow down and smell the trees and let them build up a gap in front of you if you wanna go that fast?" Sorry, but it's this attitude that pisses people off.


Go cry somewhere else with your blanket....or tight fitting cushioned bottomed diaper...err chamois.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

Roadies suck


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Mark_BC said:


> Roadies suck


Fumes?

Other than that they just ride.


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## bt (Nov 24, 2007)

they seem to like smelling each others bums riding like they do.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

I was checking out my brother in laws new road bike last week. I noticed the little mirror screwed in to the end of his handlebars. I commented saying "I need one of those for my mountain bike". He took me serious and said "I can get one for you". I said "yeah just to keep the mountain lions in view". 

He then chuckled and realized how useless a mirror would be on a mountain bike. 

He doesn't ride the dirt.


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

I've never understood the animosity. I guess because I like to ride both and can identify with each group. 

In the words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?":sad:


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> ...I said "yeah just to keep the Cougars in view"...


FIFY, you're welcome!


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

chuckha62 said:


> FIFY, you're welcome!


That would be for riding the boardwalk in Pacific Beach.


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## David R (Dec 21, 2007)

J.B. Weld said:


> And mountain bikers don't *have* to ride off road, or even outside, they could get the same workout in a shorter amount of time if they just stayed home and rode their bikes on the trainer.


Same workout, maybe. But really, who rides a mountain bike solely for the workout?


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## Scott O (Aug 5, 2004)

chuckha62 said:


> In the words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?":sad:


Rodney was a roadie. Not that there's anything wrong with that.


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

Scott O said:


> Rodney was a roadie. Not that there's anything wrong with that.


If by roadie, you mean street crook, I agree!


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> I was checking out my brother in laws new road bike last week. I noticed the little mirror screwed in to the end of his handlebars. I commented saying "I need one of those for my mountain bike". He took me serious and said "I can get one for you". I said "yeah just to keep the mountain lions in view".


I don't fancy riding where there are mountain lions but a tipper truck will kill you just as effectively and if you ride on the road you're a lot more likely to be killed than you are amongst your mountain lions. You can say what you like but riding in traffic takes balls. I wish I didn't have to do it.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Mr Pig said:


> Except that I didn't say that did I? Does misquoting people make _you_ a dick? Think it might :0)


Settle down Mr. Pig, I didn't misquote you. If you look at the post you'll see that I quoted you precisely (copy/paste) and then made a comment based on what you had said. Don't _make_ me quote you again! 



David R said:


> Same workout, maybe. But really, who rides a mountain bike solely for the workout?


Exactly my point, I never rode a road bike solely for the workout either, and neither did any of my "roadie" friends.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Mr Pig said:


> I don't fancy riding where there are mountain lions but a tipper truck will kill you just as effectively and if you ride on the road you're a lot more likely to be killed than you are amongst your mountain lions. You can say what you like but riding in traffic takes balls. I wish I didn't have to do it.


My whole story was sarcasm towards using a mirror while mountain biking. Nothing more nothing less.


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## bgkz25 (Dec 29, 2013)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> My whole story was sarcasm towards using a mirror while mountain biking. Nothing more nothing less.


What?! I was already searching for an alternative other than the handle bar mount mirrors. 😉


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

Somebody needs to cut & paste this thread onto the sister site roadbikereview.
Not that it could get any more entertaining but that might do it.


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## johnlh (Aug 16, 2008)

Scott O said:


> Rodney was a roadie. Not that there's anything wrong with that.


Rodney King shot while riding bike - latimes
Rodney King shot while riding bike
He tells police that he was wounded by would-be cycle thieves.
November 30, 2007|Maeve Reston | Times Staff Writer
After his 1991 videotaped beating by four white Los Angeles police officers whose acquittal touched off the 1992 riots, Rodney G. King became an overnight celebrity who symbolized for many the perception of unfair treatment of young black men by police.

But, since then, the spotlight has shifted to King's long series of run-ins with police and domestic disputes.

Television cameras swarmed his house once again Thursday after an incident Wednesday night in which he told authorities that he was riding his bicycle after 11 p.m. in a dicey area near the border of San Bernardino and Rialto and was sprayed with pellets from a shotgun.

He reportedly pedaled his bike for roughly a mile to his Jackson Street home in Rialto before calling police and heading to the hospital in an ambulance.

Rialto police, who were the first to respond, said King was intoxicated when they arrived and that it was difficult to decipher what had happened.

"We sent a couple of officers out to his address here in Rialto, but he didn't really tell us a whole lot other than he'd been shot," said Rialto Police Sgt. Don Lewis. "It looked like birdshot, looked like a long-distance shot."

On Thursday morning, San Bernardino Police Lt. Scott Paterson said police were still trying to determine what "was factual."

In interviews with investigators who visited him Thursday afternoon at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, King reported that a man and a woman approached him and demanded his bicycle.

When he rode away, King told investigators, someone sprayed his shoulder with pellets from a shotgun. King had pellet wounds on his face, arm and back, Paterson said.

Police still seemed puzzled by the incident late Thursday.

Paterson said King offered few details about the suspects. "We are hoping somebody witnessed the incident."

The 1992 L.A. riots erupted after a jury acquitted the LAPD officers in the videotaped beating. King was launched into the media stratosphere with his famous "Can we all get along?" plea to stop the riots.

For a moment, he seemed headed toward a public role as a voice against police brutality -- speaking to students in Southern California and at rallies intended to draw attention to police abuse. He ruminated to Los Angeles Times Magazine in the late 1990s about aspirations to start a summer surfing youth foundation in which children of different races could spend time together and "make this world a better place to live."

But King continually struggled with legal and substance-abuse troubles:

* In May 1991, he was arrested on suspicion of trying to run over a vice officer who allegedly found him with a transvestite prostitute in Hollywood, but no charges were filed.

* In 1993, King entered an alcohol rehabilitation program and was placed on probation after crashing his vehicle into a block wall in downtown Los Angeles with a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit.

* In July 1995, he was arrested by Alhambra police, who alleged that he hit his wife with his car, knocking her to the ground. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail after being convicted of hit and run.

* In 1999, he was sentenced to 90 days in San Bernardino County jail and put on probation for four years after a domestic dispute involving one of his daughters and her mother. He was required to attend a batterer's treatment program and a child-abuse program, according to court records.

* In 2001, King was ordered to attend a yearlong drug treatment program after he was arrested for indecent exposure and being under the influence of PCP at Ganesha Park in Pomona.

* In April 2003, Rialto police watched him weave through traffic in his Ford Expedition at more than 100 mph before plowing through a fence and into a San Bernardino house. He pleaded guilty to being under the influence of PCP and was sentenced to a six-month drug rehabilitation program followed by a 120-day jail sentence.

* That October, Rialto police arrested King on suspicion of punching his girlfriend in the stomach.

Susan Mickey, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County district attorney, said the office declined to prosecute the domestic violence case in 2003 and a subsequent September 2005 domestic violence case because of a lack of evidence.

In the September 2005 incident, King was arrested on suspicion of threatening to kill one of his daughters and her mother after the two women argued with his then-girlfriend, the Associated Press reported at the time.

In the last six to eight months, Rialto police have been to King's home numerous times, but for quieter calls.

"It was normal neighborhood stuff . . . drinking and loud parties, stuff like that," said Lewis, the Rialto police sergeant.

[email protected]


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## Singletrackd (May 3, 2015)

And now we know what Rodney King has been up to


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Singletrackd said:


> And now we know what Rodney King has been up to


Nice post up there. Although he did die awhile back.

Rodney King dead at 47 - CNN.com


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

So, as his biographer, would you say he is a Fred or no?


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

WHALENARD said:


> So, as his biographer, would you say he is a Fred or no?


Was


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

When I like to do training I ride my rigid mountain bike with slicks on it. But I did try my friend's wife's road bike and man that thing is peppy! I better not buy one or else I'll notice the weight of my tanks. I can't miss what I don't know. I figure, I can get the same workout on my rigid slick mountain bike so why bother with a real road bike? I'm not riding roads to race, it's the workout that matters.

But the wimpiness of road bikes scares me. Seems like if you hit a pebble the wrong way, the wheel buckles. Maybe roadies take pride in not causing their bike to self destruct. Guess it's like off road 4X4 guys vs. hot rod car guys. Not a fan of sports cars either.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Mark_BC said:


> When I like to do training I ride my rigid mountain bike with slicks on it. But I did try my friend's wife's road bike and man that thing is peppy! I better not buy one or else I'll notice the weight of my tanks. I can't miss what I don't know. I figure, I can get the same workout on my rigid slick mountain bike so why bother with a real road bike? I'm not riding roads to race, it's the workout that matters.
> 
> But the wimpiness of road bikes scares me. Seems like if you hit a pebble the wrong way, the wheel buckles. Maybe roadies take pride in not causing their bike to self destruct. Guess it's like off road 4X4 guys vs. hot rod car guys. Not a fan of sports cars either.


Watch Paris-Roubaix and get back to us.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## johnlh (Aug 16, 2008)

WHALENARD said:


> So, as his biographer, would you say he is a Fred or no?


Certainly was not a Fred, he took as much lead as Greg Lemond, and still kept pedaling.


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

johnlh said:


> Certainly was not a Fred, he took as much lead as Greg Lemond, and still kept pedaling.


Ha...nice!


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

Mark_BC said:


> When I like to do training I ride my rigid mountain bike with slicks on it. But I did try my friend's wife's road bike and man that thing is peppy! I better not buy one or else I'll notice the weight of my tanks. I can't miss what I don't know. I figure, I can get the same workout on my rigid slick mountain bike so why bother with a real road bike? I'm not riding roads to race, it's the workout that matters.
> 
> But the wimpiness of road bikes scares me. Seems like if you hit a pebble the wrong way, the wheel buckles. Maybe roadies take pride in not causing their bike to self destruct. Guess it's like off road 4X4 guys vs. hot rod car guys. Not a fan of sports cars either.


I'm a very rational guy, but always have a fear in the back of my mind that the carbon fork steerer is gonna shear off when I'm bombing down a hill. I'm a big dude, & still leery of carbon in such an application.


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## mountainbiker24 (Feb 5, 2007)

Zerort said:


> Go cry somewhere else with your blanket....or tight fitting cushioned bottomed diaper...err chamois.


Do you not wear chamois?


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

J.B. Weld said:


> Settle down Mr. Pig, I didn't misquote you. If you look at the post you'll see that I quoted you precisely and then _misrepresented_ what you had said.


I fixed that for you ;0)



DIRTJUNKIE said:


> My whole story was sarcasm towards using a mirror while mountain biking. Nothing more nothing less.


Fair enough. I've often thought about using a mirror on the road but I've not seen one I felt would suit.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

I thought I nailed it, but to be fair I'll just let your post represent itself this time.



Mr Pig said:


> I'm just in and I _was_ going to post a positive message about how the group of four roadies who overtook me all gave me a friendly hello, but...
> 
> About an hour later, on a very quiet back road, I passed a guy coming the other way. I nodded and gave him a hearty 'Hi there' and, despite passing no more than about five-feet from me, to totally blanked me. Just stared straight ahead as if I wasn't there.
> 
> Don't tell me, he was 'in the zone' right? In the zone all right, the total wanker zone! I'd rather be a fred than a wanker!


[/QUOTE]


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

J.B. Weld said:


> I thought I nailed it, but to be fair I'll just let your post represent itself this time.


Look, what's you're point? You used this post to imply that I think all roadies are jerks and I hate them all, which anyone who's read the whole thread knows isn't true. I have friends who are roadies, some are nice guys but some are tossers. What's your agenda here?


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

As long as they don't wear special clothes or ride in tight bunches.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

J.B. Weld said:


> As long as they don't wear special clothes or ride in tight bunches.


Really dude, like what??

One of my friends, one on the nicest guys I know, wears special clothes and rides in tight groups. Or at least he can. He's ridden with Chris Hoy. He also left the club he was in for decades because it was being overrun with wankers!

Not everyone who rides road bikes is a tosser but the nature of the game does seem to attract them. Or convert them, or both maybe. Seems pretty obvious, at least to me.


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## Ladmo (Jan 11, 2013)

Mark_BC said:


> But the wimpiness of road bikes scares me.


That's crazy talk. Top riders generate far more torque than any of us ever will. Not saying it can't happen, but in reality, I think the only way this is a concern if you are an extreme weight weenie. And that would be more of a concern in mountain biking than riding the roads.


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## BmanInTheD (Sep 19, 2014)

Zerort said:


> Go cry somewhere else with your blanket....or tight fitting cushioned bottomed diaper...err chamois.


Still no accountability. Sheesh.

Happy New Year to you too.


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## Hurricane Jeff (Jan 1, 2006)

Can a mountain biker be a tosser?

I really think that the two biggest problems that the people posting on this site is that they feel shunned by road riders and the fact they wear their team kits, or at least their tight clothes.
While there is some elitist factors in roadies, those same factors can also apply to mtbers, just listen to yourselves. As far as what they wear, it's functionable, just as wearing baggies and pads is functional to an enduro rider.
I spend lots of time on the road but it's less time than I spend off road either on my mountain or cross bikes, most of the time I do wear my tight fitting riding clothes. Its not about how cool, or not cool, that you may think you look, or you trying to look the look, it's about what works for you. I have several pairs of baggies from Fox, Nema and Zoic, I really have not found a pair I can live with, I even tried to use my bib shorts underneath, I still use them at times, but they are not that comfortable to me.
On the road, I race cat 3 and I'm a cat 1 off road rider. My road rides usually consist of a very fast riding group with lots of tough climbs, fast downhills and fast sprints, it's a total blast as well as a unbelievable work out. My mountain bike rides are again usually in a fast group( a lot of the same guys who are in the road groups) those rides are very fast, all mountain types of rides, with tight, techical single track and some high speed descents. My cross rides I usually do alone, since everyone thinks I'm crazy for doing 30-70 miles off road on a " road bike with 35mm knobby tires" riding some of the stuff we ride our fullies on, including some technical single track.
Ride whatever you like, but please respect those that ride what they like, maybe if some open their minds and try a different discipline, you'll learn the respect of either riding on the road or off.


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## Ol Bromy (Feb 6, 2009)

I don't own a road bike, but can't say I won't at some point. As long as you're spinning pedals, you're alright by me.


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## sooshee (Jun 16, 2012)

Mark_BC said:


> But the wimpiness of road bikes scares me. Seems like if you hit a pebble the wrong way, the wheel buckles. Maybe roadies take pride in not causing their bike to self destruct. Guess it's like off road 4X4 guys vs. hot rod car guys. Not a fan of sports cars either.


I ride a TON of rough, washboard gravel roads on my carbon road bike, and never have had a wheel buckled by a pebble... That bike has taken a lot of abuse, and frankly has never had an issue, unlike my mountain bikes that seem like fragile princesses.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Hurricane Jeff said:


> Can a mountain biker be a tosser?...


Yeah, absolutely. I have to laugh at the guys you see rolling down trails a five-year-old could ride with Go-Pros strapped to their heads! But it's not about having a Go-Pro, wearing lycra or anything else. It's about thinking that you're better than other cyclists or better than you are, whether you are a roadie or a mountain biker. That's all there is to it.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Hurricane Jeff said:


> Can a mountain biker be a tosser?


Are you talking salad here?

I don't think there's a discrimination between the two disaplines in that regard.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> I you talking salad here?


What does salad mean? Good grief with the jargon, old pigs can't keep up.


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

Reference to "tosser", as in "tossed salad", I presume?


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## Ol Bromy (Feb 6, 2009)

Think we're talkin about turd cutters


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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

Going to leave this here.

Roadies...right?


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

RS VR6 said:


> Going to leave this here.
> 
> Roadies...right?
> 
> Roadie


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Gasp4Air said:


> Reference to "tosser", as in "tossed salad", I presume?


You're not familiar with the term tosser? No, nothing to to with salad, although it could I suppose. It's a man who...likes to keep himself amused? ;0)


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

Mr Pig said:


> You're not familiar with the term tosser? No, nothing to to with salad, although it could I suppose. It's a man who...likes to keep himself amused? ;0)


Yes - tosser, wanker, I've heard them. Maybe I was confused, I thought something else was going on in that exchange.


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## hiro11 (Dec 29, 2011)

RS VR6 said:


> Going to leave this here.
> 
> Roadies...right?


Ah yes, Peter Sagan. Former junior mountain biking world champion.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Gasp4Air said:


> Reference to "tosser", as in "tossed salad", I presume?


Sad that only one out of a hundred got it.


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## hiro11 (Dec 29, 2011)

Mr Pig said:


> But the guy who blanked me yesterday was on his own, on a quiet backroad, in the middle of nowhere passing so close we could've hi-fived. What was his excuse for being a dick?


Speaking personally, I actually catch myself riding too close to other cyclists some times. If you ride/race in a group a lot, you get very accustomed to being within 12 inches of other riders for hours at a time. It doesn't feel even slightly unsafe to me. I sometimes forget that others might be very uncomfortable if a bike gets within five feet of them. I can think of a couple occasions where I passed someone on a MUP with what I thought was a wide margin but they still yelled at me for riding "too close". This wasn't intentional, I just forgot that I'm much more comfortable around other people on bikes.

Sidenote: this is one example of how roadies can be excellent bike handlers: it takes skill to ride a straight line and stay safe in a group. Taking this to the extreme, the bike handling skills and fearlessness required to navigate a European pro peloton at speed are astronomical. Here's what a typical pro sprint finish looks like:






The roads in Europe are absurdly narrow by American standards, there's tons of traffic islands, the speeds are incredible and everyone is fighting for position constantly. Lots of hugely talented and strong American riders get over to Europe and get crushed because they don't have the skills required to ride in a European pro peloton. Many never develop the skills necessary and drop out of the sport.



> And they don't _have_ to cycle in such really tight groups. They only do that so they can reduce drag and go faster, because they're jerks! They could string out and get the same workout over a shorter ride but they're all about big miles and speed.


This makes no sense.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

hiro11 said:


> The roads in Europe are absurdly narrow by American standards, there's tons of traffic islands, the speeds are incredible and everyone is fighting for position constantly. Lots of hugely talented and strong American riders get over to Europe and get crushed because they don't have the skills required to ride in a European pro peloton. Many never develop the skills necessary and drop out of the sport.


Great, looking at other guys' asses all day. My kind of day... (NOT!)

One of the reasons I prefer mountain biking is because I am in control of everything. The trail isn't moving and there are no other people to hit me with cars. With road riding it's a gamble, who knows who is going to come get ya.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Mark_BC said:


> Great, looking at other guys' asses all day. My kind of day... (NOT!)
> 
> One of the reasons I prefer mountain biking is because I am in control of everything. The trail isn't moving and there are no other people to hit me with cars. With road riding it's a gamble, who knows who is going to come get ya.


What you choose to do with your own eyes is your decision.

It also reveals the fact that you've never been on a (fast) group road ride, let alone a race. If you're looking at the person in front of you, you're going to crash.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

Mark_BC said:


> Great, looking at other guys' asses all day. My kind of day... (NOT!)
> 
> One of the reasons I prefer mountain biking is because I am in control of everything. The trail isn't moving and there are no other people to hit me with cars. With road riding it's a gamble, who knows who is going to come get ya.





Le Duke said:


> What you choose to do with your own eyes is your decision.
> 
> It also reveals the fact that you've never been on a (fast) group road ride, let alone a race. If you're looking at the person in front of you, you're going to crash.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


Talk about "target fixation".


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

What target fixation?


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

Cleared2land said:


> What target fixation?
> 
> View attachment 1039442


Oh, now that you mention it maybe I should open myself up to different sports more...

But why does she have to look like Alien?


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Cleared2land said:


> What target fixation?
> 
> View attachment 1039442


Perfect water bottle location.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

hiro11 said:


> Speaking personally, I actually catch myself riding too close to other cyclists some times. If you ride/race in a group a lot, you get very accustomed to being within 12 inches of other riders for hours at a time. It doesn't feel even slightly unsafe to me.


As you say, it is an acquired skill. Some people you are comfortable riding close to and others scare the crap out of you. Even when I'm riding alone on a deserted back road I still check over my shoulder before I change my position on the road, it's just automatic, and I'm not as proficient at group riding as most roadies.

It's still risky. I've seen half-a-dozen guys go down in a split second because of one mistake. That's what I mean about them not having to ride that close. A race situation is one thing but on casual group rides you don't need to ride like that. They just want to. It's either competitiveness, drafting, because it feels more 'pro' or because they want to natter! ;0) It's not necessary and is less safe than spacing out. I don't even like riding two-abreast on a fast or busy road. Legally you can in the UK but it pisses drivers off something awful and it's more dangerous.


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## RWhiz (Jun 10, 2013)

hiro11 said:


> Speaking personally, I actually catch myself riding too close to other cyclists some times. If you ride/race in a group a lot, you get very accustomed to being within 12 inches of other riders for hours at a time. It doesn't feel even slightly unsafe to me. I sometimes forget that others might be very uncomfortable if a bike gets within five feet of them. I can think of a couple occasions where I passed someone on a MUP with what I thought was a wide margin but they still yelled at me for riding "too close". This wasn't intentional, I just forgot that I'm much more comfortable around other people on bikes.
> 
> Sidenote: this is one example of how roadies can be excellent bike handlers: it takes skill to ride a straight line and stay safe in a group. Taking this to the extreme, the bike handling skills and fearlessness required to navigate a European pro peloton at speed are astronomical. Here's what a typical pro sprint finish looks like:
> 
> ...


I've spent the better part of the last three decades racing competive MX and while your video looks rather tame compared to what happens on an MX track, I know what you mean by feeling comfortable with close riding. I've been out riding with guys who don't race, and they tend to freak out a bit with that type of close riding. You have to really be able to feel and predict what those around you are doing, and what they are going to do. It's a lot of fun when you're in that flow, but it can be intimidating at time as well.


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## RWhiz (Jun 10, 2013)

Cleared2land said:


> What target fixation?
> 
> View attachment 1039442


Nice!


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

I gotta say... The only roadies I ever encounter are riding by when I cross streets on the Greenbelt Trail. Most say good morning or offer some cheerful greeting or reply as they go by. 
The thing that REALLY burns my ass is stuck up douchebags on the trails that don't say hello or good morning or anything. We have a LOT of these on Long Island.


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## big_slacker (Feb 16, 2004)

I grew up riding BMX bikes, then 10 speeds, then mountain bikes and now I have a CX, FS AM and a full rigid SS in the garage. I have no idea what all these categories are all about. I just like riding bikes.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

big_slacker said:


> I grew up riding BMX bikes, then 10 speeds, then mountain bikes and now I have a CX, FS AM and a full rigid SS in the garage. I have no idea what all these categories are all about. I just like riding bikes.


Marketing hype to sell more bikes. The more categories they create the more voids in some people's mind that they are missing out on something. Which in turn makes them go out and buy another bike to fill that apparent gap in their soon to be quiver of bikes.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

Maybe roadies have tapped into their inner starlings. Or anchovies.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

Nothing wrong with the road, I enjoy it. Helps with your cycling fitness which improves the fun-factor off road. Most roadies I know are v. fun to ride with...its quite social and enjoyable. I like that I can leave from my house and ride for an hour rather than the drive to the trailhead and back. Like any other cycling discipline, it has its elitists, snobs, and a-holes. But so do the gravity disciplines, XC/trail (not sure what the distinction is exactly but apparently it is important and XC = road = a-hole but trail is ok), whatever. I have never understood the hatred (probably too strong a word here) for roadies and road riding. A lot of the folks in my area that drop comments about roadies (and of course lycra!) are also the ones that seem to have a hard time riding more than 10 minutes without a break. We have trails that require pedaling and no shuttle business here, its not the mountains. Having some fitness equates to having more fun as you can ride longer/further. Most of the folks that are roadies here are excellent mountain bikers and have great technical skills as well. Ride on!


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

RS VR6 said:


> I do both...and I find quite the opposite. Mountain bikers seem to hate more on roadies than the other way around.


That has been my experience as well.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

TiGeo said:


> and of course lycra!


I have to admit, baggy shorts and technical XC riding don't mix.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

hiro11 said:


> I'm a former Cat 2 road racer and I raced mountain bikes for years when I was younger as well. My comments:
> 1. Mountain biking can be ridiculously physically challenging, especially if you're training for XC. Lots of great XC racers become great road racers, obviously. The idea that mountain biking is "easier" than road cycling without exception isn't correct.
> 2. People who have never done a hard 60 mile group ride averaging 23-25 MPH have no business talking smack about roadies. Such a ride takes "soul", it takes character. The idea that roadies somehow lack "soul" is ridiculous.
> 3. Roadies are often "jerks" because riding safely in a group on the road requires concentration and strict adherence to a long set of time-tested rules. This is why often roadies are exclusionary and cautious who they ride with: you're often literally putting your life in someone else's hands.
> ...


Great comments and v. true.


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## terrasmak (Jun 14, 2011)

RWhiz said:


> I've spent the better part of the last three decades racing competive MX and while your video looks rather tame compared to what happens on an MX track, I know what you mean by feeling comfortable with close riding. I've been out riding with guys who don't race, and they tend to freak out a bit with that type of close riding. You have to really be able to feel and predict what those around you are doing, and what they are going to do. It's a lot of fun when you're in that flow, but it can be intimidating at time as well.


motocross did prepare me a bit for roadracing. I know motocross is hairy but leaned over in a corner with your helmet next to someone knee after you were just elbow to elbow at 140mph is just something else. Hasn't transferred very well over to car racing, I still get kinda sketched out 6 inches away from another car.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Mark_BC said:


> Maybe roadies have tapped into their inner starlings. Or anchovies.


Good analogy!


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

*Roadies get to do some drifts too!*

Yee Haa!


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

Mark_BC said:


> I have to admit, baggy shorts and technical XC riding don't mix.


I have a pair of Zoic baggies...really like them and wear them often in the summer. It just depends on the kind of riding I am doing...more distance with fire roads involved = bibs for comfort. Just farting around = baggies so I don't scare the #enduro#flatbrims#650#droppers4life crew with my man-buldge


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Cleared2land said:


> View attachment 1039577


A friend of mine lost the back end of his road bike on ice, amazingly he managed to catch it but still buckled the back wheel! He was thirty-miles away at the time and had to get his wife to come and collect him.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

Dang roadies!


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## Ltdan12a (Jun 15, 2012)

I'm on the Mountain bike and the road bike. Given the choice, I'll take dirt- but the past six months our trails have been a mess, so those rides have been few and far between... 

I will say this- I hang out with an "MTB" group, and a "road" group... I've never heard the roadies say a bad thing about dirt lovers... I know several mountain bikers however that don't hesitate to mock or give **** to a roadie...


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Ltdan12a said:


> I will say this- I hang out with an "MTB" group, and a "road" group... I've never heard the roadies say a bad thing about dirt lovers... I know several mountain bikers however that don't hesitate to mock or give **** to a roadie...


This too is my experience. Just as you've described it. Why is this? It's not a positive reflection on mtbr's.


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## zrm (Oct 11, 2006)

Mr Pig said:


> But the guy who blanked me yesterday was on his own, on a quiet backroad, in the middle of nowhere passing so close we could've hi-fived. What was his excuse for being a dick?
> 
> And they don't _have_ to cycle in such really tight groups. They only do that so they can reduce drag and go faster, because they're jerks! They could string out and get the same workout over a shorter ride but they're all about big miles and speed.
> 
> The safety rules are very good though. A couple of the guys I ride with are liabilities, you really need to watch them.


Why is it a problem if someone "blanks" you?


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## Ol Bromy (Feb 6, 2009)

Cleared2land said:


> This too is my experience. Just as you've described it. Why is this? It's not a positive reflection on mtbr's.


I've had the exact opposite experience. There's a roadie at work who will say negative things out loud about mountain bikers and mountain bikes when he knows the mtb riders are within earshot. To be fair, this particular guy just sucks in general. Not necessarily a roadie trait.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

Cleared2land said:


> This too is my experience. Just as you've described it. Why is this? It's not a positive reflection on mtbr's.


Roadies don't talk crap about us because we look normal and arent arrogant pricks. We also don't ride in the middle of the road pissing drivers off like they do.

Now we mtbr's shouldn't be jerks about them but it's so hard not to because they just look so damn funny in their clown suits...err uniforms. Hahaha


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

^^^ Ok, that's funny!


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Zerort said:


> Roadies don't talk crap about us because we look normal and arent arrogant pricks. We also don't ride in the middle of the road pissing drivers off like they do.
> 
> Now we mtbr's shouldn't be jerks about them but it's so hard not to because they just look so damn funny in their clown suits...err uniforms. Hahaha


Look through the TLD website and tell me those aren't clownsuits.

Also, you know that Lycra can be worn on a mountain bike, right?

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## bgkz25 (Dec 29, 2013)

But if I may ask what should roadies wear so they don't look funny?


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

bgkz25 said:


> But if I may ask what should roadies wear so they don't look funny?


I have no idea. I haven't seen one that doesn't look funny.

I mean, why not just put numbers on those "jerseys" .


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## Silentfoe (May 9, 2008)

Zerort said:


> Roadies don't talk crap about us because we look normal and arent arrogant pricks. We also don't ride in the middle of the road pissing drivers off like they do.
> 
> Now we mtbr's shouldn't be jerks about them but it's so hard not to because they just look so damn funny in their clown suits...err uniforms. Hahaha


You are an adult right? Do you not see the hypocrisy in your post?


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

Le Duke said:


> Look through the TLD website and tell me those aren't clownsuits.
> 
> Also, you know that Lycra can be worn on a mountain bike, right?
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


Yep. No argument there about TLD. Can't say I'd ever buy that stuff anyway.

As far as wearing lycra on a mountain bike...WHY?


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

They should wear whatever they want to wear. 

Someone is always gonna make fun of someone for whatever reason just because it's different than them.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

Silentfoe said:


> You are an adult right? Do you not see the hypocrisy in your post?


It was a joke.

You're just butt hurt cause you look like those aero fools too.


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## Silentfoe (May 9, 2008)

It's not a joke. You're still doing it.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

Silentfoe said:


> It's not a joke. You're still doing it.


Look at you on your XC bike...
You must be killing it. Are you in a race?


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## Silentfoe (May 9, 2008)

So what? I honestly hope everyone here negative reps you into oblivion.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

Silentfoe said:


> So what? I honestly hope everyone here negative reps you into oblivion.


Haha. Boo hoo hoo.
Can't argue anymore. I have to go to bed to keep my shaved legs fresh.


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## Silentfoe (May 9, 2008)

Good for you. I'm satisfied knowing that what I wear during my "day" job makes me more of a man than you'll ever be.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

Silentfoe said:


> Good for you. I'm satisfied knowing that what I wear during my "day" job makes me more of a man than you'll ever be.


Wait...so you dress like a clown for your day job and that makes you a man.

Ok I guess????

Edit: by the way, that quote of yours is going to be my new signature because it's funny as hell. I can't even stop laughing.


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## zrm (Oct 11, 2006)

Zerort said:


> Roadies don't talk crap about us because we look normal and arent arrogant pricks. We also don't ride in the middle of the road pissing drivers off like they do.
> 
> Now we mtbr's shouldn't be jerks about them but it's so hard not to because they just look so damn funny in their clown suits...err uniforms. Hahaha


Man, when I think of clown suits I think of baggie clothes, scraggly look to the point of being cliche', oversize shoes. Sounds kind of like your typical AM/enduro brah, doesn't it? :lol:

There are three groups who worry about how they look and conform to some tribal dress code more than any other groups by a large margin: Harley riders, snowboarders, and mountain bikers.


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## can't get right (May 15, 2005)

I have no ability to comprehend the venom from one cycling group for another. Just becuase someone's idea of recreation is different from yours they are automatically the enemy? 

I have met *****ers from both road and dirt catagories. Roadies may be more elitist but by and large they really don't care what mtb'rs do and have no animosity towards them. Dirt fools on the other hand are much more myopic, and hateful. 

I would think that anyone who pedals a bike would support and encourage anyone else to do likewise.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

I shove sticks in their spokes!


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

zrm said:


> Why is it a problem if someone "blanks" you?


It's not a problem at all, but it is rude. If you walked into a room and said hello to someone and they just looked away without saying a word are you trying to tell me you would think nothing of it?



Zerort said:


> We also don't ride in the middle of the road pissing drivers off like they do.


That's necessary at times to avoid getting run over, and it's perfectly legal. Some drivers are reckless, impatient idiots who will bully their way past you when there isn't enough space. It's very dangerous. You need to ride out in the road to keep them where they are until it is safe for them to pass. Yes, it pisses them of but that's because they are thick. Not the cyclist's fault he has to do the thinking for two people.

And the clothes work. I wear lycra shorts or trousers most of the time, including off road. You try riding a lot of miles on the road in a jumper, it won't be a lot of fun.


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## 2old (Aug 31, 2015)

I don't mind the roadies. They are a brave bunch to ride on the roads with the idiot drivers I see around here. That is why I'm not a roadie. I don't want to get hit by an idiot.


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## DethWshBkr (Nov 25, 2010)

Cycling shorts and a cycling jersey all day long for me, road or mountain!
I always were my cycling shorts under my MX pants too when we were riding moto!


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

Bike mags should steal a page from the supermarket girl gossip mags and have a "Who Wears it Best" page - you know, a pic of MTB rider in lycra next to a pic of a Roadie in lycra. Other themes of sartorial interest might be "Fashion Disasters on the Trail" , "Trail Head Triumphs" - you get the idea. Once publisher realize how much MTBers care about what other cyclists wear these types of features will be common.


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## zephxiii (Aug 12, 2011)

Cleared2land said:


> Yee Haa!
> 
> View attachment 1039577


Nice!

I did a two wheel slide on the road bike earlier this year, but not to that extent.

I was coming up to a left on the bike path that was greasy. I had a lot of speed and when sat up or something to let off the power I felt the rear slide a lil which was a bad news. I tried to scrub some speed and then attempted to make the left but both tires broke loose in a lil slide. I managed to counter steer to pull it back in, scrub off a lil more speed and turn at the very last second before I ran out of pavement and luckily both tires stuck and made the turn.

It was a bit of a wild moment. It seems like I should thank MTBing for my natural handling skills. I couldn't tell ya how many times i've pulled out of a front tire washout on the trail.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

Mr Pig said:


> And the clothes work. I wear lycra shorts or trousers most of the time, including off road. You try riding a lot of miles on the road in a jumper, it won't be a lot of fun.


Meanwhile in the UK


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## can't get right (May 15, 2005)

2old said:


> I don't mind the roadies. They are a brave bunch to ride on the roads with the idiot drivers I see around here. That is why I'm not a roadie. I don't want to get hit by an idiot.


You realize your more likely to be killed in your car than on a road bike. But you still do that everyday.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

On getting “blanked”. This is somewhat strange to me – I have been “blanked” before. I typically never “blank” anyone as I am generally Mr. Chatty and an outwardly nice person. Keep in mind that often, folks on the road are “training” and may be in the zone, maxed out, whatever. I don’t take it personally. I have also been “blanked” by mountainbikers.

On lycra. Its cycling clothing. It’s what you wear on the road. Its comfortable. Its aero. I don’t see this as any different than other activities/sports that have specific gear. I am convinced that it is bound-up homophobia by some that drives the concern over this. I have never felt myself wanting to stare at my buddy’s junk. I wear lycra quite a bit offroad as well but do enjoy some nice Zoic baggies I have. I don’t think folks look any more ridiculous in lycra than some of the moto-inspired outfits I see on the trail. Wear whatever you like.

I too have never heard any of the roadies in our area say a disparaging remarks about mountainbikers…maybe that is because most of the ones that I ride with are also mountainbikers. I do however hear regular commentary by many mountainbikers about roadies. Just my observation. I think some of this stems from jealousy that many of the roadies are also v. fast/skilled mountainbikers and again…some sort of weird homophobic thing with the lycra.

As I have gotten into my 40s, I have realized that I am more of a “cyclist” now vs. roadie or mountainbiker. I like to ride bikes. I have a road bike, a CX/gravel bike, and a mountainbike. I enjoy each of the disciplines for different reasons and I like being able to choose. I am also in better cycling shape and a better mountainbiker than I have even been in the ~25 years I have been riding. I wonder if that is a coincidence? Try a road bike sometime. Find a group that is not “A” pace and ride with them. It’s often v. social just like mountainbiking. It’s fun to go DH over 40mph on a road bike.


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

What's not clear from that chart is whether percentage of cycling incidents are just for cyclists or for the population at large. I suspect it's for the population at large. Since only a small fraction actually rides on the roads, the percentage of cycling related deaths among those who actually ride may be much higher. 

Gotta watch statistics - their meaning can often be unclear.


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

Gasp4Air said:


> Gotta watch statistics - their meaning can often be unclear.


technically without knowing how the data was collected, a sample size, margin of error, confidence, etc. the statistics are meaningless.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

Yes, and respiratory diseases are number 3 bubble so sucking exhaust may give you that.


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## formula4speed (Mar 25, 2013)

So if I'm riding my Soma Wolverine, a road style bike but with MTB wheels, who should I hate? Does it matter if I'm on pavement or singletrack at the time? This is all very confusing.


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## hiro11 (Dec 29, 2011)

Road cycling clothing has evolved over 100+ years to its current state. There are many reasons why it's designed the way it is. The importance of these features will become eminently clear at hour three on a road ride. 

For what it's worth, I've been a racer for twenty-five years and I still feel like a complete dork while wearing lycra. I actually hate wearing lycra while not actually riding a bike. Coffee stops bug me, I refuse to go inside in my ridiculous clippity-clop shoes and my supersuit. However, lycra's extremely practical for road riding so I wear it.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Mark_BC said:


> Yes, and respiratory diseases are number 3 bubble so sucking exhaust may give you that.


Yeah, the exhaust from the two cars I see per hour is putting me into an early grave. Totally.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## zephxiii (Aug 12, 2011)

i'd feel odd going into a joint if i didn't have baggies on (i wear them on "urban" rides)...but don't care about my clippity clop shoes at all!


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## hiro11 (Dec 29, 2011)

2old said:


> I don't mind the roadies. They are a brave bunch to ride on the roads with the idiot drivers I see around here. That is why I'm not a roadie. I don't want to get hit by an idiot.


I could go on an hour long diatribe about how to ride on the road safely, but no one wants to hear it. Suffice it to say, I see a lot of idiot/entitled drivers and just as many idiot cyclist who have no idea what they're doing. It takes time to learn how to ride on the road safely and minimize driver irritation. Not enough cyclists take to time to learn the rules properly.

I've found about 80% of drivers are patient and reasonable. 15% of drivers are oblivious/distracted and will kill you if you let them. The remaining 5% are entitled/childish jerks who are (no joke) actively trying to kill you. No amount of reasoning will get through to this last group, they are irrational. Because of this latter group, I've mostly given up trying to ride alone on the road.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

hiro11 said:


> I could go on an hour long diatribe about how to ride on the road safely, but no one wants to hear it. Suffice it to say, I see a lot of idiot/entitled drivers and just as many idiot cyclist who have no idea what they're doing. It takes time to learn how to ride on the road safely and minimize driver irritation. Not enough cyclists take to time to learn the rules properly.
> 
> I've found about 80% of drivers are patient and reasonable. 15% of drivers are oblivious/distracted and will kill you if you let them. The remaining 5% are entitled/childish jerks who are (no joke) actively trying to kill you. No amount of reasoning will get through to this last group, they are irrational. Because of this latter group, I've mostly given up trying to ride alone on the road.


Truth. Its a skill that is learned and will really reduce (not all the way by any means) the chances of getting hurt and/or pissing off drivers.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

On going into places with lycra/shoes. I guess I just don't care. Its obvious I am a cyclist so people aren't shocked...its not like I dress like that to hang out. Again...maybe its an age thing...you get a little older and stop caring as much about what people think....but if you do care, I am not busting on you..I get it. I often bring a change of clothes if I drive somewhere to ride but if I am out and need to dart into a store to grab something or get a cup of coffee...f it...like a friend of mine always says "If you don't like how I look, don't look at me."


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Mark_BC said:


> Meanwhile in the UK


Some things no matter how hard you try can't be erased once viewed.:madmax:


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> Some things no matter how hard you try can't be erased once viewed.


Well, I guess you shouldn't be surfing those gay bondage sites then eh?


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

Like others out here, I spent the past twenty-some years exclusively on a mountain bike, but last year grabbed a road bike. I absolutely love hopping on my road bike and heading out for hours on a nice country ride either solo or w/some friends. I continue to race xc though, and partially see that as an endgame to my rides and various non-bike workouts.


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## DethWshBkr (Nov 25, 2010)

can't get right said:


> I have no ability to comprehend the venom from one cycling group for another. Just becuase someone's idea of recreation is different from yours they are automatically the enemy?
> 
> I have met *****ers from both road and dirt catagories. Roadies may be more elitist but by and large they really don't care what mtb'rs do and have no animosity towards them. Dirt fools on the other hand are much more myopic, and hateful.
> 
> I would think that anyone who pedals a bike would support and encourage anyone else to do likewise.


Yeah I can safely say I don't think I have ever heard a road biker trying to seriously defend himself against mountain bikers. It usually seems like mountain biking community that has to do studies and videos and comparisons to "prove" that they are equal or greater to road bikers as far as fitness or difficulty.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

^^^I'm telling you...its some weird fascination with the lycra.


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## DethWshBkr (Nov 25, 2010)

TiGeo said:


> ^^^I'm telling you...its some weird fascination with the lycra.


Well then I am going to drive them nuts.

I can hear the heads pop!


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

Funny. I showed up for the Rim Cyclery shuttle to the top of The Whole Enchilada clad in my Lycra. I was the only one and I'm comfortably over 50 years old. I got some stares and some comments from some of the young wankers getting on the shuttle. Didn't matter. I was comfortable and I rode the entire route. Why is it a big deal what someone wears? Makes the young homophobes nervous for some reason. Apparently clothing is an indicator of sexual preference? My wife doesn't seem to think so.


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## zrm (Oct 11, 2006)

chuckha62 said:


> Funny. I showed up for the Rim Cyclery shuttle to the top of The Whole Enchilada clad in my Lycra. I was the only one and I'm comfortably over 50 years old. I got some stares and some comments from some of the young wankers getting on the shuttle. Didn't matter. I was comfortable and I rode the entire route. Why is it a big deal what someone wears? Makes the young homophobes nervous for some reason. Apparently clothing is an indicator of sexual preference? My wife doesn't seem to think so.


Like I said, Mountain bikers, especially the younger "action sports" raised segment are right up there with Harley riders and snowboarders in the uniform conformity department. NOt quite sure why that is other than the need to fit in and feel safe within your chosen tribe which I think has to do with a lot of teen angst and insecurity. :lol:


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

chuckha62 said:


> Funny. I showed up for the Rim Cyclery shuttle to the top of The Whole Enchilada clad in my Lycra...I got some stares and some comments from some of the young wankers getting on the shuttle.


Ha ha, made me laugh ;0) I usually wear lycra trail riding too, also usually the only one. I'm too old to give a ****. It's very comfortable and when you're an old fart that is important.


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## zrm (Oct 11, 2006)

hiro11 said:


> Road cycling clothing has evolved over 100+ years to its current state. There are many reasons why it's designed the way it is. The importance of these features will become eminently clear at hour three on a road ride.
> 
> For what it's worth, I've been a racer for twenty-five years and I still feel like a complete dork while wearing lycra. I actually hate wearing lycra while not actually riding a bike. Coffee stops bug me, I refuse to go inside in my ridiculous clippity-clop shoes and my supersuit. However, lycra's extremely practical for road riding so I wear it.


Cycling is a big part of the culture where I live and nobody thinks anything about people walking into coffee shops, bars, etc while wearing cycling clothes. I personally could care less about what other people, especially strangers in a coffee shop or bar think of my clothing - that's their trip, not mine.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

The drama of dichotomy.


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

Mr Pig said:


> Ha ha, made me laugh ;0) I usually wear lycra trail riding too, also usually the only one. I'm too old to give a ****. It's very comfortable and when you're an old fart that is important.


Agreed. At some point you get your priorities figured out and the stupid crap fades into the rear view mirror.


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## Hurricane Jeff (Jan 1, 2006)

I used to race downhill in addition to road, xc, trail and cross. I remember a few times while out racing on the xc course, I'd get some of the guys practicing the DH course, would sometimes snicker and make comments about what we were wearing, but I would smoke most of those guys in the DH race the next day. Racing DH, I would wear baggies and all the other protective gear, so I would " fit in", but I used to take my DH bike out on some xc rides and wear lycra.


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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

The word on the street is that those that hate/complain about/disrespect/make uninformed comments about road bikers/biking have very, very small testicles. I think I believe it.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

dirt farmer said:


> The word on the street is that those that hate/complain about/disrespect/make uninformed comments about road bikers/biking have very, very small testicles. I think I believe it.


Well, IN PROPORTION to the other part, yes they are small


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

I conservatively estimate that Lycra and Spandex account for 84% of forum traffic on MTBR.


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## zrm (Oct 11, 2006)

Gasp4Air said:


> I conservatively estimate that Lycra and Spandex account for 84% of forum traffic on MTBR.


Oh c'mon, don't exaggerate, it can't be more than 79%


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

I wear the required uniform.


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## Speed Goat (Dec 31, 2013)

Holy cow, this thread is still going?? Shouldn't you people be out on your bicycles??

What does it matter if your ride a road bike, or an enduro, or a fat bike, or a townie, or a kids bike, or a cross bike, or a BMX bike? Who cares if you like to ride wearing baggy shorts and body armor, or lycra, or blue jeans, or ride flats, or ride clipless, or carry a camel bak, or use bottles, or still use tubes, or ride tubeless, or like Rock Shox, or prefer Fox, or like Trek or own a Specialized?

We're all cyclists, we all enjoy the same freedom that two wheels gives us. Should it matter what we wear or what we ride? There is just way too much anger in this world. If someone disagrees with you or does something another way or has a different idea they are immediately dismissed as a jerk. Why not be the better man? Life's too short to be mad at someone all the time.

I'm hoping that when I'm 90, I can still get on my bike and ride it around town. I'm sure it will be a lot different bike than the ones I have today and I'll probably be dressed in clothes a lot different that what I wear now, but at least I'll be riding. It won't be a marathon race or on the red stone of Moab but I bet it will still make me happy.:rockon:


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

So you bought the whole kit?


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## Flamingtaco (Mar 12, 2012)

zephxiii said:


> It seems like I should thank MTBing for my natural handling skills. I couldn't tell ya how many times i've pulled out of a front tire washout on the trail.


There's no comparison. You don't get mild amounts of grab on the road like you do on the trail. You get one of two things:

When it's wet, when you lose traction, it's gone. If it's the front wheel, it's all over before you even know what's going down, which is you. If it's the rear wheel, you hang on and hope you don't have so much momentum in the rear coming around to go beyond 45º. Up to there, you can recover if the road remains smooth. Past that point, even the smallest bit of traction on that rear tire will flip you.

When it's dry, when you lose traction, it's gone. Then it grabs 150%. Then maybe it's gone again. If it's the front wheel, you're going down. If you try to recover, you trash the wheel and maybe the bike and get a grand sendoff up and over the whole damn thing into the glorious heavens that await you, unless you are racing in which case replace glorious heavens with bystanders. If it's the rear wheel, there is that one in a million chances you will actually manage to stay aboard the bike after it regains traction and whips back in line behind the front wheel, but mostly you get thown one direction while the bike flies towards the opposite.

When I raced, we practiced high speed turns on grass. We weren't learning to control a slide, we were learning to notice the changes in handling that occur right before traction lets go, and how to counteract the effects that lead to loss of grip.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

^^^ Fortunately, it's the rear wheel this time...


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## SteveF (Mar 5, 2004)

I wouldn't mind if these "roadies are this or that," threads just quit happening. The attitudes attributed to "roadies," certainly exist in mountain biking as well, and in probably every sport, job, activity known to humankind. That elitist, better than you, faster than you, more important than you, indifferent to you, gear snob, matching team kit bull-stuff just comes with the territory whatever territory that might be. It matters to some people and not to others-if that's what makes riding fun for them, who am I to judge? Chalk it up, write it off, ignore it--the crappy attitude of others only affects your fun on the bike (what ever sort of bike that might be) if you let it...


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

Flamingtaco said:


> There's no comparison. You don't get mild amounts of grab on the road like you do on the trail. You get one of two things:
> 
> When it's wet, when you lose traction, it's gone. If it's the front wheel, it's all over before you even know what's going down, which is you. If it's the rear wheel, you hang on and hope you don't have so much momentum in the rear coming around to go beyond 45º. Up to there, you can recover if the road remains smooth. Past that point, even the smallest bit of traction on that rear tire will flip you.
> 
> ...


I'd be like:


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## 2old (Aug 31, 2015)

THIS^^^lmao


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

lol






Enjoy what you do by letting everyone else enjoy what they do!


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## hiro11 (Dec 29, 2011)

Cornfield said:


> I wear the required uniform.


Exactly. Tights.


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## misterbill (Aug 13, 2014)

Ha ha ha. You guys are funny. The next time I go to my LBS I am going to tell them that sometimes I ride on the road or on the bike path. Then I will ask them very seriously if I should be wearing a clown suit.

One of the coaches saw a bus driver from another town waving at me while I was driving a bus. He asked if all bus drivers waved-or if you had to be dressed properly. He said when he rides his bike the guys all dressed up in bike suits will never wave to him.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Saying nothing...


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Mr Pig said:


> View attachment 1040880
> 
> 
> Saying nothing...


That hurt my eyes.


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

misterbill said:


> Ha ha ha. You guys are funny. The next time I go to my LBS I am going to tell them that sometimes I ride on the road or on the bike path. Then I will ask them very seriously if I should be wearing a clown suit.
> 
> One of the coaches saw a bus driver from another town waving at me while I was driving a bus. He asked if all bus drivers waved-or if you had to be dressed properly. He said when he rides his bike the guys all dressed up in bike suits will never wave to him.


So by clown suit, do you mean big floppy shoes, big red nose, over-sized bright polka-dot jacket, maybe a bow tie, etc... ?

So, how exactly does this relate to road cycling?


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

Mr Pig said:


> View attachment 1040880
> 
> 
> Saying nothing...


Is that how they size you up for a road bike?


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

If I ever venture into road riding I'm going prepared.


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## bt (Nov 24, 2007)

never understood the animosity between roadies and mtbr's, but the friction with the tri guys I get....


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Mark_BC said:


> Is that how they size you up for a road bike?


I don't know, but that's not how you spell wanker.


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## zephxiii (Aug 12, 2011)

That dude's leg on the saddle like that...is weird.


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## bakerjw (Oct 8, 2014)

Gasp4Air said:


> I conservatively estimate that Lycra and Spandex account for 84% of forum traffic on MTBR.


OK... that made me laugh.
Truth be told I spend more miles on my road bike than my mountain bike. When I mountain bike I almost always wear lycra and no one says a word. I did buy some mountain bike shorts to fit in better though.


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## jspharmd (Jan 11, 2005)

Wow! 13 pages of discussion of road vs MTB, baggies vs lycra. I'll add the same comment as 1/2 the others. Do both, wear lycra (team kits - mountain and road teams) and don't really care what others think. My cycling clothes serve a purpose. The colors help distinguish teammates. Don't really care about drinking a coffee or a beer in my kit, as long as the ride was good.


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

hiro11 said:


> Exactly. Tights.


Baggies vs lycra is like John Bender vs Andrew Clark, lol!


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## YetiBear (Dec 2, 2004)

I think Mtn bikers are like Dogs and Roadies are like cats.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

YetiBear said:


> I think Mtn bikers are like Dogs and Roadies are like cats.


Mmmm....


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Mr Pig said:


> Mmmm....


Pig, I've never known you to be at a loss for words.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> Pig, I've never known you to be at a loss for words.


Just pondering. Seems like a good analogy to me, as a generalisation of course.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

Mountain bikers are from Mars and roadies are from Venus


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

Now this is funny^^^^^


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## mountainbiker24 (Feb 5, 2007)

So if a person were to ride both mountain and rode, he/she would be a cross breed of a cat and dog and from both Mars and Venus? Just making sure I know how to label myself.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Labels are for those that need labels.


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## mountainbiker24 (Feb 5, 2007)

How else will people know who to pick on?


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## DaveRider (Jul 14, 2014)

I rode mtb in Egypt for several years & the scene was mellow with light ribbing as far as XC vs AM vs roadie was concerned. Everyone said hi/ what's up/ salam aleykum on the trails. The expat roadies were the ones with the attitude.

I recently moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina. This is hell for mountain bikers. No trails, no terrain, nothing. So the yuppie locals get all kitted up & ride their carbon race mtb's in the street. Basically, it's a weekend fashion show. There are the mtb riders & roadies but both are riding in the street. Nobody says hi/ buenos dias back to me. 

I'm very sad...I hate riding in the street. I go up on the broken sidewalks & go balls out to get some kind of mtb thrill.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

mountainbiker24 said:


> So if a person were to ride both mountain and rode, he/she would be a cross breed of a cat and dog and from both Mars and Venus? Just making sure I know how to label myself.


Earth is in between Mars and Venus so if you ride both you are just right, not too hot and not too cold.


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## milliesand (Jun 29, 2015)

#ILuvScience

Because

1) Methane 'belches' detected on Mars - BBC News
If it is true "Men are from Mars". I have an EXCUSE!

2) Inability to Hear Women's Voices is a Symptom of High Frequency Hearing Loss - Atlanta Hearing Associates
"Explains why it appears I'm no longer listening, Dear"


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## shishono (Jan 10, 2016)

I live in Bangkok, Thailand. Most of roads are terrible. Most of drivers don't care about cyclists but road biking is still very popular. Cyclist die or badly injured on road every weeks even on road bike park. They have heart, lungs and legs but no skill. 
My bike is fs mtb but sometimes I have to ride with my road friend so I choose to ride on traffic jam road becase I can practice handing skill, decision skill and also heart, lungs and legs. Riding in bangkok roads make you have good survival skill. If you fail, its on traffic jam, its not kill you, just small injured. here is example of riding in bangkok roads. https://youtu.be/Z8gnr4OcO_w?t=34s


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

shishono said:


> Here is example of riding in bangkok roads. https://youtu.be/Z8gnr4OcO_w?t=34s


Looks like London or New York riding. Rather mental!


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)




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## crewjones (Aug 24, 2007)

All this for Road vs. Mtn ? I'll continue to enjoy both and if you hate lycra i'll make sure to wear mine extra tight for you when i'm on the road.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

^^^Enjoy


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

crewjones said:


> All this for Road vs. Mtn ? I'll continue to enjoy both and if you hate lycra i'll make sure to wear mine extra tight for you when i'm on the road.


Oh sure, piss off the homophobes!


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## jim c (Dec 5, 2014)

chuckha62 said:


> Oh sure, piss off the homophobes!


I know, right?!?
It's true one should not mock another, even if our mind is blown, but if you're mocked for somethin (anything) try not to be upset. Roll With It


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

jim c said:


> I know, right?!?
> It's true one should not mock another, even if our mind is blown, but if you're mocked for somethin (anything) try not to be upset. Roll With It


Yeah, for some reason, it makes the insecure question their masculinity.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

To all those negative repping me. Do you think that has any impact on me?

All the comments I get are so lame and it makes you seem like a little *****. 

Listen, if you wear lycra be proud. Obviously you must be.


Now, if those teams are paying you, then by all means, but if you are wearing Trek, Specialized, etc. and they are NOt paying you, I can stop laughing. Look in the mirror and just see loser. 

I ride road bikes and I know you can't ride baggies going 25 mph because it's completely irritating, but I never sport team kits and I still realize I look like a tool. Nothing you can do about it, but except the fact that you still look dumb. Please don't even think otherwise. 

So having said that, don't negative rep me because I speak the truth, it just makes you a bigger loser than you already are.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

Zerort said:


> To all those negative repping me. Do you think that has any impact on me?
> 
> All the comments I get are so lame and it makes you seem like a little *****.
> 
> ...


Soo are you the fashion Patrol? Is that what defines your ride? or are you worried your masculinity would be questioned? Seems weird to get so bent out of shape because of what someone else likes/needs to wear.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

^^^Read again genius. Obviously you didn't.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

^^ I did 3x and sadly this stands out: "I'll always think you look like gay clowns especially if you are rocking team kits. Lol - seriously you look ridiculous" 

The ? is why do you care? That is as homophobic as I've seen and that my friend makes you more of a loser and less of a genius. I don't understand the need to criticize people for no reason, I bet you won't tell me (or anyone else) that in person. 

I don't wear "team kit" stuff, but I do have Cannondale Jerseys that are made for ridding and use them as such. Again, what do you care?


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

jcd46 said:


> ^^ I did 3x and sadly this stands out: "I'll always think you look like gay clowns especially if you are rocking team kits. Lol - seriously you look ridiculous"
> 
> The ? is why do you care? That is as homophobic as I've seen and that my friend makes you more of a loser and less of a genius. I don't understand the need to criticize people for no reason, I bet you won't tell me (or anyone else) that in person.
> 
> I don't wear "team kit" stuff, but I do have Cannondale Jerseys that are made for ridding and use them as such. Again, what do you care?


Hey man, 
If you want to look the fool, by all means, just own it.


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

Zerort said:


> Hey man,
> If you want to look the fool, by all means, just own it.


What anger issues you must harbor shaking your fist at the world over such trivial matters.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Zerort said:


> To all those negative repping me. Do you think that has any impact on me?


After reading some of your comments, I can see why this has happened.


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## crewjones (Aug 24, 2007)

If you think you look like a fool when wearing lycra, it's in your own mind.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

tiretracks said:


> What anger issues you must harbor shaking your fist at the world over such trivial matters.


I'm dropping it after this, but.... ^^ That's what I'm talking about.


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

Hopefully Zero, you'll mature soon and you'll look back at this thread and see just how foolish your comments are. 

Sayonara!


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## mik_git (Feb 4, 2004)

This zerort guy has to be trolling...nobody can be this lame in real life... geez I hope not anyway.


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## baja07 (Sep 10, 2010)

troll so hard


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Someone who hates the way of others usually hates for one of three reasons.

They either see you as a threat.

They hate themselves.

Or they want to be like you.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

Flucod said:


> Fat bikes are best and all other types suck, there ya go. Now lets move on people!


Fat bikes rule, but only if you are wearing lycra while riding them.

Flucod gets where I'm going with this.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

I think most here are smart enough to understand, or at least intuitively recognize passive/aggressive posturing.


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## zrm (Oct 11, 2006)

Zerort said:


> Hey man,
> If you want to look the fool, by all means, just own it.


And lots of people think baggy gangsta inspired"enduro" MTB fashion looks ridiculous. So what? I've said it before and say it again, next to snowboarders and harley riders, I can't think of a group of people who are more concerned about conforming to a fashion uniform than a good chunk of MTBers. Mass insecurity.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

zrm said:


> And lots of people think baggy gangsta inspired"enduro" MTB fashion looks ridiculous. So what? I've said it before and say it again, next to snowboarders and harley riders, I can't think of a group of people who are more concerned about conforming to a fashion uniform than a good chunk of MTBers. Mass insecurity.


Hmm, "conforming".
I'm not sure where you live, but here in the Midwest I see mountain bikers wearing - Lycra??, baggies, plain t-shirts, kacki shorts??, sweat pants, clipless shoes, running shoes, flat pedal type shoes, short socks, no sock, tall socks, etc.

For Roadies - 99.5% are either sporting "team" kits, or other lycra.

Another thing I might add:
I've seen mountain bikers with XC helmets, Enduro helmets, cheap 'Walmart' helmets, Full face helmets, etc.

Roadies - aero road helmets. Why? because racer.

Now, who's the conformist?


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## Big Fil (Nov 5, 2014)

zrm said:


> And lots of people think baggy gangsta inspired"enduro" MTB fashion looks ridiculous. So what? I've said it before and say it again, next to snowboarders and harley riders, I can't think of a group of people who are more concerned about conforming to a fashion uniform than a good chunk of MTBers. Mass insecurity.


Haha I almost spit coffee on my monitor. First i've ever heard anyone claim MTB "baggie" gear was "gangsta" inspired. That would be like calling lycra ballerina inspired. And yea, seems like most roadie gear looks the same so calling someone MTBers conformist is a little funny.


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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

People who ride bikes = people who've been here awhile; may have been biking for 10+ years; love the sport

People who complain about clothing = people who are most likely younger, "gnarlier" (whatever the hell that means); have only ridden "runs"; can't see "the forest for the trees"; wear those ballcaps with stiff, horizontal brims; think Beavis and Butthead is better than..... Oh, please make me stop.


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## Zerort (Jan 21, 2013)

^^^^clear thoughts here please.

Some of the young ones probably won't be able to understand this gibberish.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

What about cyclocross? Mountain bikers in spandex on road bikes










Looks like some mtn bikers can conform to the herd


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

Mark_BC said:


> What about cyclocross? Mountain bikers in spandex on road bike
> 
> Looks like some mtn bikers can conform to the herd


If the sausage suit works for you, go for it!


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

Zerort said:


> I'll always think you look like gay clowns especially if you are rocking team kits.


Zerort - Gay does not equal clown. There is nothing wrong with being gay. Or a clown, for that matter.


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