Hills. I hate them. What Would Dirt Do?

[consularrider]

Hey, none of my stuff matches since I buy it from where ever. For my commuting I must have four or five different shades of hi-viz stuff.

[acc]

What I Wear Because I’m Lazy
1. Whatever is in the dryer. Because it’s clean.
2. Matching is optional.
3. Without the slightest trace of shame, some high-tech fabric that’s tight enough to violate the codes of decency in Utah and Ohio. (Because it keeps me warm.)
4. If it’s cold enough, I wear the ever fashionable hiking boots with ski socks.
(Now I’m beginning to look like clown, but it’s not as bad as you envision.)
5. I splurged on the outer layer, a very fine Gore jacket. I froze my giblets off last year “making do” — this jacket is muy beuno.

I tried Dirt’s approach to climbing and it is making the ride ever so slightly more tolerable. But I live of fear of having to whip out a chain tool and pretend to know how to use it. Seems slightly more sensible to carry a Foster’s and merely push and sip my way to safety and an LBS.

Cheers,
Ann

[Marcella]

@rcannon100 14047 wrote:

😎 He He 😎 Nah…. I wear spandex shorts… It’s just that, well, its just so cute to see the noobs come out on the weekend, you know, the matching young couples, in their perfectly matching, brand new, spandex. On their bikes where all the equipment is original and there are no scratches on the paint. And they gleefully cycle down the MV trail, side by side – making it dangerous to pass – and they are not sure what the bell is for on their handlebar My favorite is the guys I see recently wearing full spandex pants, and matching jackets et al…. when its 50 degrees out.

When I see a guy whose equipment, 50 percent of it doesnt match, and his bicycle looks like its been through the ringer, and he’s wearing pretty much whatever he found on the floor (or his Bike to Work Day shirt from 8 years ago)… that’s a commuter.

Why are so many people on this forum so against people who ride for fun instead of transportion? Why is it necessary to make fun of people who are just out to have a good time and get some exercise? Newbies need to learn trail ettiquette, sure. People who don’t have experience riding in cooler temps haven’t figured out yet what clothes to wear, okay, we all have to learn sometime. That doesn’t make them inferior to you just because you ride a bike to work.

[jabberwocky]

@Marcella 14064 wrote:

Why are so many people on this forum so against people who ride for fun instead of transportion? Why is it necessary to make fun of people who are just out to have a good time and get some exercise? Newbies need to learn trail ettiquette, sure. People who don’t have experience riding in cooler temps haven’t figured out yet what clothes to wear, okay, we all have to learn sometime. That doesn’t make them inferior to you just because you ride a bike to work.

I think most people here ride for recreation as well. I think the forum is dominated by commuter/transportation types though because those are the ones who are most interested in advocacy type stuff. When you’re riding for fun, you can be a lot more selective about your route. Commuters often have to ride on less-than-ideal routes simply because their start and end points are fixed, and as such tend to be much more interested in the nitty-gritty of laws/cycling facilities/etc.

I do agree that judging folks on what they wear is silly. I generally wear mismatched spandex when riding just because its comfortable and cheap, but I ride with folks who run everything from expensive team kits to baggies. Its all good.

[Marcella]

@jabberwocky 14065 wrote:

I think most people here ride for recreation as well. I think the forum is dominated by commuter/transportation types though because those are the ones who are most interested in advocacy type stuff. When you’re riding for fun, you can be a lot more selective about your route. Commuters often have to ride on less-than-ideal routes simply because their start and end points are fixed, and as such tend to be much more interested in the nitty-gritty of laws/cycling facilities/etc.

Is this forum only for advocacy?

I do agree that judging folks on what they wear is silly. I generally wear mismatched spandex when riding just because its comfortable and cheap, but I ride with folks who run everything from expensive team kits to baggies. Its all good.

It’s not just judging about what people wear. It’s looking down on people who are new to the sport or simply trying to get some exercise. You are not better than they are just because you’re more experienced or you ride your bike to work. And when you act like you think you are better than they are, you drive them away.

If you want more people cycling, you need to welcome other cyclists, not make fun of them or make excuses for the people who do make fun of them.

[DismalScientist]

Any anti-spandex comments I make are solely directed to riders of non-metallic steeds that cost more than my monthly mortgage. Particularly if they are young and can’t keep up with this geezer on his 35 year old steel machine. And, besides that, it is all in jest.:p

[jabberwocky]

@Marcella 14069 wrote:

Is this forum only for advocacy?

Of course not, but that seems to be the focus of a lot of people here. Its affiliated with WABA after all, which is an advocacy organization. I think all are welcome though. I wouldn’t take anything said here too personally; I’m pretty sure most folks are are just joking around. Its hard to read tone over the internet.

@DismalScientist 14070 wrote:

Any anti-spandex comments I make are solely directed to riders of non-metallic steeds that cost more than my monthly mortgage. Particularly if they are young and can’t keep up with this geezer on his 35 year old steel machine. And, besides that, it is all in jest.:p

Me and my Sram Red-equipped carbon machine resent that remark.

[JimF22003]

@Marcella 14064 wrote:

Why are so many people on this forum so against people who ride for fun instead of transportion? Why is it necessary to make fun of people who are just out to have a good time and get some exercise? Newbies need to learn trail ettiquette, sure. People who don’t have experience riding in cooler temps haven’t figured out yet what clothes to wear, okay, we all have to learn sometime. That doesn’t make them inferior to you just because you ride a bike to work.

Reverse snobbery is still snobbery…

[acc]

Why conform? Rhinestones go well with black Lycra. On the other hand, it’s hard to resist dressing up to look like a living, breathing NASCAR. Wear what gets the job done. I can easily ride around the beach in a bathing suit, around here– not so much. If I’m riding in the rain I wear an attractive neon green puke colored jacket because I want to give drivers a solid target. If I’m making a liquor store, I mean grocery store run, I wear jeans. The one thing I won’t wear again were mountain bike shorts because they wouldn’t stay up.

Ann

[JimF22003]

@DismalScientist 14070 wrote:

Any anti-spandex comments I make are solely directed to riders of non-metallic steeds that cost more than my monthly mortgage. Particularly if they are young and can’t keep up with this geezer on his 35 year old steel machine. And, besides that, it is all in jest.:p

You’re not helping. So now spandex is OK under certain conditions, but carbon fiber bikes aren’t?

[Tim Kelley]

@JimF22003 14076 wrote:

You’re not helping. So now spandex is OK under certain conditions, but carbon fiber bikes aren’t?

My guess is that carbon fiber bikes are, but carbon fiber wheels aren’t.

Then there is always this…Behold, the World’s Greatest Madone

[Marcella]

So then you think it’s okay to make fun of people who are different from you. It’s okay to insult people, as long as you claim that you don’t really mean it.

[DismalScientist]

I’m sorry. Please don’t mistake my flippancy for an insult. I don’t think I have actually made any anti-spandex comments. Although I never wear it, I understand its benefits. To each their own. I am merely a resident retrogrouch whose, until recently, newest bicycle was built in 1990. My comments on pricy, newer technology bicycles are similar to what a Pinto owner might say about Mercedes Benz. They similarly mean nothing and are not insults.

[dasgeh]

@Marcella 14078 wrote:

So then you think it’s okay to make fun of people who are different from you. It’s okay to insult people, as long as you claim that you don’t really mean it.

Personally, I didn’t see insulting comments in this thread. It seems that you did, and people have apologized for that. After a couple of months on this forum, I sincerely believe that no one intends to insult other cyclists, and that new cyclists are welcome here. What might be more helpful is for you to point out specific statements that are insulting and unwelcoming, so those posters can take a look at what they’re writing. If you come at it from a belief that the posters meant well, then your phrasing might be better received (e.g. “I’m sure you didn’t mean it, but XYZ came off as an insult”). And if you don’t believe the posters mean well, then maybe it’s not worth your time to fight it.

[Marcella]

@dasgeh 14087 wrote:

Personally, I didn’t see insulting comments in this thread. It seems that you did, and people have apologized for that. After a couple of months on this forum, I sincerely believe that no one intends to insult other cyclists, and that new cyclists are welcome here. What might be more helpful is for you to point out specific statements that are insulting and unwelcoming, so those posters can take a look at what they’re writing. If you come at it from a belief that the posters meant well, then your phrasing might be better received (e.g. “I’m sure you didn’t mean it, but XYZ came off as an insult”). And if you don’t believe the posters mean well, then maybe it’s not worth your time to fight it.

I am not a new cyclist, but I am new to this forum, and I do not feel welcome here. And I did specify the comment I found objectionable.

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