Why Roadies Don't Smile-funny article I just read

[PedalUma]

Another thing that roadies will do is install a $120 chain that won't hold up because it is too lightweight.

 

[Rideagain]

I can tell if a roadie or group of them has been through. I see all the energy gel packets on the side of the road.
They claim to follow the road rules but I very rarely see them stop at a stop sign. And rarely do they acknowledge that you have stopped for them.
I road a 20# bike. I ride a heavy mountain bike and now a e-bike so I've been there. Mountian and e-bikes are the friendliest and and will most always wave or say hi.
Serious training on a road bike is hard but there's no excuse to think your better then a new rider, family ride or non-roadie.
It was the same a long time ago that harleys wouldn't acknowledge a non-harley rider. That has changed. I road a harley for many years and would see almost all riders give the hand signal. The only exception is goldwing and bikers with patches.
I guess it's only natural to try to class yourself in any sport or activity the harder you train but it seems counterproductive and not as much fun by a long shot.
Seems like fun and sports got separated along the way for far to many people.

 

[Kayakguy]

Love it. I just went for a ride today and smiled and waved at 4 different roadies. None smiled or waved back. Maybe it's because I'm on an ebike or because it's also a mtb or both. Kinda rude. I do stop and help any other bikers with a problem. To me this is all about fun and relaxation. Not a race or competition.

A while back, I had an interesting and surprising response from roadies. I was tooling along on my ebike (Ariel Rider C class), watching in my mirror as a small bevy of roadies closed up on me. I wasn't trying to stay ahead of them, but kept up my regular cadence. I was not sure what to expect from them, possibly some kind of snark--or just silence. Instead, one of them said, as he passed, "Nice bike." That really startled me, but I avoided falling off the bike.

Is this the kind of event that would qualify for an entry in "Ripley's Believe it or Else"?

 

[Rideagain]

Sometimes they do and it's nice to see not all are so serious.

 

[PedalUma]

Nice bike

The exception that proves the rule.

 

[knightrider]

Yes, pretty silly for the many posers.

But for many roadies, the laudable goal is to ride far and fast under your own steam. In which case, streamlining by crouching in lycra becomes your best defense against your greatest nemesis by far at speed — air resistance.

Above crossover speed, the reduction in drag area (CdA) obtained by swapping baggy street clothes for sleek lycra can result in a significant reduction in total resistance. (See Wilson and Schmidt, 2020, Bicycling Science, 4th ed.) Since drag is proportional to CdA at all speeds, the benefit adds up over the miles and can be parlayed into greater distance, faster average speed, or reduced fatigue. Just like a motor does.

You don't have to be riding the Tour de France for this to make good sense. What doesn't make sense is to assume that the roadies are wrong about everything.

 

[Robspace1]

They can wear clear cellophane or nothing at all and might move even quicker. Point is, when people smile, wave or say hello, the adverage human will respond in a friendly way. Is raising a few fingers off the death grip too hard to do or asking too much? Common courtesy for fellow riders is a good habit to have.

 

[PedalUma]

I give two rings and a wave when passing them on a climb, as I sip my mocha on a three speed with a coaster brake.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

They can wear clear cellophane or nothing at all and make move even quicker. Point is, when people smile, wave or say hello, the adverage human will respond in a friendly way. Is raising a few fingers off the death grip too hard to do or asking too much? Common courtesy for fellow riders is a good habit to have.

Couldn't agree more about the courtesy/friendliness part. How they dress and why is a separate issue entirely up to them.

 

[Sparky731]

When encountering bikers I can always pick out the ebikers before I see their bikes — recognized by the smiles on their (our) faces.

 

[rtp]

Tomorrow morning I’ll hit the tracks with my buddies. We don’t spend much time on the bitumen but when we do I always smile and way at every other bike rider. I always have. I’ve made more friends this way than I can remember but sometimes my intentions aren’t entirely pure. I usually get a laugh from my riding buddies every time a roadie goes past and they point blank ignore my friendly wave. Its not a one off, its been happening for so long we often have post ride conversations about why roadies never smile or say g’day. Here are some of our favourite theories:

Same thing happens in the motorcycle world, although varies on area, e.g. 'who will wave to whom' vs ignore, and maybe it's less frequent.
Mostly it's down to some Hardley riders that don't wave to non-Harleys, or occasionally sport-bike clubs that think they're 'special' and don't wave to anyone not on a top-tier liter+ sport bike. Ironically I rescued a Harley rider in the mountains who nearly went off a mountain on one of my longer trips..wonder if he now waves to non-Harleys? )

I've ridden dual-sports of various types (DRZ-400, BMW F650, V-Strom, ...) and sportier bikes and pretty much waved at everyone for decades, mainly only those two cases didn't wave back.

 

[rob feature]

Same thing happens in the motorcycle world, although varies on area, e.g. 'who will wave to whom' vs ignore, and maybe it's less frequent.
Mostly it's down to some Hardley riders that don't wave to non-Harleys, or occasionally sport-bike clubs that think they're 'special' and don't wave to anyone not on a top-tier liter+ sport bike. Ironically I rescued a Harley rider in the mountains who nearly went off a mountain on one of my longer trips..wonder if he now waves to non-Harleys? )

I've ridden dual-sports of various types (DRZ-400, BMW F650, V-Strom, ...) and sportier bikes and pretty much waved at everyone for decades, mainly only those two cases didn't wave back.

A kindred spirit! I've also owned a DRZ & F650 Dakar - both awesome bikes!

Waving always seemed like something unique to the moto world. Sometimes folks on bicycles wave. Most of the time they don't. When you pass a couple thousand a day, I guess it removes the novelty.

 

[chunk]

It's the same with motorcyclists, most wave as we pass by, but a few "typical" types do the blank stare ignore thing. A lot depends where I'm riding too geographically speaking. Some riders think they are better than others I guess. The most common bikers with their nose up in the air it seems are the BMW GS crowd in my experience of 40 plus years, but not to be confused with the BMW "airhead" crowd, they may be a bit eccentric, but the airhead guys are the most helpful, down to earth bunch of motorcyclists I've met. When i was in the Los Angeles city area the Harley guys were pretty elitist, but now about 125 north of Los Angeles the Harley crowd are mostly as nice as can be, so who knows. I just wave and don't worry about it. There are a lot of dual purpose bikes around here too, and I've noticed they aren't too friendly either. I'm about the only guy on a bicycle around here so no one else to wave to on a pedal bike. If i'm in my truck or on a MC and see a pedal biker, I always honk my horn and wave to them. A couple of my non pedal 2 wheelers.

 

[Robspace1]

It's the same with motorcyclists, most wave as we pass by, but a few "typical" types do the blank stare ignore thing. A lot depends where I'm riding too geographically speaking. Some riders think they are better than others I guess. The most common bikers with their nose up in the air it seems are the BMW GS crowd in my experience of 40 plus years, but not to be confused with the BMW "airhead" crowd, they may be a bit eccentric, but the airhead guys are the most helpful, down to earth bunch of motorcyclists I've met. When i was in the Los Angeles city area the Harley guys were pretty elitist, but now about 125 north of Los Angeles the Harley crowd are mostly as nice as can be, so who knows. I just wave and don't worry about it. There are a lot of dual purpose bikes around here too, and I've noticed they aren't too friendly either. I'm about the only guy on a bicycle around here so no one else to wave to on a pedal bike. If i'm in my truck or on a MC and see a pedal biker, I always honk my horn and wave to them. A couple of my non pedal 2 wheelers.
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Nice EBIKE! But where's the peddles?

 

[AHicks]

I think the reason most don't smile might have something to do with their seat?

 

[PedalUma]

I think the reason most don't smile might have something to do with their seat?

That and the spandex down there is too tight, sweaty. I went for a big kited out ride awhile ago with serious riders. Then needed to swing back to the workshop to finish a bike. The spandex was so hot and sweaty that I had to peal it off to function. Just as I did a guy walked in my office door without knocking.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

The spandex was so hot and sweaty that I had to peal it off to function. Just as I did a guy walked in my office door without knocking.

Did the guy wave back?

 

[PedalUma]

No. He gave me two bags of beef jerky. You can't make this stuff up.

 

[Taylor57]

I know a good many years have passed since the movie "Breaking Away" was in theaters, raking in alot of money & in the process, igniting the road-racing craze on "10 speed bicycles". I came of cycling age during that time, but not at all interested in racing; more interested in pedaling 10 miles or so, back to homebase.

That movie established the idea of the snooty, above-it-all, Italian and European bike racer. All wearing their leather helmets, cycling shorts, jerseys and cycling shoes in toe clips.

And I really think us copy-cat Americans latched onto that idea, of dressing out as if they were Eddy Mercks (sic) or Bernard Hinault.......every ride out done in a self absorbed style that included alot of suffering grimaces and thoughts of lording above everyone else on 2 wheels. And in the years since that movie, after LeMond winning in France, Armstrong and all of the others, the attitudes have only gotten worse. Everyone has to fit in one particular niche, with each niche hating on all the others.

I'm one of those e-mtb'ers who does most of my mileage on asphalt due mainly because off-road areas are at a minimum, 5 plus miles away from homebase. On occasion, I've had opportunities to pass roadies at speed. Let me tell you, hearing the whine of 26 x 4 Schwalbe Jumbo Jims coming up from behind them....always get's their attention! Some are fine. Most don't acknowledge my presence, what with their personal suffering in the name of Aero Tuck. I found the bigger groups of spandex faux Tour racers to not be too nice at all as I pass them by.

Great movie. Tons of great lines including REFUND!!

 

[kevinmccune]

they are perhaps like"Eyore" happy when they are sad(from the hundred acre wood)