Are you a Cycling Dork?

[prestonjb]

I guess you get the girl this time...

I'm not one to do something to change myself when I feel comfortable by not shaving...

Just me...

webfoot: This is off topic and I would suggest movin to cyclingforum->techCorner->CyclingEquipment...

In a nutshell I would think the Lemond or the Trek would make great choices... Don't know much about Marin road bikes... I think Specialized makes good frames but I've heard mixed reviews about their own line of components (cranks for example)... If you need more opinions create a thread in the cyclingequipment forum!

 

[David_Zen]

I tried shaving a couple weeks ago. My legs were really hairy and it took me a while to do one leg. I bought a baird an mustache trimmer to do the other leg but I did not use the razor on that leg. I got a lot of itching from doing that to the other leg. Don't like the way it feels. I prefer to just trim the hair on my legs than shaving to the skin.


Has anyone ever slept in their biker shorts before getting up in the morning for a ride? I have. I guess that was a bit Dorkie. At least I didn't sleep with my helmet on.

 

[bleachtblond]

Okay Okay! Yikes! I do think that "what's good for the goose should be good for the gander", however, I personally would NOT walk around with hairy legs, nor would choose hairy armpits. To each his own but my opinion is YUK! In may countries it is odd to shave. I am in the U.S. where all of the friends I have shave all necessary body parts. All is matter of preference. LOL. Having been raised here, I was taught that "it is nasty" to walk around with hair anyplace but your head. As far as a guy with shaved legs, either way is fine with me. It depends greatly upon what the legs look like. If your legs are yukky, it doesn't matter either way, wear pants. HA! Fit legs can choose to be either shaven or unshaven. They look sexy either way just because the leg is attractive to begin with.
Onto "dorkism"...I suppose that we all have been a dork at some point in time, in one way or another. I say instead of laughing at the dorks, take a quick chat, ask why they chose that certain attire, then refer them to cycling forum. Maybe the dork is unaware that they are dorks. If they read the forum and still choose dorkism, then they truly are a dork at heart and more power to THEIR dorkism. Note the THEIR part lol! Ya'll have a wonderful day.

 

[cyclemattstl]

How bout the guy wearing his bibs OVER his jersey.

 

[Memphmann]

Shaving is a matter of choice. If legs are too hairy, wouldn't they get caught in front chain ring

This is true, have many witnesses that also saw what I saw. Earlier on in the summer. We noticed this dude in his 40's on a mtb. So what you say. Well this dude did not suit a mtb, more like a Harley (motorcycle the "Hells Angles" ride). He has a Harley bandana on his head, leather biker boots, chaps, and a leather jacket. All of this he was wearing not on a motorcycle, but a mtb. Either he had a payment plan for his Harley. Could only afford clothing this month. Or he lost his drivers licence. What-ever, it was a funny sight....

Felt like asking him if he had JD in his waterbottle instead of water...

Memph

 

[prestonjb]

Shaving is a matter of choice. If legs are too hairy, wouldn't they get caught in front chain ring

CSL Memph that's a good one!

Yea my view is if you look like wolf man then you need to shave! Fortunatly I'm not in that category so I dont (shave).. But if you don't look like wolf man and you shave... Hey that's OK...

prestonjb

 

[bstay]

When I was new to cycling I was lucky enough to quickly get signed up with the best cycling mag there have ever been. It was called Road Bike Action, and was sadly killed in early 96 by the executives at Mountain Bike Action which was the mother magazine. In an article called "Don't be a Fred" they explained in quite a humorous way how to avoid dorkiness. I see absolutely no reason to be a Fred in any activity. You don't go to a dance club in a wetsuit, or to a nice dinner in your old horse riding clothes. Therefore, you must ride your road bike in appropriate attire or be laughed at. If you don't care about personal appearance you're a DORK by definition and an affront to most appearance conscious people, which happens to be the majority of people if they look a bit under their own surface. If you're new to cycling there's no way you can know, and therefore you're automatically excused. You can't also be expected to buy the whole package with looks and cool equipment before your first ride ever. It's actually the worst form of dorkiness there is. To kit yourself out with F1 equipment when you're a beginner. However, once you catch on you MUST shave your legs, and get properly kitted. That includes slick helmet, flashy jerseys, and a minimalist bike. The less gadgets you have on your bike, the classier. You should also have very little on your bodies. The ultimate roadie has enough legs to produce up to 1000 watts, and that warms up the body pretty good. You should aim to get those legs, though it'll probably be impossible unless your father's name is Cippolini or Pettachi. However, even half as good cyclists can look fast. I don't see a problem with wearing a team jersey, but I see a big problem with matching the jersey with shorts, socks, gloves, etc. I almost always wear a team jersey. I must admit that though I'm a minimalist and very style concious cyclist with shaved legs and no chain bites, I am sometimes guilty of using a camelback. I use the aerodynamic small pack. Where I ride it's sometimes 45 degrees in the shade. I NEEEEEED water in masses. There's not enough with just bottles. If I would ride around in my car and place bottles next to the road I would spend half the time in my car instead of riding my bike. That's ridiculous. I'll stick to my camelback. Besides, I live in an Arab country, so it seems appropriate. So, keep them legs shaved, keep your feet in the pedals and RIDE (that way you avoid chain bite), and keep hydrated. After all, what really makes you avoid being a Fred is to ride fast, and that requires lots of riding. Most of all have fun, while making others adore your sense of style!

 

[DeanPatterson]

I have been riding and racing since 1968, as a fourteen year old, through juniors, seniors, Masters, coached teams, directed teams, organized and managed races. I can tell you that one thread runs through all of these 35 years...the snobby elitism that makes cycling such a closed sport most everywhere. Whoever wrote this "Dork" post is a ******. Every cyclist should simply encoursage every non-cyclist or interested recreational rider or would-be racer to ride, to race, and to get more involved in the sport. Making deragatory statements and lists like these only hurts, and while some of them are accurate (get out of your clothing , towel down, and change shoes immediately after you ride or race), others are idiotic. To wit: Shaving your legs. The only reason cyclists shave their legs is to look cool because that is what they see with the pros in Europe. Don't kid yourself...that is THE ONLY REASON. Now, pros in Europe (and elsewhere) shave their legs because of only one reason also...because they get MASSAGE daily, if not more often. Sorry...that's it! IT isn't because it looks cool, it isn't because of wind resistance, it isn't becuase of faster recovery from road rash. We do it because they do it, and if you examine that motivation closely, it parallels the Mercatone Uno dorkism. Saying that a cyclist is a dork because he shows up on the road in somebody's team kit is the height of snobbery. Businesses who support racing make profit forom our purchases of all things cycling, including team clothing. Supporting those businesses can only be a good thing. I can remember when it was considered pretty cool to slip into the latest team jersey made by Gianni (they were wool then). So now I'm not cool unless I wear some obscure team jersey from Bob's Deli/Rave sunglasses/NutrinoBar Sport Team, just because the other category 3 and 4 losers couldn't manage to stay with the local bike club, and had to splinter off to form their own six or eight man squad. Wow! I get free sunglasses, all the pasty NutrinoBars I can choke down, and pay "wholesale" for shorts and clothing. That makes me an ulta elitist, local, cooler than **** guy! That's why those guys always remain 3's and 4's, becuase they are too ego driven to actually think about their sport, to support their local club, to become a better racer by listening to people who been around the sport for 20 or more years, and have raced more miles than Mr. Dork list has ever ridden, total. People, jsut stop the snob ****! Every bmx, low rider, or busboy going to work on a bike is a cyclist, and has had to sprint to make a yellow light. Encourage all of your dorks by example, and a quiet word of advice; Don't feed your ego by acting like you are Moses coming down from the mountain.

 

[DeanPatterson]

I have been riding and racing since 1968, as a fourteen year old, through juniors, seniors, Masters, coached teams, directed teams, organized and managed races. I can tell you that one thread runs through all of these 35 years...the snobby elitism that makes cycling such a closed sport most everywhere. Whoever wrote this "Dork" post is a ******. Every cyclist should simply encourage every non-cyclist or interested recreational rider or would-be racer to ride, to race, and to get more involved in the sport. Making deragatory statements and lists like these only hurts, and while some of them are accurate (get out of your clothing , towel down, and change shoes immediately after you ride or race), others are idiotic. To wit: Shaving your legs. The only reason cyclists shave their legs is to look cool because that is what they see with the pros in Europe. Don't kid yourself...that is THE ONLY REASON. Now, pros in Europe (and elsewhere) shave their legs because of only one reason also...because they get MASSAGE daily, if not more often. Sorry...that's it! It isn't because it looks cool, it isn't because of wind resistance, it isn't becuase of faster recovery from road rash. We do it because they do it, and if you examine that motivation closely, it parallels the Mercatone Uno dorkism. Saying that a cyclist is a dork because he shows up on the road in somebody's team kit is the height of snobbery. Businesses who support racing make profit forom our purchases of all things cycling, including team clothing. Supporting those businesses can only be a good thing. I can remember when it was considered pretty cool to slip into the latest team jersey made by Gianni (they were wool then). So now I'm not cool unless I wear some obscure team jersey from Bob's Deli/Rave sunglasses/NutrinoBar Sport Team, just because the other category 3 and 4 losers couldn't manage to stay with the local bike club, and had to splinter off to form their own six or eight man squad. Wow! I get free sunglasses, all the pasty NutrinoBars I can choke down, and pay "wholesale" for shorts and clothing. That makes me an ulta elitist, local, cooler than **** guy! That's why those guys always remain 3's and 4's, becuase they are too ego driven to actually think about their sport, to support their local club, to become a better racer by listening to people who been around the sport for 20 or more years, and have raced more miles than Mr. Dork list has ever ridden, total. People, jsut stop the snob ****! Every bmx-er, low rider, or busboy going to work on a bike is a cyclist, and has had to sprint to make a yellow light. Encourage all of your dorks by example, and a quiet word of advice; Don't feed your ego by acting like you are Moses coming down from the mountain.

 

[E MTB Rider]

Originally posted by Vo2
This guy has it all: the mirror and the camelback! Apparently he has a Garmin GPS II installed on the aerobars;D

That Dork Can ride you and anyone else on the forum in the ground. Do a search find his website and follow his wheel for 350k if you can. Sandi is a well known hammering "dork". Yeah he soes look a little fred in that pic but he can pull it off.

 

[Memphmann]

Dean Patterson: ok another dorkish thing is typing a post that is 5 miles long. Then posting it twice. I agree with some of your points. But every sport has its elitest. Have you ever played other sports in the upper levels. Baseball players have the same opinions toward their cleats, gloves, practice clothing and bats. So this is not just a cycling issue, but every sport.

I think this post started out mainly as a joke. Now to many ppl have taken it to seriously. I do not shave because the pros do it. I do it because I like the way it looks and women seem to enjoy it.

Good luck in attempting to change the views of so many elitest......

Memph

 

[bleachtblond]

My opinion(no one probably cares but)...It's all okay. I personally don't care to wear some of that attire but hey go for it if you like. Initially I said that and got slammed but I will always stick with attire I like. Admittedly, I don't like mirrors (my preference) but because I ride where there's much traffic on occasion and sometimes at night, I have a mirror on the bars and a light also. (I have to see!) No one ever rides with me except a triathlete on occasion,(she has a helmet mirror and I couldn't care less, I like Lissa!) so maybe I am a dork and I don't know it?! At least I am a fit, thin and pretty attractive dork. Besides, after you wear your helmet and sweat your a** off, I don't think anyone looks "undorkish". By the way, it doesn't matter what you wear to the non cyclist. They think we are ALL dorks. Don't believe me? well, just ask them. lol!ex: gorgeous guy always sees me for months, sweaty and riding. I see him at the gym where I work BEFORE I work out. Suddenly, he calls me at home. I gave him the phone number months before when sweaty with flat hair. I do ride with makeup... not sorry. I ALWAYS wear makeup, no matter what! (dorkism?) I do NOT Care at all if anyone thinks so. I like it and intend to keep on doing the makeup...period) All of a sudden, this fellow thinks I am "hot" as he said it. I didn't go out with him at all. Instead, when he called I talked his ear off about negative bullsh*t to get rid of him. HAHAHA! Now he just says hello when he sees me. The other guys love me so who cares.
Point being, in some folks eyes we are dorks, in others we are not. Do you honestly live your life worrying if someone thinks you're a dork? NO of course not. It's all in fun conversation for a bunch of bike riders who frankly have nothing better to do than post a bunch of garbe that we all find amusing to read. I say, who cares about attire, snottiness or what someone thinks about them? I for one DO NOT! When that person pays my bills for this single Mom, then I care. Until then, I am just having fun, living a wondreful life and looking the way I like. I prefer to be attractive in everyones eyes but we can't please everyone all the time. MORE power to ALL of us bike riding folks. Peace, Love and Light to ya'll...all of ya'll! PS Does the word ya'll make me a dork? LOL!!!!!

 

[Memphmann]

Originally posted by bleachtblond
My opinion(no one probably cares but)...It's all okay. I personally don't care to wear some of that attire but hey go for it if you like. Initially I said that and got slammed but I will always stick with attire I like. Admittedly, I don't like mirrors (my preference) but because I ride where there's much traffic on occasion and sometimes at night, I have a mirror on the bars and a light also. (I have to see!) No one ever rides with me except a triathlete on occasion,(she has a helmet mirror and I couldn't care less, I like Lissa!) so maybe I am a dork and I don't know it?! At least I am a fit, thin and pretty attractive dork. Besides, after you wear your helmet and sweat your a** off, I don't think anyone looks "undorkish". By the way, it doesn't matter what you wear to the non cyclist. They think we are ALL dorks. Don't believe me? well, just ask them. lol!ex: gorgeous guy always sees me for months, sweaty and riding. I see him at the gym where I work BEFORE I work out. Suddenly, he calls me at home. I gave him the phone number months before when sweaty with flat hair. I do ride with makeup... not sorry. I ALWAYS wear makeup, no matter what! (dorkism?) I do NOT Care at all if anyone thinks so. I like it and intend to keep on doing the makeup...period) All of a sudden, this fellow thinks I am "hot" as he said it. I didn't go out with him at all. Instead, when he called I talked his ear off about negative bullsh*t to get rid of him. HAHAHA! Now he just says hello when he sees me. The other guys love me so who cares.
Point being, in some folks eyes we are dorks, in others we are not. Do you honestly live your life worrying if someone thinks you're a dork? NO of course not. It's all in fun conversation for a bunch of bike riders who frankly have nothing better to do than post a bunch of garbe that we all find amusing to read. I say, who cares about attire, snottiness or what someone thinks about them? I for one DO NOT! When that person pays my bills for this single Mom, then I care. Until then, I am just having fun, living a wondreful life and looking the way I like. I prefer to be attractive in everyones eyes but we can't please everyone all the time. MORE power to ALL of us bike riding folks. Peace, Love and Light to ya'll...all of ya'll! PS Does the word ya'll make me a dork? LOL!!!!!

Is this where I say way to go girl....


Memph

 

[bleachtblond]

Originally posted by Memphmann
Is this where I say way to go girl....


Memph

I don't know Memph...is it?

 

[webfoot]

have done same with shaving. ride with 2 pros and when I got road rash it definately took longer to heal than they did with clean shaven legs. took it up and now you can see all the scars but usually heal completely in 72 hrs or less. seems those little hairs catch and hold bacteria. wife loves the smooth feel also. and... it can be a couple thing. arent bikes wonderful??/

 

[webfoot]

bleachblond. you and my wife are 2 of a kind. she could care less about what others think or say. rides with lights, and sometimes wears makeup. IT'S ABOUT the RIDE. I on the other hand am an endorphine junkie, ( used to be adrenaline. ) so I dont care either but do want the parts to take me to the edge. wife was a single mom of 1 and now we are totally a cycling family and relocating to the big island of hawaii. we gave up cars and if need something, use our trailers. she too works in a gym. I drew the limit on letting her put makeup on while riding or talking on cell phone. (just kidding ) she has too much common sense to be that much of a dork. I am very proud of her, and glad she is independant. She has gone from an 8 mph daily average to a 17 mph daily average. she puts her own upgrades on and picks them as well. She also rides a min of 100 miles a week. her highest is 230. she has only seriously been into bikes for 3 mths. she picked her marin mt. bike. in closing I want to say. your statements are right on and any guy thats single out there will be lucky to get a straight shooter like you.

 

[Specialized27]

Ha I saw a cycling dork today! He was actually probably not a cyclist....more like a dork on a bike....so it was a guy in tight jeans, with a huge baggy white t-shirt and cowboy boots...he was on a mountain bike, but strangly he was riding with only one hand...well it was strange until you saw the beer in the other hand HAHA it was hilarious!

 

[bleachtblond]

Webfoot...Thank You. That truly is inspirational to me. Maybe there is a chance that I will meet a wonderful and sweet guy, after all. Frankly, you couldn't have had better timing! After twelve years of marriage, he left five years ago, never to be seen or hear from again. No one ever thinks that will happen to them. I ended up getting involved with my best buddy. (HUGE mistake) Too long a story to tell. Let's just say it was horrible. So, I try computer dating. That sux! Hated it! I decided to be alone forever. Two years later my 16 year old girl (only child) fixes me up with triathlete who had previous 23 year marriage and two bad relationships thereafter. I knew he was emotionally unavailable but he was a sweet and honest man. Six months later, he says "I have never had a woman treat me as good as you but I can't give you what you want. You deserve better. I want you to go on with your life." That was only a month ago. Decision...forget about men FOREVER this time. Some are meant to always be alone. Even Paul in the bible spent his entire life alone. Point being, apparently it does happen! Ya'll are living proof. I learned a lot from that last relationship. I learned to trust. I grew a lot! I thank the good Lord every morning and night when I awake, just to be here. I am so fortunate to have my sweet daughter. Who knows, maybe someday some prince charming will come and sweep me off my feet. Likelihood? 1 in 1000000 but hey it's better than 0 in 1000000. LOL! Big SMILES. They call me smilie at my job. How can I not be happy when I have my girl, my life, my pets, a roof over my head, a job, a car, food in my stomach and my BIKE! Thanks for the inspiration. I needed that. PS Any fellows in the Charlotte North Carolina area, who are single, without a ton of emotional baggage,(and like to ride bikes) look me up at SuesanMcD on the aol profiles! If you like what you see and read write to me. You never know what could happen now do you? Gigantic smiles! Wish me blessings. Many blessings to everyone.

 

[Memphmann]

OMG, this has gone from cyclingforums to datingforums. With messages that are longer than most ride. Thank you for the update on your sad life. We all have problems, but how about a different forum or email webfoot.

I am friends with another single mother of 2 on this forum. She does not go on about how sad her life is or how desperate she is (which she isn't). We all have problems, but must be better area to let it out.

Why make-up when you ride? Maybe if it has SPF. If you seriously ride, then you should just sweat it off...

Memph

 

[webfoot]

you are a hard one sir, she wasnt whining, just making some statements and adding a little humor. after all ,this thread is a humor related one. remember humor?? oh yeah forgot candians arent into humor eh. or are you just mad yaall arent the winningest on the bikes now. maybe country music and rodeos. thats humor too, in case you couldnt tell. later