Roadies vs Off roaders

fondriest said:

I have recently noticed a strange phenomenom while out riding. I ride both mountain and road bikes. When out on my mtb i get nods from other mtb`ers and a few roadies but most dont bother. However when on my road bike, i get nods from all other roadies and mtbers.
So, it would seem that some roadies are a bit stuck up when it comes to mtb`ers, whereas mtb`ers will say hi to anyone.

Just wondered if anyone else has noticed this? Maybe its something that just happens here in Uk?😕

When you see a MTB on the road they are out of their element, if it were possible to see road bikes on the trail it's likely the opposite of what you encounter on the road with your MTB would occur. That can't happen really, although once I met a group of folk on the trails who had one of their buddies riding (barely) an old beater of a road bike on the trails. Of course he was very friendly, lotsa idiots are. They were having a grand ol' time though.

As far as grouping the roadies & MTB together & seeing whose snobbier I'd say it's a tossup. I've met lots in both catagories. I'm none to communacative on the road myself, but only because I'm busy. I save my friendly enthusiasm for complete rookies & commuters where it'll go the farthest.

I just wave at anyone who're on bikes! They wave or not, I dont care. 🙂

i wave to any rider who looks like a real rider. not just some person rolling down the road on a bike they found in the garbage.
i ride my road bike the most often.
given that, mtn bikers seem less likely to wave back, compared to roadies.

Try to remember that the MTB is a fairly new invention, while road cycling dates back over 100 years, so there's a lot of tradition built up. Some people seem to embrace tradition with both arms, and shy away from anything that looks different. I've had a cross eyed look or two when I take a camelbak on the road. It's just a water bottle, f'cryin out loud...

I wave at everybody- the guys working in the vineyards...folks on bikes, women (unless wifey is behind me), people who yell insults because they don't like my shorts- whatever. Riding is such a general elation I just can't help myself.
The best is the guys who won't wave at me because I have a flat bar road bike...I've actually seen them look at my bike and shake there heads. I can't help but wonder why I have never seen them out before ten, and why they only do the flat seven down to the next town and return, and why they are all wearing matching clothes...but I still wave anyway.
And...every month or so I take out my old Marin MTB and ride it on my normal constitutional (25 miles through Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County Ca.) just because all that flowy flext steel feels so damn good to bomb hills on

Telegram Sam said:

I wave at everybody

Me too. I wave at everyone I encounter, no matter where I am. I also normally toss in a "Hi!". I'm just so glad to be out there, whether it's a trail , bike path, or road, that I have a permanent smile plastered across my face while I'm riding.
😄

I do, however, see alot of people that take it SO SERIOUS that they won't even make eye contact. I like to give them an extra loud "Hello!". It's easy to spot the bike snobs. Around here, there's a lot of them, and if you're not on a $4000 bike, you don't exist to them. I still wave though.

loadedcarp said:

It's easy to spot the bike snobs. Around here, there's a lot of them, and if you're not on a $4000 bike, you don't exist to them. I still wave though.

I think you have summed up my point better than i. Reading these posts and thinking about it a little more, i now realise that it has nothing to do with road vs off and more to do with "bike snobs" who as you say look down at riders on bikes below a certain level.

I ride an entry level £400 mtb and just over entry level £800 road bike. I love riding and also have a big smile on my face when i`m out. That said i do still take it seriously and refer to my rides as training rides rather than fun or recreational.

Down with all bike snobs, two wheels are two wheels no matter the price or manufacturer.

I ride both MTB and Road. Although I only rarely see a mtb while on the road bike, I don't think I wave to someone who's on a different type of bike from me. There are two reasons - first, I just assume that the other guy doesn't notice me because he's prolly only into the type of bike he is riding, so why bother waving. Second, I don't really have that much in common at that particular moment with the other guy if he's not on the same type of bike. For example, if I'm riding my road bike, and I see a guy on a mtb, I think, "WTF is this guy doing on the road - I have nothing in common with you right now - he's not out here for the same reason I am"... and I'm gone. I never ride my mtb on the road, so I guess if I saw a someone on a road bike up in the mountains with me, I'd think he had mental problems, and best not to wave to someone like that.

WINGNUTT said:

I ride both MTB and Road. Although I only rarely see a mtb while on the road bike, I don't think I wave to someone who's on a different type of bike from me. There are two reasons - first, I just assume that the other guy doesn't notice me because he's prolly only into the type of bike he is riding, so why bother waving. Second, I don't really have that much in common at that particular moment with the other guy if he's not on the same type of bike. For example, if I'm riding my road bike, and I see a guy on a mtb, I think, "WTF is this guy doing on the road - I have nothing in common with you right now - he's not out here for the same reason I am"... and I'm gone. I never ride my mtb on the road, so I guess if I saw a someone on a road bike up in the mountains with me, I'd think he had mental problems, and best not to wave to someone like that.

This is what you have in common, you enjoy riding bikes, the other guy enjoys riding bikes. I always give a wave or a nod to other riders because of this. Its the same thing in a car in the UK. If u drive a "uncommon" car such as an original mini or a ford capri for example then when you see another on the road you flash your lights at them just to say "hey i like these cars too".

You also say you never ride your mtb on the road? Are you lucky enough to have trails that start in your back garden? I have to ride at least 3 or 4 miles on the road to reach the nearest trail.

fondriest said:

This is what you have in common, you enjoy riding bikes, the other guy enjoys riding bikes. I always give a wave or a nod to other riders because of this. Its the same thing in a car in the UK. If u drive a "uncommon" car such as an original mini or a ford capri for example then when you see another on the road you flash your lights at them just to say "hey i like these cars too".

Why do you flash your lights only at minis or capris? You have something in common with ALL cars on the road, you all drive cars. Point I'm making is that just because someone is riding a bike, that doesn't mean I have that much in common with him that it necessarily warrants a wave. He might not understand what it's like to ride a road bike, or he may think roadies are dorks, or he may not even notice me because he doesn't give to craps about me or my stupid skinny road bike. I've also found that if you wave to someone on a different type of bike, they are less likely to see you, which makes it a total wasted wave. I'd rather stay in the speed position and keep my hands on the bars.

Quoted post said:

You also say you never ride your mtb on the road? Are you lucky enough to have trails that start in your back garden? I have to ride at least 3 or 4 miles on the road to reach the nearest trail.

I wish... actually I have to throw my bike in my truck and drive to the mountans cuz they are like 15 miles away.

Being a new roadie, I was commuting around campus today and I saw a pretty decked-out roadie, complete with team jersey, etc. I waved and smiled. He looked at me blankly and went on his way. Ok, so I wear cargo shorts and can't afford clipless pedals/shoes, but that doesn't mean I suck... The same thing happened today with two other roadies. Confused. Although one guy walking on the street came up to me while I was riding and told me that I should join the cycling team. He offered me free beer at a party tonight. Obviously, I'm not currently at that party. Babies don't drink alcohol 🙂

babybunny said:

Being a new roadie, I was commuting around campus today and I saw a pretty decked-out roadie, complete with team jersey, etc. I waved and smiled. He looked at me blankly and went on his way. Ok, so I wear cargo shorts and can't afford clipless pedals/shoes, but that doesn't mean I suck... The same thing happened today with two other roadies. Confused. Although one guy walking on the street came up to me while I was riding and told me that I should join the cycling team. He offered me free beer at a party tonight. Obviously, I'm not currently at that party. Babies don't drink alcohol 🙂

Another example of bike snobbery. It really gets my goat.

Oh, by the way babybunny, if a guy comes up to you in the street and offers you free beer, its not becouse he wants you to join a cycling team 😉

fondriest said:

Another example of bike snobbery. It really gets my goat.

Oh, by the way babybunny, if a guy comes up to you in the street and offers you free beer, its not becouse he wants you to join a cycling team 😉

Yeah, it's because he's gay (I'm a guy) 😉

babybunny said:

Yeah, it's because he's gay (I'm a guy) 😉

You just gave it away, i was following your thread for a while, wondering if u were a guy or a girl🙂

Most roadies are friendly.

But those snobby MTBrs....I don't know?.....so snobby! 😉

😄