Stupid questions from non-cyclist

[jhuskey]

For those that have ridden around the block more than once and have non-cycling friends I am confident that you have been asked some less than intelligent questions.
I will post just a couple and hope you will add yours.

You got one of those mountain bikes?
Yes, but I mainly ride a road bike.
It must be one of those ten speeds.
Yes one on those new "state of the art" ten speeds,you stupid #$%@*!

Aren't you afraid of being hit by a car?
No it's my hobby to be run over by dumb a** drivers like you. Feel free to run me down anytime.

 

[rule62]

"How far do you usually go when you leave for a ride?"

"Well just now I did about 75 miles."

"Hmmm...most of that was in the car right?"

 

[snyper0311]

"You paid how much for that bike????????" It costs more than my car!

"You bike/ride further than I drive!"


"Do you get tired after you ride that far???"

 

[cydewaze]

"Do you wear those funky outfits and spandex shorts?"

and my fav...

"You ride on the sidewalk, right? Because those bikes don't belong on the roads"

That second question never fails to come from someone who lives in a state that gives equal rights to cyclists on the roads as it does to motor vehicles.

 

[cuervo]

"Wow ... you must finish very tired after 100 miles, don't you?"

"Why you don't use protections in your elbows, knees, shoulders, etc. just in case you fall down?"

“Hey, I know you know about bicycles, can you recommend me a good $200.00 bike? If I can choose, I would go for one with that material that has carbon on it.”

“In the MTB, do you really need all those 27 gears?”

 

[meehs]

“Hey, I know you know about bicycles, can you recommend me a good $200.00 bike? If I can choose, I would go for one with that material that has carbon on it.”

“In the MTB, do you really need all those 27 gears?”

Yeah, I get those two a lot.

Someone will say:

"I'm thinking about buying a really nice bike. Like one of the ones you have. I want to spend around $300. Any suggestions?"

Then I'll tell them (approximately) what my bikes cost me and they'll say:

"OH MY GOD! How could you spend so much on a bike??? That's ridiculous!"

And also:

"Why on earth do you need SO MANY gears???"

I'm really tall too so it's amazing how often someone will be looking at one of my bikes while I'm not on it and ask:

"Now you don't actually ride the bike with the seat way up there like that, right?"

 

[Eden]

My favorites have been

what's wrong with your hands (round tan lines from gloves with a hole in the back)

From a car driver - Do you know how fast you were going? (45mph down a nice steep straight hill - yes it was exceeding the speed limit )

Also from a car driver - Don't you know those are bicycles? (didn't think we should be allowed to signal and then move to the left hand lane to go around a stopped bus) to which I wanted to reply - really, I'm shocked I thought I was riding an elephant.

 

[jhuskey]

This one came from my father-in-law.

Got new bike eh,are you going to put one of those big poles with a flag on the back so people can see you?
No I would rather be dragged through the streets naked and branded as a child molester. I would get less ribbing and ridicule about that.

 

[RC2]

"Why do you have to keep that thing in the living room?"
Get that a lot.

 

[RC2]

Oh yeah...and: "Don't those pedals hurt your feet?"
(Mostly speedplay on road and egg beater on the MTB -- that always gets a chuckle.)

 

[friedmikey]

"You're going to ride 600 miles on that seat?"

 

[Ottis]

"how can you ride on those tires/wheels. they are so thin! i bet if i would sit on it they would break/bend"

 

[p38lightning]

"Why do you have to keep that thing in the living room?"
Get that a lot.

Potential sarcastic answer: "So it doesn't get stolen by some low life S.O.B. like you"

 

[friedmikey]

"Why do you have to keep that thing in the living room?"
Get that a lot.

That one's the worst! "Umm... because it's more expensive than anything else in this house?"

 

[wilmar13]

I'm really tall too so it's amazing how often someone will be looking at one of my bikes while I'm not on it and ask:

"Now you don't actually ride the bike with the seat way up there like that, right?"

At parties when people come to the garage to look at whatever happens to the topic, it seems I have had a variation of this question everytime: "How do you ride it with the seat so high"

Regarding the price, I learned a long time ago that is as much of a no-no to talk about as religion and politics.

Oh yeah my favorite: "How much does that thing weigh?" then picking it up and saying "what like 8 lbs", and then I say no like 17 and they seem disapointed with this

 

[tcklyde]

"Why do you have to keep that thing in the living room?"
Get that a lot.

This is my favorite question. Everytime noncyclist friends come over: Umm, why is your bike in front of the fire place?

Also,

"You need special shoes to ride it?"

And, because I'm an American, I get this a lot:
"Lance Armstrong has a team? Why does he need a team?"

 

[artmichalek]

Doesn't that skinny seat hurt?

How come it doesn't have a kick stand?

 

[cpx]

Potential sarcastic answer: "So it doesn't get stolen by some low life S.O.B. like you"

Wow! You guys are really helping out the whole "cyclists-are-not-poser-a**holes-in-spandex" case.

Good work.

 

[jhuskey]

Wow! You guys are really helping out the whole "cyclists-are-not-poser-a**holes-in-spandex" case.

Good work.

I am not a poser. I am a genuine A** hole! The spandex part is accurate but actually I prefer the term Lycra.

 

[swngnblues]

That much? Where's the motor? (The sad thing is that it's only a Trek 1500...)