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Humph.
Just been out on the road bike for the first time since the summer of 2015 (young kids means I've spent most of my cycling messing around on mountain bikes in the woods with my sons - it's been epic).
I must had nodded, smiled, said hello or raised a few fingers off the hoods towards at least 30 riders - not a single one acknowledged it. Not one.
When did that change? Can't decide if the sociopath in me is happy we don't have to acknowledge each other any more pretending to be friendly, or if people are just ****ing rude now?
Change? From what I've seen over the years its not changed. Although they do seem less grumpy when I'm on the road bike.
or have I missed something?
since 2015 probably a couple of hundred threads with similar titles
move along please
Whereabouts are you? Without knowing that we can't revert to type and join you in slagging off the miserable ****s as well as the riders you've met.
Round here (West/North Yorkshire and The Dales) pretty well everyone gets the nod. There'll be exceptions if the rider's having to deal with traffic or whatever but in general we're all pretty friendly.
Sorry Gee, I'll go away into a corner and read all of the posts I've clearly missed... 🙄
Newcastle/Mitford/Belsay loop.
Bit of a mixed bag round here. Some days everyone gives a friendly gesture, others everyone coming other way is a miserable sod.
Can't say its changed noticably though, always been like that.
I enjoy the roadie INR (Imperceptible Nod of Recognition) however I have started waving like an idiot and shouting "HIYAH" at groups who take themselves too seriously to nod back.
Yes - I am a child.
I enjoy the roadie INR (Imperceptible Nod of Recognition) however I have started waving like an idiot and shouting "HIYAH" at groups who take themselves too seriously to nod back.Yes - I am a child.
😆 This is the correct approach.
New roadies - miserable, joyless ***** or have I missed something
Nope, roadies live a miserable existence. What you see is thier "real life" experience out in the open.
Feel free to join in.
I enjoy the roadie INR (Imperceptible Nod of Recognition) however I have started waving like an idiot and shouting "HIYAH" at groups who take themselves too seriously to nod back.
Yes - I am a child.This is the correct approach.
Also works with walkers when riding the mountain bike 😀
They need to 'suffer' too much.
The big wave with the 'Hiya!' Is perfect......often coupled with a great big girlie 'Woohoo!' With both feet off the pedals.
What I notice around here,West Lancs,is if I'm out on the road bike I get the nod. If I'm on a road section on the MTB & meet roadies I often get blanked.
As a result of this when I'm on the road bike & see someone on a MTB I make a point of acknowledging them.
Like many on here, mid-forties approaching and been riding on the road for nearly 30 years (nowhere near as fit or hardy as I should be given those numbers)...
I've never been on a ride where every single person failed to acknowledge a little nod or similar. Quite happy to not do it to be fair, but such a notable contrast in a couple of years.
EDIT: It was perma-drizzle earlier, maybe everyone was just fed up.
The more 'serious' the rider the more likely they are to say hello IME. I used to ride with a few elite/pro roadies who'd make a point of massively exaggerated waving, was quite funny.
It's the MAMILs on Boardmans who think they're too cool to do it. Usually whilst racing in a sportive, or at least still sporting the number so everyone knows they raced such an epic event!
Whether they say something or not... WGAS?
AA men don't salute anymore either.
I passed a couple of 'serious' looking roadies (Rapha and Morvelo kit - you know they've spent the dosh so must be serious 😉 ) on my Vagabond the other day.
The one in front started a wave/nod of hello, and then realised not withstanding the drop bars it had big knobbly tyres on and stopped himself while quickly looking away 😆
Round here it's a bit the other way round- roadies normally give the nod or finger, sometimes even if I'm on an mtb 😆 , off road most people are friendly, but the local mtb club is (imo) a po-faced lot, ploughing through the countryside at warp 9, a bit reminiscent of London Dynamos for a point of reference.
Newcastle/Mitford/Belsay loop.
Usually find people pretty friendly around that way. In fact I can't remember the last time anyone didn't wave.
a man on a road bike nodded back at me so hard yesterday i thought he was going to fellate himself
Was out in the Surrey Hills off road yesterday, almost without exception we were blanked by the enduro clad big bike riders - was it because we were wearing bib shorts, knee warmers and road jerseys?
On the road I'll do the little nod or the flappy fingers, but yesterday when you're waiting politely to let a group up and out of 20 only 2 manage to say thanks and the rest won't even acknowledge that we were standing out of their way... Makes you think that stereotypes are just that, eh?
Normally on MTB I'll give them a big cheery wave as they ride past. I'll have to remember the feet off the pedals thing.
I got overtaken on the MTB a few months ago by a roadie group who did say hello and made some good natured facetious remarks about suspension and peaks on helmets.
Two miles later I passed them as they were collectively fixing a puncture.
In a moment on uncharacteristic spontaneity I muttered "hare.......tortoise"
I generally get a nod back but find those riding in club size groups less likely so say hi back and understand if someone burying themselves in a training effort don't acknowledge me
We waved a lot this morning and got a few back. I was more concerned with not losing a wheel though as 20miles from home it was gonna make the difference beteeen getting back in one hour or two 😆
😆
a man on a road bike nodded back at me so hard yesterday i thought he was going to fellate himself
Gotta be a cartoon caper right there!!!
^ JoB, no need for a cartoon - the picture in my head is disturbingly graphic 🙂
Where I ride I reckon about 90 percent of roadies acknowledge each other with a wave, nod, finger raise, smile or a hello. I'm antisocial at the best of times so a nod is enough for me. The more serious looking the riders (including groups), the more likely a greeting. That said, I couldn't care less either way.
Depends on the the day of the week I think. Monday to Friday cyclists (& runners) seem to be a lot friendlier than the weekend riders.
Most riders round where I live (lakes) do acknowledge each other (with nods/finger raises).
Only exceptions to this seems to be one particular club when they are out in their team gear and strangely enough the participants in the Fred Whitton today - to be fair they were probably deep in the pain cave when I was heading against the flow just after Fangs Brow!
The only time they are happy is when 2 abreast holding up the traffic.
The only time they are happy is when 2 abreast holding up the traffic.
🙄
oldtalent - Member
The only time they are happy is when 2 abreast holding up the traffic.
oohhh it's like a troll but what if it's not?!?!?!
Sorry Gee, I'll go away into a corner and read all of the posts I've clearly missed... .He must be a roadie at heart. Miserable **** on the bike and behind a keyboard
Miserable lot up north? Most give a wave round our way down south. I'm a fairly serious roadie and I'll wave at anyone on a bike I spot, even those with wicker baskets on the front 🙂 Don't get the hump if they don't wave back though.
Don't worry, only had the hump temporarily: MotoGP and a bottle of Black Sheep has brought me round and stopped it from ruining my weekend 😉
I only wave at rapha clad riders(clearly the upper echelons of society)
Never ever acknowledge folks in mismatched/non co-ordinated kit 😉
Newcastle/Mitford/Belsay loop.
Ah that explains it, it'll have been a load of posh self important sods from Ponteland and Darras Hall.
Ah that explains it, it's The North
FTFY
😉
nowhere near as fit or hardy as I should be
Sounds like you're too fat - maybe no-one realises you're actually a cyclist?
seems to me every one of them is a wannabe pro, and acts like there to cool for school,
I wave or nod but if i get no acknowledgement i don't get upset about it. There's no rule saying the wave-ee needs to wave back to the waver.
As the old maxim goes, "just because we both ride bicycles it doesn't mean i have to like you"
finbar - Member
nowhere near as fit or hardy as I should be
Sounds like you're too fat - maybe no-one realises you're actually a cyclist?
😀 That's pretty bang on, to be fair. Do I know you?
I think I rode past you today without waving 😉 . I was the joyless chap all in black who looked like he was on his way to a funeral...
Its to be expected really. Riding on the road in the UK is a joyless experience, so Im not surprised they are all miserable buggers.
I've rotten eye sight and since I trashed my cycling specs usually have blurred vision with watery eyes so "Hello" to those on road bikes I may have snubbed without realising they were there.
That really doesn't narrow it down, finbar...
Varying amounts of hellos or had waves from the bars what I've found out today is if you have a mechanical no one stops to ask if you want help, or if your ok, and I mean no one.
I had a double puncture hit a pot hole at speed, just didn't see it until too late, not good!
On the mtb, Wales or Scotland or even just a blast round Cannock you stop have the bike upside down 90% of passing bikers will stop say hi do you need anything, on the road no one.
I remember a day out at Afan, some how my brother blew a tyre, shredded it pieces in one bit, I used cable ties to hold it together, a passing biker had masking tape (no idea why) helped patch it up to get him back to the centre. Mtb'ers always much more helpful and friendly!
i make a point of either gesturing or saying hello to anyone on a bike - i'd say 70% of the time it is reciprocated.
todays 100k was pleasant in that respect. the few who didn't i just mutter 'ow * off ignorant *' under my breath 😀
Our Thursday night pub ride latched on to the rear of a group of roadies. Very miserable they were to, but maybe it was just that we had had a few drinks and were able to keep up with them, while making fun of their kit.
I'll say hello or wave to every cyclist and 99% of walkers that I pass. Riding the bike always puts me in a cheerful mood. Don't care if they respond or not though.
richmars - Member
Our Thursday night pub ride latched on to the rear of a group of roadies. Very miserable they were to, but maybe it was just that we had had a few drinks and were able to keep up with them, while making fun of their kit.
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What davidtaylforth said x 1000.
This repeated thread is one of the reasons I hate this forum so much.
What vdubber67 said x 1000
Sometimes my lack of fitness and hills combine to mean I'm just knackered and can't spare the energy to wave. You might get a wink though as that takes less energy.
What davidtaylforth said x 1000.
😀 that's a first!
People posting on threads that they have nothing to contribute to other than saying it's a pointless thread is why I hate this forum... Knacker. 😀
I know the craic. I searched for post titles from the last 12 months using three different search term roadies, miserable roadies and road cyclists: didn't see a single thread. You want to enlighten me what I did wrong in the search?
Maybe you should write a book on the correct etiquette.
Please include a section on when a person rides mtb in the morning and road in the afternoon. Perhaps also one for when I'm a pedestrian or driving car.
Its not just the thread duplication that is irritating its the idiotic subject matter which just suggests narrow minded ingnorance.
I start a thread asking whether NEW ROADIES are a bit miserable, and now you think I care about all cycling etiquette.
My second post said:[b] Quite happy to not do it to be fair, but such a notable contrast in a couple of years.
[/b]
Quite the leap you made there, bringing in etiquette, mountain biking, pedestrians and cars. Top effort.
Well grow up then princess, whining on the internet because someone didnt wave at you ffs.
Spent today riding the Fat Lad at the Back sportive with 700 of the happiest and chattiest roadies I've ever had the pleasure of riding with.
Possibly due to the copious amounts of pie at the feed stop.
I say hello to everyone, be they roadie, mtber, walker, horse-rider, horse, cow, or sheep.
If you really want to confuse people though just call out merry Christmas when passing (never do this in December)
If you want to see genuine confusion, nod and wave at motorcyclists whilst out on your pushbike.
A fun game for all the family.
🙂
OP - had you forgotten to put your shorts on?
Get a gravel bike.
The mtbers won't wave because you're on a road bike.
The roadies won't wave because you're on a hybrid .
😉
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Someone's sportive was riding most of my loop today backwards (it's my loop: therefore it cannot have been me going the wrong way round...)
Seeing as this ridiculous thread appears so often, shouldn't we use it to develop a special STW wave so we can recognise each other? Any suggestions?
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Already catching on
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See?
😆 I'm doing that on my commute today, I'll post the results later.
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About 25% of roadies acknowledge me. The rest ignore me. I don't lose sleep over it.
If you want to see genuine confusion, nod and wave at motorcyclists whilst out on your pushbike.
On the BH weekend we were up in the north of Scotland and all the motorcyclists were nodding or waving at us. Might have been something to do with us all trying to stay on the road in the gales 😆
I get about a 75% hit rate. Must be my dashing good looks and approachable demeanour.
Waved or said high to every cyclist I passed yesterday. This in skinsuit, pointy hat and on the aerobars. True I wasn't exactly gunning it, but it's always nice to say hello to anyone on a bike. Regardless of how stupid they are dressed.
The guy in the back of the white Rolls convertible said high to me as he passed too. At least the bike colour matched the car 8)
So
drivers and cyclists think each other are cocks.
Road cyclists and mountain bikers think each other are cocks.
Road cyclists think other road cyclists are cocks.
Cyclists think other cyclist are cocks.
Walkers and cyclist think each other are cocks.
Dog walkers and cyclist think each other are cocks
Horse riders and cyclists think each other are cocks.
The army on their training sites and cyclist think each other are cocks.
FFS
IF the other rider is in Rapha, and IF they are on either steel or titanium, then I will offer them a glimpse of my moody-stare-into-the middle-distance. Otherwise they're not even worth a brief glance of withering contempt.
Of course, in reality our club run overlapped loads of rides and the odd sportif in the Chilterns yesterday; I acknowledged everybody including MTBers on the roadside trails, and shouted encouragement to those we saw struggling on some of the punchier road climbs.
TiRed, have you calculated how many watts a wave costs? 😀
I also appreciate that sometimes someone might be "on it" and in the zone training wise, or out riding to get some headspace and be completely lost in thought, so don't take anything from being blanked (and I'm sure I've been in both those positions at some point and unwittingly ignored someone else).
Gatecrashed a few miles of the Fred Whitton near Wrynose yesterday. You would have thought that a bunch of knackered roadies would not have any time for some poxy MTBer, but had a chat with a couple as we rolled along.
I went on a ride organised by former pro and not-the-fat-brother Frank Schleck yesterday. Lots of smiling faces, lots of chit chat (mostly in languages I don't speak) and lots of waved and shouted greetings to other riders that were returned. Even though it was miserable weather, the hills were steep and the pace was a bit "spirited" for a supposed no-drop ride, I don't think any cyclist I saw looked miserable either in our group or anyone else we saw.