Bumping into STWers

Can’t help but that’s a nice story. 👍

Do you happen to have 'Bunnyhop' emblazened across your helmet?

I expect I have met one of you at Parent's Night.

I saw a couple of weirdos go past our house today on a tandem. They looked like just that kind of nutjobs you get on here.

To be fair, you two are mountain biking royalty

Bunnyhop you once not long ago described yourself on here as a "little grey-haired old lady".

If ever I was to see a little grey-haired old lady on a mountain bike I would say "Bunnyhop I presume?”.

I’ve never heard of you.. absolutely no idea who you are..!

I’ve never heard of you.. absolutely no idea who you are..!

It's not just Bunnyhop who hasn't been noticed. Despite being on here for a good few years I received a STW welcome pack email about 20 minutes ago which among other things informed me there is a forum :

The Forum: Our chat forum is packed full of over a decade of help, advice, news views, and good laughs. The range of subjects discussed is incredibly broad, ranging from “what tyres for…?” to “My daughter has coated the cat with Sudocrem – what to do?”.. Yes really.

Did you stop at the nice bakery in Whaley Bridge for a coffee?

I had an STWer near miss on Tuesday, he was sitting at a cafe window wondering if his bike was safe.
I was outside checking over his bike and wondering what the make of his bar bag was.
If only the cafe staff had ushered me in a few minutes earlier,I could have started up a whole conversation around gravel,bike packing and tyre choices.
He had a very,very lucky escape 😆 🤣 😂

Did you stop at the nice bakery in Whaley Bridge for a coffee?

I rode from Marple to Wincle via the Peak Forest canal and had a coffee at the nice bakery at Whaley Bridge today. Alas, I did not run in to anyone on a tandem, so sad to say it wasn't me.

I was on a train up to London to meet FredDibnah / ElfinSafty (and many other names) for the first time many years ago. I had WCA on my shirt and this guy leant over and in a thick French accent said "Are you THE World Class Accident?" Without really looking up I replied "Yes, and you must be French Juan". He nodded and went off to find a seat.

The woman opposite spent about 10 minutes looking at me a bit strangely before asking "What is World Class Accident and Frech Juan? That was like something in a spy movie"

I went through a short period of time of asking any MTN bikers I randomly spoke too out on the trails what was their singletrack forum name. A few times I got a bemused look, some times a forum name. 

I think I'll restart this process for future encounters. 🤔

@chambord - do you ride a Ti Camino?

Today a lovely chap stopped his bicycle

Seems highly implausible you’d meet a forum user actually riding a bike 🤔

Passed Tracey once, but the moment was too quickly gone to say hi

I once met the late DJ in Dalby forest, I’d been on a forum ride with him a couple of years previous. I remembered him firstly by the cameras he had strung round his back.

I went through a short period of time of asking any MTN bikers I randomly spoke too out on the trails what was their singletrack forum name. A few times I got a bemused look, some times a forum name.

I think I’ll restart this process for future encounters

I’d say you’d be very lucky if anyone you met actually read or posted on here. Despite ‘clicks of 1 million a day’, very few people are contributors to the forum (less than 200? 100?).

I saw about 20000 of sodding MTBers yesterday at FoD, but i doubt any were from here as they all seemed to be teenagers.

I'm easy to spot...not many of us riding fatbikes in surrey with a Day-Glo yellow helmet...trouble is I probably won't hear you as I'm pretty deaf

Reminds of the snowheads trope "Are you FrostyTheSnowman?"

@chambord – do you ride a Ti Camino?

Not me I'm afraid. If you see someone rolling around on an old red Kona hardtail then do say hello!

If anyone sees someone huffing and puffing on a Spesh Hardrock, say hello!

It won't be me but it's nice to be friendly.

I’d say you’d be very lucky if anyone you met actually read or posted on here. Despite ‘clicks of 1 million a day’, very few people are contributors to the forum (less than 200? 100?).

Years ago, riding on the moors above Hayfield with Nick Craig, we bumped into a group of rather lost MTBers - I think the gist of it was they'd arrived at maybe Edale / Hope and the "leader" had forgotten the map or downloaded a wrong route or something so they'd followed something that they vaguely remembered between themselves from some route in a magazine.

Anyway they were asking about info on where to go riding, I suggested trying the Singletrack forum - blank looks all round, never heard of it.

None of them recognised or knew who Nick Craig was either - to them, the guy in full Scott pro kit on a Scott team bike could have been anyone. Although at a guess, he was probably the "featured rider" in whatever Peak District route they'd half-memorised!

Over the years I've had "oh you must be crazy-legs" occasionally and the late simonfbarnes got recognised fairly frequently too. Not too many folk around carrying a gigantic rucksack and loads of camera gear while riding with 42 other people along a footpath! 😂

ElShalimo
Free Member
Did you stop at the nice bakery in Whaley Bridge for a coffee?

No as we were a bit tired. However we did have a lovely sandwich at 'The Green Pavilion', Buxton.

Martyn S. - you and the Mrs. bought me a lovely headset cap for my Mtbike which has Bunnyhop written on. I love it.

Hahaha, been here years and still get the quote thingymebob mixed up.

 

IHN
Full Member
I saw a couple of weirdos go past our house today on a tandem. They looked like just that kind of nutjobs you get on here.

What a coincidence as we saw a weirdo standing over his upturned bike in a stable yard waving madly at us. We put our heads down and pretended not to notice him :o)

 – blank looks all round, never heard of it.

I had this very experience but with the mag, staying at a hotel in North Wales, and procession (5-6 maybe) of mountain bikers who saw me reading it, told me they'd never heard of it or the website, I thought I was being pranked.

ears ago, riding on the moors above Hayfield with Nick Craig

#namedrop

What a coincidence as we saw a weirdo standing over his upturned bike in a stable yard waving madly at us.

That must have been someone else, as my bike was the right way up. In your face!

Yes, that awkward moment where you a) have to ask a random stranger 'do you frequent a site call Singletrackworld and b) have to use some rather odd forum names in public...

My favourite Stwer meeting was on a 6 person chair lift in Flaine.
An English couple lean over and say: "are you nbt" to hubby? To which we looked at each other in amazement, as we were wearing helmets, goggles and buffs, so well disguised. Turned out to be the lovely Sprootlet and her partner. We then spent a great afternoon skiing with them both (blimey they are good skiers).

Yes, that awkward moment where you a) have to ask a random stranger ‘do you frequent a site call Singletrackworld and b) have to use some rather odd forum names in public…

Then you get "oh yes, I'm [a name you've never heard of]" and you have to awkwardly feign recognition.

I had this once in ASDA. Some random bloke, "hey, Alan, how are you doing?" - never seen him before in my life.

Me: "Oh, yeah, good thanks, you?"

Him: "Yeah, all good thanks. Just getting a bit of shopping in."

uncomfortable pause

Me: "Uh, so... what are you doing these days?"

Him: "I work at [company] with you, you idiot."

Me: "Oh! Right, yes, of course!" Still no nearer, I don't recall ever seeing him afterwards either.

I am pretty sure I see people all the time living in Peebles.

I would think it's more likely they recognise my dog!

On that note I reckon I have seen Tracey or rather Tracey's dog just outside crossburn caravan site.

I've had a quite a few "hi Taz" from random folks on the trails, which is always worrying as I then go through the "where the bloody hell do they know me from?" mental routine and feel horrible guilty about a memory for faces like a gold fish with dementia

I had one ex STWer wander up to me for chat at a trail centre.  was talking for ages until I asked how he knew me, and he pointed out that there aren't many heavily tattooed beardy odd bods, with piercings all over the place riding a single speed jones, so it had to be me?! 

Still no nearer, I don’t recall ever seeing him afterwards either.

You needed to get Mrs Doyle onto the case

Actually, this reminds of yeeeeeeears ago, WCA posted a thread asking for routes near Gloucester. This is when I lived just outside and worked in Gloucester, so I said I knew some.

He went on to say that he was contracting there for a while, so I said I'd be happy to meet up and show him some stuff. I asked him where he was contracting. He told me.

I swivelled round n my chair to the row of desks behind me. "Hello".

Anybody remember a site called chatroulette - and "do you stw?"

I may have seen @ton last summer on the Leeds to York Express.I didn't make myself known because I was a bit thrown by the luxuriant bouffant!😄

I once met an occasional STW at a bar in Vegas. I think it was at the Flamingo. I'm sure he introduced himself, but I instantly forgot his name. Not really sure how the topic of STW came up. We only spoke for the duration of time it took the bartender to pull him a couple of pints. I guess we can smell our own.