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Or at least it does seem to be so, but why? Road riding is pretty cool, fixies seem to be (unless you're a mtb'er!) and yet you tell someone that you spend hours in the woods, covered in mud, with legs cut to ribbons (or is that just me?) and they think you're just the most uncool, imature person they've ever met.
Why?
Road riding is pretty cool
Really?
Its all the lycra-clad ones giving us cool ones a bad rep 😀
"They" are dicks.
HTH.
THREAD CLOSED.
Svelte and athlete + road = cool
Fat biffer + road = uncool
Svelte and athletic + XC mtb = cool
Fat biffer and XC mtb = uncool
Svelte and athlete + DH bike = cool
Fat biffer + DH bike = uncool.
It's nothing to do with the bike. 😉
What he said.^
^^ Oh noes i'm not cool 🙁
+1 for Don Simon
Something about the getting covered in mud, and cut to ribbons perhaps?
Dunno, always struggled to understand this one myself. But think it has to do with Mountain Biking being seen as a "thrillseekers" sport (even though for the vast majority of us it's not), and anyone/anything trying hard to do or be something is inherently uncool. Anything or anyone that is "trying hard to be cool" (which most people see most mountain bikers as) is inherently uncool.
Road Riding is seen as kinda cool, partly due to the likes of Cavendish, but also cos it's so f***ing pointless and that everyone who does it is in no way trying to be cool, so it is kinda cool by proxy. I've got a road bike, the only point I can see to it really is that I can get from A to B on it faster than my MTB and it helps keep my fitness up when I can be bothered to ride it. I get all sorts of qualitative benefits from my mountain bikes, road bikes really are a means to an end IMO.
Tell someone at work you got some really good lights for your bike and are off afterwork to ride your bike around the woods with your friends. Mention you got a new rucksack with a straw you can take a drink from. Then leave work a little early, say you need to go and buy some malt loaf and some jelly babies before you go out on your bike.
So cool!
road bikes really are a means to an end IMO.
That end, evidently, is being cool.
I think it's cool, s'all I care about really.
Road Riding is seen as kinda cool, partly due to the likes of Cavendish, but also cos it's so f***ing pointless
I'd probably also add that road riding is more fitness orientated and thus cooler and accepted as being one of the toughest sports on the planet at the top level and thus cooler. I mean everyone, no matter whether into cycling or not, accepts that pro TdF riders say are among some of the fittest, hardest athletes on the planet.
when you become a grandad, and still ride a mtb it is uber cool... 8)
mtb has lost alot of its coolness the last few years for sure.
This probably has something to do with the popularity in cycling and the influx of the fatties trying to cycle a chin or two off in the lanes..
Roady is back in fashion.
Some mountainbikers yesterday...
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Some kayakers yesterday...
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I think the hardest thing is trying to look cool in Kayak gear...
🙂
riding pretend motorbikes without engines is not cool unless you are a 12 year old with aspergers.
It's true. I just wish more people realised how uncool it was and stopped trying to be cool doing it.
think it has to do with Mountain Biking being seen as a "thrillseekers" sport
I wonder if the general populace hear "MTB" and think "DH"?
So according to Don Dimon I'm not cool? I ride a mountain bike & sometimes a road bike, I'm a right 'fat biffer' but at the grand old age of 55, I couldn't give a monkeys what he reckons. I'm cool pal, believe it. 8)
people at work think i'm proper cool with my courier bag packed with haribo, my shaved legs and bike chat. i think they think i'm some kind of adventurer though!!
this month i've spent most of my time trying to explain why the spring classics are quite different to grand tours. the only guy who doesn't seem interested is the office golf bore - he just drones on about different putters and stuff; the other day he tried to tell me about his new golf bag 😯 as if it makes any difference to putting small balls in a grassy hole. pointless sport.
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Things like that give mountain bikes an uncool image, nobody cool wears Animal, it's clothing for crime watch. Who the hell are those three anyway some sort of display team?
Fat blokes with beards riding single speed and gibbering on about bivi-ing in mags aint cool for Mountain bike image either.
Nor is this place, I've made a list, of who's cool and who aint, one day I'll publish it in full.
I couldn't give a monkeys what he reckons.
That's pretty clear.
I'm cool pal, believe it.
You can't choose cool, other people bestow cool on you.
[img] [/img]
"Rad dudes" with very expensive bikes that no one is interested in and no one can afford whilst looking far to serious in a set of Animal clothes stolen from motocross.
Precisely why mountain biking isnt cool.
Are they space suits? They look odd?
To quote a well known comedienne .... 'am i bothered?'
Fat bloke, trail bike, occasionally lacking in cahones, never lacking in passion for my habit.
bikes are ridden pretty much exclusively by socially inadequate, slightly obsessive, self congratulating, nerdy, narrow minded, opinionated, physically under-developed, sexually unadventurous, self important virgins..
it is just sooooo not cool to be a cyclist..
Road riding is pretty cool
Who on earth told you that?
Even the roadies I know admit that it's the most uncool thing imaginable.
Even the roadies I know admit that it's the most uncool thing imaginable.
Yeh probably. This kind of makes it acceptable and almost cool. Mountain biking (particularly the more extreme side of the sport) tries far to hard.
I've spent my whole life not trying to be cool (and doing rather well at it, naturally). Oddly at nearly 40, im even less troubled at not being considered cool now. I couldn't care less if im cool or not.
Im probably much fitter than many of my peers, I enjoy riding, I live in a place where I can ride in beautiful countryside alone without meeting a soul and I've made some really good friends along the way.
Cool is fools.
I do wonder about people on STW. I never seem to meet the people who others on here complain about. I have never had anyone look disapprovingly at my bike, my gear, tell me I am uncool, nothing.
Am I doing something wrong? I just always seem to have lots of fun, and absolutely everyone I meet, every single one thinks mountain biking is pretty cool, not in the fashionable sense, just like, yeah, that's cool that you had a good time.
I think these bogey men and women are figments of the collective STW mind who need bogeymen to feel superior against!
Stop deluding yourselfs.
Neither mtb or road bikes are cool.
Normal people view cycling as a hobby for middle aged, middle class white blokes.
Bit like golf. 😯
Esselgruntfutock - you ride a five like me so you must be cool!
The kids in the chippy last night thought I was cool when they told me I had a nice bike, it must have been because I was wearing knee pads and was covered in mud. Kids think that shit's cool!!
Road biking is not about "cool". It's about suffering.
Esselgruntfutock - you ride a five like me so you must be cool!
Hahahaha.....
What Simon said^^^
Only a fool worries about being cool or uncool.
Road biking is not about "cool". It's about suffering.
Which is cool.
Only a fool worries about being cool or uncool.
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There's a young lad (27) at work who's started riding MTB's, he rides a Marin Quake round the Dales with me & matey & rides a Fireblade on the roads. He told me I'm cool, so therefore I am. Whether anyone else thinks is yourelephant & I'm cool about it. 8) Really stopped caring about 'coolness' when I was about 45!
[i]Esselgruntfutock - you ride a five like me so you must be cool!
Hahahaha.....[/i]
I don't think 5's are cool actually. But like I said, I don't really care.
I think these bogey men and women are figments of the collective STW mind who need bogeymen to feel superior against!
+1000
being an emotionless apologist is certainly not cool.
mountain biking and cycling in general is cool because it makes you feel good and gives you THAT feeling. the indescribable feeling of being on a bike and it just feeling right. that's proper cool. not what some nobber in the office who sits and watches Sky TV every evening, goes to Pitcher and Piano on a Friday night and then plays football/ golf on a Sunday thinks is cool.
[i][Bromptons however are far from cool][/i]
MrSmith - Member
riding pretend motorbikes without engines is not cool unless you are a 12 year old with aspergers.
Ah, the usual comment of the ignorant non-cyclist when confronted with something beyond their narrow viewpoint.
You [i]are[/i] aware that a motorbike is only a bicycle with a motor grafted on?
What sort of loser goes around telling people they are a "mountain biker"? 😕
What sort of loser goes around telling people they are a "mountain biker"?
+1 😀
You are aware that a motorbike is only a bicycle with a motor grafted on?
is that what you tell hells angels when out on your penny farthing?
Oh.. and the coolest person I know happens to have aspergers
Most people I work with do not appear to have a life - one week rolls into the next, and significant happy events are few and far between.
I think having the ability to do something regularly that genuinely gives you a buzz is so good for you both physically and psychologically. That is cool in my books. Doesn't have to be mtb though.
In times of injury or when for other reasons my next ride wont be for a long time I get quite depressed.
I know a lot of people who think It's 'cool' to be locked up in prison, 🙄
Including one guy who's ambition was to spend more time inside than his dad had!
"Mountain Biking" isn't cool. Never has been. I would bet good money nobody has ever pulled in a bar after describing themselves as a mountain biker. Doesn't mean i don't love it, but I think you've got problems if you do activities to look cool or worry whether your hobbies are cool.
I split my time between here and bmxtalk. Here middle aged men talk about chickening out on 2ft dropoffs, over there middle aged men talk about sending the 30ft doubles at the manc indoor track. But they're not cool either because biking isn't cool to the "normals"
Oh.. and the coolest person I know happens to have aspergers
Gary Numan has aspergers, i don't know him though.
I think a lot of people think we aspire to be Hans 'No Way' Ray:
"let's more interesting make it"
The lack of coverage means many people still think MTB is a kids thing from the 90s from the cresting wave of the EXTREME sports movement. It kind of is, but isn't.
When I talk to people about where I ride, what I see and why I do it they 'get it' a bit more. Similarly some of my non-riding friends seem fascinated by GoPro footage. A lot of people think it's pootling through the woods on a jazzy Apollo saying 'rad!'....which it is for some!
I kayak too, it is a most unglamourous sport 8)
Cycling is not cool to the general populace. To them, being a whore mongering, gambling addicted, wife beating, racist, professional ball kicker is cool. To the general public Robbie Williams is cool. Olly murs is cool.
These guys, are apparently cool.
[img] 
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WTF is coolness and why should any of us give a sh*t about it.
To me though, this man is cool
[img] 
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Is that esselgruntfuttock?
Danny MacAskill is about the only person I can think of that is actually cool on a bike right now...
And that's mainly down to the awesomeness to humility ratio he's got going on.
[i]WTF is coolness and why should any of us give a sh*t about it.[/i]
I concur.
It's very amusing to see how many do give a sh*t though.
Don, have you got something against me? were you banged up in a Spanish nick at some point or what?
This is me on the right Don, 'cool' or what?
[img] 
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[i]These guys, are apparently cool.[/i]
What a great picture. Do those people go round like that all the time or is that something they're doing for a charity comedy show? Please say the former.
As for Mountain biking, or indeed any cycling. If anyone ever thinks it's cool, go look in a mirror while wearing cycling clothes, that should help you understand.
I love cycling in all it's forms but I'm happy to accept that no matter which particular aspect of cycling I'm dressed for, I look like a complete dickhead. If we were doing it to gain street cred, we'd have all given up a long time ago.
LOLZ,
those no talent assclowns ndubz are tools.
it's only a short step between cool and ridicool.
It isn't Gary Newman 😆
when you become a grandad, and still ride a mtb it is uber cool...
Next month then ton
You know what [i]Is[/i] cool?
Don, have you got something against me?
What makes you think that?
What I know of Spaish prisons is that they are full of dirty, lying cheating,uncontrolably violent scummers, the prisoners on the other hand....
[url= http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-laughing001.gi f" target="_blank">
As for Mountain biking, or indeed any cycling. If anyone ever thinks it's cool, go look in a mirror while wearing cycling clothes, that should help you understand.I love cycling in all it's forms but I'm happy to accept that no matter which particular aspect of cycling I'm dressed for, I look like a complete dickhead. If we were doing it to gain street cred, we'd have all given up a long time ago.
Pretty much sums it up I reckon. And unless someone comes up with a helmet design that doesn't make you look like a mushroom headed twerp it'll always be the case.
Surely 'coolness' is subjective though?
If lots of people hate something, that makes it cool to some people, if lots of people love something, that makes it cool to some people.
I will be 36in a few weeks and have 2 kids, I think I lost my coolness a while ago but, my nearly 4 year old son thinks i'm cool cos i do daft stuff on a bike, that'll do for me!
Dan Macaskil is the only cyclist joe bloggs on the street will think of as 'cool' & thats from the Tv advert.
The rest of us are 100% un cool when riding, if you disagree, your very very wrong
Ah, thats Spanish types for ya! Theyr'e all the same.
I always say that at our place we should have signs up saying 'warning, thieves operate in this area & thats just the staff'
So, what is it then? are you jealous cos I've got a 5?
Cedric est cool.
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The rest of us are 100% un cool when riding, if you disagree, your very very wrong
I've got mates who I think look cool when riding. I see plenty of people out on the trails that look cool when riding. who gives a f*** what non-cyclists think? I don't ride to be accepted, I ride because it's AWESOME.
So, what is it then? are you jealous cos I've got a 5?
What's what? 5? You've got to be joking, haven't you. 5s are those masses of metal that I keep passing on the Llandegla black, aren't they?
brakes - Member
The rest of us are 100% un cool when riding, if you disagree, your very very wrong
I've got mates who I think look cool when riding. I see plenty of people out on the trails that look cool when riding. who gives a f*** what non-cyclists think? I don't ride to be accepted, I ride because it's AWESOME.
OP refers to none Cyclists.
your mates are kind, nobody cool uses the word Awesome or refers to themselves as 'Cool' be it directly or indirectly.
No one has suggested you ride to be accepted, why make a connection between cool & accepted, not heard of normal?
[i]What's what? 5? You've got to be joking, haven't you. 5s are those masses of metal that I keep passing on the Llandegla black, aren't they?[/i]
The what? where's 'Llandegla'?
We may see some day. My niece lives in North Wales (so it must be there somewhere with a name like that) & has recently asked me down. I'm sure you'll look dead cool beating a 55 yr old granddad on a 5 down the black.
Or will you?
your mates are kind, nobody cool uses the word Awesome or refers to themselves as 'Cool' be it directly or indirectly.No one has suggested you ride to be accepted, why make a connection between cool & accepted, not heard of normal?
congratulations. you've cured my insomnia.
brakes - Member
congratulations. you've cured my insomnia.
Awesome
Or will you?
I couldn't actually give a flying **** whether people think I'm cool or not, not worried if they do though. There isn't enough shit in the world to fill me with for me to ever call myself cool. 8)
There is for me. I'm cool as tits.
there are plenty of four letter words I would call you Don, but none of them are cool. 😉
Specially for wrecker 😀
Probably a few 6 letter ones too, brakes. Bothered?
'thief' is the best word to describe DS 👿
Bothered?
that's more than 6 I think.