Tail-end charlie's...

PeadarofAodh

I'll admit I very rarely acknowledge other cyclists unless they're decked out in full lycra gear. Whenever I'm passing someone out I'll always try and give them a quick hello as well

cantalach

ROK ON wrote: »

I would regularly say hi to other cyclists when out for the spins. I do it because it is nice (and I assumed that it was part of the secret cyclist code). Never have I been blanked by a fellow cyclist. But then again, maybe (1) I am cooler than you, (2) you hit upon a guy who is 'in the zone' or (30 maybe he didn't see you, or (4) maybe he didn't care.

Naa, I'm with '68 Fastback. I've often encountered roadies too cool to return a rec. It's even more pronounced if I'm on my mountain bike. I'd have to say too that more often than not the non-wavers are in club jerseys - certainly out of proportion to the percentage of club jerseys in the cycling population. Rightly or wrongly, it has been enough to leave me with a perception of cycling club members as cliquey.

PeadarofAodh

cantalach wrote: »

Naa, I'm with '68 Fastback. I've often encountered roadies too cool to return a rec. It's even more pronounced if I'm on my mountain bike. I'd have to say too that more often than not the non-wavers are in club jerseys - certainly out of proportion to the percentage of club jerseys in the cycling population. Rightly or wrongly, it has been enough to leave me with a perception of cycling club members as cliquey.

I'd find it difficult to get worked up enough over people not returning greetings to start working out percentages. If people don't want to wave back it doesn't bother me. I've been out a few times on my own where I'm either hurting too much or I'm too focussed on what I'm doing to pay any attention to something going the opposite way.

Chips Lovell

I usually wave or nod but it wouldn't bother me in the slightest if someone doesn't return the greeting. They might be fried/lost in thought/too cool, who knows.

Unlike others I've found guys in club gear to be the friendliest. It's usually the wannabes in full CSC kit or the like who don't give you the nod.

TinyExplosions

el tonto wrote: »

Unlike others I've found guys in club gear to be the friendliest. It's usually the wannabes in full CSC kit or the like who don't give you the nod.

...which reminds me, I've got to get a CSC kit

Raam

el tonto wrote: »

Unlike others I've found guys in club gear to be the friendliest. It's usually the wannabes in full CSC kit or the like who don't give you the nod.

What about guys who have the CSC bikes and two matching water bottles? They are friendly, right?

'68 Fastback

Maybe I've had too much time to think about it!

'68 Fastback

cantalach wrote: »

Naa, I'm with '68 Fastback. I've often encountered roadies too cool to return a rec. It's even more pronounced if I'm on my mountain bike. I'd have to say too that more often than not the non-wavers are in club jerseys - certainly out of proportion to the percentage of club jerseys in the cycling population. Rightly or wrongly, it has been enough to leave me with a perception of cycling club members as cliquey.

The last time i was out i was waiting for a mate at lambs cross, about 10-15 lads in Dundrum gear pulled in and not one of them made eye contact. I don't know about other clubs but these lads came across like total knob jockeys.

Chips Lovell

Raam wrote: »

What about guys who have the CSC bikes and two matching water bottles? They are friendly, right?

Yes they are. Especially the ones in the Festina jerseys.

'68 wrote:

The last time i was out i was waiting for a mate at lambs cross, about 10-15 lads in Dundrum gear pulled in and not one of them made eye contact. I don't know about other clubs but these lads came across like total knob jockeys.

Heh. I'm in that club.

Raam

el tonto wrote: »

Yes they are. Especially the ones in the Festina jerseys.

Sweet

'68 Fastback

Heh. I'm in that club.[/quote]


Well you should've said hello:p

Trojan

I don't have much interest in joining a cycling club, and much of my lack of interest is due to the aforementioned cliqueiness and unfriendliness mentioned by the above posters. I've experienced it quite a lot - even in France (from an AG2R rider). Not sure about CSC riders with 2 water bottles so I'll hold my judgement for the moment

Chips Lovell

'68 wrote:

Well you should've said hello:p

Did you say hello to them?

Trojan wrote: »

I don't have much interest in joining a cycling club, and much of my lack of interest is due to the aforementioned cliqueiness and unfriendliness mentioned by the above posters. I've experienced it quite a lot - even in France (from an AG2R rider). Not sure about CSC riders with 2 water bottles so I'll hold my judgement for the moment

Let's not get too carried away here. I'd never refuse to join a cycling club because someone didn't give me the nod on the road. Before I joined my current club, I went out a few times with another one last year. At both clubs I found that people were pretty friendly and welcoming to newcomers.

souter

Tackleberry wrote: »

Just more proof that tailgating is a pain in the hole

Actually, my ambition is to get close enough to slip a bungee round their seatpost. If it's long enough I'll even be able to sling shot by at red lights before reverting to my vampiric parasitism.

Trojan

el tonto wrote: »

Let's not get too carried away here. I'd never refuse to join a cycling club because someone didn't give me the nod on the road.

Ok, I'm not getting carried away - it is one, but only one, of the reasons I probably won't join a cycling club. The other, main reason, is that I play rugby which is very much a team sport. I view cycling as my solo sport and I'm competive with myself but don't think want to join a team.

And don't get carried away yourself - I didn't say it was because "someone didn't give me the nod". I said I've noticed a trend of cliqueiness and unfriendliness from club racers in general to other, non-club, cyclists on the road (i.e. Freds like me). This is not based on one instance, and not just in this country, but in others (France, where I didn't expect it). In fact, this whole thread is about the issue.

I've also met plenty of cool people cycling, so let's not blow this out of all proportion. I would suggest that club cyclists bear in mind that they are representing their clubs and other club cyclists in general when they kit out.

It's the same reason I stop at red lights. I don't really give a damn about the legal side of it, but I do care that drivers in Dublin see a cyclist stop at the lights - if enough of us do it that hopefully has a positive effect on drivers treatment of us out there.

Chips Lovell

Trojan wrote: »

And don't get carried away yourself - I didn't say it was because "someone didn't give me the nod". I said I've noticed a trend of cliqueiness and unfriendliness from club racers in general to other, non-club, cyclists on the road (i.e. Freds like me). This is not based on one instance, and not just in this country, but in others (France, where I didn't expect it). In fact, this whole thread is about the issue.

Fair enough. I've obviously just had a completely different eperienced to you over the years.

By the way, if it's not about someone giving you the nod, how have people been unfriendly?

cantalach

Trojan wrote: »

I said I've noticed a trend of cliqueiness and unfriendliness from club racers in general to other, non-club, cyclists on the road (i.e. Freds like me). This is not based on one instance, and not just in this country, but in others (France, where I didn't expect it).

Earlier in the year, UK-based Cycling Weekly had some editorial comment on this topic and their view was backed up by readers' letters. In a nutshell, they were encouraging club members to lighten up and be a bit more friendly, pointing out that the behaviour of a lot of club jersey-wearers wouldn't encourage anyone to join up.

oobydooby

In any sport there's a difference between somebody pushing themselves and giving their all and somebody else who's coasting along. If a serious cyclist is a snob when he or she is off the bike that's another thing but if somebody's focussed on getting some serious training done and is in pain and under pressure they mightn't be too interested in niceties. I'd forgive that.

I know in football training, some lads always arrive for good craic and they quickly get a bollocking and go play 5 a side or something. Everyone finds a level of commitment they're happy with. Some people must like the challenge of drafting roadies with a MTB:pac: hmmm, must edit my location thingie...

'68 Fastback

@ el tonto. They were too busy yah yah yahing about what they were about to do and who hadn't turned up to take any interest in the uncoordinated loner in their way. Ignored salutatons or not they behaved like a secondary school rugby team.

Raam

I'm not a club cyclist, but I suppose I look like I might be. I give most people a nod or flick of the finger when I'm out. If they nod back, great, if they don't... well I really don't mind. I don't need any validation from anyone else. Funnily enough, I find that it's mostly people who don't ressemble club/"serious" (for want of a better word) cyclists who won't acknowledge me.

Some people are fierce nice... I once caught up with a club cyclist who was doing training for a triathlon. He was very in to it and races all the time. I asked him if I could tag along with him for a bit. He was more than happy to chat with me for the 30 minutes that our route was common.

Another time I waved to a guy out on the country roads, me in my full regalia, him in street clothes on a road bike. He totally stared me out of it. It was like I had two heads.

That's just two examples which show that, for me, it's people that count, not their club.
Of course, that's just my experience. Everyone else's is just as valid.

Tackleberry

cantalach wrote: »

Earlier in the year, UK-based Cycling Weekly had some editorial comment on this topic and their view was backed up by readers' letters. In a nutshell, they were encouraging club members to lighten up and be a bit more friendly, pointing out that the behaviour of a lot of club jersey-wearers wouldn't encourage anyone to join up.

God I've never noticed any difference or trend about who nods or who doesn't! I've been both in big clubs and I've cycled on my tod, can't say I've ever seen anything thats sets them apart in this context.

Cycling solo is good and if that suits you best then fine, but I'd always lean towards club riding, the spins are excellent, they get you out on days you would've stayed in bed, there's a good bit of banter, they're generally faster - overall they're simply better all round cycles than solo efforts, at the very least doing a few of the big sportif events dotted throughout the year will give you the chance to chat to some of the cyclists who've been tailgating and ignoring you all year!

'68 Fastback

We'll all have to agree to disagree on this one. Either that or meet up in an abandoned warehouse and have a massive gang fight!

On the tailing thing...would anyone think it ok for say...a hillwalker to catch up with a fellow hillwalker on a trail then stay two steps behind in silence for a few miles then p1ss off?
I wouldn't mind anyone tailing/drafting me(not that it would be worth their while) but them not even saying "how are ye now!" is just rude.

Tackleberry

'68 wrote:

We'll all have to agree to disagree on this one. Either that or meet up in an abandoned warehouse and have a massive gang fight!

On the tailing thing...would anyone think it ok for say...a hillwalker to catch up with a fellow hillwalker on a trail then stay two steps behind in silence for a few miles then p1ss off?
I wouldn't mind anyone tailing/drafting me(not that it would be worth their while) but them not even saying "how are ye now!" is just rude.

+1 Fastback

PeadarofAodh

'68 wrote:

We'll all have to agree to disagree on this one. Either that or meet up in an abandoned warehouse and have a massive gang fight!

On the tailing thing...would anyone think it ok for say...a hillwalker to catch up with a fellow hillwalker on a trail then stay two steps behind in silence for a few miles then p1ss off?
I wouldn't mind anyone tailing/drafting me(not that it would be worth their while) but them not even saying "how are ye now!" is just rude.

Because that's the exact same as drafting...

'68 Fastback

Like I said, it's not about the drafting. It's about being beside or behind another person and not having the decency to say hello. The fact that the tailgater might benefit from the person he/she is ignoring just adds insult to the situation.

PeadarofAodh

'68 wrote:

Like I said, it's not about the drafting. It's about being beside or behind another person and not having the decency to say hello. The fact that the tailgater might benefit from the person he/she is ignoring just adds insult to the situation.

How about instead of moaning you just learn to drop people? If I was cruising along and someone was annoying me that much I'd just put an effort in and leave them behind

'68 Fastback

Ok right, I'll get right on it.

Tackleberry

PeadarofAodh wrote: »

How about instead of moaning you just learn to drop people? If I was cruising along and someone was annoying me that much I'd just put an effort in and leave them behind

Peadar's on his bike, bustin' his ass for 12 hours a day, what are YOU on Fastback?!?!

Stupid post Peader

PeadarofAodh

Tackleberry wrote: »

Peadar's on his bike, bustin' his ass for 12 hours a day, what are YOU on Fastback?!?!

Stupid post Peader

"People won't wave back to me"

"People won't say hello when they're cycling behind me"

"Cycling clubs are elitist and look down their noses at me"

You're out on your bike primarily for training/enjoyment etc, why does it matter so much to you that you're acknowledged?? I get on my bike and go cycling for me, why start moaning about what I perceive others to think of me?

Strap on a pair!

'68 Fastback

Your absolutely right peadar. It's cause I've got no nuts that twats get on my nerves. Sorry about that.