Dirt roadies !!!

[Tumbleweed]

Weet nie waar jy bly nie my maat maar jy moet wegkom daar.Dink die probleem is waar jy bly

 

Ek weet waar hy bly! Los hom uit!

[mr_stig]

Stripped down, the post reads "one group needs to do something to become a lot more like my group."

 

Is it any wonder we have bigotry and xenophobia if we can't resist the urge to stereotype and group in something as trivial as disciplines within the sport of cycling?

 

Don't get me wrong, some of my best friends are mountain bikers.....

[Danger Dassie]

Shew, some folk being oversensitive on this. Very much a tongue in cheek piece.

Interestingly with some of the venomous posts, it kinda proves the point to some degree

[Katy]

I started mountain biking and road cycling at roughly the same time, and one thing that I've noticed is that mountain bikers tend to look down on roadies far more than the reverse. They accuse roadies of being uptight,of not greeting, of not helping, of buying the brand name stuff to prove how cool they are etc., the list goes on... Kind of ironic, because what they're actually saying is, "You're an idiot because you think you're so cool, and I think I'm cooler than you".

[jimmy hardtail]

I dont shave my legs or wear lycra. And i love rough natural trails. Am i the only mountain biker on this thread? Does anyone care?

[MTB0007]

W(TF)CARES Anyways --

As long as you ride and enjoy --- label me what ever you want ----

It was just a little article --- In my humble opinion if the shoe fits .......................

 

I ride and break and ride again ---- mtb, road - whatever --- cos i love riding

I dont care - what anyone says - calls me - labels me ---

I actually like going against the main stream --- and enjoyed the article -- seemed tongue in cheeck.........

[j'sbella]

I enjoyed the article as well, turns out I am one of the culprits although I have never been on a road bike.

I like going fast.

Still the best MTB magazine

[patches]

what about Road Dirties?

 

Like when Mr Cedric Gracia competes in the Red Bull Road Rage race, and kicks a fair amount of roadie butt!

 

http://www.redbull.com/cs/RedBull/RBImages/000/000/13/636/photo610x343a/120909RC09.jpg

Cedric on the Right

 

http://www.sports-extremes.net/xtm/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/red-bull-road-rage2.jpg

Some drifting around a corner at 66kph

 

Not to mention some 95kph action... in the rain!

 

 

Hells! yeah for Road Dirties!

[Wyatt Earp]

I wear lycra (it's smooth on my nuts) and white shoes and a roadie style saddle.

My new helmet is peakless and I wear bright sunnie's.

However, I do greet fellow cyclists, I do help where I can, I have manners when I pass slower riders during an event.

I do find that there is a certain amount of snobbism in the roadie circles and some of this has filtered in to our loving sport we call mountainbiking.

Heroes - the races are full of them, those knobs who do a sub 2:20 94.7 who think they are Gods gift to cycling (here is some news pal, sucking wheel in a bunch is not a skill, it's cowardice)

 

 

The face of MTB has changed locally and for the worse, who do we have to thank ?

On this I am not sure, but what I can say is that the closeness and the friendships we used to share has disappeared.

 

I used to ride with a club, who has to ok'ish riders in the club, these two are worshiped by all and sundry and it even creates that "unhealthy" competitiveness at times, yet these okes can't even crack a top 50 at Epic, yet a guy like Shan is one of the most approachable guys you could imgagine.

 

Pfffft, I spit on all you snobs

[reteid]

wow not the hostility i was looking forward to read on my morning visit tot the forum, but then again nothing new.I ride my mtb because i do not have a road bike,I live and work withing 500m of majikforrest so within 2 min of leaving either my house or office i am on singletrack.I do not shave my legs because on my previous attempt it ended up looking like a botched suicide and the hair cover my true mtb scars pretty well.I do wear lycra(but not white/red/blue/green)ok only black , because on a few previous occasions my baggie shorts got stuck on my seat and i moered down.I ride slow because i am fat(tish)and cannot go uphill fast and i go down rapidly to get to my beer at home.That is why i ride my bike.As for "jy dink jy's cooler as ekke" i am cool with that because nevermind if you greet/stop for a puncture etc you are still a fellow cyclist and I like you more than a taxi.

[flymango]

Who actually notices and does anybody really care? Whether I'm on my MTB or at a road event, all I see is all the other cyclists around me sharing my same passion and hobby. And heck, maybe sharing a beer afterwards too.

[Witkop]

I think I must add on this topic.

 

There are different purposes to cycling:

 

Racing: This is essentially the "first across the line". These events are organised by third parties (essentially for profit). If you entry, then you race, if you enter races "just to ride" then you are stoopid and "a fool and his money are soon parted".

 

"racing": such as Single speed champs, 24 hr races, Argus ext. Here the emphasis is away from "first across the line" and includes things such as teams, mass participation, alcohol and heaven forbid FUN. If you seriously race these then you are stooopid.

 

Touring holidays: Not to confused with race tours. These events are mostly organised either by the participants or some charity, and are mostly under the radar and by "invite" only. The objective is to go on holiday WITHOUT the car (and wife...........). Cycling is both the means of enjoyment and means of transport.

 

Riding: This is often confused with training. The purpose is freedom of expression, and may or may not be done according to some training plan. Essentially more technical and challenging but without the pressure of racing. There is some small amounts of evidence that roadies sometimes "just go out for a ride". But it is mostly done by the renegade mtbker.

 

Commuting: Getting from A to be where A is not where I want/need to be now and B is where I need/ want to be shortly. It is often done with a motorcar, where a bicycle is not available.

 

I think Sean's plea is to get people to realise that racing is not riding, and you can be a cyclist without having to race. It is a small assumption that road cycling developed from the need to race and therefore is more geared for that mentality. Where going off-road was first a "Act of War"( Spanish civil war and Anglo Boer War) and then a hippy deviation, and finally an escape from the road. Therefore to be a complete mtbker you first have to master the skills of the art before you get caught up in racing.

 

FINAL WORD: If you enter a race, you should race. If you are not planning to put it all out on the route, then rather save your money and time by not entering. There is more fun out there in the WILD.

[Tankman]

 

The biggest difference between a roadie and a mountain biker is the attitude towards a fellow rider eg. On the morning ride with the roadie bunch a guy punctures, many guys see this, nobody stops to help, he is left to change the tube in the dark by himself, same scenario while out mountain biking would result in every single person who rides past the punctured rider offering help, I have seen this on many occasions.

 

I am so gatvol of the *** roadie attitude that is seen most of the time, is it so hard to greet a fellow cyclist ?

 

 

 

 

So let me get this right, a GUY punctures and you want the whole group to stop and do what exactly? Get two guys to hold hands with him while someone else fixes his puncture?

 

Grow up!

 

Out of common courtesy when I see a fellow cyclist next to the road, I will ask if they need anything ... Pump, tube, levers whatever. If he is male, he can fix his own bloody puncture, I am not getting my white kit dirty while he looks on with arms and hands folded.

 

If it is a lady ... I will politely offer to fix the flat but I will not object if she insist on doing it herself... unless she is really hot!

[kitkat]

Is that yout Airbender? Have you demystified the unknown yet?

 

 

Sheesh Eldron...have you been attending your psyche lessons? I have to say spot on!

[Wyatt Earp]

"racing": such as Single speed champs, 24 hr races, Argus ext. Here the emphasis is away from "first across the line" and includes things such as teams, mass participation, alcohol and heaven forbid FUN. If you seriously race these then you are stooopid.

 

 

 

I think Sean's plea is to get people to realise that racing is not riding, and you can be a cyclist without having to race.

 

FINAL WORD: If you enter a race, you should race. If you are not planning to put it all out on the route, then rather save your money and time by not entering.

Ah well , call me stoopid, I race 24 hour.

 

Here I agree.

 

Your final word, well that is where the problem lies, when on those days people over estimate their ability, put on their race face and forget the manners their mommy and daddy taught them.

[PhilipV]

I scheme the guy who is a box on the MTB is going to be a box on his road bike, in his car and even in his boat in his bathtub.

It is a personality thing. Some people are laid back, others not, and some are deuchebags.

 

Me, I love riding, wether it is in my baggies, in my lycra, on my hardtail, my SS, my roadbike or my jumpbike. I ride because I love it. I greet people because it is what I do. I'll stop to help you with a puncture, a tube or an energy bar. I'll also stop to help someone with a flat wheel on their car.

 

I reckon we as people are too inwardly focused. Life is not about me and me alone. We seriously need to start loving other people unconditionally.