I think it's great to get in shape and I admire Armstrong's heartrate but quite a few are pretty arrogant in trying to hog the road from cars and stupid too to do that. They don't endear themselves to drivers in the hills around here much.
There is no easy solution to this one.
When I see riders in those lycra clothes they wear it just seems like “posing”. Like look at me ...I run the Tour too. Like sandlot guys playing football in pro gear all decked out and taped up.
First time I ever saw real road bikers was in Colombia many years ago when it was a big sport there. Very brave and fit guys. Lose a tour and irate fans assasinate you. I was impressed.
Now...I see them and I get the same feeling like when I see a lawyer on a 30K hog wearing chaps and a fake patch ...lol with Wehrmacht helmet too.
one last bitch before I sit back to be scolded by Melas and the other real cyclists here...I live in Nashville and like to on weekends go with one of my spawn and take the 996 with top down out to eat at some little cafe off the Trace or some other pretty by way like middle Tennessee has all over the place and you are sitting there eating and all of a sudden about 10-20 come in all sweaty and stanky and take over...and it sorta ruins yer eggs and grits. I know they are hungry but geez....dripping in sweat wearing pedal cleats and take over a little cafe....it ain't fun.
When I was like that working construction as boy we ate outside.
ok...I'm ready...prepared to be roasted as a bike bigot
but...fit young women in tights on bikes look great...that is the good part....
You rang? lol
Seriously, lycra works, that’s why I wear it. It’s hot in Texas, and lyrca wicks the moisture away and helps keep me dry. I once rode a very short ride, 20 miles or so, in a loose fitting t-shirt because I’d forgotten my jersey. It quickly became waterlogged and rubbed me raw. Never again.
Most cyclists are courteous when it comes to motorists. I’ll bunny hop the curb to get out of a motorists way. I drive a car too, and I don’t like being behind slow drivers, let alone bicyclists. I’d bet money that I’ve never delayed a motorist more than 20 seconds in all of my years of riding.
What ticks most cyclists off is the ignorance, which you can see plenty of here. I have a right to be on the road. It’s the law, period. If insurance and licensing were required, I’d pay it, but it’s not, end of story. The truth is that insurance would be a joke on any actuary table. I’ll bet you could total up all the property damage from all the bicycle related accidents in Texas this year, and it wouldn’t even come close to a decent fender-bender between two mid-priced cars.
I had the same experience in a small local restaurant when there was a bike race in the next town over from mine. About 20 cyclists came in and acted like they owned the place. They completely destroyed the bathroom, they were pissy with the restaurant staff, and they were looking down their nose at those of us not wearing spandex. There’s definitely an element of arrogance, and it’s generally directed toward people who have >6% body fat. I hate to make sweeping generalizations but it’s hard not to when I’ve never had a positive experience with any cyclist out there.
A co-worker of mine had to stand vigil in his yard for an entire afternoon to run off cyclists that kept stopping to piss on his bushes on side of his house. He’s a cool cucumber, I probably would’ve been hauled off to jail after breaking out the BB gun.
As for the bikers on this forum that are all in a self-righteous tiff because people are insulting their sport: GET OVER IT. I enjoy local hockey and I don’t freak out when I hear people say that hockey is the stupidest game on the planet. Everybody’s gotta do their own thing.