Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

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landscapecadmonkey
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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby landscapecadmonkey » Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:01 am

munga wrote:interesting to see so many people saying they're not snobs, then calling someone else out on their subliminal snobbery. are we all closet snobs?

i'll admit to sneering at fat ladies on their cell or reid bikes, but only when they're not looking directly at me, which is most of the time on account of the fact that they're usually 'passing right' too quickly to notice my sneer (which probably looks more like i'm grimacing, or i'm having a baby).

i also sneer at cervelo owners. i keep a book on those weirdos. cervelo rider acknowledgements returned this year: 0

i laugh openly (in the comfort of my own living room) at those wannabe's in their pro team kits. jokers. they're not kidding anyone, even in a 45km/h shop ride. no epo, no pro.

mountain bikers are ridiculous. do they know just how silly they look when they grunt and groan past me on coot-tha? get an "uphill bike", i say.

freds with mirrors and panniers should just buy a prado. so impractical.

bmx. i don't even get it. i bought that dave mirra game and it was so easy. if kids can do it, anyone can do it.

i'll get back to you with any more idiots i can think of.
some overdue irony to counter the predictable polemic ramblings....... at last.

'nice one centurion'......
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landscapecadmonkey
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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby landscapecadmonkey » Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:10 am

clackers wrote:I took part in a timed MTB event for the first time, with the bike I tour on dirt trails with my wife ... what you can't see is the Topeak rack with very big boxy waterproof Topeak bag on it, containing what I thought was a very sensible 2L of water, food, repair kit, printouts of program guide, camera, etc. Turned out to be a faux pas I won't be repeating. The MTBers pleasantly ribbed me all day about was there a six pack in there they could use, a Cancellara-style car battery for the motor in my frame, etc. As a beginner, the horror then struck me: I AM FRED GUMBY! :D

Image
jesus h ..... hold firm clackers.... if you thought it ok to start with, why falter. dont give in to peer group pressure (as im always telling my kids) Nothing wrong with your set up kit at all (competitiveness is another matter)

In fact ,faced with comments on the size of your kit (how ironic) id be more inclined to turn up at the next event with a carry-on luggage sized saddle bag oversized, with a determination to whoop some arse !!!

Hold the line ....for fs, for all us average dudes !!
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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby Shpox » Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:34 am

Joined two local groups recently. I was amazed at the support of the first group on my first ride them. Acknowledged me, asked how I was going, helped me do a few sprints up hill to catch the faster pack. Was great.

Now the second bunch had a few good characters but also had some snobbery. Straight off the bat, a fellow was talking up his carbon bike, how he was going to smash some crits, how well his last rides went. He was a porky fellow in the sense that he didn't look very 'cycle fit'. It was all very pretentious. Now 10km into the ride, this gentlemen gets a flat. Most of the guys look annoyed, didn't really seem keen to lend a hand. The lad went to put on the tire and a more experienced fellow sneered and called him out on what was rather poor technique, to the point where he asked him to just hand it over. Seems like a hierarchy was established within. Anyway, most the riders didn't wait up for some the slower guys but the guys that I felt had their attitudes right went back to the shop for a chat and were quite cool. Now these were all gentlemen in their 30-40's with lovely team kits, but the some condescension was there.

I suppose for me, snobbery seems to stem from the weekend warrior corporate type that seem to think that having a bunch of gear and expensive bike gives them the authority to look down on others that seem 'lesser'. I find that these are usually guys compensating for something, whether it's a tiny doodle or a lack of fitness. I really don't understand the mentality because in the end, we're all sharing the same two wheels in common, who cares how they're spun.

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby greyhoundtom » Wed Feb 27, 2013 4:26 am

I just wish I had something to be snobbish about. :cry:

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby jules21 » Wed Feb 27, 2013 7:54 am

i don't have anything against Freds, but if i've gone to all the trouble of shaving my legs and spending up on high level kit, why should i have to share bunch rides with others who haven't made a similar effort? it's not snobbery to say they should have their bunches and we should have ours is it?

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby clackers » Wed Feb 27, 2013 9:37 am

landscapecadmonkey wrote:
Hold the line ....for fs, for all us average dudes !!
Although, you'd be more likely to want to have a beer with these guys than many roadies ... less of the race faces than I've seen at say the Kinglake Ride or the Great Ocean & Otway Classic.

But ... and I know I was only mixing it with the 50km folk ... the bunch ride ettiquettes were appalling - worse than Round the Bay! Very little calling out of 'Stopping', even with blind corners, no hand signals, lots of cutting in without warning a la Roman drivers ... I had to stay either at the front or back of groups for safety.

Not sure why this was so. It's maybe an activity often done alone or in casual pairs, and the necessary skills haven't developed, even in people who've done a lot of riding.

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clackers
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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby clackers » Wed Feb 27, 2013 9:39 am

jules21 wrote:i don't have anything against Freds, but if i've gone to all the trouble of shaving my legs and spending up on high level kit, why should i have to share bunch rides with others who haven't made a similar effort? it's not snobbery to say they should have their bunches and we should have ours is it?
Well, snobbery is about not mixing, and they say cycling is the new golf, but as columnist Dave Barry once wrote: "Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing." :D

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby Nobody » Wed Feb 27, 2013 9:55 am

munga wrote:interesting to see so many people saying they're not snobs, then calling someone else out on their subliminal snobbery. are we all closet snobs?
It's the standard, "I'm not a snob, but..."
munga wrote:i'll admit to sneering at fat ladies on their cell or reid bikes, but only when they're not looking directly at me, which is most of the time on account of the fact that they're usually 'passing right' too quickly to notice my sneer (which probably looks more like i'm grimacing, or i'm having a baby).
So they are passing you on the right? I'd be crying rather than sneering if it happened to me. :P
munga wrote:i also sneer at cervelo owners. i keep a book on those weirdos. cervelo rider acknowledgements returned this year: 0
You should know by now that Cervelo riders are just too good for us. You can't expect them to lower themselves to acknowledge you. Especially the Strava-King ones. :mrgreen:
munga wrote:i laugh openly (in the comfort of my own living room) at those wannabe's in their pro team kits. jokers. they're not kidding anyone, even in a 45km/h shop ride. no epo, no pro.
I just feel sorry for them if I pass them. Can't be any fun getting passed by a Fred if you're dressed like a pro.
munga wrote:mountain bikers are ridiculous. do they know just how silly they look when they grunt and groan past me on coot-tha? get an "uphill bike", i say.
So you get passed by both large ladies on Cell or Reid bikes and MTBs too? Sounds like you should get 30 years younger and/or choose your parents better. :wink:
munga wrote:freds with mirrors and panniers should just buy a prado. so impractical.
Wreck the world with a Land Bruiser? Nah. I'd rather make your life a misery by being a Fred. :P
munga wrote:bmx. i don't even get it. i bought that dave mirra game and it was so easy. if kids can do it, anyone can do it.
Had a youth on a BMX trying to catch me on my Fredmobile utility bike yesterday. I don't know what made him think he could catch me since I was keeping up with the roadie in front of me at the time. The exuberance of youth I suppose.

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby Dan » Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:00 am

Munga, I have a new avatar for you.

Image

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby warthog1 » Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:15 am

Nobody wrote:You should know by now that Cervelo riders are just too good for us. You can't expect them to lower themselves to acknowledge you. Especially the Strava-King ones. :mrgreen:
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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby clackers » Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:18 am

Nobody wrote:It's the standard, "I'm not a snob, but..."
Hmmm ... you didn't think this was satire from Munga, Nobody?

"i'll admit to sneering at fat ladies on their cell or reid bikes, but only when they're not looking directly at me, which is most of the time on account of the fact that they're usually 'passing right' too quickly to notice my sneer" is classic someone with shortcomings pointing out the shortcomings of others routine ... :)

Edit: Disregard that. You've clearly joined in on the fun. :D

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby boss » Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:43 am

clackers wrote: Edit: Disregard that. You've clearly joined in on the fun. :D
I was gonna say!

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby Dan » Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:16 am

Shpox wrote:I suppose for me, snobbery seems to stem from the weekend warrior corporate type that seem to think that having a bunch of gear and expensive bike gives them the authority to look down on others that seem 'lesser'.
Likely an extension of their 9-5 (and probably their home) life. They look pretty silly in ill-fitting Armani, too.

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby Daccordi Rider » Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:44 pm

Image

Daccordi Rider - Turning the Dudness scale up to 11. :shock:
Certified Brand Snob

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby Daccordi Rider » Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:47 pm

Dan wrote:
Shpox wrote:I suppose for me, snobbery seems to stem from the weekend warrior corporate type that seem to think that having a bunch of gear and expensive bike gives them the authority to look down on others that seem 'lesser'.
Likely an extension of their 9-5 (and probably their home) life. They look pretty silly in ill-fitting Armani, too.
I bet their wives beat them up.
Certified Brand Snob

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby outnabike » Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:56 pm

You blokes don't seriously have a problem with "Cervelo" stickers on a huffy do you? I can change the order to Colnogo.
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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby Daccordi Rider » Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:03 pm

outnabike wrote:You blokes don't seriously have a problem with "Cervelo" stickers on a huffy do you? I can change the order to Colnogo.
I'm not sure we can talk to people who cross brand, it just seems a bit pretentious really.
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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby il padrone » Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:07 pm

Daccordi Rider wrote:Daccordi Rider - Turning the Dudness scale up to 11. :shock:
Duuude!! It afflicts road riders as well :shock: :lol:






Speaking of brand-changing

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru2Dpe1L ... Zw&index=8[/youtube]
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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby jules21 » Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:16 pm

it's not that roadies dislike freds, it's more that once you've ridden a quality carbon bike with carbon wheels in Rapha kit, you understand that cruising around on an old MTB is just a different activity. the fred remains ignorant of that - thinking "we're both on 2 wheels and pedalling - that makes us brothers right?" but the true roadie thinks back to when he started out on a BSO and knows it's not true - he doesn't want to go back to that or be associated with it. that gets confused with snobbishness a lot.

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby Daccordi Rider » Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:25 pm

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Certified Brand Snob

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby clackers » Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:35 pm

jules21 wrote: - he doesn't want to go back to that or be associated with it. that gets confused with snobbishness a lot.
Does seem a fine line, Jules.

You could make the same argument for wine/movie/art snobs - no going back to inferior products, or the people who still use them (often not by choice) .

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby warthog1 » Wed Feb 27, 2013 2:19 pm

jules21 wrote:it's not that roadies dislike freds, it's more that once you've ridden a quality carbon bike with carbon wheels in Rapha kit, you understand that cruising around on an old MTB is just a different activity. the fred remains ignorant of that - thinking "we're both on 2 wheels and pedalling - that makes us brothers right?" but the true roadie thinks back to when he started out on a BSO and knows it's not true - he doesn't want to go back to that or be associated with it. that gets confused with snobbishness a lot.
Daccordi Rider wrote:Image

:lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby misterhorsey » Wed Feb 27, 2013 2:23 pm

jules21 wrote:it's not that roadies dislike freds, it's more that once you've ridden a quality carbon bike with carbon wheels in Rapha kit, you understand that cruising around on an old MTB is just a different activity. the fred remains ignorant of that - thinking "we're both on 2 wheels and pedalling - that makes us brothers right?" but the true roadie thinks back to when he started out on a BSO and knows it's not true - he doesn't want to go back to that or be associated with it. that gets confused with snobbishness a lot.
Jules, you do sound like a snob. Particularly when you refer to a roadie's aversion to being associated with BSO days/Freds. If that's not snobbishness I don't know what is!

Don't mean to attack you tho. You have obviously have some awareness of how people position themselves in any social hierachy - and identifying with a certain sub group kinda demands you distinguish yourself from others - typically by looking down on them!

I will own up to being an inverse snob. I like fancy bikes, and have the means to buy one. But up to a point, I have a strong affinity with trying to make do with what you have and making the most of them. While I do feel satisfied when passing dudes in their pinarellos/colnagos/baums/cervelos when I can, I feel just as inspired when some guy in an 80s no-name steel bike passes me. Its the effort and non-bs factor that i get off on.

But I also have an inverse snobbery against brands like Rapha, which is a totally top down brand oriented company that use a whole lot of very very slick marketing and imagery to evoke a sense of history and craftsmanship when they are simply a bunch of business people who engage very talented designers to design gear made by very talented sweat shop workers! It's their reappropriation of authenticity that gets my goat. Its like Crabtree and Evelyn, or L'Occitane, fancy looking but corporate and souless cosmetic shops, but aimed at men.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/ce39a52a-4a86 ... z2M46AN0lQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Having said that, I do believe rapha make great gear. I like the look of it. I just can't get over their corporate birth. It's like the fake 'indie' business issue. Seems to be a UK thing: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013 ... ship-tesco" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby misterhorsey » Wed Feb 27, 2013 2:25 pm

TMjpn wrote:It's much like anything in society - Brands maketh the man.
I still think TMjpn's post on page 3 summed it all up for me.

Interesting topic tho!

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Re: Snobbery in cycling, why is it so pretentious ?

Postby jules21 » Wed Feb 27, 2013 2:29 pm

misterhorsey wrote:While I do feel satisfied when passing dudes in their pinarellos/colnagos/baums/cervelos when I can
yes but anyone can pass the rider of a high-end bike with a quick burst of speed. but are you really "passing" them? the owners of such bikes may let you past as they are on a recovery ride, or - dare i say - don't really notice you on your steel steed, but these are dedicated, highly trained athletes who if they wished, could turn the speed on and leave all that was in front of them - behind them. it just gets a bit tiresome sometimes.

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