Lets say a 'friend' of mine just started cycling.. What he really wants to know is how more experienced cyclists would take to him whether it be returning a wave or slowing down to have a chat.

the scenario, how would you react?

A young kid, riding a brand spanking new bike 1200$ and over, with running shoes but decked out in USPS or Discovery gear, the shades, the shorts and lookin' like a retard mashing all those high gears.

Your response:

A) what a noobie, laugh at
B) Fairweather Lance Fan, ignore
C) No wave returned
D) Change three lanes, kick his bike and ride off
E) Pull beside him and offer him advice
F) Wave, have a chat
G) Others I have not experienced, errr, my friend, my friend has not experienced :D

Be honest, 'my friend' wants to know how the 'upper echelons' of the cycling world percieve it's minnows from their perch. :D

I would like to think 'F'.

Were it not for a kind rider in my neck of the woods I might still be in my former Clyde (not that there's anything wrong with that...) form and riding quite a bit uglier than I presently do. All it took to motivate me were a few invites to make me feel welcome. Now, of course, he's wishing he could get rid of me....;-)

G

Wave & call over. Anything odd we wave at and call over. Tandems, recumbents. I even wave at normal people on normal bikes. We have water & shade. On the road, I say hi to everyone, even dogs. But I laugh when the cattle start running from us! So I may not be normal.

Locally, Clatsop County Oregon -- north Oregon coast, we have a group called "Bicycle Friendly." Our objective/misison is to help city planners, traffic engineers, local drivers, city law enforcement, etc. become more "Bicycle Friendly."

Besides organizing rides -- road, mtb, beach cruisers -- we talk with city govts. about curb cutouts, signage, crossings, bike lanes, traffic problems, driver awareness.

Now . . . '"Bicycle Friendly" Here's the rule . . . "If they're on a bicycle, be friendly!"

Granted there are times when I'm hammering miles in an interval sequence. But there are times when I see cyclists with flat tires, loose chains, saddles way too low/high, bad gearing, whatever. I confess I don't see a lot of complete newbies on hot rides and decked out in "decorator Euro kit." but if they're on a bike, they're a FRIEND!

If you see a totally tricked out geek on a carbon fibre machine and it's obvious he's/she's clueless, give him/her credit for having good taste in bikes/gear! They can always grow out of the geekdom.

I'll slow, ask where they're from (We're a tourist desination here.), give tips, inform them about local organizations, shops, rides, etc. Most novice riders are entirely aware of the gulf between their skill level and someone who's been riding/racing for years. Really, this is the total truth here. A friendly word from you can be like the guiding hand of the archangels touching their shoulder and blessing their ride.

If they're on a bike, they're a FRIEND.

Locally, at Seaside Oregon, (week-end resort destination) we have bike rentals, (beach cruisers), 2, 4, 6 person "surreys", MTB riders, recumbents (Ents! *G*), BMX, freaks, geeks, families, little kids, bikes with small dogs in the baskets.

If they're on a bike, they're a FRIEND.

What goes around, comes around . . . The more people we get on bicycles, the better world this is going to be.

So, YOU are a role-model and an emissary for this sport. Sure, there are times when you're seriously training. But it don't cost nothing to nod and smile. And it pays off in a Bicycle Friendly place to ride.

If I'm lucky enough to have my path coincide with that of another cyclist I always say "hi". If they want to chat, we chat, if they want to ride together (and our pace is similar), we ride together.

I've had many great rides/commutes this way & met some very interesting folks. From the Red Sox fan who was in town visiting relatives, to the "racer-type" roadie who banged a U turn and snuck up on the wheel of my fixed gear unannounced (he was very surprised when this hairy-legged fellow did not turn back on the nasty climbs), to the guy on the ancient 10 speed w/no water, no shirt, sandals & hair like Jesus Christ Superstar (he hammered). When I was in KY for a weekend, a nice fellow roadie took me under his wing & we did a great 60 miler together.

I don't get the "elitist roadie thing". Wake up people: to everyone else we are the same, a bunch of geeks in tight pants. If we can't count on each other to be pleasant, who can we count on?

A nod of the head, and a smile, and then, after he has gone by, make fun of him to your friends.

I always try to be friendly to others, especially when I go around someone on my Coast King 3 on the MUT.

Nod and a wave. But really dude, get some shoes!

Good to know there are some good folks out there, too bad I don't live in an area like that!

Some of the other riders seem very posh, and I guess I do not help with a new bike, I guess it doesnt make me look like a big noob so people think I know what I'm doing. :(

I've met some nice people too though, the first fella waved to me when i was still riding my beater mountain bike, I've been doing it since but with mixed results. Maybe USPS isn't the flavour in this neck of the woods[in Toronto, Canada] (my first jersey though, and I love it)

Yeah i orderd my pedals PD R6610 Shimanos... probably Specialized Comp shoes... hopefully.

Two years ago I returned to road cycling after quite an abscence. Mostly due to old, tired running knees. What I have found is that the majority of the cyclist I pass, pass me, or pass by, don't ackowledge or return my wave or hi. Quite a contrast from the running community. This past July I had a flat on one of my rides. While I had the wheel off swapping tubes. A guy on a high end bike passed by without a word. This, to be honest, kind of bothered me. Given the same situation but being on the opposite end I would have stopped and at least asked if he was all set. You never know. Reading this thread gives me hope that there are friendly, helpful cyclists out there. Hope to meet you on the road!

"Reading this thread gives me hope that there are friendly, helpful cyclists out there. Hope to meet you on the road!"
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I don't know of anyone who would pass another rider who was having trouble on the side of the road without asking if they needed help. Granted, we might make fun of you, later on, but we would still help.

"Reading this thread gives me hope that there are friendly, helpful cyclists out there. Hope to meet you on the road!"
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I don't know of anyone who would pass another rider who was having trouble on the side of the road without asking if they needed help. Granted, we might make fun of you, later on, but we would still help.
Go out on a holiday. Had a flat last year on Memorial Day on a local MUT and had not switched my pump to my SS. Had tube, irons, boot, patch kit - no pump. Walked 5 miles with only one offer of help - guy on an E-bike that only had a Schreader pump head. Must have been over a hundred dam yuppies passed me by out for their first ride of the year (and 3rd to last - 4th of July, Labor Day). - TF

One of the things that bugs me most as a newbie.........I'm new to cycling and happen to live close to an aera where most of the nobs from the city (Toronto) ride to get miles/training....I'll always see 5-10min cyclists on any given ride. I always wave and give the universal eh, hi, er hello...at min I give the finger nod from my hoods if I'm worried about cars behind.......then I feel like an idiot as it's never returned 80% of the time. I can hang with most and don't look or pretend to be LA.....I feel its the guys who have the local club kits and appear to take things just a bit to serious.

It seems to be the guys my age 30-40 who have the most tude........it hurst my feelings dam it...nah.........I laugh and make extra effort on the way home when I catch back up, being so dam sensitive gives me the extra motivation I guess.......!!!! LOL

I have been at the side of the road and had guys ride past without asking if all was OK....this blows my mind, I can not imagine how anyone could do this........most folks in Canada are friendly but like any big city............Toronto has its fair share of wankers....eh

I always carry one of those presta to schrader converters in my bag. They don't cost or weigh much and almost all alternative sources of air except helpful roadies will be schrader.

personally, i would yell "GET OFF THE ROAD, FREAK!!!!" and, if i wasn't exceptionally thirsty, fling a waterbottle at his head for good measure.



....i talk tough, but i'm really a pretty nice guy. i think the usual head-nod would be the way to go.

I commute to work on the weekends on a path popular with recreational roadies in lycra. I ride pretty quick but I don't wear cycling clothes and a generally have a backpack on when commuting. I make a point of ALWAYS nodding, waving, saying hi to every other cyclist going the other way. The only group of path users who never return the wave, despite looking, are the real roadies or those who like to believe it. I might pass 10 on the way to work, 10 on the way back but I never get any acknowledgement back from them. I make a point of continuing to be friendly because otherwise I'd be a bit hypocritical yeah?

- Joel

This is really highlighting the difference between rural riding (where we hardly ever see anyone on a bicycle) and city riding. I remember commuting in DC. Things were lots less friendly. I'd sort of forgotten that. (I actually ran a jogging senator into some bushes once - figured it out later when I saw him on the news. Oops. I wasn't all that smart when I was 19).

What motivation underlies unfriendly behavior? How can we universally reach and motivate folks? Is it mostly young riders that are the problem? I find the young folks in shops to be about 50/50 very polite & helpful (although I don't get the "yes, sir" treatment except in the rural south) v. stuck up and arrogant. This is about the same as in the violin trade (I test shop the competition), so it probably isn't just a bicycle thing. Maybe the road behavior isn't a bicycle thing either, but just a shift in society.

Similar with kayaks. I went years before I saw another ocean kayaker. Of the first few I met, I married one. Now some touring kayak paddlers pass by without saying hi, even though my yard is littered with good yaks. Combination of commonplace plus degradation in manners?

Thats very likely, it's sad that people can't even say hi to each other without comparing gear and wheels.

One early morning ride I rode by myself, and I passed close to 30 gear heads on a club ride, I gave the wave, none returned, and one older guy who was straggling behind was the only one who even motioned at all. :o How can you expect people to join your club when you treat outsiders like shite?

Just got got back from my daily ride. I was at the southern apex of it on the MUT when I saw a roadie turn onto the road just past the neighborhood where I usually turn in and catch the trail going back. There's some nice hills that go up and down around that corner so I thought I would try to pace with the biker that had gone around the corner. I'm gaining slowly when another rider on a Serotta pulls up beside me and we ride together side by side chatting, when he mentions how we are picking up a strong headwind. I said that I had just came from the other direction and he says you mean you aren't part of this group ride. Turns out he was into his last couple miles of a 60 mile leg of a multiple day group ride. I said no and I'm not pirating the ride. I'm just out on my daily 25 miler. Very amicable. If people want to stay insulated in their own world then I'm fine with that, its just that I enjoy meeting new people, and so I'm going to make the kind of gestures that might facilitate that, for my own benefit.

I say hi to anybody on two wheels, I represent a strange group of people that ride in lycra. Most of the 22-30 year old racers are stuck up and wont say hi, even though I used to race in my day. I'm 40 years old and I'll wear my full club kit, or a Road Bike Review kit. Still other days I'll go out on a jaunt with a tank top over my running shorts and riding shoes. I don't care what you think about me, I love cycling. I love to ride and that's that.
I will impress you with my love for the sport dating back to 1981, before clipless pedals and styrofoam helmets. If your friend loves to ride, then he has got what it takes. The rest will come naturally!

well, first i'ld like to say, nice post hooben, i agree with that sentiment.

but i would also like to add this. it probably depends on two things: where you're riding, and what you're riding.

i live and ride in melbourne, aus, and well we're known for being a friendly mob out here. When i've waved and communicated, i've always had good responses. But i usually only do this when commuting, and to others who obviously are... MTB, cross, SS riders, obvious couriers etc

i usually get polite convo at the beach trail where people are enjoying themselves, and I return the courtesy.

Also of note, i dont limit myself to bicyclists, i also wave or give the tumbs up to polite motorists or even pedestrians that have given correct right of way and yielded to my signals. Basically, treat others as you would liek to be treated.

But when i'm on a road bike, i'm usually going for speed and/or training. I usually dont pay attention to other cyclists (well those not in my way) let alone stop to chat. Also, if i'm on an exclusive bike track and find ppl riding v.slow and 3 abrest on a clearly marked single lane track (one lane for one direction, another for the other) dont expect me to wave or have a chat, especially if i've encoutered parents with prams doing the same when there is a clearly marked and much safer walking track not even 2 meters over and parallel. Thats just the way it is, dont pay too much attention to others, and look for ppl obviously relaxing and having a leisurely cruise. Dont break the concentration of someone who looks like they might be training. If you are stopped at the lights or something, then its fair game for sure. Also keep in mind, some ppl may be at the end of their ride, have been swiped by cars, impeeded by slow erratic riders and have just had enuff. Just check out their body language, should be enuff of a clue to let you know if a convo is welcome. But yeah, following from this logic, most roadies are probably concentrating on their own thing. Don't take it personal. Enjoy your ride and keep similing !

Lets say a 'friend' of mine just started cycling.. What he really wants to know is how more experienced cyclists would take to him whether it be returning a wave or slowing down to have a chat.

the scenario, how would you react?

A young kid, riding a brand spanking new bike 1200$ and over, with running shoes but decked out in USPS or Discovery gear, the shades, the shorts and lookin' like a retard mashing all those high gears.

Your response:

A) what a noobie, laugh at
B) Fairweather Lance Fan, ignore
C) No wave returned
D) Change three lanes, kick his bike and ride off
E) Pull beside him and offer him advice
F) Wave, have a chat
G) Others I have not experienced, errr, my friend, my friend has not experienced :D

Be honest, 'my friend' wants to know how the 'upper echelons' of the cycling world percieve it's minnows from their perch. :D

Yeah, about 5 years ago I used to be like you, er... I mean your "friend" :p. I wore a red Bicycling Magazine jersey, blue basketball shorts, a Camelbak, and headphones (one ear - I'm not THAT stupid).

Anyway, I waved and/or nodded and other cyclists did the same (This is in Phoenix, btw). I would ride with local groups (15-30 riders) and usually be faster than anyone there, so I wasn't hassled about it when the "serious" cyclists were around.

I still wave & nod to anyone on a bike; runners as well. I feel there's sort of a brotherhood among cyclists and acknowledge that through a friendly gesture. If I see a guy on the side of the road with a flat, I'll slow down and yell "You got everything?". How can someone not do atleast that? :confused:

I rarely pass anyone who doesn't wave back. I can only think of one time - and I'm not sure he even saw me.

I'll wave or nod back. I don't run a fashion filter on minimal sociability.

It's not that nothing ever strikes me as odd-looking or incongruous, but your listed alternatives all seem rude or worse. Mostly, I just don't care what other folks are wearing.