Annoying Comments From Those Who Don't "Get It"

[YesNdeed]

I actually enjoy helping people understand how cycling can compare to things they already do, and that riding long distances is not heroic, and can be built up to rather quickly.

Them: You rode 100 miles? Holy...what?

Me: Well, do you read? Can you sit and read for hours at a time?

Sometimes the answer is no, but most anyone can understand the comparison. For those that thrive on reading for that long, it usually makes perfect sense, even though the activities are very different.

Me: Well, that's what I can't do. While I like reading in short intervals, riding my bike for 5 hours at a time makes for the perfect Sunday afternoon for me and my friends.

I have had great discussions with people from this comparison.

[bigbill]

When I commuted in Hawaii, I kept my bike in my office. I'd arrive at 0530 to get showered and to a meeting by 0600. One person complained about me having my bike inside the building and while my boss was in my office explaining that I would have to find another place to keep my bike, his boss walks in and starts talking about cycling, how he should start riding more, and how great it was that I had a big enough office to keep my bike during the day. My boss just rolled his eyes and said "well played" on the way out the door.

[benb]

Originally Posted by Elefantino

Totaly *ick move.

And priceless.

So awesome.

Anyway I just don't really talk about cycling at work or other places unless someone asks me or I can tell someone else is a cyclist. If someone asks I work hard not to get into details of equipment, training, etc.. as it's meaningless detail to people.

If you constantly try to inject cycling into conversations with people who aren't cyclists you're just annoying. I'm sure you think someone who will never shut up about Golf or NASCAR or whatever is annoying in the same way and you just can't really see that most other people aren't super interested in your cycling.

The other thing is as cyclists we tend to be a little too proud of ourselves and to outsiders it seems like we are always bragging about accomplishments that most people don't care about. If you end up bragging about how bespoke your equipment is that's the worst, even other cyclists are probably groaning inside listening to you.

[Ti Designs]

I work in a bike shop, there's one line I get all the time which just goes to show how little actual thought goes into forming the words that come out of people's mouths. "I'm not racing". I can be selling a helmet to an old lady, and she'll say "I'm not racing". What do you say to that?

[Elefantino]

When LeMond was named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 1989, a columnist for the SF Chronicle, Lowell Cohn, wrote: "Anyone can ride a bike. But can they hit a home run like Jose Canseco? Can they throw a touchdown pass like Joe Montana?"

I wavered on whether or not to confront him the next time I saw him in the press box, but decided against it. He was one of those who would never understand, and I was fine with that.

[fuzzalow]

We are doomed. A self-centered, insecure lot that doesn't know how to get from A to B.

[coffeecake]

Originally Posted by benb

Anyway I just don't really talk about cycling at work or other places unless someone asks me or I can tell someone else is a cyclist. If someone asks I work hard not to get into details of equipment, training, etc.. as it's meaningless detail to people.

If you constantly try to inject cycling into conversations with people who aren't cyclists you're just annoying. I'm sure you think someone who will never shut up about Golf or NASCAR or whatever is annoying in the same way and you just can't really see that most other people aren't super interested in your cycling.

The other thing is as cyclists we tend to be a little too proud of ourselves and to outsiders it seems like we are always bragging about accomplishments that most people don't care about. If you end up bragging about how bespoke your equipment is that's the worst, even other cyclists are probably groaning inside listening to you.

This is right on. I have watched my cycling friends start conversations with curious passer-by at maybe a coffee shop mid-ride. If my friend goes into detail about the ride, or training, or racing, or the bike, you can just watch the other person's eyes glaze over or see them lose interest. And there's nothing wrong with that. When people start unloading on me about their hobby that I am not familiar with or interested in, I tune out. That's how it goes. No need to be snobby or elitist.

[El Chaba]

For clarification, I believe this thread is about comments that are intended as barbs or are made without any thought, i.e stupid.....not sincere questions or comments.....

[Ti Designs]

Originally Posted by benb

Anyway I just don't really talk about cycling at work or other places unless someone asks me or I can tell someone else is a cyclist.

Some of us cyclists can be pretty clueless when it comes to talking cycling. People assume all the time that I watch pro racing, so they just start talking to me about people I don't know, doing things I don't care about.

What's even worse is when people who don't know the first thing about cycling start trying to make decisions about cycling. I was at a town meeting that was going over the need for bike lanes when there's a bike path. I tried to explain that the bike path doesn't go everywhere that people on bikes want to get to - they didn't get that. "but you're on a bike, and there's a bike path" was their response. It got far worse when I explained that most bike racers won't use the bike path because their normal speed would be too high for a bike path shared by walkers pushing baby strollers and such. Their response was one of total horror - we don't want people RACING on our streets!!! This resulted in a short study of cyclists on Mass Ave, which concluded that 0.0% of them were breaking the speed limit. The next town meeting there were even more people standing up against bike racers on their streets.

[classtimesailer]

When I sign out after work, people always tell me, "Ride Safe." I've been smashed and crushed more often in my car.

[PQJ]

Originally Posted by Ti Designs

I work in a bike shop, there's one line I get all the time which just goes to show how little actual thought goes into forming the words that come out of people's mouths. "I'm not racing". I can be selling a helmet to an old lady, and she'll say "I'm not racing". What do you say to that?

"Your skull doesn't know that, and the pavement doesn't care."

[Mzilliox]

i don;t mind most things people say, but to me its actually kinda sad when people ask where you are riding from, or how far you've ridden, and when you give them the answer they act like this is some feat not to be accomplished by normal humans. sure it boots the ego some, but really it just makes me sad how damn lazy our culture is. 20 miles isn't that far, go have a walk

[jamiec]

I ride my bike to work occasionally one way is about 15 miles. When new coworkers see me ride in they always ask "where do you live?" and after I tell them they always reply back with something like "That must take forever". I tell them it takes about an hour and this generally blows their mind up, as they can't comprehend how someone could ride a bicycle from one town to the next in an hour.

I have been thinking of running into work one day. That would really blow them away

[Mzilliox]

Originally Posted by sparky33

A lot of roadies are surprised that I can ride fast with huge 28mm tires. I haven't even shown them my fat tires yet.

Some are gradually meeting me half way with 25s. Progress.

i had my 32s on the other day and a cyclist stopped to chat me up at the top of a climb. he looked at the tires and said "25s or 28s?". I said "they are 32s, and i wish they were 35s." He said hes never needed anything more than a 25. I told him i ride a lot of gravel and he said don't you have a gravel bike for that... at this point im wanting to point at the thing between my legs, but my mom said thats rude.

[shovelhd]

Originally Posted by Ti Designs

I work in a bike shop, there's one line I get all the time which just goes to show how little actual thought goes into forming the words that come out of people's mouths. "I'm not racing". I can be selling a helmet to an old lady, and she'll say "I'm not racing". What do you say to that?

Show her a crushed helmet and ask her if she values her lucidity.