A bike is not judged by how cheap or how expensive it is.

[weisan]

Get it?

[cmbicycles]

I dunno, all of mine were judged to be cheap... well, cheap enough to be affordable for me to own anyway.

[earlfoss]

Bikes can be judged however we see fit!

[dbnm]

Is the owner/rider wearing Rapha?

[54ny77]

is paceline the new "5th grade playground politics forum?"

adults navel gazing about their bikes and what others think of it/them is rather weird.

[Cicli]

Originally Posted by 54ny77

is paceline the new "5th grade playground politics forum?"

adults navel gazing about their bikes and what others think of it/them is rather weird.

Agreed. Who cares?

[El Chaba]

My operating premise has always been that I don't care what anybody else rides....I do obsess about my own bikes from time to time....

[beeatnik]

Is this Passoni related content?

[Mzilliox]

I am seriously missing something around here lately... so many odd codes and passive aggressive weirdness. I mean its been oddly cold here, haven't seen the sun in a couple weeks, but it just means i need to buy a new Ti frame to satisfy the craving, thats all.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by El Chaba

My operating premise has always been that I don't care what anybody else rides....I do obsess about my own bikes from time to time....

I've been a serious cyclist since '72, and sometimes it is about the bike.

I don't care what others ride, except to lust after them (the bikes!)...

That having been said, I recently became a runner and found a difference in attitude refreshing. Runners typically have multiple pairs of running shoes, duplicates and different shoes for different purposes (sound familiar?). But runners don't compete with one another, they compete against themselves...can I PR in this race (even though I'm placing 479 in a race of 900 people). And runners will bend over backwards to help one another while out on a run, during a race, whatever.

Not that there's not a lot of comraderie in the biking community...but we are focused on equipment in a way that runners mostly are not...

[paredown]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

I've been a serious cyclist since '72, and sometimes it is about the bike.

I don't care what others ride, except to lust after them (the bikes!)...

That having been said, I recently became a runner and found a difference in attitude refreshing. Runners typically have multiple pairs of running shoes, duplicates and different shoes for different purposes (sound familiar?). But runners don't compete with one another, they compete against themselves...can I PR in this race (even though I'm placing 479 in a race of 900 people). And runners will bend over backwards to help one another while out on a run, during a race, whatever.

Not that there's not a lot of comraderie in the biking community...but we are focused on equipment in a way that runners mostly are not...

As you sugges--equipment matters for competitive cycling in a way that is fairly unique--more like car or motorcycle racing. Just talk to someone who has lost a race because of equipment failure. Some of the obsessiveness starts there. For recreational cyclists--stranded is the equivalent, I suppose.

But the willingness to slag off on other people's equipment choice or especially setups for recreational cyclists??--seems a little silly to me.

If people are getting out and riding, and it is on a Walmart bike with J-bars and four flashers, that's OK with me. It's a big tent IMO.

[Clean39T]

https://www.nahbs.com/awards/

That's a good start.

Cheap and expensive are relative terms, and I find it more interesting to judge something based on how well it delivers on the intended purpose within a certain category, and with further differentiation by breed or other minutae - similar to the judging of show-dogs.

For example, my Davidson Ti should be judged within its well-defined species classifications and characteristics:

- Classic titanium frame (ie., traditional lines, external headset, threaded bb)
- Eponymous builder (ie., Davidson, Potts, Strong)
- Second-hand purchase (ie., a rescue dog, not from a breeder)
- Sub-$2,000 budget
- All-rounder roadie (ie., gearing and build for classic road riding over mixed pavement and topology, not a purpose built climber or spring-classics bike)

Also, judging bikes is fun - just don't conflate judgement of the bike with judgement of riding a bike for fun, utility, whatever.

[ColonelJLloyd]

It's winter af around here.

[BikeNY]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

I've been a serious cyclist since '72, and sometimes it is about the bike.

I don't care what others ride, except to lust after them (the bikes!)...

That having been said, I recently became a runner and found a difference in attitude refreshing. Runners typically have multiple pairs of running shoes, duplicates and different shoes for different purposes (sound familiar?). But runners don't compete with one another, they compete against themselves...can I PR in this race (even though I'm placing 479 in a race of 900 people). And runners will bend over backwards to help one another while out on a run, during a race, whatever.

Not that there's not a lot of comraderie in the biking community...but we are focused on equipment in a way that runners mostly are not...

I have found that attitude much more prevalent with roadies than with other cyclists. In my area at least, literally every mountain biker I see says hello or something equivalent, stops and asks if everything is OK if you are stopped, etc. Casual cyclists on the rail trail are usually friendly enough as well. It's those guys in their full kit on their race replica bikes that have an attitude. They can't be bothered to even acknowledge anybody else on inferior equipment.

I make it a point to keep talking to them as long as possible

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

But runners don't compete with one another, they compete against themselves...can I PR in this race (even though I'm placing 479 in a race of 900 people). And runners will bend over backwards to help one another while out on a run, during a race, whatever.

I've found most trail-runners, especially ultra-runners, and marathoners to be that way - but 5K/10K competitive runners will elbow you in the face at the sharp end of the race - and even on the trails some nasty isht goes down in the really competitive areas. Thankfully, I was never there while racing myself - and spent much more time in the "hey, let's all do our best and try to finish strong" class. That attitude is what is drawing me to gravel events, fondos, and ultra-endurance cycling, and away from crits and road races. There's no challenge in completing a 35mi road race beyond whether you beat the people around you. But riding an epic gravel course in a beautiful area, or completing a 200K ride (or 6-hour or 500K) is completely different purpose and experience. TTs and Hillclimbs might split the difference - short and competitive, but also a sense of camaraderie.