Bike snobs

[Dimension]

I just got home from my weekly trail ride with my 15 year old Mongoose Maneuver DX 3.1 (1998). I figured that I’ll ride it as long as it can while saving for the mountain bike that I really like. As old as my bike is, yes it is heavy and yes it doesn’t have a suspension fork but it still is able to handle my local trail.
However, there are bike snobs every time I hit the trail. Some, you can read from their looks and others would whisper to others “that is not a real mountain bike” or something like that. At first I ignore them and enjoy my ride, now it’s getting annoying because it’s happening every time I hit the trail. Now I feel like holding my passion until I get a real mountain bike. I know I should not be affected by what other people say but now I do.



This is not my bike, but this is what it looks like.

[musikron]

Screw 'em. Ride that thing!

[Trail Ninja]

Did you have fun riding?

... that's all that matters.

[Rcksqrl]

I say ride it! Nothing is worse than being smoked by someone on a 15+ yr old bike when your riding a higher quality bike.... (You can guess how I know this) while not a snob, I got luck and fell into my current bike which I do not yet deserve. Otherwise I would be with ya riding a 20+ yr old bike.
Keep riding and smile... It keeps them guessing


Sent from magic wish granting phone

[Gundam168]

I'm still riding my 13 year old FS URT (yes URT) with the V-Brakes (yes, V-brakes) and I know the snob look already. It ranges from contemptuous ("Ewww keep that away from me") to sympathy ("Poor guy...I have extra crackers just in case you're hungry) ") to thankful ("Thanks for making my bike look good beside yours").

As long as it doesn't make sounds like creaking joints, ghost shifting, crunch shifting, BB knocking and brake grinding, you can pretty much bike under the snob radar.

[BodySnatcher]

Not surprised you get comments riding that pile of junk.

As said above,let them say or think whatever they like.

[Stripes]

It's the rider not the bike. Go ride. let em hate. Not your problem.

[zgroove]

The best payback sometimes is dropping them on a hill or better yet, starting a friendly conversation while dropping them on a hill. Kill them with kindness and ride the hell out of that Goose!

[Kiwiplague]

I love seeing guys (and girls for that matter) riding older, sometimes beat-up bikes on the trails. Shows a passion for the sport that a lot of bike snobs will probably never have.

[perttime]

I remember the time when this guy showed up for a ride:



He was the most skilled rider of the bunch we had that day, and cleared the pile of rocks where all the rest of us had to walk.
I don't think that is what he usually rides on trails, though.

[mopartodd]

Why should cycling be any different from any other hobby or activity? What you don't know is they were eyeing your bike thinking that they would love to make an SS out of it. lol

[TiGeo]

Quit being so sensitive...what do you care what other folks think? If you are happy riding your bike, ride your bike. Like it or not, cycling is a gear-driven sport and lots of folks are passionate about their gear.

[The Yetti]

Did you here people making comments about your bike, or is that just what you think they were doing? Most people don't give a damn what someone else is riding, unless you show up on a group ride on a bike that looks like it is just ready to break. Maybe you are just a little too self conscious about your bike.

I think this board needs a place for people to go whine about other people..... definitely not a passion post.

[Ivan67]

Man don't even let those tards eat at you. I am riding a GF from 98, and have been traveling living off my rig since 2004 in Europe. Broke everything at least twice by now but the frame. Just last year I started shopping around for a new rig and still have not bought one yet.

Just have fun, if these tards get in your way then blow through them, if you hit someone then **** happens.

[manbat]

asd

[J.B. Weld]

I don't think you were getting the "bike snob" look, I think you were getting the "that dude's going to kill himself because his stem and seatpost are way above the minimum insertion line" look.

[AZ]

That "look" was concern for your safety and well being.

[Hooch]

bugger em, as long as you are out there and having fun that is the most important thing.

[mbmb65]

Whiner passion? Man up and move on.

[shenny88]

Whiner passion? Man up and move on.

Sorry OP, but i sort of agree with mbmb65...

On a related note, I see threads similar to this one occasionally on this forum and i sometimes wonder; are other riders really ****-talking these "crap" bikes, or are the owners of said bikes a little paranoid what others think?

I know there are *******s out there, but i can recall soooo few in my brief 5 years of singletrack riding, and i havent run into anyone trash-talking really.

[boo radley]

I know there are *******s out there, but i can recall soooo few in my brief 5 years of singletrack riding, and i havent run into anyone trash-talking really.

In fairness to the OP, this happens "every time I hit the trail." Which makes one wonder....

"Hey, what do you think of my bike?"

(group of riders at trail head): "Uh, cool...Ride hard, man...."

"You know what you're looking at? This is a Maneuver DX three-point-one. Mongoose. Guess what year?"

(group) "Uh...don't know, man. Looks kinda ol--"

"YOU GODD*M SNOBS! EVERY TIME I HIT THE TRAIL...."

[brianW.]

I still have my 91' Trek 830 Antelope. It was collecting dust for a few years because of a broken shifter. Then one day I spent $30 fr a ss conversion kit. Best money spent mt biking. I had a few comments but most of them old school with many mentioning that they used to have that bike or similar one. Many wished they never got rid of theirs.

Remember one ride at Long Cane (SC) and yes I was the slowest rider but at the end of the ride two of the riders realized I was riding not just a heavy rigid bike but also a single speed. Earned some respect from them that day.

I d have two other bikes now besides the Antelope but i still take her out some times. Ride your own ride and have fun.

[crit_boy]

I don't think you were getting the "bike snob" look, I think you were getting the "that dude's going to kill himself because his stem and seatpost are way above the minimum insertion line" look.

As soon as I saw the OP's photo, I thought hopefully he buys a new bike that fits.

As far as riding an old beat up bike and passing a new bike: I think I provide this joy to some guy that rides a mid 90s Trek, wears a yellow jersey, and pedals his biggest gear at about 50 rpm. I live near a park with a bunch of single track trails. The park also has an 8 foot wide gravel hiking trail that circles a lake. After I ride the single track, I leisurely ride around the park on the hiking trail. Nearly every evening, said guy passes me (i ride a rip 9 rdo). I imagine it brings hims joy as he passes me.

[Crash Gordon]

I can't speak for you but I'm going to ride what I want and if others don't like it that's cool because I'm not asking them to pay for it.

[Gundam168]

I still have my 91' Trek 830 Antelope. It was collecting dust for a few years because of a broken shifter. Then one day I spent $30 fr a ss conversion kit. Best money spent mt biking. I had a few comments but most of them old school with many mentioning that they used to have that bike or similar one. Many wished they never got rid of theirs.

Remember one ride at Long Cane (SC) and yes I was the slowest rider but at the end of the ride two of the riders realized I was riding not just a heavy rigid bike but also a single speed. Earned some respect from them that day.

I d have two other bikes now besides the Antelope but i still take her out some times. Ride your own ride and have fun.

Wow, that's an impossibly long crank arm.