Nod and smile ratio

[david k]

I'm glad I've seen this thread, as I'm new to cycling and didn't know if you were supposed to nod like I would when I'm out on the motorbike! I nod to everyone when out on that, not everyone nods back though but I feel braver behind my full-face helmet so I nod at everyone with confidence. There's snobbery there too, not a lot of people nod at people on mopeds or cruisers.

So out on my first proper (non-motorised) bike ride today and I didn't know how I was supposed to great other cyclists...I don't really feel like I am one yet, will take me a while to get used to that. I said hello to some, mainly older less intimidating people, but any young blokes I was too embarrassed to stop looking at the ground, feel too shy without my safe biker uniform on That's a confidence rather than a rudeness thing though, I tried to raise a smile but think I just looked in pain (I could well have been, my bum was killing). I also look like a complete dork on the bike as I don't know what I'm doing with it, so don't want any "proper" cyclists scoffing at my incompetence.

you cud ride your bike in your motorbike gear?

 

[Bird]

you cud ride your bike in your motorbike gear?

You don't know how much I want to do that, sigh. It's not like I'm going fast enough to break into much of a sweat right now.

 

[Bman]

I ride a slicked hardtail MTB. No lycra or helmet.

I always reply when greeted. I also always greet, with a few exceptions:

Kids, or hoodies - they never respond anyway
The regulars that have never responded - why waste the effort.
At night, those without lights

One particular regular, middle aged guy with a basket up front. If the weather is hot his coat is flapping around in the basket, if its even remotely cool, hes wearing it and looks very sweaty! I've said hello to him multiple times, without a single reaction back. Now I just ignore him, but for a time I was very tempted to greet him with a "Morning Miserable"

 

[david k]

You don't know how much I want to do that, sigh. It's not like I'm going fast enough to break into much of a sweat right now.

i still have all my leathers, only bring em out now n then to see if they fit

they rarely squeeze on

 

[huttster]

I used to say hello and nod to anyone on a bike,none where safe,when riding on my hybrid commuter more people returned the gesture than not but when out on my carbon with lycra shorts and tight shirt the only people returning the greeting where people on carbon bikes with lycra shorts and tight shirts,might be a we're not worthy thing?Would be quite easy to say billox then,i'm not saying hello to anyone but i'm not that unhappy so if you see a lycra clad 'roadie' don't ignore him,say hello,if he dos'nt say hi back he's probably trying to avoid potholes or is just unhappy!

 

[david k]

its rare roadys let onto me, the most friendly are casual cyclists. this i suppose shouldnt surprise

 

[Munchkin100]

I have only been back on my bike 6 weeks now after over a year off with injury (non bike related) and I am really surprised how friendly people are, having always been a MTB fan but having lost my cycling partner I had lost interest and decided to buy a road bike instead. On Sunday went out as usual for a ride not really having a route in mind, I thought I would see where I ended up, so all I had to do was get out a map or look a little lost and hey presto cyclists kept stopping to ask if I was ok... shocked .... I was. This never happend when on a MTB! Must say though most who stopped were not the lycra clad racing snakes, they were going way too fast to even notice me. So I nod to everyone, if they dont nod back who cares, their loss not mine.

 

[abbie]

I say a cheery 'morning' to everyone I pass, who passes me and people coming the other way.

I'd say 8 times out of 10 they reply. If I'm going up a hill and tuck in behind someone I will usually know their life story by the time we reach the top. I consider the idle chat with strangers part of the experience.

 

[supercooper]

I just nod to all bikers and if they nod back then great ,if they dont then there loss

 

[LosingFocus]

Had a nice 1-1 1/2 mile chat with a nice chap today, didnt know him, we were both just going the same way.

Also saw the a different guy twice, he must have been doing a similar loop to me, but in the opposite direction (brave man, I didnt fancy the 10% climb in Horndon, maybe in a few weeks)

 

[jonbrackenridge]

I used to ride a Hybrid in shorts/jeans whatever and got nothing from anyone, yet the day i bought my proper Road bike and all the lycra within 10 mins of leaving the store (i rode it home) i was getting hands waved just off the bar, nods, smiles the lot all from "roadies" passed a large group of guys and girls on MTB's last week and they all put there heads down as if not to see me and just rode on lol.

 

[david k]

thats my experience jon. seems like snobbery to me

 

[bongofury66]

Wonder what would happen if you rode completetly naked and grinned at everyone? let me see.......when the weather gets warmer again, I could.........

 

[david k]

i never ride naked, i always make sure im wearing a helmet

 

[bongofury66]

I guess that would add an extra tease-