Peleton of teen road cyclists with expensive road bikes blew in for coffee

Thank you, all for saying what I thought. So, I was a bad parent for buying my son a nice bike?
He worked his azz off, with little kudos from anyone in the community or at school. He tried to start a team at school, and even with a teacher who was willing to coach, they wouldn't hear of it. The teams he was on, well, except for one, (the one SheFly is now coaching) treated him like crap. And even then, the coach was a weird guy whose own child "disowned" him. On the other hand, he made tons of friends through racing and it gave him confidence in a way nothing else did. This was a kid who was not really good at any other sports he had tried and within 2 years, he was the #4 junior racer in the US. Did he lock his bike up as went about on his training rides? Probably not.
And let's not forget, that because of him, I am on this forum, riding over 3,000 miles a year.

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Originally Posted by pll

Let's not be judgmental about people (and their parents) we have not even seen. They could be part of some team, get their bikes with a discount. The bikes might not even be theirs.

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Yes, definitely. Why shouldn't they have nice gear? I don't have children, but I would definitely spend money on a nice bike for a child.

As far as locking -- we'd have to know the circumstances. Could they see the bikes? Is it a high-crime area? I lug around a heavy lock all the time in NYC -- believe me, I'd gladly leave it home if I could.

It's great that they are cycling.

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Originally Posted by Blueberry

How many adults on fast-ish road rides all lock their bikes when they stop for lunch or coffee? Even on brevets?

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I don't even own a bike lock.

I think the OP's surprise was more with how the kids left the bikes unattended-- I see really careless attitudes every day with kids and their nice stuff. The kids at my school each get a laptop computer-- its unbelievable how they abuse them (because of an insurance policy on the lease, the don't have any incentive to take care of them-- they wouldn't have to pay) and destroy their nice smartphones and such. It's great to give a fantastic bike to a promising young racer, but I would definitely expect them to take really good care of it!!!

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Originally Posted by Reesha

I think the OP's surprise was more with how the kids left the bikes unattended-- I see really careless attitudes every day with kids and their nice stuff. The kids at my school each get a laptop computer-- its unbelievable how they abuse them (because of an insurance policy on the lease, the don't have any incentive to take care of them-- they wouldn't have to pay) and destroy their nice smartphones and such. It's great to give a fantastic bike to a promising young racer, but I would definitely expect them to take really good care of it!!!

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+1 Yes, that was my original reaction, Larissa. Fortunately the boys were sitting just inside the shop to look at their bikes nearby.

My reaction is probably symptomatic having been raised in a poor family, where 1 bike was shared among 3 girls and whoever was big enough to ride it without falling off. (I treasured and used a real sable hair oil paintbrush that was bought for me as a teen after my incredible debate, pleading with parents. It was $10.00 for that brush ....35 yrs. ago. That was expensive for 1 paintbrush that was no wider than half an inch of sable hair...if you know anything about artist's paintbrushes.)

And for parents that spend $$ on bikes, well I personally know a young man who is a triple youth world champion AND will be attending the Olympics this year on the track.

Dad started him off on a cheap AL road and track bikes but it progressed from there. Was soon on full carbon. You just never know...

Sometimes we have to look outside our own experience to see the experience of others.

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Originally Posted by Reesha

I think the OP's surprise was more with how the kids left the bikes unattended-- I see really careless attitudes every day with kids and their nice stuff. The kids at my school each get a laptop computer-- its unbelievable how they abuse them (because of an insurance policy on the lease, the don't have any incentive to take care of them-- they wouldn't have to pay) and destroy their nice smartphones and such. It's great to give a fantastic bike to a promising young racer, but I would definitely expect them to take really good care of it!!!

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Adults do similar things. Yes, they do it less often, because they are more mature and because they have to pay for the replacement. But carelessness is not the exclusive province of the young.

I've seen smartphones and wallets dropped on the bike path fairly often (personally returned one of each to an adult); my SO has had a Xootr stolen three times; and even in NYC I've known adults who left an unlocked bike "just for a moment" and it disappeared.

I'm old enough now that when a team of young athletes comes in and sort of takes over the local Panera, I just sit back and watch with amusement. Yes, it sort of makes me feel young to watch them, sort of sad that my youth is behind me and excited to see that at least they aren't at home in front of the computer.

This happened to me this week when several team of male and female rowers came in and "took over"...but in a good way. God bless them, I hope they all find their way in life.

I agree with Reesha - I don't think Shootingstar was making any snarks or judgments about the kids *having* expensive bikes - just about leaving them piled about outside unlocked - so mainly about kids being careless with what they are given...

But - it is quite common in the racing world... on team rides we don't carry anything more than is necessary and you can't put a u-lock in your pocket - well at least I can't. We all leave our bikes outside unlocked- even the $5,000 carbon ones and go into Starbucks. 1- they are generally not actually out of sight 2 - there are usually 40 other cyclists around and we for the most part all know one another. If you walked up to one of those bikes and tried to walk away with it, unless you came prepared to really look like you belonged on it, someone would stop you.. Same at races, where if you were a really ballsy, enterprising and creative thief you might be able to make off with quite a haul.

OP wasn't being snarky, but I definitely think. some of the posts poo pooing the nice gear were.

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Originally Posted by irulan

op wasn't being snarky, but i definitely think. Some of the posts poo pooing the nice gear were.

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+1.

I'm sure their parents have equally expensive road bikes and don't lock them up either in similar contexts.

I have been road riding for eight years now, often with clubs where we leave a bunch of expensive bikes out without locking them up, and am yet to hear even a rumor about someone getting a bike stolen from such a pile up. Of course, we always keep an eye on them, but it doesn't seem like that's how bike thievery operates.

Interestingly, the riders of the club I ride with now - attracting an older, less athletic demographic - tend to lock their bikes up when we stop for lunch. However those are long stops where we are inside and the bikes are out of our sight. When we just hang out around a coffee shop, we don't lock them up either...

When I am out with the road bike, I do not carry a lock. Once per week, I ride with a group that never stops more than a few minutes anywhere (and someone is standing by the bikes). Riding by myself, I sometimes have to trust the bike won't disappear when I go, for example, into a store for a bottle of water -- I usually ask someone to please keep an eye on it, but sometimes that is not possible. My rides typically take me through affluent, low traffic, areas (relative to where I live), so that is something that allays some bike anxiety. However, each time I have to leave the bike alone, I take my keys, ID, etc. Knock on carbon fiber nothing will happen, but I am cognizant there is a risk.