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

After work-cycling, dearie and I stopped near a cafe.

Suddenly over 10 teen boy- cyclists...all lanky,sprouting height, but slim about 15 yrs. up...blew in on their EXPENSIVE road bikes. They all wore racing looking kits, clipless, etc.

And several boys were riding Cervelo road bikes. Not cheapos. And they didn't..bother to lock up their bikes except for 1 (yes, I KNOW no one looks up such bikes) outside the cafe.

They piled into the coffeeshop at a table beside ours.

It is REALLY rare in our city/area to see large groups of older teen boys, kitted out in racing like cycling tights, jerseys, arm warmers and riding expensive road/racing bikes. We're more accustomed to teen boys on mountain bikes, x-bikes, etc.

I left saying to dearie (who has 2 adult children) now, can you imagine being a parent knowing that your child left a $5,000 bike outside, unlocked. The boys didn't seem old enough to have a part-time job...unless they mowed the lawn or did babysitting.

But what do I know. I don't hang out with teens daily to get a good feel of age, etc. But it was great to see them..hooked on cycling and doing something healthy.

Heh, I've seen kids who don't look more than 14 (so, still some growing to do) on bikes more expensive than mine.

DBF was a Boy Scout, and did the cycling merit badge--except that one of his troop leaders was one of our sort, so they got really into it, and many of them ended up with expensive stuff. Not super-high-end or anything, but enough. DBF's wheels cost more than my laptop! They often stopped at fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, or fancier places to top up water bottles (being in AZ). They at least had the sense to leave a couple people outside watching the bikes while everyone else topped up all of the bottles/Camelbaks.

I'll admit that I don't own a lock (I need to change that!), and have often stepped into McDonald's or another place to grab water or food. But--I always leave the bike in sight of the windows, and I keep glancing at it. Or I ask someone if they wouldn't mind keeping an eye on it. (And one place I've stopped at is pretty much a hive of cyclist activity, so few people lock their bikes--there's always someone watching!)

People probably think it crazy that our 11 year old has an >$500 bike that he will fit for only a couple of years...but there are people who buy their kids horses and ATVs. DS's little Redline CX bike costs a lot less than those things and costs nearly nothing to maintain and use (unlike horses and ATVs).

When he's a teenager I don't think we'd drop $5k on a bike, but maybe $2k, assuming that when he outgrows it we'd be able to sell it easily enough.

$5k really seems like a small price to pay to give a kid something to do that is healthy (assuming a family can afford the investment). If they're training for competition they don't have time to get mixed-up in a lot of negative things...plus those things would undermine their training efforts.

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I'd rather give a kid a nice bike than a car.

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Good point.

When I was at high school in New Zealand we had school cycling teams. They would train after school for Saturday races. I guess in this day and age passing your "old" carbon bike down to your teen or even coughing up for an expensive new one must becoming the norm.

Gee I would hate to see what the private school cycling teams would look like today as well. Probably have school owned race wheels for the team to use...

I feel the same way about my students and their iPhones!!

If I was a momma, I'd get my growing kiddo a surly or something that really holds its value so we can resell it when they outgrow it. I would totally spend some good $$$ on a kids bike. Especially if I thought they were really into it. Quality pays itself back, in my opinion. I hate seeing kids on cheap bikes that break. My students always tell me about their terrible crummy bikes that don't shift well or have issues. My cycling team kids always regret buying the lowest end road bike possible when their derailleur snaps off mid-climb.

Haha, I can just imagine a bunch of 15 year old/8th grade age boys in a bike $$$ pissing contest though. It's just how that age can be. :D

Well, my son was just like the ones you saw. He started with an $800.00 aluminum Fuji (and a mountain bike he paid for with Bar Mitzvah money) and then we bought him a steel Serottta. Not sure how much that cost, but now, 11 years later, other DS is riding it, as it would be too small for its original owner now. Right before he graduated HS, we bought him a 5K bike for his 18th birthday, although it was not carbon. At the time, he envisioned racing in college. After he quit school and enlisted in the Marines, it sat at home for 4 years, until he took it to San Diego with him and then sold it after a year.
I don't regret any of the money we spent. It kept him focused and out of trouble in high school and set him up to be an awesome endurance athlete who runs a 5 minute or so mile and still rides recreationally.

It is the same with ski equipment at the resorts.

That's much better than the same band of teenage boys at a mall or gaming in front of a computer. Did they had coffee? They might be too young for that at 15...

Hmmm. Well. cool that the boys are into road riding. But not caring for expensive equipment is not so great. I would be concerned that there was an attitude of entitlement in the handling of their possessions. And what about the poor boy who can't hang with the group because his bike only cost $2k and doesn't have arm warmers?
I'd be more impressed with a gang of boys and girls on all sorts of bike sharing the love of two wheeled freedom. And it sounds like those type of riders exist in your area.
But still fun to see and notice a new group of riders.

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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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. Thanks.

There's a kid at my gym who has a carbon Time bike with cosmic Carbone wheels. Thing's probably worth 10-15k. He rides for a local junior team, and I am sure he gets a discount. He's a good kid. I am just happy when I see kids enjoying bikes.

Em has a pretty cheap bike, but she enjoys riding it. At least they're all out there instead of in front of video games (your other post which I completely agreed with also)

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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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Um, yeah. Glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. I mean seriously... they are on bikes, what more do you want of them? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
I don't understand the underlying negativity to some of the comments. Is it a case of the haves and have nots? A few thread ago kids on bikes were being applauded for riding to school, and now there's snark about team kit for a high school team? This is a biking site isn't it?

I think it's awesome. So what if they are on expensive bikes. What's wrong with that? You don't know if they are on a team from a private school or what. If a parent bought if for them, that's good too... better on a bike than out smoking pot or glued to a video screen somewhere.

As for leaving the bikes unlocked, I can assure you, in their minds it was fine. Teen boys brains aren't fully wired to make reasonable decisions until they hit their twenties.

As a hard core skier, I have the same thing to say about kids on nice gear: so what. You don't know if they worked hard for it, got it for a birthday or holiday gift; bought it on sale, hand me down from someone who wasn't using it, work at a shop and got a deal on it... why the comments about nice gear? In our case we ski every weekend that we can, our boys were excellent skiers and on the ski patrol and damn straight they need good gear.

I'm glad to see mostly support for outfitting kids who are interested in something with decent gear. It can make a difference in whether they stick with a sport or not. I know it's tough in that not every family can afford good gear for their kids. Some of us can, and if not, if we are serious, we can find ways to make it work.

I.

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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Originally Posted by Irulan

You don't know if they are on a team from a private school or what.

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:D :D I coach a cycling team for a pricey private school and I *wish* the kids all got sweet bikes like that. Although if the lacrosse parents were our team parents, that might be the case. One parent will donate a tournament trip complete with flights to the entire boys varsity lacrosse team :eek:

My guess is it's a development team of some kind. The kids I see on the nicest bikes around here are usually with a development program and get great deals on really nice bikes from their sponsors.

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.