New Biker, Was recently shunned!

[mimitabby]

how about this bike

[Eden]

or this outfit....

[Jo-n-NY]

I will repeat what everyone else said, IGNORE THAT SNOBBY LADIES if you want to call them ladies. geeeez I am sure next year you will be riding right past and leaving them in the dust if they are still riding by then.

Good luck with the clippless pedals. If you fall, do not worry, it happens to all of us

Chins up bicyclulz, you rode a great ride!!!!

~ JoAnn

[mimitabby]

well, Eden, at least YOU'RE wearing a helmet!

[teigyr]

It's too bad you couldn't have had some fun with them. I'm the type to say something to interject into their conversation ... like "oh RIBBONS! That would've been SO CUTE! Oh wow, I wish I would have thought of that. Thanks for the idea, I will definitely do that next time!" And at the rate I've coordinated things to my bike (the Bianchi, not the gaudy Orbea), I have even done things like match nail polish.

I know what it's like to be athletic but new at something. I would have felt bad too - swimming is new to me and if someone made fun of me or made me feel inferior, I'd be upset.

When I was first riding, I was doing a century on my mountain bike. I had equipped it with city tires but the bike was not geared for road riding. I was riding about 6,000 miles a year on it though and was proud that I could keep up with roadies on occasion. On a century once a guy said in this totally patronizing bike "oh wow, look at you go! That is SUCH a heavy bike!". It wasn't said in admiration, I felt like he was talking to a child. I ended up passing him on a hill. I really wanted to say something but I didn't.

Life is too short not to have fun. Nothing wrong with pink bikes or streamers or ribbons. Go see an Aids Ride sometime if you want to see festive

[mimitabby]

you did 6000 road miles in one year on an MTB! you rock girl!

[redrhodie]

Pink bikes are cool! Those chicks were just jealous!

Good luck with the clipless pedals! You'll love them in no time, I promise.

[Zen]

I'm not a pink person but I'd NEVER say something like that and I don't know anyone who would. Everyone I've met so far has been nothing but welcoming and helpful. I'm sure they're out there but those nasty women are definitely a minority.
You don't even want to be associated with people like that. You'll meet so many more nice people you might even start to feel bad for that group.

[teigyr]

you did 6000 road miles in one year on an MTB! you rock girl!

That was before I knew better. I had more fun on that bike!!! Even toyed with the idea of putting aerobars on it. I loved the fact it (or I) didn't look fast but I could average 18-20 mph on 50 mile rides. Somehow can't seem to do that on the "fast" road bike. Go figure. I think I liked the challenge of surprising people.

[Zen]

I could average 18-20 mph on 50 mile rides. Somehow can't seem to do that on the "fast" road bike.

If I could do that I'd keep riding that bike!

[Pyannyplayer]

PINK ROCKS! Don't let those snobs get to you! Geez! I didn't know Trek had a pink bike until AFTER I bought my blue one last year, soooooo......guess where my baby is going on Monday? To Trek to be painted PINK!!! Oh yeah! I want people to KNOW it's a girl passing them - PINK ROCKS! It's how all my friends know that I'm riding - all in pink from my helmet to my socks (even the accents on my bike shoes) and soon my bike!

I feel bad that these people said these things to you; all the cyclists I know are just so darn nice! My mom always said (and I'm sure ALL our moms said this) "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". It's my rule to live by.

Kudos for ignoring them; just grin and wave when you pass them

Lorie

[Pyannyplayer]

I should mention that my favorite biking buddy, my DH, wears bright orange down to his shoes! We make quite the pair, but it's what we like. Sometimes someone might say something about my pink and his orange (we do clash a bit ), but we just tell them it's what we like. I don't like blue, but a gal that rides with me does......cool! I would never "bad mouth" her blue bike or her matching blue jersey (her tri outfit even matches her bike which I think is so neat!). Another friend likes bright yellow while another always rides a bike that's red; again, cool! Whatever makes a person happy. Just don't "bad mouth" someone else's choices!

BTW "Pinkzilla" is not only dang pretty, she has the NIFTIEST NAME!

Lorie

[Trek420]

I ended up passing him on a hill. I really wanted to say something but I didn't.

Life is too short not to have fun. Nothing wrong with pink bikes or streamers or ribbons. Go see an Aids Ride sometime if you want to see festive

A simple "on your left" would do at that point

His buddies will take care of the rest "dude, you got passed by a gal, on a mountain bike, with knobbies...on a hill...."

Trek-3 time California AIDS rider proud of my metalic pink bike-420

Good luck with the clipless pedals! You'll love them in no time, I promise.

And....you'll pass those gals in no time. Give them a cheery and very girly wave!!

[teresa]

Why do women treat each other this way? I hate that you had that experience. I've only been on one organized ride myself and I know how out of place I felt and that would have really hurt my feelings. I am especially glad that this forum exists for women to share that kind of experience and then receive the support they DESERVE from other women. My bike is sea foam green with flowers painted on the top bar and I love it!! I hope you do the century next year. I hope I can ever do one.

[sassyc]

Those girls aren't cool enough for pink!

I have a friend (male) who is an INSANE athlete. He has pink streamers on his MTB, and a pink Chris King headset (which retails for $125ish, snazy).

... and his girlfriend just bought a pink Ellsworth Truth... retails for over $5,000!!

so there.