Twinges- freda cycling inferiority

[mimitabby]

I almost always feel like a poseur. except right after I scale a mountain pass

[7rider]

I almost always feel like a poseur. except right after I scale a mountain pass

Same here.
Well, no mountain passes in MD...I guess it's all relative.
I may not be at the front of the pack, but I'm out on my bike (waving hand...also not deserving of my flashy bike here).
Being out and about and doing something healthful for your mind and spirit are the important things.
Enjoy the accomplishment.
(oh...but I am guilty of chasing down the rider in front of me! I'm frequently bored and I want to play!)

[GLC1968]

Up until I moved here, I always wore cycling specific clothing. Some if it was more 'flashy' than other stuff, but it was all technical. I rode in primarily HOT conditions and for longer rides (greater than 8 miles at a time). Only cycling clothes made sense, so I never gave it much thought. Yes, there were rides where part of it was on a MUP where no one else was in cycling gear, but it didn't make me think twice because I knew what I was wearing suited my purpose.

Now I have a bike for errands and commuting that is more upright. It allows me to ride in regular clothes and I do. I do notice a different group of cyclists acknowledging my existance than when I'm on my road bike, but I don't think I feel any less like a cyclist. I see the super fast roadies go by and if for even a second I feel like I'm less than them, all I have to remember is the beautiful Ti bike awaiting the next road ride in my garage.

There were many times when I took my touring bike on 'training' rides at work with the guys. The were worried about wearing armwarmers when the other guys weren't (or about carring a big wedge under their seat) and here I was with a big honkin' mirror, a handlebar bag and a rack on my bike. I didn't need those things for that particular ride, but they were there for a purpose so I didn't care. From my experience, I think guys are more concerned with how they are accepted when they ride than most of the women I know.

[shootingstar]

Ok...I have not yet graduated to cycling socks yet. Maybe later..when turning 50 next yr. Somehow as long as my feet are dry, I'm happy. Methinks I also don't have same problems of sweaty feet as others might.

Hilarious to think we're not as "good-looking" as our carbon bikes. I never thought of matching level of techie cycling garb to the level of bike design roadiness. I just wonder about myself looking sleek cycling lovely and...getting passed..

[Zen]

If that bothered me I'd never ride

[Eden]

This reminds me of something I've been contemplating on my morning commutes lately ...
Roadie guys (ok, women too, but there aren't very many, so I'm generalizing) around town know me as a racer, etc. They see my team kit and often know who I am and usually wave to me or greet me when we pass going opposite directions.
Since I started commuting on my Mule bike (a home made hybrid- photos in the commuter forum), I'll pass the same guys I occasionally train with on the weekends. There's an early morning ride from a bike shop in midtown that a lot of them go to. Since I'm on a goofy looking bike (not calling hybrids goofy at all- just my hybrid) and not in a team kit, when I wave at them, the most reaction I ever get is a chuckle and occasionally a slight wave back (if they'll even make eye contact). I don't however wave to every other cyclist - I'd wouldn't have my hands on the handlebars enough....

What gives? How about being nice to everyone instead of just the people you think are "worthy" of your greetings??

I've experienced the same thing - usually when I'm commuting and wearing a rain coat over my team kit - the racers I would usually wave at, sometimes give me a confused look if I still wave.

Out here I think there is reason, I'll let you decide if you like it or not.... we have *a lot* of cyclists, from all different worlds, racers, hipsters, rec riders, randonneurs, commuters etc. If you waved to every other cyclist on the road, it would be like waving to every other driver out there... overwhelming, so you usually see people greeting those in their clique. I usually give an unprompted greeting to other racers - more often than not I know them in some way anyway. If I'm waved at by another cyclist, I will certainly return the greeting if feasible. Happy to have a chat with anyone who rides with me or stops at the same light.

For the most part I wear techincal gear - one thing, I'm on a team and like it or not it is adverstising. They give us money to wear that kit, so we basically agree to wear it when we go out on the bike. Truthfully for any ride longer than a few miles its just more comfortable too.

I do however own a hybrid bike - I'm kind of opposite of most people, I always had road bikes, but the hubby and I decided we wanted something that could take on dirt roads and gravelly trails without going the full mt bike route. I take that one out sometimes to run errands, shopping etc. as its the only bike that I have that I can really carry stuff on and I wear street clothes when I ride it. It can be a refreshing change. Everyone leaves you alone, no "competitive commuters", macho guys aren't trying to prove themselves by passing the racer chickie by or rude comments by folks I pass while doing hill repeats (yes twice now I've had a person comment as I've gone by - sorry my zone 5 hill repeats have NOTHING to do with you, yes I'm working hard and yes I'm going by you, but its not personal).... oddly enough though, I think drivers are worse - they give me more space when I'm kitted out on the road bike.

[katluvr]

I get passed in the park by almost every roadie there no matter what they are riding, and it does make me feel like a poser to be so slow on my beautiful carbon bike.

Don't get me wrong... I adore my bike and look at it lovingly all day. I just feel a bit sheepish out there when guys on fixed-gear old-school bikes pass me on the hill.

After 5 years of road biking, multiple charity rides, bike vacations, centuries...you name it...I remain "slow and steady". Yet to build the speed. Still see "newbies" start out and be faster than me. Yet at the recent "MS Bike Tour" I jsut completed....I see the same folks pass me over and over cuz they ride fast/hard, then rest even longer at the stops....I just keep moving steadiliy a long. I did 95 miles on day one and 83 on the second day. I may be slow...but I am pretty happy w/ my performance. Besides, if all the training makes me dislike being on my bike....then I wouldn't enjoy it.

But I am glad to hear/see I am not alone in feeling like I'll never be a buff, fast, cool biker chic. Yes, my bike shorts dig into my thighs and I get some of those unsightly bulges from having a some not so lean legs!


K

[tulip]

I had a great time this afternoon running all my errands on my city bike, in jeans. Of course, I still had my helmet and my cycling shoes (Shimano mountain bike shoes so they're relatively easy to walk in). I just cannot pedal without being clipped in!

All the drivers were polite.

Downtown Richmond has NO bike racks!!

[SlowButSteady]

look like a weekend wannabe poseur cyclist.

This is the way I feel! Like I'm a little girl playing dress-up. I also feel that way in a riding habit, a dress, hiking clothes, etc.

If I go to a cowboy bar in jeans and boots, I feel conspicious.

If I wear a floral-tropical print shirt to a Jimmy Buffett concert, I feel conspicous.

I do have to have my clothes "match" the bike. Baggies on the off-road bike. Roadie shorts and jersey on the road bike. Likewise with shoes, helmets.

I have to remind myself that I am a cyclist. I can ride semi-decent distances and ride (road) on a regular basis, off road less so.

Like Zen, my name reflects my slowness.

[tc1]

Aww, ShootingStar, everybody feels like a dork sometimes. The thing to do is to go out in public and share the love (the dorkiness.) Seriously, don't let anyone, especially yourself, make an exile of you.

Didn't you just have eye surgery? Or was that someone else?

[emily_in_nc]

My favorite "Freda" story was last summer at the local farmer's market, when I was stopped by a couple of roadie guys in full team kit and sparkling carbon bikes, but woefully unprepared for anything since they refuse to even use a seat bag. One of their seatposts started slipping, so seeing me, they pulled into the market to ask if I had a multi-tool they could borrow. But of course!

I was standing next to my Bike Friday Pocket Crusoe with rear rack, rack pack, air horn, Halt holder, and (of all things) KICKSTAND! Wearing my "utility cycling outfit" of a Terry skort and plain red jersey. I felt "unworthy" for half a second until I realized how silly that was. I had the multi-tool and was well prepared for anything. They "looked marvelous" but were essentially helpless out there!



Emily

[singletrackmind]

On occasion I get snorted or laughed at for the camelback or whatever mountain bikey or non bikey thing I might have on. Whatever. I don't ride to be the popular kid in school, dressed for the right clique. I don't care if others are and I don't care if they aren't. If they do that's up to them, hope I've made them feel better egging on their false sense of superiority and all.

Until I pass them, anyways.

[shootingstar]

Didn't you just have eye surgery? Or was that someone else?

It was kelownagirl

I never thought about this type of stuff when I returned to cycling first few years...maybe it's slow acquisition of more flashier cycling wear...that's causing such thoughts..

but I'm happy to proclaim in action ,at any speed..a cyclist.

[kelownagirl]

Chiming in here, (WITH my still-bad eyes). I still feel like a poseur (sp?) even if I'm in my gear, on my road bike.

My issue? I REALLY REALLY want a nice new carbon bike and I can afford one now and I've ridden this one for two years and worked really hard to get better so I think I actually deserve a good bike BUT I am a little self-conscious about buying an expensive bike because of the expectations that I feel goes with it. I'm afraid people will expect me to be better and faster than I am, and then they'll think of me as a Fred.

But it's not enough to stop me from buying a new bike.

[Kano]

Yeah, there I was, 220 pounds, buying the carbon bike with Ultegra components. This was my step up from the comfort beast. Seemed like way too much bike for me, where I was that day, when I was at the LBS to buy an entry level road bike.

My Roubaix Elite was on clearance -- she only cost a few dollars more than if I'd bought the brand new model Allez sitting next to her.

Who am I to pass up a bargain like that, even if she was too fancy for beginner-me?


Karen in Boise