Need Interpretation of Male Cyclists' Body Language

[thekarens]

I often bounce my foot even when I'm in a relaxed setting and it's usually because I'm restless and/or anxious. It has nothing to do with the other person. It's just the way I am sometimes.

[DarcyInOregon]

No, I don't think it is a need for a restroom. Most male cyclists are comfortable about announcing this need. And it didn't have anything to do with a cramp because the head was swiveling and the torso was twitching too, all while facing me and talking to me.

I always have good body language, comfortable and relaxed. I don't understand why two different single males of the same age exhibited nervous behavior while talking to me. It just doesn't make any sense. The first time I dismissed it as odd. But when I got the exact same behavior from a second male, I started to think about it and realized I have no idea what it means. In all of my years of cycling, I've never had a male swing their right leg over the frame of their bike while talking to me. Then with the rapid movement of the right leg, the neck swiveling and the torso twitching, it was a lot to take in while facing someone and engaging in conversation.

Maybe it is creepy. I don't know.

[OakLeaf]

Restless leg syndrome? My husband doesn't ride, so I can't directly compare, but he's always bouncing or twitching some body part? I have to restrain him at the movies so he doesn't disturb other watchers - he is completely unaware of it. He will literally kick me out of bed at night. Maybe it's something like that.

[Crankin]

This is weird.
And, I can't think of any rational explanation. I ride with lots of guys in this demographic and I have never seen it. My DH sometimes dismounts by swinging his leg over the bar, but there's no twitching or head shaking involved.
Maybe they like you so much, it's making them shake .

[lph]

Well, I'd behave like that if someone stopped to chat with me right before a race or some other event I was physically very prepared for and focussed on. It's not so much being nervous as feeling raring to go, but then feeling "delayed" or thwarted in some way. I don't think someone else being calm would help, rather the opposite, that someone who mirrored my behaviour would smooth it out a bit.

I have no idea of why they would behave like that around you in that situation, though. No particular reason it should be "male" behaviour. I guess you're the only one who would know if there's a reason for them to be nervous or worked up. It could be positive tension, too.

[shootingstar]

I guess one could read into this. But yes, some cyclists have habits if they are excited in an anticipatory way for the bike ride itself --then everyone else around them is a little secondary.

[DarcyInOregon]

Both males ride slower than I do, if this information helps. I have to stay out of my big chain ring and ride only in my small chain ring. I take the lead a lot and pull. The first guy, my first ride with him was a group ride that he joined, a ride I had put together, and he was able to get up to 19 mph by sticking in the paceline, back in position 6, couldn't sustain it for more than a few miles, but he has been trying to bike with me regularly ever since. His second ride with me was three of us, and I pulled for a 5-mile stretch where he achieved 23 mph in position three and he tells everyone how it was the best bike ride of his life every chance he gets.

I was married for 35 years and know nothing about single males. I've only been widowed for 16 months and I only recently came out of my deep grieving period. I got to thinking maybe the nervous body language has something to do with the bike dudes being single and a decade or more out from being with a female. Otherwise I don't have a clue.