- Have you ever watched someone turn into an OCP Roadie from scratch? Several people I know (various mailing lists, work, etc.) have -- over the last year or so -- gone from non-cyclists to wannabe racer superheroes complete with snide remarks, battling more for points of money spent and intellectual blows delivered than the number of races they can win. I'm not sure I'd call it evolution, but it's an interesting process to watch some of them interact with the others. A quick little jab about age or experience or number of miles ridden or an average speed (on the rollers/trainer this time of year, of course). It's kind of funny to watch the testosterone fly around in the wake of an inferiority complex.
- Yes, one or more of the people I am talking about might actually be reading this. I don't hate you, I promise. It provides me with entertainment. If you're a CAT 3 or better, I'm not talking about you.
- No, I'm not jealous, other than I wish I was riding my bike today.
- It's really funny to listen to cow-orkers whine about the recent gas price increase while I sit here in my sphere of smug. I love smugness. And I didn't even need to buy a canvas sack at the grocery store that was made in a Chinese sweatshop to get my smug on. Smugness sans rabid consumerism = Awesome.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Snarky Observations
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5 comments:
Oh yes. I found myself having tendencies towards being an OCP Roadie on a time. I've since realized that I'll probably never race, will probably never want to, and would probably suck with ferver if I tried. The people I've met who do race, or have aspirations to race haven't impressed me.
You nailed it by tying it to an inferiority complex.
My average speed is slow. Especially on my commuter, but even on my fancy schmancy Torelli.
My clothes don't match. Some of them don't even fit.
My helmet, while relatively expensive, is old and probably needs replacing. It's plain white, too. Imagine the horror.
I've been riding off and on for 30 years and I still don't know how to track stand. Just like I refuse to learn Hotel California on guitar, I refuse to learn how to track stand. I can clip in just fine most times, and sometimes, I like to relax at the stops.
I ride because it's fun. Trying to impress people takes away from that enjoyment as sure as a 40mph headwind at 15°F.
Yeah.. I've noticed it on the road sub-board of the bikeforums site. They jumped down my throat the first day I was there when I suggested that the road bike segment of biking was driven by the fantasy of professional racing. Ergo road bikers wear shoes they can't walk in, force themselves to carry water bottles that make them either have to stop to hydrate or remove their hands from the bars while in traffic. More of them need to embrace practical cycling. I get amused when I'm on an organized ride and only myself and hybrid/MTB Hybridized guys can walk around without flopping around and staggering..
Don't look now, but it looks like Sirrus also is more than a little smug! "LOOK AT ME! I'M A UTILITY CYCLIST AND THUS I'M INHERENTLY BETTER THAN YOU!"
I think I pretty much resemble a person with OCP, even though I have raced a few races, participated in a handful of du's and tri's I think keep my feet firmly on the ground and not reaching for something I am not, I am approachable and I will show respect for anyone riding a bike, we are started somewhere and if you lose sight of how it was when you first started, you then lose sight of what riding is all about. I wear matching attire and keep my bike clean, whether its a ride around the block, commuting to work or on a group ride on the weekend, its all about how I feel when I am turning the pedals...in the words of Billy Crystal playing Fernando Llamas on SNL, I like people to see me and say, "You look mahvelous." Besides "It's better to look good than to feel good.".
It was kind of funny, Chuck. With a name like Martinoffroad I was expecting to find a gritty mountain biker when I ran into you at Longview Lake. Nope, definitely a roadie.
You're not constantly taking cheap jabs at people's inferior gear or choice of bike, though. You might look OCP, but you don't fit the bill all the way.
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