Why are road riders so different?

[solo]

timbers i agree with all that you have said
how can you ride and enjoy it listening to music(let alone hear the truck just about to run you down)
i can't imagine riding my roadie in melbourne or any other capital city too much bloody traffic and idiots in cars
luckily where i live the roads are awesome for road riding very little traffic and scenic also
but i still only ride once a week on the road its just not as fun as the mountain bike
when i do see another roadie i always say gday and wave but very very rarely do i get an answer or even looked at ,this to me is bizarre as mountainbikers are the total opposite and you can meet some really interesting people from so many different places just on one ride sometimes, they always ask you if you need help and are friendly as.
its an attitude thing and i think it has mostly to do with the people who race they are so serious and every ride is training they cannot just get on their bikes for fun as most mountain bikers can

 

[alexb618]

it works both ways though

i know mtbers who only 'train' and i wonder if they even enjoy riding... i also know some roadies who would wipe the floor with probably every single person on this forum who are the nicest guys you will ever meet

 

[bellicose]

Shut up your bitching and RIDE!

 

[istepinyards]

My Uncle had the strangest experience the other day whilst out riding. He was riding along approaching a roundabout, upon entering said roundabout he noticed a police Divvy van approaching with the driver not looking where she was going but looking down at her feet. She looked up just in time to hear my Uncle yell every 4 letter word under the sun at her. She had missed his rear wheel by a very minimal amount.
Well that night we went to a dinner party and it just so happened we listened to this lady stating how she nearly run down a cyclist at work that morning. Turns out she was the cop that nearly ran down my Uncle.
Stupid bitch then had the hide to say cyclist should not be allowed on the road as they are not licensed or require registration. I let her say her piece then went on my offensive.Let her know the stupid cyclist she nearly run down was my Uncle and it was her fault for her lack of attention to driving.

I told her that as a keeper of the peace she should know the rules of the road and she should be the one who is not allowed on the road because she acted in a manner dangerous to fellow road users.
She didn't like the fact that she was put in her place in front of 10 other guests and promptly left.

A little off topic I know but I had a wee laugh and decided to let you know as well.

As for the topic my girlfriend has just started riding. We bought a road bike and ride the path beside the M2 motorway here in Sydney. We both commented on how the road guys will wave/nod head at us but the MTB guys give us the Basil Brush.
For the record I ride both MTB and Road

Damn long post sorry

 

[Pedal Pushin' Papa]

whats the importance in a wave anyway?
when i ride road im going somewhere, generally running late, and pass dozens of other bikes in both directions. acknowledging other cyclists is never foremost on my mind, but i will always ask a broken down cyclist if they have all the gear they need.
when im out on the mountain bike though, im out for fun and i say hi to people, and ask which trail they would recommend, or ask about theyre flashy bike or whatever. Im out in the bush ripping trails and having a blast, not being cut off by ignorant drivers.
ever thought it might be circumstance rather than the bike the person has chosen to ride.

 

[DaGonz]

if I want to zone out and ride out some aggression I'll go by myself

And then one day I ended up in Goulburn...

Cheers
Gonz

 

[Dumbellina]

'Gonz, were you zoned out and ended up in Goulburn, or intentionally went to Goulburn because you were zoned out? Goulburn is not somewhere to go for the fun of it...

 

[DaGonz]

'Gonz, were you zoned out and ended up in Goulburn, or intentionally went to Goulburn because you were zoned out? Goulburn is not somewhere to go for the fun of it...

Yeah it was the bailout option 'cause I was sick of banging into a head wind all day.

http://spoonboy.smugmug.com/photos/106269718_87L6b-L-1.jpg

I've oft' ridden to wisemans for lunch and back just for the 'eck of it though. As the origional poster pointed out, if you need to clear your head, tapping out the hours by yourself on a road bike is pretty good way to do it.

Cheers
Gonz