Don’t leap to conclusions. Most of them would be picking up good quality gear for cheap prices through ProBikeKit. I confess to having a CSC kit. So what? The more it bothers someone else, the more it reveals who has the problem.
Me too. It’s some good kit. (I only own the jersey though.)
apparentley someone once walked int a bike shop in toorak and said
“my neighbor bought a bike in here yesterday, it was blue, and cost $3000, i want the next model up”
wish i had that sort of money
I saw a guy in princes hill today in complete Credit Agricole team kit - including the Look bike… he looked like a pro, dunno who he was tho.
Would of been Simon Gerrans. Here for Bay Crits and Road Nats.
or mark renshaw
Sorry, I take that back. They are dickheads. Also, I don’t subscribe to the notion that someone is ok just because they ride a bike. That doesn’t make them any more socially or environmentally responsible than the next person. It just makes them a tool on an expensive bike rather than a tool in an expensive car.
And there must be some pros around town, cos I saw some guy on a flash Colnago, near the city in an all-fluro orange (whatever that pro team is) kit, right down to the shoe covers. And he definately didn’t ride like a commuter.
I did a few crits in D grade at Murrarie last year. First couple of times I rocked up I felt like turning around and heading straight back home. A lot of corporate team gear, big dollar bling bikes and bleached/streaked 80’s fashion hair cuts. 
Figured it just really wasn’t my scene and kinda got a real posers vibe from it all. But after a couple of visits I got past it and am glad I did. Only thing worse than a poser is actually letting one spoil your fun. :evil:
Besides everyone has their own little bit of weirdness just because of the human condition. If anything it just seemed to prove how far into a particular form of mass madness we are prepared to go just to feel accepted. I’m sure half the blokes in Brisbane would get around with a warm turd on their shoulder if it suddenly became fashionable. :lol: But maybe that’s a whole other subject about the particular flavour of monoculture that Brisbanites seem to love.
But the main thing i can’t get my head around is why are people prepared to pay top dollar to advertise someone elses company or brand. :? I’m all for doing it for the little guy (I got a Shifterbikes jersey after all) but do BIS Shrapnel and the other corporates really need it ? My take is that they’re just buying in to feel like part of the tribe.
I guess some could make the same fashionista accusations at the ss/fixed crowd. But SS/Fixed is primarily about function and fun rather than ego stroking.
T.
There’s a great family down in Hobart who all rock Predictor Lotto kit. Seriously, the mum, dad, their 14 year old son, their other 10 year old son and even their baby daughter who rides in the baby seat. All of them, full team kit. It’s amazing.
There’s a great family down in Hobart who all rock Predictor Lotto kit. Seriously, the mum, dad, their 14 year old son, their other 10 year old son and even their baby daughter who rides in the baby seat. All of them, full team kit. It’s amazing.
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That I would like to see.
Can you get a photo.
Are they going to upgrade to 08 Silence Lotto kit do you think? 
I tried to get a snap off but I was too busy staring. If I see them again I’ll chase them down.
Well, they might be dickheads to you, but who are they hurting, looking like tools? Why so worried about what people look like?
If I’ve got expensive bikes, what should I have done, left the money in the bank? Given it to the Salvos? Asked if I could do the same job for less pay? I don’t get it.
As to riding a bike instead of driving a car not being more socially and environmentally responsible, could you explain that one for me?
Yes. if you are not using the bike to its full capabilities you absolutely should have gotten a cheaper one and given the rest to charity.
If you are using the bike to its full capabilities then no body was criticizing you.
If you wear a full team kit and you are not being sponsored thats kind of silly. But its no skin off my nose if people want to get around looking stupid.
I think you’re missing the point. There’s nothing wrong with riding an expensive bike in matching (also expensive) team kit. It’s just that (more often than not these days) some of these riders snub everyone else that don’t have the same level of equipment and ride in a manner that puts other riders in danger (much like those car drivers that we often complain about). I experience this very often in my short commute to work. It’s their attitude that makes them wankers not the fact that they have good expensive kit.
Riding a bicycles doesn’t automatically make you socially and environmentally responsible. Yes, riding will cut greenhouse gas emissions but it doesn’t make much of a difference if you’re just showing off your ride once a week and driving the gas-drinking 4WD for the rest. Not to mention that consuming lots of high-end bicycle products and not making full use of their potential is in itself environmentally unfriendly.
Des
People ride bikes for different reasons. Some ride to show off their carbon and team kits along Beach Rd or because the wife needs the BMW. I choose a bike over a car as much as possible (as I hope many others do) because I don’t want to root the planet for my kids. Environmental and social responsibility goes deeper than just riding a bike.
I also don’t think you need a 10k or 20k bike (as in the case of my LBS) to enjoy riding. And there’s no harm in giving to charities. I spent 10 years working for charities. They do good things. But hey, that’s just my opinion.
I agree. Just as Gore purchasing lots of carbon offsets (which may or may not be valid) so he can heat/cool/light his mansion isn’t right, neither is riding to work on a $5K whip that you replace before the cables have ‘stretched’ or the brake pads are worn, and then driving 1km to the shops for milk (I saw Merc back out in front of me from a house and drive barely 100m to the shops in Olinda last Sunday!).
There’s always hope that short commutes on pro bikes will eventually lead to a shift in mindset and behaviour.
I’m not going to begrudge someone for buying a pro level bike or riding in team kit but I would suggest that it’s not the most appropriate for their intended use though.
re: snobby behaviour, if you can’t afford the Porsche Turbo to look down on the Ford drivers and are stuck with a Boxster, you can probably afford the 2009 Cervelo with DA so you feel superior to the Trek riders with Sora from 2007? Big fish-little pond vs little fish-big pond?
I saw an X5 today with a ‘look bike’ sticker on the rear window and bike rack on the roof cut off a bloke on what I think was a Madone - just, drove past him and bang! turned left, no indicator. That bloke had some skill, just swerved around the X5 kept going no middle finger no swearing.
I wasn’t talking that generally, but “instead of driving a car”. Otherwise I would agree with you. The discussion started off about commuters, not cafe racers.
Cars with bike racks would have to be my pet hate. I couldn’t care less about the lycra people wear and what they ride, but if they have to drive their bike to where they ride, now that’s a wanker (some exceptions e.g. the track bike, downhiller etc.). Ride the extra Kays, you goose!
What about those that can’t ride as far as the others? Instead of riding to the meeting point, which could be 15-20km’s from home, they drive there and then do their ride and can then drive home.
People enjoy riding with their mates and if your cycling buddies are spread out all over town then it makes sense to meet somewhere centralish and then all go for a ride.
If driving to the meeting point for a ride means that I am able to manage the same pace as my friends over the distance because I have saved myself riding an extra 40km’s and results in me enjoying the ride a lot more makes me a wanker, then so be it.
looking out my window at the moment. bike was hit by a motorbike on collins. apparently the motorbike just pulled off the footpath and into the bike lane. ambulance is there but the cyclist looks ok.