# getting self conscious



## mtbertoroadie (May 18, 2012)

I’m a newbie when it comes to riding a road bike and I wanted to know what the general consensus is for a mountain biker riding a road bike with gear. I went riding to get a feel for the bike that I just bought and a group of riders on the road kinda laughed at me and asked me what im doing. I wasn’t quite sure what they meant but they told me to take off my helmet visor, get rid of my camelbak, get a bottle, and get some road biking clothes.

I was wearing a regular tee with my mtb chamois shorts and a camelbak to store my water, pump, tool, tube, and phone. I didn’t really see anything wrong with what I was wearing but I noticed another group of riders kinda looked at me giving me the, “what the heck is this guy wearing?!” some were laughing as they passed me.

So then I got self conscious and decided to turn around and ride back to my car and call it a day. lastly, while mounting my bike on the car, a guy jokingly said, “nice attire bro.” and he rode off. it’s not like I was in full gear with elbow and knee pads….just a backpack and mtb shorts. Is what im doing against the norm of road biking? Maybe I just ran into a group who are pros or something because they all appeared to have like a matching color scheme with their bikes.


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## mpre53 (Oct 25, 2011)

mtbertoroadie said:


> Maybe I just ran into a group who are pros or something because they all appeared to have like a matching color scheme with their bikes.


No, what you ran into was a group of poseurs. 

Next time, just do this: :ciappa:


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

As in any other group, some road bike riders are jerks. It's usually best to ignore jerks. Wear and carry what you're comfortable with. Smile and say, "have a nice day." 

On the other hand, some of the road bike conventions arise from practical considerations, and you might eventually want to check them out. Jerseys with back pockets are handy and comfortable. Spandex shorts are comfortable and don't flap in the wind when you go fast. Water bottles cages work well, and unlike on the MTB you can easily take a hand off the bar to grab the bottle, so the camelback isn't as necessary, and you may find you're more confortable without weight on your shoulders.

The helmet visor - well, that's personal preference. It's pretty silly of roadies to mock it. It's just fashion.


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

Don't worry about it ... There will always be individuals who think that we should conform ... 

I do not carry my camelbak when I am on the road because I have 2 bottle cages on my road hybrid and I have a small saddle bag for everything, which is not on my MTB and so I do definitely use a camelbag when going off-road. I still wear my MTB shorts though. They do balloon when I am on the flats and downhill, but what can you do ... 

Still cannot get my head round the idea of lycras ... But I am slowly leaning towards something a little more fitting, but not skin tight ... Actually ... any ideas anyone? Looking for shorts which are fitting, but not tights, if you know what I mean ... something between a MTB shorts and lycras ...


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## bayAreaDude (Apr 13, 2012)

They were picked on as children and now feel the need to pick on others as adults to feel good about themselves. But like JCavilia said, the conventions did arise from practical considerations worth checking out.


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## GRhino (May 14, 2012)

Haters gonna hate man. Let it be water off a duck's back.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

I'm calling troll.


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## GRhino (May 14, 2012)

Who is the troll?


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## EHietpas (Feb 9, 2012)

Those guys a bunch of *******s that need to buy the perfect kit that match their bike, socks and shoes.

Enjoy your ride.

As far as self conscious goes... I wore my tights and jersey into a weight watchers meeting early April. I was surrounded by 50 women, 2 other guys, and i felt like a piece of meet. Didn't bother me at all. The leader was all hot and bothered, bright red. I enjoyed the looks and laughed my ass off when she tried to run the meeting.


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## xls (Nov 11, 2004)

As a mountain biker who just got a road bike I'm really happy to read all these responses. 

Agreed, there are a ton of morons out in the world and some ride bikes. Some ride mountain bikes. I've gotten the lame-face when I showed up at an MTB group ride wearing my cheap-o "Supergo" shorts. People were joking about anything branded "Weyless" (Supergo "brand"). It felt like high school, just incredibly stupid. Some people do not learn.

Don't let it get you down and enjoy your new ride. Find some people to ride with who are normal, if you can't find any where you are come out here and visit! I'll ride with you and make fun of your nose. 

Edit: Just saw you're also in CA and also got a Cervelo! Ha! Seriously if you're in Norcal / Bay Area let's meet and go for a ride in baggy shorts and elbow pads.


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## jpaschal01 (Jul 20, 2011)

They should have been welcoming another rider to the road. The more of us there are, the more motorists will take notice.

I agree with JCavilia's comments, except possibly the visor. While it is perfectly fine to wear a helmet with visor, depending on your position on the road bike, you may not want it. If you are in a very low/aggressive position, it can block some of your view as you are looking forward. If it doesn't, then it is fine.


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## Erion929 (Jun 10, 2010)

Yeah, try not to let it bother you....wear what you want, as long as it's comfortable and makes sense. As you get more and more involved or experienced with road riding, you will likely gravitate towards more wind-friendly (and sweat-friendly) jerseys/bibs/bottles, but if not, screw 'em.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

Jay Strongbow said:


> I'm calling troll.


Yea, I'm kinda wondering this too. 
I mean, road biking has got to have the highest percentage of snobs among any sport. But to have THAT many confrontations at once? Sounds fishy.


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## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

Jay Strongbow said:


> I'm calling troll.


+1 on that. Definitely trolling. 

Wow OP, so many remarks in such a short span of time? I can’t think of anyone I know who would say anything or really care – not any of the beginners I know, not any intermediate riders, not any high level one’s. I only know a couple pro’s and they care less than everyone else. Paleeez bro.


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## mmlee (Apr 15, 2012)

Ignore the jerks and just enjoy the ride. Been riding for 3 months and I'm still wearing warm up sweats and have clip pedals and don't care what the poseurs think. I'm out there to get a work out and do something I enjoy. Although I finally saved enough to go shopping in the coming week to get a bib short ($175+), clipless pedals and shoes ($200+) but my desire was more for comfort then getting acceptance.

Take Care,
Mark


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

love these threads...even the obvious trollish ones.

people wear baggies and a soiled wife-beater and then someone with a full pro kit on makes them feel bad about their lack of sartorial elegance...wahhh.

sounds like a bunch of high school girls...


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## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

god what a bunch of a holes. no, you in the right bro just look at it this way

a bear and a rabbit were taking a shyt in the woods, so the bear turns to the rabbit and says, 

"excuse me, but do you have problems with shyt sticking to your fur?"

the rabbit says no. 

so the bear wiped his ass with the rabbit. 

lol...no worries, ride on, bro


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## Miles42 (Mar 28, 2012)

LOL first you have to care what some one has to say about your appearance. I don't have that worry. I give as good as I get. Ride on no ones opinion means anything in the real world.


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## SFTifoso (Aug 17, 2011)

Well that's never happened to me, and I just wear my running shorts and t shirt. Quite honestly I don't think anybody cares, and if they do WTF are they doing focusing on other people and not on their own ride. Real road bikers hardly have the mental energy to judge other people's attire. It's all about the ride and giving it your all.


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## mtbertoroadie (May 18, 2012)

Hey guys, thanks for the response! Yes, I am trying my best to troll.

I was just surprised by the comments I got for riding out on that one day. I thought perhaps it’s because I ran into a group of riders but then again, I guess my attire was not the norm. When I past by the solo riders, they didn’t make any remarks other than give me like a silent hello acknowledgment with their head.

Anyway, I didn’t really know what the visor was for but after doing some more research, I guess road bikers have a more aggressive position so the visor blocks their vision, whereas mtb’ers ride more upright so the visor helps with the sun and the rapid change between sun and shade. I learned something new~

I will invest in a water bottle cage, water bottle, and a cycling jersey. I believe I will also need to buy a mini pump cause the one I have is pretty big. I will be riding again today mid afternoon for around 4 miles and this time I will remove the visor and go without my camelback. Anyway, thanks guys! I guess this is a learning experience for someone transitioning to a road bike.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Jay Strongbow said:


> I'm calling troll.


+1. I thought the same...


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

mpre53 said:


> No, what you ran into was a group of poseurs.
> 
> Next time, just do this: :ciappa:


No, what he encountered was a group of flaming *******s. I just can't imagine how petty and imature those people are. I've certainly run into people who think they're too cool, but I've never ran into people that overtly ****-headed.

Sorry for the language, it's just that amazing to me.

To OP: just ride your bike. The people you encountered aren't worthy of your concern. They are developmentally delayed children.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

I am going with troll.

I have been on the bike along time and know alot of cyclists. Nobody gives a crap and if they did wouldnt take the time to say anything. Who cares?

I have however had mountain bike guys coment on the bibs and jersey when we are at the staging area. Dropping them in short order takes care of that.


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## PCCharger (Feb 28, 2011)

c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n said:


> Still cannot get my head round the idea of lycras ... But I am slowly leaning towards something a little more fitting, but not skin tight ... Actually ... any ideas anyone? Looking for shorts which are fitting, but not tights, if you know what I mean ... something between a MTB shorts and lycras ...


I know the feeling. When I started cycling I told myself that I wouldn't be caught dead in a pair of those tight shorts. I bought some of the cheap liners that you wear under your shorts from Sports Authority. When the rides got longer they just didn't cut it any more. I got some Pearl Izumi and Bontrager cycling shorts from the lbs and they were a big improvement. I get funny looks from my neighbors but found that I'm not self conscious once I get out on the road. Now I ride in LG bibs that I picked up online at a good price. The bibs are kinda flashy but I just don't care what other people think anymore. They make me more visible and are also compression fitting which makes a huge difference after the ride. No soreness in the legs at all.


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## arid (Nov 29, 2011)

I too came from riding mtb a few years back but have never encountered any negative comments. What's more out-of-place is seeing someone in full road gear with 50 pounds added to their mid section. Now that's unsightly.


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## SFTifoso (Aug 17, 2011)

arid said:


> I too came from riding mtb a few years back but have never encountered any negative comments. What's more out-of-place is seeing someone in full road gear with 50 pounds added to their mid section. Now that's unsightly.


LOL Hence why I still wear my tshirt and shorts. Although I would say it's more like 30 pounds in my case. Altough I might get some proper lycra shorts, since the wind is getting really annoying now.


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## pmpski_1 (Oct 7, 2009)

arid said:


> What's more out-of-place is seeing someone in full road gear with 50 pounds added to their mid section. Now that's unsightly.



I resemble that remark!


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

4 miles? Develop a little ambition...

I'm one of the matching-shorts-and-jersey mtbers lately. Actually, people don't seem to care in my neck of the woods. I think they're either accustomed to seeing people in roadie kit or it's because I'm in the Pacific Northwest, and people here are allergic to confrontation when they're outside of their cars.

I'm also often on road bikes in jeans and a t-shirt. I'm not going to dress up as Lance Armstrong to ride two and a half miles to classes.


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## Seamlesscv74 (May 20, 2012)

Yeah on the one hand I agree those guys were being douches with all the unsolicited advice on your attire. Id say its way cooler to go casual on a short ride here and there then to go full Tour De France for a s mile ride like most people do where I live..

That being said however coming from a former Hybrid rider to now my first Road bike purchase the ride quality is obviously different as is the ride itself and at some point for longer faster rides a changeover to performance attire my well be warranted for purely performance related concerns. And I can already tell you riding around 30 miles or so with one or two water bottles in my cages and my cellphone in my armband and my keys or wallet in my little pouch under my seat makes a Huge difference when compared to a loaded down camelpack strapped to my back with like a gallon of water i wont need.


just fill that camel pack up and pick the thing up its a lot of weight, if you really get into road biking id ditch it for longer rides I think those riders have a point there.


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## Rex Chan (Apr 7, 2012)

I started off riding my road bike ( a week ago) with mtb helemt, normal shorts/tshirt, hiking shoes, and a backpack (holding 2 water bottles, big pump, food, repair stuff, etc).

I went to the lycra, my CRC order for cages/bottles arrived, and just got clipless pedals. But still riding with mtb helmet with visor and backpack. And while the dry-fit type t-shirt is better when you're sweating, it's cold here in Melbourne, so I'm wearing a hoodie over that.

So, kind of mtb from waist up, and roadie below...


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## Skewer (Sep 13, 2011)

You wear a camelback on a road bike. You are a dork.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Skewer said:


> You wear a camelback on a road bike. You are a dork.


You might want to read RBR's terms of use:
Consumer Product Reviews - ConsumerREVIEW.com


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## milkbaby (Aug 14, 2009)

arid said:


> I too came from riding mtb a few years back but have never encountered any negative comments. What's more out-of-place is seeing someone in full road gear with 50 pounds added to their mid section. Now that's unsightly.


I'd rather see that rider enjoying his or her ride than a jerk in a car harassing me! The more people riding on two wheels -- regardless of what their wearing or what shape they're in -- the better IMHO... :thumbsup:


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## passthestoke (Apr 8, 2012)

arid said:


> What's more out-of-place is seeing someone in full road gear with 50 pounds added to their mid section. Now that's unsightly.


could that be the reason why they're riding??


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## MojoHamuki (Feb 20, 2009)

Alittle strange yes but who cares about them. Notice they all looked alike? 

Use what you have until you are ready to move into more road specific gear.


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## pmpski_1 (Oct 7, 2009)

Skewer said:


> You wear a camelback on a road bike. You are a dork.


I am. I love having the camelbak on long rides. That's pretty much what it was made for, and it does the job well. That and to carry the stuff that I would put in a saddle bag or jersey pockets. I'll go through the whole thing on a 60 mile ride in mild weather, and I'd rather do that than refill the bottles during stops.

I don't really understand all the posturing and rules. Or I'm old enough to not give a rats *ss about it so it doesn't bother me. But I'm an old skool punk rocker so I guess I never cared about conforming anyway. I ride, I push myself, I have fun.


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## SFTifoso (Aug 17, 2011)

As far as hydration goes, I stop every so often at parks along my route to refill my bottles and I pop a electrolyte tablet in there or a Gatorade pouch. IMO it's better that way than to carry 4 pounds of water on your back.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Funnily enough, I've come to prefer bottles enough that when I'm mountain biking somewhere for long enough to go through two bottles and the trail network is conducive to it, I'll refill or swap bottles rather than wear my camelbak. I even have a relatively nice one, and don't put a lot of extra stuff in it.


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

You must be pretty young.

I mean, really: if you're having a good time, who cares what others think? I ride a touring bike with fenders, rack and bar-end shifters. On long rides, I sometimes (gasp) wear a camelback. I often look like a Fred, but I don't care. I'm not a pro cyclist, and neither are 99.999% of the people who I see on a ride.

Embrace your inner dorkiness, and stop worrying what others think. 




--------------------------------


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

The longer I ride bikes, the more Fredly I get. Even electrical-taped a flashlight to the head tube of one of my bikes. Most of them have fenders, at least during some of the year. I've never shaved my legs for cycling.

I hated bar-end shifters, but one of my bikes is getting downtube shifters later this week. Integrated shifters are too expensive and have too short a service life for a bike that's supposed to save me money, thank you. (That's the one with a flashlight, bolt-on fenders, and a rack.)


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

mtbertoroadie said:


> I’m a newbie when it comes to riding a road bike and I wanted to know what the general consensus is for a mountain biker riding a road bike with gear. I went riding to get a feel for the bike that I just bought and a group of riders on the road kinda laughed at me and asked me what im doing. I wasn’t quite sure what they meant but they told me to take off my helmet visor, get rid of my camelbak, get a bottle, and get some road biking clothes.
> 
> I was wearing a regular tee with my mtb chamois shorts and a camelbak to store my water, pump, tool, tube, and phone. I didn’t really see anything wrong with what I was wearing but I noticed another group of riders kinda looked at me giving me the, “what the heck is this guy wearing?!” some were laughing as they passed me.
> 
> So then I got self conscious and decided to turn around and ride back to my car and call it a day. lastly, while mounting my bike on the car, a guy jokingly said, “nice attire bro.” and he rode off. it’s not like I was in full gear with elbow and knee pads….just a backpack and mtb shorts. Is what im doing against the norm of road biking? Maybe I just ran into a group who are pros or something because they all appeared to have like a matching color scheme with their bikes.


Good stuff.


Please describe your road bike setup. 









???


mtbertoroadie said:


> Hey guys, thanks for the response! Yes, I am trying my best to troll.
> 
> I was just surprised by the comments I got for riding out on that one day. I thought perhaps it’s because I ran into a group of riders but then again, I guess my attire was not the norm. When I past by the solo riders, they didn’t make any remarks other than give me like a silent hello acknowledgment with their head.
> 
> ...


Are you sure that you're ready for 4 miles?


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