23 replies to this topic

[FattyM]

xikillmex, on 02 November 2011 - 09:33 PM, said:

To all of you who are being positive about this race event, I thank you.  Matt is a good friend of mine, and he is into cycling for all the right reasons.  I'm a helmet wearin', lights havin', no car havin', courteous, law abiding cyclist who happens to have gotten his start in cycling in fixed gear when he was a food courier through college.  

Some of you may remember me saying some mean things I said in the past regarding people with negative attitudes towards my riding preferences, particularly riding track bikes in the street (even though now I mostly ride with gears).  I'm over that now.  I'm done fighting with other cyclists, as I embrace everyone, regardless of how you feel about track bikes in the street, cross bikes on singletrack (which is awesomely fun), even mtb bikes on a paved path in forest park.  

I now organize a FB Group based STL urban group ride which takes place weekly, every Thursday.  Helmets, lights, safety, and communication (voice and hand signals) are all encouraged, not compulsory.  After a couple rides with The Wolfpack Hustle-STL, most people pick up on our good habits and because of the positive, welcoming culture of the ride, start imitating them.  In other cities, where fixed riders have been accepted into the rest of the cycling community, like SF, NYC, MIA, CHI, St Pete, FL, MKE etc... the majority of these typically young fixed riders get into other forms of cycling, and, I posit, one day become that 70-yr-old Campy fanatic that always rides his bike in wayyy to high a gear, and stops you in the park to ask you about your vintage build, or what new parts/tech there are out there.  I am not assuming anything about all fixed gear riders, I am just describing trends I have seen.  I know that there is a whole spectrum of cyclists in the world.  (Surly is my favorite bicycle manufacturer)  

I'm reaching out to all on this forum, and asking you to help us become better cyclists, and not judge us for our interests relative to yours.  I implore you, STL, please just accept us, with all of our flaws (everyone has them), because we are just trying to have fun on a bike, which is all any of us on this site ever wanted to do.

Great thoughts here...but to clarify I don't have a problem with fixed gear riders.  I have a problem with illegal unsanctioned races.  I don't think one 70-year old campy fanatic is a good trade for a couple dead hipsters.

And I really don't care if you want to do something dangerous or dumb.  The only problem I have is that non-cyclists lump everyone together -- the spandex and tight jeans are one to them.

So yeah, every time some idiot salmons the wrong way up a street or blasts a red light, showcasing their red-light negotiation skills, yeah, I get pissed.

Also, I'd like to mention, I personally saved a fellow pedestrian from certain serious injury at a crosswalk.  We had the walk signal, but being aware of bikes like I am, I noticed a pack of hipsters racing down the street with the red light, clearly an alley cat race.  I pulled this person back just as some two or three flew through the intersection, narrowly missing pedestrians and parked cars.

All for another spoke card and some PBR.  Go **** yourselves.

[Matt Hartman]

FattyM, on 03 November 2011 - 09:39 AM, said:

xikillmex, on 02 November 2011 - 09:33 PM, said:

To all of you who are being positive about this race event, I thank you.  Matt is a good friend of mine, and he is into cycling for all the right reasons.  I'm a helmet wearin', lights havin', no car havin', courteous, law abiding cyclist who happens to have gotten his start in cycling in fixed gear when he was a food courier through college.  

Some of you may remember me saying some mean things I said in the past regarding people with negative attitudes towards my riding preferences, particularly riding track bikes in the street (even though now I mostly ride with gears).  I'm over that now.  I'm done fighting with other cyclists, as I embrace everyone, regardless of how you feel about track bikes in the street, cross bikes on singletrack (which is awesomely fun), even mtb bikes on a paved path in forest park.  

I now organize a FB Group based STL urban group ride which takes place weekly, every Thursday.  Helmets, lights, safety, and communication (voice and hand signals) are all encouraged, not compulsory.  After a couple rides with The Wolfpack Hustle-STL, most people pick up on our good habits and because of the positive, welcoming culture of the ride, start imitating them.  In other cities, where fixed riders have been accepted into the rest of the cycling community, like SF, NYC, MIA, CHI, St Pete, FL, MKE etc... the majority of these typically young fixed riders get into other forms of cycling, and, I posit, one day become that 70-yr-old Campy fanatic that always rides his bike in wayyy to high a gear, and stops you in the park to ask you about your vintage build, or what new parts/tech there are out there.  I am not assuming anything about all fixed gear riders, I am just describing trends I have seen.  I know that there is a whole spectrum of cyclists in the world.  (Surly is my favorite bicycle manufacturer)  

I'm reaching out to all on this forum, and asking you to help us become better cyclists, and not judge us for our interests relative to yours.  I implore you, STL, please just accept us, with all of our flaws (everyone has them), because we are just trying to have fun on a bike, which is all any of us on this site ever wanted to do.

Great thoughts here...but to clarify I don't have a problem with fixed gear riders.  I have a problem with illegal unsanctioned races.  I don't think one 70-year old campy fanatic is a good trade for a couple dead hipsters.

And I really don't care if you want to do something dangerous or dumb.  The only problem I have is that non-cyclists lump everyone together -- the spandex and tight jeans are one to them.

So yeah, every time some idiot salmons the wrong way up a street or blasts a red light, showcasing their red-light negotiation skills, yeah, I get pissed.

Also, I'd like to mention, I personally saved a fellow pedestrian from certain serious injury at a crosswalk.  We had the walk signal, but being aware of bikes like I am, I noticed a pack of hipsters racing down the street with the red light, clearly an alley cat race.  I pulled this person back just as some two or three flew through the intersection, narrowly missing pedestrians and parked cars.

All for another spoke card and some PBR.  Go **** yourselves.

The second "Lit-Up" Alley Cat race is on 11/26. Helmets and lights are required. Hope to see you all there.

[Eggman]

xikillmex, on 02 November 2011 - 09:33 PM, said:

To all of you who are being positive about this race event, I thank you.  Matt is a good friend of mine, and he is into cycling for all the right reasons.  I'm a helmet wearin', lights havin', no car havin', courteous, law abiding cyclist who happens to have gotten his start in cycling in fixed gear when he was a food courier through college.  

Some of you may remember me saying some mean things I said in the past regarding people with negative attitudes towards my riding preferences, particularly riding track bikes in the street (even though now I mostly ride with gears).  I'm over that now.  I'm done fighting with other cyclists, as I embrace everyone, regardless of how you feel about track bikes in the street, cross bikes on singletrack (which is awesomely fun), even mtb bikes on a paved path in forest park.  

I now organize a FB Group based STL urban group ride which takes place weekly, every Thursday.  Helmets, lights, safety, and communication (voice and hand signals) are all encouraged, not compulsory.  After a couple rides with The Wolfpack Hustle-STL, most people pick up on our good habits and because of the positive, welcoming culture of the ride, start imitating them.  In other cities, where fixed riders have been accepted into the rest of the cycling community, like SF, NYC, MIA, CHI, St Pete, FL, MKE etc... the majority of these typically young fixed riders get into other forms of cycling, and, I posit, one day become that 70-yr-old Campy fanatic that always rides his bike in wayyy to high a gear, and stops you in the park to ask you about your vintage build, or what new parts/tech there are out there.  I am not assuming anything about all fixed gear riders, I am just describing trends I have seen.  I know that there is a whole spectrum of cyclists in the world.  (Surly is my favorite bicycle manufacturer)  

I'm reaching out to all on this forum, and asking you to help us become better cyclists, and not judge us for our interests relative to yours.  I implore you, STL, please just accept us, with all of our flaws (everyone has them), because we are just trying to have fun on a bike, which is all any of us on this site ever wanted to do.

I do not think you got the idea. It is not what you ride, but how you ride it

[oldfatguy]

Matt Hartman, on 03 November 2011 - 10:13 AM, said:

The second "Lit-Up" Alley Cat race is on 11/26. Helmets and lights are required. Hope to see you all there.

In the immortal words of Eric Cartman:  "Laaaaaaaaaamme, NOT cool!"

[DirtRoadRunner]

Funny, I actually stopped going to a certain popular weekday evening ride sponsored by a certain regional bicycle organization after many of the other riders (kit-wearing roadies, in their mid 40's, on bikes worth more than my car) decided it was cool to take over the road in giant packs and blow through red light after red light.  If that wasn't enough those same "responsible adults" also thought it was "cool" to egg on an already angry motorist by flipping them off and yelling choice obscenities. Easily the most flagrant display of cyclist arrogance, dangerous riding, and total disregard for the rules of the road I've seen in St. Louis.  And it wasn't by a group of fixie rides, but middle-aged roadies in the suburbs.

Instead of hating on whatever cyclist subgroup, perhaps we should all ride safer and with more courteous behavior. If all of the spandex-clad riders (which I most certainaly am one of) happened to ride safe all of the time, the criticism in the above posts would be valid.  But they don't.  And I've seen far more poor cyclist behavior from the spandex-clad than any other group.  

Hipsters, enjoy your alleycat race, just be safe.  I might even join you on one, albeit on a bike that has more than one speed.  Weekday evening roadies, enjoy pedaling around the suburbs, but please, please don't blow through red lights in packs and then flip of every car that honks at you. I'll join you as usual but continue stopping at that red light and get dropped rather than following you through.

Edited by DirtRoadRunner, 07 November 2011 - 08:07 PM.

[Adrienne]

DirtRoadRunner, on 07 November 2011 - 08:06 PM, said:

Funny, I actually stopped going to a certain popular weekday evening ride sponsored by a certain regional bicycle organization after many of the other riders (kit-wearing roadies, in their mid 40's, on bikes worth more than my car) decided it was cool to take over the road in giant packs and blow through red light after red light.  If that wasn't enough those same "responsible adults" also thought it was "cool" to egg on an already angry motorist by flipping them off and yelling choice obscenities. Easily the most flagrant display of cyclist arrogance, dangerous riding, and total disregard for the rules of the road I've seen in St. Louis.  And it wasn't by a group of fixie rides, but middle-aged roadies in the suburbs.

Instead of hating on whatever cyclist subgroup, perhaps we should all ride safer and with more courteous behavior. If all of the spandex-clad riders (which I most certainaly am one of) happened to ride safe all of the time, the criticism in the above posts would be valid.  But they don't.  And I've seen far more poor cyclist behavior from the spandex-clad than any other group.  

Hipsters, enjoy your alleycat race, just be safe.  I might even join you on one, albeit on a bike that has more than one speed.  Weekday evening roadies, enjoy pedaling around the suburbs, but please, please don't blow through red lights in packs and then flip of every car that honks at you. I'll join you as usual but continue stopping at that red light and get dropped rather than following you through.

Well said!

[FattyM]

DirtRoadRunner, on 07 November 2011 - 08:06 PM, said:

Instead of hating on whatever cyclist subgroup, perhaps we should all ride safer and with more courteous behavior.

Totally agree that we should all ride safer, but who was "hating" an entire subgroup?  Not me.  I was "hating" on an inherently dangerous unsanctioned race.  Just as you made your point (badly) by "hating" on the 'middle-aged roadie weeknight ride.' I hate those rides too, as they are inherently dangerous as well.  Doesn't mean I can't hate alley-cats as well.  Just because roadies behave badly doesn't mean we can't criticize hipsters for behaving badly.  There are plenty of threads on that, too.

[xikillmex]

On hands on deck!  It's race day!  Bringing my A-game (along with my lights, helmet, and rain shell).  If you still have any misconceptions about the race (i.e. that we're dangerous, etc.) I encourage you to come on down to STL's premier public house of the velocipede: The Handlebar, at around 7pm.  After you see all of the people having a good time, responsibly, you'll change your tune (and be better for it).  

Show up or get slower.

Stay vert.  Rubber side down, fellas.

[Pedal File]

xikillmex, on 26 November 2011 - 07:22 AM, said:

On hands on deck!  It's race day!  Bringing my A-game (along with my lights, helmet, and rain shell).  If you still have any misconceptions about the race (i.e. that we're dangerous, etc.) I encourage you to come on down to STL's premier public house of the velocipede: The Handlebar, at around 7pm.  After you see all of the people having a good time, responsibly, you'll change your tune (and be better for it).  

Show up or get slower.

Stay vert.  Rubber side down, fellas.

Are you seriously suggesting that showing up at Handlebar at 5pm (the time the pre-party starts), drinking free PBR until 7pm, and then racing through the city with complete disregard for laws is not dangerous?  If you think these races are harmless, responsible fun, you are fooling yourself.

Maybe it's time you grow up and change your tune about how responsible it is to unleash a group of cyclists from a bar where many have been drinking for several hours onto city streets where they race for PBR schwag.  I guarantee you'll be better for it.