Hostile biker

Last weekend, I finally had time to finish my bike conversion to an e-assist bike. I rode it to work every morning since. This morning I had a strange experience.

I arrived at work and was about to lock up the bike outside. Two guys arrived at the same time. I have seen them before and one of them always rides in an absolutely ludicrous outfit. It looks like a wresting onesie with a sleeveless west over it, which he leaves open.

Onesie Guy: “Nice e-bike”
Me: “Thanks”
Onesie Guy: “Don’t you think it’s kinda embarrassing to cheat like that?”
Me: “Not as embarrassing as your outfit”

He looked at me for a few seconds as if he is going to explode before he offered me a High Five saying “nice comeback dude”. I refused the High Five out of fear he was going to use it to throw a surprise punch at me.

Have others had experiences like that were people on regular bikes are almost hostile?

The hardcore bicyclist sometimes uses a phrase HTFU, meaning harden the f**k up. Meaning that you should stop using the modern conveniences that allow you to get "soft". I would have likely responded that "I am not embarrassed, I am just not as strong as you", but that's just me.

He was obviously an "in your face" kind of guy, so it sounds like he appreciated your "in your face" response. When it comes to discussing issues, I typically embrace a centrist viewpoint that allows both sides to hate me.

Oh man, your comeback is too funny OP! Congrats on the new 'e' !
And Spinningmagnets that's a very polarized comment !

(Mr green = me trying to be a smartass too)
Too funny, 'both sides to hate me' :lol:

This is funny? I just ran into two guys (don't know them hardly from adam) on reg bikes I biked with the other week. They wanted me to come along. Wasn't in the cards for tonite, so in the nature of both sides hating me:
1: I said no
2: cigs came up in convers, one guy smoked and the other didn't. So I admitted to smoking, then condemned it :lol:

spinningmagnets said:

When it comes to discussing issues, I typically embrace a centrist viewpoint that allows both sides to hate me.

Click to expand...

If you don't mind, I am stealing this quote. Lol!!!

I wish I could always be that quick with a god comeback. Truth is, I'm actually pretty bad at it. This time was different, since I have seen that guy many times before and always thought I would be embarrassed wearing that.

The fact is, he has no way of knowing if you put more calories or less into your bike per week than he does. So really his statement was ignorance, but yet understandable. And maybe he just wanted to strike up a conversation about it. I don't think his comment was all that hostile.

If you had some time, you could explain that you also have a car and motorcycle and that when you take your eBike, you are not doing it to have your easy option.

I would have said "No. It depends how you use it. You can pedal just as hard as without it if you want, and the bike then adds the electric power on top of whatever you decide to do. And then you can just go faster but not have less work. If I wanted no work I could just go into throttle mode and not pedal." I then would have offered to let him try it.

If you want to shut them up quickly, just tell them you're a volunteer sorting out the bicycle for a handicapped child.