Why do cylists disrespect triathletes?

[Christina Brinkmann]

I just don't get it. A lot of it is good natured ribbing, but there is a core attitude of disrespect in cycle groups towards triathletes. I am interested to know what the cause this attitude.

[mod=mikesbytes]Have changed the thread title to make it more family friendly[/mod]

[Crittski]

Why do you care?

[trailgumby]

One of my workmates is a triathlete, and he was warned it would not be well-received him turning up to the group ride with the new tri-bars fitted. I understand the safety issues around using the tri bars on groups, and so does he, and he doesn't put his hands anywhere near them in those situations, but he was advised that some of the riders "just don't like triathletes"

His response was "Oh, OK" and he then stomped on them up *all* the hills next time out.

I don't think anything was actually said to him about the tri bars in the end

[jcjordan]

From my experience it tends to come from their apparent lack of bunch skills and knowledge of etiquette.

I am not saw all, or even the majority, but it is something that gets brought up a lot and have seen some really bad example which has a tendency to reinforce the stereotype.

[biker jk]

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discu ... 41&start=1

Well, I did a long ride on Sunday with a group. I kind of have bathroom problems, and I asked one of my friends what I should do. She said "just go on the bike." Excuse me if what follows is somewhat lude. At the midway point we stop and nearly bonked, so I grabbed some hot tamales, lays chips, and a red bull...I felt so much better, but that soon got worse. So about 40 miles into my ride, I'm chatting up with the riding group when the urge hit me. I really didn't want to tell them to stop - hey, it sounds like people do this all the time. So I lifted up off my seat and pushed. Kind of felt gross - like I was wearing depends or something. I do ride and adamo, so I'm not necesarily sitting on my **** the entire time, so I though I'd be safe. I poured water on myself to try to oxidize the smell. I was fine - a little uncomfortable - for about 5 miles when someone next to me started yelling - "oh , oh !" Well it appears that even with the elastic band, tri shorts don't keep in everything. It was running down my leg. Now I felt uncomfortable. I asked her "what do you usually do? DO you carry bags, like I do when I walk my dog." She furiously sped away. This was one hot mess. I live in AZ, and it got to 80...not to mention I had to ride another 40 miles like this...the chaffing is unbearable. So in a long winded way, what, first of all is the ettiquite for going to the bathroom on your bike during group rides? 2) Is there anything that you can buy/do to alleviate the nastiness of #2 (bags, bike toliet seat?)?

[Dan]

I think its because most triathletes hate the cycle leg, and see it as a necessary evil. This is of course heresay, or heresey, depending on how you choose to take it

[Apple]

^^^^^^
I love that, it has been posted before. I used to do triathlons until it killed and destroyed my lower back
I find triathletes way to serious, well I was as well. It is a selfish sport,(not that there is anyting wrong with that).

Since I found cyclists I removed my aero bars and I enjoy the social part of the rides.

I got sick of talking about what time I did in transition, what laces I use for my shoes. what was my heart rate at what zone on the 2km stretch on the hwy, how many km was the wind travelling at.
I was so obsessed with my triathlons that when I won some of my age group races (not often) I would wear my medal to the shopping centre, now how vain was that . I thought I was the greatest, now I just think I am the fattest, but hey that’s just another story.

I don’t think cyclists don’t like triathletes they just don’t like the way they ride. I have learned so much more from cycling groups on the bike then when I was in the triathlon groups.
Triathlons are fun and but it can turn you into a type A person.

[liamb]

why are people racist, sexist, etc. Its because you do something similar to them but it is not the same, it offend their simple little minds that you are a bit different. Or they are elitist and look down on everything else

Bill

[marinmomma]

Because they hibernate all through winter then with the arrival of spring they reappear in huge packs clagging up the local climbs and then take over the coffee shop to boot...

Some of my best friends are Triathletes, love then to bits!

[toolonglegs]

Because they break so many of The Rules! .
But in reality apart from Aero Bar etiquette, who really cares?.

[Howzat]

...he then stomped on them up *all* the hills next time out.

Maybe that is why... those triathletes riding fast like that, who do they think they are!

[ldrcycles]

Because they're weird.

And tri hards never wave back.

[Ozkaban]

I always thought it was the sleeveless jerseys?

[nescius]

In general they have poor bike handling skills which makes them dangerous. They are also different to cyclists, they have strange bikes with odd saddles, they don't have sleeves on their jerseys and they never shut up about nutrition.

Last year at the Triathlon age group world championships the competitors were advised by team officials that there were corners on the course and that when going through the corner they should be ready to "dump it" just in case they couldn't get around it. I was there watching my girlfriend and some friends race, luckily they aren't typical triathletes so they didn't have to hurl themselves to the ground.


(first 5 seconds of this video seems to be broken but it plays normally after that)

[dynamictiger]

Can I let you in on a secret...swimmers dislike them too

Usually the reason is they come to the pool buy a lane or two to train in and then take over all the public lanes as well.

[herzog]

How can someone be a triathlete without being a cyclist?

[Dan]

hehe apple, yes I looked for the original post but couldn't find it to reference.

[Sparx]

Can I let you in on a secret...swimmers dislike them too

Usually the reason is they come to the pool buy a lane or two to train in and then take over all the public lanes as well.

Runners also dislike tri athletes - with their silly calf socks. Runners are a bit ratbag - tri hards are just a bit serious.

[TimW]

Code: Select all

Why are cylists such dicks towards triathletes?

Why are many triathletes Dicks? and serious ones at that.

[Christina Brinkmann]

Thank you all for your responses .
Along the same lines as Herzog's post: If I did not swim and run, then I would be considered a cyclist rather than a triathlete, but I would have no more (or less) skills or ettiquette because I chose only to ride. An individual's ability to ride a bike correctly in a group is not affected by whether they also swim, run, play darts, bake cakes or any other activity. From the posts above it appears to be just good old convenient stereotyping. By the way, I never do group rides as I find the skill level of many group riders to be substandard.

[outnabike]

In general they have poor bike handling skills which makes them dangerous. They are also different to cyclists, they have strange bikes with odd saddles, they don't have sleeves on their jerseys and they never shut up about nutrition.

Last year at the Triathlon age group world championships the competitors were advised by team officials that there were corners on the course and that when going through the corner they should be ready to "dump it" just in case they couldn't get around it. I was there watching my girlfriend and some friends race, luckily they aren't typical triathletes so they didn't have to hurl themselves to the ground.


(first 5 seconds of this video seems to be broken but it plays normally after that)

For cyclists they seem to have a bit of trouble mounting up.......and that shoe cruelty has to be seen to be believed.

[Dan]

By the way, I never do group rides as I find the skill level of many group riders to be substandard.

Perhaps that's part of the attitude disliked by many cyclists?

[ratter]

I'm a cyclist (well I think I am) the wide is a triathlete (well trying to be)

I have started racing crits this summer and although at a low level I think I'm a reasonable rider. because of my wifes tri connection, I have been doing a lot of training with quite a few triathletes, I have come to a conclusion



I wish I could ride as good as the triathletes I have riden with!


On saturday I did the ride leg of a team triathlon in geelong, I was 13th quickest on the ride out of 61 and yet the tri guys i ride with and some of the woman can smoke me big time.

[skull]

Being fit and having good bunch skills are different.

I know plenty of triathletes who are amazingly strong on a bike.

Put them in a bunch and they fall to bits.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2

[simonn]

In general they have poor bike handling skills which makes them dangerous. They are also different to cyclists, they have strange bikes with odd saddles, they don't have sleeves on their jerseys and they never shut up about nutrition.

Last year at the Triathlon age group world championships the competitors were advised by team officials that there were corners on the course and that when going through the corner they should be ready to "dump it" just in case they couldn't get around it. I was there watching my girlfriend and some friends race, luckily they aren't typical triathletes so they didn't have to hurl themselves to the ground.


(first 5 seconds of this video seems to be broken but it plays normally after that)

For cyclists they seem to have a bit of trouble mounting up.......and that shoe cruelty has to be seen to be believed.

It's why they have expensive aero bikes. They have trouble mounting, so need the aero to make up the time.