Road Snob

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Katie Lund [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]
Last week I realized I was getting lonely riding so I decided to go out and meet some of the local cyclist. The best place I could think of was a local bike shop and as luck would have it I had a flat tire. Although they were nice I could tell no one took me serious and when I asked if they knew of any clubs I was simply ignored.

I've never been good at being the "New Kid" and I gotta say that this doesn't make things easier. In fact it made me so sad that I haven't taken my bike out since.

So does this happen a lot? Do cyclist see heavy riders and totally dismiss them? I know it seems silly but I'm a little reluctant to even contact another club.

has anyone else run into these snobs?

There are snobs everywhere! Don't worry about them... and certainly don't let it get in the way of your riding. And they may not have even been being snobbish. They may not have known what to tell you. Don't assume any of this has anything to do with YOU.

Your Local Bicycle Shop may not have any associations with any clubs.... or even any organized rides. The shop I frequent most will honor a small discount for members of my cycling club. But doesn't know how to inform people on joining. Another LBS in my area does have a tight group of cyclist that are all friends with the owners. They train together for racing... and nothing less. A third LBS... actually prints a newsletter full of helpful info for new riders. Go figure.

For many cyclists the competitive team nature of the sport is part of the attraction. And by sport I mean racing. These guys can be as serious as a heart attack. Competitive racing isn't for most cyclist. If the people at the LBS thought you meant you wanted to be part of a team... they might not have known what to say.

It may be similar to joining a bowling league. If you went to a bowling alley or lanes... they may not even know where you might find a place to sign up. Yet you might have many neighbors, friends, former co-workers, and even family all looking for a bowler to fill a team spot. It's all sorta word of mouth. I only learned about the club I joined because of a lady I worked with. And.... I only recently learned of two other local clubs... I had never even heard of before.

Try searching the Internet for a local cycling club.... or maybe search for local charity rides. Ask around see if anyone has heard of a local cycling clubs name. Trust me... I know for a fact... no one gives a rats behind how much anyone weighs, or earns, or what they do for a living. Most cyclist just enjoy the riding.

Keep up the good work.... keep cycling!

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Katie Lund [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

So does this happen a lot? Do cyclist see heavy riders and totally dismiss them? I know it seems silly but I'm a little reluctant to even contact another club.

Every club and shops i've had anything to do with has been quite friendly toward new members, perhaps try another club/shop if that's possible?

Hi Katie Lund, absolutely don't give up but I would definitely try another bike shop (LBS). Perhaps you could ask some of the people that you are now passing about cycling clubs, and if you do not get positive answers from them then keep asking people until you receive positive answers.

It's all good, keep getting fitter, and most of all ... enjoy your ride and also, you are only as good as your last ride, so be careful :-)

Google cycling clubs and your zip code. You may get a few hits.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by KLabs [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Hi Katie Lund, absolutely don't give up but I would definitely try another bike shop (LBS). Perhaps you could ask some of the people that you are now passing about cycling clubs, and if you do not get positive answers from them then keep asking people until you receive positive answers.

It's all good, keep getting fitter, and most of all ... enjoy your ride and also, you are only as good as your last ride, so be careful :-)

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by davereo [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Google cycling clubs and your zip code. You may get a few hits.

+1 on both posts

Instead of punishing yourself and not riding your bike, punish the LBS by finding a new shop at which you can spend your money.

X2 Alien. Every once in a while I find a shop like that even as a hard core xc racer and commuter. One a couple years ago was the only one in my small town open at that time of night and I needed them to measure a chainring size so I could pick a new one. The head mechanic measured it, then proceeded to tell me how many things were 'wrong' and shouldn't be functional(like cable routings). This was right after winning a local XC trail series. I took my business up the road to the next shop and even though I now live 100 miles away 5 years later, the owner still does business with me over the phone and mails to me when I ask for the same price as online. They always took care of us as the riders as a community.

The other shop went out of business about 6 mo after that incident.... go fig..

Just wanted to say never give up cycling and the fight to get fit just cause of a few idiots out there, like mostly everyone on here said just go find another LBS and take your business elsewhere, stay positive and keep asking around, sooner or later ya will find a local club..by the way I'm also a truck driver and that's the reason I fell in love with cycling, to get in shape and healthier..

Thanks everyone.

I've contacted a few clubs and all seem eager to get me riding again. unfortunately they are all 30 mins from home[IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/frown.gif[/IMG] I also found another LBS (scottsbikes.comscottsbikes.comOpen ↗) and while they aren't a club they do group rides and road training. It's good to know others have gone through this. I wanted to ride for the love of riding and to meet new people. I was raised by hippies so no doubt the earthiness of cycling appeals to my inner child as well.

Yesterday I decided to head out and burn off some energy before starting my new job today. Unfortunately that same stupid tire is flat again. I guess I will be heading out to another shop a little further from home 🙂

( I would fix it myself but at this point I'm starting to think something is wrong with the rim)

Thanks everyone.

I've contacted a few clubs and all seem eager to get me riding again. unfortunately they are all 30 mins from home[IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/frown.gif[/IMG] I also found another LBS (scottsbikes.comscottsbikes.comOpen ↗) and while they aren't a club they do group rides and road training. It's good to know others have gone through this. I wanted to ride for the love of riding and to meet new people. I was raised by hippies so no doubt the earthiness of cycling appeals to my inner child as well.

Yesterday I decided to head out and burn off some energy before starting my new job today. Unfortunately that same stupid tire is flat again. I guess I will be heading out to another shop a little further from home 🙂

( I would fix it myself but at this point I'm starting to think something is wrong with the rim)

Repeat flats can be caused by embedded fragments in a tire. A common culprit is a piece of wire, very hard to see unless you know where to look.

I nearly gave up on one tire after 3 consecutive pinhole flats. I had planned on bringing it into work to inspect it with a real time x-ray; instead, on my last flat, I marked the orientation of the tire relative to the tube before separating the two. I partially inflated the tube to find the hole and looked very carefully in the adjacent area in the tire. After a few minutes of squinting and poking around I fount a thin wire that only poked through when bending the tire.

Depending on cost, It may just be cheaper to replace the tire.

A poor rim strip can also cause repeat flats - a competent home/shop mechanic should be able to inspect the flat and determine the most likely cause. None of the riders/mechanics I know would simply replace the tube without inspecting the tire and rim first.

The shop I do a lot of rides with actively seeks out new riding enthusiasts to join in weekly B/C rides. The problem is that most new riders come once, seem genuinely engaged and then never come back. I recall having to put in my dues through several rides before feeling integrated with the group. Also, a lot of the folks on the shop ride really are not interested in organized clubs, they just want to ride. Myself, I may ride in 2 or 3 group rides a week but do not belong to any clubs.

Perhaps you are over analyzing the situation. If you found the riding style to your liking, why not go back and give another try or two?

As MayDog said it's fairly easy to find exactly where the punctures are occouring. Just take the innertube out and keep the orientation of the tube the same and inflate it to help find the hole. Once you've found it, deflate it to where there's just enough air to keep it round and place it next to the wheel (still making sure that you haven't turned the tube over) and line up the valve stem with the valve hole. X marks the spot on the innertube - it'll also point to where that spot is on the wheel or tire.

Small things like pokey pieces of wire or tiny shards of glass are easier to feel than to see. With your finger slightly away from where you believe the culprit to be, press down gently and run your finger across the inside of the tire or rim. Typically something that causes a tiny hole and a very slow leak will feel slightly 'scratchy'. If you're visually inspecting the tire tread on the outside of the tire then squeezing the edges of the tread together will often cause tiny holes to open up a little more making them more visable - and easier to get any crud out of.

If the punctures are occoring on the inside of the tube (as opposed to the outside that's up against the tire) then look for a split in the rimtape or edges on the rimtape that are not sitting flat. Sometimes some 'junk' gets into the inside of the tire if you've been forced to change a tube out on the road and that can cause issues. If you're getting cuts around the valve stem then either the tube was installed incorrectly (ie the stem was at a severe angle) or there's sharp edges on the rimtape or the valve stem hole itself. Something like 1500 grit wet n dry paper would polish up the edges nicely

I myself went through a string of flats that got on my nerves. I am not sure I ever resolved the problem.... as much as I just over powered the problem with thorn-proof tubes. Not the way I like to address my issues... but the flats have stopped.

Don't expect more from cycling, than you expect from life!

If your life is full of friends and extended family... you will make more of the same kind of relationships with your cycling club. If most of your lunches are eaten alone... you will likely still be eating alone at lunchtime after you join a club. Don't expect joining a cycling club to change the way you interact with people. You've spent a lifetime becoming who you are.

Cycling has helped MILLIONS of people become thinner, fitter, more self-confident, and healthier... and if you continue to cycle... cycling will help you too. But cycling won't make you happier, more personable, or less lonely.

Maybe in the evenings or when it's raining (and you can't ride anyway)... you might want to check out Overeaters Anonymous (oa.orgoa.orgOpen ↗). It may be... to become the person you want to be the only thing you will need to change... is everything. And... I am absolutely sure... if you put out the effort you will find the change.... "as easy as riding a bicycle".

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Katie Lund [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Yesterday I decided to head out and burn off some energy before starting my new job today. Unfortunately that same stupid tire is flat again. I guess I will be heading out to another shop a little further from home 🙂

( I would fix it myself but at this point I'm starting to think something is wrong with the rim)

Hi Katie Lund, yes I believe there might be a sharp inside rim edge that your rim tape is not protecting the tube from. Perhaps at the rim join?

Take your tyre, tube, and rim tape off and check for any sharp edges and once found tape over them or remove the sharp edge then tape over if necessary.
Perhaps even purchase a more effective rim tape or simply replace the rim tape with one or two layers of electrical tape :-)

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by KLabs [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Quote: Originally Posted by Katie Lund [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Yesterday I decided to head out and burn off some energy before starting my new job today. Unfortunately that same stupid tire is flat again. I guess I will be heading out to another shop a little further from home 🙂

( I would fix it myself but at this point I'm starting to think something is wrong with the rim)

Hi Katie Lund, yes I believe there might be a sharp inside rim edge that your rim tape is not protecting the tube from. Perhaps at the rim join?

Take your tyre, tube, and rim tape off and check for any sharp edges and once found tape over them or remove the sharp edge then tape over if necessary.
Perhaps even purchase a more effective rim tape or simply replace the rim tape with one or two layers of electrical tape :-)

I'd avoid that last idea like the plague and there is a reason why rim tape is called rim tape and electrical tape isn't...

It might seem like a good idea at the time but electrical tape isn't strong enough to stop a 100psi innertube from being pressed into the spoke holes. Having an innertube slice itself on the edges of a spoke hole due to rim tape failure will lead to a very rapid deflation and as with most things bad in life, it'll happen at just the worst time possible.

Hi Katie Lund, if swampy1970 is right, just place the old rim tape over the electrical tape, but it is better to remove any sharp edges, as suggested, on the inside of the rim and use the correct width rim tape that suits the pressure that you are pumping your tyres too. Even descent rim tape only costs a couple of dollars :-)

I have never had an issue with electrical tape or masking tape, although I have always put the old rim tape back over the top. Perhaps it is the way I apply it and I have never had an issue with using the correct size rim tape :-)

Don't let cranky people get you down. It's possible the people you are talking about have something else in mind entirely than what you are thinking of. Try googling your area and cycling/bike clubs. That might help. Or perhaps you can try calling other LBS that are farther away- even if they are farther they may know of other clubs that can help guide you to where you want to be. You just need to find someone chatty and friendly that has the info you are looking for- or can point you to someone who can help you figure out where to find it.

When my tire got a flat it was a cat claw thorn; even the LBS fix-it guy nearly missed it since it was so small. He only caught it because he was using the trick of lining up the punctures to make absolutely sure there wasn't anything that could cause a repeat puncture.

Well I would not call people snobs. But I know with me being a Clydesdale I know what you are talking about. So far when i went to my LBS i have had only 1 person talk to me and that was due to they saw the road slicks that I am running with. Well that conversation lasted only a few seconds as I am not that good talking to people face to face. But the people I do see don't seem to be snobs. Watching them and seeing the way they look it is more like they have seen us big guys come and go so ofter that they do not want to put effort in to helping out another lost cause. But as I have been riding, and as I have been seeing them more and more on the roads they are starting to warm up to me as I believe that they can see that I am here to stay like it or not. heck 1 of them even waved back for a change. I mean it was only the 10th time I had seen them and that I have waved at them each and every time. But hey. progress I guess?

As far as local bike clubs. Try this. This helped me out.

http://www.usacycling.org/clubs/

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Nitefeatherz [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]
When my tire got a flat it was a cat claw thorn; even the LBS fix-it guy nearly missed it since it was so small. He only caught it because he was using the trick of lining up the punctures to make absolutely sure there wasn't anything that could cause a repeat puncture.

I carry a white drawing pencil (actually a short half-pencil) in my saddle bag for just that reason. Since I only carry one spare tube.... being able it ID the cause of the flat can be really important. And being able to mark the place where the air leaks out doesn't hurt. I hate "mystery flats" as they seem to keep coming back.