I am a nod snob. The fact is, I’m a bit of a cycling snob all-around. I am not a “biker” and I do not “like to bike”. I am a cyclist and I like to ride. What’s more, as I outlined before, there are very loosely defined parameters under which I will bestow a “nod” upon another rider. For example, you have to look cool. Like you care how you look. This doesn’t mean you have to be riding a glitzy carbon ride or some nostalgic steel classic, but you have to demonstrate that you understand Cycling Couture, ambiguously defined as it may be.
For those riders who receive said nod, there are a few unwritten rules about reciprocation. First, you have to decide whether to acknowledge the nod. Second, you should never acknowledge the nod too enthusiastically; always keep your cool and never get too excited.
The “Nod Acknowledgment” is almost more complicated than the “Nod”. First, you have to decide if you’re willing to accept the nod, ignore it, or reprimand them for even trying. More often than not, you ignore. But, if you acknowledge, Nod Snob terms dictate that you must never, under any circumstances show more enthusiasm than the original nod given. Let me give you an example of a flubbed Nod Reciprocation.
Michelle and I were riding home from a long ride out at Cougar Mountain near Seattle. It was a hot day, and we were tired after the more than 150km we’d logged already as we left Bellevue and headed back to Seattle. A rider – worthy of a nod – came by in the opposite direction and gave me a quick nod. A few moments later, Michelle pulled up alongside me with a horrified look in her eyes. “I saw him nod at you, and then he nodded at me. I completely lost my nerve, and, *sigh*, took my hand off the bar, smiled broadly and waved.”
Classic example of reciprocating with more enthusiasm than the original nod. Very uncool.
The other day, Michelle and I were coming home from our after-work spin, enjoying the hum of our wheels on the pavement and basking in the mellow satisfaction you find after a good ride. Coming the other direction was a dad riding a mountain bike with his young son in-tow on a Trail-a-Bike. The son seemed absolutely overjoyed at the scenario, and we could feel his delight before we could even see him. There was a sense of triumph about him. I’m not exactly sure why he felt so good about himself because he obviously didn’t meet any of the qualities of being a cyclist. I mean, when was the last time you saw a pro on a Trail-a-Bike? Besides, pro’s don’t wear jeans, and they don’t wear white helmets that look like hollowed-out bowling balls.
As we rolled into his view, he cheerily hollered, “HI BIKERS!”
My instinct was to correct him and say, “Bikers use motors, asshole. We’re cyclists.”
Instead, Michelle and I replied in chorus, “Hi!” I still feel a little guilty about that.
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I dunno dude. I commend you on owning your snobbery but my take is that we're all on the cycling spectrum and thus share the joy of riding on two-wheels. Sure I'm riding a full carbon, sub 18 pound, Italian bike I just paid 3k for but for me, the fact of the matter is, I get much of the same joy from it as I did from my first Huffy with butterfly handlebars. You know, the one I learned to ride on and my big trick was standing on the seat and popping wheelies. When I see some little kid on a trail bike, some middle-ager on a comfort bike, or some old drunk riding his daughter's mountain bike to work because he just got his 4th DUI, I smile and wave and hope they share some of the stoke that comes from riding a bike. (okay, so maybe not the old drunk). I wish more people would ride.
Yo!
I have to say I am with Marko. In fact we sort of rub the snub guys ourselves. This is a great theme that Charlie Farrow points out regularly on his blog.
http://cpfarrow.blogspot.com/2009/08/mean-people-snub-others.html
If they are on two wheels, they are not in a car and that means that they can relate somewhat, who knows maybe its a midwestern thing, but certainly I am not to cool for school to say hi to another cyclist.
Hansi Johnson?
Yo.
Funny. It's Mark Carlson from back in the MWM days, currently up at VCC in Ely. Nice to see you on here.
Awesome! Yeah good to see you too! Must be getting nice in Ely right now!
@Marko
@Hansi
You are both right, of course, and - all joking aside - I'm very glad you voiced your opinion on this site.
I think it's important to note that this post isn't about appreciation; I appreciate anyone on a bike - I even appreciate that the popularization of fixies has gotten more people out on their bikes. This post is about taking a critical - if humorous - look at the micro-environment of cycling.
Anyone who ventures out on a bicycle shares a basic interest with every other person on a bike: a desire to get out and power your own two-wheeled vehicle. Whether you're 85, 35, or 5; laying on your back, riding in a saddle, or in the Egg position, we are all part of one social group: people who love to ride bikes. Beyond that, we seft-select into groups we identify with - or, indeed, groups we'd like to identify with. There are people out there who can hop along a railing on their front wheel, do a complete 360 and land on a parking post with their back wheel before hopping to the sidewalk. While this is pretty impressive, I don't self-select with them and don't have any tangible aspiration to. Then, there are pros. I don't self-select with them, either, but there is definitely a part of my phsyche that would like to; in truth, they would Nod Snob me.
This post is about the micro-environment of the cycling world. There is an inevitable hierarchy amongst social groups; even dogs - who cannot possibly judge one another - work within a complex social hierarchy. The fact is, a guy on a recumbent is going to self-select more strongly with another rider on a recumbent. When I see a fit dude with shaved legs out at the Farmer's Market, I immediately recognize him as another cyclist who values being a cyclist more than fitting into traditional social norms. When you boil away all the jokes and sarcasm, what remains is the fact that when I'm out on my bike, I self-select with - and nod - riders whom I feel reflect my perception of myself - or whomever I, as a cyclist, aspire to be.
I ride several different bikes, each gets its own tribal nod .. Ha its cute !
I only have two helmets though!! not cool :)
@FreditorI too cross a few lines with my bikes (some would say that is an understatement) and one of them, my fixed folding travel bike is confusing for all, so the nods are slow in coming. On the other hand I do not care who rides what, we are all out there jousting with 5000 lbs Minotaurs and I nod to all.
Its like on the BMW motor cycle I still give the salute to Harleys even though I hate them (and probably hate the guy riding them but I'll never know), they are there facing the same shit.
On the other hand I envy Franks absolute adherence to all the Rules so that he can be secure in being a "snod", I on the other hand have no confidence in my appearance so will continue to wave at all - and I hate to admit - even a recumbent.
@Rob, @Freditor
I won't wave at, nod, or in any other way acknowledge a recumbent. No way, that crosses a line. Everyone else gets an evaluation, but if you're laying down while riding a bike, I'm slamming the proverbial door on you. There is a guy around here who rolls in a particularly egregious implementation of said device, and I'm working on a strategy to fein interest in his contraption so I can snap a picture of it.
Stay tuned for that.