Unfriendly Transporter Drivers

.50 said:
I'm just a friendly chap that tries to treat everyone the way I'd like to be treated.
There's a pathetic snobbery within the cycling world.
Not just roadies vs mountain bikers, but also within mountain bikng.
Downhillers think they are the real deal cause they shred down the hill, and take the mic out of cross country riders cause they cant to gap jumps, and endro riders are superior to all cause they they pedal up aswell as shred it down. And lets not even get into the wheel size debate and fat bikes and ebikes ).
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Haha - there is indeed although I don't find it as bad as some.
I'm definitely an XC biased rider (TBH I'm too chicken to do the mad stuff mainly after a nasty crash a long time ago) and really appreciate the simplicity of the bike - its now "old" because it has 26" wheels (again that has been a subject of snobbery when a Halfords special 27.5" rider has taken the mick out of my £3k 26" wheel Cotic!) and 3x9 gears (XO/XTR) but it still works fine and now I'm riding a lot less, parts actually last well - at one point I was spending an insane amount on worn parts - entire drivetrain needed replacing annually, chains lasted six months, cassettes under a year, chainrings would die really fast, etc.

I have a very rarely used road bike I bought for a couple of triathlons but I prefer my "bike with good brakes" even if it is a bit slower on the roads. I also don't have to worry about potholes. There are a LOT here!

There's weird snobbery in most things and surfing is a classic one mainly because the really good surfers are generally fairly skint so it's almost reversed snobbery with kit.

When I see a middle aged geezer in a surf hoodie pull up in a spanking new, private plate (usually spelling "SURF" badly) T6 covered in surf stickers and with boards on the roof, I just know what'll happen once he gets in the sea...
 
Orange Soul 27.5 small thats the wife's, other one is 26 Soul medium thats mine, 120 mm Reba's, both great bikes, had a newer BFE frame that was 26, rode it once and got rid absolutely felt dead after riding a Soul. Have three mates with Cotics too, 1 on a solaris, 1 on medium 27.5 soul, rides it most days to work and back, loves it and 1 on a BFE 27.5 he likes that too.
 
Penry said:
Orange Soul 27.5 small thats the wife's, other one is 26 Soul medium thats mine, 120 mm Reba's, both great bikes, had a newer BFE frame that was 26, rode it once and got rid absolutely felt dead after riding a Soul. Have three mates with Cotics too, 1 on a solaris, 1 on medium 27.5 soul, rides it most days to work and back, loves it and 1 on a BFE 27.5 he likes that too.
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Ahh.
Small frames make the wheels look bigger.
Nice bikes those.
 
Penry said:
Orange Soul 27.5 small thats the wife's, other one is 26 Soul medium thats mine, 120 mm Reba's, both great bikes, had a newer BFE frame that was 26, rode it once and got rid absolutely felt dead after riding a Soul. Have three mates with Cotics too, 1 on a solaris, 1 on medium 27.5 soul, rides it most days to work and back, loves it and 1 on a BFE 27.5 he likes that too.
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Splendid taste!
My bike started as a 2007 Stumpjumper Comp; I upgraded it and lightened it as I raced a bit and ended up making it a bit of a PITA; too skittish and twitchy. So got the Soul frame, wider bar, fatter rubber, shorter stem and made it far more friendly. Not one part is original now.

A mix of Thomson, Hope, XO, Fox (floats), XTR, etc. I’d like to replace the XT crank arms (Chris King BB, Chinook chainrings on the rest of the crankset) but that’s about it.
 
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Yes, they are a great frame, well worth putting high end parts on, know a couple of people that have sold theirs on and totally regretted doing so.
 
Hmmmm.......as a biker, I like to acknowledge fellow riders, and for the most part it is returned, even by kids on wannabe big bike 50cc's.
With my van, I guess its appearance confuses.....as a mobile office it is two toned and logo' up, including on the bonnet, but it also clearly has an elevating roof ( more convenient for clients-try holding a meeting in an office with no headroom), but it rides on normal suspension. I wave to many, get odd looks back, but occasionally get a return.
Anyone on this forum on the Cheddar Gorge meet I saw the other Sunday?
 
.50 said:
At least when I'm occasionally on the road on my MTB, I get a nod from the roadie crowd. ( partly because I shout hello at them so the can't ignore me ).
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Ha! I’m a roadie that does a bit of Mtb. I nod a cheery acknowledgement to all cyclists! Especially to the racing snakes who are in groups riding through and off that think theyre too cool to nod!
 
Must admit my waving has become more selective... I now find myself judging the van and driver before committing to a full on wave! Wife thinks I’m daft in any case! Defo low wave return ratio in my part of Devon!
 
This morning, on a 20 mile trip to my parents house, I thought I'd try a different tactic.....oh yes, I've gone "tactical"! I waved at EVERY T5/T6 that came past......talk about burned.....I was positively flamed by all 5! I actually got a couple of looks along the line of......"who's that weirdo waving at"?:thumbsdown:
 
Even more of a t!t when you wave at T6s when you're not even driving thr van :rolleyes: Having said that, I also used to sometimes forget I was in the car and nod at other bikers...
 
mopardave said:
This morning, on a 20 mile trip to my parents house, I thought I'd try a different tactic.....oh yes, I've gone "tactical"! I waved at EVERY T5/T6 that came past......talk about burned.....I was positively flamed by all 5! I actually got a couple of looks along the line of......"who's that weirdo waving at"?:thumbsdown:
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You are so right! I thought I might be getting sensitive in my old age? But no! My wife commented today that no one waves at you in the new van... my basic rule of thumb is wave at T4 T5 or T6 which are lowered modified or just well kept.. shall I stop or keep waving like a goon!?
 
Polzeylad said:
A rare appreciator. Spent three years studying the damned stuff (Materials Engineering, Swansea) so it's a good job I like it.
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Always amazed me as to how many different grades of Stainless steel you could get and the normal stuff for that matter. Some stainless caused us no end of problems with cracking after it was welded.
 
Roadrunner said:
Always amazed me as to how many different grades of Stainless steel you could get and the normal stuff for that matter. Some stainless caused us no end of problems with cracking after it was welded.
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So many just think steel is steel and that’s it. Hundreds of grades and applications for different steels.

Back to unfriendly Transporter drivers, just seen an absolute goon in a 16 plate black T6, Black alloys, LED headlights, de-badged, driving like a right tool. Pretty sure I’ve seen him before going the other way driving very badly too. Clearly a low power one as I easily passed him on an overtaking section in my Cali.

I see too many aggro drivers in new Transporters; gives them a thug image.
 
Got mugged again today !.
Black T6 coming in the opposite direction, 20" alloys, lowered, front splitter, side bars etc.
Thought I'd give it a punt, and waved, guess what ?, not a sausage from the driver.
And thinking about it, not only has NO ONE evey waved back after I've waved at them, NO NONE has ever waved when I haven't.
 
It seems every other van down south is a T6,i would be waving all day :eek:
 
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