how times and things have changed

I've been enjoying riding my bike for 6 months or so now, getting out whenever I can and riding well within myself to manage pain levels.  "Glass cranking" we used to call it.

When I say enjoying though it is tinged with a little sadness.

Now, when I was in my prime I would always and without exception give a happy wave or a cheery hello to anyone and everyone I saw, be that another racer, a leisure rider, old lady on a shopping bike or a youngster on a BMX.  And that stood for 99% of other cyclists too.  We were a friendly bunch.

my heavy old clunker of a winter bike

I've noticed a trend now though where 99% of fellow "serious" cyclists are not waving back while travelling in the opposite direction, or passing any comment when overtaking me; in some cases making it quite obvious that they feel superior to anyone else.  An elitist and privileged approach to other members of the cycling family.

I feel like catching them back up and riding them off my back wheel.

Also, during the winter months we always used to ride a heavy training bike with mudguards and fat winter tyres.  This meant that our more delicate racing equipment was not subjected to the foulest of weather, but also when we did get back on our racing bikes in the summer it felt like we were riding on air.  For a while anyway!

A group who passed me recently were decked out on seriously lightweight professional racing machines and of course did not say a word or acknowledge my presence.  Until that is I sat comfortably on the back of the group when the looks I got made it abundantly clear I was not welcome on my heavy old training machine! I just smiled back which seemed to make them even more aloof and annoyed.

Ah well, it's them that's losing out with their "pseudo professional" attitude.