Velotaxonomy: What are we, anyway?

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

We recently moved to SW Michigan. I was a total Lone Wolf (borrowing from Eben Weiss, The Bike Snob) in Vegas but I dream of having Real Life Bike Friends here. This List has really been a gift to me, but it has also made me want more: I want  REAL people and REAL experiences with them. I have found a shop that hosts rides of various kinds 9 months out of the year. There is hope!

The trouble is: I don’t know what I am, and neither does anyone else. 

I have never done a group ride. I don’t know how fast or slow I am, and I don’t know how far I can go. I don’t know etiquette or what would tick off other riders in the group. (My “group rides” were with my 2 sons on the way to school. And it’s true that you learn a rhythm that works for your group and on the rare occasion my husband got included, he made us all nervous.) I would like to have a good first experience and not be a drag for a group. I think failure would send me right back into Lone Wolfdom. I suppose I will just have to risk it.

When I say I ride, everyone thinks Roadie, and then they think of their friend who is also a Roadie and want to plan a meeting for us. Now, I doubt I’m going to keep up with a group of road bikes on my Platypus. When I say I don’t have a road bike, the person will say, “Oh, you like to mountain bike!” When I try to explain, try to say what it is that I ride, I don’t have words. If I admit I don’t have a road bike or mountain bike people assume hybrid bike from big box store = not a serious rider. I don’t know what I am. I don’t know what “we” are. Where do bikes like ours fit? Who do we ride with?

In looking at local events online, it seems there are Roadies and there are Gravel Kings (my own term). If I roll up on my fendered, raspberry sparkle Platypus, both groups will be uncomfortable. 

My shop did mention some community rides, and those I will try, though I suspect they might be short and slow for my taste. There are some very exciting events state-wide here, but they do seem to be geared to road bikers. I admit that I know very little about bike culture here, and talking to real people might open up a lot of possibilities. Where are these people I can talk to?!

The locals tell me spring will be here in March. I’ve got 2 months to figure out where I fit, Rivsters. 

Who can relate? Who has words of wisdom? Who just wants to commiserate? Are we the outcasts of bike culture or are we unicorns? Where are we in the Velotaxonomy? How do we make the cool people take us seriously? Should I buy Lycra? 

What I wouldn’t give for a couple of RivSisters living locally…

Leah

[Paul Choi]

Sounds like your first day at school. The nervous anticipation. Just be yourself. Enjoy the ride! This is an opportunity to be an ambassador for the brand. The other riders may end up getting Rivendell bikes when they find out how great they ride. From someone who grew up in East Lansing and still has family in Lansing. 

[Richard Rose]

Wow, a lot to unpack here. I am kind of on the other end of this. Having been a cyclist for 4 decades+. I discovered the joy of riding while working as a student designer @ Huffy Bikes around 1976. There was an old 10 speed in the barn of the boarding house I was staying. I just starting riding country roads & pretty soon I was struggling to get back before dark. Then I started doing casual rides with friends. But then I discovered “fine” bicycles - and they were all racing bikes. Ah, the romance of it all! So, I got a PX10 & joined the local racing club. I got dropped more often than not but I got better. Even (especially?) the training rides were competitive.

Then I discovered triathlon - so that was a “thing” for about 10 years. Then - children! Basically a 10 or so year long gap in my cycling life. Tried golf for a while. Sold the clubs & bought a bike! Found another, slightly more chill group. But still pretty darn competitive. Did that for 10-15 years. But during this time I discovered MTB. Game changer! Eventually sold road bikes to fund MTB. A LOT of solo or just a few friends in the woods riding. Not competitive. Life changing stuff - really! But, MTB requires driving to the trail. There isn’t always time for that. Enter a different kind of “road” riding, including gravel. This is where the Clem comes in. MTB got me away from the “group” ride mentality. Clem is reinforcing the solo riding joy of country roads. Hard efforts still, if I am feeling up to it. But no one to try to keep up with. No pace to keep. Just me & my bike enjoying being alive.

Not an answer to your question really. Where do we fit in? Perhaps we don’t? And that might be the point. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 17, 2022, at 9:31 AM, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:

We recently moved to SW Michigan. I was a total Lone Wolf (borrowing from Eben Weiss, The Bike Snob) in Vegas but I dream of having Real Life Bike Friends here. This List has really been a gift to me, but it has also made me want more: I want  REAL people and REAL experiences with them. I have found a shop that hosts rides of various kinds 9 months out of the year. There is hope!

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[lconley]

I started riding in groups about 50 years ago. They were all pretty much race oriented. Haven't ridden much with groups for the last 5 years or so as I have gotten older, fatter, and slower. The group that I used to ride with when I lived in Cocoa, FL did have a couple of "no-drop" rides at one time, bit the as time went on, the newer people weren't interested and the older people stopped riding or moved away. I still occasionally showed up and rode with them till I got dropped after a few miles. I also got tired of people half the age of some of my bicycles giving me cycling advice. I haven't even tried since I moved to South Florida because A) COVID, B) all the cycling groups that I see are kitted out, C) the people in the bicycle shops are aghast that I am actually buying tubes in this day and age, and D) I have been really busy with work. 

I think there must be other slow old cyclists in South Florida, so I will try once South Florida ceases to be the COVID hotspot that it our Governor DeathSantis seems to prefer.

Leah, you may have to start your own group, a task that you are likely better equipped for than this old curmudgeon.

Laing

Delray Beach FL

[Tom Palmer]

Hi Leah,

I am near Muskegon, about 1.5 hours away, so not sure of your local opportunities. Here there are groups for all rider levels. You will get looks riding your Platy on  a group ride, guaranteed. The culture is you have to look fast on your carbon no matter how slow you ride. I rode a few group rides with Albatross bars and a couple of the hard core roadies in A (fast) group gave me a hard time expressing anything other than a drop bar is dangerous to the other riders with those wide bars. I wasn't. The attitude was that I would be slow too. I rode with the b group- 15-18mph average, which is easier than it sounds. The group draft is a wonderful thing for feeling fast. You will probably have to just go and charm them with your beautiful Platypus and wonderful nature.  As a side not, I am starting a "country bike" group this year at my new favorite bikeshop owned by an Amish man. The Amish group allowed pedal bikes about 6 years ago and they have really taken to it. I saw young men in their everyday clothing(no lycra here) riding very nice road bikes the other day in the snow. The owner expects a decent turnout from the Amish community for the rides. There are great gravel and rural roads right from the shop and he sells very Rivish/Bobish bikes and accessories, fenders, chunky tires, studded tires, lights, etc. They would love your bikes. 

Marc Irwin lives in Kalamazoo and may be able to clue you in better. Simply Cycle is his blog- http://simplecycle-marc.blogspot.com/ 

Hope the cold weather is not too hard on your family, spring will be here before you know it.

Tom Palmer

Twin Lake, MI

[george schick]

Leah wrote:  "...The locals tell me spring will be here in March. I’ve got 2 months..."  I don't want to throw a wet blanket on any enthusiasm here, but I wouldn't necessarily get my hopes to fired up about that date.  True, "meteorological" Spring begins March 1st, but we've had some really nasty, snowy weather during that month in these parts of the Midwest in recent years.  So you may have more time to figure it out after all.

[Ryan]

What I think, Leah....

You'll find your people, I'm sure...yeah, just check out local rides and see what you think. Probably first on your hit-list is a good, local LBS 

I wouldn't lose any sleep  over what the cool kids think. You're a bike rider and I think your Platypi will draw lots of admirers...and since you are very fit and athletic, it wouldn't surprise me if you drop a few of the kitted-out wannabees...if that means anything to you

My .002 from 50+ years of riding with not a smidge of racing

Ryan in Winnipeg

[Ian A]

You might be able to find a MeetUp Group or Touring Cyclist  style group , neither tend to be competitive. Randonneur clubs often have a Populaire which is typically a full day style 100km (60mile) ride and every type of rider shows up to those, even parent/child tandem riders and it is a lot of fun.

If there is no MeetUp Group on your area or nothing that is what you are looking for, there is an opportunity to start one and see how it goes. When I lived in Vancouver, I started group riding with a MeetUp Group on Saturdays and it was fun for a while. Then I found the BC Randonneurs and that was fantastic until I rode off to Tierra del Fuego. Distance riding got under my skin!

IanA (back north in) Alberta Canada 

[JohnS]

Plus 1 for the Meetup app (meetup.com), great way to find like minded cyclists in your area. My local bike club uses it to post all of its rides from rail to trail rides (flat, 12-14 mph pace) to near race pace roadies (18-20 mph with hills), and everything in between.

Good Luck!

JohnS

[Paul Clifton]

Like most people have said, you may get some looks, but if you ride like you know what you're doing, everyone will soften up really quickly.

Groups can all be really different, so if you show up and the vibe's not fun - then ditch the ride and go lone wolf and try again when you feel like it with a different group. Don't get discouraged if the first group isn't for you. I have peeled off after 5 miles so many times it feels like a joke now. Whether it's a group I just don't want to stay with or maybe I'm just not feeling like doing a climb, I just say "Hey, I'm ditching. Don't worry. I know my way home and have tools. Thanks for the ride. I'll see you around." Everyone has always said "Have fun, see ya later" and been totally cool with it and not offended or anything.

You can almost certainly keep up with any "no-drop" ride. They tend to stick to 15-18 mph or slower, with stops to regroup at major turns, if needed. They also tend to exist to get newer riders more comfortable with group riding, so you're bound to find one you like. I think you'd find an average speed of less than 13mph really slow, but that's just a guesstimate.

The training rides and drop rides will frequently post an average speed, and if not, someone familiar with the scene will know, but expect 18-20+ mph average for roadies on a training ride.

More than likely though, I suspect you'll be surprised at how fit you are compared to others on the rides. When you "just ride" most of the time, it turns out it keeps you fit enough to keep up with most cyclists. It's only the ones who commit themselves to speed and strength that will actually be stronger and faster than you, and there really aren't THAT many of those guys in any given town.

Everyone else is just riding with more steps (clothes, groups, trackers, etc.).

You won't find anything advertised as a "country ride" or whatever though. You'll just have to look at route maps and pick something that seems appealing.

As for large organized rides - they are usually ride-your-own-ride, and you'll meet and cruise with a ton of people over the course of the day. No need to worry about the group dynamics as long as you can cover the distance in the allotted time.

Paul in AR

P.S. I just call myself a cyclist. Or a cycling enthusiast. That helps convince people that I know more about my bikes than they do and that they should go on a ride with me and see if it's fun. It's usually fun, except when I take roadies on single track - they hate that. :)

[Leah Peterson]

Tom - how fascinating. So glad to hear you’re starting a country bike group - that’s a thread I would be most interested to read if you will post it. I didn’t realize the Amish didn’t already cycle. Wonderful!

Your report about Roadies lecturing you about your bars was an immediate turn-off. I am pretty sure I can keep up with the 15-18 mps group easily but not if they espouse the attitude you just mentioned. Nope. And I’m never giving up my Billie Bars. I’ll reach out to Marc! Thanks for that!

Leah

On Jan 17, 2022, at 12:10 PM, Tom Palmer <volvot...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Leah,

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[Leah Peterson]

Ryan - I hope they can overlook the mixte frame and sweepy bars and admire the bike, I really do. Maybe change their minds when they see what a great bike it is and that it isn’t slow. I am used to punishing hills and triple digit temps, and I hope that counts for something and gives me some advantage for keeping up on a heavier bike if I try one of these rides.

Group rides. I am getting the feeling from the many responses I’ve received that asking to go on a “Group Ride” might equate to peloton or race or club ride. I might be using the wrong term. I just mean getting a group of people together on a route. And not to do it in as little time as possible. I would love a destination - coffee or lunch - and that might be something I do have to organize. It might not exist. And what would it be called???

Leah

On Jan 17, 2022, at 12:45 PM, Ryan <ryte...@mts.net> wrote:

What I think, Leah....

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[Leah Peterson]

Ian and John - there’s an app for this? Will investigate! I didn’t even know a MeetUp Group was a bike group. Never heard of it. Thanks!

On Jan 17, 2022, at 12:57 PM, Ian A <atte...@gmail.com> wrote:

You might be able to find a MeetUp Group or Touring Cyclist  style group , neither tend to be competitive. Randonneur clubs often have a Populaire which is typically a full day style 100km (60mile) ride and every type of rider shows up to those, even parent/child tandem riders and it is a lot of fun.

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[Ryan]

One other thing...I've found most cyclists super-friendly and I spent a number of years 80's-90's club riding and had a lot of fun doing it and became a much better cyclist because of it. In terms of being a new arrival...when I was visiting my sister in Vancouver a number of years ago , I was out riding the day after I arrived and assembled my bike when I  ran into a local club and found some riding buddies to go on large and small group rides and the beer and food afterward. So (I doubt I need to tell you this😊), go stick your neck out and you'll find all the good local rides....and many groups are very family-friendly as well

[Leah Peterson]

Paul, this is fantastic advice that I’ve never heard. Ditch? That’s ok? Awesome. 

I think the 15-18 mph would be my sweet spot. And probably not more than 20-30 miles. I don’t have that kind of time anyway. I hope you’re right about the fitness of the other riders. I do try to keep in shape; I lift weights and do core most days and I also run. I’m used to hills and high temps, so maybe that will count for something and help me keep up.

Who knows, maybe people will be really inclusive! If not, I guess I’ll find my own way.

On Jan 17, 2022, at 4:34 PM, Paul Clifton <paulgc...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Ryan]

Sure...you'll be fine...more than fine, actually. What Paul says about leaving a ride is good advice and common courtesy especially for a regroup ride where someone may be charged with sweeping to make sure everyone gets to the designated stop OK. 

Good luck!

[Garth]

All I can say is it's perfectly good to ride alone. Way back when I rode with some groups that were race oriented and I enjoyed them at the time but I couldn't fathom such these days as I really enjoy riding alone for a multitude of reasons all of which are way beyond the confines of this "group intention". See the parallel with "group rides"?  With this group for example I've written and erased more replies than I've actually sent as they either don't fit in the confines of the group or more often the case in forming a opinion/point, I realize whatever importance I had placed on it originally no longer applies, it's as if in acknowledging it , what I thought was the point has disappeared. So whatever goal that may arise as a reason for the ride, I can't hold on to it, it's like a passing cloud. Poof and it's reformed itself into another, and another ... etc.

So what was the reason for this reply again ?  Poof !  Ahahahahahahahahaahaaa !

[Jason Fuller]

What I've learned from this is I probably can't keep up with Leah!  

[Leah Peterson]

Garth: It is perfectly good to ride alone. But I’m tired of ONLY riding alone. I would really like to share some experiences with like-minded folks; I just didn’t think it would be this hard to find them. There’s something about shared adventures and then the fun of rehashing them with your friends again later. 2020 has intensified the desire for me. Plus, I have so much to learn! A group of bikey friends would be great for me.

Jason: Lies! I’ve seen your mileage and your terrain. I’m never, ever riding with you! You’d drop me!

On Jan 17, 2022, at 7:47 PM, Garth <gart...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Joe Bernard]

"What I've learned from this is I probably can't keep up with Leah!"

Dude if I ever show up for a group ride with the Killer Hill Crusher I'm not even pretending. I'm bringing an ebike! 😂

Joe "I'm gonna need a little assistance here" Bernard

[Tom M]

My wife and I usually rode together, but when I was recovering from shoulder surgery, she joined a couple of meetup groups in our area. One thing one of her rides did was to have a turnaround time. So basically, you could ride at whatever pace you wanted, with whomever you wanted, but at a certain point you turned around. That way everyone met up at the designated spot at the same time. No one felt pressured to ride at a certain pace, but people who wanted to ride at the seam pace could ride together. So meetup groups might be what you're looking for.

Tom in Alexandria, VA

[Patrick Moore]

I like to think of myself as a Velominatus, one of the cycling
enlightened, earnestly and exactingly preserving the Rules and the
Lore while wearing an expression of noble and aloof gravity befitting
the dignity of the responsibility, but I expect others just take me
for a dork on a bike, especially when I wear my faux-Peruvian bobble
hat in scarlet with fuzzy chin ties.

Slightly less in earnest: in ABQ there is the NM Touring Society which
hosts daily rides year 'round and has 3 or 4 different ride levels
including "slow and friendly and we stop for everyone." I have twice
almost signed up only to forebear since they start at 7:30 or 8:30 in
the morning and I take pleasure in cycling only after about 10 am. My
mornings are in any event too busy, and in any event I prefer to ride
mid-day, even in the heat.

Pre-Covid I did several rides with a friend and q group of fellow
engineers and managers from Sandia National Labs, and that was fun for
the occasional ride even tho' I had to get up at 4 to get ready for
and drive to the 6 am start; this was summertime, but 6 am rides are
Not My Thing. I do like to ride with said friend, but two is not
group.

I can't imagine that in a city like Minneapolis there isn't at least 1
riding group that is neither roadie nor mtb and that emphasizes
friendliness and "wait up" with cafe stops at the end.

Patrick "life begins after 10 am" Moore

[Leah Peterson]

Patrick, who lives in Minneapolis? Not me! (And as the bikiest city in the nation, yes they beat Portland, they certainly DO have such groups. And the most Rivs I have ever seen has been in Minneapolis, I will add.)

Can we see the faux-Peruvian bobble hat in scarlet with fuzzy chin ties?
Leah

> On Jan 17, 2022, at 9:40 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I like to think of myself as a Velominatus, one of the cycling

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[Patrick Moore]

Minneapolis, Minnesota, Michigan, they're all the same.

I'll think about a bobblehat pic. And after I think about it, I'll wince. But the earflaps do work very well.

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-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

[John Rinker]

Well, I do believe that when you find a group with whom (which?) to ride, you'll show up on that beautiful Platy and cause quite a stir. At which point you'll be able to choose your own direction and ride off with any number of riders smitten by raspberry, steel and Ornithorhynchus close behind. And, you'll become a group of your own. Have some possible group names ready!

Cheers,

John 'A lone wolf who enjoys bumping into other lone wolves' Rinker

[Joe Bernard]

I SO could see Leah becoming the ringleader of her own bike gang. "Follow her, I'm not sure where she's going but it looks fun!" 🥳🎉🎈🚴‍♀️

[Ian A]

RivSisters is a pretty good name for a biker gang.

IanA

[Leah Peterson]



You all are funny. And that goes a long way when the topic is rather demoralizing. Our RivSister, Pam Murray, has been a wonderful resource on the subject. She has been a leader in her community because it didn’t offer what she wanted - so she created it. She has a recorded presentation that I will post here if she grants permission.

Yesterday I cleaned and then rewarded myself with a trip to find the local trailheads to the 2 rail trails that are famous here. I found both. They go through wooded areas and fields and over covered bridges and all the way to a historic port city on Lake Michigan. Bikes and horses in spring/summer/fall, and snowmobiles in winter. I’ll have to drive to the trail head, however. The trail is 33.5 miles one way.

If I just cannot find like-minded riders, I suppose I can Lone Wolf it until I get the lay of the land here and then I could organize a ride. I can’t imagine myself in this role, but Pam says it’s possible, so it must be. But I’m still holding out hope there is a group for me somewhere! 

L

On Jan 18, 2022, at 1:23 AM, Ian A <atte...@gmail.com> wrote:

RivSisters is a pretty good name for a biker gang.

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[Richard Rose]

Leah, your trail system may hold an answer. I rely heavily on Facebook groups for trail conditions & event / ride notifications. I have met many other riders using these groups. Find those groups!

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 18, 2022, at 7:39 AM, Leah Peterson <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[David Hays]

Great idea Richard. 

I imagine if you use Strava you can find people who have ridden the same stretch of trail you’re on. 

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[Bill Schairer]

Signing up for a charity ride might be a way to meet some like minded riders.  Something like an MS150 ride attracts all sorts of riders (or at least used to).  Hmmm, maybe not an option in these COVID times, are charity rides even going on these days?

Bill S

San Diego

[iamkeith]

Are there any supported tours in Michigan during the summer months?  Those can be pretty fun because they attract such a wide variety of riders, and there's lots of downtime spent camping and hanging out as a group.  There will be a small lycra crowd that races ahead each day and brags about how many "additional" miles they added the the itinerary, but most will take their time, stop along the way to take in the scenery and tourist attractions or explore small towns.  And you'll see every type of bike imaginable.  After 5 days, you usually have time to build great commaradrie and settle in with like-minded and like- paced riders.  Somewhere around 300 people is a pretty nice size and gives you the opportunity to meet everyone, but there might be a lottery or competitive registration process to get in.  It's also a really nice way to explore and utilize highways that you otherwise wouldn't for safety concerns.  The big 1,000+ person group tours are a little cumbersome, and can start to elicit angry behavior from motorists due to the obstruction they cause, and the inevitability of having a few bad-behaving riders.

Otherwise, I'd almost say don't approach this from a biking standpoint.  Identify things you want to see and places you want to go, and find people who you'd enjoy exploring with.  I think most adventurous people ride bikes in some manner and could be willing to use them as a means to an end, even if they're not as obsessive about their bike itself as we are.  Especially now that "bike packing" is a fashionable thing being pushed by sporting goods stores.  I'm always concerned that my enthusiasm for bikes of a certain practicality and aesthetic will come off every bit as boorish as someone who wears full kit and thinks we all need the latest tech.  So my bike "collection" and obsessive  build details are pretty much a private thing that I keep to myself and are for me alone (or this group, obviously).  As much as I'm tempted to want to prostheletize and explain why others are doing it wrong (and they are), it's also fun to just enjoy the moment and the company and embrace that lone wolf iconoclasm once in a while - even when you're hanging with others.  Plus, I'm really bad about mansplaining, even when well intentioned, so Ive learned it's best to keep my mouth shut.

[upyou...@yahoo.com]

Dear RivSister,

I ponder all these things too.  I'm happy in the 'Lone Wolf' department at this point but welcome opportunities and always try new things.  My fear is that folks will take a look at my beautiful Platy and think she is a Mary Poppins boardwalk bike.  As someone mentioned above, it's like showing up at school on the first day with the wrong clothes on.  I've been there before and it brings me right back to the shame I felt as a third grader in a new school.  There is quite a spectrum of bike riders and when you intersect at multiple points it is hard to pick where to jump in.  All the suggestions so far have been good.  If it is your desire to find friendly bike people to share experiences, it will happen.  

I wouldn't lead with the 'killer hill crusher' story though!!! LOL

Long Haul Trunker---Kate 

[iamkeith]

https://www.letourdeshore.com/

https://lmb.org/events/ride-calendar/

https://tourdeville.org/

https://www.tourdelivingston.org/

https://www.tourdayoopeh.com/

[iamkeith]

Oops.  Posted that before I was done.  Anyway, a cursory search finds all sorts of group ride options.  My favorite event name is Tour de Troit.  Makes me wish I lived in the midwest in many ways!  I bet you find so many bike-minded friends, you'll wonder why you didn't move sooner.

[Eric Floden]

I very much like the idea of looking for adventure by any means, and that biking can certainly ensue.

A good point but one I had not considered.

Thanks

[Bill Lindsay]

Leah

As I think you know, I'm in South East Michigan for a week every month, and I Lone Wolf my way around Wayne and Washtenaw counties a fair bit.  Maybe if one of these work trips wrap around a weekend we can do a ride in Jackson?  You'd have to make me an honorary RivSister.  I assume you don't make it as far as Ann Arbor?  My home base is Livonia.  

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

On Monday, January 17, 2022 at 6:31:09 AM UTC-8 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:

We recently moved to SW Michigan. I was a total Lone Wolf (borrowing from Eben Weiss, The Bike Snob) in Vegas but I dream of having Real Life Bike Friends here. This List has really been a gift to me, but it has also made me want more: I want  REAL people and REAL experiences with them. I have found a shop that hosts rides of various kinds 9 months out of the year. There is hope!

[Leah Peterson]

Bill, APPROVE!

I’d love to do a ride - not a metric century or any of that other crazy stuff you’re always doing. Take it easy on me; I’ve been Lone Wolfing it my whole life so who knows if I’m a good companion. I can be flexible about where to meet. 

I’d have to see how we could make you an honorary RivSister…where is your Platypus? Do you even have a mixte? 😂 Sigh. We’ll figure something out. Seriously though, which bike do you ride in Michigan? And are you riding in this weather? 

Looking forward to it,

Leah

On Jan 18, 2022, at 12:05 PM, Bill Lindsay <tape...@gmail.com> wrote:

Leah

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[Bill Lindsay]

Leah

I was out in Wayne County in the first few days of December and did not ride at all.  The month prior (November) the highs got to ~40F and it was pleasant riding.  I skipped my January visit due to my hand surgery which you know about.  I'm going again the week of 1/31 through 2/3, most likely.  I have two bikes that live in my office in Michigan: a Rivendell Sam Hillborne, and a Crust Florida Man.  

BL in EC

[ascpgh]

I’ve found that the longer I’ve been riding, the less I fit the convenient cubbyholes used by others who in reality are newer to cycling.

Some of  by my best rides have been with hand picked company, some I’ve posted here became the basis of very good friendships. 

Other rides have been loner rides where the duration, distance and difficulties were the friends I needed at the time. Other riders I know wouldn’t appreciate the activity, understand the restorative effects or know the healing provided by a personal epic. They might not even recognize what parameters of a ride reflect challenges.

I don’t need scrutiny of my bicycle and components, tips for climbing, suggestion for more pressure in my tires or opinion regarding how unsafe it is that I have to move my hands from the lever hoods to shift gears when I have drop bars selected carefully to allow me to move my hands around on purpose.

This month begins the third year of my personal work in this pandemic and I marked it by riding home after my shift in a snowstorm. All my colleagues expressed concern for how bad it was and how could I consider doing that.

We all are both comparative and competitive to some degree use the pursuit of our self challenges to produce some satisfaction that is not retail or generic for others to recognize or value. I was never a competitive cyclist because I competed in another discipline at the highest level and know the sacrifice required to do that. I never wanted riding a bike to become anything near that in my life when it had been just the opposite and such a respite from all else.

Ride, Leah. Meet with others for groups but if it’s not your thing or draw your interest enough to get out of your envelope a bit, drop off for your own adventure and way home, but do try. Folks will always want to know what kind of riding you do and how accomplished at it you are, hopefully you will me the ones who are trying to hook you up with the right sort of other local riders. 

My new-to-me Nokians were helpful on this ride home in 6" of the 9" of snow falling in the 18°F night. 

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[Joe Bernard]

After all this time watching (and contributing silliness to) this thread, I still don't know what we are. Shortly after I picked up my custom someone asked me what kind of bike I got and I said road bike. Because I had it designed to be lightish and zippy on the road; no hardcore trail riding, no touring loads. But when you look at it there's high Billie Bars and a droptube Platypus-style and does not say "road bike" to anyone asking that question! 

So I ride my Rivendell in town and when people ask me what kind of riding I do they get a whole paragraph 😬🤷

Joe Bernard

[Doug H.]

It reminds me of shoes. What kind of shoes are you wearing? Walking, running, tennis, track, etc. I'm just wearing shoes to go mobile. I'm just riding my bicycle and it is a ride bike!

Doug

[Jason Fuller]

I tend to refer to the type of bike my Rivendells are as an "all-rounder" when asked. Of course that then begs the question why I need several of them... 

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[Leah Peterson]

We need several All Rounders for the All Arounding we’re always doing. Duh. 

On Jan 18, 2022, at 8:54 PM, Jason Fuller <jtf.f...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Joe Bernard]

"This is my go-fast All Rounder, and this is my shopping All Rounder. Oh this one? That's my weekend All Rounder!" 

[JAS]

Joe, I love this "All-Rounder" idea because they're all such versatile bikes.  Actually, most people don't seem to care what I'm riding and frankly, I don't care what they think.  If I'm riding and having fun, that's what counts.  My bikey friends are very good at "oohing and ahhing" with me over the beautiful details when the bikes are new, then it's old news and we just ride to get coffee, explore the rail-to-trail, zip around the campground or cruise down the beach road.  My list includes Clem:  shopping and trail All Rounder, Platy:  go fast and rainy day All Rounder, Bike Friday:  Touring  and paved trail All Rounder.  That's it!  Just ride!

Cheers to all the RivSisters and RivBrothers!

-Joyce

[John Rinker]

Leah,

Though this doesn't help with finding a group, as to your quandary regarding our place in the velotaxonomy, I'm with rmrose in that we are perhaps a breed apart. In some way, that's part of the charm. 

Usually when people learn that I cycle (and rinse) they inquire, "What kind of bike do you ride (implying road or mountain)?", I usually say, 'I'm a Riv rider.' This often opens the door for interesting bike/cycling conversations.

I just love it when people tilt their head at my down tube and read 'Hunqapillar' out loud.

Cheers, John 'We don't need no stinkin' labels' Rinker

[Miles]

Leah! Others have expressed good suggestions to your question but I wanted to add my two cents, and mainly some encouragement!

First, I have no doubt you will eventually find some people you like riding with. Might be a little tougher out there in Michigan (former Michigander here) than it is on the California coast, but as others have stated, you’re in a prime position to be an ambassador for the type of riding you’re trying to do. I’m fortunate that many of my riding friends here are open to all sorts of excursions: road, fixed gear, mountain bike, you name it. Yet with the exception of Jared and Ariel, (hi guys) I’m the only one riding a Riv in some of these situations. Fun people will love your bikes and be impressed that they’re your tool of choice. People who scoff aren’t really people I want to befriend anyway. 

My initial concern was that you’d accidentally join a group that doesn’t match your level of fitness. As others have observed, you’ll easily be able to keep up with any casual/spirited ride. Knowing your average mph from your rides is a helpful way to narrow down what existing group ride could work for you.

But! My experience has shown me that if you plan a ride that has some kind of peripheral non-riding activity involved (riding to food/beer is always easy) you’ll draw some of the ‘quirky’ cyclists out of the woodwork. Getting creative is the key: riding to an estuary for bird watching, riding to a park with snacks for a picnic, planning a full moon ride to check out an interesting old structure, who knows? When I make my riding fun-centric, people seem to appreciate that. The focus becomes the people you’re with and the experiences you share. When I ride in groups that’s my priority; that everyone is having a good time. To that end, I usually outline terrain and general pace when announcing the ride, so people know what to expect and feel comfortable. 

Reading your posts and seeing your bikes, I have no doubt the people who will have the privilege of riding with your will want to continue to do so. I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes!

[Andrew Wentzell]

I would suggest borrowing the term "party pace" from Russ of Path Less Pedaled (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaThRBMEp21yRK4seqq3-Sw).

Just a mindset, not a speed, not a uniform, nobody to police.

- Andrew, who thinks as long as you're having fun you're doing it right.

[Ben Adrian]

We're Fun-bikers. Fun-cyclists? I don't know. We live in a weird world where most of us love the bikes and the gear and the experience of riding, but maybe we don't want to go super hard or super-extreme.

I posted a photo of a ride on the Rivendellicious facebook group. A guy on the group recognized exactly where I was and we started chatting. Now we go for riv-style rides once or twice a month.

Having said all this, I still find myself in bicycle subgenres all the time. I have a friend with whom I do a lot of gravel riding and go on off-road adventures. I do lycra road riding with an organized club. I have some friends who ride for exercise and just want to do high intensity, 45 minute morning rides. I have musician friends that ride bikes and we sometimes do rides just to hang out. I have friends from the Rivendell world. I'd love to pull some of these groups together, but realistically it's just hard to make the different styles come together. A lot of times I'll just send a ride invite to a bunch of friends, and then I tailor the ride and choose my bike based on who says yes ;)

Cheers!

Ben

On Monday, January 17, 2022 at 9:57:42 AM UTC-8 Ian A wrote:

You might be able to find a MeetUp Group or Touring Cyclist  style group , neither tend to be competitive. Randonneur clubs often have a Populaire which is typically a full day style 100km (60mile) ride and every type of rider shows up to those, even parent/child tandem riders and it is a lot of fun.

If there is no MeetUp Group on your area or nothing that is what you are looking for, there is an opportunity to start one and see how it goes. When I lived in Vancouver, I started group riding with a MeetUp Group on Saturdays and it was fun for a while. Then I found the BC Randonneurs and that was fantastic until I rode off to Tierra del Fuego. Distance riding got under my skin!

IanA (back north in) Alberta Canada 

On Monday, January 17, 2022 at 7:31:09 AM UTC-7 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:

We recently moved to SW Michigan. I was a total Lone Wolf (borrowing from Eben Weiss, The Bike Snob) in Vegas but I dream of having Real Life Bike Friends here. This List has really been a gift to me, but it has also made me want more: I want  REAL people and REAL experiences with them. I have found a shop that hosts rides of various kinds 9 months out of the year. There is hope!

The trouble is: I don’t know what I am, and neither does anyone else. 

I have never done a group ride. I don’t know how fast or slow I am, and I don’t know how far I can go. I don’t know etiquette or what would tick off other riders in the group. (My “group rides” were with my 2 sons on the way to school. And it’s true that you learn a rhythm that works for your group and on the rare occasion my husband got included, he made us all nervous.) I would like to have a good first experience and not be a drag for a group. I think failure would send me right back into Lone Wolfdom. I suppose I will just have to risk it.

When I say I ride, everyone thinks Roadie, and then they think of their friend who is also a Roadie and want to plan a meeting for us. Now, I doubt I’m going to keep up with a group of road bikes on my Platypus. When I say I don’t have a road bike, the person will say, “Oh, you like to mountain bike!” When I try to explain, try to say what it is that I ride, I don’t have words. If I admit I don’t have a road bike or mountain bike people assume hybrid bike from big box store = not a serious rider. I don’t know what I am. I don’t know what “we” are. Where do bikes like ours fit? Who do we ride with?

In looking at local events online, it seems there are Roadies and there are Gravel Kings (my own term). If I roll up on my fendered, raspberry sparkle Platypus, both groups will be uncomfortable. 

My shop did mention some community rides, and those I will try, though I suspect they might be short and slow for my taste. There are some very exciting events state-wide here, but they do seem to be geared to road bikers. I admit that I know very little about bike culture here, and talking to real people might open up a lot of possibilities. Where are these people I can talk to?!

The locals tell me spring will be here in March. I’ve got 2 months to figure out where I fit, Rivsters. 

Who can relate? Who has words of wisdom? Who just wants to commiserate? Are we the outcasts of bike culture or are we unicorns? Where are we in the Velotaxonomy? How do we make the cool people take us seriously? Should I buy Lycra? 

[Eric White]

Just mentioning this local ride from Madison, WI that might be inspiration for the sort of thing Leah and others are looking for - https://monday40.com/

I'm sad to say I have never joined them for a ride but it looks like a great group of folks and it's a goal of mine to join them for rides in 2022. 

Eric

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