With our ‘ring of fire’ heatwave still going strong, I was grateful today was not a running day. Although I haven’t been running outside (my mill and I are having a rare summer fling) I’m still getting out on my bike as much as possible. Cycling when it’s 100+ degrees is a sweat fest but not nearly as challenging as running…at least the way I ride.
Source
By no means do I look like this when I’m out on Blanche the trusty road bike (whose tires, I just noticed are…gasp!…balding). I may never possess one of those ominous team jerseys.
I’m not a total lost cause though. I have this cycling jersey from YMX Yellowman that I got on blowout sale. Cooler than cool no? But it’s way too hot here to wear a sleeve of any kind….or anything for that matter. I digress. Blame it on the heat.
I’ve come to notice that cyclists are not nearly as friendly toward me when I’m out running as they are when I am out on my bike. When a pelloton is oncoming I hear the familiar “Runner Up!” yell then they typically whizz past me with nary a grunt.
When I’m on my bike there’s a chorus of greetings. This surprises me somewhat since many runners are cyclists and many cyclists are runners. Personally I greet runners and cyclists alike. Do you?
In my experience, degree of friendliness in runners has a geographic correlation:
Suburban Chicago and small towns in general = friendly
Downtown Chicago = not so friendly
NYC’s Central Park= even less friendly than Chicago
Southern states = friendly
California (San Diego/San Francisco) = kind of in between
I suspect some cyclists feel more of a ‘kinship’ with other cyclists, but not necessarily with runners. Maybe runners feel the same way?
As a runner do you greet cyclists?As a cyclist do you greet runners?
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I was in Boulder this weekend, and it was by far the friendliest cyclist-runner place I had ever been. It didn’t matter what you were doing (as long as you were doing something, I guess) – people said hi and were encouraging. It’s very hit or miss here in Indiana. Runners are friendly (sometimes) but the cyclists rarely are – even to other cyclists.
Here in Michigan the cyclists keep to themselves, barely acknowledging fellow cyclists, at least as far as my experience goes. Runners on the other hand are about as friendly as can be to everyone, or maybe that’s just me?
I feel like runners are more friendly. I rode with a cycling group last summer and I never really felt like I fit in with cyclists (because I don’t like biking and they could tell I think!) I still love some of the group, don’t get me wrong, but they are really different.
Most people near me are friendly, I sometimes don’t always say something to everyone depending on if I am struggling or not but I will still acknowledge them. I’m really skilled at the head nod and slight hand wave.
I think as triathletes we don’t really distinguish between runners and cyclists, or swimmers for that matter but it is harder to interact in a pool or a lake.
As a runner and cyclist who waves, nods, speaks to everyone she sees, I’ve got to say not everyone is like me 🙁
I think as a general rule, runners are much more friendly to everybody. Cyclists on the other hand are a mixed bag. Some are friendly, but then you get the super spandexed, macho, paceline speeders that whip past you whether you’re running or on a bike.
I agree that the area you’re in makes a huge difference as to friendliness. Cities seem to be the worst, maybe because there are so many people out there runners get tired of saying hello.
Good question! I say hello to everyone (if I see them coming toward me). People are SUPER friendly in Iowa. My dad and I got a ton of comments last week. They always think it’s so funny that he is biking and I am running. Some cyclists do seem snobby to runners, but I think they are just whizzing by too fast!
I definitely think cyclists see other cyclists as one of them, and don’t necessarily assume a runner is a cyclist. And your city list cracks me up. The friendly southern thing has proven true in my experience!
I’m new to outdoor riding, but loving it in this heat. Planning to get out for a good ride this weekend!
Boise is a huge biking town with athletes of all biking levels including Olympic level. I think either you have the friendly ones out there or you don’t. I don’t think I ever had a rude runner run past me, but I have had rude bikers go past and it doesn’t matter if I am biking or running. But there are some nice ones too. Maybe because they are going faster and have to focus on the bike then on being nice.
I wrote a similar post a long time ago and hoped that I didn’t offend cyclists:) I find that runners around my neck of the woods are much friendlier than cyclists. Runners almost always greet me in some way but cyclists look past me as if I am invisible. Now that I cycle too, I find that cyclists around here don’t really acknowledge me either. Maybe I am really invisible:)
In Ohio it’s hit or miss with both, but I tend to think cyclists are friendlier. I say that because when I had issues with my bike during the first triathlon not one bike went by without checking to see if I was okay though.
I think time of day has a lot to do with the friendliness in my local area. Between 8 and 5 on any day of the week, people seem more leisurely and relaxed and will almost always say hi, whether on foot or bike. On a weekday evening, the only people that greet me are senior citizens out for a nighttime walk.
I totally agree that geography plays a HUGE role!! I used to think cyclists weren’t friendly then i started biking, I’m too darn focused on not falling over to be friendly 🙂
Im with you, I don’t fit into the “cycle” crowd. I don’t own any cool outfits and I have a basic road bike ( which, by the way, blazed past lots of amazing-looking expensive bikes at IronGirl last year). I consider myself a runner, who sometimes bikes & tries to swim enough to make it through a sprint tri in a decent amount if time. If I’m on my bike, I’m basically invisible to other cyclists. If I’m running, I always get a friendly wave or “hi”. I’m fine with it, as long as I can still blaze past those same cyclists during my tri:)
I live in the South and both runners and cyclists are pretty friendly. I just recently got my road bike so I haven’t had a lot of experience on the road. I do know that I always speak to others, regardless of what I am doing! I just like to be polite and nice and acknowledge the effort that others are putting forth just as I am!!
I run in downtown Chicago and I wouldn’t really say that runners or bikers are less friendly than other places – it’s just that there are so many people on the trail you can’t really wave or say hi to everyone you pass. It’s not really a fair comparison to a trail in the suburbs. That being said, when I’ve gone running and there aren’t a lot of people out (let’s say in the pouring rain or early in the morning) I’ve found runners to be really friendly – waving saying hi, etc., but I’ve hardly ever found bikers to be friendly on the trail regardless of how many people are out. They’re usually trying to move a lot quicker than everyone else and seem pretty annoyed by the whole situation.
As someone who does both, I’d say that yes, a cyclist is going to be friendlier when you’re on a bike. I think it is a kinship, without question. And I’d also say that geography plays a role (we out here aren’t quite as friendly as the midwest, in general!)
I agree cyclists are friendlier when I am cycling (in Vermont) than when I am running. They are even friendlier if I look serious (biking jersey, clipped in shoes) than if I am not clipped in and wearing running gear.
When I’m out running, the cyclist make me mad when they whiz by me and hog up the road. When I’m cycling, I get mad at the runners taking up all of the road. I just can’t win.
🙂
I love it when people cheer people on with races!
In our marina town the ‘lycra’ bikers ride in huge groups and are arrogant and oblivious. I had several nearly run me down when I was in the middle of a crosswalk one day and then have the nerve to yell at me cause I was in their way.. oh yeah, they KNEW they ran the STOP sign!
Arghhhh.. is this what I am going to become when I get my bike this year… nope, never never doing lycra though.
I feel the same way! I always greet runners/cyclists and in my own experience…runners are much more friendly, lol. Cyclists just breeze right on by or give you a stank face…I don’t like it, lol. Glad I’m not the only one that’s experienced this. Stay cool (as much as you can in this ridiculous heat)! 🙂
I used to greet everyone but have fallen out of the habit since few return the gesture. I spent a month in Seattle many years ago and everyone greeted each other on the paths, walkers, cyclists, runners, and so on. Nice.
I’ve found that if cyclists are singular or one or two, they’re friendly to me running. If it’s a huge crew, though, not so much. I’m not a cyclist, but I wave or greet everyone when I’m running.
Hmm, I find downtown Chicago quite friendly but that’s in comparison to Seattle. People say we are NOT friendly. As for cyclists, they can be rather elitist around here and though I bike commute, I tend to be not as friendly to them as runners (I often say hi to bikers when stopped at lights & they don’t always acknowledge).
I think part of it is timing and subtlety. When running and passing other runners, you have many seconds to greet each other. When cycling, it can be less than a second. When other cyclists pass from the ongoing direction, the greeting can be as subtle as a head nod or lifting a finger. Very easy to miss when the greeting lasts less than a second.
If its not one of these things, the cyclist is just an ass and yes it seems like there are more jerk cyclists than runners to me too and I do both ~3 times a week.
I agree that runners are more friendly. I also agree with mike who commented before me, cyclist greeting is more subtle and you may miss it. When I cycle, I acknowledge other cyclists but not runners. with runners I typically have only enough time to let them know that I’m passing on the left
You hit the nail on the head about CP cyclists – they are evil and mean. I have seen people crash, yell racial slurs, etc. They are mean to cyclists, runners, pedestrians, children – whatever! I had always wanted to cycle around there but refuse due to the anger. I should slip some Xanax into their waters.
I live in the burbs – and where I run the cyclists are VERY friendly with the runners and vice versa. The Bronx River Parkway is actually shut down on Sundays from Mem-Lab day for cyclists, runners, etc. galore!
Cycling looks good on you too!
I love this post…it it so funny how everyone views each other differently…especially based on where you are from!
I, being from the south but living in NY feel this way all the ti me! I do think that runners are always nice to everyone they pass…cyclists though…not so much, but they are moving faster, more intense with their focus on the roadway and whizzing by you at a greater force. Let’s chalk it up at that! Plus…they are like wolves, always traveling in packs!
We should all make more time to acknowledge anyone out there trying to stay fit and healthy,huh?
Loved the top btw 😉
Hi, it’s really interesting the opinions of other cyclists around the world. In Europe cycling is really encouraged by communities and personally, I find that they are friendly with each other and with runners also. Very nice blog, by the way.
I feel like runners are friendlier than cyclists. Although I also feel rather judged when I’m out on my bike and I’m not in ‘proper cycling gear’. I don’t really own anything appropriate and I just use cycling to cross train, so I’m not about to gear up. I try to wear a race tech tee and hopefully send out the message “runner doing crosstraining”.