All this concern about if someone complimented you on one's bike seems a bit self-absobed. Like anyone, I enjoy a compliment - but I would never expect it from another - even if I had paid one myself - especially to a stranger. One doesn't have a clue as to all the things that may be going on in another person's thoughts upon meeting that person for the first time in a chance situation.
I enjoy a compliment when it happens - but don't hold it against another when there isn't reciprocation. Most folks that ride bikes - do it because they like to ride bikes - not because they're showing off their "pride and joy". Unless the other person was "ugly" in their manner - all should be OK.
In our neck of the woods - even most hardened, heads down, on a mission types, respond to a friendly smile and a nice greeting - even if they leave you in the dust. Had a great ride just yesterday with a young triahthlete type almost 25 years younger than me who passed me at a good clip going up a hill. I pushed hard to catch up and we rode a very snappy (for me) 40 miles together and chatted about a lot of things during the ride. He even slowed down for me when a stick flipped up and derailed my chain and when I later cried for mercy as he was putting some speed on! I was cooked by the end but I think we both had a great time enjoying the first really beautiful spring weather of the season riding in just shorts and short sleeve jerseys with crystal blue sky and 70 degrees. It just doesn't get any better. It's been very gratifying to see more and more cyclists on the road - whatever their personality.
Roman Stankus
Atlanta, Georgia USA
> -----Original Message-----
> From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org
> [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of
> Charlotte Bronte
> Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 4:21 PM
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: [CR] Snubbed on a Sunday afternoon
>
> I ride in Windsor, Ontario and just across the river in the
> Detroit suburbs, sometimes on my Campy and toe-clipped
> classics (a '75 Kessels Main D'or and a '78 Kessels Merckx)
> and sometimes on my Cervelo Soloist Team. All three bikes
> are headturners, but I can count on one hand the number of
> times someone has complimented my bikes on group rides. I
> chalk it up to the wierd anti-social competitive thing among
> roadies. I also do triathlons, and I find those folks much
> more social--and complimentary. They also like to talk gear.
> So I don't think it was anti-Masi, but just typical boorish
> roadie behavior. My two cents.