Flat Pedals & Good Vibes: Surviving the Bike Snobs

As I ride my bike more and post videos more frequently, I’ve come across countless online “cyclists” eager to tell me exactly what I should or shouldn’t do on a bike. I get it, sometimes people have a great attitude and offer honest feedback, which I always appreciate. But let's be real: most of them are cynical snobs who feel the need to put down beginners or less experienced riders.

While I don’t consider myself an absolute beginner out on the dirt, I will be the first to admit I have limited experience building and repairing bikes. My wrenching knowledge is growing with every project I put on the stand, but those online purists still feel the need to troll my learning journey. It’s okay, and I don’t want to dwell on the negative. I’m here to spread positivity within the cycling community.

If you are tired of the gatekeeping, here is the SoCal Biking manifesto on how to survive the snobs and actually enjoy your ride.

My old road bike that I rode everywhere.

Ride the Bike You Have

To begin, I’d like to encourage everyone to just ride the bike they currently have. Whether it’s a steel hardtail, a 90s aluminum rigid frame, or a 2010 hybrid bike, just go out and ride it.

Are the brakes worn down? Get some easy replacements for ten bucks. Flat tire? Just get a new tube. The bike you have sitting in your garage is perfectly fine for most occasions. I’ve met too many people who have bikes that never see the pavement or the dirt, and it’s sad. Life gets crazy and things change, but at least get the bike to someone who will use it. A free bike that was restored in an apartment patio can be just as fun as one that someone dropped $5,000 on a factory rig.

My cousin, Grant, riding with us around Lake Hodges, CA.

The Uniform Doesn't Make the Rider

Wear whatever you want. I’ve talked to so many people who say, “I’d like to ride, but I don’t want to wear spandex.” Hey, me neither.

For me, it’s not a self-conscious thing. Unfortunately, those bros in lycra have left a bad taste in the mouths of cyclists and non-cyclists alike. They act as gatekeepers who refuse to take you seriously unless you have a carbon frame and wireless shifting. What’s funny is that I’ve dropped riders exactly like this numerous times out on the trails...and I did it in flat pedals.

I’m here to tell you that it’s completely okay to wear polyester tees, tennis shoes, and basketball shorts. Heck, sport one of our SoCal Biking tees while you’re out there, and you’re golden. You do not need to spend hundreds of dollars on a morph suit to be a "real" cyclist. I talk more about what to wear in this article.

Redefining a "Good Ride" (Forget Strava)

How do you measure a good ride? Ultimately, that’s up to you, but I’ll tell you how I do so, and it’s definitely not by using Strava.

I measure a ride by enjoying the miles with people I actually like. I have zero desire to wake up at 5:00 AM, stretch into bibs, pack energy gels, and pump out heavy watts just to keep up with a bunch of snobs who refuse to ride under 20mph on a 75-mile route. No thanks. I’d much rather ride at a reasonable time with good people who are just enjoying the fact that they are on their bikes, not obsessively counting their calories or segments.

When you’re riding with us at SoCal Biking, we couldn’t care less which bike you ride, as long as you’re out there riding it.

A group of cool people we met who have a similar philosophy.

Remembering Why We Coast

It all comes down to remembering why we are coasting on two wheels in the first place: the joy. The fun. The open air. The feeling of not being trapped inside a car’s little bubble with the air conditioning and blasting music. We get to be closer to the world, experience the real environment, and be a part of something bigger.

How can someone possibly enjoy that when they’re being talked down to by some guy in lycra telling them where they should or shouldn’t stand (yes, this actually happened to me last year). Just because Joe Schmo spent $10,000 on his new cycling hobby doesn’t mean he gets to talk down to John Doe on his budget commuter. It’s all the same.

We ride to be free from the stress of our everyday adult lives, so just chill and be happy to see someone else out on a bike. I am. I try to wave at every single cyclist who rides past me on the trail.

So, here is some food for thought for the purists: please, just relax. Riding bikes is supposed to be fun, not a life-or-death competition. Just chill and cycle on, bro.